Good morning All. Coffees on.

[Marcie Jensen]

@awkward-yet-sweet, well said and too true. Consider something as simple as a loaf of bread and how many times it's taxed BEFORE it gets to the consumer: The wheat farmer (1); the dairy farmer (2); the railroad that delivers the bulk ingredients (3); the various truckers that do local transport, deliveries, etc. (at least 3 of them for 4,5,6); the grain elevator (7, even if a local co-op); the bakery (8); the supermarket (9) and then local sales taxes (10). AND this doesn't include business licenses, state taxes as well as federal, and so on. Each of these are passed to the consumer. It all adds up.

[Ivy]

Ah… Death & Taxes.

I don't think anyone likes them.  Your income is taxed, and then taxed when you spend it.

 I suppose I'm okay with it to a point.  I mean I use the roads and other things.  I retired from the city here and we did provide essential services.

I understand the "this is my money and they have no right to take it" way of thinking   But we are all part of this collective society, even if they do treat us like crap.

It does bother me to see it wasted or stolen though.

 

Today I'm going to my VA support group - paid for by our taxes.

[KymmieL]

I get complaints at least once a day at work. Don't blame me, I just work here.

 

29 with white crap falling. Didn't I say I was done with snow, Mother nature is a deaf bwitch. LOL.

 

The boss at work is in Dallas for the companies annual meeting. The companies rent several hotels in Dallas and fill them with store managers and up. Meetings and awards etc. basically, just a reason to get drunk at the companies expense. I just wonder what would happen if I ever by some small miracle I ever get my own store.  I would be so abandoned it wouldn't be funny. Being Trans and a non drinker. I often wondered being that they put 2 to a room. What would they do with me. put me with a female or a male, or in a tent in the hotel parking lot. Never happen so why worry.

 

Anyway going to the dentist to get evaluated for my fractured root and possibly getting an implant. We will see what happens.

 

Hugs to all.

 

Kymmie   

[Marcie Jensen]

When I picked up my mail today, there was a summons for Federal Jury Duty. It   addressed to my dead name, so I called the number provided and the person I spoke to wasn't very helpful. I was told to go to the court's website and follow the instructions.One off the requirements was to go online and fill out a questionnaire. The questionnaire had very little to do with my fitness (or lack thereof) to be a juror. It asked for a lot of personal information though. One of the questions was about my gender. I was given two options--male or female; not even prefer not to say. Also, there was no provision to correct my name.  It's not only a sterling example of our tax dollars at work, but it's going to prove interesting when Marcie shows up and not the person I was...

[Ivy]

3 hours ago, Marcie Jensen said:

it's going to prove interesting when Marcie shows up and not the person I was...

Heh heh.   I carry a copy of my name change court order in my purse.

 

When I got my Drivers license changed, they changed it with the elections board.   When I got the card it was spelled wrong.  I had to go over there to get it fixed.

I made a subtle change to the spelling of my last name.  (to be more reflective of its origin)  When I went to the VA to change it there, they called me on the phone to tell me there was a misspelling on the DL. In my case people want to default to the more common anglicized spelling.

 

Now I get mail for 3 different people: my dead name; "Jandi" (which the sheriff and FBI call an alias) and now, Ivy.  Sometimes from the same people.

[Davie]

I'm off to the docs tomorrow. I've got hematuria, or blood in urine. It could be bad but most likely not serious. I've got a great urologist, that's a plus. Wait and see and pray, and show up to see an expert—I'll let you know.

— Davie 🙏

[awkward-yet-sweet]

1 hour ago, Davie said:

I'm off to the docs tomorrow. I've got hematuria, or blood in urine. It could be bad but most likely not serious. I've got a great urologist, that's a plus. Wait and see and pray, and show up to see an expert—I'll let you know.

— Davie 🙏

 

Hoping that it goes well for you, sending good vibes.  🙂

[awkward-yet-sweet]

@Marcie Jensen As one who has recently benefited from the service of a jury, thanks for doing your part if you get selected.  I know that's not something most folks look forward too. 

 

I can only imagine how frustrating the name issue could be if the government keeps getting it wrong.  But it is becoming more common lately, so they probably won't be surprised.  Here's hoping they deal with it appropriately and with respect. 

 

As for me...its frustrating today just getting my body to do what it is supposed to.  I got my verdict on Monday and I'm supposed to be recovered, but I managed to trip and fall on my own shadow in the kitchen.  TBI is weird stuff...some days I feel like I'll be clumsy forever.  😢

[Willow]

@Marcie Jensen I got assigned to county jury duty twice the first time I had to go to the courthouse 3 out of 4 weeks, never left the muster room.

