Hello New Year, Goodbye Sunshine!
Sunshine and Mumbles are going home today, and you’ll get no argument from me. It’s been a challenge… Sunny has taken her game to a whole new level, and we’ve all just about had enough. Even the boys, who generally go with the flow, are about to snap.
Yesterday I got out of bed, after working the night before, and Sunshine was laid-out in her lace sleeping gloves and ceremonial four blankets (or whatever), taking her first nap of the day. At ten o’clock in the morning… So, I had to keep quiet, and not crank my stereo as I normally do. This irritates me, because I do things in a structured way, and my Monday was already getting off on the wrong foot.
But whatever. It’s best when she’s asleep, and not talking. I should learn to count my blessings… I had a cup of coffee with Mumbles, to be sociable, and went to the bunker. She was in the next room snoozing, and I was just sitting there in complete silence. Every computer keystroke sounded like a firecracker going off.
Then she suddenly woke up. “OH!” she yelled, and began thrashing around. Then: “Oh my god… Ohhh!!” She’s always moaning in agony for some reason, and I didn’t bother to check on her. Because those are just the normal sounds of a semi-conscious Sunshine.
A few minutes later Mumbles came into the room, and Sunny started ripping him a new one, about something or other. And she never stopped complaining and belittling and yelling for the rest of the day. The woman was fresh from a nap and seething with anger. She needs a good long stay at the Betty Ford Clinic (BFC!) and/or a state mental hospital.
Eventually I walked through there to get another cup of coffee, and she said (in a sarcastic tone), “My stuff isn’t blocking your closet door anymore, so you don’t have to worry.”
I hadn’t said anything to her, not even “good morning.” But I answered “OK” to this, and kept walking. Sheesh. Full access to a closet door was FAR down my list of irritations.
When I returned she was holding up a large sheet of denim, and said to Mumbles, “I guess I’ll just leave these jeans here. I can’t wear them, and don’t have any room in my suitcase to take them back with me. I wasn’t allowed to try them on. Oh no. When you go shopping with Toney, you’re not allowed to take your time. You’ve got to keep moving. HEAVEN FORBID THAT SOMEONE TAKES THEIR TIME!”
I just walked past her without saying anything, and went back into my office.
When Toney got home from work, Sunny reportedly began bitching and said there wasn’t anything to eat for lunch. Toney had called and told them the fridge was full of sandwich stuff, there were sliced tomatoes and lettuce and onions, and the whole nine yards. She’d even bought a couple of different kinds of fancy-ass breads, and made a pasta salad.
When Toney reminded her of this, Sunny just rolled her eyes and said, “Boy, you really went all-out with that, didn’t you? Lunch meat!”
So, you can see why I’m ready for them to go. The woman has always been difficult, but now she’s also openly hostile. I do a pretty good job of ignoring her little comments, but S&M’s general presence is throwing my life into disarray. And Toney has had it.
It’s the last day, though. And then we’ll be free!
I hope everyone had a great holiday. I worked on New Years Eve until 9 pm, came home and watched four or five episodes of The Office while drinking beer, saw the ball drop, and called it a night. Then I worked a full shift on New Years Day. Oh yeah, I’m nothing if not wild.
But I was glad to see 2010 end. On account of the sucking… It was a bad year, my friends. 2010 can go fuck itself.
The new year is going to be interesting, at the very least. I am planning (among other things) to launch a new site about creativity and writing, begin writing a non-fiction book, and release the novel via my own imprint. That’s right, my own publishing company — legally and formally. I’ll have more details in the near future.
Before I’d even written the first sentence of the novel, I was told by my agent that it would VERY difficult to sell. Not because of the writing or the plotting or the humor… No, because publishers rarely take a chance on a new author who writes comic novels. Even during the best of times. And since the industry is hurting, it would be next to impossible to sell.
So, what did I do? I went ahead and wrote it anyway. And since it’s been completed, two additional agents have read it, and given me the same bad news. Both had good things to say about the book itself, especially one of them, but the current climate in the publishing industry makes it very difficult.
So, I’m doing it myself. I’ll have more information in the near future, mostly at the new site, but it’s going to be done the right way. I’m not just going to slap a cover on a Word document and proclaim it a book. I’ll tell you about it, as it happens.
In the meantime, if any of you work as an editor, or are an English teacher or anything along those lines, I’d love to talk with you about possibly doing a proofread of the manuscript, for grammar and spelling. I’d like to have one or two people, who work with language on a daily basis, give it a quick read. Please drop me an email, if you’re interested in doing something like that. I can pay you in a signed copy of the finished book, and a t-shirt. Let me know.
I will also need to have a cover created, but we’ll burn that bridge when we get to it. I’m hoping to have the book available at Amazon, the Kindle store, NookBooks, Apple’s iBooks, etc. in April. So, stay tuned.
