GM's thread about nothing (25 Viewers)

[Drifter]

Day 1 of my drive to Seattle. Holy #### is it hot out there. 103 through most of Wisconsin. Enjoyed some beer and fireworks in the great Sioux Falls, SD. Tomorrow Mt Rushmore and on to Wyoming. Happy 4th fellas.

75 and crystal blue skies here gb

 

[shuke]

True story...related.

I was helping my wife make a cake today (she was busy decorating cookies). My job was to make the cake batter since it takes no skill what so ever.

I said something smart-assed to here.

She threatened to squirt me with a bag-full of red icing.

My reply.

 

[shuke]

I volunteered to bring cinnamon rolls to a 4th of July party.

 

[-fish-]

sucks that however happy I am in my life is met my a directly proportional amount of unreasonable #####iness from my ex-wife.

 

[Marvin]

I volunteered to bring cinnamon rolls to a 4th of July party.

Just choked on my post drunk jack in the box

 

[General Malaise]

True story...related.

I was helping my wife make a cake today (she was busy decorating cookies). My job was to make the cake batter since it takes no skill what so ever.

I said something smart-assed to here.

She threatened to squirt me with a bag-full of red icing.

My reply.

 

[General Malaise]

Today's battle with the house of horrors took us to the chapter where the incompetent protagonist challenged the overgrown ivy that is choking a nice fir tree in the side of the front yard. It's also choking my lovely rhodanedron (no clue how to spell that) plant and a few other species of foilage. The only thing worse than battling the ivy that I've dealt with thus far is trying to uproot and kill the blackberries, which are nasty, fierce bastards with thorns all over. My legs look like I lathered them up in Rite-Aid butter and stuck them in a crate with Tanner's starved cats.

Yardwork...it's FANTASTIC! [/non-angry]

 

[General Malaise]

Lost my mind yesterday. Hit the punching bag for the first time in a long time. I try constantly to be good to people and the person that I do the most for, and should appreciate me the most, my wife, shows me no respect at times. I'm still ####### pissed despite her multiple apologies.

ETA

Thanks for listening.

"Let go or be dragged."- Zen proverb.

I'm not one to hold grudges but this is different. I've had it with her spoiled ###.

Sorry, GB. :( After the last two weeks, I wish I had kept the punching bag hanging in the garage instead of selling it to the Student Movers. Chopping wood has helped. Hang in there. It gets better. Especially with booze.

 

[Aaron Rudnicki]

Saw tons of #### today. Badlands, Mount Rushmore, about 600 Bison in Custer State Park, Crazy Horse, and the town of Deadwood. Missed out on Devil's Tower due to darkness and then hit a freaky lightning storm to finish things off. I'm spent. Onto Yellowstone tomorrow. Still about 1000 miles to Seattle.

This is a big freaking country.

 

[proninja]

sucks that however happy I am in my life is met my a directly proportional amount of unreasonable #####iness from my ex-wife.

Things could be worse. She could still be your wife.

 

[Bob Sacamano]

Saw tons of #### today. Badlands, Mount Rushmore, about 600 Bison in Custer State Park, Crazy Horse, and the town of Deadwood. Missed out on Devil's Tower due to darkness and then hit a freaky lightning storm to finish things off. I'm spent. Onto Yellowstone tomorrow. Still about 1000 miles to Seattle.

This is a big freaking country.

I'm pretty sure they quit brewing this, so if you'd grab a couple of 40s for me, I'd appreciate it.

 

[flysack]

Today's battle with the house of horrors took us to the chapter where the incompetent protagonist challenged the overgrown ivy that is choking a nice fir tree in the side of the front yard. It's also choking my lovely rhodanedron (no clue how to spell that) plant and a few other species of foilage. The only thing worse than battling the ivy that I've dealt with thus far is trying to uproot and kill the blackberries, which are nasty, fierce bastards with thorns all over. My legs look like I lathered them up in Rite-Aid butter and stuck them in a crate with Tanner's starved cats.

Yardwork...it's FANTASTIC! [/non-angry]

Extremely white people problems.

 

[Guster]

Lost my mind yesterday. Hit the punching bag for the first time in a long time. I try constantly to be good to people and the person that I do the most for, and should appreciate me the most, my wife, shows me no respect at times. I'm still ####### pissed despite her multiple apologies.

ETA

Thanks for listening.

"Let go or be dragged."- Zen proverb.

I'm not one to hold grudges but this is different. I've had it with her spoiled ###.

Sorry, GB.

:( After the last two weeks, I wish I had kept the punching bag hanging in the garage instead of selling it to the Student Movers. Chopping wood has helped. Hang in there. It gets better. Especially with booze.

 

[Guster]

Today's battle with the house of horrors took us to the chapter where the incompetent protagonist challenged the overgrown ivy that is choking a nice fir tree in the side of the front yard. It's also choking my lovely rhodanedron (no clue how to spell that) plant and a few other species of foilage. The only thing worse than battling the ivy that I've dealt with thus far is trying to uproot and kill the blackberries, which are nasty, fierce bastards with thorns all over. My legs look like I lathered them up in Rite-Aid butter and stuck them in a crate with Tanner's starved cats.

Yardwork...it's FANTASTIC! [/non-angry]

Extremely white people problems.

 

[Guster]

i've got to make it through the next 80 minutes and then i have a lunch/wine tasting planned with my boss and some other people from work. i got in a little before 9 today and this is going to count as a full day of work.

 

[Bob Sacamano]

Today's battle with the house of horrors took us to the chapter where the incompetent protagonist challenged the overgrown ivy that is choking a nice fir tree in the side of the front yard. It's also choking my lovely rhodanedron (no clue how to spell that) plant and a few other species of foilage. The only thing worse than battling the ivy that I've dealt with thus far is trying to uproot and kill the blackberries, which are nasty, fierce bastards with thorns all over. My legs look like I lathered them up in Rite-Aid butter and stuck them in a crate with Tanner's starved cats.