 

I was called to federal jury duty twice as well.  First time I had to go to the federal district court in Alexandria.  Good news we had a secure jury parking lot.  One time there we were supposed to be available for selection for a drug case.  The defendant didn’t show.  Another time it was for a pretty big case that was expected to take a long time.  Fortunately they seated a jury just before my group was to go into the courtroom.

 

Second time I was excused because I was over age by the time my year would have started.

 

Jury duty is an important responsibility and while I was hoping not to be selected, I was also disappointed I was never assigned to a court room as a prospective junior.

 

Willow

[Marcie Jensen]

Good morning all! Plenty of coffee (I mat take it interveinously today) a nice starry sky ro wake up to and a day for relaxation. Mostly.

 

@Willowand @awkward-yet-sweetI think I need to elaborate a bit about the jury duty questionnaire. This is my third summons in as many years, The first was State Jury Duty, the second was County and this one was Federal. I was called on to serve both times, and I intend to serve on this one if needed. What struck me about this time was the questionnaire. Both the state of AZ and Maricopa County got the name right and had, shall we say, more enlightened choices for gender as well as being less intrusive personally. I found it interesting that the solidly red state of AZ was more inclusive than the more...enlightened...kinder, gentler federal Department of Justice was. (Side note of irony here. And yes, I know my sense of humor is warped.)

 

And, @Ivy, carrying a copy of one's name change court order in one's purse is a great practice. I'm going to start.

 

Hugs,

 

Marcie

 

 

[Ivy]

9 hours ago, Willow said:

Jury duty is an important responsibility and while I was hoping not to be selected, I was also disappointed I was never assigned to a court room as a prospective junior.

I've been called a few times.  Once for the Grand Jury, which meets once a month for a year.  The few times I was actually selected for a trial, the lawyers got rid of me in a hurry.  Sometimes being a little strange has its perks.

[Willow]

Good morning 

 

I haven’t been to the “Y” since Covid but today we are going to chair yoga.  An easy break in to getting back to it. We used to do full standing laying yoga and yopi. 
 

@Marcie Jensen I would gladly have served on a jury, but they called potential jurors out of the pool room and when enough had been seated, the rest were released.  I imagine every court or state has a different method of selection.  

 

these days this couldn’t be more important -
 

[Willow]

@Ivy I think on thing that turned off lawyers towards me was the amount of law courses I had taken in college.  Neither side wants a junior that can tell when they are trying to mess with the jury over some point that isn’t technically correct.

[Mmindy]

Good morning Coffee drinkers, and those who don't.

 

My wife loves to be selected for Jury Duty, because it's real life drama.

I on the other hand have only received one call to jury duty, and since I was the sole proprietor of my small business they relived me of my duty. Now that I'm semiretired, I would gladly serve.

 

Speaking of the sole proprietor issues, and anxieties... I'm two thirds of the way through a major product build and delivery. My biggest prop is an IMO-101 sea container, and two suppliers have back ordered major components that have to be set first before the rest of the build can start. Yesterday my fabricator said he received parts, and wanted me to go through them so he knew where to start. This morning when I called the shipper for back order updates, I miss entered the phone number by one digit, and my dyslexia didn't catch that until I was extremely frustrated at getting the wrong company on the phone. I came in from the shop for a fresh cup of coffee, and explain my frustrations to my wife. She asked to see my phone and e-mail contact print out. She quickly saw the miss dial issue.  I entered the corrected number the sales person promptly answered.  They did have an update, however it wasn't good news.

The parts are not expected to ship until February now.

 

Pictured is the IMO-101 sea container that I build.

 

Hope everyone has a great day.

 

Mindy🐛🏳️‍⚧️🦋

[Colleen Henderson]

2 hours ago, Ivy said:

Sometimes being a little strange has its perks.

 

I've found that one sure way to be dismissed is to stand and shout, "Why wait for the law? Let's string him up now!"

[awkward-yet-sweet]

13 minutes ago, Colleen Henderson said:

 

I've found that one sure way to be dismissed is to stand and shout, "Why wait for the law? Let's string him up now!"

My husband's father writes his information on jury duty papers using red crayon with tons of spelling errors 🙄

[KymmieL]

I have been called to serve on a jury once. that was when I was in the service. It was for Michigan and I lived in SD at the time.

Several times I have been put on a pool to be called for potential juror. It was for our county. This year I am on the pool for federal court in Cheyenne. 

 

My tooth extraction went good. except for the pain when the novacain wore off. I was in pain most of yesterday. JUst a dull ache today. Now I have to wait 3 months till I get my implant.

 

Kymmie

[Willow]

Hi

 

we went to chair yoga today.  That went well, in fact we are going again tomorrow.  I am going to Aqua fit followed by a senior stretch and fit.  If I survive then we will continue going more regularly.  My wife is only doing the senior stretch and fit.  She doesn’t like pool work.  Unless it’s a warm pool which this isn’t.