I’m sorry this site sat dormant for so many days. I was getting sick of seeing that sandwich-eater, and I’m sure some of you were, as well. But the “guests” just left! Oh yeah. Now we can get this party started.
As for a Question, I’d like get your letter grade for the year 2010. I’m going with a D, only because nobody died and nobody got seriously ill, or anything like that. It felt like an F, but it could’ve been much worse. I know this… so I’m going with a D.
What about you? Please tell us about it in the comments.
And I’ll see you guys again tomorrow.
Have a great day!
Filed under: Daily
D. Definitely.
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Goodbye, blue sky….goodbye.
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Welcome back and please let us know when the book is available. After all of the build-up I hope it’s great!
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2010 deserves an F
Also if you’re publishing your book in Kindle format, I’ll take one.
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F -
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Hell yeah, more power to you. That’s why I am starting my own record label. Fuck the machine, fuck it deep and hard, with…your own, machine.
Why’s all that good production shit gotta be so expensive though?
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I give it a firm D-minus. The first 6 months weren’t bad, but the past 6 have sucked from the inside out. Over the past 6 months, in no particular order……My mother had surgery and is stlil not fully recovered. She is 83. Brother had a stroke and major MRSA infection. Still in a rehab facility and my youngest daughter got divorced and she and my grandaughter moved in with me. That is the only good thing. I love having them around.
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Top ten, and read the update! whoo hoo.
2010 was a C- from my perspective. Altogether unimpressive, but I did get to 50 without croaking (my greatest accomplishment yet), and I fulfilled at least one life long dream (ice skating at 30 Rock).
The entire family had stomach flu over the new year weekend, so 2011 kind of sucks so far too. Projectile vomit from 4 out the 6 of us, and diarrhea from everyone, all in a 48 hour span. Good times.
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bikerchick Reply:
January 4th, 2011 at 2:04 pm
I had it last week. My boyfriend has it now. Nasty, nasty stuff. We just keep passing it around. I may have to “bomb” the fucking house for germs.
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Son of Sam Reply:
January 5th, 2011 at 8:04 am
I had it Sunday after Christmas. Dry heaves for 6 fucking hours. I thought I was a goner.
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Casey J Reply:
January 5th, 2011 at 11:27 am
I had it, along with my 3 kids around new years eve. A good start to the weight loss program!!
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An A+. Is that taboo around here? I got married, got a promotion, just found out my wife is pregnant 2 weeks ago and completed my first full year of reading the WVSR every day. It’s like the final montage of a Lifetime movie around these parts. It makes me feel like I need to go get kicked out of Applebees or something ala Talladega Nights…
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Gretchen Reply:
January 4th, 2011 at 2:03 pm
Congrats JMC!
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sunshine_in_va Reply:
January 4th, 2011 at 2:55 pm
I give it an A+ too. Got married here as well – to the Princess, at my wonderful age of 48. Had a great wedding and an even better honeymoon.
2011 might suck a bag of dicks (thanks to her ex) but our hopes are high.
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debra Reply:
January 4th, 2011 at 6:15 pm
My year was good as well, JMC don’t feel bed if you had a good year. Hopefully this new year will be good to all of the reporters!
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Brittney Reply:
January 4th, 2011 at 8:25 pm
Congrats!
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C-
I’d give it a D, but my 2-year old is so much fun, she kept the year from totally sucking.
dr b
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D.
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I’d have to give 2010 a C- . Mainly because of my job and the fact I am at my wits end about it. It’s time for a change. I will not go through another holiday season in this office. I am thinking of other avenues….mainly my own business again. We’ll see how it all plays out after some research. I’m in a crisis here. Hold me.
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Bill in WV Reply:
January 4th, 2011 at 2:09 pm
Good luck chick, you can do it !
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bikerchick Reply:
January 4th, 2011 at 2:26 pm
Thanks Bill! I knew I could get a group hug here.
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I’m not sure how close a journalist is to an English teacher when it comes to proofreading, but I would be honored to give it a shot for you.
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I’m OK with technical editing, and would also prepurchase your book and/ior a case of Golden Elixer in order to read it now.
Oh, and 12. Damn these comments fill up fast.
And why doesn’t your twitter feed show up in the flipboard app on the ipad? I’m not sure what you need to do…
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ashton Reply:
January 4th, 2011 at 2:13 pm
Figured it out. Needed to search JeffKay instead of TheWVSR. Flipboard is a great way to read blogs if you have an ipad.
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A- for 2010. Met the love of my life in April and we have been having a blast for the past eight months, so that one is an A+. Otherwise, between some financial issues that I’ve since ironed out and shit breaking down at the most inopportune times, I’d give everything else in my year a solid B. After having F or D-minus grades for the past several years, 2010 was one helluva good year for me personally. I hope I’m not the oddball amongst the Surf Report brethren.