Yardwork...it's FANTASTIC! [/non-angry]

Extremely white people problems.

Don't underestimate the urban ivy problem in America.ono!

#### will eat you alive

Can't be white and pull off something this ugly

 

[Bob Sacamano]

Lost my mind yesterday. Hit the punching bag for the first time in a long time. I try constantly to be good to people and the person that I do the most for, and should appreciate me the most, my wife, shows me no respect at times. I'm still ####### pissed despite her multiple apologies.

ETA

Thanks for listening.

"Let go or be dragged."- Zen proverb.

I'm not one to hold grudges but this is different. I've had it with her spoiled ###.

Sorry, GB.

:( After the last two weeks, I wish I had kept the punching bag hanging in the garage instead of selling it to the Student Movers. Chopping wood has helped. Hang in there. It gets better. Especially with booze.

SLB> I thought you already knew, but the secret to a happy marriage is to stop trying. And by happy, of course, I mean happy for you. She's not going to be happy either way.

 

[Guster]

Lost my mind yesterday. Hit the punching bag for the first time in a long time. I try constantly to be good to people and the person that I do the most for, and should appreciate me the most, my wife, shows me no respect at times. I'm still ####### pissed despite her multiple apologies.ETAThanks for listening.

i love you

 

[YSR]

WARNING: LONG POST AHEAD

I don't much like to venture outside this thread, so while I'll do some searches on the board, I'll pose my questions here.

I have a good friend who is getting married in San Francisco in August. I've never been there, so I am a little wary of making arrangements without some input. The following is an email from her regarding the events and locations. It's long and thorough, so those of you who don't know anything about SF may just want to skip this post.

By now you should have received your save the date card for our upcoming wedding to be held on August 11, 2012 in San Francisco, California.

We had a local artist create the save the date illustration for us and we love it. However, you’ll note that it is a bit light on details, so we wanted to take this opportunity to provide you with information about the various events, accommodations and other logistics. This email is primarily geared to our guests who will be traveling to San Francisco this summer; locals—feel free to stop reading after the description of the main events!

WEDDING AND WEDDING-RELATED EVENTS:

Thursday, August 9th

·

Pizza night at our house for anyone who is in town/available

o Location: [house #] Franklin Street, San Francisco

o Attire: VERY casual

o Time: 5:30pm—whenever

o RSVP: We won’t be sending out a separate invitation for this gathering. Please reply to this email by August 8th to let us know if you’ll be joining us so we can make sure to order enough food!

Friday, August 10th

·

Mexican feast at Guaymas restaurant in Tiburon

o Location: 5 Main Street, Tiburon

o Attire: Casual, but you will want a jacket/wrap as we’ll be dining outdoors

o Time: 6pm-9pm (we will be traveling to/from Guaymas via ferry; additional details to follow via email)

o RSVP: You will receive a formal invitation along with the wedding invitation; kindly use the enclosed response card to RSVP.

Saturday, August 11th

·

WEDDING!

o Address: The Penthouse Suite of the Fairmont Hotel in Nob Hill, San Francisco

o Attire: Coat and tie for gentlemen; cocktail for ladies

o Time: Cocktail hour begins at 6pm; ceremony and reception to follow

o RSVP: You will receive a formal wedding invitation via mail; kindly use the enclosed response card to RSVP.

o Note: As with the entire weekend, the wedding is kid-friendly. There will be a dedicated area of the suite where kids will be able to watch movies, play games, eat, etc, with adult supervision provided.

Sunday, August 12th

Farewell brunch

o Location: St. Francis Yacht Club

o Attire: Collared shirts for men (polo shirts are fine); thematic boating attire encouraged, and you can expect Rob to be wearing brightly colored pants.

o Time: approx. 11:00am-1:00pm

o RSVP: Our hosts for this event will be sending out separate invitations; please RSVP as indicated. To aid in their planning, kindly reply to this email and let us know if your travel plans will permit you to join us for brunch on Sunday.

ACCOMMODATIONS, LOGISTICS AND OTHER INFORMATION:

· Hotels:

o The Fairmont. We have secured a small block of rooms at the Fairmont Hotel. These rooms are offered at the discounted rates listed below and are available for check-in as early as August 6, 2012. You can access our room block and book online here or by calling 1-800-441-1414 and referencing the [wedding party] wedding. You may want to also check out room availability through the regular Fairmont booking website, as prices can fluctuate and you may find something at a lower rate than our room block! Additional information about specific rooms is available here. If you have difficulty obtaining a discounted room rate through the website, let us know right away. The Fairmont will increase the size of the room block, if necessary. Note: if you have a United Mileage Plus credit card, consider using it to book your room as you will be upgraded to a higher room class on check in, if available.

ROOM CATEGORY SINGLE/DOUBLE RATE

§ Fairmont Queen $299.00

§ Exterior Fairmont King $329.00

§ Fairmont Exterior Double Bedded Room $339.00

§ Deluxe Tower (King) $359.00

§ Deluxe Tower (Double Double) $369.00

§ Signature Tower (King) $409.00

§ Signature Tower (Double Double) $419.00

§ Main Building Suite $479.00

§ Tower Suite $579.00

o Other Options.

