What made you happy today?

[hefdaddy42]

I lost my Dad close to 13 years ago.  It was just awful at first.

I was always close to him.  But now I will occasionally find myself watching a movie that he loved or listening to music he loved, and I feel *THAT* much closer for that time.  It's a good, good thing.

[lordxizor]

I get to spend $16k on a new HVAC system that I wasn't anticipating today. I am trying to convince myself that I'm happy about the more energy efficient system I'm getting.

[hefdaddy42]

I get to spend $16k on a new HVAC system that I wasn't anticipating today. I am trying to convince myself that I'm happy about the more energy efficient system I'm getting.

OOF

[Harmony]

I know what you mean, Hef.   

And lordxizor, that is where we were nearly 2 years ago.  But after our AC conked out in the midst of triple digit weather, I gotta say having a new HVAC system gives me just a little more peace of mind.  We may be suckers, but we even paid a bit more to be in the "club" meaning if we ever have a problem with our HVAC system - even on weekends or holidays or whatever, when we need a service call, we get top priority.

[lordxizor]

I know what you mean, Hef.   

And lordxizor, that is where we were nearly 2 years ago.  But after our AC conked out in the midst of triple digit weather, I gotta say having a new HVAC system gives me just a little more peace of mind.  We may be suckers, but we even paid a bit more to be in the "club" meaning if we ever have a problem with our HVAC system - even on weekends or holidays or whatever, when we need a service call, we get top priority.

I'm in that club as well. It was a free annual inspection that club gets me that I found out our old furnace was leaking exhaust. 20 year old furnace and AC and it made sense to just replace it all rather than spending $6k to fix the known issues. I have the cash to cover it, but *poof* there goes my emergency fund. I am genuinely happy that I won't be potentially silently poisoning my family anymore.

[TAC]

I am genuinely happy that I won't be potentially silently poisoning my family anymore.

I mean, if you can't get fired up about that.. 

[Stadler]

I am genuinely happy that I won't be potentially silently poisoning my family anymore.

I mean, if you can't get fired up about that.. 

I think I saw this on Dateline once. 

[EPICVIEW]

my parents heath issue along with the loss of my best friend due to glioblastoma has me very down always.

Not sure I will ever truly be happy again...tough times and tougher days ahead....God doesnt give one more than they can handle is what tell myself often

I'm so sorry. My father passed after a 15 month battle with glioblastoma, the skies have been grey ever since. Sending much love and strength to you! 

For those that have lost - or perhaps are facing losing - a parent, there are a number of us here in the same boat.  I don't speak for everyone, because grief is a personal thing, but I'm okay if you reach out.  It DOES help some people to talk about it.  I know for me, in the eight months or so since my hero dad passed, one thing that has really helped is to do things I think would have made him proud.  He REALLY helped me through my divorce, with no judgment and no strings, and I'm trying very hard now to do the exact same thing for my stepson.  It's small, but it's meaningful, and I can take some comfort that I'm carrying on what he would have done. 

Another thing:  my dad was a "can-do" kind of guy.  Transmission is broke?  Fix it.  Or try to; it's not going to be any more broke after if you fail.  So my step son had an Audi TT and all the literature said "you need a lift, you need to pull the subframe, you need to do this and that and the other, it's a 24 hour job, blah blah blah."  And he found this one video where a guy did it in his garage with "regular" tools.   We watched the video and I said "let's do it".   And we did.  It was HARD, and at one point my stepson was very frustrated because it wasn't what he was used to, but I gently pushed him. I told him, not now, but someday, you're going to look back and feel real satisfaction, the satisfaction of knowing "we fucking DID that, what they said couldn't be done".  We finished, we did it (of course, the car doesn't run because there's something ELSE wrong with it, but whatever) and a couple nights later we're sitting at the local bar watching the Bruins and out of nowhere he turns to me and says "I'm feeling it".   "What?"   "A little satisfied.  We did that."   I wouldn't have done that for him but for my dad.

Epic, maybe try that; maybe find something your friend would be proud of.  Or that would make him smile.   Share that happiness with him in whatever way you can.

Thank You Stad for the very kind post. and my condolences on the loss of your father, I am so sorry.

I do all the time try to do something to make my bud smile in heaven, he was my brother,  friends since age 5, I think I wrote about it here a few times, it took him so quickly and he was so healthy always.

Stad, wishing you strength and love my brother.

[Glasser]

my parents heath issue along with the loss of my best friend due to glioblastoma has me very down always.

