Thread: Because you have nothing better to do...

I thought you might like to read a rant about my life.
Or else I felt like writing one, and unleashing it on the unprepared and possibly unwilling.

Work has been tumour-inducing for the last few months and I've finally gotten to the bottom of it - My computer has a virus. Which means EVERY time I want a page to load I have to swirl my mouse around until it loads. Like my computer is an attention-seeking show pony and won’t do anything unless it’s being watched.
Ooop, here it goes. I have one too many things open right now and it’s starting to whirr.

I figured out it’s the computer and not the job that’s been giving me headaches. I accept that I can't control the idiots (my customers). I can't stop them from being mindless drones. I can't make sarcastic comments when I hear the expression "Feels like I'm signing my life away!" for the umpteenth time. But I can get my computer cleaned up and come to work with a more Zen attitude.

And so I have been. Serenity now.

I’m still enjoying myself on dating sites, with no serious agenda. I’m coming to the conclusion that perhaps I am just an attention-seeker and I’ve been the bad influence on the computer.

I’ve been steadily getting through all the TV Series I’ve wanted to watch.
Recently finishing Seinfeld, Dexter, True Blood and The Office.

My financial situation is still dire. But it’s become shrug-worthy. I pay my rent and bills, just. And if I weren’t in debt that would be peachy. As it is, I am in debt, but …well, whatever, I’ll sort that out eventually.

I wrote a Facebook status update about my crappy money situation recently and just the other day my Mum said to me “I was going to leave the comment : Maybe I can help, when I kick the bucket.”
Poor taste jokes run in the family.

My mum has cancer and has just started more chemo after having a couple of months as a break. She wasn’t really prepared for her first session and fainted twice, and then threw up. She said some of the other people in the chemo room looked horrified.
I said “Not surprising, Mum. You weren’t being a very good Chemo’s not so bad poster girl.”

So that kinda sucks, and I feel just awful for my little sister who has to carry the weight of the world on her little shoulders.

In better news, my parents sorted out some stuff that was causing discord and are now both happier for that reason, and it shows some real promise for our family as a unit getting along better down the track. God willing.

School is awesome. I am writing my novel, and have just started writing my TV series. We’re currently workshopping the first ten pages of people’s scripts in my screenwriting class – doing cold reads, which is a lot of fun. Yesterday I got to be a hard-nosed detective for one guy’s TV pilot, and an angry Ukrainian lady for a woman’s Aussie-Rules-Football based comedy.

My novel is moving slowly, but shows a lot of promise. Yesterday one of Australia’s most renowned publishers came into our class and we all got to pitch what we’re working on to her. She said to a very few of us that she’d like to see something when we have a bit more to show her. And I get to pitch to another publisher in three weeks.
All good things.

Chocolate and I have broken up. I’m working out everyday for a minimum of an hour, doing weights, and still my sugar addiction dictates my whole life. Time for it to end. As of this week I no longer eat chocolate or ice cream.
It’s very depressing.

First I quit smoking, then caffeine, then carbs, then cracking my knuckles.
Now this?!

Watch out Gandhi.

Good rant, that. Hugs to your mom, and all of you. That sucks so bad, chemo. Good to see you around too!

Did you get my pm? I've given up the majority of sugar too, though I recently took dark chocolate back in small bits. Have not had ice cream since....well, about two months.

I’m still enjoying myself on dating sites,

Now there is a way to pick up a nasty little virus.

One of my friends had his car break down and started walking 4 miles to and from work, he says it gets him fitter than the gym ever did, it's free and it doesn't stink of male sweat. When these things become the norm in your life, ie. you are some one who doesn't take sugar, not someone who has given up sugar, then you will know that you have cracked it, and everything will suddenly seem sweeter.

Originally Posted by Like a Fox

I accept that I can't control the idiots (my customers). I can't stop them from being mindless drones. I can't make sarcastic comments when I hear the expression "Feels like I'm signing my life away!" for the umpteenth time.

Kath, I dunno about all the other stuff, but this one I do know about, and I can give you some ideas about how to handle it.

I had an identical problem when I drove a cab. Nearly every fare would ask, “How’s business?” the moment they entered the cab. It used to drive me up the wall. Then I had an idea. I decided to make up a story for the next person that asked that question. One thing led to another, it became a game with me and I began dreaming up impossible answers to the damnfool question. I’d say stuff like, “Pretty good. I had Muhammed Ali in the cab last week,” or, “Got a $200 tip yesterday,” or “Not so good. I keep picking up hookers who want to pay me in kind.” All sorts of shit. And when I got challenged, as happened occasionally, I’d just keep adding more shit to the story to get out of it. Half the time the punters would eventually realise I was having a lend of them, but it was all good fun and broke up the monotony.


You can do this too. Dream up a list of witty come-backs, write them out, rehearse them, and have them ready. Make a game of it. Don’t let the bastards get you down.

Chocolate? Nooo, don't give up that! Just have it in moderation.

I agree though that walking is great. Though I might be walking a bit more than most people, during the summer I walked around 5 or 6 miles a day.

I wish I would have read this before submitting my LM. I promise, Kath, that my entry is in no way inspired by your mom's struggle.

hmm...looks like you are carrying a full plate. I was thinking about my own issues with work and family when I read this...at times, we all have a reason to rant I suppose. I know about working with the public, it is a job we get little kudos for. Let me tell you, I wanted to drown a few of my customers.

