Having a Bad Day? Stop here for a Good Rant!

[ThirdGen]

Hey, could be worse. Commonly, you just did not screw on your gas cap tight enough. You can tighten that sucker, disconnect the battery and reconnect to reset the light and see if it comes back on.

 

Speaking of things being worse, sometime in the past few months, one of the rear struts in my car snapped off, taking a chunk out of the wheel well with it. This essentially kills the car.

 

That... is less than ideal.

 

I'm gonna check the codes, but it's most likely related to transmission problems I've been having.  Probably a better value for my money to replace this old clunker rather than keep getting more and more expensive repairs.

[Kaymyth she/her]

Ugh, I hate those. That stupid light could mean anything from "Your gas cap is loose" to "Your engine is about to fall out of your car and you need to get it to a mechanic before your vehicle explodes in the middle of the freeway." 

 

This...actually happened to me, more or less (though the engine light never actually came on).

 

The death of the Lumina - it had been having transmission problems, but the mechanics I took it too kept saying that they "couldn't reproduce" the issue.  Well, no, idjits, you didn't actually take it out at highway speeds like I told you to, did you?  But no, it was much easier for them to not do their jobs and snicker at the silly female and her ladybrain who thought she knew something about cars.

 

So they flushed my transmission fluid to make it look like they were doing something.

 

Bad.  Plan.

 

So, less than 5 minutes after commenting to my husband that I wasn't sure what I would do if my car died, I was accelerating onto the interstate.  Then, from under the hood -

 

BANG!

ka-thunk, ka-thunk, ka-thunk

 

And that, my friends, is the sound a car makes when its transmission explodes.

 

 

So, the moral of the story is don't ever take your car to Firestone.

Edited August 3, 2015 by Kaymyth

[Orlion Blight he/him]

 

So, the moral of the story is don't ever take your car to Firestone.

 

Heed this warning, boys and girls. Firestone not only tends to not fix your car/make things worse, they'll charge you an arm and a leg for the privilege! 

[Guest]

This...actually happened to me, more or less (though the engine light never actually came on).

 

The death of the Lumina - it had been having transmission problems, but the mechanics I took it too kept saying that they "couldn't reproduce" the issue.  Well, no, idjits, you didn't actually take it out at highway speeds like I told you to, did you?  But no, it was much easier for them to not do their jobs and snicker at the silly female and her ladybrain who thought she knew something about cars.

 

So they flushed my transmission fluid to make it look like they were doing something.

 

Bad.  Plan.

 

So, less than 5 minutes after commenting to my husband that I wasn't sure what I would do if my car died, I was accelerating onto the interstate.  Then, from under the hood -

 

BANG!

ka-thunk, ka-thunk, ka-thunk

 

And that, my friends, is the sound a car makes when its transmission explodes.

 

 

So, the moral of the story is don't ever take your car to Firestone.

 

   

 

My friend had the same experience... His transmission blew on the free-way, apparently one tiny dent broke due to the intensive stress he put on it while trying to start the car in the snow (sports car and winter and Montreal: BAD idea)... 6000$ later, the timing belt blew as he forgot he needed to changed it after 100 000 km, thus destroying what was left of the car  It happened within a month time frame.

 

The guy was demolished   He put the car into the scrap yard. It was still worth 9000$ after the first break, but it was not worth making the second one.

[Kaymyth she/her]

   

 

My friend had the same experience... His transmission blew on the free-way, apparently one tiny dent broke due to the intensive stress he put on it while trying to start the car in the snow (sports car and winter and Montreal: BAD idea)... 6000$ later, the timing belt blew as he forgot he needed to changed it after 100 000 km, thus destroying what was left of the car  It happened within a month time frame.

 

The guy was demolished   He put the car into the scrap yard. It was still worth 9000$ after the first break, but it was not worth making the second one.

 

Yeah.  The transmission blowing was the death knell of my Lumina.  I wasn't in a position to buy a new car at that point, so I wound up inheriting my dad's old Alero, which had its own...issues.

 

I drive a Honda Fit now, that I bought MYSELF.  NEW.  It was a lovely feeling.

