Minor things that bother you

[LilianaUwU]

What I want to know is what sort of person the idea of buying Christmas stuff in mid-October appeals to.

I don't know. What I do know is that I was once a naïve little boy who bought into this shit before growing up into a pessimistic woman who doesn't want anything Christmas-related until damn near December 25th.

[elsmere241]

What I want to know is what sort of person the idea of buying Christmas stuff in mid-October appeals to.

My wife, for one.  (Something about watching the budget.)

[kkt]

What I want to know is what sort of person the idea of buying Christmas stuff in mid-October appeals to.

There are some people - not me - who find Christmastime more relaxing if they've already bought gifts for everyone on their list, and just have to think about food and decorating.

[mgk920]

That December 5 is not a huge 'bar holiday' here in Wisconsin.  Why December 5?  On 1933-12-05 (yea, this upcoming one will be the 91st anniversary of it) Utah (of all states) put the 21st Amendment over the top, repealing the 18th Amendment and Prohibition of beverage alcohol. 



Mike

[thenetwork]

Christmas garbage should start on December 1, with the month before being only decorations being sold at stores. I fucking hate Christmas stuff stealing Halloween's spotlight.

If there's a war on Christmas going on, Christmas is clearly winning, having defeated Thanksgiving, and now attacking Halloween and within striking distance of Labor Day.

Oh, that is so true. However, I think we can only say this is true in the western world. In much of the Middle East and even South Central Asia it's on the ropes, along with other aspects of Christian tradition. I've seen news footage from a long time ago of Indians protesting Valentine's Day.

Not to mention, radio stations will be starting to flip to all-holiday music within the next week or two.  That means the Wrath Of Mariah and Wham-ageddon will be rearing their ugly heads and voices before you know it.

I wish more stations went back to the old formula of starting Christmas music at Thanksgiving with one song per hour, then each week add an additional song per hour, limiting the holiday burnout song repetitions.

[jeffandnicole]

What I want to know is what sort of person the idea of buying Christmas stuff in mid-October appeals to.

I have already purchased about a dozen new Christmas blowmolds to add to my display in the front yard. A few of these were purchased in late September.

[Scott5114]

What I want to know is what sort of person the idea of buying Christmas stuff in mid-October appeals to.

I have already purchased about a dozen new Christmas blowmolds to add to my display in the front yard. A few of these were purchased in late September.

And you just...kept them in storage until then? Was there any benefit to buying them in September as opposed to the day before you wanted to put them up?

[Max Rockatansky]

I ended up taking my wife to Bronner's in Frankenmuth, Michigan back in September.  She came away with about $250 in ornaments and decorations.  I suspect we could have gone at any point during the year and the resulting haul would have been similar. 

[gonealookin]

What I want to know is what sort of person the idea of buying Christmas stuff in mid-October appeals to.

My wife, for one.  (Something about watching the budget.)

Buying just after December 25 probably would work even better for that.

I eagerly await November 1, when bags of "Fun Size" Butterfingers can be found for something like 75%-80% off.

[jeffandnicole]

What I want to know is what sort of person the idea of buying Christmas stuff in mid-October appeals to.

I have already purchased about a dozen new Christmas blowmolds to add to my display in the front yard. A few of these were purchased in late September.

And you just...kept them in storage until then? Was there any benefit to buying them in September as opposed to the day before you wanted to put them up?

They may be sold out. This was a problem in the past few years. I think the stores have increased stock this year to minimize that issue, but there are some I bought that I haven't seen again.

Because I do a music/light show, buying them early gives me more time to figure out my layout and how to program them with the music I play.

When I set the lights to light up to music, I program them in 1/20th of a second increments. This allows me to have a decoration light up at the right moments during a song, go dark, fade in or out, twinkle, etc.

I currently have about 260 individual decorations or light strands I can light up or keep dark at any particular time. I have 14 songs that play in rotation for motorists to listen to in their vehicles via a radio station I'm broadcasting music to from my computer.

I also want the lights to make sense. I don't light up the nativity scene to Jingle Bell Rock. I don't light up the Santa Clauses to Oh Holy Night.

I also have some non-holiday decor. Including a Walk/Don't Walk sign. The Don't Walk hand is one of my least-used elements: It is lit for about 1.5 seconds, during Frosty the Snowman (when Frosty hears the traffic cop say STOP). The walk sign flashes just before that. I include the walk sign in Sleigh Ride by Amy Grant for a short verse as well.

[noelbotevera]

Having spent the last month filing insurance claims and waiting for responses after being hit by a vehicle at night (in a crosswalk, fully lit; guy had no excuse not seeing me, a pedestrian wearing a light gray shirt), I really think everything about drivers licenses should be redone.

Why is driving the one "right" we grant at 16 and not 18? Why are drivers tests not federally standardized (so one state has a joke of a test / requirements, and other states are strict as hell)? Why are SUVs classified as passenger vehicles and not trucks, despite being the weight of a pickup truck? Why is speeding 20+ MPH over the limit or a DUI not considered a severe offense, or perhaps even a felony (see University of Georgia football)?

