Tuesday

ei34 · February 25

How's everyone today? Hopefully everyone is okay.

ei34 · February 25

There was a live *lantern fly* in the faculty room this morning. So weird and so gross. The last two years we haven't seen them here until June. The faculty room has a faulty radiator and often feels like the tropics but February just feels too soon, balmy temp aside.

The Harlem Wizards (kind of like the Globetrotters) are doing a fundraiser tonight at the high school, it's them vs. the kids' teachers which is always entertaining. One of DDs is in her school chorus and they'll be singing the National Anthem before the game, which is extra exciting. That and the lantern fly aside, ssdd.

CharmedPam · February 25

Sounds like a fun day @ei34

I have a disco yoga event to go to as a mandatory morning exercise (but I’ll just sit on the mat due to my recent surgery and back issues) and then a full day of meetings and gross food! Ugh! Actually, they provided us nice swag this year which we haven’t gotten for many years. A nice soft logo’d pull over jacket and a water bottle (and a notebook but we had these for years).

banana468 · February 25

@ei34 I did an overnight camping trip w/ the Girl Scouts chaperoning at a government contractor last Sept. One of our jobs was to stomp on any lantern fly we came across!

I'm grumpy w/ Chiquita. She was buried in her phone this morning and forgot her water bottle on the table. I'd say neither DH nor I should bring it to her to teach her a lesson but she's going to be at school until 7 so that's just going to backfire on all of us. But I'm still annoyed that when I get "It's time to pack up!" I get "I Know!" and not an obedient kid.

This does make me chuckle at everyone who says 'MYYYY kids won't do that," and they're imaginary future perfections.

VarunaTT · February 25

I'm kinda grumpy today. I messed something up yesterday on one of my goals and I'm expending energy on not beating myself up about it, but ugh. I get so hard on myself, b/c my brain is going, "you should cancel your birthday party". That's NOT a valid response and I don't need to punish myself like that. So, grumpy.

Did the errand for mom yesterday and spent some time with her. I'm trying really hard to make sure I don't slip into some sort of "dealing with a kid" mode to her; sometimes that's difficult. Yesterday was one of those days. I can't tell if she's trying to push back on some of my plans or if she's just making suggestions. I'm just trying to assume good intent on her part and behave accordingly.

After I left her house, I went and sat with a friend who was having a medication reaction. It's a known reaction and there's not much to do about it, but they were feeling anxious about it and I didn't want them to be alone. We had a lovely time just chatting and existing with each other. Both of us collect vinyl and we sat and went through their collection and listened to music. Literally one of my favorite activities.

Otherwise, SSDD. There's not much going on in my world right now, which I'm rather fine with.

MyNameIsNot · February 25

This is maybe the first time ever that I've heard about a gross invasive insect that is in the north but doesn't live this far south. Usually we have all the nasty bugs, but I had to google lantern fly.

Nothing much going on here. I can feel spring coming and it's exciting, but the allergies are already killing H. He went through a round of allergy shots about 10 years ago and seemed to be doing much better, but he's been backsliding the last few years. I'm not sure if it's just different stuff, or if the effects of the shots "wore off", or if he's just getting old. Probably the latter.

VarunaTT · February 25

@MyNameIsNot the shots do lose efficacy after awhile and they recommend that you go through it again. 10 years is what I was told, so it might be time. My allergist said, "It's like your body forgets that it's not supposed to be allergic anymore". It's the same reasoning behind why we have to be re-vaccinated or get new um....those shots that protect you from getting infections when you have an injury. My brain forgetting words is so damn annoying.

Tetanus shots. That's what I was thinking of.

Casadena · February 25

H is still in the hospital. Seems to be improving but they wanted to monitor overnight again. I'm heading to the hospital shortly to take a long lunch with him and hopefully catch when the pulmonologist visits. Hoping he's ready to come home today! He's about to lose it on his parents and i'm in full support. They've been so obnoxious the last week.

Work is nuts of course. My job is sort of a go-between with outside suppliers and our manufacturing facilities. One of our sites is down right now but it's like pulling teeth to get any information from them, and suppliers are rightfully breathing down my throat about it bc we have specific deadlines for any changes to inputs. Just frustrating.

Trying to get bedding washed in between stuff today so H can at least come home to a clean room.

I'm tired.

levioosa · February 25

And now we have measles back which wipes out immunity. Yayyy.