I wish you well giving up the chocolate, I gave up smoking almost four months ago, I cried because I loved them. I know, I know...it's a bad habit, but I did love it. I gained several pounds after and cut back on my comfort food. However, I decided the chocolate would have to wait.

Hang in there, if life wasn't bumpy it would get boring...Okay, maybe not, that's my grandmother's quote, I just go with it.

Originally Posted by chimchimski

hmm...looks like you are carrying a full plate. I was thinking about my own issues with work and family when I read this...at times, we all have a reason to rant I suppose. I know about working with the public, it is a job we get little kudos for. Let me tell you, I wanted to drown a few of my customers.

Then for her spare time she becomes a mod! Masochist, hopeless case. (insert smiley )

Eluixa - God, I'm so sorry about your PM. I really do struggle to get my brain clicking some days. I did get it, meant to reply. Totally useless.
I'm not doing the program you told me about (I'm doing a self-driven whatever - less rules to break), but I'm interested to look into it.
I found this sugarless chocolate at a convenience store the other day, mostly dark, but they seem to have found a way to make milk chocolate.
I think I'll just stay away from it all together but if/when I have a moment of weakness I think I'll head there first.


Olly - Har-har. Good one. (x 2)
I go to my friend's house everyday after work and use her exercise bike. I've missed one day in the last month, so it's already becoming just something I do, not this great effort. Which is rad, I'd always loathed the idea of exercise. Never knew I could like it.
I don't like walking much, I have snappy ankles, and because I'm tall there's a ligament in my calves that gets more stretched than a normal person's, or so the dr. tells me. When it warms up a bit here I'll probably swim.

Oxy, you're right of course. I should just make a game of it. I think I definitey used to, but the game became bitterbitchfest. Which is also a good game.
The one-up I have on the cab scenario is mine are 90% repeat customers, so if I make 'em realise that their little joke is the least funny thing I've ever heard, then maybe, just maybe, they won't spew it at me again. Haha.

I think I'm an all-or-nothing girl when it comes to chocolate, Kang. Some things I can do in moderation really well. And some things I just have to not-do. Because if I let myself have just a little, in two weeks it'll be me in the middle of mountains of chocolate crying and eating. Haha.

Oh alan, don't fret. Seems like everyone's affected by cancer, somehow. I don't expect people to remember and tread lightly.
When I was eight, my Mum had just been given the all clear after her first battle with cancer. She had one breast removed and I remember a kid at school was saying "Can you imagine if a woman had one boob!? Gross!!" And I hit him and cried. Haha. I think I've grown past such reactions.

chimchimski - Hi fellow quitter. I gave up smoking at the start of Feb this year. I gained weight too, and for a while I just let it go because my body was doing all that hideous adapting stuff (Did you get itchy-recirculation-pains?! I wasn't ready for that). But now it's been long enough and before I was a smoker I used to struggle with weight. So it's just an ongoing battle. I miss ciggies too, don't worry about that. Better you miss them than become douchey holier-than-thou quitter who does a full 180 and decides that smokers are gross. Those people suck.

Originally Posted by Like a Fox

chimchimski - Hi fellow quitter. I gave up smoking at the start of Feb this year. I gained weight too, and for a while I just let it go because my body was doing all that hideous adapting stuff (Did you get itchy-recirculation-pains?! I wasn't ready for that). But now it's been long enough and before I was a smoker I used to struggle with weight. So it's just an ongoing battle. I miss ciggies too, don't worry about that. Better you miss them than become douchey holier-than-thou quitter who does a full 180 and decides that smokers are gross. Those people suck.

hehehe....No worries about that here, I am not that type of person. I did get the itch, it was really annoying, and that nasty cough...we wont go there. I wish I could say I don't want them anymore but there is always that moment when I think, a cigarette would be really good right about now.

Haha. Yeah, when I moved house I had to run up and down 16 steps about 40 times.
I'd been off smokes for about 6 weeks at that point. At the end of the day I looked at all I had done and thought I deserve a cigarette, nay, a whole pack, to chain smoke with reckless abandon.
Ironically I never could've gone up'n'down those stairs like I did if I'd still been smoking. The job would've taken two days, not one.

You'll miss them less as time goes on I reckon. I find it's just about always saying no. I hang around with all my old smoking friends and they forget, and offer me cigarettes.
It's the thanks but no thanks policy that's a bummer. But that's the challenge. Not quitting, but staying quit./


Oh yeah. One of the cool things about quitting was the tripped out dreams.
I wrote about them for one of the LM's Nicotine Dreams. It's one of my favourites of mine.

Excellent writing about your dream...isn't it something how we release the withdraws through our dreams...and food too, namely chocolate and snacks for me. I couldn't eat enough, I would walk around and look for something to eat. And, my dreams always included odd sex, crazy zombies, and some kind of animals...of course not all in the same dream. I made myself laugh, I must be making progress, not bad for a former pack and half a day smoker. By the way, thanks for sharing, I don't feel so alone.

The being offered a cigarette, refusing it and the whole diversion of the conversation thing was a real pain when I first stopped. After a bit I tried accepting it so there was no break in the flow, I simply did not light it, and after a minute or two put it down, next time they go to offer you one they see it still there and remember after that.

Hey, the nice thing about the Gabriel Method is that there are no 'can't have it' foods or bad days. It's not a diet and I likes it that way. I think giving up chocolate for two months [my choice] really helped me to be able to eat little bits and not every day, when I took it back.
You guys are doing fab without the siggies! Way to go!