[Orlion Blight he/him]

 

I drive a Honda Fit now, that I bought MYSELF.  NEW.  It was a lovely feeling.

 

I'm looking to get a Honda Fit myself. Used for me.

[Guest]

Yeah.  The transmission blowing was the death knell of my Lumina.  I wasn't in a position to buy a new car at that point, so I wound up inheriting my dad's old Alero, which had its own...issues.

 

I drive a Honda Fit now, that I bought MYSELF.  NEW.  It was a lovely feeling.

 

Nice car  , but a bit on the small side for a family. I bought a Prius V, a good family car with plenty of space in the trunk   I love my Hybrid  I am never going back to regular cars.

[Kaymyth she/her]

I'm looking to get a Honda Fit myself. Used for me.

 

Nothing wrong with that.  In all honestly, I think that my second generation Fit is superior to the third generation ones out now.  Sure, the redesign looks prettier from the outside, but they shrank the cargo space and took away a cupholder.  Why would you do that?

 

Nice car  , but a bit on the small side for a family. I bought a Prius V, a good family car with plenty of space in the trunk   I love my Hybrid  I am never going back to regular cars.

 

It is quite cute and tiny, though you'd be shocked at how much space there really is in that thing.  This is why I got the blue - because it's TARDIS blue and it's bigger on the inside than the outside.  (Bonus:  the official color name is "Vortex Blue".  Heeheehee.)

[Kasimir he/him]

One depressing conversation with a friend later:

 

Pointed out reason I didn't get the scholarships might've been because I got screened out because of family background, because that debt doesn't appear in my paperwork. Don't know if it's a good or bad thing :/ And these were supposed to be needs-blind scholarships.

 

...I don't know. I think I know what I want (there's always room for doubt, I guess), and I spent the better part of the evening reminding myself it's not impossible to be able to do what I want right now. Just bloody difficult. But that's always the thing, isn't it?

 

Truth to be told, I spent the better part of the evening telling myself that life isn't a video game; once you quit, there's no going back. No reset button, no re-rolling a new character. But boy, I wish it didn't feel like you're staring at the end of a dark tunnel, no light, the heat of the flames behind you, with a 50kg load on your shoulders. Maybe it's better to stop running sometimes.

[Guest]

It is quite cute and tiny, though you'd be shocked at how much space there really is in that thing.  This is why I got the blue - because it's TARDIS blue and it's bigger on the inside than the outside.  (Bonus:  the official color name is "Vortex Blue".  Heeheehee.)

 

But my double stroller wouldn't fit in the trunk without me having to put a great deal of effort into it  The tinier those kids are, the more stuff they come with  Seriously, my husband went to the car dealer with his measuring tapes, our biggest stroller, our skis in order to try out the trunk       It was our number criteria for the next car, that and fuel consumption. 

 

I love my car     

 

Edit: It is blue as well. Isn't blue the nicest color for all cars????     

Edited August 3, 2015 by maxal

[Kaymyth she/her]

But my double stroller wouldn't fit in the trunk without me having to put a great deal of effort into it  The tinier those kids are, the more stuff they come with  Seriously, my husband went to the car dealer with his measuring tapes, our biggest stroller, our skis in order to try out the trunk       It was our number criteria for the next car, that and fuel consumption. 

 

I love my car     

 

Edit: It is blue as well. Isn't blue the nicest color for all cars????     

 

I'm actually pretty partial to anything bright and cheerful.  I would've gone for the more teal color of Fit if it hadn't been for my fangirl desire to milk the TARDIS joke.

 

Lime green!  Canary yellow!  ALL THE PURPLES!  Why, why do so many people insist on preferring drab, grey or silver cars?

[Guest]

I'm actually pretty partial to anything bright and cheerful.  I would've gone for the more teal color of Fit if it hadn't been for my fangirl desire to milk the TARDIS joke.

 

Lime green!  Canary yellow!  ALL THE PURPLES!  Why, why do so many people insist on preferring drab, grey or silver cars?

