The New Year Approaches.

rkwsuperstar wrote:

She is going to be in for a surprise when she gets her reimbursement, since we do not reimburse in excess of the per diem.

I have a funny Per Diem story. I was with a GPS start up back in the 90's. It was crazy the amount of money they had coming and going. Three of us in the installation group were there from the start so we open ended expense accounts. I went into home depot one time and walked out with $15000 in tools. Our boss loved team building dinners, usually at Hooters, that would have a massive bill at the end of the night. We had to account and explain all the charges, and since he was the boss, his team building was approved.
I never pushed it. If I needed something I got it, if my techs needed something they got it. So I never got in any trouble about my account.

My buddy Jeff was the third on our team. He pushed it until it broke. Strip club, shopping sprees, crazy fuel charges. At first they brought him in and warned him. Then they made him pay back what wasn't accepted. Then they finally took his cards when he put new tires for his dune buggy, on their account.

We have an employee who is in pretty poor shape financially. I know because she tells everyone her business. When she started, before we did anything else, she asked me when the first pay day was because she and her husband had $20 in the bank and she had no groceries (she has a 5 year old son). She and her husband have a failing farm, she has some recent health troubles that required some hospitalization, etc. Anyway, I say all that to say that when she goes out in the field (about once a month, for a couple of days) she always turns in meal receipts that are outrageous. She buys expensive meals, she'll tip an amount almost equal to her bill. Then, when she brings me receipts, she asks when is she going to get the reimbursement because she needs to pay her husband back for the loan he gave her to buy her meals on the trip, etc. For the area they travel to, the meal per diem is $51, which is a pretty good amount. She just turned in receipts and she bought ONE meal that met her per diem. Red Lobster, she bought lobster and added snow crab. With her tip, that put her over the per diem. Not counting the almost $20 lunch and the $10 breakfast on the same day.

She is going to be in for a surprise when she gets her reimbursement, since we do not reimburse in excess of the per diem.

Joe vs The Volcano is on.

It's a ridiculous movie, but still fun to watch. It helps that Meg Ryan is in it and her smile is cute as can be.

This past week it's seemed like Old Man Winter is getting an early turf clash from young lady spring. Weather's been a bit warmer, then cold again, and lot's of fluctuating rain.

Saturday at work, it was raining really heavy when I got off the bus. So I took the extra time to put on the orange coveralls, which is a pain in the ass especially for bathroom breaks. By the time I got outside, the rain had stopped, and for the first half of my shift there was barely even any sprinkling, so I just wore the rain coat after lunch.

Sunday, I just put on the rain coat for the first half of my shift, and the goddamn rain keeps up a steady pace for most of that time.

Meanwhile, now that I've finished the Discworld series by Terry Prachett, I've decided to finish the Thomas Covenant series. I still hate the protagonists, but the supporting characters and overall plot are once again enough to draw me in.

I'm not against the foods, they just kind of fell out of my diet. Talked to a med student friend of mine and he said I should bring up Addison's disease with the next doctor I see, which will be in the next few days. It's ostensibly adrenal failure or imbalance. If that's the case, it might be dietary. If it is, easy fix. If not...then tumors! He highly doubts the tumors.

rkwsuperstar wrote:

Patch wrote:

James.k.Polk wrote:

Just meats and cheeses?  You might be developing a vitamin deficiency which might be behind one or more of your symptoms.  I'm not a doctor, nor do I play one on TV, but I can tell a difference in how well I feel when I am eating a variety of foods vs when I am just eating burgers and fries.

My daughter hates veggies. The last couple of months she has been to the doctor twice with stomach problem. She had bacteria growing in her intestines. They gave her an antibiotic and she has started eating better and it seems to have gone away.
That's why they say a balanced meal I guess.

My brother will eat only carrots, peas, and green beans, and only out of a can.  He doesn't want fresh or frozen.  I don't think he even eats fruit at all.  

We are a family of picky eaters.

I think the only thing I eat out of a can is tomato paste for my spaghetti sauce and fish (sardines, tuna, salmon). Too much salt in canned food and the taste is bland in comparison to fresh or frozen.
I'll eat just about anything but I dislike baked potatoes.

rkwsuperstar wrote:

Patch wrote:

James.k.Polk wrote:

Just meats and cheeses?  You might be developing a vitamin deficiency which might be behind one or more of your symptoms.  I'm not a doctor, nor do I play one on TV, but I can tell a difference in how well I feel when I am eating a variety of foods vs when I am just eating burgers and fries.

