Good Things Friday (95) and Link Love
December 11, 2020
1. We went to pick up some treats as a thank you for a loved one who has supported us tremendously pretty much always. This little trip included a short stop to lunch at a local beach that was pretty empty. The people who were there were masked and kept their distance so we felt a lot better for the fresh air and lack of crowding.
2. We also made it to an open park which was almost the same as the beach: lots and lots of distance from other people and almost everyone was masked. PiC and JB ran across the open field a few times playing tag and hide and seek and searching for ducks. Physically I felt like garbage but emotionally it was refreshing.
3. My healthcare providers have been very proactive about checking on me and my looming depression issues. That has helped stave off a massive setback so far, along with being open about the fact that it is trying to eat my brains and trying to do positive things to buffer the huge waves of negativity.
4. Apparently Good Eggs really dropped the ball on Thanksgiving dinner deliveries this year. We lucked out and only had one disappointment for which we were refunded, but they are also giving everyone the option of extra Good Eggs credit, a free meal, or a donation to a charity to apologize as well. We picked the free meal and got to select from a “basket that MIGHT contain this variety of stuff” for delivery next week. A holiday surprise, I suppose!
Challenges this week: I found out that an old friend and mentor died suddenly. I worked with him closely in my rough college years at two of my jobs, and he was a solid supporter when it was time for me to move on. I still don’t know any details at this time but I’m ever so sad.
Our neighbors are being utter knobs about our replacing shared fencing at no cost to them that was falling down. They are offended we didn’t discuss it with them. But we DID attempt to discuss it with them and the spouse blew us off! Ugh. I hate people.
Grumble: I can’t remember if I mentioned this before but the IRS found a legitimate mistake I made in last year’s filing and gave me 30 days to deal with it. I handled it that week and sent everything off. Then I waited…and waited… and waited… Months later they contacted me and gave themselves six months to evaluate my response. I get one month and you get six? Rude.
Why Everyone’s Suddenly Hoarding Mason Jars. I love a good mason jar because I love all good containers of any shape, size, and material but there is something extra appealing about glass jars.
John Scalzi: The Family Assassin
The Future of Work: ‘The Long Tail’ by Aliette de Bodard (short story)
Yay, our friend Emily Guy Birkin has published her first short story!: The Body in the Library
California renters bracing for an eviction tsunami. This one was hard to read. There are so many people hurting from everything that’s happened this year.
Origins of Panda Express. I had no idea it was all family owned! I have a fondness for Panda, it was the occasional treat I’d buy myself when stuck on our college campus all day and I hadn’t packed a lunch. It was a little out of my normal budget but it was enough food to be filling and that was much appreciated back then.
Tu B’Shevat, the Jewish Partisan Experience and the Rebirth of Contemporary Jewish Life documents partisan resistance during WWII
The only defense is Deny, Deny, Deny. 😏🤣🤣 pic.twitter.com/4MbGOPUzFP
— Fred Schultz (@fred035schultz) November 15, 2020
A virtuoso baritone vocalist, accompanied by violin, dazzles the public with one of the most stunning donkey voices ever heard. pic.twitter.com/TkuJVvbfH9
— Dick King-Smith HQ (@DickKingSmith) November 15, 2020
I’m so sorry for your loss. Too many people are dying this year. 🙁
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Thank you. 2020 … just … stinks.
I can relate to much of this! I’m so sorry to hear about the neighbor/fence drama. We had something very similar over the summer, with the added racial bonus & the neighbor yelling at our teenager who happened to be outside & an available target. It was …. super unpleasant.
We also had a recent Good Eggs delivery fiasco, when I was quarantining because I was worried I might have COVID (I didn’t, but wanted to be safe for myself & others). They more than made up for it, and we received three meal kits that our teenager prepped for us during a busy work week. It was awesome. I think they are too expensive to make it into the regular rotation, but the quality of ingredients was really fantastic.
And, we the IRS fun as well this year, due to an edge Turbo Tax issue that was fixed after we filed. It was horrific & required a lot of effort to correct, but is also done!
Hope you have a low key, productive & easy week!
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Solidarity!
I remembered your neighbor fiasco when this started up! I hoped that we would all get a peaceful resolution before too long but it most definitely left a sour taste in my mouth. Now that they’ve shown us who they are, we won’t be forgetting.
I’m glad they made it right for you, but agree they are too pricey to be more than a special occasion type of treat.
I’m so glad that you’re all set on your IRS “fun”, I’m eager to close the chapter on ours.