Shoot the Wall (A.K.A. The Rant Thread)

[Shadow Dweller]

The firstborn gets pressured to act as a responsible role model, in the parents' own words while s/he actually still too young to shoulder such responsibility, punishments always follow for each 'wrong' that happened according to said parents' standards (and gets compared a lot with other family's children who have better result than her regardless of the different circumstances). Meanwhile, the youngest gets away with murder and even excused on the base that s/he is the baby of the family.

[SherlockedCAMPer]

2 sisters I grew up with had it the opposite at least according to the younger. If they both got in trouble and had a time out, the older was given more leniency (got away with banned items) unlike the younger.

[SherlockedCAMPer]

I'm sick of severe weather (3rd or 4th week in a row).  Spent about 30 minutes in my tub because of a tornado warning.  We have had 1 tornado tonight in MN and it made a nice long swath over the course of several miles.  Then there's all of the flash flooding/street flooding (closest about 45 minutes NW of me).  I'm glad johnspec is at a friend's house.  They are not too close to the tornado warning area we had.

[Van Buren Supernova]

For my family, it's not about golden child or treated differently just because of the sequence we were born.

 

We were poor when the first three were born although initially my parents were doing fine but there was an up and down in family income that most of us didn't have what other kids have, but, we had our mother working at home. For the youngest, my mom started working outside to improve our lives (which was not easy at all/common for woman to work, especially in her chosen field that time), then taking care of family was left to me or my brother. I was only about ten when I played 'mother', so we were indeed given responsibilities for our younger brothers well-being. And of course, hardly had time at home, my parents would try to give attention to my youngest brother when they had chance and naturally, we were the one being questioned.

 

We were kind of annoyed but that was the right way, but kid being kid, he was treated as nuisance regardless how much he looked up to us. He was actually more than willing to corporate with us if we let him. Well, that was when he was a toddler. We all learned to be very independent even before we were teenagers, although the youngest one would have his advantage of having three elder backing him up, but we never gave more than we should and he didn't take it for granted.

Now we are all very independent adults.

 

 

@Camper Gee, take good care, be sure to have some food in stock and emergency lights or candle and always maintain the communication device's battery.

[Arcadia]

I don't recall ever feeling that my parents favored one child over the other, although I did feel that my mom and sister understood each other better because they're more alike. But that was okay because my dad and I were more alike, so when I needed understanding I could go to him. Looking back on it, I'm amazed at how well my parents complemented each other, and I'm really grateful and feel very fortunate ... I know not every child has that growing up. I suppose that accounts for my relentlessly positive outlook.... ;)

 

My brother did me the honor last night of actually getting a bit teary when he thought I was saying I wouldn't be spending the summers with them anymore. (Misunderstanding.) I didn't realize my presence was so welcome!

[Shadow Dweller]

I am glad that my parents worked outside all the time because when they were at home were also my most dreaded moments, always waiting what kind of things I would get punished for. Fictions provided temporary escape for me. I used to create fantasy environment where I am not someone who skulk in darkness by necessity, a place where I am free to be who I am without fear of beating from the physical and verbal kind.

 

The same principle is true for politics; if you play an oppressive tyrant to your constituents, someday you will reap what you sow.

[Van Buren Supernova]

My brother did me the honor last night of actually getting a bit teary when he thought I was saying I wouldn't be spending the summers with them anymore. (Misunderstanding.) I didn't realize my presence was so welcome

Whatttt!!! That is a very scary thing to say and of course it would cause misunderstanding.

 

Again, I am in similar situation. When I moved away, I thought I would be more lonely than I am. Apparently I am doing much better than I thought I would, with occasional longing and missing on certain days that remind me of them. Fortunately I have quite a lot of chances to fly back or for them to visit me.

 

However, what I had only realized sometimes ago, is that they don't take it very well. I have been missed much more and my presence means a lot more than I ever would have guessed.

When I found out, it breaks me quite a lot and get me thinking with no end. It's nice, but it also makes me sad.

 

Not sure if I am more of a heartless jerk or I am just always protecting myself, as ever.

