The Isolated Blurt Thread XXXVII: You're Welcome, Fuckers

[butters]

busyish day after a late start: potted up about 33 bell pepper seeds and a further 140 zinnias (for his mum) in pink, red and yellow, watered the two new tom plants that are suffering, then vacuumed indoors.

H had to buy a spring to replace a snapped one on the mower, and picked up a few groceries too. We got the thrown drive belt and spring reinstated, and H has just planted a black grape plant. It's sunny, warm, breezy, pretty out there today!

movie night tonight, i guess, with old classics for his mum to enjoy. Please not Gone With The Wind, though

 

[thør]

A good friend, and engineer, is 4 months from retirement. He told me yesterday, that he was diagnosed with stage 4 lung cancer. He's not doing treatment for some reason or another. His choice, but fuck, he'll probably be dead before he gets the chance to retire.

It happens often. About 18 years ago, an old guy I worked with, was 2 months from retirement and got torn into pieces by two rail cars. He made one wrong move, at the end of a 40 year career, and paid with his life. That was a bad one.

Another engineer, had been retired for 2 weeks, had a heart attack and died while napping on his couch. I could go on and on.

These are only a few cases I've been around. But these three are people I was very close with. Knew their wives and children, ate dinner at their homes, drank and got drunk with.. Sad. It makes me worry about what will happen to me. We work in a tough industry and we all pay for it at some point.

Ya never know.........

 

[_Milky_Whites_]

Exhaustion doesn’t even hit it.

 

[Lazaran]

A good friend, and engineer, is 4 months from retirement. He told me yesterday, that he was diagnosed with stage 4 lung cancer. He's not doing treatment for some reason or another. His choice, but fuck, he'll probably be dead before he gets the chance to retire.

It happens often. About 18 years ago, an old guy I worked with, was 2 months from retirement and got torn into pieces by two rail cars. He made one wrong move, at the end of a 40 year career, and paid with his life. That was a bad one.

Another engineer, had been retired for 2 weeks, had a heart attack and died while napping on his couch. I could go on and on.

These are only a few cases I've been around. But these three are people I was very close with. Knew their wives and children, ate dinner at their homes, drank and got drunk with.. Sad. It makes me worry about what will happen to me. We work in a tough industry and we all pay for it at some point.

I can totally relate:

I worked in a super high stress, high demand job that chews people up.

If you ever saw the TV reality show: "Behind Bars", then you will have a taste of what my work life was like.

What’s worse, the place I worked took the worst of the worst psychopaths, rapists and sociopaths, who were too mentally defective for prisons, or whose behavior the prisons couldn’t deal with.

We did specialized work that required specialized training and certifications: A hybrid of medical, psychiatric, and security disciplines. It was a constant challenge.

Unsurprisingly, many incapacitating events and early deaths among staff resulted from that meat grinder.

For some reference:

https://www.vera.org/reimagining-prison-web-report/examining-prisons-today/the-prison-experience-for-corrections-staff#:~:text=In combination, this leads to,years below the national average.





And my job was as bad or worse than a correctional officer’s on most days.



I can only hope that I bucked the trend.

 

[IrezumiKiss]

Happy April 25th to those who celebrate!

 

[butters]

Happy April 25th to those who celebrate!

it's H&my 7-year wedding anniversary, so April 25th's a day to celebrate

 

[Lazaran]

it's H&my 7-year wedding anniversary, so April 25th's a day to celebrate

Congrats to you two.

And many more.

 

[ProseAndCons]

it's H&my 7-year wedding anniversary, so April 25th's a day to celebrate

Happy Anniversary!!

 

[juttjaw]

I can totally relate:

I worked in a super high stress, high demand job that chews people up.

If you ever saw the TV reality show: "Behind Bars", then you will have a taste of what my work life was like.

What’s worse, the place I worked took the worst of the worst psychopaths, rapists and sociopaths, who were too mentally defective for prisons, or whose behavior the prisons couldn’t deal with.

We did specialized work that required specialized training and certifications: A hybrid of medical, psychiatric, and security disciplines. It was a constant challenge.

Unsurprisingly, many incapacitating events and early deaths among staff resulted from that meat grinder.

For some reference:

https://www.vera.org/reimagining-prison-web-report/examining-prisons-today/the-prison-experience-for-corrections-staff#:~:text=In combination, this leads to,years below the national average.

View attachment 2342290



And my job was as bad or worse than a correctional officer’s on most days.



I can only hope that I bucked the trend.

I have some friends who have worked in corrections. They all got out young. They say it was one of the most stressful parts of their lives. I'd like to see the statistics on divorce and alcohol or drug abuse. Bet those are pretty high as well.

 

[Lazaran]

I have some friends who have worked in corrections. They all got out young. They say it was one of the most stressful parts of their lives. I'd like to see the statistics on divorce and alcohol or drug abuse. Bet those are pretty high as well.

When PTSD, suicides, reduced life expectancy, etc, etc, are worse among COs, etc, than those who serve in the military, you know it’s no joke.



There is a decent retirement plan…if you survive…for THIRTY YEARS of that hell.



In my case - with the higher requirements for my classification - after college and training I was already 24 when I started.

24 + 30 = 54

So, considering that the life expectancy is 59 years, and you’re likely to be burned out beyond belief after thirty years, that retirement is probably going to be far from long and enjoyable.



I’m determined to beat the odds and buck the trend.

 

[girlsmiley]

A good friend, and engineer, is 4 months from retirement. He told me yesterday, that he was diagnosed with stage 4 lung cancer. He's not doing treatment for some reason or another. His choice, but fuck, he'll probably be dead before he gets the chance to retire.

