Intrusive Thoughts

Intrusive Thoughts

When you hate your job so much and think, "Maybe I'll just drive this over to Dunkin Donuts...what's the worst they can do? Fire me?" Yes, but I'm ready to quit anyways. Might as well leave on a high, right?

I'm actively seeking other employment, even though there's very little available in terms of hours & pay that's going to pay my bills. At least I'm FL Certified now, so that's 1 bonus.

u/Big_Criticism_8335 — 1 hour ago

Blue Steel!

When Momo gets her purr motor into 4th gear, she starts making a face. It reminds me so much of Zoolander 😂

u/Big_Criticism_8335 — 19 hours ago

1 of the few PAWS-itives of aging

My 16½ yr old has been terrified of thunder & fireworks (fire alarms, gunshots, bangs, booms, etc) her entire life. She started losing her hearing a few years ago. Although it's been both sad and frustrating that she can't hear anymore (doesn't greet me the door anymore, can't comfort her when anxious, etc) I have to say I'm glad she doesn't spend her waking hours shaking in terror this time of year. Between 4th of July and summer storms, I spent well over a decade trying everything to calm her during those events. Now, my sweet lil potato sleeps through it all, completely peaceful. I'll take the small wins.

P.S. I also discovered upon moving back in 2021 that living next to a cemetery is VERY quiet & peaceful. My neighbors may be dead but they don't light off fireworks for a month, either.

u/Big_Criticism_8335 — 4 days ago

Possible Cushings?

Took my old lady in for her 6 month Senior exam, also follow-up. Back in Feb, we started her on Anipryl for CCD. Her bloodwork showed elevation in her liver values, so we switched her to RC GI/low fat. Her new bloodwork shows even higher liver value (just slightly), so the Vet recommended either getting ultrasound or bloodwork done. My dog will be 17 in 2 months so I'm trying to be realistic in terms of what I can both do as well as afford for her. Should I get her tested for Cushing's and hope medication will straighten it out? Vet has already agreed she's too old, in addition to a heart murmur, to be a candidate for any surgery. Would being diagnosed and treated for Cushing's vastly improve and even help extend her life? Or is it too late to get her started?

u/Big_Criticism_8335 — 8 days ago

The way my 할머니 taught me

Forever thankful for my Grandma patiently teaching me how to fold these. Even though as a child, I wanted to go outside and play, instead of making hundreds of these in a day. I miss her a lot but her recipe lives on.

u/Big_Criticism_8335 — 18 days ago
▲ 628 r/FIVcats+1 crossposts

I'll make the bed later

My FIV+ feral says this is still better than the streets he came from.

u/Big_Criticism_8335 — 16 days ago

Quiet Summer Eves

It's Friday and I'm Off for the next cpl nights. I work 3rd shift and had mandatory OT so I didn't get home til 7 a.m. Ate some spaghetti, took care of my pets, went to bed. Finally woke back up and stepped outside for a smoke. The sun is setting and the fireflies are emerging. I love this quiet moment before the hubbub of Friday night starts to gear up - I live close to a bar district in my city, so as the evening gets going, there can be a lot of traffic driving by. I used to be very social. I used to go out and party a lot. Now? I'd rather chew glass than be in a crowded, loud bar/club. Yes, I'm alone but I don't need conversation or background chatter to enjoy one of nature's beautiful displays of summer. I saw a video recently of a woman from a different country (maybe Norway, someplace Scandinavian?) who was visiting the US and she was just awestruck to see fireflies for the 1st time. It's easy to take for granted what some never get to experience. I grew up chasing & catching fireflies. They still amaze me. I try to view life with the "½ Full" attitude, appreciate what I have instead of fixating on what I don't. I don't have a social life or any meaningful, deep relationships with anyone but I have my own place (well, rent anyways) and I have peaceful nights.

u/Big_Criticism_8335 — 23 days ago

It's not THE JOB, it's...

..the people!!! Coworkers & management.

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I work 3rd shift at a USPS plant. Not my job of choice - needed the pay + benefits.

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The job isn't that hard. It is physical and it's repetitive, but it isn't hard, grueling labor. It's the same thing every night (exception on Sundays bc mail doesn't get delivered. It requires minimal intelligence to put packages in correct containers.

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But my god, I don't even call the co-"workers" bc they DON'T work!! Not even exaggerating. Ppl literally not doing their job and constantly getting away with it. Ppl literally disappear, sleep in their cars, ride around on equipment to socialize, etc.

