The Whine Cellar

[Red-Handed Jill]

I'll cross my fingers and toes that you get the job, Cheeky - and can thumb your nose (or indicate your feelings with other gestures...) at your ex-boss!

[LadyBarbossa]

Yikes... sounds rather troubling, Hester.

My daily whine... well, it's rather sweet today. Just neck and back aching a bit causing I'm making an apron for a DAR lady from CT. Parts you don't see have been done via the machine, the rest is being hand sewn hence the achy neck and back.

And it's mighty humid. Waiting for the storms to roll through.

~Lady B

[MadL]

Do not feel too bad Cheeky, just before Sharp Electronics laid off all us instructors they had sent us to special training called "3-T", Train the Technical Trainer, well, we had all thought it because they wanted us t' be bet'er instructors. T'was a grand class it was indeed, we all had fun, learned a lot, 'n we had such high expectations upon return'n from University o' Wisconsin, we really though our classes were mo'in in th' right direction....then we learn'd we were t' teach a "special set o' classes"...?

Yup, we were gi'en the task t' Train the Technical Trainer indeed we where; they sent out notice t' their dealers that they were t' pick thier brightest o' the bright, 'n we were t' train them t' do our jobs!!??!!

'bout one year later, we all got our plank slips

....Now; Why Is Th' Bloody Rum Gone Again?!!!?

[MadL]

Oh wait, there it be....half bot'le o' Appleton Estate Extra left...

...I formally withdraw me wine 'n trade it fer rum

[Silkie McDonough]

Crud ...open mouth incert foot. sigh ...hope they don't hang me.

[Capt. Sterling]

Now what did you do??

[Hester]

Yikes... sounds rather troubling, Hester.

Nah, just some mewling little Dutch goth girl with a sad vampire fetish who thinks she can be intimidating by using four letters words. I simply blocked her and reported her message as spam. What a silly little twit!

Your sewing project sounds very satisfying, Lady B., despite the crick in your neck.

[Hester]

Oh wait, there it be....half bot'le o' Appleton Estate Extra left...

...I formally withdraw me wine 'n trade it fer rum

I use Appleton Estate VX in my frozen strawberry daiquiris.

After a blenderful of that, I forget all my reasons for whining.

[Hester]

Bugger -- I didn't win the Cracker Jack prize!

[Got oubid on eBay for two tiny vintage copper heart-shaped padlocks.]

[LadyBarbossa]

Don't ye hate that, Hester? When you REALLY want it.. then someone out outbids ya... especially at the last minute.

Satisfying? Hopefully, Hester. Anything to help offset the cost of living.

Aye, twit is right. Gotta love hating brats like that. They fuss and bitch, but you'd LOVE to just walk right up to them and knock them out cold.

Mmm... Appleton sounds good. So does a strawberry dacquari.

Dare I ask what happened, Silkie?

OH! Here is a change for once...

I was listening to everyone else whining about having to work on Memorial day. Thought it wasn't going to be busy, always having to work on a holiday, etc...

T'was funny. Well, in the restuarant business... there are no holidays. I've come to accept that.

My only whine today is... I darn near passed out cause of not being able to get something to eat (at all today) until after 4pm. Now I'm feeling rather sick, groggy, sluggish, and exhausted.

~Lady B

[Hester]

Hope you've had a good meal and are feeling recovered today, Lady B.

My whine today: My bloody toaster broke!

I only bought it a couple months ago, to replace one that I'd had for more than 10 years.

I was doing some spring cleaning last week, and I upended the new toaster over the garbage bin and shook it and gave it a couple bangs to knock the crumbs out of it. Apparently, it was too 'delicate' for such treatment. On the weekend, I tried to make toast, and it came out uncooked on one side and half-burnt on the other. So, I turned the toaster on and looked inside, and only half of the coils were lighting up.

So, I had to junk the toaster (didn't even have the receipt anymore).

And I've been eating cookies for breakfast ever since.

[LadyBarbossa]

hope the new toaster is doing good, Hester.

Welp, I'm beyond a Whine today. Wish I had the joy to even have a decent glass of wine but I'm in the dumps again. HAving major issues... again. Why? Tis not fair nor right by the laws of the universe to have THIS much trouble in one lifetime!!!

Can't really blame anyone for my ignorance that which put me into the spot I'm in I suppose. I don't know.

God help me ... for I DESPERATELY need it!!! like NOW!

~Lady B

[depinux]

First off..I've had enough rum and beer to warrant a whine. ha ha!