§ Nob Hill. The Nob Hill area is full of great hotels, and all of the following are within a 3 block radius of The Fairmont. We do not have room blocks at any of these, but you may be able to find favorable pricing through hotels.com or similar:

· Huntington Hotel

· InterContinental Hotel Mark Hopkins

· The Stanford Court, A Renaissance Hotel

· The Ritz-Carlton

§ Union Square. Union Square is another very popular and heavily trafficked area of the city and is full of great shopping, restaurants and attractions. The Fairmont is only five blocks from Union Square, but those five blocks are among the steepest in San Francisco. Although romantic, the cable car that runs up Powell Street, with stops at the Westin and the Fairmont, is likely to be packed like a Tokyo subway. If you do choose Union Square, all of the following are good options and may offer more competitive rates than the rooms in our room block:

· The Westin St. Francis

· Four Seasons Hotel

· Hotel Palomar, A Kimpton Hotel

· Transportation: We don’t recommend renting a car while in San Francisco if you are planning to stay at a hotel as parking is extremely expensive and scarce. Parking at the Fairmont is $56 per night! Cabs and public transportation are often readily available and a much easier way of getting around the city. If you anticipate using taxis frequently, we recommend signing up for UBER via your phone—it’s free and once you create an account, you can easily access town cars at rates that are 30-50% higher than regular taxis but well worth it, especially during peak times. We will be arranging transportation to/from Guaymas on Friday night via ferry.

· Weather: It may be summer but it most likely won’t feel like it! Average August temperatures for San Francisco are in the high 50s and low 60s, often with heavy fog and winds. Please pack/plan accordingly!

· Registries: Your presence at our wedding is gift enough! However, if you would like to give a gift, it is our preference that you consider a gift to one of the following charities, each of which has personal and deep significance for us:

o Alzheimer's Association: the leading voluntary health organization in Alzheimer's care and support and the largest private, nonprofit funder of Alzheimer's research.

o Freedom to Marry: American coalition committed to winning and keeping the freedom to marry for same-gender couples.

o Del Mar Schools Education Foundation: provides resources to support and enhance educational programs and opportunities for students in the Del Mar Union School District.

o Pets Unlimited: a 24x7 veterinary clinic in San Francisco (our kitties go here) where a portion of all dollars spent goes to support its onsite animal shelter and adoption center.

Phew! Thanks for staying with us (assuming you’re still reading). That should be it for now. For those of you traveling, you will receive welcome packets in your hotel rooms with additional information about things to do, see and eat in San Francisco and surrounding areas. To that end, once you’ve made your travel arrangements, kindly let us know where you’ll be staying by replying to this email.

Even with my new fancy ( ) University job, we are still on a really, really tight budget these days. I'm trying to use some Delta SkyMiles left over from my consulting days to take care of our airfare, but that might present some scheduling dilemmas, as my time off (three weeks after starting a new job) is probably going to be fairly limited. So we may have to suck it up and pay for airfare, which will likely be ~$800-950 for the two of us.Which brings me to lodging. I know SF is a really expensive city, but does any of you know of a decent and reasonably priced place to stay in the areas she's mentioned above? In order to make flying cross-country worthwhile, we are going to be there for at least 3 nights, possibly 4 (depending on my time off of work). I'd rather not add another ~$1k to this trip for lodging alone if I don't have to do so.

Beyond that, any other tips on logistics of the city and recommendations you can provide for things to do (Alcatraz? Golden Gate? Throw trash at Truck?) or places to eat would be greatly appreciated.

 

[EYLive]

I booked a night at Club Quarters for $99 online a few years ago, but it looks to be much pricier on the dates you listed.

 

[-fish-]

Hate my ex-wife with the heat of a thousand suns.

What kind of a female dog uses her daughter's birthday party as a way to show spite?

 

[St. Louis Bob]

Thanks guys. I'm sure things will work out one way or another. Frankly I'm too nice to my family and I guess this has to change.

We leave tomorrow for Bloomington, IL for my cousin's wedding. This will be my 4th wedding in 6 weeks I think and I still have another one next month.

FML

Oh and we were supposed to go to the track for a surprise party tonight but our sitter canceled.

FML

Thanks for letting my vent and whine like a #####. No offense K4,YSR and all of the other women that gave up on the GMTAN.

 

[commisholio]

YSR, the Best Western "Hotel California" (barf) is nearby, has rooms available on that weekend starting at $210/night (190 with a AAA discount). I think if I were you I'd try priceline - it's going to be hard to find something much below $200 per night in that area by going to hotel websites I think. I would be tempted to take the group rate at the Fairmont if you can't do much better on Priceline and just enjoy the experience as it is a very nice hotel.

 

[Disco Stu]

Hate my ex-wife with the heat of a thousand suns. What kind of a female dog uses her daughter's birthday party as a way to show spite?

Gonna need more details GB. Were you bringing your new GF to the event?

 

[-fish-]

Hate my ex-wife with the heat of a thousand suns. What kind of a female dog uses her daughter's birthday party as a way to show spite?

Gonna need more details GB. Were you bringing your new GF to the event?

Nothing to do with the new gf, other than the fact that my ex has been more and more difficult with scheduling/phone calls/weekends.Daughter's birthday is in two weeks on a Thursday. I have her that weekend from Friday-Sunday. ex scheduled a party for Tuesday during the day, while I'm at work (she was accommodating her friends, who weren't available on Thursday). I told her that I wouldn't be coming, and that I'd just have a separate party for my daughter on Saturday. Now I find out that she sent out invitations for that Saturday at her house, even though I have her that weekend. So I either need to give up my plans and go to the ex's house on Saturday, or tell my daughter why the party she's been planning is being cancelled.

 

[YSR]

Hate my ex-wife with the heat of a thousand suns. What kind of a female dog uses her daughter's birthday party as a way to show spite?

Gonna need more details GB. Were you bringing your new GF to the event?

Nothing to do with the new gf, other than the fact that my ex has been more and more difficult with scheduling/phone calls/weekends.Daughter's birthday is in two weeks on a Thursday. I have her that weekend from Friday-Sunday. ex scheduled a party for Tuesday during the day, while I'm at work (she was accommodating her friends, who weren't available on Thursday). I told her that I wouldn't be coming, and that I'd just have a separate party for my daughter on Saturday. Now I find out that she sent out invitations for that Saturday at her house, even though I have her that weekend. So I either need to give up my plans and go to the ex's house on Saturday, or tell my daughter why the party she's been planning is being cancelled.

