Daily Stoic Week 30

by | Jul 22, 2022 | Advice, LifeSkills, Musings | 193 comments

Last Week

The Daily Stoic

The Practicing Stoic

Meditations

How to Be a Stoic

If you have anger issues,Ā this oneĀ is a great tool (h/t mindyourbusiness)

Disclaimer:Ā Iā€™m not your Supervisor.Ā These are my opinions after reading through these books a few times.

 

July 23

ā€œReceive without pride, let go without attachment.ā€
ā€”MARCUS AURELIUS, MEDITATIONS, 8.3

When I earn an award or pay raise, it feels good, but it is important to not get too impressed with myself. Conversely, if I lose something, whether it was my fault, or if there was nothing I could have done about it, I can’t lose perspective on what the true value is or was. I think keeping an even keel through ups and downs is vital.

 

July 24

ā€œWhenever disturbing news is delivered to you, bear in mind that no news can ever be relevant to your reasoned choice. Can anyone break news to you that your assumptions or desires are wrong? No
way! But they can tell you someone diedā€”even so, what is that to you?ā€
ā€”EPICTETUS, DISCOURSES, 3.18.1ā€“

This sounds cold and inhuman on a superficial level. If I look deeper, it is telling me not to waste time or energy on empty gestures to show concern or sympathy. If my wife died tomorrow, I would be devastated, but it would serve no purpose to lock myself in the house and not live my life any more. When Richard Feynman (if you’ve never read his books, you should) was working on the Manhattan Project, his young wife passed away from tuberculosis. Upon returning to Los Alamos, he didn’t talk to anyone about it and went back to work. Does that mean he didn’t love her? It seemed he loved her very much, but knew there was nothing to be gained from indulging in misery.

 

July 25

ā€œWhen you see someone often flashing their rank or position, or someone whose name is often bandied about in public, donā€™t be envious; such things are bought at the expense of life. . . . Some die on the first rungs of the ladder of success, others before they can reach the top, and the few that make it to the top of their ambition through a thousand indignities realize at the end itā€™s only for an inscription on their gravestone.ā€
ā€”SENECA, ON THE BREVITY OF LIFE, 20

I am not an important person outside of my family. I used to think I needed more than that. I always wanted to be a Marine. Then in artillery, I wanted to be a section chief. I came home excited when I got appointed as one as a Corporal (E-4). That is earlier than normal, but not unheard of, I was the 2nd Cpl. Section Chief in my unit.Ā  My wife burst my bubble pretty quickly, she asked: “Do you get a pay raise with that?” Spoiler alert- No, I was making the same pay as the useless Cpl.’s we had. When we went to Iraq as convoy security and reconfigured, I was a Sergeant Squad leader andĀ  left my family for 8 months so I could be a squad leader in combat. Looking back, none of these are really what I want to be remembered for. Now, my boss asked me if I wanted to work on becoming a manger at the company since I have so much experience leading people. I told him I am happy at my current responsibilities and have no desire to tell other people what to do anymore.

 

July 26

ā€œOften injustice lies in what you arenā€™t doing, not only in what you are doing.ā€
ā€”MARCUS AURELIUS, MEDITATIONS, 9.5

What am I not doing that I should be doing? I want my dogs to behave better, but if I don’t keep working with them, they will not improve. The same goes for many things, if I don’t work out, it is as bad as if I eat garbage all week. If I don’t actively spend time with my wife, our relationship will get injured just as if I yell at her for no reason. I need to make sure that I do things right, or I might as well do the wrong thing.

 

July 27

ā€œIndeed, if you find anything in human life better than justice, truth, self-control, courageā€”in short, anything better than the sufficiency of your own mind, which keeps you acting according to the demands of true reason and accepting what fate gives you outside of your own power of choiceā€”I tell you, if you can see anything better than this, turn to it heart and soul and take full advantage of this greater good youā€™ve found.ā€
ā€”MARCUS AURELIUS, MEDITATIONS, 3.6.1

What is better than mental resiliency? What should I invest my energy into? I do what I can to maintain a happy family life, but if my wife lost her mind and became dishonest, I could not stay with her. Living life to my standards and keeping control of my reactions has been very rewarding so far, even though I still fall short of my own expectations. I don’t know what gives a better reward, but If I find it, I guess I’ll have to chase it.