Secondly..I just graduated college, now I'm home for the damned summer in upstate NY with the parents. Which is bothersome because for one all my mates are a good 5 hours away in massachusetts. Seconldy I'm not even working and I dont for about another two weeks. Even so..I'll be working ina damned kitchen. 4 years of college and I end up working at a childrens camp as a bloody cook.

It's time like this I wish I could hope aboard a ship an' say th' 'ell with modern times. Gods mnow I must get out of living at home come the end of the summer. Maybe I'll head me arse to Boston.

Anyways, this shot goes out to all here, cheers!

[LadyBarbossa]

I sympathize with ye, depinux.

That does suck. Especially torturing thyself with that long of college.

OK... it's beyond a whine today, folks. I've utterly had it with work. They put some dumb arse in as the new general manager which I've been forewarned by other people he's screwed up with other restuarants. So, now I know why and how.

I'm REALLY not feeling well, called in sick and he says I can't call in sick that I HAVE to come into work.

Oh, I will and then bitch at them and quit! I've had it with this new manager! He looks worse than Billie's skunk ( and those who've seen Billie's puppet skunks knows thats very ugly)... yes, that's mean but damnit! I am SOOO tired of busting my arse off for them, coming in at a moment's notice and telling them to put me anywhere and give me more hours but what do they do? only increase my hours by 2 hours a week, don't do a thing other than call me in for downtown when someone's "sick"... ONCE.. only ONCE have I been recognized and given a bonus compared to others. The bonus is of the tips we receive. No, the tips are not divided at the end of the day but put into a pool to be given to whomever ends up to be the Employee of the Week. So, what tips I get... goes to someone else!

again, I've had it!!

So, off to find another job while working on my new business which is hurting cause of all this other BS that's been happening!

Life's not fair, mates.

I'm with Depinux at the moment... I wish I could just hop onto a boat and sail away and pillage, plunder, etc.

I'm tired of being treated terribly!

~Lady B

[Red-Handed Jill]

Lady B - sounds like you should have left a long time ago if that's the tip policy. I can see sharing tips with bussing staff, but being told to give your tips to someone who is probably a political favourite of the managers? That doesn't sound quite above-board, frankly.

[CaptainSatan]

[LadyBarbossa]

Aye, Jill. Tis true.

I've had it with the place. Job hunting tomorrow in what limited locale I can go to. Considering I'm blocked into a certain area of town now due to the flood waters.

And what little job hunting I do will later turn into whatever extra efforts is needed by volunteers. Exhausted and tired having done some stuff today, helping a friend out with her downtown store and just spontaneously helping someone sandbag near their home. Just waiting for my sister and her hubby and son (Dalton) to show up at my door cause they are suppose to be evacuating. Was helping them out earlier, too.

Pissed off with work now, again, as I told them this morning I doubt I will be able to make it in today or even tomorrow with the flood waters blocking my routes to work. The only other route is the interstate (which goes directly over the dam) and it's backed up most of the time with traffic. That's the only way to get from the west side to the east side and vice versa. All the other bridges are closed and other routes closed. I wasn't about to risk the possibility of not getting home. Let alone I wasn't about to go way out of my way to attempt to get on the interstate and try to get to work which would take me nearly an hour to work for two hours! Screw that!

they aren't doing a thing about the downtown store at all and will lose it all, too.

And ... oh,... I get home this evening to find my counter and the carpet in the kitchen all covered in wine! One of my wine bottles exploded while I was gone to help my sister out. Grrr.... that wasn't fun. I liked that wine, too.

So... phone is beside my bed. Ready to open up my place to my sister as need be and race there to move things as needed. At the moment... I'm going to get what sleep I can. Cause tomorrow is going to be another flooding day from hell!

~Lady B

[LadyBarbossa]

:::le sigh:::

I'm rather pissed at the moment. My sister's dirty bag of a lowlife f***ing "husband" got drunk as hell and well, I'll spare ye the details of all that he did. But what pisses me off most that I will tell ye here.... is he took of with a bottle of Pirate's Choice key Lime rum and drank the damn thing!!! I'm pissed cause I promised to give that bottle of key lime rum to Greg down in Kansas City when next we crossed paths. Now, I'm hoping that I will be reembursed that bottle so I can give it to Greg. I've demanded in return a case of the Key Lime be reembursed to me.

We shall see how it goes.