I am in a Big Mood today. This weekend was pretty rough overall. I am so glad I took Sunday off but it's hard to completely relax when so much is looming. They admitted Grandpa to the hospital last night. He got another unit of blood and I really don't think anything is truly "acute" however everyone is acting like they'll figure it out and then we'll just move him into assisted living and goddamn it is frustrating. And also some issues I pointed out previously and were ignored now everyone is freaking out about. So I just cannot. Also after alllllllll of the stress and shenanigans my mom pulled this weekend to get something done, she is now undoing all of it because she didn't do her homework beforehand. I was so mad I started laughing.

And then (not to be a total Debbie Downer) I saw that town hall in Coeur d' Alene where the woman was dragged out by a bunch of men refusing to identify themselves as the politician yelled "she spoke up and now she doesn't want to suffer the consequences," as she was demanding to know who these men were who were laying their hands on her. Security? Deputies? They wouldn't say and they had no identification on. No one stood up and they literally dragged her out over chairs onto the floor. I'm so scared for us.

Anyways, birthday plans are taking more shape for the weekend. I think Saturday we're going to stay in and I'll make dinner. Maybe we'll do a paint party (it will be hilariously bad) and then I have this vision of watching Jurassic Park because I need some comfort movies in my life right now. It's that or Pride and Prejudice for the 10000th time. And then Sunday the museum next to the concert hall is free and open to the public so I think we'll do that, the concert, and then hit one or two bars for apps and drinks. It might rain so I'm not sure how that might impact plans but it probably won't rain much either way. The weather swings here have been wild. It was 85 the last two days (ew) and on Sunday it will be a high of 55.

ei34 · February 25

Healing vibes your H's way @Casadena, so scary
And vibes your way @levioosa, the mix of your grandfather's health and your mom's behavior. The birthday plans sound nice!

VarunaTT · February 25

@levioosa

Her city had her back. Her citation was dropped and the private security had their license revoked for not having appropriate identification on them according to the law: https://cdapress.com/news/2025/feb/24/coeur-dalene-prosecutors-dismiss-citation-against-woman-dragged-from-town-hall-city-revokes-security-companys-business-license/?fbclid=IwY2xjawIq3XFleHRuA2FlbQIxMQABHW1bxbo1NoICSgQneA7G1AZHEKz2NkyyHiycAg2VNkHyQeSa5j478o6y2g_aem_2we8mFg8s0rLTu9YXj9o2Q

I'm glad she bit them.

levioosa · February 25

I saw that @VarunaTT. I'm glad she bit them too. I saw that she had previously run for office as well. It was just so chilling and it honestly could have been a scene from the Handmaid's Tale. It felt so targeted. Everyone in that townhall was jeering and yelling. It was chaos in there.

short+sassy · February 25

@MyNameIsNot, I had to Google what a lantern fly is also, lol.

@levioosa, on the same day RFK Jr was sworn in, Louisiana's Surgeon General (Ralph Abraham) put a stop to all mass promotions of vaccines. In a separate letter he decried "blanket government mandates" for vaccines.

Dr. Jennifer Avegno (New Orleans Health Department Director) was ready and came loaded for bear. She had her own statement/letter ready and released on the same day. It was about the importance of vaccines being widespread and her concerns over the "misinformation" (her word) promoted by the surgeon general's letter.

It's always funny when professional, formal letters boil down to, "You are such a moron."

She was a rockstar during COVID also.

banana468 · February 25

I'm so grateful to live where I do where vaccines are promoted and required and generally the locals are abiding by it.

I "get" that the seasonal vaccines like flu and now Covid are controversial. I don't agree with that but they weren't required to attend our public schools. But I have a MAJOR issue w/ refusing to vaccinate your kids for what I'll call part of the routine schedule and even further, I call BS on many pulling religious exemptions.