 

The fact that I almost never shared any of my difficulties, problems or sadness unless I really have to or forced to confuses me more. Maybe I always try to solve everything on my own so that I always able to survive without others if I had to. (Didn't realized this until I wonder why friends seem to share so much about their lives and complaint that I don't regard them as close friend because I don't).

 

Fictions provided temporary escape for me.

I used fiction too! but for different purpose. I remember building the whole imaginary kingdom for my younger brothers so we could have unlimited fantasy and game and everything we ever wanted. Too bad, I think I was so good in it they thought it was real for years, well.. of course until they knew better. But it was always good memories and that was how we survived our almost toy-less childhood happier than other kids. :p

[SherlockedCAMPer]

In my house there were favorites. My brother being the only male was my dad's favorite by action versus actually saying it. It was subconscious on my dad's part. There are some personality traits that make them very similar. My mom & I are almost 2 peas in a pod. I got the calm parts of both my parents' personalities. My sister is the strong-willed oldest child who has the string parts of both our parents' personalities and she & them end up grating each other more than complimenting. The age difference between her & my brother also doesn't help. The unplanned gap had her as practically an outsider as the oldest.

[Arcadia]

 

My brother did me the honor last night of actually getting a bit teary when he thought I was saying I wouldn't be spending the summers with them anymore. (Misunderstanding.) I didn't realize my presence was so welcome

Whatttt!!! That is a very scary thing to say and of course it would cause misunderstanding.

 

Again, I am in similar situation. When I moved away, I thought I would be more lonely than I am. Apparently I am doing much better than I thought I would, with occasional longing and missing on certain days that remind me of them. Fortunately I have quite a lot of chances to fly back or for them to visit me.

 

However, what I had only realized sometimes ago, is that they don't take it very well. I have been missed much more and my presence means a lot more than I ever would have guessed.

When I found out, it breaks me quite a lot and get me thinking with no end. It's nice, but it also makes me sad.

 

Not sure if I am more of a heartless jerk or I am just always protecting myself, as ever.

 

The fact that I almost never shared any of my difficulties, problems or sadness unless I really have to or forced to confuses me more. Maybe I always try to solve everything on my own so that I always able to survive without others if I had to. (Didn't realized this until I wonder why friends seem to share so much about their lives and complaint that I don't regard them as close friend because I don't).

 

 

Your self-sufficiency may be one reason you're missed. My sister-in-law is a very vulnerable, needy person; no one looks forward to her visits. Unlike my brother, who we think doesn't visit often enough!

[Carol the Dabbler]

I just checked the January 2017 calendar, and found that not only do all the Sundays fall on Sunday, so does New Year's Day. My weekends are committed for the foreseeable future. So if the BBC and PBS schedule Series 4 in the expected way, I'll be unable to watch unless PBS puts the episodes on their website. So this is either a rant or a fingers-crossed.

[SherlockedCAMPer]

I've known for a few months (forget how long) that Christmas & New Years both fall on Sundays this coming holiday season. Hopefully you'll be able to catch the episodes in a timely manner.

[Arcadia]

:(

 

I seem to remember they show it online for a week or two after ... not the same, I know. And there's always the rebroadcast a few days later (or is that just my PBS stations?)

[Carol the Dabbler]

Oh, right, there were reruns last time. Hopefully they'll have them this time too, when I'm home. Between those and the internet, I should do just fine.

[J.P.]

300 Euro spent on breast MRT because the insurance doesn't cover the costs as long as there is no clear indication of a cancer. Kind of relieved about the outcome, but I will need to sell a lot of T-shirts to cover this...

[Carol the Dabbler]

I thought the German government's medical program paid for absolutely everything. Weird exception for them to make. :( Good that you're getting an MRI instead of xrays, though. Here, I think most insurance pays, but it's xrays.

[Arcadia]

Holy cow, JP. I'm sorry, been there, done that. But I will say the peace of mind was worth it.

[J.P.]