 

willow

[Mmindy]

9 hours ago, Willow said:

She doesn’t like pool work.  Unless it’s a warm pool

Good morning everyone,

 

I've been up since 04:20 AM, because while I love working in my shop. My hands and elbows don't. I was asked about the name of my hand lotion, by the young lady who does my nails. She didn't get it when I said AsperCream, but the two more mature ladies sitting next to me laughed.

 

@WillowI'm with your wife on the heated pool thing. I really need and look forward to being able to join a senior stretch, and yoga class.

 

There will be a nap in my future.

 

Mindy🐛🏳️‍⚧️🦋

[Willow]

Yeah, it’s Friday the 13th!

 

Yes, I am happy it’s Friday the 13th.  Historically that’s been a good day for me.

 

im not sure if I slept wrong or if the exercise got to me but my back hurts and my right arm at the shoulder.  Turns out my wife never completed her Senior Stretch registration and I canceled mine.  We will just go later and use the treadmill or stationary bike.

 

@Mmindy I prefer the warmer water too.  Is not easy getting into the pool when it’s too cool.  But they have to compromise between lap swimmers an swim team verses old folk.  Honestly I’ve exercised in a pool that was too warm.  That isn’t good either.  Once you get active the cooler water doesn’t feel cool anymore.  
 

I had to look up what you were making.  I’ve seen those on truck’s before and knew they were tanks but not the those were what you made as simulators.  Do you do everything? Cutting bending welding?  You must have a pretty extensive shop to putter around.

 

That last series of storms went through during the night.  We got rain.  As they approached the coast, they stayed inland.  The NC mountains were forecast to get as much as a foot.  My daughter lives in the northern Shenandoah Valley and they blew through there too.  But I understand the next one hitting The west coast could be even worse.  Cold here this weekend even the possibility of snow flurries.

 

stay safe, don’t drive through flooded or flooding roads.

 

hugs

 

Willow

[KymmieL]

49 minutes ago, Willow said:

Cold here this weekend even the possibility of snow flurries.

 

stay safe, don’t drive through flooded or flooding roads.

 

hugs

 

Willow

MUwwwwHHHHHHHHH, My evil plan worked. I had sent my evil white and cold to those in the southern states. So they can enjoy it as much as I do.

 

Friday the 13 has never been a superstitious day for me. Who remembers when they played horror movies on Friday the 13. 

 

Learn something yesterday. I was watching High score a series about the video game market. Come to find out that the 14 year old young man who won the first ever national Space Invaders tournament in 1980 later became female. She transitioned. 

 

Well finally got the rest of the gas out of the tank on the wagon yesterday. Now I can heat the garage without blowing up. And get some work done on the wagon. She has to road worthy by May. I am driving her to Bowling Green, KY. for the Buick GS Nationals. It will be the first time in 40 years that I DROVE my Buick to the nationals. Looking forward to it.

 

Hugs,

 

Kymmie

 

All you southerners you are welcome for the cold. LOL

[awkward-yet-sweet]

14 minutes ago, KymmieL said:

MUwwwwHHHHHHHHH, My evil plan worked. I had sent my evil white and cold to those in the southern states. So they can enjoy it as much as I do

 

All you southerners you are welcome for the cold. LOL

😛 Thanks for that.... 🙄. I'm hoping it will be a little bit warmer today than it was yesterday. I don't like going out in the cold, it's wet or snowy that's even worse.  

 

Of course, cold and snow is my girlfriend's natural environment.  Arctic critter...

[Mmindy]

@WillowI use to have a shop where I did all the fabrication. Now I have vendors do the primary work. I paint and add all the tank truck components as well as the logos. I love building/making things. 
 

Hugs

 

Mindy🐛🏳️‍⚧️🦋

[heatherd]

I decided to take in a transgender teen and she is much happier.Came out in December and mom said out of her house.A good friend of mine introduced her to me.14 years old and I told her my story,there for her.My family even has accepted her in.

[Davie]

On 1/11/2023 at 10:46 PM, awkward-yet-sweet said:

Hoping that it goes well for you, sending good vibes.  🙂

Thanks for the vibes. Spent many hours the last two days getting to clinics and labs and doctors, but I still don't know. I do know I'm lucky to have good and available medicine.   Still have to wait for results and another endoscope exam in two weeks, but I'm happy I showed up for all of it. That is a success in itself, with my history with doctors I fight a lot of anxiety to rise to the occasion. It is more likely it's not serious—the hematuria has stopped since I gave up NSAIDs—that may be it right there. But then I'll know I'm clear of cancer, too. It made a huge test of my back and walking and I passed with flying colors. Lots of good this week after all. Now back to work.