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Bill in WV Reply:
January 4th, 2011 at 2:14 pm
The only other downer that caused a less than perfect grade was hearing that our beloved Jimmy Kuhn went off to that giant spurtatorium in the sky.
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Kim Reply:
January 4th, 2011 at 9:22 pm
He’s like Santa – you can still believe if you want. Right?
Right?!?
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Jerry in WV Reply:
January 4th, 2011 at 2:16 pm
You deserve it man. About time you started a winning streak. Still can’t wait to meet her.
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Shit. Elixir.
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F for 2010
and I would gladly proofread for you–or get my daughter to do it
she is an English\language arts\spelling\reading teacher
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C
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D-
Suckage was long and hard…and not in the usually good way.
It was painful and constricted.
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D minus. My life in 2010 coulda been fucking country song
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This year should have been great because I bought my very first house but in the end I give it a big, fat, donkey-dick D-.
Buying said house took WAY too fucking long and in the end my real-estate agent bought the house with cash (I had been looking with him for over a year & he knew I was very qualified to buy) only to re-sell it to me 90 days later (FHA requirements). The only issue was we had to act like we didn’t know each other so I went in “agent-less” during the sale & the title company nailed me. I paid my $3600 cash down-payment & was told I’d have the keys in three business days. Two weeks later I had to pay them an additional $750 that they could never explain the reasoning for & I still didn’t have the keys. When I finally did get them (much yelling & anger was going to them from my agent/seller) I was out that additional money & haven’t seen it since. Then my house was broken into three times in one month once we began fixing it up & all of my boyfriend’s tools were stolen. Our bad for leaving for dinner one night & going to my parents to sleep the other nights even though we left the house boarded securely & locked. Fuckers brought a saw (probably my boyfriend’s) to cut through plywood we had bolted over a window on one of the break-ins. (Although after the first time they never got anything else.)
I have regretted buying this house although I shouldn’t, only because I don’t like money being so incredibly tight & I don’t like feeling an invisible noose tightening around my neck every month. I budgeted for this house but one unexpected thing after another is taking it’s toll.
My parents might/should be in foreclosure on their house, although they don’t discuss it with me & I fear there will come a time when a knock at my door will be them with their 3 dogs & suitcases needing to move in to my 2-bedroom for a bit. Grrrrr….
Good grief, I could keep going but I’d have to leave work early to rob a liquor store. Holy hell what a shit year. I change my vote to an F.
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bikerchick Reply:
January 4th, 2011 at 3:01 pm
Holy crap! As if going through the “normal” proceedings to buy a house isn’t enough….that’s just fucking craziness. I hope you have a better year.
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debra Reply:
January 4th, 2011 at 6:20 pm
Oh that really sucks! It is hard enough buying a house, if you can actually pull it off! Than to have people rob you and make it more complicated! That just is really not right!
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Jason Reply:
January 5th, 2011 at 11:13 am
Shitfuckdamn Melissa!
I do the real estate scam for a living and I can’t imagine having a buyer that has to come up with extra money after the fact.
On the rare occassion that I’ve missed something, I paid for it myself.
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It gets a D rammed in at a slant. Good to hear from you Jeff.
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I give it a C+, It could have been a lot worse, and I still wake up every day-but wow some really shitty things happened along the way this year.
Everyone calls me the human spell-check. For some reason, they just jump off the page at me. I would be glad to help and would also love to buy the book. Best of luck Jeff, you deserve it!
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Good Afternoon Surf Reporters…..
in a slight coincidence, my MIL left today too. She had been staying at my house since December 14th. A full 3 fucking weeks. She’s not as mean or bat shit crazy as good ol’ Sunshine, but runs a very close second.
I’d have to rate my 2010 as a C average, maybe leaning towards a C minus. Absolutely nothing extraordinary happened. It was month after month of 60 hour work weeks with the occasional golf match or poker game thrown in the mix.
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debra Reply:
January 4th, 2011 at 6:23 pm
My MIL is not with us anymore but if she was I would die if she stayed 3 f’ing weeks. OMG You are a saint!
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I’ll give it a B-. Mostly so as not to piss off the Karma generator and make Twenty Eleven (I’m going with that in lieu of Two Thousand Eleven) a spiraling pile of shit disaster with an F- on top.
Major sibling issues in 2010 revolving around my now destitute brother involving my sister and asshole B-I-L. Sucks still. Did not spend time at Christmas with my sister for the first time in our lives.
Money issues not so much. On paper I make more money than I ever have in my life. My checking account might beg to differ–I fear the black hole that is my son my account for some of that. I hate to track because I am ashamed I parent no better than that.
Marital relationship–as good as two old farts married 20 years can get–except for the escalating health issues.