 

July 28

ā€œSome people are sharp and others dull; some are raised in a better environment, others in worse, the latter, having inferior habits and nurture, will require more by way of proof and careful instruction
to master these teachings and to be formed by themā€”in the same way that bodies in a bad state must be given a great deal of care when perfect health is sought.ā€
ā€”MUSONIUS RUFUS, LECTURES, 1.1.33ā€“1.3.1

If a person is trying to learn, I can not expect them to remember things as fast as I do. I have spent many hours on the phone lately with people, trying to talk them through an equipment upgrade that is very easy (for me). Most of them have no experience with this equipment since they only have to do anything to it sparingly. I am extremely patient with them, but it is hard not to show my exasperation sometimes. I need to remember this quote and try to enjoy the process.

 

July 29

ā€œThe person who has practiced philosophy as a cure for the self becomes great of soul, filled with confidence, invincibleā€”and greater as you draw near.ā€
SENECA, MORAL LETTERS, 111.2

Why did I start studying Stoicism? I needed a “cure for the self”. I have had anger issues for a while, but they were getting worse. I was also becoming lazy and not working out or running. 2 years and 5 months since I first bought Meditations, I can honestly say the anger is much more subdued, I am taking better care of myself and enjoy things I used to hate doing because I knew I would get angry and frustrated easily. I hope by writing these weekly, I give myself accountability and hope to provide another way for anybody in my old situation.

 

Music this week is songs I like to kick myself in gear when I’m not feeling it.

Seize the Day

“The final chapter seems so distant, still I carry on.

My old path calls to me, but I’m still unrelenting.

With no shame I take aim. This will be my greatest day!”

 

You Can’t Bring Me Down

“And if I offended you, oh I’m sorry…
But maybe you need to be offended
But here’s my apology and one more thing…fuck you!”

 

Elimination

“Hopeless, there’s no doubt
Set on a slow burn from the inside out
Careful, what for?
Last one out closes the coffin door
Spending all you saved
And wishing for a little more
If I’m looking at the ceiling
Then I must be laying on the floor”

 

Not really inspirational, but I think it’s one of the best thrash songs ever made.

About The Author

ron73440

ron73440

What I told my wife when she said my steel Baby Eagle .45 was heavy, "Heavy is good, heavy is reliable, if it doesn't work you could always hit him with it."-Boris the Blade MOLON LABE

193 Comments

  1. Mojeaux

    realize at the end itā€™s only for an inscription on their gravestone

    This has been bothering me for a while. I am an artist, and my work will live on, but if nobody knows it’s there, it doesn’t matter to anyone. I TRY to remind myself that the only thing I can do to be remembered by more than my kids is to be nice to people. Maybe my nice will make a difference in their lives. Even if they don’t remember my name, they will remember ME. I would like to be remembered for something good.

    • ron73440

      I barely remember my great grand parents. Any older than that and I have no idea about them.

      My great grand kids might remember me, but that will be as far as my memory really lives.

      I know my kids will remember me and I hope I’ve done enough right for those to be mostly positive.

      Other than that it doesn’t matter if I am remembered, and I won’t be here to know one way or the other.

      • Timeloose

        I was a kid of the oldest in my mom’s family. I got to meet my GG mother. She was alive for the first ~8 years of my life.

        My GG father was murdered in the 1930’s, so this woman raised 10 kids with no husband through the great depression.

        The problem was this strong and amazing woman from eastern Europe looked like a gypsy mummy by the time I met her. This only made us afraid of her instead of us wanting to know more about her we wanted nothing to do with her.

        My nieces and nephews got to meet and be loved by my GMother. She had the same longevity, but was incredibly loving until the very end. They will remember her.

      • Mojeaux

        I remember both my great grandmothers. One was a little testy (although my mom says she was mean as sin to her when she was a child) and one was one of the most kind and loving women I’ve ever met (and she had a reputation for such) (she was beloved). Both my grandmothers I will remember as the Grandmothers From Hell #1 and #2.

        I never remembered my father fondly until I had teenagers, and these last few years, I have come to understand him pretty well. This goes along with me realizing I was kind of a shit when I was a teenager and well into my 20s. On the other hand, he had a good 200-300 people at his funeral. My brothers and I were the only people who gave him the side-eye. (I think he was an undiagnosed hypoglycemic, which can do funny things to a person, and one of them is mimicking alcoholism. He did not drink.)

        I was the oldest grandchild on my dad’s side. Between both sides, I remember well the myriad of old folks always around, and their stories, but I don’t pass those stories along because they aren’t mine to tell. (Except their bitterness about WWII and that FDR knew about Pearl Harbor and let it happen so as to get us into the war.) By the time I was ten, I had gone to more funerals than I can count. Death was just a part of life with my family.