Send out invitations for an even BETTER party for Friday night. Do it up right. Go ahead and go with your daughter to your ex's party on Saturday, but make sure her party pales in comparison.

 

[urbanhack]

Hate my ex-wife with the heat of a thousand suns. What kind of a female dog uses her daughter's birthday party as a way to show spite?

That's pretty ####### lame. How long have the two of you been apart? Why the hell is she still angry?

 

[Notorious T.R.E.]

Hate my ex-wife with the heat of a thousand suns. What kind of a female dog uses her daughter's birthday party as a way to show spite?

Gonna need more details GB. Were you bringing your new GF to the event?

Nothing to do with the new gf, other than the fact that my ex has been more and more difficult with scheduling/phone calls/weekends.Daughter's birthday is in two weeks on a Thursday. I have her that weekend from Friday-Sunday. ex scheduled a party for Tuesday during the day, while I'm at work (she was accommodating her friends, who weren't available on Thursday). I told her that I wouldn't be coming, and that I'd just have a separate party for my daughter on Saturday. Now I find out that she sent out invitations for that Saturday at her house, even though I have her that weekend. So I either need to give up my plans and go to the ex's house on Saturday, or tell my daughter why the party she's been planning is being cancelled.

Well, you have her. Can't you just have your party as planned?

 

[cosjobs]

WARNING: LONG POST AHEAD

I don't much like to venture outside this thread, so while I'll do some searches on the board, I'll pose my questions here.

I have a good friend who is getting married in San Francisco in August. I've never been there, so I am a little wary of making arrangements without some input. The following is an email from her regarding the events and locations. It's long and thorough, so those of you who don't know anything about SF may just want to skip this post.

By now you should have received your save the date card for our upcoming wedding to be held on August 11, 2012 in San Francisco, California.

We had a local artist create the save the date illustration for us and we love it. However, you'll note that it is a bit light on details, so we wanted to take this opportunity to provide you with information about the various events, accommodations and other logistics. This email is primarily geared to our guests who will be traveling to San Francisco this summer; locals—feel free to stop reading after the description of the main events!

WEDDING AND WEDDING-RELATED EVENTS:

Thursday, August 9th

·

Pizza night at our house for anyone who is in town/available

o Location: [house #] Franklin Street, San Francisco

o Attire: VERY casual

o Time: 5:30pm—whenever

o RSVP: We won't be sending out a separate invitation for this gathering. Please reply to this email by August 8th to let us know if you'll be joining us so we can make sure to order enough food!

Friday, August 10th

·

Mexican feast at Guaymas restaurant in Tiburon

o Location: 5 Main Street, Tiburon

o Attire: Casual, but you will want a jacket/wrap as we'll be dining outdoors

o Time: 6pm-9pm (we will be traveling to/from Guaymas via ferry; additional details to follow via email)

o RSVP: You will receive a formal invitation along with the wedding invitation; kindly use the enclosed response card to RSVP.

Saturday, August 11th

·

WEDDING!

o Address: The Penthouse Suite of the Fairmont Hotel in Nob Hill, San Francisco

o Attire: Coat and tie for gentlemen; cocktail for ladies

o Time: Cocktail hour begins at 6pm; ceremony and reception to follow

o RSVP: You will receive a formal wedding invitation via mail; kindly use the enclosed response card to RSVP.

o Note: As with the entire weekend, the wedding is kid-friendly. There will be a dedicated area of the suite where kids will be able to watch movies, play games, eat, etc, with adult supervision provided.

Sunday, August 12th

Farewell brunch

o Location: St. Francis Yacht Club

o Attire: Collared shirts for men (polo shirts are fine); thematic boating attire encouraged, and you can expect Rob to be wearing brightly colored pants.

o Time: approx. 11:00am-1:00pm

o RSVP: Our hosts for this event will be sending out separate invitations; please RSVP as indicated. To aid in their planning, kindly reply to this email and let us know if your travel plans will permit you to join us for brunch on Sunday.

ACCOMMODATIONS, LOGISTICS AND OTHER INFORMATION:

· Hotels:

o The Fairmont. We have secured a small block of rooms at the Fairmont Hotel. These rooms are offered at the discounted rates listed below and are available for check-in as early as August 6, 2012. You can access our room block and book online here or by calling 1-800-441-1414 and referencing the [wedding party] wedding. You may want to also check out room availability through the regular Fairmont booking website, as prices can fluctuate and you may find something at a lower rate than our room block! Additional information about specific rooms is available here. If you have difficulty obtaining a discounted room rate through the website, let us know right away. The Fairmont will increase the size of the room block, if necessary. Note: if you have a United Mileage Plus credit card, consider using it to book your room as you will be upgraded to a higher room class on check in, if available.

ROOM CATEGORY SINGLE/DOUBLE RATE

§ Fairmont Queen $299.00

§ Exterior Fairmont King $329.00

§ Fairmont Exterior Double Bedded Room $339.00

§ Deluxe Tower (King) $359.00

§ Deluxe Tower (Double Double) $369.00

§ Signature Tower (King) $409.00

§ Signature Tower (Double Double) $419.00

§ Main Building Suite $479.00

§ Tower Suite $579.00

o Other Options.

