OtbOA Update: Real Life Gets in the Way · 6:50am Aug 19th, 2013
So I've had some pokes about OtbOA and, man, when it rains ... last week was a killer. I had most of the next chapter typed and was adding/adjusting things when Monday night rolled around. My cat of 17 years - more then half my life - was having difficulty. Medical difficulty. At 11 PM. Thank god for emergency vets.
$250.00 later and humane euthanasia was really the only option. A few potential options to extend her life by months but with her age, her condition (cats love to hide away when they start to feel down, I almost lost another because of that a few months ago), and the fact it was cancer and probably had spread by that point, there really wasn't much I could do. I lost my best friend that night.
Tuesday comes and the project we've been fighting at work comes up with new ways to screw up. Lack of planning, lack of communication, lack of oversight and knowledge ... suffice to say, it'll be 'fun' to fix that. Oh, and I had to come home early to dig a grave for a little bundle wrapped in cloth.
Wednesday and I slash my left hand at work. Oh, and my car starts to break down. Yay I guess?
Thursday and nothing really happens except we fight that good fight with that one stupid project.
Friday and the mechanic gets back with me: alternator's shot and that means the battery is pretty much going to keep getting killed. $300.00 to fix it and that's at the cheapo places - it'll probably be $400.00 to work that all out. Oh, radio is busted because of that too and the motors that control the windows (I love electric windows that's a lie) will probably be needing replacement as well.
...
So last week was a bit of a downer. I got very little done. No excuses here - real life got in the way. This time in a major way. I'll work on OtbOA when I'm not feeling so down because, let's face it, when I'm even slightly down things get written that no one enjoys too much.
EDIT: I don't usually like to bother people about my real-life problems because, well, you like my stories and such and I love that but I don't need to bore anyone over my real-life woes. But I had some questions as to if OtbOA is dead (both PM and comments) so I thought I'd explain a bit why it's not coming out anywhere near 'on time.'
I. . .
. . .
I don't know what to say.
Don't worry about us, really, don't. We'll survive, we'll still be here. Take care of yourself, mate.
Events are like cowards: They wait until your back is turned, then all jump you at once.
My condolences regarding the cat. When a pet has been around long enough, it's no longer a pet, but a family member whom you will inevitably outlive.
You take as much time as you need. We can take the wait, if it means that you get the time you need to get back to feeling happy.
Damn shame. My cousin had a cat she loved with all her heart. It died years ago, at 20 to 21 years of age, if I recall correctly. T'was a good feline. Poor Minni.
Not to say it was all sad, though. Because of it's extremely advanced age, she used to joke that the deceased cat would rise from the dead like a mummy. Meeeeeeaaaaaooooow.
In all seriousness, though, life can be a heartless bitch sometimes. Alas, all we can do is move on. But it did feel good to hear something from you. You go girl!
The day my cat died (she was only a few days younger than me.), was the saddest day of my life. Take all the time you need.
Sorry to hear this crap going down for ya, take the time you need for yourself and don't worry about us.
Also... 300-400 for replacing an alternator is a fucking rip off! those things are about 50 bucks used at most, and arn't that hard to put in yourself. Than again I may be bias as I've been shunted to my mechanic uncle on numerous jobless summers when I was younger. Still. Fucking B.S. I swear they're ripping you off.
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I'm sorry for the loss of your cat man.
I had one too and he was a little adventurer.
The time came where he walked out more and more to expand his territory.
I saw him less and less.
and One day he wouldn't return at all. That was four years ago and I still don't know if he's fine or not. It's eating me up inside every day.
Don't be sad about your cat. Uncertainty is far worse. Especially when you have lots of Imagination.
I see that you had a week full of shit and I won't bother you with update demands.
Take your time until everything is sorted out and you feel better and continue from then on.
Dragon
Sorry to hear about your rotten week. Life often bites you in the ass for no apparent reason at times and seems to be out to make you miserable. We've all gone through it (or will) at some point. No worries, we can wait as long as you need. Take your time.
I can sympathize for your lost cat, as I've lost a few pets over the years... it's not fun at all...
Take care, and don't let life beat you down!
1294877 The price of the alternator isn't that high, like you said. However, the majority of that cost comes from labor put toward pulling the old alternator out and installing the new one in (a.k.a. servicing the vehicle). Labor for mechanics is about $80 an hour for a rough average I believe. So... depending on the price of the repairs listed here, it sounds like a three hour job or longer. So $300 isn't really a rip-off. Part: $50-60, Labor: $240 for three hours.
How do I know this? My dad is a mechanic. He runs his own shop and he says that most people in this business try to screw you out of your money. He thinks it's B.S. and has fair prices, because he says that's the way it should be. It shouldn't be people charging you $40 for a $20 oil change.
I know that feel.
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The real big issue is that it's on the main timing belt. Get that wrong and the engine is FUCKED - I've heard of total losses - though cars today ... So, yeah, I COULD go to - say - Pepboys or Autozone and get an over-priced new one for like $250 and try it myself but it'd be a wash money-wise. I don't really have the resources to get a good, solid used one without a major time investment and then I'd have to go into the cramped, overfilled interior of this relatively new-ish car (04) and try to wrangle the beast into position. It's ... it's not worth it.
Ever hear the song Life's Gonna Suck When You Grow Up? It is a very true song.
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What model car? If it's relatively common I'm sure you could find a scrap yard around where you live that would have one. But I know how it goes with those on older cars, my little Saturn needs some work on the belt tensioner and the tire bearings, thats about $1000 dollars hanging over my head right now.
And I am sorry about your cat, the old cat I used to have died on Thanksgiving day about seven or eight years ago.
Uh, dude?
You're writing technicoloured horse words. On the internet. For free.
I don't think you need to apologise. You don't owe nobody nothing.
Sorry for your loss. I know how it feels to lose a pet and friend.
Bad things happen in threes, so hopefully that means good things will be heading your way.
I have my fingers crossed for you.
Wow man, I was wondering if things were alright for ya since i hadn't heard from you for awhile but I didn't think it'd be this bad. Sorry to hear things have been so sucky for ya lately. Here's hoping things only go up from here out!
Sorry to hear about your troubles
. My friends cat that I have known most of my life is on its last legs right now as well. 
Just read this, and I have to say: I know that feel, my mums cat, age 23, able to speak a few words, up and lost her sense of small a few years ago, and that was it, she refused to eat, my mum tried using a wet food paste from a needless syringe into her mouth, but not even that helped and she had to be put down a few months later, almost as bad an my chihuahua dying. So I know that feel, I also know other feels that would make Bruce's past look nice, probably.