Whatever happens, I like to remember what my Grandmother used to tell me (oh year, one of those): “You’ll live some way ’til you die.” Makes a lot more sense now than it did when I was young.
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Vicki Reply:
January 4th, 2011 at 2:44 pm
My typing today is for crap–one of the “escalating health issues” –major arthritis pain in my hands this week.
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debra Reply:
January 4th, 2011 at 6:29 pm
My Bro in law makes it impossible for me to even have a relationship with my sister! It brings “The color Purple to mind” I love her so much and cannot even talk to her without him monitoring everything we say! I can’t do anything with her without him getting in the way!
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Vicki Reply:
January 5th, 2011 at 7:44 am
What a spook. My sister’s name is Debra.
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I’m betting the rest of Toney’s family gets together and wonders what went wrong with Toney. Really, really in awe of you and Toney not having already bitch-slapped her.
2010? Started out, much like the school year, with a clean, fresh A- (would have been an A+ but I am by nature pretty cranky). It rolled downhill fast, and 2011 is picking up where 2010 left off.
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I have to grade 2010 a solid D minus. The only bright side of my year was getting almost straight A’s in school. But my marriage fell apart and my house is in the process of getting foreclosed on. So it looks as if the suckage is going to continue for the next year at least.
One bright side is I secured a job the last week of 2010 so I will be able to move out soon before the bank throws the kids and me out on the street and we end up on welfare. Hence only a D- versus a full out F.
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D–I started my first chiropractic clinic, but it sucked really bad getting here. 2011, here I come. And Jeff, I used to be an English teacher, and would be happy to do some proofreading…
2010 can indeed go fuck itself.
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Jeff, I’m a proofreader/editor by trade (25 years) and would be happy to proof your manuscript! I’ve also done volunteer proofreading and was an ace in grammar in school.
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Jeff, I am a proofreader – and a damn good one. Plus, I’ve majored in English/Creative Writing and am a Literacy Volunteer! (how are THOSE credentials???) Let me know if you’re interested. I love this stuff!
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2010 gets a C
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2010 started horribly and got worse as it went along, before taking a significant up-tick at the end. So, I guess a C- is appropriate.
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Overall C-. No big disasters, but no big good things, and some ongoing irritations with the car’s transmission getting a bit weird (will be fixed when tax refunds arrive) and MIL being a PITA, plus some ongoing issues with DH (these seem to be improving!).
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2010 gets an F, because my mother got sick, got sicker, and then died. Out of the fukkin blue.
JK, you have inspired me to start my own cheese company in 2011. I am sick of bowing down before the cheese man. Fuck you cheese man! You can stick that cheese of yours deep and on a slant! I’ll make my own.
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Linda Reply:
January 4th, 2011 at 5:00 pm
Sorry about your mom, Lee. That sucks.
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debra Reply:
January 4th, 2011 at 6:32 pm
Sorry about your mom! But Cheese rules!!!!
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hot fuzz Reply:
January 4th, 2011 at 7:33 pm
My condolences my brother.
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Gretchen Reply:
January 4th, 2011 at 9:06 pm
I missed your comment earlier. My condolences on losing your mother, Lee Harvey.
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Son of Sam Reply:
January 5th, 2011 at 8:20 am
Sorry here as well Lee. Chin up.
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bikerchick Reply:
January 5th, 2011 at 9:09 am
Oh Lee…I’m so sorry about your mother. You are in my thoughts.
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Lee Harvey Ramone Reply:
January 5th, 2011 at 10:33 am
I am touched by your condolence replies. I have received more support from this community than from the folks that live around me, for example. It has occurred to me that having an event like this happen has put some perspective on the nature of my relationships with people. Like the Pete Townshend song asks: “How many friends have I really got? (you can count ‘em on one hand)”
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hot fuzz Reply:
January 5th, 2011 at 8:04 pm
They really can be a class bunch when they want to be, can’t they? Cheers to them and cheers to you LHR. Take care brother.
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2010 gets an F from me. I lost my job in May and have not found a new one yet and one of my closest friend’s husband died.
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b-girl Reply:
January 4th, 2011 at 4:05 pm
More reasons for my F include having to replace my car’s transmission shortly after losing my job and now there is something else wrong with it causing it to have trouble starting.
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Brittney Reply:
January 4th, 2011 at 8:33 pm
Cheer up, you’ll find a job eventually and it will work out. Trust me. I’ve gone through a lot of jobs and a lot of cars! Something will come along!
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Jeff, I’ll proofread the thing. However, I take quick shits, so it might take me a long time to get through the whole thing.
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Son of Sam Reply:
January 5th, 2011 at 8:21 am
Again this is why I come here..to fuckin funny.