It was - once upon a time. You pay for most of your teeth crowns, inlays etc, you pay 10 EUR per day in a hospital, and for many, many other things (mostly prevention stuff) that flew out of the refund list. Once they had the idea that health care is a business and has to pay for itself, it‘s getting worse and worse. Not to mention that the quality of health care goes down very rapidly, mostly because there is not enough personal. :(

I mean I‘m glad that there is nothing found, but there is a „funny spot“ in the tissue, and mammography and sonogramm weren‘t clear enough. Need to keep it under observation which means probably another MRT next year. Self paid of course.

I mean I still can pay this amount of money, but there are others that cannot. And when I see how the insurance company throws their money out for their „palasts“ and accepting ridiculous prices for medical equipment, I want to shoot the wall very badly.

 

[Arcadia]

It was - once upon a time. You pay for most of your teeth crowns, inlays etc, you pay 10 EUR per day in a hospital, and for many, many other things (mostly prevention stuff) that flew out of the refund list. Once they had the idea that health care is a business and has to pay for itself, it‘s getting worse and worse. Not to mention that the quality of health care goes down very rapidly, mostly because there is not enough personal. :(

Welcome to the American system! Profits first, CEO's second, patients last. Hasn't worked for us for years now, you'd think they would have noticed.

 

At any rate, keep an eye on it, and be well.

[J.P.]

Both eyes!

 

Thanks!

[sittything]

Glad it's likely nothing, J.P.!  

[T.o.b.y]

Welcome to the American system! Profits first, CEO's second, patients last. Hasn't worked for us for years now, you'd think they would have noticed.

 

I am getting the impression that healthcare professionals come only very shortly before the patients... and caregivers seem to come very last. But the last time I dared to say out loud that I thought a for-profit healthcare system was a bad idea, I got so much backlash from the people around me that I have given up arguing this particular point.

 

J.P., I am very glad to hear that your results were okay.

 

[Carol the Dabbler]

I think for-profit can be fine, as long as there are no warped incentives imposed -- whether by the government, or by upper management, or whoever.

 

One really warped incentive (in any sort of company) is hiring a CEO and giving him/her shares in the company (with the proviso that they can't be sold as long as s/he works for the company), which is supposed to make the CEO put the company's well-being first.  But what it seems to do all too often is cause the CEO to put the short-term well-being of the company first -- please the shareholders this year, and the future be damned -- in order to pump up the value of the stock, so that when s/he leaves the company, the stock can be sold at maximum profit.  Companies owned by an individual, or by a family, or by partners, on the other hand, seem to have an incentive to keep the customers (or patients) happy, in order to look after the long-term stability of the company.  I suspect that it's also possible to run a "publicly owned" company in a sensible fashion, but I can't offhand say how.

 

Added:  But wait a minute -- weren't we talking about the German medical system?  Isn't that government owned and operated?

[Van Buren Supernova]

Your self-sufficiency may be one reason you're missed.

So there is no doubt in your mind I am not missed for my loveable personality. XD

 

I just checked the January 2017 calendar, and found that not only do all the Sundays fall on Sunday, so does New Year's Day. My weekends are committed for the foreseeable future. So if the BBC and PBS schedule Series 4 in the expected way, I'll be unable to watch unless PBS puts the episodes on their website. So this is either a rant or a fingers-crossed.

Or an obsession. :D

 

Regarding healthcare, the only thing I get from government insurance is when I die, I don't think they cover anything for serious illness or whatever illness.

 

But I have very useful hospitalization private insurance, which basically covers anything relates to hospital visit. I haven't needed to use mine, but there are multiple times family member saved around tens of thousand dollars for unexpected surgeries, something I don't know how to afford without that insurance.

 

Good news, J.P!

[SherlockedCAMPer]

I'm sick of the heat wave in the US. Today was low 90's F & tomorrow will be mid-90's & Friday back to low 90's with heat indices 100+ all 3 days. To top it off, I'm camping in a tent & fogging the windows on my car because of the high humidity outside the windows have condensation.

[sittything]

Is everyone else in the US hiding in their houses from the heatwave this weekend?  My goal is to not go outside at all, except to get the mail and maybe take out trash and recycling.