Talk about being a cafeteria Catholic for those I know who are pulling that card.

levioosa · February 25

Religious exemptions and rules really chafe me from a public health perspective. You can choose not to get blood as a Jehovah's Witness, no one is harmed but you (physically speaking, at least). You can choose not to get an abortion personally at the risk of your own health. But when your belief crosses the boundary to affecting other people's lives in the community, that's when I have a big issue. The whole push into the Wellness Sphere is really awful in so many ways. Anyone who is trying to sell you on a specific product or supplement to "fix" everything in your life is peddling snake oil knowingly at your expense. I will be the first to admit that we have a long way to go, and there are huge problems in the way we research and fund research for conditions. Not all "Wellness" aims are fake or wrong. But you can't just write off what we do know because you don't like the answer or because it's not easy for you to understand. Sometimes things just can't be bite sized for your convenience in regards to information and knowledge. Life is nuanced and it's rare you can boil down an issue to one single problem. That's why we have experts. I don't understand like, anything, about quantum physics. So when some exciting news comes out I go "huh, the experts are super excited about this. I can barely grasp how this applies to me personally, but the applications they're referencing seem interesting" and then I move on and listen because I'm not a goddamned expert in quantum physics.

banana468 · February 25

@levioosa that's pretty much where I am.

1) If you are claiming an exemption that isn't really part of the religious doctrine but you're using it to get out of the requirement I find it morally repugnant. You're actually lying (and bearing false witness) to get your way! I felt this way during Covid when people I knew were claiming Catholic religious exemption from the vaccine when the Pope said that it was approved and it was BETTER for more people to get it.

2) If you want to pull the religious exemption card that comes with strings. And I felt this way long before I hand an immunosuppressed kid but feel WAY more strongly now. As you said, it's not a choice made in a vacuum. Your choice to not vaccinate comes not just with the risk that YOU can get the disease but it also comes with it the issue that you may get a disease that is spread to the immunosuppressed, the immunocompromised, those too young to be vaccinated, those too old and those who can't be vaccinated (like those who are expecting). And along with spreading disease, you are then needlessly taxing the medical system and our care providers (::Cough @levioosa ::Cough) and it's all under an alleged premise of not taking this medicine until you know...you wanted the modern medicine to help.

And now w/ Chiquita, I'm grateful that she appears to be "normal" and hasn't been sick (knock on wood) but we're told that illness for her comes with the likelihood it lingers more for her than others. Last year was ROUGH. And it broke my heart when we had to postpone infusions due to a fever when she was bent over and hurting but she couldn't receive treatment.

short+sassy · February 25

I am very excited! For the last couple weeks, my H and I had been debating about leaving for the main part of the Mardi Gras season. We decided "yes" on Friday night. But then I needed to get my vacation time request okayed on Monday. That went smoothly, so I finished booking everything last night.

We are flying into Charleston this Thursday. Checking out on Monday morning and driving down to Savannah until Friday. Our flight leaves early Friday night and alas, we have to drive back to Charleston for it.

It's been over a year since we last went on a big trip. I'm pleased everything lined up so well, considering how last minute everything was.

In Charleston, we got a river view room of the Ashley river. The downtown historic area is less than 3 miles away across a nearby bridge.

In Savannah, we got a 4-story walk-up apartment in the northern section of the historic district. That's the area closest to the Savannah river. It has a private balcony that (I think) will have a view of the river. If not, it will still be a nice view of the city.

We already have some of our "must" restaurants and activities planned out.

------

We discovered a newish airlines called Breeze. I'm a bit leery because I've heard nightmare stories of other budget airlines, like Frontier. But overall, it looked like decent reviews considering it's an airlines, lol.

Their business model is to serve "secondary markets". They mostly have weirdo routes that nobody else does, lol. But most of their routes are direct flights. Like New Orleans to Charleston. That's a 2-hour flight, instead of a minimum 5-6 hours of travel time because of layovers all the other airlines have.

Another funny Breeze example. They don't serve any of the big NYC airports. But they do fly to the one in Long Island.

For potential future planning, they serve Cincinnati but alas not from New Orleans. However, there is a direct flight from NOLA to Louisville. Flying from NOLA to Cincy is a ridiculous 8-12 hours of travel time, which is why we drove there instead the one time we visited. But a one hour flight to Louisville, then rent a car to drive the 90 minutes to Cincy is a much faster option than any of that. As convoluted as it sounds, lol.

Casadena · February 25

Oh @banana468 and @levioosaI am so with you on the rage around vaccine exemptions. I have never been more thankful to live in Illinois as i have the last few years with COVID, a very very very sick kid who was kept relatively healthy in large part due to herd immunity, and now this political shit storm. I don't think religious exemptions should hold any weight or be considered at all in reference to public health and it's rage inducing (preaching to the choir, i realize) when people use it to skirt requirements they just don't like.

