is back to school time for anyone with sprogs under 23ish.  with added covid effect.  We're all beating our heads against brick walls and such.....  

.....oh yeah, my pool also asked my to organize a fun swim meet to commemorate their 60th season this Saturday and like a sucker i agreed and then the support to promote it is kinda lame...... 

.....and my job is crazy busy right now because we're trying to schedule 4,000 customers to get their irrigation shut down before the first freeze comes to truly fuck up their system with only three truly competent and two newbie techs (who can do 8-11ish  shutdowns each per day) ....and people who can afford our services are just a tint bit on the entitled side.... and the richer they are, the bigger their system and the bigger spot in the schedule we need so the harder it is to schedule after they finally realize our mind-reading skillz are not up to their expectations.....

Wait, what was the question?

We all drive stick. Except him.  because.  We have an expert mechanic on board.  This si really not the main problem, although teaching him to drive stick without a death in the family is quite an achievement.

My car is stick.  exArchPoloGrls car is stick..... we'd have taught him already if it was a sensible goal before now.   But auto cars are selling for over the asking price within 15 minutes here.  We're hoping driving stick will keep him focused so he doesn't get distracted and CRASH THE MOTHERFUCKER  

*waves*

I'm here. Tootling along working from home and playing with Carrot in between calls

Unfortunately, I spend so much of my working day focused on the computer screen, reading claim files and reports and writing claim reviews and emails that most days when I log off the laptop the idea of reading and/or posting isn't fun- I do try to read a few threads though, mainly at lunch time.

Quick update on other shit in my life:

 - The two Js are looking to leave Vietnam and hoping to move to Portugal in the next few months (hurrah - happy at the thought of them being back in Europe, but sad that their Vietnam experience has been so tainted by the loss of the dogs)

- less happy development: a few weeks ago my older brother had some sort of breakdown - full on manic episode, very worrying. Mental health team were involved but fortunately it wasn't necessary for him to be admitted . They have been visiting him at home instead. He's calmed down an awfu lot but he is still not himself. 

It's been quite destabilizing because my brother has always been the emotionally and mentally strong one in the family: very artistic but also super pragmatic and capable and was a trained NLP counselor back in the day.  Seeing him in that state and even now when that edge comes in it is really disturbing. 

I think he's going to be ok - but it's taking a while. 

Other than that all is peachy
 

Diaphone Jim wrote:

I have taught several young folks how to "drive" a stick.
In watching them and others who already knew, I am bothered that how to shift gears with a clutch does not often seem to involve knowing when to shift gears to maximize the efficiency and longevity of the engine  and how to preserve the whole driveline while doing so.
If one is not interested in learning those skills and/or doesn't have anyone to teach them, then an auto trans is for them.

Yeah our recent cars have had a little box or the car to "suggest" what gear you should be using.  Seems kind of pointless to me.  If you need to be told what gear you should be in, y'ain't doing it right, might as well let the car do it.  The minivans were all automatic.  Drove me nuts..nutser.