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johnthebasket Reply:
January 5th, 2011 at 11:59 am
Bill…
Are you tryin’ to tell the Reporters that you won’t change your diet for Jeff? Anything that jams things up good would speed the edit/proof process.
jtb
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I consider myself lucky enough, after reading the comments here, to grade 2010 as a solid B-. Nothing really bad happened, nothing really great happened.
Sunshine reminds me of Aunt Edna from Christmas Vacation. Too bad you didn’t have the opportunity to parade her cold body around on the roof of your truckster.
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I’m not much of a proofreader but my comprehension skills are excellent. Send Jeff a fucking e-mail if you want to proofread his book!
I’m kidding, I’m kidding…but seriously, just send the man an e-mail.
I don’t know how to grade the year, nothing bad happened, nothing good happened. I don’t much care for my job but I didn’t go out of my way to look for new opportunities, So that’s my bad. Someone tweeted the other day and I paraphrase…highest unemployment since the great depression and I’m not smart enough to get laid off. Kinda sums it up for me.
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madz1962 Reply:
January 4th, 2011 at 5:06 pm
I got so excited about being ABLE to proofread, I just answered here but then I sent Jeff an email! I had that faint glimmer of hope that I was somewhat comeptent in something – proofreading – not actual reading skills!
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WB in OH Reply:
January 4th, 2011 at 6:07 pm
LOL madz, the smart ass in me just couldn’t resist!
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johnthebasket Reply:
January 5th, 2011 at 12:14 pm
Always the gentleman, WB. I admire that. Lord knows I try but sometime it haaaard.
The small irony of seeking editing/proofing for a whole book, combined with the clear overqualification of the applicants (degree in English, Harvard; post-grad studies at Oxford in humorous book editing and advanced spelling; PhD in Pithy Writing, University of Phoenix) makes their missing Jeff’s instruction pretty funny. It’s really nice that so many reporters are volunteering to help Jeff. I find nothing here but good will and irony.
jtb
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I keep waffling between B- and C+. No reason in particular. Coulda been better, but it coulda been a lot worse.
Man-vs-food wasn’t too bad. Gotta like the fact he’ll do what most of us know better than to even try. =-) I wonder how soon after the cameras pan away he purges…
So tell me, what does the old bag of sunburn buy for herself to eat for lunch? Do they have a live in chef or something?
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debra Reply:
January 4th, 2011 at 6:37 pm
My Son works at Melt in Lakewood Ohio, when Man V/S Food came to the restaurant my son told me Adam was as stoned as can be! that is how he can eat so much! He goes to his trailer and get’s ripped!
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WVKay Reply:
January 5th, 2011 at 1:14 am
Excellent strategy. I always wondered how he did it.
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Melissa Reply:
January 5th, 2011 at 10:36 am
I also knew someone in Pittsburgh who was at a place he filmed at. They too said that he was openly stoned. His trailer looked like a clambake when he walked out (remember the scene from Fast Times @ Ridgmont High when Spicoli & buds fall out of the smoking van to go to school? That’s a clambake).
They said he was super mellow, then would have bouts of being super-hyper then when it came time to eat he hit the trailer once more, came back declaring he had just taken a big dump thanks to the laxatives he took that morning & was ready to eat. Then he sat down & proceeded to eat a ridiculously sized egg breakfast or somesuchnonsense. He kept burping and gagging at the end & people were getting grossed out. He also kept farting but he’d wave at the camera & the producer would quickly write down ‘Cut out fart’, etc. My friend said it was hilarious. The guy was nice enough, but nothing spectacular & after he ate that shit & made those noises he proceeded to hit on every female in the room who mostly wouldn’t give him the time of day. Ha!
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I’m with you, Jeff. 2010 couldn’t haul it’s stinkin’ ass out of here fast enough for me. I give it a big, fat “F” for “fuck off”. Like many, I’m sure, I feel fortunate enough to have a job, but unfortunate in that I hate it with the intensity of 1000 suns and all that..I’m pretty much a zombie at work. Just doing the chore and going home. Zero joy there.. Then, of course, there’s Dad dying last spring, suddenly & without warning. I guess lots of people have that father/son crap left undone, but at least our last conversation was gentle & civil. Could have been much worse, I suppose. I’m lucky to have a wonderful spouse who has been my rock these last few months. I couldn’t have made it without her by my side.
So here’s to 2011!! Surely to God, it can’t be any worse!
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bikerchick Reply:
January 5th, 2011 at 9:25 am
Rob…My dad died suddenly too Although it was over 25 years ago…holy crap…time flies….I still remember it like it was yesterday. My sympathies.
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This year? C-. My family is at odds with each other and it’s blowing an acidic hole through my gut. On the plus side, Beloved and I are gainfully employed and in decent health.