§ Nob Hill. The Nob Hill area is full of great hotels, and all of the following are within a 3 block radius of The Fairmont. We do not have room blocks at any of these, but you may be able to find favorable pricing through hotels.com or similar:

· Huntington Hotel

· InterContinental Hotel Mark Hopkins

· The Stanford Court, A Renaissance Hotel

· The Ritz-Carlton

§ Union Square. Union Square is another very popular and heavily trafficked area of the city and is full of great shopping, restaurants and attractions. The Fairmont is only five blocks from Union Square, but those five blocks are among the steepest in San Francisco. Although romantic, the cable car that runs up Powell Street, with stops at the Westin and the Fairmont, is likely to be packed like a Tokyo subway. If you do choose Union Square, all of the following are good options and may offer more competitive rates than the rooms in our room block:

· The Westin St. Francis

· Four Seasons Hotel

· Hotel Palomar, A Kimpton Hotel

· Transportation: We don't recommend renting a car while in San Francisco if you are planning to stay at a hotel as parking is extremely expensive and scarce. Parking at the Fairmont is $56 per night! Cabs and public transportation are often readily available and a much easier way of getting around the city. If you anticipate using taxis frequently, we recommend signing up for UBER via your phone—it's free and once you create an account, you can easily access town cars at rates that are 30-50% higher than regular taxis but well worth it, especially during peak times. We will be arranging transportation to/from Guaymas on Friday night via ferry.

· Weather: It may be summer but it most likely won't feel like it! Average August temperatures for San Francisco are in the high 50s and low 60s, often with heavy fog and winds. Please pack/plan accordingly!

· Registries: Your presence at our wedding is gift enough! However, if you would like to give a gift, it is our preference that you consider a gift to one of the following charities, each of which has personal and deep significance for us:

o Alzheimer's Association: the leading voluntary health organization in Alzheimer's care and support and the largest private, nonprofit funder of Alzheimer's research.

o Freedom to Marry: American coalition committed to winning and keeping the freedom to marry for same-gender couples.

o Del Mar Schools Education Foundation: provides resources to support and enhance educational programs and opportunities for students in the Del Mar Union School District.

o Pets Unlimited: a 24x7 veterinary clinic in San Francisco (our kitties go here) where a portion of all dollars spent goes to support its onsite animal shelter and adoption center.

Phew! Thanks for staying with us (assuming you're still reading). That should be it for now. For those of you traveling, you will receive welcome packets in your hotel rooms with additional information about things to do, see and eat in San Francisco and surrounding areas. To that end, once you've made your travel arrangements, kindly let us know where you'll be staying by replying to this email.

Even with my new fancy ( ) University job, we are still on a really, really tight budget these days. I'm trying to use some Delta SkyMiles left over from my consulting days to take care of our airfare, but that might present some scheduling dilemmas, as my time off (three weeks after starting a new job) is probably going to be fairly limited. So we may have to suck it up and pay for airfare, which will likely be ~$800-950 for the two of us.Which brings me to lodging. I know SF is a really expensive city, but does any of you know of a decent and reasonably priced place to stay in the areas she's mentioned above? In order to make flying cross-country worthwhile, we are going to be there for at least 3 nights, possibly 4 (depending on my time off of work). I'd rather not add another ~$1k to this trip for lodging alone if I don't have to do so.

Beyond that, any other tips on logistics of the city and recommendations you can provide for things to do (Alcatraz? Golden Gate? Throw trash at Truck?) or places to eat would be greatly appreciated.

Sounds like a $3500 trip you can't really afford and don't have enough time off the be worthwhile. I'd politely decline because of my new job commitments and use the 3500 on something for me.

 

[Bob Sacamano]

Thanks guys. I'm sure things will work out one way or another. Frankly I'm too nice to my family and I guess this has to change. We leave tomorrow for Bloomington, IL for my cousin's wedding. This will be my 4th wedding in 6 weeks I think and I still have another one next month. FMLOh and we were supposed to go to the track for a surprise party tonight but our sitter canceled.FMLThanks for letting my vent and whine like a #####. No offense K4,YSR and all of the other women that gave up on the GMTAN.

Go to Pub II and drink heavily. It'll only cost you about $20 and they have decent pub food. GB college towns.

 

[cosjobs]

I booked a night at Club Quarters for $99 online a few years ago, but it looks to be much pricier on the dates you listed.

If I did go, I'd go ahead and stay at the Fairmont. Its a world class hotel and those are fairly decent rates. And remember, even if you do stay only a few blocks away, its all uphill both ways. Steeply uphill. And its hotter there than you would think in the afternoon, walking up a steep hill.

 

[-fish-]

Hate my ex-wife with the heat of a thousand suns. What kind of a female dog uses her daughter's birthday party as a way to show spite?

Gonna need more details GB. Were you bringing your new GF to the event?

Nothing to do with the new gf, other than the fact that my ex has been more and more difficult with scheduling/phone calls/weekends.Daughter's birthday is in two weeks on a Thursday. I have her that weekend from Friday-Sunday. ex scheduled a party for Tuesday during the day, while I'm at work (she was accommodating her friends, who weren't available on Thursday). I told her that I wouldn't be coming, and that I'd just have a separate party for my daughter on Saturday. Now I find out that she sent out invitations for that Saturday at her house, even though I have her that weekend. So I either need to give up my plans and go to the ex's house on Saturday, or tell my daughter why the party she's been planning is being cancelled.

Well, you have her. Can't you just have your party as planned?

I could, but my daughter will be very disappointed (which is what the ex is using). she's been planning for a long time. she's 8, and doesn't understand the manipulation going on. if I don't let her have the party she wants, it will just make her upset at me, not at my ex for creating this problem.

 

[-fish-]

Hate my ex-wife with the heat of a thousand suns. What kind of a female dog uses her daughter's birthday party as a way to show spite?

That's pretty ####### lame. How long have the two of you been apart? Why the hell is she still angry?

3 1/2 years. She's angry because things didn't work out the way she wanted. She tried to turn mutual friends against me and make people choose sides. She lost all of her friends, and is now a lonely, spiteful person. She hates that I am happy and that our daughter likes my new girlfriend.