        I have a very ancient unmarried, childless aunt who has a life companion, and they live out in Salt Lake. They have almost no family at all to remember them, but they are social butterflies and will have tons of people at their funerals. I keep in touch with her because her opinion of my work is very important to me. As I have grown up tangentially attached to her, I have noticed her getting far more forgiving and understanding in her old age than when she was in her judgy 30s and 40s.

        I expect my kids will not remember me fondly, the way I didn’t remember my dad fondly until I had teenagers. Unless they have some epiphany and/or metamorphosis, I don’t expect they will ever understand, but I will be able to stand in front of God on judgment day and say I did what I thought was best and for most of it, I will not apologize.

        Still, I wish my artistic name could live on. It won’t.

      • R.J.

        Is it Stoic to think I was going to be dead in a ditch by age 30? Every year past then has felt like a bonus.

      • UnCivilServant

        Cartel hasn’t caught up to you yet?

    • slumbrew

      I have been stoic about this for quite a while.

      It applies to me even moreso – no kids, not going to have them at this point in my life.

      But even my siblings still won’t be much more than a footnote in a family tree, all too soon.

      A couple generations on, nobody will remember us. That’s OK – 100 billion people have come before us and we mostly just remember the monsters.

      We can try to make the world a nicer place while we’re here and that’s enough for me.

      • Mojeaux

        100 billion people have come before us and we mostly just remember the monsters.

        And the artists.

      • slumbrew

        True, and the artists.

        Oh so few are among the immortals.

      • invisible finger

        And a relatively minuscule proportion of artists at that.

      • Penguin

        Keep in mind, Mojeaux – you only need to hit it once to be remembered. You have to hit it huge, but just the once.

      • Gender Traitor

        #HarperLee

      • slumbrew

        You have to hit it huge, but just the once.

        Exactly

    • hayeksplosives

      I donā€™t have biological kids, so Iā€™m not leaving my stamp on the world that way; I do have three nieces and one nephew, so the family DNA is well represented.

      I have, in the past, wondered if I will be remembered. I doubt it; not by name anyway. However, I know I have made a positive difference in the lives of many young engineers and technicians I have mentored. I always smile quietly to myself when I overhear one of them quoting me. Some know they are quoting; others internalized the lessons and have forgotten the source. Doesnā€™t matterā€”itā€™s my legacy. I also get informed by an internet bot service when a new scientific paper cites a paper I wrote. Means less than the personal stuff though.

      Similarly, I have influenced my stepsons. At the time, it aggravated them when I made them do homework and turned off the house WiFi at midnight on a school night. But now they are ā€œgrown upā€, one is engaged to be married in October, and the other is likely a matter of time until he pops the question. The one engaged has decided ti skip out on a traditional wedding and come get married in Vegas instead, staying with us in Pahrump.

      The legacy both boys beg for is for me to compile a cookbook with recipes of all the dishes I made that they love. So my name might well be forgotten, but apparently not my cooking!!

      Anyone wanting to leave a legacy should consider going to Ancestry.com, creating a ā€œtreeā€ with yourself as the ancestor, and attaching photos, word documents (like a diary entry or a bio), whatever. Eventually someone (perhaps a great-great niece) will find that record and add you to their tree and be overjoyed that you left a letter to the future.

  2. Rebel Scum

    This shit is made for tv.

    Opening line “We are telling a story…”. Indeed you are. And it is hilariously propagandistic and fake.

    • slumbrew

      Dude, 30 minute rule…

      • Rebel Scum

        Was this an hour late? I just got back form lunch.

      • slumbrew

        Oh, yeah, no timestamp – twas late, 12:50 Eastern posting.

        *makes sign of the cross* all is forgiven, my child.

      • juris imprudent

        C’mon man, when the post was 45 minutes late?

    • WTF

      “Comments are turned off.”
      Gee, I wonder why?

  3. Timeloose

    I really enjoy these Ron.

    ā€œOften injustice lies in what you arenā€™t doing, not only in what you are doing.ā€

    This can cover so many things in life.
    Government
    Work
    Personal Relationships
    Health

    You hit a lot of my late 80’s musical favorites. See my stereo rebuild article for my love of Overkill. Suicidal have been a favorite early in the punk and during the crossover hardcore / thrash.

    Dicecast as early Metalcore many years later.

    Great, I haven’t heard either of these in a while.

