biodork

Wow... I got nothing. Corp - sorry for your loss, and I hope your family can find consolation knowing that she went peacefully. bunomatic - I can't even imagine what you and your family have been through (and how you haven't complained about it before). Really glad to hear you seem to have good doctors on your side, and I hope your son continues to improve so you can all get back to living life. Good health is a gift we often take for granted until we don't have it, and I wish a large dose of it for you and yours, who are clearly overdue.

Useless paperwork generated by people (more specifically, people in human resources) who clearly don't have enough work to do and feel a need to somehow justify their existence. My boss and I filled out the appropriate forms at the end of April to request that I be promoted, and had been in touch with our departmental HR rep to make sure we had everything completed. A few days after we turned in the forms to her, she contacts us and tells us we have to fill out a newer version of the exact same form that had only been created 2 or 3 weeks prior. Annoying, but we did it, and the promotion paperwork was forwarded to the University HR reps for review on May 9th. Just today we find out that not only have they NOT started the review process, but they have yet another new form to be filed in addition to the ones we already submitted. This new form still says "DRAFT" in the header and has a place where they reference a webpage that does not yet exist, and when we called them on it, they admitted that this form was only created a few weeks ago but that they are requiring it anyhow. The review process at this University is already ass-backwards since my boss has essentially no input into the decision other than to say she approves, and the people deciding my promotion and subsequent salary increase have no idea what I do on a day-to-day basis (not even located on the same campus). Their purported mission to provide "fair and equitable reviews" succeeds only at having everyone be equally underpaid, so I'm going through all this extra work filling out forms in the hope of getting a meager increase that likely won't even cover the student loan payments that I took out to finish my Master's degree. :wallbash: :wallbash: :wallbash:

Serious lack of sleep. Was supposed to have 4-5 weeks to write my thesis before the defense, but because of scheduling issues with my committee I had to move up the timeline for the defense and write everything in two weeks instead. Been pulling all-nighters and napping in the chair far too often lately, and at that point where I'm so tired it's making me stupid. :wacko: Almost done, though... very soon this will all be worth it. I guess you people with driving complaints can be happy I'm not living in your town right now. :P

Thanks to all for the great suggestions and helpful information! I used to drink sweeter mixers with vodka when I was younger, but now not so much. I'm just tired of rotating between vodka and cranberry, martinis, and black russians. I'll always enjoy a good espresso martini (just espresso and vodka, chilled, mmm), but I'm looking to try something new that will be good to sip at and doesn't require mixing. Love all the ideas... you guys have me looking forward to trying some new things! And for the scotch drinkers who like the good stuff, if you find yourself in Baltimore my friend swears by this place: Birds of a Feather Restaurant and Scotch Bar

lol on the 1970s Buffalo -- I've had Crown and ginger, and that isn't bad. It's just that I don't drink soda much (not a big fan) so I was sort of hoping to skip that stage of mixing. I've never heard of that brand of Scotch but I like your suggestion - thanks, I'll check it out!

Okay, so this came up in the Complaint Thursdays thread this week and since a lot of you seem to know your alcohol, figured I'd ask this here. I'm primarily a vodka drinker; I enjoy the clean taste and versatility in mixing, but I'm a little bored with it. I also enjoy light rum in a mojito during warmer weather, but I'd like to try whiskey or scotch. So what I'm hoping you guys might be able to help me with is: just how does one begin drinking whiskey or scotch? I'd eventually like to get to the point of being able to enjoy some of the good stuff neat or on the rocks, but I'm guessing I'll need to work up to that point since I don't drink it now. Two main questions come to mind: 1) What are some good "starter" liquors, i.e. something good enough I'll have a chance at liking, but not so good that I'll hate myself if I buy a bottle and don't end up liking it, and 2) Is it best to start with a mixer, or jump right in with the undiluted stuff? Any suggestions would be much appreciated -- thanks in advance for the help!