Maybe this is all because I'm in college and no longer can drive around my dad's car, so my opinions are changing. I also know it's a roads forum, and we all love our cars, but we've all ranted about stupid drivers. College towns seem to be where all of the stupidity of drivers coalesce in one spot, and I've seen a lot more near misses around State College than in cities like Washington or Pittsburgh.

Anyways. Minor things that bother me, huh?

[Max Rockatansky]

I've been hit twice while out running.  The second time in 2010 came pretty close to killing me.  While I was legally in the crosswalk during the 2010 incident I probably should have been less trusting of traffic.  The takeaway I had was that the onus was more on me to protect myself and recognize when things could go bad.

Not knowing the full details of how you got hit I can't really say if this would be applicable in your situation.  Sucks to hear you got hit though.

[Bruce]

Because we built this country to be so car-dependent, the absence of a license feels like government tyranny. Building better cities helps take a lot of the burden off, but we definitely still need stricter standards for issuing and renewing licenses, at all ages.

It would be highly unpopular, but short of forcing everyone to drive around with speed governors and semi-automated gizmos, upping the standards to something even halfway as thorough as Germany's would be a great start. Treat driving with the proper seriousness, make drivers train and test in all sorts of weather conditions and environments (not just a few suburban blocks) before even letting them think about driving off the lot.

[JayhawkCO]

Why is driving the one "right" we grant at 16 and not 18?

Because that's also the legal working age most places and parents get sick of driving their kids everywhere.

[Max Rockatansky]

Why is driving the one "right" we grant at 16 and not 18?

Because that's also the legal working age most places and parents get sick of driving their kids everywhere.

For me it wasn't an option either.  I was going to have to work at 16 and my parents made it clear I had to drive myself. 

[noelbotevera]

I've been hit twice while out running.  The second time in 2010 came pretty close to killing me.  While I was legally in the crosswalk during the 2010 incident I probably should have been less trusting of traffic.  The takeaway I had was that the onus was more on me to protect myself and recognize when things could go bad.

Not knowing the full details of how you got hit I can't really say if this would be applicable in your situation.  Sucks to hear you got hit though.

Here's a pretty similar scenario; the key part is that Allen Street is the busy road, while the camera is looking down an empty side street. Also pretend that there's streetlamps lighting the area, and there's a crosswalk along Allen Street.

I'm on the sidewalk right behind the camera, and I'm waiting to cross the busy road on the crosswalk. Since it's late at night, there aren't many cars save for a car at the Stop sign turning left. I determine that the coast is clear and begin crossing.

All of a sudden he guns it out of the stop sign and hits me while I'm still in the crosswalk (probably reached 10-15 MPH, but I heard the engine rev). I think since I didn't expect it, I was more shocked than anything; it felt like being pushed real hard. Fortunately, I didn't break anything and only had scrapes and bruises, but it definitely makes me less trusting walking around cars.

I can't bear to imagine what a car or anything heavier hitting me at anything faster than 15-20 MPH would feel like. I always thought the car crash scene in the movie Whiplash was insane because the protagonist stumbles out of a car crash and keeps on running (granted, he's in the car and also there's high stakes involved, so it...kinda makes sense in context?).

[LilianaUwU]

I can't bear to imagine what a car or anything heavier hitting me at anything faster than 15-20 MPH would feel like.

I don't need to imagine it... though I think it was barely above 20.

[Max Rockatansky]

I can't bear to imagine what a car or anything heavier hitting me at anything faster than 15-20 MPH would feel like.

I don't need to imagine it... though I think it was barely above 20.

I want to sit down on my laptop to give the above scenarios it's proper due.  That said, I can speak to the damage caused by a 25-30 MPH impact.  In that scenario I mentioned above in 2010 that's what I happened to me in Coronado, CA when a drive ran a stop sign trying to cross CA 75.  The damage I incurred was as follows:

-  A broken left distal radius.
-  Three broken ribs.
-  A concussion and a couple months of random bouts of vertigo. 
-  A shit ton of tar on the right side of my face from skidding on the asphalt. 
-  Multiple bruises and cuts over my entire body. 

Mind you, I saw the car coming at the last second and apparently had jumped onto the hood.  I was told that if I had not done that the damage would have been far more severe if not fatal.

I did need rehabilitation for my left arm after I had surgery.  I have nine pins and a titanium plate in my arm.  I lost about 10% range of motion and had some permanent nerve damage.

Probably the worst part of the whole incident was when I was in ER at UC San Diego.  The doctor had a really difficult time setting my left arm and it took three people to get it into place.  Mind you, I wasn't on pain killers given I was concussed.  I didn't think that someone could have lucid thought with that level of pain but I guess that's what happens after about 30 minutes of sheer pain.

Speaking to insurance, I did ultimately get a settlement from the driver's insurance company.  I guess I was mainly glad my legs didn't get taken out in some way.

[noelbotevera]

I did need rehabilitation for my left arm after I had surgery.  I have nine pins and a titanium plate in my arm.  I lost about 10% range of motion and had some permanent nerve damage.