Vaccine requirements quite literally kept my child alive when he was unable to receive his routine schedule because of chemotherapy and strict requirements from our kids school was one of the biggest reasons we felt safe sending him when he was well enough during treatment. He finally was able to catch up at his 5 year wellness check. I'm so thankful. My husband is also immunocompromised because of meds for his moderate-severe UC as well - everything hits him harder and lasts longer (see 5 day hospitalization for pneumonia).

I just feel numb at this point.

Also, H got to come a couple hours ago - he's very weak and tired and still sick but has improved enough they felt good about sending him.

levioosa · February 25

Sending you hugs @casadena. I hope he continues to recover quickly.

banana468 · February 25

Hugs @Casadena. Being home is definitely not fine! Those first weeks we had Chiquita back she slept in the guest bed so she wouldn't have to climb a ton of stairs or into her loft bed.

I may mention this to DH that part of what's going on globally is a bit triggering to me and I don't know if this is a PTSD situation with what happened while she was hospitalized or parental fear or what - I know so many people who are posting in fear. But I can't help but be reminded of what she went through, and how I'm both scared, brought to tears and angry that she may go through it again due to the actions of the people in this country and that there are people who claim to love her who don't get that they're in favor of policies that may make my kid sick.

ILoveBeachMusic · February 25

I'm totally with y'all on the vaccines and exemptions. Luckily my immediate family all think the vaccines are necessary. I have a friend whose DIL's mother is anti-vax. They didn't see her much during the pandemic. Fortunately, my friend's son and DIL are 100% for vaccinations. Having a biology/immunology background these anti-vaxers just get my ire up. I didn't realize there was a religious exemption for Catholics. I always associate religious exemptions with far right evangelical churches.

banana468 · February 26

Some Catholics cite that the vaccines were created with a cell line that started with aborted fetal cells. There's actual ethical analysis on this and ultimately the answer was that receiving the vaccine is for the greater good and not a sin. This refers to Pfizer Covid and I believe the MMR.

But IMO if the Pope tells me it's OK then you don't get a religious exemption to the contrary.

short+sassy · February 26

@Casadena, I'm glad your H was able to come home. I hope he continues to improve.

I especially feel for all the people who can't get vaccinated. They HAVE to rely on herd immunity and other people not being ignorant and selfish. Vaccines were never questioned when I was growing up. Most of these vaccines have been around for decades, including measles. It's ridiculous to have medical concerns, as long as there is nothing contraindicative for a person.

banana468 · February 26

short+sassy said:

@Casadena, I'm glad your H was able to come home. I hope he continues to improve.

I especially feel for all the people who can't get vaccinated. They HAVE to rely on herd immunity and other people not being ignorant and selfish. Vaccines were never questioned when I was growing up. Most of these vaccines have been around for decades, including measles. It's ridiculous to have medical concerns, as long as there is nothing contraindicative for a person.

Right? And now I have one who gets as many as she can but also can't get live vaccines. So I'm glad she wasn't diagnosed until after the varicella vaccine was administered to her.

Also side note: it isn't just a childhood illness! DH had shingles when we were 32 and it SUCKED. Plus there's a correlational set of data linking those who have had shingles with higher instances of other cardiovascular issues and cancer so there's that on my mind.

short+sassy · February 26

banana468 said:

short+sassy said:

@Casadena, I'm glad your H was able to come home. I hope he continues to improve.

I especially feel for all the people who can't get vaccinated. They HAVE to rely on herd immunity and other people not being ignorant and selfish. Vaccines were never questioned when I was growing up. Most of these vaccines have been around for decades, including measles. It's ridiculous to have medical concerns, as long as there is nothing contraindicative for a person.

Right? And now I have one who gets as many as she can but also can't get live vaccines. So I'm glad she wasn't diagnosed until after the varicella vaccine was administered to her.

Also side note: it isn't just a childhood illness! DH had shingles when we were 32 and it SUCKED. Plus there's a correlational set of data linking those who have had shingles with higher instances of other cardiovascular issues and cancer so there's that on my mind.

Oh no! Insurance won't even cover the shingles vaccine for someone that young. Or at least not back then. I didn't know about the correlational data for cardiovascular and cancer.

Hmmm, I need to check my own medical records on that. I wasn't old enough for the longest time, but then it changed from 55 to 45 and I THINK I got the shingles vaccine with my flu/COVID shots last year.