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S&M sure are living up to their initials…
2010 gets a double F-…car accidents and one of my best friends died.. dammit.. he just got into Yuengling..
on the bright side.. i have a good job, a roof over my head, a car that needs tires bad..
hopefully in 2011 I find love..
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2010 was OK, not great, so I’ll give it a C. For those of you living with grade inflation, that’s supposed to mean “average”.
.
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Jeff I’d volunteer to proofread but I don’t speak American very well.
2010 was really great in many ways but one. Promoted to a job I really like. Financially fine. Sister in law found sobriety. I’m closer to my brothers and sister than I’ve ever been. The boy and girl are well. The shiesse hunds are happy. And the best part was the wife and I have rekindled our love and are now in our 24th year better than ever.
But, Mom got sick in April and the roller coaster began with ups and downs of treating diabeetus, gall bladder, calcium overload; she was home a grand total of about a week since Aug 1. She passed away quietly yesterday after a week long battle with congestive heart failure at 85. She’s now home with Dad after 26 long years apart. But, she saw her kids grow up; she saw her grandkids and one great grandson so all the rest was gravy. Say hi to Dad, Mom..Luv ya both.
Life goes on. I’ve spent more time laughing with my sibings in the last few days than I have in years and years. Crying too but the laughing helps us deal with it.
So 2010 had its extremes.
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Gretchen Reply:
January 4th, 2011 at 7:48 pm
My sympathies, Hot Fuzz.
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Brittney Reply:
January 4th, 2011 at 8:23 pm
Very sorry for your loss.
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Short-n-Sweet Reply:
January 4th, 2011 at 10:39 pm
I’m so sorry for the loss of your mother.
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Son of Sam Reply:
January 5th, 2011 at 8:28 am
Ya got tears in my eyes Hot. God Speed.
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bikerchick Reply:
January 5th, 2011 at 9:16 am
So sorry, Fuzz. Laughter through tears. Nice post about your parents.
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hot fuzz Reply:
January 5th, 2011 at 9:22 am
Thanks to all of you. I’m sorry for harshing the buzz this room creates but selfishly for me, it’s so cathartic to type it out. The heartfelt non-obligatory replies from all of you really do help.
You’re a wonderful bunch of mutants and castoffs – don’t ever change or go away.
And I’m sorry about the Canadian dollar being above par thing. I really had nothing to do with it.
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bikerchick Reply:
January 5th, 2011 at 9:34 am
Um…Fuzz… I, for one, am NOT a mutant or castoff. I am a misfit. BUT I do play well with mutants and castoffs. Thats why I loiter here daily. xoxo
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hot fuzz Reply:
January 5th, 2011 at 10:08 am
A misfit who wears tight-ass jeans and red FMPs I may add.
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Melissa Reply:
January 5th, 2011 at 11:09 am
Oh, Hot. I just read this & I am so very sorry. My thoughts are with you & your family. Glad to hear your parents are together again.
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D Minus.
New management at work, took a 5 figure pay cut, the fucking bastards. I hope they all die of ball cancer, soon. Was a nice place to work for 20 years, now I fucking hate it.
MIL died in May, nice lady, but she was ready.
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I gotta say A. Moved into our first house, got a few raises, quit smoking and lost 25 pounds. My new years resolution…lose 25 more pounds.
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chill Reply:
January 4th, 2011 at 8:27 pm
A *few* raises? That’s awesome! My management says things are looking up at work, and that the pay-raise freeze is off, so maybe I’ll get one in the spring after two years of inflation-is-your-pay-cut.
.
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Brittney Reply:
January 4th, 2011 at 8:36 pm
Yay! Yes, I got one at the beginning of the year and another one when they promoted me to a different position about 4 months ago. I had to fight for that one though because they weren’t going to give it to me!
Best of luck to you!
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bikerchick Reply:
January 5th, 2011 at 9:19 am
Hey Britt….Congrats on losing weight AND quitting the sticks at the same time!! I’m on a roll to lose at least 25 lbs before spring….hopefully more. But I never smoked. That’s a hell of a committment! Keep it up!!
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The non-smoking time frame has been since October 11th and still going!
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With condolences to all those who lost someone, or had an otherwise bad year, mine was pretty okay.
Give it a B+.
Best of luck to all in ’11, except the Jets.
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I would pay the amount of a new hardcover book (and those sumbitches ain’t cheap) to be allowed to proofread the book. Now I am not a professional editor per se, but I always mentally edit whatever I am reading, so I have had lots of valuable editing experience over the years, sort of.
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I lost my mind once but someone brought it back home…
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I give 2010 a solid C-. Lost some good friends, found some new ones. Lots of drama, got laid off, spent a week plus in the hospital with pancreatic issues, spent way too much time on truck problems, went back to college, and bought a house I never should have. 2011 is shaping up to look about the same, with a slight improvement in that I might actually be able to make some money this year.
