Lois & Clark Forums Forums General Discussion Off Topic Friday's chat 11/3/06

I figure since it's a minute to Friday, I can go ahead and tell the horribly funny encounter I just went through that broke in my weekend...

To cut to the chase, I moved into my new condo a few days ago, and it rocks. I might elaborate later, but for now...

I found out tonight that my neighbors across the strip have a dog. A really mean sounding one when it barks.

So I stepped outside to walk to the main complex to use their computer because I don't have internet yet. (Yeah, that sucks). Anyway, the dog started barking, like I was some crazed intruder.

Is it inside, is it outside, will the neighbor let it loose?

I ran. What was I thinking. In my attempt to get *back* inside my condo, I fell twice, pulled out one of my soccer injuries, and then just limped up the stairs. I think by that time I knew the dog wasn't going anywhere. :p

Nonetheless I grabbed my car keys and drove.

I drove across the parking lot to get to the computer.

You can laugh. I am.
Learning experience? I better not get chased by anything real in life. There's no hope.


How's everyone's weekend shaping up?
Jen
-who wonders if she misses the roaches-

Yikes! Reminds me of that thing that happened to me when I was a kid. My parents lived (still do actually) in a residential area. Small curvy streets with nice houses on both sides. Since only people who live there drove around, children were very often playing out on the street. So was I. Plus there was a big park on one side of that area, so kids spent most of their summer afternoons there.

Anyway, one evening, I was walking home and I passed by a house where I knew there was a rather mean dog. It was one of those small-ish white dogs full of hair, with really mean-looking teeth and a horrible barking sound. I knew he'd already bit some people in the neighbourhood, so I didn't like him at all.

I passed by the house, and the gates were open. Darn. The dog was out. Barking. At me. I ran. I ran SO fast, so very fast. Of course, the dog, seeing me running for my life, ran after me. Dogs feel it when you're scared of them. One of my neighbours was in his garden, and he was laughing his head off when I got into my parents' garden. Grumble grumble.

Anyway! Weekend's looking good here. Sure, it's the end of my mid-term break, but tonight I'm going to a party to celebrate a friend's 30th birthday, so it should be fun.

Hope everyone else is having a good time!

Kae (who hopes she's back online for good now that the first part of the schoolyear is over and done with! - yes, yes, that includes writing fanfic... eventually)

Well, this is a blatant 'poor me' post. Why? Because it looks like I'm facing a weekend of pain.

Last night (why do these things always happen at night?) a tooth that's waiting to have a crown fitted suddenly decided to erupt into deep, throbbing pain. So, this morning, I phone my dentist. The nice receptionist says he doesn't work on Fridays.

Okay. Deep breath. I began ringing around all the dentists in the area, and finally found a private practice that would see me. He was very pleasant and helpful, but obviously couldn't do much because this was an emergency appointment, he had other patients waiting, and I'm someone else's patient.

The good news is that he gave me some antibiotics (my first ever!) and said they'd help with any infection that's causing the pain. The bad news is that they take 24-48 hours to start working.

So wish me luck trying to get to sleep tonight, and tomorrow night, and trying to concentrate at choir rehearsal this evening, and trying to enjoy the theatre with my friends tomorrow evening, and being sociable with my sister and family on Sunday...

Yvonne

It doesn't even have to be that. Dogs are predators. It's pure instinct and reflex with them to chase something that runs from them, just like their prey does in the wild.

As for your neighbour laughing - know what I'd have done to the git. Stupid

Why is it people find someone being afraid of something amusing? It's like if you're afraid of spiders and you ask someone to get rid of one for you. Almost without fail their response will be, "That? It's tiny?" Yeah, well, gee, that makes me feel so much better. Everyone's afraid of something and they wouldn't like someone laughing at them if they show fear at their phobia. I usually make a point of finding out what someone who says that is afraid of then do the same to them next time they exhibit it. "Come on! For pity's sake, it's only 20 flights up. Geez!"

I'm not generally afraid of strange dogs, although being wary of some is no bad thing. And it's certainly no fun being confronted by one if you are a little anxious about them.

I was once walking home from school through some woods when two dogs came ambling towards me. I have no idea why the larger of them attacked - perhaps the other dog was a bitch and in season and the attacker a male who felt threatened. Or maybe he was just a mean one.

Anyway, next thing I knew he was leaping for my throat, snarling. I somehow instinctively managed to get my schoolbag up between my chest and it and just whacked it a few times until it changed its mind and ran off.

Like I say, not scared of them - but it was still an unpleasant experience that left me shaky for a bit.

