Open Bar: We hacked the DNC and all we got are these lousy emails

[The Wizard Joseph]

Holy shit ECH! That's hand of fate kind of shit. This fucking year...

I just got a 5am FB message from my roommates in LaCrosse informing me not to return. I'm barely getting my life patched together and trying to mend fences with my family here in Racine. Now I have to beg them for a place to stay as I look for work. I'm shit-broke and angrier than I have any mortal right to be. I have no direction or resources to speak of other than my soul and out of condition body, both highly distressed. More my dad has the sort of persistent cough (for months apparently) that indicates possible return of cancer, but has not gotten checked properly, and has developed full on diabetes that he refuses to alter his diet for.

I have to ask for help, but I also kinda want to punch him. This can't last long, but I now have no choices I can see but to stay here at his place for now, quit smoking weed, and find work somehow so I can get money and go fucking ANYWHERE else.

I've never felt like I HATED a year before. This one's set a new bar. Sorry for your losses man.

[Junkenstein]

ECH, Fucking hell man. There's no words to cover that level of clusterfuck. I'm curious who satan incarnate is though.

Take care of yourself and the small one. Best of luck with whatever you decide to do as well, I'm sure you'll make the right move.


Joe, Chin up man. Life is a succession of kicks to the genitals at times but you'll get through it and wreak suitable revenge. The best way to start that is by living well and taking care of yourself and those that matter to you.

[Eater of Clowns]

ECH I hope everything turns out okay. And I know it's your life and all but that was a hell of a good story.

TWJ, dude, good luck.

[The Wizard Joseph]

Thanks for the encouragement guys. I will get by. Just one more cheap shot to the nuts out of no where. Just on this board the shit has piled up deeper and nastier than I ever saw before. It's not... grrr...

I'M NOT DEAD YET!!

[Mesozoic Mister Nigel]

ECH, there are many avenues for fulfilling a dream, but family is irreplaceable.

[The Good Reverend Roger]

Sweet Jesus.   

[Salty]

This may sounds bad, but I have a certain sympathy for that feeling of wanting to do thing you just can't do with the good people in your life. At times, I have been consumed with these thoughts in a heavily obsessive way.

I think it's important to express those thoughts and realize that they're pretty common. When my son was a baby and would not stop screaming, always colicky, I had violent thoughts, terrible thoughts. Looking back I definitely experienced either some male version of postpartum depression or some sympathetic version of it or something. The short amount of time we each get with the people that matter most is definitely the best thing in life, IMO.

[Salty]

ECH, I'm so sorry you have had to go through all that loss.

[East Coast Hustle]

This may sounds bad, but I have a certain sympathy for that feeling of wanting to do thing you just can't do with the good people in your life. At times, I have been consumed with these thoughts in a heavily obsessive way.

I think it's important to express those thoughts and realize that they're pretty common. When my son was a baby and would not stop screaming, always colicky, I had violent thoughts, terrible thoughts. Looking back I definitely experienced either some male version of postpartum depression or some sympathetic version of it or something. The short amount of time we each get with the people that matter most is definitely the best thing in life, IMO.

Yeah, I get that feeling too sometimes but I don't think this is that, it's more that this is probably the only chance I'll ever have to completely realize my personal culinary vision AND my vision of what should be made of a place that's more "home" to me than any house I've ever lived in (I was bussing tables at this place when I was 8 - it's deeply embedded in the fabric of my being). And that doing so will require a devotion so maniacal and complete that it would be physically impossible to do it right and still be able to fulfill my familial responsibilities. And I recognize that and I don't believe that any personal ambition of mine outweighs my responsibility to my daughter but it's a very powerful drive nonetheless.

[Salty]

This may sounds bad, but I have a certain sympathy for that feeling of wanting to do thing you just can't do with the good people in your life. At times, I have been consumed with these thoughts in a heavily obsessive way.

I think it's important to express those thoughts and realize that they're pretty common. When my son was a baby and would not stop screaming, always colicky, I had violent thoughts, terrible thoughts. Looking back I definitely experienced either some male version of postpartum depression or some sympathetic version of it or something. The short amount of time we each get with the people that matter most is definitely the best thing in life, IMO.

Yeah, I get that feeling too sometimes but I don't think this is that, it's more that this is probably the only chance I'll ever have to completely realize my personal culinary vision AND my vision of what should be made of a place that's more "home" to me than any house I've ever lived in (I was bussing tables at this place when I was 8 - it's deeply embedded in the fabric of my being). And that doing so will require a devotion so maniacal and complete that it would be physically impossible to do it right and still be able to fulfill my familial responsibilities. And I recognize that and I don't believe that any personal ambition of mine outweighs my responsibility to my daughter but it's a very powerful drive nonetheless.

Ok, I see what you're saying.

[Mesozoic Mister Nigel]

Hang in there, ECH. We like you.

[East Coast Hustle]

Thanks, I like you guys too!

I'm OK. I'm probably, overall, better right now than I've been since I lost the ship job. Life is mostly pretty good. It's just, holy fuck that was a hell of a weekend.

And given the nature of some of the details of the story, I can't really vent about it anywhere else so thank you all for listening when nobody else is allowed to.

[Mesozoic Mister Nigel]

We all gotta have a safe place to vent about the weird shit that goes down that we really just can't talk about anywhere else/don't want other people to know. This place is great for that.

[LMNO]

Damn, ECH. I'm sorry to hear about what you've been facing. I will say that of the people I know, you're in the top 5 in the "figuring this shit out and staying on top of it" category.

Good luck, and on the off chance I can do something to help, let me know.

[Q. G. Pennyworth]

ECH, that's a fantastic story and I'm sorry you had to live it.