 

I am so tired of grey/silver cars... they just look permanently dirty       I love flashy colors on small cars such as the fit. On a big one such as mine though, it is a bit weird. Anyway, the Prius V blue is dark blue. Quite awesome.

[Kaymyth she/her]

I am so tired of grey/silver cars... they just look permanently dirty       I love flashy colors on small cars such as the fit. On a big one such as mine though, it is a bit weird. Anyway, the Prius V blue is dark blue. Quite awesome.

 

My husband's car is a dark charcoal grey.  It are saddest. 

 

...though he really didn't care about color.  He was more interested in finding a manual transmission at the trim level he wanted.  Hard to be picky about color with that criteria. 

[Guest]

My husband's car is a dark charcoal grey.  It are saddest. 

 

...though he really didn't care about color.  He was more interested in finding a manual transmission at the trim level he wanted.  Hard to be picky about color with that criteria. 

 

Not. They aren't the saddest: my parents SUV is beige/gold.......... and worst is they purposefully chose this color on purpose.... Needless to say the car came in much more appealing colors..

[Guest]

One depressing conversation with a friend later:

 

Pointed out reason I didn't get the scholarships might've been because I got screened out because of family background, because that debt doesn't appear in my paperwork. Don't know if it's a good or bad thing :/ And these were supposed to be needs-blind scholarships.

 

...I don't know. I think I know what I want (there's always room for doubt, I guess), and I spent the better part of the evening reminding myself it's not impossible to be able to do what I want right now. Just bloody difficult. But that's always the thing, isn't it?

 

Truth to be told, I spent the better part of the evening telling myself that life isn't a video game; once you quit, there's no going back. No reset button, no re-rolling a new character. But boy, I wish it didn't feel like you're staring at the end of a dark tunnel, no light, the heat of the flames behind you, with a 50kg load on your shoulders. Maybe it's better to stop running sometimes.

Dang. That must be a hard situation for you right now. What is it exactly that you want to do?

[ThirdGen]

I am so tired of grey/silver cars... they just look permanently dirty       I love flashy colors on small cars such as the fit. On a big one such as mine though, it is a bit weird. Anyway, the Prius V blue is dark blue. Quite awesome.

 

Dirt-colored cars have an advantage... (said lazy dude)

 

(Macbeth)

[Guest]

Dirt-colored cars have an advantage... (said lazy dude)

 

(Macbeth)

 

I know                       

[TwiLyghtSansSparkles she/her]

I'm starting to conclude that no one in my family really cares about what I have to say. It's probably my fault; I stopped telling them everything about my day because my parents and brother especially had a habit of dissecting what I said and extrapolating character flaws from it, then throwing those flaws in my face ("You're always complaining about work! You're such a complainer! All you do is complain and you never do anything about it, because you're too lazy to try and make a bad situation better!"). I stopped volunteering my opinions for a similar reason. If they ask, I'll answer, but I don't volunteer information like I used to. 

 

But now, no one really seems interested in listening to me. Tonight, I had the evening off work, so I wound up eating dinner at the table with my mom, my brother, and one of my sisters. My sister mentioned a Bible story she'd read, and the topic turned to favorite Bible stories and opinions on them. No one asked for my favorite. No one asked what I thought of anything. The few times I offered something to the conversation, I was mostly ignored. 

 

Yet at the same time, they all want me to listen to them. My mom will barge into my room with something to tell me, or she'll stop me as I'm walking up the stairs to rant about the news. She doesn't ask what I think about it. Sometimes she'll invite me to agree with her, but sometimes not. 

 

I feel like I brought this on myself, and….I don't know….it's better than the alternative, I guess. I don't know what I feel. I just want to get out of here already, but I'm not sure living on my own will be any better. 

Edited August 4, 2015 by TwiLyghtSansSparkles

[Orlion Blight he/him]

I'm starting to conclude that no one in my family really cares about what I have to say. It's probably my fault; I stopped telling them everything about my day because my parents and brother especially had a habit of dissecting what I said and extrapolating character flaws from it, then throwing those flaws in my face ("You're always complaining about work! You're such a complainer! All you do is complain and you never do anything about it, because you're too lazy to try and make a bad situation better!"). I stopped volunteering my opinions for a similar reason. If they ask, I'll answer, but I don't volunteer information like I used to. 