My daughter hates veggies. The last couple of months she has been to the doctor twice with stomach problem. She had bacteria growing in her intestines. They gave her an antibiotic and she has started eating better and it seems to have gone away.
That's why they say a balanced meal I guess.

My brother will eat only carrots, peas, and green beans, and only out of a can.  He doesn't want fresh or frozen.  I don't think he even eats fruit at all.  

We are a family of picky eaters.

There are only two vegetables on my no fly list. Canned green beans, and any kind of whole kernel or creamed corn.

Patch wrote:

James.k.Polk wrote:

Just meats and cheeses?  You might be developing a vitamin deficiency which might be behind one or more of your symptoms.  I'm not a doctor, nor do I play one on TV, but I can tell a difference in how well I feel when I am eating a variety of foods vs when I am just eating burgers and fries.

My daughter hates veggies. The last couple of months she has been to the doctor twice with stomach problem. She had bacteria growing in her intestines. They gave her an antibiotic and she has started eating better and it seems to have gone away.
That's why they say a balanced meal I guess.

My brother will eat only carrots, peas, and green beans, and only out of a can. He doesn't want fresh or frozen. I don't think he even eats fruit at all.

We are a family of picky eaters.

James.k.Polk wrote:

Sleverin wrote:They didn't check my blood sugar.  My diet mainly consists of meat, cheese and butter.  I'll get something different on the weekends, but I don't really eat much fruit or veggies.  I cut fruit out in an attempt to reduce carb/sugar intake to lose weight.  I lost 15 lbs. last month and it turned out that I was just eating too much in general and the sugar was only partially related.

Just meats and cheeses?  You might be developing a vitamin deficiency which might be behind one or more of your symptoms.  I'm not a doctor, nor do I play one on TV, but I can tell a difference in how well I feel when I am eating a variety of foods vs when I am just eating burgers and fries.

I'd gently suggest trying to move towards a more balanced diet before turning to meds to lessen your symptoms.  Or do both.  

Do both if you need to.

No fruits or vegetables? What are the symptoms of scurvy?

James.k.Polk wrote:

Just meats and cheeses?  You might be developing a vitamin deficiency which might be behind one or more of your symptoms.  I'm not a doctor, nor do I play one on TV, but I can tell a difference in how well I feel when I am eating a variety of foods vs when I am just eating burgers and fries.

My daughter hates veggies. The last couple of months she has been to the doctor twice with stomach problem. She had bacteria growing in her intestines. They gave her an antibiotic and she has started eating better and it seems to have gone away.
That's why they say a balanced meal I guess.

James.k.Polk wrote:

says the person who has spent 127 hours meticulously painting a tiny giant fighting robot toy.

Sleverin wrote:They didn't check my blood sugar.  My diet mainly consists of meat, cheese and butter.  I'll get something different on the weekends, but I don't really eat much fruit or veggies.  I cut fruit out in an attempt to reduce carb/sugar intake to lose weight.  I lost 15 lbs. last month and it turned out that I was just eating too much in general and the sugar was only partially related.

Just meats and cheeses? You might be developing a vitamin deficiency which might be behind one or more of your symptoms. I'm not a doctor, nor do I play one on TV, but I can tell a difference in how well I feel when I am eating a variety of foods vs when I am just eating burgers and fries.

I'd gently suggest trying to move towards a more balanced diet before turning to meds to lessen your symptoms. Or do both.

Do both if you need to.

theIllustriousDrGonzo wrote:You're all nerds. That is all.

says the person who has spent 127 hours meticulously painting a tiny giant fighting robot toy.

We love you too, Ozne.

You're all nerds. That is all.

They didn't check my blood sugar. My diet mainly consists of meat, cheese and butter. I'll get something different on the weekends, but I don't really eat much fruit or veggies. I cut fruit out in an attempt to reduce carb/sugar intake to lose weight. I lost 15 lbs. last month and it turned out that I was just eating too much in general and the sugar was only partially related.

Sleverin wrote:I thought I was getting better but i had a really bad panic attack/shivering fest last night so I went into the hospital.  They couldn't find anything wrong besides that my pulse was super low and my heart rate was super high.  Bloodwork came back negative.  Good news though, I went to re sign up with the local financial aid and found out there is no more for citizens of California.  I do however have an outstanding bill of nearly 2 grand which apparently I can get cut in half once I sign up through the Affordable Care Act.  I though that strangely, that particular doctor visit was covered by county welfare.  Guess I was wrong.  Thanks life.