 

[charvik]

Hate my ex-wife with the heat of a thousand suns. What kind of a female dog uses her daughter's birthday party as a way to show spite?

Gonna need more details GB. Were you bringing your new GF to the event?

Nothing to do with the new gf, other than the fact that my ex has been more and more difficult with scheduling/phone calls/weekends.Daughter's birthday is in two weeks on a Thursday. I have her that weekend from Friday-Sunday. ex scheduled a party for Tuesday during the day, while I'm at work (she was accommodating her friends, who weren't available on Thursday). I told her that I wouldn't be coming, and that I'd just have a separate party for my daughter on Saturday. Now I find out that she sent out invitations for that Saturday at her house, even though I have her that weekend. So I either need to give up my plans and go to the ex's house on Saturday, or tell my daughter why the party she's been planning is being cancelled.

Well, you have her. Can't you just have your party as planned?

I could, but my daughter will be very disappointed (which is what the ex is using). she's been planning for a long time. she's 8, and doesn't understand the manipulation going on. if I don't let her have the party she wants, it will just make her upset at me, not at my ex for creating this problem.

Granted, I know nothing about the details, but this sounds like a win to me. You have daughter, bring her to party at moms, she has fun, you guys leave, mom will have to do all cleanup, you are probably paying for party at moms anyway so you won't have to pay for two parties. Also, by going you can now have daughter on another occasion as a tradeoff for coming...

 

[Disco Stu]

Hate my ex-wife with the heat of a thousand suns. What kind of a female dog uses her daughter's birthday party as a way to show spite?

Gonna need more details GB. Were you bringing your new GF to the event?

Nothing to do with the new gf, other than the fact that my ex has been more and more difficult with scheduling/phone calls/weekends.Daughter's birthday is in two weeks on a Thursday. I have her that weekend from Friday-Sunday. ex scheduled a party for Tuesday during the day, while I'm at work (she was accommodating her friends, who weren't available on Thursday). I told her that I wouldn't be coming, and that I'd just have a separate party for my daughter on Saturday. Now I find out that she sent out invitations for that Saturday at her house, even though I have her that weekend. So I either need to give up my plans and go to the ex's house on Saturday, or tell my daughter why the party she's been planning is being cancelled.

Well, you have her. Can't you just have your party as planned?

I could, but my daughter will be very disappointed (which is what the ex is using). she's been planning for a long time. she's 8, and doesn't understand the manipulation going on. if I don't let her have the party she wants, it will just make her upset at me, not at my ex for creating this problem.

Granted, I know nothing about the details, but this sounds like a win to me. You have daughter, bring her to party at moms, she has fun, you guys leave, mom will have to do all cleanup, you are probably paying for party at moms anyway so you won't have to pay for two parties. Also, by going you can now have daughter on another occasion as a tradeoff for coming...

The other advice given has been pretty bad imo. He has to deal with this woman for at least 10 more years. Need to figure out a way to handle stuff like this amicably.

 

[Bob Sacamano]

Does she spend most of her time at her mom's? Take her to the party. And buy her a puppy. An annoying little one that she can carry in her purse, yips all the time, and ####s all over the house.

ywia.

 

[St. Louis Bob]

Thanks guys. I'm sure things will work out one way or another. Frankly I'm too nice to my family and I guess this has to change. We leave tomorrow for Bloomington, IL for my cousin's wedding. This will be my 4th wedding in 6 weeks I think and I still have another one next month. FMLOh and we were supposed to go to the track for a surprise party tonight but our sitter canceled.FMLThanks for letting my vent and whine like a #####. No offense K4,YSR and all of the other women that gave up on the GMTAN.

Go to Pub II and drink heavily. It'll only cost you about $20 and they have decent pub food. GB college towns.

Thanks GB but I don't drink when I'm depressed/pissed. Just hung up the phone with a long time client and was just informed they sold their medical practice (to a huge hospital) because they can't afford all of the mandates in Obamacare. Of course they have an office supply contract already. *sigh*ETAGLGB-Fish_

 

[YSR]

Hate my ex-wife with the heat of a thousand suns. What kind of a female dog uses her daughter's birthday party as a way to show spite?

Gonna need more details GB. Were you bringing your new GF to the event?

Nothing to do with the new gf, other than the fact that my ex has been more and more difficult with scheduling/phone calls/weekends.Daughter's birthday is in two weeks on a Thursday. I have her that weekend from Friday-Sunday. ex scheduled a party for Tuesday during the day, while I'm at work (she was accommodating her friends, who weren't available on Thursday). I told her that I wouldn't be coming, and that I'd just have a separate party for my daughter on Saturday. Now I find out that she sent out invitations for that Saturday at her house, even though I have her that weekend. So I either need to give up my plans and go to the ex's house on Saturday, or tell my daughter why the party she's been planning is being cancelled.

Well, you have her. Can't you just have your party as planned?

I could, but my daughter will be very disappointed (which is what the ex is using). she's been planning for a long time. she's 8, and doesn't understand the manipulation going on. if I don't let her have the party she wants, it will just make her upset at me, not at my ex for creating this problem.

Granted, I know nothing about the details, but this sounds like a win to me. You have daughter, bring her to party at moms, she has fun, you guys leave, mom will have to do all cleanup, you are probably paying for party at moms anyway so you won't have to pay for two parties. Also, by going you can now have daughter on another occasion as a tradeoff for coming...

The other advice given has been pretty bad imo. He has to deal with this woman for at least 10 more years. Need to figure out a way to handle stuff like this amicably.

I was just being #####y.

 

[YSR]

Sounds like a $3500 trip you can't really afford and don't have enough time off the be worthwhile. I'd politely decline because of my new job commitments and use the 3500 on something for me.

I've considered this, but it's one of my best friends and neither of us has been to SF before. I've actually realized that I have some hotel points as well, so I might be able to get two of our nights free and be left paying for one. We can swing a night at the Fairmont if that's the case. I think it will work out, now that I've spent a lot more time looking into it.

