Personal Happenings
This is the Personal Happenings thread. The purpose of this thread is to discuss personal happenings.
On occasion, Members might wish to share personal events, sometimes serious, that don’t quite fit the Miscellaneous Discussion Thread.
It is also possible that other Members will want to keep up with events, particularly major ones, happening in the lives of other Members.
If you have any personal happenings, there will no longer be a need to do any logical gymnastics to somehow take a totally unrelated topic and apply it to your personal life. You can simply discuss it in this thread, instead.
I would encourage everyone to look at this thread if they see it in the most Recent Threads, because it’s possible that something important has happened.
With that said, someone will need to get us started. I do not have any personal happenings that I wish to share.
Quote: billryanIs this the official personal happenings thread? Is it Wizard approved like the other guys threads, or is this to be a rogue operation?
It’s a good thread idea and is intended for the purpose of talking about any personal happenings that one may wish to discuss.
Last time I checked, I don’t require approval to start new threads, so I didn’t consult with Wizard as to this thread’s creation.
To answer your question of whether or not this thread is intended to be official: that’s not within my purview to decide.
And, for the record, fewer than 1% of my posts have been new threads. Many of the threads I have created have related to the WoV Picks Game or WoV Playoff Picks Game, so I don’t feel like I can be accused of abusing thread creation ability.
Quote: Mission146Deaths, births, marriages, divorces, new job, quit your job, promoted, hired, fired or retired…this is the thread for all that and more!
I was contemplating a similar thread, but you beat me to it. My thought was "Personal or Historic Firsts." Those posts would include individual achievements either positive or negative. My hesitancy in proposing such was that I have not been a contributing poster for several years and did not know if something similar had been created.
The membership of this forum is quite diverse and for the most part, I believe, accomplished.
I am quite confident, there will be surprises and perhaps some "howls."
To start:
1. I was the first member of my family to graduate from college.
2. I was the first, according to DeMango, to start a "mega" gambling thread on this forum back in 2010: The Hoax that is the 1.41% PL HA in Craps or some such name.
tuttigym
Quote: Mission146
This is the Personal Happenings thread. The purpose of this thread is to discuss personal happenings.
On occasion, Members might wish to share personal events, sometimes serious, that don’t quite fit the Miscellaneous Discussion Thread.
Thanks. Creative idea. I dread moderating it.
Quote: tuttigym
I am quite confident, there will be surprises and perhaps some "howls."
To start:
1. I was the first member of my family to graduate from college.
2. I was the first, according to DeMango, to start a "mega" gambling thread on this forum back in 2010: The Hoax that is the 1.41% PL HA in Craps or some such name.
tuttigym
(Quote clipped, relevance)
Congratulations on being the first in your family to graduate college; that's quite an accomplishment. Disagreements with the concept of House Edge, and its importance, aside...you're clearly a very well-educated person, are intellectually varied and are a very good writer.
Quote: Mission146(Quote clipped, relevance)
Congratulations on being the first in your family to graduate college; that's quite an accomplishment. Disagreements with the concept of House Edge, and its importance, aside...you're clearly a very well-educated person, are intellectually varied and are a very good writer.
Wow!! Thank you for the compliments from someone whom I have great respect and I can intellectually disagree without being disagreeable.
Your turn. OD, there are no wrong answers unless a claim (historical first) can be properly disputed, so a "filter" will not be needed, I believe.
tuttigym
Quote: billryanMy Godson was the first in our family to be born in the United States, as both my parents were born in Ireland and myself and my two sisters were all born while my father was based overseas. He is also the first to buy a million dollar house, something I still can't quite grasp.
The American dream.
Although my mortgage lender says that I can afford a $1 million house, I can't unless I drastically change my lifestyle. I expect to pay less than half of that for my new house in Florida.
Quote: billryanMy Godson was the first in our family to be born in the United States, as both my parents were born in Ireland and myself and my two sisters were all born while my father was based overseas. He is also the first to buy a million dollar house, something I still can't quite grasp.