I'd have run like the blazes, too, Jen if I was scared of strange dogs. It's no laughing matter! {{{{{hugs}}}}

Oh, Yvonne, I so sympathise and know what you're going through. As you know, I had to wait five weeks for an appointment with a dental specialist to remove a troublesome tooth, lately, and the final two were hellish as it flared up again.

And then, just when I thought it was over - I got the tooth out and the specialist was marvellous. Quick and painless - I've just spent the last week and a half in more pain because of complications. (Turned out as the gum healed around the socket it exposed a little ridge of bone poking through the gum and then some infection got into the socket itself.). So was back yesterday. He had to grind down the exposed bone (still painless, I should add!) and put an antiseptic dressing on the socket. I am ecstatic to say that FINALLY!! today I woke up pain free and feeling mentally bright enough to at last get through the backlog of stuff that's been created meantime.

I was given antibiotics initially by my dentist and I have to say that they did work very fast, definitely made a dent in the pain long before 48 hours, so here's crossing my fingers that the same applies to you, Y. It's a miserable condition I wouldn't wish on anyone. {{{{{{hugs}}}}}}

I'm amazed that your own dentist apparently has no provision to fit emergency patients into their schedule. That's ludicrous! Even for the state of our NHS dentist system these days, that's pretty poor service. :p

And along with toothache always coming on at night - why does it always come on at the weekend, too, so you have to wait days to get it seen to? Is it a law of nature or something?


LabRat

You're absolutely right, Rat. At the emergency dentist's advice, I took an initial double-dose, and already, just an hour afterwards, the pain has settled back to a dull throb. Here's hoping the improvement continues.

Thanks for the hugs, and actually, I feel a bit of a wimp after hearing your story.

On dogs - I used to be a bit scared of them, having had the typical scary-dog experience as a kid, but these days, I'm pretty okay. That said, I'm not very good at petting them - I think my hesitation unsettles them and that just leads to a downward cycle of mutual mistrust.

Yvonne

A chat thread, yea! Love these. Thanks for starting it, Jen.

Ok, here's my news:

I got promoted yesterday!!!!!



This is something I have really been wanting but for various reasons had pretty much given up on. But yesterday it just fell on my head completely out of the blue. Much like one of Jen's roaches, now that I think about it.

So now I get to be a Treasury Analyst.

Now, here is something odd. My old boyfriend - high school/college sweetheart, actually - has been calling me. I don't mind talking to the guy, I am really fond of him, but there seems something off about this. I'm married, he's married (with kids). I've told MrMosley all about it, so I don't mean that I am hiding anything, but he has been calling about once a week, and that is pretty often just to catch up with an old friend. I am wondering if he has hit a patch where is just bored with life and that's why I keep hearing from him. But I don't want him to get any ideas, you know? However, that could be just my ego talking - it's possible he seriously just wants to be friends again! /me confused - advice appreciated!

My sympathies to all with problems concerning teeth, dogs and annoying neighbors.

Happy Friday everyone!!!

This Friday is a particularly excellent one because we're getting bonuses at work today that we weren't even expecting. Yippee! J.C. Penney here I come. Hee hee.

Okay, I had to laugh at this Labby, but I wasn't laughing at you... laughing with you since I HATE spiders... and I've had that exact thing said to me before to.

I can sympathize on both the dog story and the crown story. Yvonne... when I had my tooth absess the doctor told me I could alternate between Tylenol and Ibruprofen to cut the pain. So I took Tylenol once an hour and on the alternating hours I took Ibruprofen... until I could get in to see him. That had to be one of the worse days I've ever had. The pain was so intense it made me sick at my stomach. So I totally empathize with you. Hope you feel better soon.

And as many times as people tell me that you shouldn't run from a dog... tell me... if you were walking up to someone's porch and a dog lunged out of a doghouse on the porch (that you thought was empty) and came running at you (almost at eye level) barking and snapping... wouldn't you run? I streaked out of the yard like a bolt of lighting. I managed to outrun the dog, and not get bit, but it scared the heck out of me. I'm very wary of doghouses that I can't see inside now... Oh, and I love dogs too, been around them my whole life and have two of my own... but still...

What a fun topic! Hope everyone has a wonderful Friday!

Congrats Mrs. Mosley on the promotion! Yeah!

My sympathies, hugs and prayers to you, Yvonne! Hoping the pain isn't there for you this weekend!

My only dog story for the weekend is that I'm dog-sitting again. Apparently moving back home after a divorce so my family could "take care of me" really meant that I would be a handy dog-sitter for my dad who apparently travels every other weekend!!