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Can I give it lower than an F? 2010 sucked ass. Lost my opportunity to work at the Sheriff’s Dept. in the jail. Lost two part time jobs, including one where the owner took a two week vacation and never came back. Went into debt consolidation program that seems to take forever to complete. Smokes went up, gas went up, wages stayed the same, since no one is giving raises or bonuses. Summer was 1000 degrees here (rashes on my eashes) Never found my niche. Colts barely made playoffs. Magic bounced from playoffs. Power surges blew up my oven, conputer, printer, a TV, a Wii, a clock radio, a stereo and the top of my brain. IT Nazis keep me from logging in at work. 2011 has to be better. Seeing Cake next weekend and Linkin Park the weekend after that. Good start to the year anyways.
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Melissa Reply:
January 5th, 2011 at 11:15 am
Angry, here’s to hoping that you have a fantastic time at your concerts & from here on out you & your family will start having better days! 2010 sounded awful for you, so I hope 2011 looks only up for you!
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debra Reply:
January 5th, 2011 at 6:42 pm
I hope this year goes better for you! Can’t you file a claim with the Electric Co. over the power surge? I work for a Power Company and they do pay out on claims when it was the company’s fault!
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My year was an A – I’m still here, I have my family, my health and some money in the bank. You people need to look at the bright side of things, Those of you that lost friends and family (or jobs) yeah then it wasn’t such a good year. But the crabbing about “little” things and giving it an F? I don’t get it. NOT that I’m raggin’ on you guys. It was a question and we are all entitled to our own opinions. I’m just saying – it could be so much worse. Hopefully THIS year will be an “A” for all of you!
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Melissa Reply:
January 5th, 2011 at 11:12 am
But for some of us who have the “little” things to crab about generally grade it so low because of the dire financial situation. It’s hard to look at the bright side when you don’t have “some money in the bank”. Sure it could be worse, but for those of us complaining about our “little” things know that mountains of “little” things feel like a whole lotta bad things. My grade stands.
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Stephanie Reply:
January 5th, 2011 at 1:06 pm
Amen, Melissa.
Found lump in left breast, had surgery. Grandmother died. Cat died. Lost job. And, didn’t have “some $ in the bank”. A solid F year, for Fuck you, 2010.
On the upside, I DID manage to dump my loser, bipolar, Narcissistic Personality Disordered, anxiety -ridden, paranoid, swallowing-issues, manic, cheating, pedophile boyfriend! Hmm. Maybe the year could be given an A+ actually!
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Melissa Reply:
January 5th, 2011 at 1:18 pm
Oh yeah! That was another reason why my year was shit! I too found a lump in my left breast (are we twins?!) & had surgery! I’ve had this same surgery three other times so I wasn’t too worried but the week of pain sure wasn’t fun.
Glad to hear you dumped your larger lump in the form of a boyfriend! That’s a bonus grade up, but for the rest of the year a solid D- should still stand!
Here’s to your health & new adventures in 2011, Steph!
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Stephanie Reply:
January 5th, 2011 at 1:26 pm
Thank you, Melissa!
Yeah, the pain from surgery sucked big time. And, before anyone asks, I knew my boyfriend had MANY issues, but I left out con-artist as well as abusive. So, once he had my brain all messed up after presenting himself as the “perfect” man, it was hard to get out. Kept making me think everything was MY fault and that *I* had to fix it/him/us. I only found out about the cheating/pedophile thing in the end. THAT was the dealbreaker, FINALLY! Thank God I got away alive. The guy is now on the run, since everyone here thinks he is probably a serial killer, too! LMAO Ech, his past will catch up to him eventually. Washington state, you now have him among your citizens…beware!
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hot fuzz Reply:
January 5th, 2011 at 7:57 pm
Stephanie and Melissa- I pray for your continued good health and my congratulations for being survivors. My sister is a survivor too and she tried to tell me how scared she was (and is even though she’s had a clean bill of health for a few years now).
Money is always a tough subject and although we never had any when I was growing up I have enough now to last the rest of my life as long as I die in a few months. Terri’s intention’s I believe are noble – I think she’s trying to say a positive attitude is a gift you give yourself – perhaps her wording was a slight bit off out of frustration, I don’t know. It’s certainly now harsher than what Dr Phil would say
At one point in my life I was hitting what I believed to be rock bottom job and marriage wise. I went to church for the first time in about 10+ years only because I didn’t know what else to do. It so happened to be the first night for a brand new priest to the area. After mass I sat there with tears in my eyes and a head full of swirling thoughts. The priest sat beside me and asked if he could help. I asked him, is it wrong to pray for help, to despair, to feel so sorry for myself when there are so many other more important things in the world and so many more important issues that people have to deal with. He replied “Not at all – it’s important because it’s important to you”. I’ve stopped going to church again but what he said that day did help me both with perspective and with dealing with my own issues.