But I'm severely pissed with all this a**hole did just after I opened up my home to him and my sister since they were flooded out of their home. Gee... a nice thanks I get! Piss all over the couch and carpet, screaming like a mad man and drunk as hell after taking off with a bottle of Pirate's Choice Key Lime rum that's intended for someone else! Oh, yeah, I REALLY want to kill him right now. I'm too damn civil. I need a swift escape from the US before I kill the sad excuse of a bastard.

~Lady B

[Hester]

[Well, this seems a very mild source of irritation compared to a drunken b-i-l stealing one's rum & pissing on one's couch, but...]

The starlings that are nesting in my eaves have been eating mulberries!

That's right -- purple poop all over the place!

[LadyBarbossa]

::::Cringes and screeches:::: OMG! Oh, I feel for ya, Hester! That's god aweful stuff! That NEVER comes out and stains EVERYTHING!

Oh that blows.

Yeah, well... tis ok. Vent! That's what this place is for.

Me... I'm beyond venting and rather at my wits end. unemployed at the moment, trying to get help to keep a roof over my head while searching for another job or two on top of trying to keep mine going (The Captain's Share, generally making piratey and general colonial attire and finding some various procurements) and attempting to bring in money. Didn't get a dime from my sis while she was over here at all. She's still coming over and I'm getting pissed. Cause I'm getting nothing in return at all!

Oh, it keeps getting worse and worse. I'm REALLY wanting out of here. Yeah, I want to leave. Bad! But unable to.

I wish I could attend Bristol this weekend but unable to. I haven't a clue when I'd be able to attend any event really. I can attempt to plan and hope I go but until my situation improves... I may not be able to do these things again for a long, long time. I'm starting to get desperate enough to just stop everything and sell all my outfits. I can't persue happiness any more. It's too costly.

~Lady B

[Merrydeath]

Lady B, I'm sorry you are in such a spot, I know all too well about no vehicle nor money.. its too bad you quit your job, even if they were asking you to come in for only a few hours a day. At least that income would help keep the wolf away.

since you can type well, make sure you have that on your resume too.. and I know you do some graphics on the PC also. I know you dont like being on the telephones but its desperate times.

Good luck, mon ami'!

[LadyBarbossa]

I DID inform them not to schedule me for a week just in case with this flood issue. But no communication there and it's just been getting worse and worse... yeah, the manager there presumed I quit and told me to bring in my stuff. I gave up on them and started looking for help and a job but things around here are hellish. Kinda hard to go to work when it usually takes you 5 minutes to get there but was narrowed down to well over an hour to get there IF you are lucky with one way to get there that's being threatened to shut down and generally said you should only take the interstate ONLY for emergencies and if you REALLY, REALLY need to. The Interstate was so backed up with traffic.

A blemish it will be most likely upon my poor history there... but, at the threat of not being able to make it back home IF the road is closed and other emergency issues... all these damned SoBs can care about here is making that god damn money! Freakin' pisses me off!!!

Yeah, I've been trying to get something out there. Trying be the key word with so limited of funds and gas. I'll spare all the details of the crap.

I'm trying... eventhough most don't think I'm doing a damn thing... I am! I've only heard back from ONE place and had an interview... but will be another week before I find out anything. I missed out on the Stable job which annoys and bums me out. They didn't even call me back or anything! Trying to get what resumes printed off now... and sent. But my comp is NOT wanting to cooperate. Yeah, I have a virus... but can't do a thing about it. I've asked for various help and gotten nothing. So, I'm up a flooded creek.

Yeah, I'm wanting to move away from here. So much unfair crap going on here and no one is listening. Granted the Mayor says she's been working behind the scenes to get some funding... but, I'd like to know where all that is at! A Study?!?! What the hell is a study going to do for CR? :::Rolls eyes:::

If you can't tell how frustrated I am with this whole BS... and I'm one of the ligther ones affected by the Flood!

Please! Drop the nuke bomb on us! It'll do the city good! Seriously!

Prayers, mates! Lots and lots of prayers. One should NEVER have to suffer this type of struggling. Seriously! It's SO taxing upon the body and mind. I'm constantly getting headaches now.

::le sigh; groans::: Off to workforce to see about getting something... again. I hate this cause it means I have to waste gas! With nothing coming in... I hate driving.

I honestly feel like I could turn into a true pirate here REAL soon! Desperation causes one to do something to survive.

~Lady B

[Red Bess]

Lady B, I'm sending thoughts and prayers your way, as always. And as a friend, it breaks my heart that you are so down and things look so bleak.