It happens often. About 18 years ago, an old guy I worked with, was 2 months from retirement and got torn into pieces by two rail cars. He made one wrong move, at the end of a 40 year career, and paid with his life. That was a bad one.

Another engineer, had been retired for 2 weeks, had a heart attack and died while napping on his couch. I could go on and on.

These are only a few cases I've been around. But these three are people I was very close with. Knew their wives and children, ate dinner at their homes, drank and got drunk with.. Sad. It makes me worry about what will happen to me. We work in a tough industry and we all pay for it at some point.

Yeah, it sucks. I’ve lost a few mates. And they weren’t old. All we need to do is decide what to do with the time given to us. Enjoy our lives best we can.

Last night my partner asked me if I reckon we should build a fireplace. Because she was “freezing”. It was 17 degrees. Fucken Queenslanders.

 

[thør]

Yeah, it sucks. I’ve lost a few mates. And they weren’t old. All we need to do is decide what to do with the time given to us. Enjoy our lives best we can.

Last night my partner asked me if I reckon we should build a fireplace. Because she was “freezing”. It was 17 degrees. Fucken Queenslanders.

Build a fire? or the fireplace?

I live where it's cold and no way will I allow a fireplace in my house.

 

[girlsmiley]

Build a fire? or the fireplace?

I live where it's cold and no way will I allow a fireplace in my house.

She’s having a dig because she’s from Queensland. Gets hot up there.

 

[thør]

She’s having a dig because she’s from Queensland. Gets hot up there.

Ah, 17°C is tee shirt weather around here.

 

[girlsmiley]

Anything below 20 she’s turning the heat on and saying things like “This is how the eskimos feel”

They can be a bit precious up there in Satans arse crack.

 

[butters]

supposed to be a high of 81... was almost 90 when i was outside breaking ground for the cow peas!

 

[juttjaw]

Anything below 20 she’s turning the heat on and saying things like “This is how the eskimos feel”

They can be a bit precious up there in Satans arse crack.

It's an event if we change the temp inside my house. We keep it 68 degrees f, all year round. Whatever we spend in summer, we make up for in winter. It is an agreement between us, a compromise, a pact. I'd be happy at 60., She's happy at 72. I remind her, I gave more on my end of the deal. She counters, "it is impossible to keep it at 60 in the summer" . Pure conjecture I say, it has never been tried! Our data is incomplete!

 

[butters]

i recommend (netflix) 3 Body Problem... a series, created by the makers of G.O.t and with a few recognisable faces from there, too, as well as the top monk guy from Doctor Strange. It's truly weird hearing his accent in this, a brit one that sounds a mix of south london and someplace like leeds/manchester . It's certainly different.

 

[Rainblow]

Omfg! The kids are moving out! It's been 8 years with one or other in the house. And 8 years since I could do this...

Nice.

 

[Plasmaball]

i recommend (netflix) 3 Body Problem... a series, created by the makers of G.O.t and with a few recognisable faces from there, too, as well as the top monk guy from Doctor Strange. It's truly weird hearing his accent in this, a brit one that sounds a mix of south london and someplace like leeds . It's certainly different.

It takes a minute but it's gets going.
It was a good time killer.

 

[Rainblow]

I've been neglecting my veggie garden and need to get rid of the weeds asap. What's the best organic way to get rid of a large amount of weeds fast? Tarp? Baking soda, but would the baking soda make the soil too salty for the seedlings?

 

[Plasmaball]

I'm debating trading in some consoles for a ps5 so I can play helldivers.
I don't use my ps4 at all and my series s just sits there, but it's a back up if my x shit the bed.
I dunno..I'm bored and it would be fun to play with my kid

 

[thør]

I've been neglecting my veggie garden and need to get rid of the weeds asap. What's the best organic way to get rid of a large amount of weeds fast? Tarp? Baking soda, but would the baking soda make the soil too salty for the seedlings?

Vinegar for broadleaf weeds.

 

[juttjaw]

I'm debating trading in some consoles for a ps5 so I can play helldivers.
I don't use my ps4 at all and my series s just sits there, but it's a back up if my x shit the bed.
I dunno..I'm bored and it would be fun to play with my kid

PS5 is worth it in my opinion. I have Helldivers down loaded, but haven't got I to it yet. If you can wait, the PS5 Pro should be coming out at the end of the year. I'm sure there will be some price drops. Or at the very least, some used on sale. I've had my PS5 since the start. Got lucky and found one during the whole shortage bullshit. It's been a very solid machine, haven't had any issues. Runs buttery smooth and has never lagged or struggled. Components have all been fantastic. I did need to add extra storage, but that was easy enough.

 

[butters]

I've been neglecting my veggie garden and need to get rid of the weeds asap. What's the best organic way to get rid of a large amount of weeds fast? Tarp? Baking soda, but would the baking soda make the soil too salty for the seedlings?

we stick with simple hard work, but then we've not tried thor's vinegar treatment. It's about keeping the soil we're growing our veggies in as unadulterated as possible, so we break up the rows with garden forks (love the two-handled big jobbie) and then use the landscaper tool (my favourite of all time) to further loosen the weeds and remove them.

if your veggies are already growing, i'd recommend just the landscaper or a hoe, and find removing weeds by hand or with the tools works better on the second day after rain, but that's here in Tennessee so it may differ for different locations. It allows the soil to dry enough that it's still loose but no longer sticky.