bozodog Posted January 14, 2006 Report Share Posted January 14, 2006 Mac, sorry you're having problems coping. The best medicine is keeping busy. Not just in your shop, because that will become a "chore" you'll soon want to avoid. Keep that as a hobby. A job, any-dang-kinda job will do. I know you are qualified for many jobs, even over qualified. But you know those can be high pressure to perform. How about something kewl? Like driving a taxi? Delivering pizzas... a menial, mindless factory job. What about taking a "basket weaving" class? I mean something that interests you but worldly. Landscaping maybe? Bird watching.. bonzi trees... Hell, maybe you can teach a computer class for seniors at the local community center. It's not the paycheck that counts, its the feeling of acomplishing a days work and meeting people. Good Luck, my friend. Don't stop trying...... Buck up and get out there.... You're getting stale cooped up at home and shop. Quote Link to post Share on other sites
thesidekickcat Posted January 15, 2006 Report Share Posted January 15, 2006 Mac, I totally agree with bozodog.Any time you are feeling stuck you have to push yourself (like a stuck car) out of the rut.And the rut of dwelling on past stuff, or regrets from the past, takes a lot of willpower to take that first step up and out, then it takes steady steps to keep on climbing out of the pit. So start somewhere with those first steps. Take a piece of paper, draw a line (or more than one) top to bottom. Make up titles for each column to fit your problems. List something you want to do, break it down into do-ables. Not some big vague thing like be happy...not going to solve any of the big stuff right from the beginning...that comes later. List things that can be done with a little effort and commitment to doing it, such as get a job...then list what types are possible, and then list what steps you need to take to find one. List pros and cons of each type. But make sure the pros are a longer list as that helps talk yourself into following up with your ideas to get a job. (In fact that works for getting over any depressing situation....to list the positive, and the negative...and making sure the positives are more than negatives....the old count your blessings type thing.) Then after doing a few pages of various things, you should start to see what you can do to improve your life via taking small forward steps daily. I have read that it takes about 30 days to break a habit, and sometimes that's what it is habits of grief, dwelling on past, stuck in a rut, and mild depression (not clinical depression, if it is clinical then see your Dr for help!) So daily small steps will change things most of the time if you get yourself pointed in the right direction....and that is what you sound like you need to do...just change your direction and move in that upward, forward direction. Let go of the past, you can't change it no matter how much you dwell on it and worry about it and regret it...you have to let go of it and move on with your life. Those in the past who are gone sure wouldn't want you stuck there and not able to move on with your life. If they had a say in it, they would probably say live life, don't live the past.If you think I am bossing you around here, yeah!..I am mother-hening you again...but telling you this from personal experience at about your age with some of the same problems. If it hadn't been for a fatherly cop one mid December day many years ago at a bridge giving me this same type pep talk but acting like a tough cop to make me listen, then making me walk home in the cold rain down the middle of the street in front of the cop car giving me time to think about what he said for about 8 to 10 blocks to home, I wouldn't be here to write this to you now. I was in a bad mind frame, and needed to hear some good old fashioned common sense...that was beyond me seeing at the time until he talked to me. Then once he saw me up on porch and my hubby at door holding me, then he left... I never saw him again, don't even know his name but what a blessing he was to me. It was hard to let go of the grief and despair that had become like a part of me after so long, but once my hubby started digging the whole story out of me it was like a dam broke...I talked and cried it all out of my system and then hubby helped me decide what to do to go forward and helped push me to do the steps I came up with to move up and out of the grief that had me bound into that awful rut of despair. As you might guess, a big part of healing the grief was to let go of the me, me, me...and think of what I could do for others and then get back to doing it. Funny how the more involved I became in helping others, the less I worried and regretted and the grief disappeared leaving me free to go on with life.So now I am weeping here so will end this with a big hug to you Mac. PatGod bless everyone. Quote Link to post Share on other sites