But on the plus side, Dad did give me and my sister free tickets to see Joseph & the Amazing Technicolor Dreamcoat Saturday night. We're going to make a whole night of it: get dressed up (Maybe even wear a dress!! <g>), go out to an expensive restaurant, etc. I'm very looking forward to it, as I haven't had a real chance to reconnect with my sister since I moved.

Plus I get to rake leaves for the first time (on my own property)--just went out and bought me a blower/vac. Tried it out last night and had great fun! I'm amazed at how enjoyable yard work can be when it's all my own! But then again, this move and this house is having strange effects on me as I caught my self dancing crazily for no apparent reason last night! I'm such a dork!

Julie

Hey! Just wanted to wish everyone a nice Friday - and a good start to the week-end.

I hope all you guys with tooth issues or dog things or neighbors and what not aren't going to be too bothered today... Things can only get better - or so I like to tell myself.

You guys with cool new promotions and bonuses and fun stuff: *enjoy it*!

As for myself... ah... looks like it's going to be a long day. *yikes* I got my new glasses last night (*happy dance*) but after having them on my nose barely an hour now, I've got a headache from hell already. I was expecting it, but I didn't think it would come so soon. I don't know how I'm going to survive a day in front of a computer... For once in my life I wish my job did not include staring at a screen.

I'm *really* looking forward to our "it's Friday and we're having bbq chicken" supper -- it usually comes with an episode of a series we both like (we always save something cool to watch). Tonight I get the season premiere of Stargate SG1 and I am very excited about that!!

Daily builds are ready, so I need to get my butt in gear and do some actual work. Y'all have a great day!

Well, so far, today's shaping up pretty good for me. It's Bagel Friday at work--every other week, on Time Sheet Turn-in Friday, the bosses spring for bagels and cream cheese, so I get to sleep in an extra 15 minutes since I don't have to eat breakfast at home before I leave.

It's a bummer about the dog and teeth issues going on this weekend--makes me realize just how lucky I am that I've never had so much as a cavity, much less a horrible toothache.

Today's gonna be a slow day at work, I can tell--most of my projects are "on hold" or awaiting word from the bosses about what they want to do about them.

Oh, I wouldn't, Y! It's a truly miserable experience, no matter what level it's at or how long you suffer it. It's funny though, isn't it, how we try to force perspective on ourselves at times like this? Through all the weeks of pain I was suffering, the sleepless nights, the wandering around like a zombie (I really do NOT do well if I don't get my sleep <G>), not getting things done (my damn bathroom has been half-painted for three weeks now ), chewing lukewarm food (urgh)...I kept feeling guilty about whining about it because 'there are people suffering far worse than this in the world, for pity's sake!' Yet, we really shouldn't be that hard on ourselves, should we?

Absolutely! I think that's as an instinctive, reflexive action as the dog chasing!

Haven't had time to fully read the rest of these posts - but will do later this afternoon.

LabRat

Ooh, where to start?

• Dogs. I hate dogs. I'm not afraid of them, honestly; I just really, really don't like them. Maybe I got scared by a dog jumping up at me as a kid; I don't know. And I know exactly what you all mean about people thinking it's ridiculous when you back away from a dog that's sniffing all around you and jumping up at you. The number of times I've heard "He only wants to be friendly!" Well, I bloody well don't want to be friendly to it! Yesterday I went out to get the post and the huge, uncontrollable dog from across the road ran over to me. Now, this dog is referred to by some of our neighbours as the 'village idiot'. It's not trained and completely ignores its owners. Normally, I avoid going outside if I see this dog around anywhere, but yesterday it appeared while I was already out. So, of course, I got dirty paws and dog-slobber all over my coat, as well as a huge, horrible dog throwing itself at me while I try to back away. Owner shouts for dog to come away. Dog finally gets bored about three minutes later.
  .
• Toothache - oh, Yvonne and Rat, you so have my sympathy! Been there, know how it feels. Eighteen months ago, I was out in our back garden laying out hoses to water the grass - I was walking down stone steps to get to the lower area, and tripped. Fell forward, flung out my arm to break my fall and then just lay there in agony for a couple of minutes. Got up, couldn't use my right arm, and I was spitting blood from my mouth. I have no idea how I managed to get myself back to the house, and I was very lucky that my husband arrived home ten minutes later. He took one look at me and went pale. My mouth was all bloody, my face scratched and bleeding, and one of my front teeth was half-missing. Literally half. The tooth itself was bleeding badly. My arm, as it turned out, was broken at the elbow, but the hospital could do nothing with the tooth. I had to wait until the following morning to see an emergency dentist, who actually did a fantastic repair on the tooth - supposedly temporary, but I still have it. I love codeine. The hospital gave me Tylenol 3 (30mg codeine on prescription) for my arm, but it numbed the tooth as well. The dentist couldn't understand why I wasn't climbing the walls in agony, until I told him about the codeine.