Take care. Low blood pressure worries me. The shivering could be due to the drop in BP. Did they check your blood sugar? What's your diet like? Is it feasible to add more fresh vegetables and fruit?

I thought I was getting better but i had a really bad panic attack/shivering fest last night so I went into the hospital. They couldn't find anything wrong besides that my pulse was super low and my heart rate was super high. Bloodwork came back negative. Good news though, I went to re sign up with the local financial aid and found out there is no more for citizens of California. I do however have an outstanding bill of nearly 2 grand which apparently I can get cut in half once I sign up through the Affordable Care Act. I though that strangely, that particular doctor visit was covered by county welfare. Guess I was wrong. Thanks life.

Started watching Sin City 2 twice this weekend. Fell asleep both time. I have it recorded so maybe the 3rd time will be the charm.

Patch wrote:Wow. I just saw 13 Hours. It was really good. So good I'll even see another Micheal Bay movie in theater. (something I haven't done in a long time)
I was a little worried going in. It's a long movie and long movies with bad pacing, like the first Lord of the Rings, are enough to make me get up and leave. That wasn't the case. It sets a good pace, only slowing at the end, when it's fitting.
It wasn't as intense as Blackhawk Down, but close. I was worried that I'd see "Jim from the office" every time he was on screen but that wasn't the case.

The really sad part of the movie reflects on how poorly our government responded to this mess. It's shameful. Putting aside the left and the right, someone should have gotten off their asses and sent help.

These guys are true heroes. They stayed, fought, bled and died to saved American lives.

Fun fact, the "Jim from the Office" guy was on the short list of actors being considered for the lead in Captain America before Chris Evan's got the part. Another guy on that list was the kid from Tron Legacy, and he might have missed out over concerns that shooting the at the time expected further sequel(s) to Tron would have interfered with his schedule.

Wow. I just saw 13 Hours. It was really good. So good I'll even see another Micheal Bay movie in theater. (something I haven't done in a long time)
I was a little worried going in. It's a long movie and long movies with bad pacing, like the first Lord of the Rings, are enough to make me get up and leave. That wasn't the case. It sets a good pace, only slowing at the end, when it's fitting.
It wasn't as intense as Blackhawk Down, but close. I was worried that I'd see "Jim from the office" every time he was on screen but that wasn't the case.

The really sad part of the movie reflects on how poorly our government responded to this mess. It's shameful. Putting aside the left and the right, someone should have gotten off their asses and sent help.

These guys are true heroes. They stayed, fought, bled and died to saved American lives.

James.k.Polk wrote:

NebulaJack wrote:

James.k.Polk wrote:

NebulaJack wrote:Update on Unsecret Santa Stuff -

The weather was shitty on monday, so I called up the post office and got an estimate on shipping costs. I'll send stuff next week.

On a plus note, Polk, your gifts arrived today.

On a minus note, the glass part of that shot glass from Vegas didn't survive the journey. It may have met it's end at the journey's end. My room mate said he heard a thump before going out for a smoke, and found the package on the ground in front've my door.

Sorry about that. I thought the paper they were wrapped in would have prevented that. There were two shot glasses in there.

Also the TMBG video is from me, the other video is one Luke sent me and I had no way to watch it.

It's very much appreciated. The metal shot glass is cool, and the M&M one is really neat! I was wondering about the Red vs Blue thing being the 13th season. Cool stuff though, because it gives me a reason to catch up, which I've meant to do for years.

Also, I'm looking forward to seeing how the crowd in Berlin responds to the song Road Movie To Berlin.

I hadn't thought of that. As you could see I never got around to watching that video. Left it sealed. I would have enjoyed it but I hate dedicating a lot of time to *just* looking at a video. I have tv on, but it's usually background while I am doodling, web browsing and playing plants vs zombies.

I'll let you know how it goes.

NebulaJack wrote:

James.k.Polk wrote:

NebulaJack wrote:Update on Unsecret Santa Stuff -

The weather was shitty on monday, so I called up the post office and got an estimate on shipping costs. I'll send stuff next week.

On a plus note, Polk, your gifts arrived today.