Where is the house? about what size?
Quote: rsactuaryI am heading on vacation to Alaska in one hour. Seventh trip up there, first to Fairbanks and Homer. Nice to get out of the Texas heat!
I hope you have an Arctic blast; it sounds like you want one! How long is your vacation scheduled?
(Metaphorically, not meaning an actual serious weather event.)
Quote: billryanMy Godson was the first in our family to be born in the United States, as both my parents were born in Ireland and myself and my two sisters were all born while my father was based overseas. He is also the first to buy a million dollar house, something I still can't quite grasp.
That's pretty neat, do you have a dual citizenship?
Quote: Mission146That's pretty neat, do you have a dual citizenship?
No. I was born in Japan and Japan has very strict citizenship laws. As I understand it, there are Chinese and Korean families living in Japan for generations that are not citizens. My younger sister is a Panamanian citizen, or at least she was. I think she had to do something to affirm it as an adult but not sure she followed thru. I used to travel on an Irish passport because terrorists always looked for people with American passports.
Quote: rsactuaryI am heading on vacation to Alaska in one hour. Seventh trip up there, first to Fairbanks and Homer. Nice to get out of the Texas heat!
Very nice. I've always wanted to go there. Enjoy.
Quote: billryanIt's in Rockville Center, on Long Island. I have not seen it yet but my sister lives in a 14 room house
I cannot even imagine it. I basically live in my small home office and my bedroom downstairs. I don't even go upstairs anymore except maybe once or twice a month. I even do all my cooking in my office on electric appliances. I learned about 10 years ago that cooking sitting down is way more efficient than doing it standing up. You are closer to the food and can monitor it better and everything you need is within arm's reach. And it's easy to clean up. My fridge is in the pantry on the other side of the house I just gather what I need take it into the office and cook.
I know a guy in the 90's who had a three story Victorian mansion. 6 bedrooms and every room was an antique furniture showcase, the place was like a museum. He lived in the kitchen. The cooking part on one side and a recliner pointed at a TV on the other side. He slept in the recliner which a lot of people do these days. At the time I thought he was nuts, I totally understand it now. The older you get the more minimalist you become.
Quote: EvenBobI cannot even imagine it. I basically live in my small home office and my bedroom downstairs. I don't even go upstairs anymore except maybe once or twice a month. I even do all my cooking in my office on electric appliances. I learned about 10 years ago that cooking sitting down is way more efficient than doing it standing up. You are closer to the food and can monitor it better and everything you need is within arm's reach. And it's easy to clean up. My fridge is in the pantry on the other side of the house I just gather what I need take it into the office and cook.
I know a guy in the 90's who had a three story Victorian mansion. 6 bedrooms and every room was an antique furniture showcase, the place was like a museum. He lived in the kitchen. The cooking part on one side and a recliner pointed at a TV on the other side. He slept in the recliner which a lot of people do these days. At the time I thought he was nuts, I totally understand it now. The older you get the more minimalist you become.
I agree with Bob. As I get older I use less and less of the house. 90% of my awake time in my house is spent in my bedroom. When it is not too hot I will spend an hour or two on my patio.
Quote: EvenBobI cannot even imagine it. I basically live in my small home office and my bedroom downstairs. I don't even go upstairs anymore except maybe once or twice a month. I even do all my cooking in my office on electric appliances. I learned about 10 years ago that cooking sitting down is way more efficient than doing it standing up. You are closer to the food and can monitor it better and everything you need is within arm's reach. And it's easy to clean up. My fridge is in the pantry on the other side of the house I just gather what I need take it into the office and cook.
I know a guy in the 90's who had a three story Victorian mansion. 6 bedrooms and every room was an antique furniture showcase, the place was like a museum. He lived in the kitchen. The cooking part on one side and a recliner pointed at a TV on the other side. He slept in the recliner which a lot of people do these days. At the time I thought he was nuts, I totally understand it now. The older you get the more minimalist you become.