I was a kid before the chicken pox vaccine existed. I'd think most people my age remember when it ran through our classrooms. That was third grade for me. I can't imagine my cohorts wanting to put their kids or grandkids* at risk for that.

*I hate admitting people my age are old enough to be grandparents and most won't have kids young enough to be in elementary school, lol.

levioosa · February 26

Half the time I can't get insurance companies to cover a shingles vaccine for someone 55+ with comorbidities. Insurance companies can eat a dick.

banana468 · February 26

Yes! Our friend from college is now the parent to a (checks notes) 24 yo and she had the baby at 22 herself. I'm about to be 45 (Chiquita thinks it's GREAT that she'd had her first colonoscopy before I did) and there's a mom I know my age who has a kid in early 20s with a kid.

The night sweats tell me though that I'm not that young.

ILoveBeachMusic · February 26

short+sassy said:

banana468 said:

short+sassy said:

@Casadena, I'm glad your H was able to come home. I hope he continues to improve.

I especially feel for all the people who can't get vaccinated. They HAVE to rely on herd immunity and other people not being ignorant and selfish. Vaccines were never questioned when I was growing up. Most of these vaccines have been around for decades, including measles. It's ridiculous to have medical concerns, as long as there is nothing contraindicative for a person.

Right? And now I have one who gets as many as she can but also can't get live vaccines. So I'm glad she wasn't diagnosed until after the varicella vaccine was administered to her.

Also side note: it isn't just a childhood illness! DH had shingles when we were 32 and it SUCKED. Plus there's a correlational set of data linking those who have had shingles with higher instances of other cardiovascular issues and cancer so there's that on my mind.

Oh no! Insurance won't even cover the shingles vaccine for someone that young. Or at least not back then. I didn't know about the correlational data for cardiovascular and cancer.

Hmmm, I need to check my own medical records on that. I wasn't old enough for the longest time, but then it changed from 55 to 45 and I THINK I got the shingles vaccine with my flu/COVID shots last year.

I was a kid before the chicken pox vaccine existed. I'd think most people my age remember when it ran through our classrooms. That was third grade for me. I can't imagine my cohorts wanting to put their kids or grandkids* at risk for that.

*I hate admitting people my age are old enough to be grandparents and most won't have kids young enough to be in elementary school, lol.

The most recent version of the shingles vaccine which is about 6 years old is a two dose regimen. You get the second shot between 2 and 6 months after the first. I don't think they would give it at the same time as flu/covid due to side effects. H and I got it in fall of 2019 (I think - I know it was prepandemic). The second dose knocked us for a loop. We were really tired for about a week. Took naps every afternoon. It's worth it though if we don't get shingles!

MyNameIsNot · February 27

short+sassy said:

banana468 said:

short+sassy said:

@Casadena, I'm glad your H was able to come home. I hope he continues to improve.

I especially feel for all the people who can't get vaccinated. They HAVE to rely on herd immunity and other people not being ignorant and selfish. Vaccines were never questioned when I was growing up. Most of these vaccines have been around for decades, including measles. It's ridiculous to have medical concerns, as long as there is nothing contraindicative for a person.

Right? And now I have one who gets as many as she can but also can't get live vaccines. So I'm glad she wasn't diagnosed until after the varicella vaccine was administered to her.

Also side note: it isn't just a childhood illness! DH had shingles when we were 32 and it SUCKED. Plus there's a correlational set of data linking those who have had shingles with higher instances of other cardiovascular issues and cancer so there's that on my mind.

Oh no! Insurance won't even cover the shingles vaccine for someone that young. Or at least not back then. I didn't know about the correlational data for cardiovascular and cancer.

Hmmm, I need to check my own medical records on that. I wasn't old enough for the longest time, but then it changed from 55 to 45 and I THINK I got the shingles vaccine with my flu/COVID shots last year.

I was a kid before the chicken pox vaccine existed. I'd think most people my age remember when it ran through our classrooms. That was third grade for me. I can't imagine my cohorts wanting to put their kids or grandkids* at risk for that.

*I hate admitting people my age are old enough to be grandparents and most won't have kids young enough to be in elementary school, lol.

I have a cousin my same age who became a grandmother at 34. The oldest grandson is now 11. We've been old enough to be grandparents for a minute, especially if you're from Kentucky.

The family joke that I'm too young for kids is not landing like it used to.

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