I think that honor should be reserved for Absolut vodka. Great marketing, but the stuff tastes like rubbing alcohol. And in the spirit of the complaint thread, I have an Absolut Komplaint: I used to work in a restaurant, and one evening this guy and his girlfriend come in and sit in my section. I take their drink orders, and I forget what she ordered but he asked for a martini (up) with Absolut vodka. I resist the urge to mock him and get their drinks as requested. The next time I'm going past the table, the guy flags me down to ask me to get a new martini because the vodka was "bruised" from the bartender shaking it before pouring. Really, dude... really? You're drinking Absolut and you wanna try and act fancy and complain your sh!tty vodka has been "bruised"? Douchebag.

lol well color me unobservant -- never even noticed you have Finger Lakes as your location. :oops:

Minor complaint: Phoenix got swept. Was really hoping they'd make a better go of it, both because a) I'm not crazy about the Red Wings, and b) my mom and my brother were just getting into hockey and they're disappointed the team is done so soon (and that they might not be there next season).

Looks like quite a few in Buffalo, and according to their site even carried at City Grill! Had no idea, lol. http://www.fingerlakesdistilling.com/index.php/where-to-buy

Either of you guys know this place? Finger Lakes Distilling I didn't get a chance to try their whiskey but it's supposedly quite good, and I can tell you their vodka is fantastic. Wish I lived close enough to get their stuff more regularly; it's a beautiful tasting room, too, so if you find yourself in the Seneca Lake area, I recommend it!

Huh -- I'm not a whiskey drinker at all, but I would've guessed something more like Maker's Mark for a Manhattan.

That video is too funny. I love the calorie/fat counter on the bottom. "We 'bout to get DRUNK off pancakes!"

My boss has been preparing a paper for publication for a few months now, and even though I am listed as the second author, last Friday was the first I received the full paper for review and on Monday she decided to send it out to the other authors before I had a chance to read it. So yesterday I read the thing, and it still includes sections with incorrect (and poorly written) information that I already corrected when she sent me a partial version SIX WEEKS AGO. Also contains sections where she has asked us to write a description on how something was done, and then she changed it without asking to a version that is also factually incorrect. :wallbash:

That sucks, man -- I hope the doc gets your eye all fixed up. Eye stuff is the worst, but hopefully it doesn't hurt (even though you can't see well). Scratched my cornea twice and that hurts like a mother. Feels like putting sand under your eyelid. On the plus side, got to rock a pirate patch to work for a few days, which is always a good conversation-starter.

We have a conference call this afternoon with a potential collaborator to go over preliminary results we've generated for the project, and yesterday our lab met to go over what we have and to decide how best to present the data, what to send the other group, etc. Our boss asked us to put together a few slides and send to her at the end of the day so she could look over them before sending along this morning to the collaborators. So this morning, in the last 2 hours, we've gotten I don't know how many e-mails (from our boss) asking questions about the data, asking for more slides and more information, etc. etc., all AFTER she already sent them to the other group. What the F was the point of us sending it to her first if she wasn't even going to look at it before sending along???????? :wallbash:

Travel mugs. The size of cup holders in automobiles is pretty well standardized, so why do I have several travel mugs that tip over and slosh coffee in my car when I turn a corner? :thumbdown:

Sabres lost a game they should have won. :censored:

:lol:

My dog's new bathroom habits. He used to sleep like a champ, and now he's started waking me up in the middle of the night to either get a drink or to go outside. Granted, I sincerely appreciate him waking me up to go out rather than peeing on the bed, but when I'm only getting 5-6 hours of sleep most nights anyhow, getting up 1-3 times is not cool. And going to the bathroom before I get home from work. I can't be mad at the little guy because I work ridiculously long hours right now and he's older so I don't expect him to hold it, but seriously -- did he HAVE to step in his own poop and track it all around the house? I get home late last night and had to shampoo the living room/dining room carpet, mop the kitchen floor, and clean the dried poop off his paws. Fun times.

Good luck!

I'm with you, man... school is only good if you can focus on it full-time. Full-time work and part-time graduate school sucks b@lls.

lol my dog, too -- I tried clearing an area for him after each of the storms, but down here it's all been melting and re-freezing so even if it isn't deep, it's icy and hard as a rock. Sometimes he gives up trying to walk on it and just takes a dump on the sidewalk instead. Can't say I blame the little guy.

My mom and brother moved out to Phoenix this past year and I'm headed there tomorrow for a visit. My complaint? Back in October, it seemed like an awesome idea to see the Sabres play the Coyotes Sat. night... now I'm just hoping I won't be embarrassed to have on a Sabres jersey. <_<