 

But now, no one really seems interested in listening to me. Tonight, I had the evening off work, so I wound up eating dinner at the table with my mom, my brother, and one of my sisters. My sister mentioned a Bible story she'd read, and the topic turned to favorite Bible stories and opinions on them. No one asked for my favorite. No one asked what I thought of anything. The few times I offered something to the conversation, I was mostly ignored. 

 

Yet at the same time, they all want me to listen to them. My mom will barge into my room with something to tell me, or she'll stop me as I'm walking up the stairs to rant about the news. She doesn't ask what I think about it. Sometimes she'll invite me to agree with her, but sometimes not. 

 

I feel like I brought this on myself, and….I don't know….it's better than the alternative, I guess. I don't know what I feel. I just want to get out of here already, but I'm not sure living on my own will be any better. 

 

Well, we may not be family... or eating dinner (unfortunately), but what is your favourite Bible story?

[TwiLyghtSansSparkles she/her]

Well, we may not be family... or eating dinner (unfortunately), but what is your favourite Bible story?

 

The story of God comforting Elijah after he flees from Jezebel. 

 

Elijah usually gets a bad reputation, in my family's denomination. They love the other things he did, but in that story, they see him as a coward who lost faith in God, fled from a woman, and hid in a cave. But having struggled with depression, I see that story differently. 

 

Elijah wasn't a coward. He ran, yes, but he ran from Jezebel. She was sparking terrifying, and she would have been terrifying even if she hadn't been queen. But she was, so in addition to her scariness, she also had all of this military might and political clout backing her up. Elijah had every reason to flee, is what I'm saying. 

 

It's at this point that I usually hear the strongest criticisms of Elijah—he ran away, he lost faith after God sent a miracle, and he immediately curled up on the ground and became pathetic. But….I understand that. I've felt that way. After that job interview, for the library job here, that evening I went home and felt absolutely miserable. I'd just interviewed for a job I wanted, and I felt I'd presented myself well, but I'd managed to convince myself I had led the panel to place me at the bottom of the stack and throw out my interview during the first round of reviews. Elijah did that on a far grander scale. He proved Ahab and Jezebel wrong in an incredibly spectacular way, and then he flees when Jezebel goes after him. 

 

But God doesn't yell at him. He doesn't tell him how stupid he's being. When Elijah says, "I am the only prophet left," God doesn't say, "Honestly, Elijah, there are seven thousand left, learn to count, will ya?" He doesn't call Elijah a drama queen or tell him he's making a fool of himself. Instead, he shows Elijah how powerful he is—through the wind, the earthquake, and the fire—and then he speaks to Elijah in a gentle whisper. He gently, kindly tells Elijah that things aren't as bad as he thinks, and that they're going to get better. And by choosing to personally visit Elijah, I think God makes things better in the short run. 

Edited August 4, 2015 by TwiLyghtSansSparkles

[Orlion Blight he/him]

That's where there's a fire, but God wasn't in the fire... a whirlwind but God wasn't in the whirlwind... and then a still small voice? Man, people who harp on Elijah for that are whack. It seems like people want their Bible heroes to be... inhuman. But the heroes become more relatable, better examples when they are human. It's a lot easier to believe and benefit from someone who "doubted", suffered, or had difficult times and overcame them than to have someone who was never going to fail... that's what I want, anyway... I want to know that problems I'm facing can be overcome by someone like me.

 

Which reminds me of an experience, once. I was talking to a Honduran woman once about the book of Psalms. I was reading through the Bible for the first time and was having a lot of difficulties getting through this book, more than First Chronicles (which is half genealogy!) 

"David is such a whiny punk," I objected, "He's always complaining about how people are persecuting him unjustly and how he has it so bad!"

 

The Honduran smiled slightly, bemused, and asked me, "When you pray to God, how much of your prayers are pleas against the injustice against yourself? Are your communications with God that much different from David's?"