On a minus note, the glass part of that shot glass from Vegas didn't survive the journey. It may have met it's end at the journey's end. My room mate said he heard a thump before going out for a smoke, and found the package on the ground in front've my door.

Sorry about that. I thought the paper they were wrapped in would have prevented that. There were two shot glasses in there.

Also the TMBG video is from me, the other video is one Luke sent me and I had no way to watch it.

It's very much appreciated. The metal shot glass is cool, and the M&M one is really neat! I was wondering about the Red vs Blue thing being the 13th season. Cool stuff though, because it gives me a reason to catch up, which I've meant to do for years.

Also, I'm looking forward to seeing how the crowd in Berlin responds to the song Road Movie To Berlin.

I hadn't thought of that. As you could see I never got around to watching that video. Left it sealed. I would have enjoyed it but I hate dedicating a lot of time to *just* looking at a video. I have tv on, but it's usually background while I am doodling, web browsing and playing plants vs zombies.

Sleverin wrote:The Sin City sequel is pretty good but its too little too late and feels rushed.  I really wish they had come out with the movie a good 8 years earlier when the hype was there.  The movie doesn't look or feel as tight as the first one, but its still a good watch.  It got a bad rap because it went up against Guardians of the Galaxy and that was a loss no matter how big the movie (except Star Wars).

Jimi Hendrix drawing?  Was that the mothman you posted the other day?

My parents got a new phone plan which apparently means I get a new phone, a Galaxy S6.  I'm sure that it will be as efficient at doing the same things I did with my old phone.  I really don't use phones for much besides checkig Facebook when I'm bored at work and tired of studying in my down time or playing music...I dunno, I just don't get the allure of needing to use it to play games and constantly text.

Yeah, Sin City 2 could have been a great movie when there was more of the original cast to work with, and Angelina Jolie was in talks for the role of Ava Lord. One of the bigger problems though might have been present even then. A Dame to Kill For is one of Miller's best, but the other two stories which were written for the movie are lack luster.

The one with Joseph Gordon Levitt doesn't really connect with me at all. I can't bring myself to care about him or his goal, and when it's finally revealed what he's going for, it seems stupid and pointless.

The story about Nancy dealing with her grief over Hartigan has some potential, and seems to be going somewhere, then it turns into a pointless bloodbath. I really hate the lazy fan theories that boil down to "The lead character is dying or crazy and the whole story is a delusion", but that's the only way the ending makes sense, especially since the dialog hints very heavily at it, and that comes off feeling like a cheap bitch move from a writer who doesn't know how to end the story properly.

Also, as for Android apps and games and such, if you haven't tried mobile games, download a few and give 'em a go. If they aren't your thing, then at least you've got a pretty device for checking facebook and looking up info.

James.k.Polk wrote:

NebulaJack wrote:Update on Unsecret Santa Stuff -

The weather was shitty on monday, so I called up the post office and got an estimate on shipping costs. I'll send stuff next week.

On a plus note, Polk, your gifts arrived today.

On a minus note, the glass part of that shot glass from Vegas didn't survive the journey. It may have met it's end at the journey's end. My room mate said he heard a thump before going out for a smoke, and found the package on the ground in front've my door.

Sorry about that. I thought the paper they were wrapped in would have prevented that. There were two shot glasses in there.

Also the TMBG video is from me, the other video is one Luke sent me and I had no way to watch it.

It's very much appreciated. The metal shot glass is cool, and the M&M one is really neat! I was wondering about the Red vs Blue thing being the 13th season. Cool stuff though, because it gives me a reason to catch up, which I've meant to do for years.

Also, I'm looking forward to seeing how the crowd in Berlin responds to the song Road Movie To Berlin.

The Sin City sequel is pretty good but its too little too late and feels rushed. I really wish they had come out with the movie a good 8 years earlier when the hype was there. The movie doesn't look or feel as tight as the first one, but its still a good watch. It got a bad rap because it went up against Guardians of the Galaxy and that was a loss no matter how big the movie (except Star Wars).

Jimi Hendrix drawing? Was that the mothman you posted the other day?

My parents got a new phone plan which apparently means I get a new phone, a Galaxy S6. I'm sure that it will be as efficient at doing the same things I did with my old phone. I really don't use phones for much besides checkig Facebook when I'm bored at work and tired of studying in my down time or playing music...I dunno, I just don't get the allure of needing to use it to play games and constantly text.