Off-Topic

Maybe I have it wrong. My wife's sister's husband's daughter from a previous marriage.

WTF is she?

Some chick. Post pics, pls.

Yeah, was going to say this as well. Fair game, EAM.

My wife prefers non-HD over HD. It drives me insane.

So what you all are saying is this particular 14 year old is fair game? Good to know.

OK, this one is so infuriating that it probably doesn't fall under the "irrational" umbrella but here it is:

People who come to you for advice and when you give it, they tell you your wrong and say they know better. If you know so much, DON'T FUCKING ASK.

Case in point. Back to the wife's sister's husband's daughter family.

He is a successful internet guy (frankly, I haven't a clue what he does.) Anyhoo, he just took a job in Ashburn and the company is paying for 9 months worth of rent for them to get settled. The thought is they want to rent close to where they will eventually buy so the 14 year doesn't have to uproot schools (for the third time in 4 years.)

Since they live in NJ, they ask me, a life long NOVA person where they should live. Of course my first question is what are their priorities. Now this answer has changed numerous times, from commute to work to proximity to the beltway, to proximity to the toll road, to best school for the 14 year old and eventually their 2 year old.

OK, best place imo, Ashburn? Close to work, up and coming school system. No need to be near the toll road. The only downside is it is out there and they won't be remotely close to Durr but they're boring people and would never go downtown anyway.

No, he doesn't want that, he wants a better school for the girl.

OK, my advice is try to find a house in Great Falls/McLean so it feeds to Langley/McLean. We look at a house for them in Great Falls that is perfect, great neighborhood, more west so it is a good commute (opposite traffic on Rte 7, feeds to Langley.)

No, he doesn't want that because...get this...he hears there's a bullying problem at Langley.

This morning, we look at a house in Vienna that feeds to Marshall which is another decent school but not the caliber of Langley/McLean. If schools are really the priority, LOL at choosing Marshall over the other two. Plus, his commute is further and the girl's commute to school will suck.

Oh, did I mention that my wife and I are looking at houses for them because they are in NJ?

At this point, whatever they suggest, I'm just saying, "that's fine." Let him learn the hard way.

I'm too lazy to look. Did I do that?

A trip to Costco can be headache inducing from stress/anger. My local Costco has been closed since last Dec for a major renovation. Just opened this past weekend. The parking lot is a clusterf*ck - they needed employees out there with their reflective vests directing traffic. It was so bad, people were stopping and signaling when they saw someone enter the aisle with a cart. Cars would be backed up 5-6 deep as the head car waited 5-10 mins for these ppl to unload all their crap and pull out. Then, a couple times, shoppers would suddenly veer over to the adjacent parking aisle.

Once I got in, it was reminiscent of some holiday eve. I would have left my cart if I didn't have my two kids. People not knowing where they want to go. Families walking 6-wide. Cart stopping right next to each other - the usual x100. It was gridlock.

Then, we waited about 5 mins for a sample of chicken nuggets for the kids. It's getting down to the end when I'm wondering if they will have two for my kids. I see that we're good. Then, out of nowhere, this 8-10 yr old kid sweeps in at the last moment and grabs the last four samples for his family. I think I would have been within my rights to beat that kid to a pulp. Samples at Costco sometimes feels like the apocalypse has come and people are sustaining themselves on these freebies.

In the checkout line, I thought my fortunes have changed. The main artery of shopping traffic dumps you to the extreme right of all the lanes. I was able to cut across smaller aisles and get to the last ones on the left. Found myself sliding into a gaping hole compared to the adjacent lines. A party was just paying and the 2nd party queued up had their purchases stopped at the barcode reader. Well, the line doesn't move. After an inordinately long time, a Costco employee comes to the cashier with one thing that the paying party was waiting for - it was a small food item. I don't know if their original was opened or if they simply forgot but my brain was boiling in it's own juices at this point. Then, the party in front of me splits their order into two transactions. I honestly don't know if I'll ever go back - it was that bad of an experience.

Add buying the full-screen version by accident to my list (do they even make full-screen versions any more?)

It is less of an issue now that HD is more common, I think - I used to see it all the time. The worst was when a non-HD sports event was stretched. Speaking of, another thing that pisses me off is people watching a non-HD channel, but aspect-stretched to fill the screen. Stretching the picture doesn't make the image HD, genius.

Having to feed myself everyday. I get so sick of it sometimes.

Where are my Jetson's style capsules to fill me up all day? Other than adderall?

When I go fishing and you see some foreign guys catching and keeping tons of tiny fish.

True and the decision he's made is LOL bad. He wants to live in the house with the commute that in my estimation has a 45 minute drive on the toll road because he thinks it's a better commute than the estimated 10 minute commute he'd have going opposite traffic on Route 7 because "he thinks there are too many stop lights."

I told him that going eastbound on the toll road in the afternoon is still pretty bad, and that's before the metro construction REALLY gets going.

Yeah have fun with that.