Not sure I will ever truly be happy again...tough times and tougher days ahead....God doesnt give one more than they can handle is what tell myself often

I'm so sorry. My father passed after a 15 month battle with glioblastoma, the skies have been grey ever since. Sending much love and strength to you! 

For those that have lost - or perhaps are facing losing - a parent, there are a number of us here in the same boat.  I don't speak for everyone, because grief is a personal thing, but I'm okay if you reach out.  It DOES help some people to talk about it.  I know for me, in the eight months or so since my hero dad passed, one thing that has really helped is to do things I think would have made him proud.  He REALLY helped me through my divorce, with no judgment and no strings, and I'm trying very hard now to do the exact same thing for my stepson.  It's small, but it's meaningful, and I can take some comfort that I'm carrying on what he would have done. 

Another thing:  my dad was a "can-do" kind of guy.  Transmission is broke?  Fix it.  Or try to; it's not going to be any more broke after if you fail.  So my step son had an Audi TT and all the literature said "you need a lift, you need to pull the subframe, you need to do this and that and the other, it's a 24 hour job, blah blah blah."  And he found this one video where a guy did it in his garage with "regular" tools.   We watched the video and I said "let's do it".   And we did.  It was HARD, and at one point my stepson was very frustrated because it wasn't what he was used to, but I gently pushed him. I told him, not now, but someday, you're going to look back and feel real satisfaction, the satisfaction of knowing "we fucking DID that, what they said couldn't be done".  We finished, we did it (of course, the car doesn't run because there's something ELSE wrong with it, but whatever) and a couple nights later we're sitting at the local bar watching the Bruins and out of nowhere he turns to me and says "I'm feeling it".   "What?"   "A little satisfied.  We did that."   I wouldn't have done that for him but for my dad.

Epic, maybe try that; maybe find something your friend would be proud of.  Or that would make him smile.   Share that happiness with him in whatever way you can.

Thank You Stad for the very kind post. and my condolences on the loss of your father, I am so sorry.

I do all the time try to do something to make my bud smile in heaven, he was my brother,  friends since age 5, I think I wrote about it here a few times, it took him so quickly and he was so healthy always.

Stad, wishing you strength and love my brother.

I absolutely LOVE the support and kindness that the amazing people of this forum show each other. Its so uplifting. 

[Stadler]

Not at the level of what just came before, but I found out today that in high school, Ritchie Blackmore - my favorite musician of all time - lived about 10 miles from me!   I knew he lived in Fairfield County, and I'd heard it was Redding (two towns over) and a friend claims to have seen him at a bar called the Georgetown Saloon (now closed) further west, but I confirmed his address today.   10 miles!!!  I probably drove the nearest main road (a State route) 100 times growing up.

[hefdaddy42]

My wife has been very unhappy in her job for a while now, for various reasons.  As a result, she has been applying to a lot of other places over the last several months.

She just got an offer from one of her preferred destinations.  A bit of a demotion by title, but actually a higher base salary, and 100% remote.  They expect the demotion to be temporary.

We are over the moon.

[King Postwhore]

My wife has been very unhappy in her job for a while now, for various reasons.  As a result, she has been applying to a lot of other places over the last several months.

She just got an offer from one of her preferred destinations.  A bit of a demotion by title, but actually a higher base salary, and 100% remote.  They expect the demotion to be temporary.

We are over the moon.

Fantastic news.

[cramx3]

That's great 

[Dublagent66]

Ok Tim, WTF is up with your name?  Did you win the donation contest or something?

[Glasser]

My wife has been very unhappy in her job for a while now, for various reasons.  As a result, she has been applying to a lot of other places over the last several months.

She just got an offer from one of her preferred destinations.  A bit of a demotion by title, but actually a higher base salary, and 100% remote.  They expect the demotion to be temporary.

We are over the moon.

That's excellent to hear. I love to see when people get their due. Congrats!!! 

[jingle.boy]

Ok Tim, WTF is up with your name?  Did you win the donation contest or something?

I'm guessing you mean, "Joe"?

Also Hef...

[King Postwhore]

I was making fun of Tim with the name change. It's how he spelled a band's name.

[Stadler]

My wife has been very unhappy in her job for a while now, for various reasons.  As a result, she has been applying to a lot of other places over the last several months.

She just got an offer from one of her preferred destinations.  A bit of a demotion by title, but actually a higher base salary, and 100% remote.  They expect the demotion to be temporary.

We are over the moon.

Thrilled for you!!  Awesome!! 

[pg1067]

My wife has been very unhappy in her job for a while now, for various reasons.  As a result, she has been applying to a lot of other places over the last several months.