I agree. I currently live in a big old farmhouse with five bedrooms and three full baths plus a water closet. I use the living room, my bedroom and the kitchen. The rest of the house is for my stuff. By the time i sell it all off I'll be good in a studio. Things- comics, paintings, coins that I loved collecting I now see only as future $$$$$$ sitting around.
My money works it tail off for me, it's time I put all my stuff to work as well.
Quote: DRichI agree with Bob. As I get older I use less and less of the house. 90% of my awake time in my house is spent in my bedroom.
My bedroom is my living room. I have a shelf that swings out over the bed that has my laptop on it. I have a big screen TV mounted on the wall at the end of the bed and I'm happy as a clam. I have a big screen TV in the living room but I haven't turned it on in 6 months and I don't have cable anymore anyway. I use nothing but pay-for-play networks like Netflix, Prime, Peacock, Paramount, and I watch a lot of YouTube.. No food of any kind allowed in the bedroom, I'm not going down that eating in bed routine at my age.
Quote: billryanI agree. I currently live in a big old farmhouse with five bedrooms and three full baths plus a water closet. I use the living room, my bedroom and the kitchen.
It also saves me on air conditioning because I only cool the two rooms with small window units. And they're never turned on at the same time. Why air condition the rest of the house when I don't use it. In the winter I have the thermostat set at 62 and I heat the two rooms I use with portable oil space heaters. Works really well and is very efficient. I usually like it about 68 in here in the winter and in the summer.
I agree, but I don't know if I'm really in a position to agree. I've always been a minimalist; I've never collected anything and I have always preferred small places. The only aspect of my housing that concerns me is that I want the kitchen to be at least reasonable in size because I'm all over the place when I cook.
I owned a house once. Full 3/2, almost a half acre of land, detached garage and a small attached garage. Enough total driveway parking for four cars. Big basement. Sucked, sucked, sucked, sucked, sucked and sucked. The only thing I liked about it was when I had a garden and I guess my brick burn pit was kind of okay. I almost never used either of the garages for anything, except the detached garage was full a bunch of crap that was already there when I moved in. I did put a couch in there thinking I'd turn it into something, but never did.
The attached garage had a door that led to the basement and was, literally, completely empty. The basement was also mostly empty, pretty much was, but for Christmas stuff boxes, washer/dryer and some old unusual looking piece of furniture that I didn't even know what its purpose was. I ended up burning it in the burn-pit. I think it was some kind of really old writing desk, or some bullcrap like that.
The second best part of getting divorced was eventually getting to be rid of that stupid house.
ADDED: There was also some kind of really old chest in the living room when we moved in. I burnt that, as well.
Quote: EvenBobIt also saves me on air conditioning because I only cool the two rooms with small window units. And they're never turned on at the same time. Why air condition the rest of the house when I don't use it. In the winter I have the thermostat set at 62 and I heat the two rooms I use with portable oil space heaters. Works really well and is very efficient. I usually like it about 68 in here in the winter and in the summer.
I would have frost bite if I spent much time in 68 degree weather. Too me 78 to 80 is perfect indoor temperature.
Quote: Mission146I agree with EvenBob and keep the indoor temperature at 68 year round.
I get it, we are all different. If I had to choose one temperature year round it would be 78. I am sitting in my office right now and it is 76 and I am chilly. My skinny little chicken bone arms and legs get cold so easily. My trunk rarely gets cold.
Quote: billryanI have my AC set at 80 and mostly use my living room ceiling fan for comfort.
That is a good point. I also have ceiling fans in 9 of my rooms.
last Wednesday at the age of 53 after a five year battle with lung cancer.
In her entire lifetime she smoked zero cigarettes. Took no drugs. Didn't drink.
As EB says, life isn't fair!
She was accepted into the cancer basket trial for Leronlimab. I worked hard to get her into it. Lots of medical records sent back and forth
Her current husband felt it was quack science like a few posters on here. He talked her out of it and she never got a single treatment of Leronlimab.
And now she's dead. Maybe the treatment would not have worked. We will never know now!