In the UK, by the way, guys, you can get Syndol over the counter - that has 10mg of codeine and that really helped with a painful tooth I eventually had root canal work on.

My biggest irritant this Friday? Dealing with recalcitrant authors in a ficathon I've co-organised in my other fandoms. It sounds easy: people volunteer to write stories, you assign them prompts suggested by other people and you give them at least a month (in this case, two months) to write the story. Stories were due on 31st October. Some people asked for a week's extension: fine. Others made no contact at all. I spent an hour last night writing to those authors, and now I'm getting excuses like 'I forgot', or 'I never got the assignment' - with that last one, I'm wanting to yell and ask why on earth she never told us that she didn't get it?

*makes self calm down*

Hope all the tooth-pain goes away soon!

Wendy

There is just no excuse for that. I mean, you know Stuart and I dote on Homer. It's a good thing he's so eager to please and generally good-natured because he's thoroughly ruined. But I don't expect the world to love him. (Homer expects the world to love him and looks baffled when someone walks past him in the street without even saying hello, but that's his problem. <g>)

I'm always careful when we pass someone to keep him to heel and make sure he doesn't jump up if they do stop to talk to him. Muddy paws, if nothing else! The other evening we were out and a man and a young boy were coming down the path towards us. Just ahead of us another man had a fairly large husky, which was obviously still a pup. Off the lead, of course. As they passed the boy, this dog just lunged at him and the owner just yanked it back and wandered on. Not even an apology. And then the man with the boy glowered at us on the way past! Can't blame him for being annoyed though. I'd have been, too. The kid got a heck of a fright. This was a big, boisterous animal.

You and your neighbours should start sending them dry cleaning bills, W. See how they take to that!

Lara - you poor thing! Here's hoping you get used to those new glasses soon and that headache eases up. I had a really bizarre reaction to my last pair of new glasses. Put them on and the entire world was sloping to the left. It was like San Francisco. After a couple of days it all went right again. Pretty strange though, at the time. And it was really hard to walk in a straight line for a spell.

LabRat

Anyone want to help me move this weekend?

malu

I would, if I were anywhere close. I'm interminably nosy about other people's houses. I'm a sucker for all those 'let's help rich people move into mansions' TV shows. I just turn the sound off and look at the houses.

LabRat

LOL! My last pair was awful - when I first put them on, I couldn't look down when I walked, it was like the floor was several feet higher than it used to be. I was so confused and miserable... These aren't so bad, fortunately, the prescription isn't that far off from the last ones. And my headache seems to have gone, thank God!

I'm just a little p.o.'ed cause even though I stopped to see people instead of e-mailing them as I usually do - I wanted them to see how dashing I look today (right!) - no one's noticed the change!! For crying out loud, people, the old frames were a boring shade of... well, chrome. These are *red*. Bright Red. (I'd say "Superman red" but somehow I think someone might come out and bonk me on the head if I say that...) Oh, they noticed the fact I'm wearing a Daily Planet t-shirt, though. Kind of makes me wonder if anyone I talk to actually looks at my face when they do...

*sigh*

Going to spend a nice (sic) afternoon working on my Linux box... (where's the little pucking smily when I need him?) If I don't come back, just assume testing on that thing really killed me this time.

I'd just like to say that Dr Wendy's pain prescription is the best. She told me about Syndol at 3.45pm this afternoon, I went out and bought some immediately, and by 4.30pm was completely pain-free. Not only that, but it's lasted until now - 10.35pm. That's 6 pain-free hours, courtesy of Dr Wendy.

Yvonne

You can get codeine without a prescription in the UK?!?

Labby, looks like you have the Smiley Xtra 4 extension too. Isn't it FUN?


My week was quiet. Until late Wednesday, when I found out that the training I didn't get over the summer is now happening after all, and must be before Dec. 1.


I have tickets to NY, leaving just over a week from now. Wheeeee!

I would so much rather have been there when it was hot than now, when it will be cold and quite likely rainy.

Yes, and in Ireland and in Canada. Probably lots of other places, too. Just as well - I couldn't manage without it at certain times


Wendy

Yeah, quick and easy to use. The only thing not fun about it is having to click on each smiley and then preview the post before you can tell what it is! That can be deeply irksome. <g>

Syndol - I'm going to have to make note of that for future reference. Thanks for the tip, Wendy.

LabRat