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It's downright infuriating and demoralizing bc mngt & supervisors do nothing about it. There are ppl that literally make their own schedules and come & go as they please. I don't know if it's the union, or favoritism, or racism or what but it's absolutely sucking my soul into the darkest places.

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I have never met/seen just blatant laziness, insubordination, and nepotism as I have at this place. At my age and financial status, I'm stuck and it just makes it even more depressing.

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I gave up a 20 yr career I loved bc I needed health benefits. Now, I'm trapped at a job that I fear is only making me physically and mentally worse than ever.

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Tldr: If you aren't receiving your mail/pkgs on time, you can thank your local Post Master for being a complete POS and not firing all the AH POS regulars with seniority that literally dgaf if you receive your mail or not.

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u/Big_Criticism_8335 — 25 days ago

Tiny but mighty

Teeny tiny but still packed a punch. A coworker ate it. He underestimated it.

I try to grow Thai peppers every summer. This batch/plant gave me the stubbiest "bullets" but they tasted fine.

u/Big_Criticism_8335 — 26 days ago
▲ 924 r/SouperCubers+1 crossposts

NSFV(ampires)

I love garlic and I loooove ethinic cuisine, so I fiend on garlic. My frugal eyes are bigger than my stomach though: I buy garlic in bulk bc it's cheaper but I can't go through it fast enough before they wither or sprout. I finally gave in and tried a hack I've seen for several years.

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🧄 Peel & clean the cloves, trim off the root scab.

🧄 Chop/mince/puree in gadget. It was recommended to add a little neutral oil so it doesn't get freezer burn as bad, during storage and so it's easier to remove from molds. I added about 2 tablespoon of virgin olive oil to 5 cloves of garlic.

🧄 Smooth minced garlic into silicone molds. I did a light coat of VOO to make removal easier (I have a history with these particular molds, I know how stubborn they are).

🧄 Freeze em solid!

🧄 Bag em up!

🧄 Easy/fast to thaw.

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Obviously, it'll depend on the mold size you use as to how much garlic per cube. 1 of these cubes I made is equal to about 2 - 2½ large cloves. If I need to use less, I refrigerate the remaining goob of garlic for my next meal (I cook daily/eod).

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So far, it's worked like a charm and I kinda hate I didn't do this sooner. It was a little over $20 off Amazon for the lil chopper.

u/Big_Criticism_8335 — 25 days ago

Mandu Mania & Memories

If you have a little time, patience, and a deep nostalgic craving for homemade memories: try making your own mandu.

Mandu, gyoza, potstickers, wontons, dumplings (or as I tried explaining to a coworker "Asian Raviolis") whatever you call it from where ever you are...mixed meat and/or veggies wrapped into simple flour skins.

I have made these since I was a little girl. My immigrant Grandmother, my mom, my Aunts, sometimes Church ladies would make HUNDREDS of these on a weekend. I can still remember how my Aunt taught me multiple folding techniques, my grandma showing me how to seal them properly, my mom showing me the correct portion to spoon onto the skin.

As a kid, I could remember resenting these weekends. My older brother would be outside playing, while I spent hours, sitting on the floor (at traditional Korean floor tables) making tray after tray of mandu. Surrounded by the non-stop chatter and gossip of my adult female relatives.

Decades later, I am so grateful for the knowledge my family passed down. Even though we are now estranged and no contact, my memories aren't all bad.

Honestly, I miss the comfort and company of my childhood but the trauma & drama of my family dynamics has led me to here: living alone with absolutely no one in my life - no family, fiance died 14 yrs ago, friends faded/drifted/ended.

The older I get and the quieter my life gets, I find myself reminiscing a lot. I get really nostalgic. It may be bc I also feel a deep disconnect from my roots. I was born and raised in very diverse, heavily immigrant East Coast city to now living in a very non-ethnic Midwest city. It isolates me even more.

Whenever I really miss my grandma, I resort to making the food she made for me. Nobody cooks better than "your own Granny" and I've yet to ever achieve my Grandmother or mom's culinary talents but I'm thankful I learned what I did.

I don't claim to be an expert but feel free to AMA about my Memory Mandus. They're so versatile: in what you stuff them with or how you eat them. I steamed and pan fried this batch. You can also boil them, add them to soups & ramen. They freeze very well - just make sure they aren't touching while freezing. Once frozen, they can be bagged up. It does take up some storage space. It took me about 1½ hrs to make 1 batch (1 package of wrappers, ½ of the stuffing mixture) so I'd expect 1st timers should bank on at least 2 - 3 hrs set aside to make these. I listen to podcasts while cooking.

u/Big_Criticism_8335 — 26 days ago