Quote: darkozThe mother of my two only children passed away
last Wednesday at the age of 53 after a five year battle with lung cancer.
In her entire lifetime she smoked zero cigarettes. Took no drugs. Didn't drink.
As EB says, life isn't fair!
She was accepted into the cancer basket trial for Leronlimab. I worked hard to get her into it. Lots of medical records sent back and forth
Her current husband felt it was quack science like a few posters on here. He talked her out of it and she never got a single treatment of Leronlimab.
And now she's dead. Maybe the treatment would not have worked. We will never know now!
Wow, very sad. I hope your children are dealing with it as best as possible.
Quote: billryanI'm sorry for your loss but you can't possibly think any one drug is going to cure Aids, covid and cancer.
Too soon. DO's children just lost their mom, perhaps let forum arguments take a break for a minute.
Condolences DO.
Quote: darkozThe mother of my two only children passed away
last Wednesday at the age of 53 after a five year battle with lung cancer.
In her entire lifetime she smoked zero cigarettes. Took no drugs. Didn't drink.
As EB says, life isn't fair!
She was accepted into the cancer basket trial for Leronlimab. I worked hard to get her into it. Lots of medical records sent back and forth
Her current husband felt it was quack science like a few posters on here. He talked her out of it and she never got a single treatment of Leronlimab.
And now she's dead. Maybe the treatment would not have worked. We will never know now!
I'm sorry to hear about your loss. Please correct me if I'm wrong, but the two of you had remained on good terms, did you not?
Historic First: 1968 I was the first ever Jewish RPOC at the Great Lakes Boot Camp as was related to me by the commanding chaplain of the 9th Naval District. Recruit Petty Officer Chief.
tuttigym
Quote: Mission146I'm sorry to hear about your loss. Please correct me if I'm wrong, but the two of you had remained on good terms, did you not?
Yes!
I considered her my best friend after we ended our relationship for many years. She had me live with her when I started to go broke and couldn't even make the child support payments back when I was in the film business
But then she met her current husband who hated me or was madly jealous of me at least and she wound up distancing herself from me after she got involved.
I lost a friendship years ago and lost a friend last week.
Quote: DRichWow, very sad. I hope your children are dealing with it as best as possible.
Yes, thanks.
They are both in their thirties.
And they had a few years to expect the worst.
Lung cancer had spread to her brain and then her spine. Three rounds of chemo and always hope failed.
They were with her when she passed
You forgot to add that you're the only forum member who signs his posts.Quote: tuttigymTo start:
1. I was the first member of my family to graduate from college....
Quote: unJonDarkOz, I’m very sorry.
Thank you. It's appreciated
Quote: darkozYes, thanks.
They are both in their thirties.
And they had a few years to expect the worst.
Lung cancer had spread to her brain and then her spine. Three rounds of chemo and always hope failed.
They were with her when she passed
The fact that they are in their 30's should definitely make it a little easier for them. I was assuming they were younger.
I am incredibly fortunate. I am 55 years old and have never had anyone close to me pass away. Not family or friend which I think is incredible at my age.
Quote: MichaelBluejayYou forgot to add that you're the only forum member who signs his posts.
You forgot to add that it is a "historic first" too. Perhaps you should add that item to your personal pet peeves list. Now that would really be rewarding.
tuttigym
I lost both of my heavy-smoking parents to lung cancer many years ago, and have always assumed that my non-smoking inoculated me from lung cancer. I hate to hear of non-smokers developing that horrible disease.
*************
We live in a 5 bedroom , 3 1/2 bath house, but now its just me and my wife. We mostly use the family room, kitchen, dining room and three bedrooms -one as aa spare bedroom for guests and another as my office. Two of our bedrooms are used only for storage of stuff (including my comic book collection) all of which we need to get rid of. We also have a library dedicated to shelves of books and my piano -but we've rarely used it since my wife's illness.
When we look at downsizing, we can't find anything that would give us a quality of life equivalent to our current home.
Quote: gordonm888Sorry for your family's loss, DarkOz.