 

And the truth of the matter: yes, I would have been much more guilty of my criticism against David than David was... I mean, he was at least profusely grateful as well a petitioner. I was trying to judge David according to some arrogant standard that I was not following. 

 

It's important to accept and understand a person's flaws, because it is then that you realize that you are also human and can also triumph. 

 

Ugh, that got sidetracked, my apologies

[Kaymyth she/her]

I'm starting to conclude that no one in my family really cares about what I have to say. It's probably my fault; I stopped telling them everything about my day because my parents and brother especially had a habit of dissecting what I said and extrapolating character flaws from it, then throwing those flaws in my face ("You're always complaining about work! You're such a complainer! All you do is complain and you never do anything about it, because you're too lazy to try and make a bad situation better!"). I stopped volunteering my opinions for a similar reason. If they ask, I'll answer, but I don't volunteer information like I used to. 

 

But now, no one really seems interested in listening to me. Tonight, I had the evening off work, so I wound up eating dinner at the table with my mom, my brother, and one of my sisters. My sister mentioned a Bible story she'd read, and the topic turned to favorite Bible stories and opinions on them. No one asked for my favorite. No one asked what I thought of anything. The few times I offered something to the conversation, I was mostly ignored. 

 

Yet at the same time, they all want me to listen to them. My mom will barge into my room with something to tell me, or she'll stop me as I'm walking up the stairs to rant about the news. She doesn't ask what I think about it. Sometimes she'll invite me to agree with her, but sometimes not. 

 

I feel like I brought this on myself, and….I don't know….it's better than the alternative, I guess. I don't know what I feel. I just want to get out of here already, but I'm not sure living on my own will be any better. 

 

I think your main problem, so to speak, is that you're the only sensible, self-reflecting one in the bunch.  It doesn't sound like any of them admit that they have flaws at all, but because you do, it gives them the necessary ammunition to break you down.

 

There's a saying out there that says, "Do not engage the crazy."  Basically meaning that there's no point to trying to argue with them; they're just too locked into their own paradigm to see it as anything other than a personal attack.

[Delightful]

From a Jewish perspective, I've always learned that the bible/Torah records our leader's mistakes so that we can learn from them. Stories about perfect people don't help anything.

And what Kaymyth said - "don't argue with a fool; they'll bring you down to their level and beat you with experience". Twi, I'm sure it'll be better once you move out. It sounds like you don't have much choice now, and soon you can choose to hang out with people who *do* care about you. It'll be okay. Just hang in there.

[Claincy he/him]

From a Jewish perspective, I've always learned that the bible/Torah records our leader's mistakes so that we can learn from them. Stories about perfect people don't help anything.

Hm. God consistently chose the weak to use to enact his will. I think partially to make it very clear that it was his power and authority, not that of those who serve him, but also to show us that we don't have to be perfect or strong for him to work through us. He provides the strength and we just have to be willing and trust in him. It often isn't easy of course, but we can see in the bible how others that he acted through struggled just the same as us

@twi, As others have said, I expect things will improve markedly once you move out and your relationships with your family might improve as well without the tension of living under the same roof.

[Delightful]

Hm. God consistently chose the weak to use to enact his will. I think partially to make it very clear that it was his power and authority, not that of those who serve him, but also to show us that we don't have to be perfect or strong for him to work through us. He provides the strength and we just have to be willing and trust in him. It often isn't easy of course, but we can see in the bible how others that he acted through struggled just the same as us

@twi, As others have said, I expect things will improve markedly once you move out and your relationships with your family might improve as well without the tension of living under the same roof.

I agree that G-D gives us strength of we trust in

Him, but what makes you say that he chooses to work through the weak? Sure, we see their weaknesses, but many of them were incredible people.

Moses - humblest of all men and greatest leader we ever had, but he messed up once and suddenly he's barred from Israel.

King Solomon - he had too many wives and horses and too much money, but he also ruled a secure and prosperous kingdom and built the Holy Temple.

King David was a warrior, a poet and totally connected to G-D, but he messed up with Batsheva. Different strengths and weaknesses in different areas. I see them as strong people, just not perfect.

Edited August 4, 2015 by Delightful