macmarauder Posted January 17, 2006 Author Report Share Posted January 17, 2006 thank you guys so much for the support and ideas. like i said it's just been a ruff couple of years and it's been just been real bad the last couple of months. sometimes i feel so alone in the world being so different from anyone i know of and knowing that you guys are here for me helps alot. sorry i wish i had more time but i've only got a few minutes. Quote Link to post Share on other sites
bozodog Posted January 18, 2006 Report Share Posted January 18, 2006 Mac!!!!! You must remember. You are NOT alone! And you are NOT so different! Just stop this thinking and get on with this glorious thing we call life. You can't tell me, if you sat down and made a list, that you couldn't find many things that made your day. You entertain all of us here in the cafe and you are great with your cartoons and videos. What the hell is the problem? We all have our days, problems, "down-n-outs", but we go on.... I like to think a day is successful if I can make just one persons day better. With a smile, a thank you, a joke, or a helping hand. If I do that while earning my living... all the better! If I do that for my hubby it's great. I can make my day by watching my dogs at the park, chasing sticks and running their feets off. I found a way to love life, and sure don't want to let go! Quote Link to post Share on other sites
bozodog Posted January 18, 2006 Report Share Posted January 18, 2006 Ok, folks. My paw doctor has decided I need surgery to fix my wrist. the BAD thing is he want's me to quit smoking for at least 10 weeks or so. If you catch me in here stuffing my face..... chase me over to the bar please? So I can drown my nicotine fits instead of burying them in calories. Quote Link to post Share on other sites
thesidekickcat Posted January 22, 2006 Report Share Posted January 22, 2006 (edited) Hello everyone,I haven't been around for awhile, sorry about that. I was thinking about you all though.Between bad weather with some days with computer unplugged (some dry days are on the way this week), and a sore low back from doing some under the porch clean out of kindling wood for a neighbor last weekend, which kept me on the inactive list for awhile. Then started with a major problem with a Norton update that has my computer crashing/freezing etc that is driving me nuts with all the hard shut downs, and freezing problems rebooting.... now the Symantec automated assistant says it is picking up on bits and pieces of an old (previously uninstalled even using their special tools to do it) version of Live Update. So will try reading the Castle Cops Symantec forums to see if anyone there has similar problems, and perhaps will try out that Crap Cleaner thing to see if it will find the junk that is causing the problems. Though I think I may finally have to just reinstall due to all the hard shut downs probably causing hard drive problems...or throw the thing out the window...or buy a new one...!!! I am so tired of fighting Norton!!! Something has been giving me problems ever since last summer when I installed the new antivirus but left on the firewall that still had subscription time on it, but only now find a possible reason for all the problems off and on for so many months!!! grrrrrrr!!!! Neither the Norton products, or the Symantec website (people have to pay for tech support calls), are definitely not user friendly when things go haywire!!! grrrrrrr!!!! So that is what is going on with us...just the usual stuff going on.... Ha Ha!!! Bozodog, I sure hope your surgery goes well, and good luck on you and hubby stopping smoking. I will be praying for you.Everyone please don't worry if I don't show up for awhile. I just wanted to post this so you would know what is going on. If I end up doing a reinstall, it could take me awhile to get everything working right and back to my dialup outfit again. I have printed out lots of how to articles with pictures!!!, so that should help me if I need to go that route. But maybe I'll be able to solve just the Norton part of it, and the computer will be ok???? Edit to do the forgotten spell check.Sure do need prayers folks to deal with the problems.Love you all. PatGod bless everyone. Edited January 22, 2006 by thesidekickcat Quote Link to post Share on other sites