All three of you sound very strong and either have your shit together or have taken steps to make it so. Big brotherly hugs if ya want them but good work none the less.
Thus endith the unrequested sermon.
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Stephanie Reply:
January 5th, 2011 at 8:02 pm
I like what the priest said…very eye-opening.
And, yeah, I have my shit together, now. I was lost for awhile there, but…never again!
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hot fuzz Reply:
January 5th, 2011 at 8:07 pm
Good stuff Stephanie. Good stuff.
Cheers
Ray
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Stephanie Reply:
January 5th, 2011 at 8:09 pm
Thank you, Ray! It was a long, hard road, but I have learned a very valuable lesson. And now, I am happier than I have ever been in my life!
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Terri Reply:
January 6th, 2011 at 7:57 am
That is what I was trying to say. I know that “little” things are a pain in the ass, but the bigger picture, it could be so much worse. I lost my parents over 15 years ago, I miss them everyday, but I have learned that to enjoy life you have to love it. I’m sorry that it came out wrong. I just think looking at the positive makes it easier to be happy. Damn, harsher than Dr. Phil? SOO sorry about that, I didn’t mean to be.
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hot fuzz Reply:
January 6th, 2011 at 9:05 am
Sorry Terri, typo… should have been “no harsher than Dr Phil”, i.e. he’s way more blunt.
Damn possessed fingers always typing what they want!!!
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My sympathies to all you Surf Reporters who lost loved ones this past year.
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2011 was shit. F, without a doubt. My great grandfather once told me, “All of the odd numbered years are fucking shit. The even numbered years are good.” It stuck with me. So now I always look foward to the even numbered years. It’s not the best way to live, to tell you the truth, because you set yourself up for having a shitty time for half your life. But who am I to change it?
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The first semester was kinda tough but the assingments were kinda strange so I graded on a curve there. The second semester took off pretty good and then stumbled a bit at the end of the third quarter. The fourth quarter regained it’s legs and turned in some nicely produced results that earned it some extra credit. I was headed to give it a C, but the pick up in attitude and improvement there at the end…I’m giving it a B-.
hot fuzz…sure sorry to hear of your loss. And I’ll echo madz1962…
-d
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hot fuzz Reply:
January 5th, 2011 at 7:39 pm
Thanks brother. I thought of you losing your dad last year too. I’ll say a prayer for all of us.
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Really, this is a D-..no offense to moneybags above, but the little things make it suck. Hubby make 1/2 of what he made the year before, his job yanked insurance and vacation time(fuckers). No one died, and we are not vomiting any longer…gotta love Xmas Vacation!! Things are not cool, and since we live in the area with the highest unemployment in the state…it is looking to be another humdinger of a year.
Bonus: In December our youngest was diagnosed with autism, so it does feel like someone has died here.
AWG: I too have no NICHE.
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johnthebasket Reply:
January 5th, 2011 at 12:39 pm
Casey…
Hope you can get hooked up with an autism support group. You might be surprised how much others traveling the same road can help. Hope the other stuff also goes better in 2011.
jtb
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Casey J Reply:
January 5th, 2011 at 12:53 pm
thanks!! We are learning new stuff every day here!!!
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debra Reply:
January 5th, 2011 at 6:48 pm
Sorry you had such a bad year! I have an autistic neice and she is such a joy! I don’t know how it would be to raise an autistic child, but I love children and I wish I still had children to take care of. God Bless you and your family! (if you beleive) Things WILL get better!
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hot fuzz Reply:
January 5th, 2011 at 8:02 pm
Casey, I know what a struggle it is to bring up kids that are NOT autistic as you do. I’m not sure I can imagine the challenges you face now with your youngest. I wish you strength and patience. God bless…
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I would give 2010 a C+. It wasn’t that horrible, but not that great either. My son (2 years old) broke his leg in July, so the latter part of our summer was spent inside. My husband was gone a lot for work, and I continued to be unemployed.
On the plus side, my husband finished his degree…finally. My mom finished chemo and got the “all clear”. We adjusted to being a 1 income family and are doing okay with it.
2009 was the worst year to date for my husband and I. I’m really surprised we came out of it still married. Hopefully 2011 continues the improvements started in 2010.
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I’ll give it a C. I lost two girlfriends, eh. My grandma died but they didn’t cut her leg off so that’s a plus. And on the last day of the year I made an offer on a house ($95K on a $110K listing) and Saturday they accepted.
The reds made the playoffs.
So, I can’t really bitch.
Oh, spending 5 days in the joint didn’t help, but I’m stickin’ with C.
Nah, C+.
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2010 was a big fat fucking F………………
I’ll not expound on the details as it’s difficult to type while curled up in the fetal postition in the corner of the man cave…….
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