 

[bentley]

Jesus cos, did you really need to quote that?

Bob - it would help if you could find some way to be a little more vague when posting updates.

 

[St. Louis Bob]

Bob - it would help if you could find some way to be a little more vague when posting updates.

Not sure what you would like to know but as I've stated before, there's a reason I make a living with my mouth and not my ability to write.Wait, that doesn't sound right.

 

[Notorious T.R.E.]

I'd decline based on "boat wear" alone.

 

[Bogart]

GLGB fish.

We have a friend's daughter's birthday party tomorrow that both the ex and I will be attending with our kids. First thing we have done together once divorced.

 

[Notorious T.R.E.]

Hate my ex-wife with the heat of a thousand suns. What kind of a female dog uses her daughter's birthday party as a way to show spite?

Gonna need more details GB. Were you bringing your new GF to the event?

Nothing to do with the new gf, other than the fact that my ex has been more and more difficult with scheduling/phone calls/weekends.Daughter's birthday is in two weeks on a Thursday. I have her that weekend from Friday-Sunday. ex scheduled a party for Tuesday during the day, while I'm at work (she was accommodating her friends, who weren't available on Thursday). I told her that I wouldn't be coming, and that I'd just have a separate party for my daughter on Saturday. Now I find out that she sent out invitations for that Saturday at her house, even though I have her that weekend. So I either need to give up my plans and go to the ex's house on Saturday, or tell my daughter why the party she's been planning is being cancelled.

Well, you have her. Can't you just have your party as planned?

I could, but my daughter will be very disappointed (which is what the ex is using). she's been planning for a long time. she's 8, and doesn't understand the manipulation going on. if I don't let her have the party she wants, it will just make her upset at me, not at my ex for creating this problem.

Granted, I know nothing about the details, but this sounds like a win to me. You have daughter, bring her to party at moms, she has fun, you guys leave, mom will have to do all cleanup, you are probably paying for party at moms anyway so you won't have to pay for two parties. Also, by going you can now have daughter on another occasion as a tradeoff for coming...

The other advice given has been pretty bad imo. He has to deal with this woman for at least 10 more years. Need to figure out a way to handle stuff like this amicably.

You're pretty bad.I guess I didn't understand the party planning situation. I assumed the daughter was planning the Saturday party that was circumvented by the ex. I'll just move along here.

 

[cosjobs]

Sounds like a $3500 trip you can't really afford and don't have enough time off the be worthwhile. I'd politely decline because of my new job commitments and use the 3500 on something for me.

I've considered this, but it's one of my best friends and neither of us has been to SF before. I've actually realized that I have some hotel points as well, so I might be able to get two of our nights free and be left paying for one. We can swing a night at the Fairmont if that's the case. I think it will work out, now that I've spent a lot more time looking into it.

If you decide to go, then at least try and stay 3-4 days. Tell your new employers its a previous commitment and it should fly ok, if your attendance and performance has no other warts. Stay at the Fairmont for all the weeding stuff, then stay a couple nights at some where like the Seal Rock Inn, a fun really cool place that's fairly reasonable.

 

[Disco Stu]

You're pretty bad.

 

[Marvin]

Today's battle with the house of horrors took us to the chapter where the incompetent protagonist challenged the overgrown ivy that is choking a nice fir tree in the side of the front yard. It's also choking my lovely rhodanedron (no clue how to spell that) plant and a few other species of foilage. The only thing worse than battling the ivy that I've dealt with thus far is trying to uproot and kill the blackberries, which are nasty, fierce bastards with thorns all over. My legs look like I lathered them up in Rite-Aid butter and stuck them in a crate with Tanner's starved cats.Yardwork...it's FANTASTIC! [/non-angry]

I would never starve my cats, bucko.

 

[Bogart]

Disco Stu,

I need a good restaurant in the Addison area where my date can wear "a little black dress". We have already eaten at Gloria's (first date) and Flying Fish (casual second date).

YIC,

Bogart

 

[Marvin]

WARNING: LONG POST AHEAD

I don't much like to venture outside this thread, so while I'll do some searches on the board, I'll pose my questions here.

I have a good friend who is getting married in San Francisco in August. I've never been there, so I am a little wary of making arrangements without some input. The following is an email from her regarding the events and locations. It's long and thorough, so those of you who don't know anything about SF may just want to skip this post.

By now you should have received your save the date card for our upcoming wedding to be held on August 11, 2012 in San Francisco, California.

We had a local artist create the save the date illustration for us and we love it. However, you’ll note that it is a bit light on details, so we wanted to take this opportunity to provide you with information about the various events, accommodations and other logistics. This email is primarily geared to our guests who will be traveling to San Francisco this summer; locals—feel free to stop reading after the description of the main events!

WEDDING AND WEDDING-RELATED EVENTS:

Thursday, August 9th

·

Pizza night at our house for anyone who is in town/available

o Location: [house #] Franklin Street, San Francisco

o Attire: VERY casual

o Time: 5:30pm—whenever

o RSVP: We won’t be sending out a separate invitation for this gathering. Please reply to this email by August 8th to let us know if you’ll be joining us so we can make sure to order enough food!

Friday, August 10th

·

Mexican feast at Guaymas restaurant in Tiburon

o Location: 5 Main Street, Tiburon

o Attire: Casual, but you will want a jacket/wrap as we’ll be dining outdoors

o Time: 6pm-9pm (we will be traveling to/from Guaymas via ferry; additional details to follow via email)

o RSVP: You will receive a formal invitation along with the wedding invitation; kindly use the enclosed response card to RSVP.