blim Posted January 22, 2006 Report Share Posted January 22, 2006 Awww, Pat...Take your Norton dilemma to the PC support here, too! You know the very best experts live here Sure hope you don't have to reinstall, but if you do, you can do it! I did with the Possessed Gateway and if this noob can do it, anyone can (although I had a tremendous amount of help from all the experts here, Blessing you folks every time the PG is turned on)And Bozodog, you can do this! And you feel free to throw tantrums and rant all you want, young lady (Moderators, take note and give her a break if she gets sassy!). We'll listen and support you every step of the way. I'm so proud of you!Daughter is settled in her new apartment at college! Kate is an actor geek and her roomate is a Film Major--is that a match made in Heaven, or what? Boy, it sure is staying cleaner around here and the phone sure is quiet...My friends are saying, "haven't you been crying?" No, I haven't cried at all. It's a wonderful opportunity for her, of course I miss her, but I'm thrilled for her! She's only an hour away! Am I a horrible mom?? She's enjoying herself, though, likes her roomate and already "got hit on" by a boy (shhh, don't tell her sweetie)...and thinking of changing her major yet again to a Psych Major and Journalism Minor! She took a year off after getting her Associates Degree to "decide what she wants to be when she grows up", 2 weeks of school and she's back to flip-flopping again! Ah, she's young, she has all the time in the world. Just hoping she'll get a degree that she can actually use, instead of being like her mom with a BS Degree (BS, surprised? I was. I was an art major!) and working retail! Son finally got frustrated with me stealing his AIM screename to chat with Kate, so he made me one of his own, so feel free to say "halloooo", I added it to my profile thingy. I don't sign on very often, though.12 inches of snow to shovel this morning. Muskegon, MI, about 30 minutes south of me, made the Weather Channel today for "24 hour snowfall totals", but Muskegon only got 8 inches! I KNOW we got 12, I stuck the yardstick in the drivewayLiz Quote Link to post Share on other sites
macmarauder Posted January 22, 2006 Author Report Share Posted January 22, 2006 (cocks shaked fist and shakes it threateningly at thesidekickcat's computer to make it work right)(turns the shaked fist at bozodog's doctor and threatens him with the same dreadful fate if he screws up)(adds blim to AOL Chat) Quote Link to post Share on other sites
bozodog Posted January 22, 2006 Report Share Posted January 22, 2006 Heh heh, thanx Mac! I feel good about this doc. I wouldn't let anything happen if I didn't trust my guts when it comes to a doc. He seems on top of things and gave me the option, and reasons for quitting smoking. At least for the 10 weeks..... So it's that I'm struggling with. I always figured I'd inhale here and exhale in heaven... How are you feeling, BTW? Hope you've crawled up outta yer slump and found some good things around you to celebrate. *HUGS* Quote Link to post Share on other sites
macmarauder Posted January 24, 2006 Author Report Share Posted January 24, 2006 (edited) to be honest i still don't feel so good, so it's the usual for me. remember i've been in the dumps for about a year now. the bad luck and unhappy days stretch back even further than that. i'm used to it. that's why this place was so nice for me when we started. i posed alot trying my best to make everyone laugh cause it made me feel better. this place has been one of my escapes from reality. who needs reality when you've got this place. for me, revealing parts of myself and making people laugh here has been like therapy. remember your guys have been able to seen little parts of me even my local friends haven't seen. i wish i knew why i'm so much more comfortable and confident in a digital world than in real life. i guess it's because i've spent almost my whole life either here or in a shop creating monstrosities. i hope your surgery goes well and you don't put too many holes in the wall from not smoking bozodog. Edited January 24, 2006 by macmarauder Quote Link to post Share on other sites
bozodog Posted January 25, 2006 Report Share Posted January 25, 2006 /me *tickles Mac until he drops... Hey my friend! It's time to drop all this doom and gloom. What steps have you taken to get up and outta your slump? The sidekickcat, blim, me and others have given you some direction. Watta ya want, we should send you over a cyber gal and job too? Hun, you're too smart and talented to keep yourself trapped. Get yourself up^^^^out>>>>> and rub elbows }}{{ with some warmblooded peeps... (Ooohh man, quitting smoking sure makes me "testy") Quote Link to post Share on other sites
robroy Posted January 26, 2006 Report Share Posted January 26, 2006 yeah it does, did it to me too Quote Link to post Share on other sites