I lost both of my heavy-smoking parents to lung cancer many years ago, and have always assumed that my non-smoking inoculated me from lung cancer. I hate to hear of non-smokers developing that horrible disease.
*************
We live in a 5 bedroom , 3 1/2 bath house, but now its just me and my wife. We mostly use the family room, kitchen, dining room and three bedrooms -one as a spare bedroom for guests and another as my office. Two of our bedrooms are used only for storage of stuff (including my comic book collection) all of which we need to get rid of. We also have a library dedicated to shelves of books and my piano -but we've rarely used it since my wife's illness.
When we look at downsizing, we can't find anything that would give us a quality of life equivalent to our current home.
With my move in the next few months it will be a big downsizing for us. We plan on going down to under 2000 sq feet. We use so little of our house that it shouldn't even be noticeable to us.
Quote: DRichWith my move in the next few months it will be a big downsizing for us. We plan on going down to under 2000 sq feet. We use so little of our house that it shouldn't even be noticeable to us.
Victorians had large houses with lots of small rooms. Even the bedrooms were small. In the winter they only lived in a small part of the house because it was impossible to heat the entire house. You could heat a few small rooms though. My dad lived on a farm with no electricity. In the fall they would carry the huge wood and coal-burning cast iron stove into the living room from the barn and hook it up to the flu that went into the chimney. There were no basements where they lived. The bedrooms were totally unheated and even in West Virginia they would get up in the morning and the water in their washing bowls would have ice on it.
Quote: EvenBobVictorians had large houses with lots of small rooms. Even the bedrooms were small. In the winter they only lived in a small part of the house because it was impossible to heat the entire house. You could heat a few small rooms though. My dad lived on a farm with no electricity. In the fall they would carry the wood and coal-burning furnace into the living room from the barn and hook it up to the flu that went into the chimney. There were no basements where they lived. The bedrooms were totally unheated and even in West Virginia they would get up in the morning and the water in their washing bowls would have ice on it.
My wife grew up with no electric or gas heat. Their source of heat was their wood stove which was between the kitchen and living room. When it was too cold in the bedrooms they would sleep by the stove.
Quote: DRichMy wife grew up with no electric or gas heat. Their source of heat was their wood stove which was between the kitchen and living room. When it was too cold in the bedrooms they would sleep by the stove.
She had a stove?
My mom had a picture of a stove.
In all seriousness, our summer house was built in 1939 and didn't get running water until the late 1950s. Even as a kid, we didn't have a water heater and had to take cold showers. Until the 1950s, my family shared a communal bathroom with about twenty other families and woman and girls had only a few hours a day to shower. These were simple cottages that my grandfather and his neighbors all built by hand. It's 80 years old now and still has the original siding on the one side that is still original. What once was about 250 Sq feet is now almost 900 .
Quote: billryanShe had a stove?
My mom had a picture of a stove.
In all seriousness, our summer house was built in 1939 and didn't get running water until the late 1950s. Even as a kid, we didn't have a water heater and had to take cold showers. Until the 1950s, my family shared a communal bathroom with about twenty other families and woman and girls had only a few hours a day to shower. These were simple cottages that my grandfather and his neighbors all built by hand. It's 80 years old now and still has the original siding on the one side that is still original. What once was about 250 Sq feet is now almost 900 .
My guess is that your mother may be a little older than my wife. My wife is 45. Also, their summer house was also their only house. She grew up in rural Montana. She retired last week and now is in charge of the move. I think she will regeret her decision when she realizes how much work this move is going to be.
Recently retired, I went to the doc for a delayed physical: blood work showed a high PSA.
Met with urologist: he scheduted MRI which showed prostate cancer.
Damn.
Urologist needed to know if it spread, so I had a CT scan last week and a bone scan today.
Awaiting test results which could be existential is not a way to enjoy life: I've been an uptight cat on a hot tin roof.
Just got the results: clear, it hasn't spread.
I'm happy ... not to have cancer, but to have a realistic shot of beating it and living to enjoy my retirement.