Probably the worst part of the whole incident was when I was in ER at UC San Diego.  The doctor had a really difficult time setting my left arm and it took three people to get it into place.  Mind you, I wasn't on pain killers given I was concussed.  I didn't think that someone could have lucid thought with that level of pain but I guess that's what happens after about 30 minutes of sheer pain.

Speaking to insurance, I did ultimately get a settlement from the driver's insurance company.  I guess I was mainly glad my legs didn't get taken out in some way.

I have no words for how harrowing that sounds. Car accidents are something that are taken far too lightly, and luckily you're alive and managed to avoid a serious disability.

I get that people have to work, even at 16, but giving 16 year olds the ability to freely operate 2 ton death machines? That's a huge responsibility that nobody seems to appreciate.

I certainly appreciate the freedom to commute by bus or bicycle (on ROW segregated bike paths, away from major roads), and I think I've come to prefer driving as a leisure activity than a necessity (because I'll end up hating it).

[Max Rockatansky]

I did need rehabilitation for my left arm after I had surgery.  I have nine pins and a titanium plate in my arm.  I lost about 10% range of motion and had some permanent nerve damage.

Probably the worst part of the whole incident was when I was in ER at UC San Diego.  The doctor had a really difficult time setting my left arm and it took three people to get it into place.  Mind you, I wasn't on pain killers given I was concussed.  I didn't think that someone could have lucid thought with that level of pain but I guess that's what happens after about 30 minutes of sheer pain.

Speaking to insurance, I did ultimately get a settlement from the driver's insurance company.  I guess I was mainly glad my legs didn't get taken out in some way.

I have no words for how harrowing that sounds. Car accidents are something that are taken far too lightly, and luckily you're alive and managed to avoid a serious disability.

I get that people have to work, even at 16, but giving 16 year olds the ability to freely operate 2 ton death machines? That's a huge responsibility that nobody seems to appreciate.

I certainly appreciate the freedom to commute by bus or bicycle (on ROW segregated bike paths, away from major roads), and I think I've come to prefer driving as a leisure activity than a necessity (because I'll end up hating it).

I still have the photos of what I looked like after on Facebook.  My wife isn't amused when I reshare them.  The originally prognosis was that might use half the range of motion in my left arm.

In my case the driver who hit me in 2010 was 28 years old.  She blew the stop sign because there was a clearing in the three lanes of one-way traffic going back onto the Coronado Bridge towards San Diego. 

The other driver that hit me was in 2008 on Lincoln Drive on Scottsdale.  She was probably in her 50s or early 60s and driving a Mercedes S Class.  She lurched into me when I was running through a crosswalk trying to see if the lanes on Lincoln were clear.  I just got knocked over and landed on her hood.  I probably did more damage to her car landing on it than she did to me.

[LilianaUwU]

I'm lucky to still be more or less functional, but my back has suffered a lot, and still is pretty weak, which wasn't helped when I fell in a bus back in August 2023.

[kkt]

Having spent the last month filing insurance claims and waiting for responses after being hit by a vehicle at night (in a crosswalk, fully lit; guy had no excuse not seeing me, a pedestrian wearing a light gray shirt), I really think everything about drivers licenses should be redone.

Why is driving the one "right" we grant at 16 and not 18? Why are drivers tests not federally standardized (so one state has a joke of a test / requirements, and other states are strict as hell)? Why are SUVs classified as passenger vehicles and not trucks, despite being the weight of a pickup truck? Why is speeding 20+ MPH over the limit or a DUI not considered a severe offense, or perhaps even a felony (see University of Georgia football)?

Maybe this is all because I'm in college and no longer can drive around my dad's car, so my opinions are changing. I also know it's a roads forum, and we all love our cars, but we've all ranted about stupid drivers. College towns seem to be where all of the stupidity of drivers coalesce in one spot, and I've seen a lot more near misses around State College than in cities like Washington or Pittsburgh.

Anyways. Minor things that bother me, huh?

16, because most 16 year olds ARE capable of driving, and many of them get jobs then and need to be able to drive to get to the job.

[Max Rockatansky]

If anything, I hope my replies demonstrate that it isn't just kids who are shitty drivers.  I don't think either of the two who hit me probably had a history of crashes.  They just made mistakes trying to get through their days.

[D-Dey65]

Not to mention, radio stations will be starting to flip to all-holiday music within the next week or two.  That means the Wrath Of Mariah and Wham-ageddon will be rearing their ugly heads and voices before you know it.

Well, it looks like I'm going to have to break out my copy of albums like these.


And some others I can't think of right now.

[formulanone]

That December 5 is not a huge 'bar holiday' here in Wisconsin.  Why December 5?  On 1933-12-05 (yea, this upcoming one will be the 91st anniversary of it) Utah (of all states) put the 21st Amendment over the top, repealing the 18th Amendment and Prohibition of beverage alcohol. 



Mike

Cinco de Drinko

Seriously it's every day, almost everywhere, that was the point.