bozodog Posted January 27, 2006 Report Share Posted January 27, 2006 Take out menu.... Bar-B-Q wings, sage stuffing and garlic bread. Chili and cornbread. Garlic baloney and cheeze samich. Nachos. Hot chocolate. See y'all Monday! Quote Link to post Share on other sites
bozodog Posted February 7, 2006 Report Share Posted February 7, 2006 Well dang! We pin this thread and no one comes anymore. Whats up?Paw surgery went well. But holy cow! My hip is killing me! I have a bruise the size of a basketball and it hurts worse than the hand. Serve me up todays special.. I'm now sure hospital food comes from the dumpster behind the mission soup kitchen. How else can they make mac and cheese smell like cooked cabbage? Pat, if I remember correctly, I told you almost 2 years ago to find something other than Nortons for your AV...(back at G4) Have someone here help you drag the dreks of it outta your machine and say goodbye. I have been "kootie-less" for almost 3 years using Avast free. If you'll feel safer paying for an AV, buy a great one like Kasperskys or Nod32. Quote Link to post Share on other sites
robroy Posted February 8, 2006 Report Share Posted February 8, 2006 how's the smoke free going bd, glad the paw is doing good Quote Link to post Share on other sites
bozodog Posted February 8, 2006 Report Share Posted February 8, 2006 Awww, robroy. Smoke free ain't doing so well. TheBrit failed badly(although he has cut back 50%) and I'm kinda hanging in there at about 8 a day... It's even tougher because I can't stay physically busy. I'm still hobbling around on this sore hip, stuffing vicodine. I can't even concentrate on anything fun at the computer. Quote Link to post Share on other sites
robroy Posted February 9, 2006 Report Share Posted February 9, 2006 So thats why he hasn't been in chat eh, didn't want to admit failure heheIt is tough to quit, I got lucky that I managed it Quote Link to post Share on other sites
thesidekickcat Posted February 14, 2006 Report Share Posted February 14, 2006 Well dang! We pin this thread and no one comes anymore. Whats up?Paw surgery went well. But holy cow! My hip is killing me! I have a bruise the size of a basketball and it hurts worse than the hand. Serve me up todays special.. I'm now sure hospital food comes from the dumpster behind the mission soup kitchen. How else can they make mac and cheese smell like cooked cabbage? Pat, if I remember correctly, I told you almost 2 years ago to find something other than Nortons for your AV...(back at G4) Have someone here help you drag the dreks of it outta your machine and say goodbye. I have been "kootie-less" for almost 3 years using Avast free. If you'll feel safer paying for an AV, buy a great one like Kasperskys or Nod32.I am glad to hear your surgery went ok on your hand, but why is your hip bruised? Did they dump you out off the surgery table or something? Actually a friend of mine fell out of hospital bed when coming out of anesethia (sp?), and they had forgotten to put side rails up on bed. Luckily didn't break any bones.Yes I know you and others have told me and everyone to get rid of Norton, but did I listen....nooooo! Sigh!!Had to learn the hard way that everyone is right about how bad it can be at times. So now I think I will get F-Secure Internet Security Suite. (from Tiger Direct if I can't find it locally...for about $50 plus there is a $20 competitors upgrade mail in rebate.)This article and digging deeper into the reviews, plus the F-Secure website info, plus the review in PC World of antivirus, plus I have heard the BitDefender firewall isn't so great, so decided on this one... so unless I hear anything serious against it to change my mind, that's what I'll get. PC Magazine Review of 2006 Internet Suites This article is in current PC World magazine, about virus fighting via several well known antivirus programs.Some surprises here folks...!PC World Review of Antivirus ProgramsAnd this is their rankings of those programs.PC World Antivirus Reviews RankingsI have gotten the computer to behave ok without crashing, and have done a work around the Norton persnickety ornery LiveUpdate by doing antivirus updates via the Intelligent Updater for businesses etc so am still protected and the firewall doesn't update very often only every 6 to 8 weeks or so so am ok there for now. I figure I will be ok long enough to order the new F-Secure, and then my only concern will be to get Norton uninstalled enough to not give trouble. Of course will get rid of as much as possible through add/remove programs, don't want to do the Symantec tool routine with LiveUpdate messed up with several bits and pieces of different versions and different tools needed for at least two of them. Plus lots of other steps needed. F-Secure does take out conflicting stuff so