      • Timeloose

        Also a great one.

      • Timeloose

        Shit, I see I wasn’t first with this.

    • ron73440

      I am not a huge Overkill fan, but Elimination might be a perfect thrash song.

    • Timeloose

      This is from a similar era prior to the Grunge assault.

      The musicianship from this band is impressive Most of them all had a jazz background.

      https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9346rQ1d8ik

      • ron73440

        I have that CD and kind of like it, but the down tuning gets repetitive very quickly.

        I like the songs but not the album, if that makes sense.

      • Timeloose

        I understand. If you don’t like down tuned low heaviness you would hate what I’m listening to now.

        https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5WpehZ3dSxM

        I listen to this when I need to concentrate. It’s like listening to whale songs or white noise.

      • ron73440

        I do like some plodding heaviness.

      • slumbrew

        Juliard kids, no?

      • Timeloose

        I think so.

    • PutridMeat

      Was expecting Seize the Day

      I keep forgetting how much I hate that guys breath-y voice.

  4. juris imprudent

    Spread of monkeypox and containment response (or lack thereof) mystifies CNN analyst.

    Recent data from New York City shows that about 98% of reported monkeypox cases are among men and 2% among transgender, gender nonconforming and nonbinary individuals. Almost all are men who have sex with men (MSM).
    There is nothing intrinsic to the monkeypox virus that makes it spread specifically to the MSM community

    challenges with doing contact tracing for multiple or anonymous sexual partners

    I honestly don’t know how you can be so wrong-headed that you can make those statements and insist there is no connection.

    • JaimeRoberto (carnitas/spicy salsa)

      I think the point of the first quote is that a chick (a real one) doing anal with multiple or anonymous partners would be at just as much risk as a dude. But enough about Hunter’s search history.

      • juris imprudent

        Potential vector of transmission – sure. Actual one – not so much.

      • grrizzly

        Just wait until black guys on DL get it. Then their girlfriends will have a chance to get monkeypox.

    • invisible finger

      So any states that wish to re-introduce anti-sodomy laws can now do so under the guise of PUBLIC HEALTH!!!

      • Scruffy Nerfherder

        Just like abortion bans will be instituted as a response to falling fertility rates.

      • WTF

        Well, we’ve already established that Presidents and Governors can wield the power of kings and dictators once they declare an emergency.

  5. PieInTheSky

    ā€œThe person who has practiced philosophy as a cure for the self becomes great of soul, filled with confidence, invincibleā€”and greater as you draw near.ā€
    SENECA, MORAL LETTERS, 111.2

    easy to say when you have cheap electricity for you AC on a hot day

    • PieInTheSky

      damn hot day. 35 C at 20% humidity

      • robc

        Add about 75 to the humidity and that is a normal day in Charleston.

      • Nephilium

        20% humidity? That’s nothing.

      • PieInTheSky

        I mean this is what my accuweather app says I dont have a humidity measurer thingy of my very own

      • PieInTheSky

        I found one more site with 40%, one with 32% and one with 30%

        the official government agency says 25%

        so make of that what you will

      • R.J.

        Somebody is breathing on the sensors for a lark.

    • Sean

      It’s actually a lil chilly in my office.

    • ron73440

      My garage is at 95 degrees American, and I’m about to tear off the tappet cover AGAIN.

      But yeah AC in the house is awesome.

      • grrizzly

        My garage has neither heating nor AC but it has the best climate in the house: low 70s in the summer and high 60s in the winter. I have a treadmill there to run in the winter or when it’s in the 90s outside, like this week.

      • R C Dean

        Iā€™m about to tear off the tappet cover AGAIN

        Just make sure your webcam is covered.

        Or not. You do you. I’m not your supervisor, after all.

    • slumbrew

      One of the few plusses of a small place – set the temperature wherever you would like.

      73 Americanheite. My wife is looking for her sweater.

      • ron73440

        AC in the garage would be nice, but if I was going to spend that much money, there are many other things I would do first.

      • Zwak doesn't know what to ignite and what to extinguish

        In the winter, pick up a cheap (garage sale) window unit. Right now they will go for a premium, but in the off season, they are dirt cheap.

      • ron73440

        Can a window unit cool 900 square feet in southern VA?

        I think when I looked into Mitsubishi mini splits, it would take 3 units.

      • PieInTheSky

        no one needs more than 300 square feet of garage

      • ron73440

        I don’t know if I want to spend the money on AC, but that looks like a nice option.