I don't presume to be in a position to give advice, but when I hear you say that you are tempted to move away -- maybe you should give that serious thought. If what is keeping you there is family (and family is also a source of irritation) maybe getting away and starting fresh would do you good. You are a creative and talented person -- it's never easy, but I'll bet you could find a job more satisfyingly than your previous one. Maybe not as much fun as professional pirating, but at least something to keep a roof over your head, food on the table, and put a little aside to get back into the activities you love.

I'll keep sending positive energy your way, m'dear. In the meantime, feel free to vent away, as needed. You have my ear to bend, and my shoulder to cry on.

*Bess passes a tray of cheese and crackers to clear everyone's pallet for more whines*

[LadyBarbossa]

Aye, Bess. Cedar Rapids is not offering hope at all for me. Albeit I am try.

Nay, th' only thing that keeps me here and has kept me here is the lack of funding to move.

:::Grabs the tray of cheese and crackers and chows down and drinks wine mighty hungry a la Elizabeth Swann in first move:::

Family is indeed the root of my irritation. Amoung a couple of past issues that can never seem to be rectified.

But for now... I must fore warn... I am now having some grave computer issues and may disappear for a while-

:::glares at the direction of some cheering where ever it's coming from:::

Anyway... Can't figure out where this virus is at and it's taking my comp down with it to Davy Jones' Locker. And I haven't coinage yet to get a new comp (unlike my sister who can go through 5 computers in 2 years).

Thank ye kindly, Bess for th' best wishes.

Aye, I'd fancy an opportunity t' make a wee bit of coinage whilst bein' a pirate. And tryin' to make coinage making outfits but the past month has seen all that in the doldrums.

Always hate sounding like some bickering B**** that's fo' sure. I admit... I've dug myself in deep this time.

~Lady B

[LadyBarbossa]

Welp.... my comp virus issue has now been rectified. Hoping to keep it that way.

Hungry though and stressed in dire need for rent assistance and honestly awaiting that Eviction notice (don't want it) cause maybe, just maybe General Assistance might accept my damned papers! They currently won't cause apparently one paper HAS to be signed by potential employers stating that I applied and had an interview or something. Now, unfortunately, this doesn't count Temp Agencies, Online applications and emailed resumes, or jobs not hiring cause they can't sign off. So, what does that do? Leaves me in a damn freakin' pickle cause that's what all the jobs are pretty much doing is going to online applications and interviews via phone, most jobs now are volunteer services and temp agencies and the sort to fill the workers who have been displaced by the flooding (like me), and if no one is hiring they can sign it so that's just stupid! I'm infuriated with this cause where has my applications been? Online! No one does walk ins any more except for Burger King!

So, I'm severely up a creek. But heading back to growl at them cause if they refuse to help me, I'll talk to the lawyer.

Which, I need to contact today about my dire situation. Between released from work cause I couldn't get there as roads were blocked off (bastards)... and they took my tips to give to someone else for the Employee of the Week fund crap... then the apartment place is NOT being kept up well as the driveway is worse than the grand canyon it seems with SO many pot holes and the drive way is buckled and desentigrating plus a couple trees STILL in the driveway since I got back from Port Washington Pirate Fest back in June BEFORE the flood happened.... And the lass who was gonna be my roomie left me stuckin a 9 month lease.... and being threatened with an eviction... Trying to get a job and not getting ANYTHING in return, I do so LOVE to waste my gas, time, energy and phone minutes, money ... just attempting to find something.... with General Assistance being overly demanding and refusing to help unless I do that one little paper that is impossible to fill out. And whatever help I have been promised is NOT getting here fast enough.

I'm falling into the cracks like the rest of the Cedar Rapidians who are just getting screwed left and right. It's starting to look like Hooverville around here with desperate people just doing what they can and saying "fuck the law". Seriously. I'm not kidding. It's a desperate situation here.

Yeah, I never really bargained I'd be in this hellish mess. But apparently, I'm in it. And damnable I'm getting pissed and highly stressed over this all! No money coming in, how the hell am I suppose to do anything that these damned bastards are having me do?!? FEMA won't help nor the Red Cross... my home wasn't affected directly in the flood zone. So, I'm screwed.

I'm pissed, I'm fatugued and exhausted, hungry, stressed, and over-extended. Pushed absolutely to the max and my limits of physical capabilities and mental sanity.

Flooding sucks!

:::le sigh::: alright... off I go to at least attempt something more today. Hoping desperately for that unemployment check to come in today so I can get something to eat and more gas.

~Lady B