should be ok, just kind of nervous it might not work right...Norton tends to do that to a person!!! I can do this, even if it takes a clean install. Like Mac needs to do, I just needed to decide what to do, and what to get to replace Norton (And the newest copy of PC World came Friday or Saturday with this much needed article...then did more research on the web. I don't wont to download it from their site though, not on dialup with time limits. So found that Tiger Direct carries it and it is cheaper too... so will order from them if I don't find it at local store that I thought I saw it at a few weeks ago but not on their website...so just will have to trek on over there to look. I feel so much better now that I have decided to switch rather than fight it anymore. Lots calmer and more peaceful about it all.Hope everyone is well, or getting there.And hope you all aren't snowed in. We have a slight chance of snow here tonight, tomorrow...with even colder artic air dropping down for rest of the week but may not be much to the various storm fronts coming in to bring snow. To be in 20's nights, but 30's to 40's days. I had to go out and cover my Jackamani Clematis tonight just in case. It has a foot of new growth and leaves on it from being fooled by the mild temperatures for last few weeks. So hopefully it doesn't freeze!!!Hubby just called to warn me it is nearly time for cat's medicine. So will see you all later. Take care folks.PatGod bless everyone. Quote Link to post Share on other sites
bozodog Posted February 14, 2006 Report Share Posted February 14, 2006 Pat, they took a graft out of my hip to fix the radius bone in my wrist.. I know have some bionic hardware too: Quote Link to post Share on other sites
thesidekickcat Posted February 15, 2006 Report Share Posted February 15, 2006 Ouch!!!Heal up soon my friend!!!PatGod bless everyone. Quote Link to post Share on other sites
macmarauder Posted February 15, 2006 Author Report Share Posted February 15, 2006 bionic bozodog?!?! "we can rebuild her, make her faster, stronger, able to leap servers in a single bound" maybe we could send her into the past to Terminate the leader of the evil corporation before he became the leader. (cues Bionic Terminator Music) Quote Link to post Share on other sites
bozodog Posted February 15, 2006 Report Share Posted February 15, 2006 Heh heh.... Ooohh yeah! Leaping servers with a single bound! Quote Link to post Share on other sites
blim Posted February 15, 2006 Report Share Posted February 15, 2006 Good articles, Pat! Thank you! And comforted that my "Mcrappie" fared well--like you, if I'm used to using something, I don't want to learn to use something new! Thinking Tech makes my head hurt and my eyes glaze over.....Shame that Norton has gone down in quality--I remember it used to be it was considered the very best!BionicBozodog, I LIKE that! Income taxes done (ugh, I do both kids', too, so triple dose and Michigan Income taxes are crazy confusing), FAFSAs done, property taxes paid, took the "nut" to her doctor appt, today's project will be dealing with two sisters that I don't get along with! It'll be another headache tonight from gritting my teeth. Still looking for Hibernation to start.Have taken a little time to watch the Olympics! Don't care if US is "faltering", been seeing some great performances.Liz Quote Link to post Share on other sites
handplane Posted February 15, 2006 Report Share Posted February 15, 2006 Heh heh.... Ooohh yeah! Leaping servers with a single bound!Ala SUPERMAN Quote Link to post Share on other sites
bar5 Posted February 16, 2006 Report Share Posted February 16, 2006 Sidekickcat said: I figure I will be ok long enough to order the new F-Secure, and then my only concern will be to get Norton uninstalled enough to not give trouble. Of course will get rid of as much as possible through add/remove programs, don't want to do the Symantec tool routine with LiveUpdate messed up with several bits and pieces of different versions and different tools needed for at least two of them.Pat:When I had Norton (NIS 2005), I uninstalled it in this order:1. AddRemove, uninstall Norton2. RebootGo back to:1. Add/Remove and uninstall LiveUpdate. It does not uninstall with Norton. It is done separately. A window will open asking you basically if you are sure because nothing will work if you uninstall. Click yes or OK. Can't remember exact words. If you do not click OK it will stay there.2. RebootGo back to Add/Remove and check to see if anything left, should be nothing.I did it exactly like this and never had any trouble, when I bought Trend Micro PC-Cillin and installed it.Good luckBarb Quote Link to post Share on other sites
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