      • Penguin

        Instead of getting a wall mounted unit, consider a personal cooler, perhaps? It won’t work as well, but it’ll be cheaper.

      • TARDis

        @Penguin
        Don’t those increase the humidity in the room?

      • Sean

        Donā€™t those increase the humidity in the room?

        Yes.

        Arctos Portable AC cools, humidifies and refreshes the air

        From the link.

      • Penguin

        It’s true about the humidity. I thought ron might be in West Texas, where it wouldn’t matter.

      • TARDis

        Not much use here then.

        I guess I could use a dehumidifier with it.

      • Gustave Lytton

        Probably. We have a single window unit and cool our 1200-1300sqft house with fans to direct air from it. Even doing last years multi day 100+ heat wave, we only got up to about 80 something on the worst (~30 degree difference).

        Caveat: we have a fair number of trees that reduce the direct radiation loading and a slab foundation that until it gets warm enough is a pretty good heat sink.

        If the humidity is high, a separate dehumidifier will help but that will generate waste heat as it condenses water from the air.

      • PieInTheSky

        Caveat: we have a fair number of trees – how boujie

      • UnCivilServant

        Fun fact, when European colonists began settling the eastern seabord of the americas, there were so many trees that they had to redesign the basic woodsman’s axe to make it more efficient to swing to clear the acreage needed to survive.

        One could say they had an unfair number of trees.

      • Gustave Lytton

        If y’all hadn’t deforested your continent, you’d have trees too.

      • Sean

        If yā€™all hadnā€™t deforested your continent, youā€™d have trees too.

        Don’t let him fool you. His building has trees around it and he’s right by a big park/cemetery thingie.

      • UnCivilServant

        Well, where else do you put a crypt?

  6. slumbrew

    Thanks for these, Ron.

    ā€œReceive without pride, let go without attachment.ā€

    Finally, one I’ve already got down! (“good job, low self-esteem!”)

    • ron73440

      Not sure you’re getting the point.

      Is this you?

      Not my style of music, but this song makes me laugh.

      • slumbrew

        I’m not _that_ bad.

        Just a tendency to pooh-pooh my own achievements. “If I can do it, anyone can do it, of course”

      • ron73440

        That was my poor attempt at a joke.

      • juris imprudent

        I thought it was funny.

      • kinnath

        finally a song I like

  7. PieInTheSky

    ā€œReceive without pride, let go without attachment.ā€

    I interpret this as I should visit more escorts

    • db

      More? Haven’t you lapped the field by now?

      • PieInTheSky

        I do not have the kind of cash old Marcus did

      • ron73440

        Yeah, but you’ve got an extra 2,00 years to make up the difference.

      • PieInTheSky

        but some of the good escorts don’t work nights

  8. robc

    Fun with housing craziness:

    Our house in SC went up 29.5% in the 20 months we are there. The new owners are putting it on the market today (we heard from our old realtor), not sure what they will be listing at, but online estimates suggest it went up another 22.6 to 33.7% in the last 13 months.

    • robc

      “we were there”, not “we are there”

      • juris imprudent

        Our former house in San Diego is now a 7-figure property. We bought for a quarter-million in ’99.

      • Scruffy Nerfherder

        Same with my former duplex townhouse out there. 1700 sqft in Scripps Ranch now worth a cool million plus. Bought it for $220k back in ’00

        Stupid prices that are guaranteed to crash at some point.

      • hayeksplosives

        Yeah, the price decline has begun.

        Timeline:
        July 2018 bought California house at Y price
        December 2021 sold California house at 1.3x Y price
        March 2022 California house appraised at 1.5x Y price
        July 2022 House appraised at 1.4x Y price
        NOTE: this means San Diego prices are starting to decline

        October 2006 Bought Minnesota house at A price
        2007 CRASH underwater mortgage
        September 2018 sold at 1.03x A price
        July 2022 newly listed at 1.4x A price

        October 2021 bought Nevada house at B price.
        July 2022 Zillow estimate (and surrounding houses) 1.3x B price

        The prices went up sharply for no good reason; the pendulum will swing back.

      • TARDis

        I think there were some valid, but annoying reasons. Besides speculators, a lot of of blue state refugees sold off their over-priced hovels and moved into nice areas with cash in hand. Mortgage rates were not an issue for them. They sell some garbage 1,500 sq.ft house or condo for $2M and come down here and drop $750K on 4,000 sq. ft. with a 1/2 acre lot. It is slowing though. So mortgagees are out of luck now, I guess.