Saturday, August 11th

·

WEDDING!

o Address: The Penthouse Suite of the Fairmont Hotel in Nob Hill, San Francisco

o Attire: Coat and tie for gentlemen; cocktail for ladies

o Time: Cocktail hour begins at 6pm; ceremony and reception to follow

o RSVP: You will receive a formal wedding invitation via mail; kindly use the enclosed response card to RSVP.

o Note: As with the entire weekend, the wedding is kid-friendly. There will be a dedicated area of the suite where kids will be able to watch movies, play games, eat, etc, with adult supervision provided.

Sunday, August 12th

Farewell brunch

o Location: St. Francis Yacht Club

o Attire: Collared shirts for men (polo shirts are fine); thematic boating attire encouraged, and you can expect Rob to be wearing brightly colored pants.

o Time: approx. 11:00am-1:00pm

o RSVP: Our hosts for this event will be sending out separate invitations; please RSVP as indicated. To aid in their planning, kindly reply to this email and let us know if your travel plans will permit you to join us for brunch on Sunday.

ACCOMMODATIONS, LOGISTICS AND OTHER INFORMATION:

· Hotels:

o The Fairmont. We have secured a small block of rooms at the Fairmont Hotel. These rooms are offered at the discounted rates listed below and are available for check-in as early as August 6, 2012. You can access our room block and book online here or by calling 1-800-441-1414 and referencing the [wedding party] wedding. You may want to also check out room availability through the regular Fairmont booking website, as prices can fluctuate and you may find something at a lower rate than our room block! Additional information about specific rooms is available here. If you have difficulty obtaining a discounted room rate through the website, let us know right away. The Fairmont will increase the size of the room block, if necessary. Note: if you have a United Mileage Plus credit card, consider using it to book your room as you will be upgraded to a higher room class on check in, if available.

ROOM CATEGORY SINGLE/DOUBLE RATE

§ Fairmont Queen $299.00

§ Exterior Fairmont King $329.00

§ Fairmont Exterior Double Bedded Room $339.00

§ Deluxe Tower (King) $359.00

§ Deluxe Tower (Double Double) $369.00

§ Signature Tower (King) $409.00

§ Signature Tower (Double Double) $419.00

§ Main Building Suite $479.00

§ Tower Suite $579.00

o Other Options.

§ Nob Hill. The Nob Hill area is full of great hotels, and all of the following are within a 3 block radius of The Fairmont. We do not have room blocks at any of these, but you may be able to find favorable pricing through hotels.com or similar:

· Huntington Hotel

· InterContinental Hotel Mark Hopkins

· The Stanford Court, A Renaissance Hotel

· The Ritz-Carlton

§ Union Square. Union Square is another very popular and heavily trafficked area of the city and is full of great shopping, restaurants and attractions. The Fairmont is only five blocks from Union Square, but those five blocks are among the steepest in San Francisco. Although romantic, the cable car that runs up Powell Street, with stops at the Westin and the Fairmont, is likely to be packed like a Tokyo subway. If you do choose Union Square, all of the following are good options and may offer more competitive rates than the rooms in our room block:

· The Westin St. Francis

· Four Seasons Hotel

· Hotel Palomar, A Kimpton Hotel

· Transportation: We don’t recommend renting a car while in San Francisco if you are planning to stay at a hotel as parking is extremely expensive and scarce. Parking at the Fairmont is $56 per night! Cabs and public transportation are often readily available and a much easier way of getting around the city. If you anticipate using taxis frequently, we recommend signing up for UBER via your phone—it’s free and once you create an account, you can easily access town cars at rates that are 30-50% higher than regular taxis but well worth it, especially during peak times. We will be arranging transportation to/from Guaymas on Friday night via ferry.

· Weather: It may be summer but it most likely won’t feel like it! Average August temperatures for San Francisco are in the high 50s and low 60s, often with heavy fog and winds. Please pack/plan accordingly!

· Registries: Your presence at our wedding is gift enough! However, if you would like to give a gift, it is our preference that you consider a gift to one of the following charities, each of which has personal and deep significance for us:

o Alzheimer's Association: the leading voluntary health organization in Alzheimer's care and support and the largest private, nonprofit funder of Alzheimer's research.

o Freedom to Marry: American coalition committed to winning and keeping the freedom to marry for same-gender couples.

o Del Mar Schools Education Foundation: provides resources to support and enhance educational programs and opportunities for students in the Del Mar Union School District.

o Pets Unlimited: a 24x7 veterinary clinic in San Francisco (our kitties go here) where a portion of all dollars spent goes to support its onsite animal shelter and adoption center.

Phew! Thanks for staying with us (assuming you’re still reading). That should be it for now. For those of you traveling, you will receive welcome packets in your hotel rooms with additional information about things to do, see and eat in San Francisco and surrounding areas. To that end, once you’ve made your travel arrangements, kindly let us know where you’ll be staying by replying to this email.

Even with my new fancy ( ) University job, we are still on a really, really tight budget these days. I'm trying to use some Delta SkyMiles left over from my consulting days to take care of our airfare, but that might present some scheduling dilemmas, as my time off (three weeks after starting a new job) is probably going to be fairly limited. So we may have to suck it up and pay for airfare, which will likely be ~$800-950 for the two of us.Which brings me to lodging. I know SF is a really expensive city, but does any of you know of a decent and reasonably priced place to stay in the areas she's mentioned above? In order to make flying cross-country worthwhile, we are going to be there for at least 3 nights, possibly 4 (depending on my time off of work). I'd rather not add another ~$1k to this trip for lodging alone if I don't have to do so.

Beyond that, any other tips on logistics of the city and recommendations you can provide for things to do (Alcatraz? Golden Gate? Throw trash at Truck?) or places to eat would be greatly appreciated.

I don't see anything in there about renting a car and taking a 5 hour car ride to visit your iBuddy in Bakersfield.

 

[Notorious T.R.E.]

You're pretty bad.