She just got an offer from one of her preferred destinations.  A bit of a demotion by title, but actually a higher base salary, and 100% remote.  They expect the demotion to be temporary.

We are over the moon.

Awesome stuff!!

[King Postwhore]

A $10,500.00 bonus.  All going into upgrading our house.

[gmillerdrake]

A $10,500.00 bonus.  All going into upgrading our house.

Nice!!!!  Good Work 

[hefdaddy42]

A $10,500.00 bonus.  All going into upgrading our house.

Aw yeah

[KevShmev]

A $10,500.00 bonus.  All going into upgrading our house.

Awesome. 

[TAC]

A $10,500.00 bonus.  All going into upgrading our house.

That should buy a lot of salads!

[wolfking]

A $10,500.00 bonus.  All going into upgrading our house.

That should buy a lot of salads!

 

[King Postwhore]

A $10,500.00 bonus.  All going into upgrading our house.

That should buy a lot of salads!

I can only eat a cup of food per meal. What a waste. I'm supposed to have protein ever meal silly.

[Harmony]

Thank god the skiing trial is over. 

[Cool Chris]

Thank god the skiing trial is over. 

Haven't been following that, but just looked it up, and lol'ed at:

The eight-person jury sided with Paltrow, ruling that Sanderson was 100% at fault, and awarded Paltrow the $1 in symbolic damages that she had asked for in a countersuit.

Does the guy actually have to cut a $1 check? Can he pay in a bag of pennies?

[cramx3]

Congrats King on the bonus, much deserved 

It's actually been a very lucrative month for myself as well.  I was promoted at work so my new hourly pay rate got a 5% boost starting March 1st, I then went to Singapore for work and put in maybe 50 OT hours on my new rate over those two weeks.  I also then got my 2022 bonus paid out (in the same check as most of that OT).  And both my fed and state tax refunds have been received.  On top of that, March happened to be one of the two months where I, as a every other week paycheck worker, received (today with the remaining OT) a 3rd paycheck this month (I budget based on the typical two checks a month). 

I actually owed myself a bit of money for the paint job on the house that finished a couple weeks ago so I made good on my debt to myself and without any real debt, the rest goes to savings/investments. Which also makes me happy, I guess in my older age these days, when I get a nice chunk of cash that I don't feel the desire to spend it.

Oh and our new couch should arrive any minute now! My gf bought it and we've been couchless for almost 6 weeks now waiting for its arrival. I think the house work will finally feel complete when the living room finally gets the big missing piece. Next house work for me is to start hanging my concert setlists and signed memorabilia in my freshly painted office.

[jingle.boy]

That’s all pretty fuckin awesome, Marc. 

[King Postwhore]

Marc, winning all over the place.  We are getting our new generator finally set up the correct way, I need a plumber to come in and fix a few things, then new gutters for the house.  Painting the new living room and a new carpet as well.

[cramx3]

You got your work cut out for you King, but all good and needed things.  It' been such a busy month

[King Postwhore]

A little at a time.  Still have to have fun.  I rented a treehouse way in advance for our Anniversary.29 years in October.  The Queen always wanted to stay in a treehouse so she loves Vermont so it's a perfect match.

[cramx3]

That's pretty cool! And I agree about a little at a time. There's no point in overwhelming ourselves, it's been busy enough.

[lonestar]

Congrats King on the bonus, much deserved 

It's actually been a very lucrative month for myself as well.  I was promoted at work so my new hourly pay rate got a 5% boost starting March 1st, I then went to Singapore for work and put in maybe 50 OT hours on my new rate over those two weeks.  I also then got my 2022 bonus paid out (in the same check as most of that OT).  And both my fed and state tax refunds have been received.  On top of that, March happened to be one of the two months where I, as a every other week paycheck worker, received (today with the remaining OT) a 3rd paycheck this month (I budget based on the typical two checks a month). 

I actually owed myself a bit of money for the paint job on the house that finished a couple weeks ago so I made good on my debt to myself and without any real debt, the rest goes to savings/investments. Which also makes me happy, I guess in my older age these days, when I get a nice chunk of cash that I don't feel the desire to spend it.

Oh and our new couch should arrive any minute now! My gf bought it and we've been couchless for almost 6 weeks now waiting for its arrival. I think the house work will finally feel complete when the living room finally gets the big missing piece. Next house work for me is to start hanging my concert setlists and signed memorabilia in my freshly painted office.

And you got to see Nemophila live!! Talk about a bonanza!!