        A house just went up for sale in my small subdivision. They are asking 74% over the 6/2020 purchase price. Not happening.

      • Fatty Bolger

        It happened for lots of good reasons, the biggest being underbuilding in the 2010’s combined with Millennials hitting home buying age.

    • PieInTheSky

      buy it back and sell it for for more in another 20 months

    • Chipwooder

      We bought our house in Pensacola in 2006 for $171K. Five years later in 2011, being out of work with no prospects, we moved away and ended up having to short sell. The price was $110K.

      Just out of curiosity, I looked it up on Zillow. Their estimate on it is $313K.

      • robc

        My wife took a loss selling her house in Pensacola in 2012. We met in 2013.

    • robc

      They “only” listed at 17.6% above their purchase price.

      So maybe the housing market is tightening up.

    • PieInTheSky

      I though prison planet was the twat moniker of some shitlord or other but this one is unverified

    • ron73440

      That is awesome.

      Sad, but awesome.

    • juris imprudent

      Nice retirement project.

    • robodruid

      Troll level….expert

    • R C Dean

      I heard an (unverified) story that actually happened at a BLM/antifa riot. SOmebody stickered a bunch of cars where the rioters parked, and another batch of rioters rolled through and vandalized them.

      I choose to believe it.

  9. TARDis

    have no desire to tell other people what to do anymore

    I hear that. But then most of my time these days is just getting people what they need or want so they can do their jobs.

    When my bosses ask me why I applied for stuporvision, I always tell the truth. “I’m not working for the other assholes who applied.” If they got the job, I would have to leave. This has happened twice. I once took a demotion to get out of GA. It didn’t last long.

    Thanks again for posting these.

    • ron73440

      I have one guy I work for and he lets me do my own thing and has helped when there were issues from his highers, so I have no problems there.

      If he leaves, I don’t think I would apply for it, just see what happens.

      Glad you like these.

  10. kinnath

    Daily Quordle 179
    7ļøāƒ£5ļøāƒ£
    3ļøāƒ£8ļøāƒ£

    • Compelled Speechless

      Daily Quordle 179
      4ļøāƒ£8ļøāƒ£
      6ļøāƒ£9ļøāƒ£

  11. PieInTheSky

    Secrets to Building with Logs – Frontier Log Barn – Extended

    https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LgpqLcR8a4w

    So glibs what kind of accent would you call the guy at the beginning of the video?

    Townsends is I believe in Indiana but John does not sound like that

    • juris imprudent

      I would say West Virginia / Kentucky maybe.

      • kinnath

        Yes. Somewhere in Appalachia.

      • kinnath

        Similar to a coworker from North Carolina.

      • ron73440

        I would say West Virginia / Kentucky maybe.

        Probably.

        Speaking of Townsends, I bought some fresh cherries from an orchard and made a batch of Cherry Bounce last night with Laird’s Apple Brandy.

        It tastes good now, and we’ll see in 8 weeks how it comes out.

        I took pictures, so if it’s really good or an epic failure, I’ll do a write up on it.

      • UnCivilServant

        Oh, do a writeup even if it’s mediocre.

      • Scruffy Nerfherder

        Kentucky lowlands, not quite Appalachian which is more sing-songy

      • PieInTheSky

        the guy in the beginning reminds me of popcorn sutton

      • Scruffy Nerfherder

        His accent isn’t even that thick. I’ve got relatives that I can barely understand. My wife is bewildered when she hears them.

      • PieInTheSky

        not the accent so much as the look. I actually quite liked This is the Last Dam Run of Likker I’ll Ever Make

      • Scruffy Nerfherder

        There’s a particular fatalism that commonly appears in their speech.

        “This place is filled with copperheads. I don’t wanna get bit today, I don’t need that, but if I do that’s just the way it is.”

      • ron73440

        Once we were looking for the Edenten NC Fair and got lost. In a Food Lion Parking lot my wife asks an old man for directions.

        He tried to help, but I could tell by the look on her face that his accent was indecipherable (it was pretty bad).

        I could figure it out, but she wasn’t sure the man was speaking English.

      • Scruffy Nerfherder

        A heavy Caroline brogue accent? I can understand her difficulties.

      • kinnath

        Thanks. I spend part of my life in Chattanooga. So, I am familiar with N Georgia, E Tennessee, and W North Carolina accent(s).

      • robc

        Sounds like my family. Growing up in the city, mine is a little less of that.

        Those who heard me on the glibzoom can comment.

      • robc

        And as proof, I pronounce my home city loo-ə-vul.

      • PieInTheSky

        how should it be pronounced?

      • UnCivilServant

        Lew-a-vil
        Lewie-ville
        Lewis-ville
        “That place in Kentucky”

      • robc

        KingofFrance-Ville.

      • robc

        It should be pronounced, the way I do, but outsiders struggle with it. When they try, they tend to leave out the schwa.

      • Gender Traitor

        It would have been more considerate of you to have come from Lexington.

      • slumbrew

        lrrrvllll

      • robc

        “Luh-vul”

        Like I said, missing the middle schwa

      • robc

        “It would have been more considerate of you to have come from Lexington.”

        Too near SugarFree.

      • Gender Traitor

        :: makes note to self to give Lexington a wide berth henceforth::

      • Ownbestenemy

        My wife says no matter what, I say it wrong. When she or her family say it, it sounds like they are getting ready to hurl

    • Ownbestenemy

      Free Mason tattoo. Illuminati confirmed.

  12. Chipwooder

    You Can’t Bring Me Down has been one of my favorite songs for 30 or so years, and that passage from it is more relevant than ever today.

    • ron73440

      It’s an instant motivator when it comes up on shuffle at the gym or running.

      From the opening guitar to “What the hell is going on around here?” gets me going.

      • Chipwooder

        This ain’t no Mr. Rogers neighborhood! heh

  13. Tundra

    “…let go without attachment”

    Gut punch.

    We have a 4:00 appointment at the vet for our almost-15yo sheepdog. He’s been spiraling lately and we decided it’s time. Poor guy can’t get up on his own and is having trouble standing/walking. Whimpers throughout the night. It’s fucking brutal.

    So, I’ll probably be more puddle than stoic, but I’ll do my best.

    • Sean

      Sorry Tundra.

    • Gender Traitor

      I’m so sorry, Tundra!šŸ˜¢

    • PutridMeat

      I still wonder if I waited too long with my last one. Sometimes the right rational decision will always feel like the wrong one. Remember the good times and give him a scratch. Sorry.

      • Chipwooder

        I do too. I don’t think she was suffering, but I spent several thousands I don’t have, and will still be paying off for another couple of years, so I could get a few more months with her when all she was really capable of doing was sleeping and shuffling over to her food and water. I would have hated myself if I didn’t feel like I gave her every shot to live, but I wonder if it was worth it in the end.

      • R C Dean

        I’ve waited too long on every one (except one, but he went down hard and fast). And I know it. And I am sure I will wait too long for the ones we have now.

        It sucks, but its the last duty we owe them as our companions.

    • robodruid

      My sympathies Tundra. Its never easy, but it can be the right thing to do.

      • juris imprudent

        ditto

    • Scruffy Nerfherder

      Sorry dude

    • Ownbestenemy

      Sorry to hear Tundra.

    • slumbrew

      So sorry, Tundra.

      That is indeed brutal.

      No shame if it gets very dusty.

    • Penguin

      Sorry, Tundra.

    • The Other Kevin

      Sorry, that’s never easy. You had a good long time with that dog.

    • Plisade

      Sorry, man.

    • ron73440

      That’s rough, sorry to hear that.

    • blighted_non_millenial

      Sorry Tundra. Stop by his fave burger joint on the way.

    • Surly Knott

      Sorry Tundra. It’s the hardest best thing we can do when they’re suffering and won’t recover. Quality of life over quantity. But they leave such an aching hole when they’re gone. šŸ˜¢

    • R.J.

      Godspeed for your dog, and distant manly hugs for you.

    • MikeS

      Aw shit, pal. That sucks. Thinking about you guys.

      • Tundra

        Thanks, everyone. Your words help a lot. I’ve been sitting here trying to rationalize waiting ‘just a little longer’ and I know it’s bullshit.

        Both kids are over and hanging out with him, so I’m glad they get a chance to say goodbye.

      • Toxteth O'Grady

        Sorry. Had similar teenaged-dog veterinary concerns the other day; had a note put in his chart about home euthanasia when it’s time. For now he’s started CBD to accompany his many other meds.

      • mindyourbusiness

        Best to have it done at home, I think. Less stress on the pet though it may be more on you.

      • db

        I went through that with my 16-year old buddy cat. I had an appointment set up and then he suddenly appeared to start doing better, so I canceled. A day later, he made a real turn for the worst and had to go under stressful and painful circumstances. I hope I never make that mistake again.

        Feeling for you and your loss.

    • hayeksplosives

      Sorry, Tundra. Stay by his side til the end.

    • rhywun

      Sorry šŸ™

    • Timeloose

      Shit buddy i’m sorry.

      I’m giving Lemmy a big scratch and treat when I get home.

    • grrizzly

      Very sad.

    • TARDis

      Sorry, Tundra.

    • Gustave Lytton

      Deepest sympathies, Tundra. I put our 14 year old puppers to sleep in May. It still hurts.

    • Mojeaux

      So sorry, Tundra. Know that you are doing the right thing, instead of letting him suffer.

  14. Chipwooder

    Losing a dog never gets easier even with practice. Very sorry to hear about your pooch.

  15. Rebel Scum

    Cryin Cunte Kinzinger is terrible at hiding the fact that he is an evil lizard person during this hearing (the one from yesterday).

    • Scruffy Nerfherder

      That fuckstick also signed onto an “assault weapons” ban.

  16. rhywun

    I just stoically completed two required work trainings. It helps that these are repeats that I’ve had to do like four or fives each now. The “discrimination-free workplace” one has been updated with all the latest buzzwords! But holy crap I discovered you can turn off all the stupid videos so you can knock these things out with plenty of time to spare before the next meeting.

    • The Other Kevin

      Sounds like we do the same ones. I have to do that one, and an anti-corruption one, and a cyber security one every year.

      • UnCivilServant

        Every year we get to see the Tax Department office building on fire for our fire safety mandatory training. (The fire was fake tho)

        There are a bunch of repeats, they don’t want to make new courses unless required by law.

    • slumbrew

      Most of mine I can just skip the stupid videos and use the transcripts (which are required for ADA purposes, I believe) – lets you get through it in maybe 1/4 of the time.

      • Ownbestenemy

        ^^^ Yep.

    • juris imprudent

      If I don’t have to change the retirement schedule, I completed the last annual training of this year and I’ll only be on the hook for one next year – the rest can be ignored.

    • Gender Traitor

      Annually-required online training modules I usually put off until the last minute because I find them annoying:
      – Valuing Diversity
      – Preventing Sexual Harassment
      – anything to do with the Bank Secrecy Act

  17. The Late P Brooks

    My garage is at 95 degrees American, and Iā€™m about to tear off the tappet cover AGAIN.

    Pound it flat, this time.

    • ron73440

      It’s a billet one and apparently I can’t get it to lay flat without sliding it enough to mess up the seal.

      It comes with an o-ring and says not to use silicone, but I think some Right Stuff might be called for.

      • Scruffy Nerfherder

        RTV that biotch

      • ron73440

        This will be my third attempt (I am an amateur), and I think that’s the logical next step.

      • MikeS

        Keep redoing it and you’ll be a pro sooner or later. šŸ˜‰

  18. juris imprudent

    The Bee with another stunner!

    Surveys indicate that 99.99% of the country didn’t bother to watch the riveting and tearful speeches of representatives like Adam Kinzinger and Liz Cheney, and the remaining 00.01% were Adam Kinzinger and Liz Cheney watching re-runs of themselves on YouTube every night as well as Don Lemon.

  19. juris imprudent

    This was good too.

    After learning that the president had contracted the Coronavirus, Joe Biden quickly called up Barack Obama to wish him a speedy recovery.

    • Ownbestenemy

      Did you see their interview with John Cleese? Not groundbreaking or anything but I was more amazed he was at FreedomFest.

      • ron73440

        John Cleese continues to be awesome.

        “Stop talking about the war?, We didn’t start it.”

        “Yes you did, you invaded Poland.”

        Still one of my favorite comedy bits.

      • Toxteth O'Grady

        You naughty moose!

  20. The Late P Brooks

    It comes with an o-ring and says not to use silicone, but I think some Right Stuff might be called for.

    Siliicone or teflon grease to hold it in place but let it find its proper home in the groove.

    • ron73440

      That’s what I did the first 2 times.

  21. The Late P Brooks

    Weird. Can you get a straight edge on the block?

    • ron73440

      Yes, I think it’s more in trying to get it behind the VP44 stud and laying on the block without sliding.

    • ron73440

      Wish me luck, I’m going in.

  22. Fourscore

    Thanks Ron, interesting article as always. I seem to be too busy to read it at posting time and then when I do get time it’s already closed. Lots of good comments, as always. Glibs are interesting people. Now I’m 2 hours late on the afternoon schedule.