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Post by Mel on Nov 25, 2020 23:57:41 GMT -5
2020 was a bust. But surely this year wasn't ALL doom and gloom......Right?! What is something you're grateful for, or something positive that happened to YOU in 2020? Brag it up!! This year I got to work from home (no more commuting every day) and will continue to do it for the foreseeable future. I finally got a new (although temporary) position at my job after 11 years with the company. We also got Mr. Wayne back in July. Net positives among the chaos and uncertainty that is 2020. Oh! I also finally quit lurking and joined the forums I just cannot explain how much joy I get out of everyone here. Your turn!
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Post by Pat on Nov 26, 2020 0:28:37 GMT -5
We are still here😀
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Post by rockjunquie on Nov 26, 2020 6:48:04 GMT -5
Nope, sorry, can't think of one nice thing. Maybe something happened so uneventful that I don't recall it. But, mohstly it has been death and disease here. Oh- DH didn't die when he was sick- that's a positive.
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rocket
spending too much on rocks
Quality slabs for quality cabs in 2022
Member since September 2020
Posts: 292
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Post by rocket on Nov 26, 2020 8:59:03 GMT -5
1. Grandchild number 4 2. The family COVID scare turning out to be a false positive...after we were all tested 3. getting the Covington operational (lol...had to include this one)
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rockstock
spending too much on rocks
Member since April 2019
Posts: 472
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Post by rockstock on Nov 26, 2020 9:43:45 GMT -5
Got rocks and rock stuff Job not affected by the mess
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Post by jasoninsd on Nov 26, 2020 9:52:24 GMT -5
I know this will just sound "cheesy", but one of the more positive things to come out of 2020 for me really has to be starting my rock hounding adventures and subsequently finding this forum. Rock hounding gets me back in tune with the universe...and quiets the chaos in my brain (we all have it! LOL). I have been (and still am) a member on a few other internet forums, but I find I don't even try to participate in those like I used to do. There's too much negativity, bashing, and one-upmanship. The community on this forum is so supportive and uplifting. Seeing the positive posts from so many members on here lifts my spirits every day. I've met so many nice and caring people from this forum...both in "real life" as well as virtually. So, on this Thanksgiving morning, I am so thankful to have been accepted into the "rocky" group of friends and family!
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Post by knave on Nov 26, 2020 10:22:05 GMT -5
Wonderful thread! I’ve enjoyed spending more time with my family this year, and really have enjoyed seeing new members join, and watch them progress quickly!
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Post by Rockoonz on Nov 26, 2020 10:43:52 GMT -5
Our most eventful year in a long time. Finished a long haul working for people who I originally went to work for in 1980. There was a break in the middle, but I was very blessed. Sold a house for almost 3x what I paid for it 10 years ago. Selling it during coronavirus was interesting, but it worked out. We can now get a place for cash and retire relatively comfortably. If all goes well, we will be officially Arizona homeowners around the first of the year.
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chapslv
having dreams about rocks
Member since June 2020
Posts: 56
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Post by chapslv on Nov 26, 2020 10:44:24 GMT -5
Rediscovering rock tumbling and finding this forum. Happy Thanksgiving.
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Post by greig on Nov 26, 2020 11:06:57 GMT -5
12K new subscribers on my Youtube channel, even though it was a tough year to be out and about. Spring went from winter one day to almost too hot to rockhound the next. All of the rock clubs cancelled their field trips (due to the virus). Had CoVid symptoms, but tested negative ... turned out to be a mild heart attack, but am OK now. Broke my hand rockhounding this fall, but another week and no more cast (I hope).
Family is doing well. Dog is happy. Job is secure. Finances are OK. Truck still running. Really, although things are different, life is good. Wishing everybody a good rest of the year.
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Post by RickB on Nov 26, 2020 12:00:08 GMT -5
So, on this Thanksgiving morning, I am so thankful to have been accepted into the "rocky" group of friends and family! Jason, congratulations on successfully completing your probationary time here.
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Post by Mel on Nov 26, 2020 13:17:32 GMT -5
greig - Holy cats!! My dad had a heart attack a few years ago and it was scary stuff. So glad you're OK, and congrats on the youtube. I occasionally drop by
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Post by MsAli on Nov 26, 2020 19:50:11 GMT -5
My mom and I were just talking today about things to be grateful for.
Just being able to have food on the table today in a place with a roof was just two
Life is full the good and the bad. Always has been, always will be.
2020 has been a crappy year in some ways but its also been a damn good one in so many ways.
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EricD
Cave Dweller
High in the Mountains
Member since November 2019
Posts: 1,142
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Post by EricD on Nov 26, 2020 20:20:58 GMT -5
I got a cabking earlier this year, and then an 18" HP saw. Those have been nice.
Edit: Ah, also a 10" gemlap saw with the 90o blade-to-table angle, also a winner.
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quartz
Cave Dweller
breakin' rocks in the hot sun
Member since February 2010
Posts: 3,341
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Post by quartz on Nov 26, 2020 23:49:57 GMT -5
Our garden and fruit trees did very well, got lots canned, dried, and froze to last till next year. Now I can play more with the rocks.
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Post by rockpickerforever on Nov 27, 2020 0:00:33 GMT -5
2020 started on a sour note for us, then went downhill from there. In December, my husband could not get out of bed one morning. We called the nurse phone number on the back of his insurance card, and asked what to. She told him to go to the ER, get checked, and get it documented.
After x-rays and an MRI, they told us he had sacral insufficiency fractures, and cracks in his pelvis. A bone scan several months later revealed advanced osteoporosis and osteopenia. A couple more months go by before he was able to get an infusion of (the medicine) Reclast for the osteoporosis. Three to four weeks later, he started recuperating, and is on the mend now. Yay! He had gone onto state disability in January, and has not worked all this year. He is still weak, no energy, and could never go back to the work he used to do. He officially retired October 1.
I am thankful that he has come through this, and things are looking up. It was nice for him to be on disability and getting checks while so many people were losing their jobs.
And, we got rid of his quack primary care doctor, who did little to help. He didn't believe what the ER nurse diagnosed as the problem, saying "she's just an NP, not even a doctor." We had to get Bob's other doctors to write referrals for the bone scan and Reclast.
When he started on Medicare, he switched to a new younger doctor that we think is going to work out great! I am thankful that we come this far, and no Covid here.
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Benathema
has rocks in the head
God chased me down and made sure I knew He was real June 20, 2022. I've been on a Divine Mission.
Member since November 2019
Posts: 703
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Post by Benathema on Nov 27, 2020 1:44:14 GMT -5
It has been a rollercoaster ride that I would probably not recommend. Finding things to maintain sanity has been challenging and mostly keeps falling back on the rockhounding to get away from it all. Plus side of that is improving my eye towards picking up on good material and getting a fair bit of it.
I lucked out when this started locking things down, I could work from home. Sis and BiL were not so fortunate since they're both in the culinary field. Their bosses pulled every string to get them hours after lockdowns ended. Sister had just gotten a promotion to a supervisory position at a catering company, but the other folks got laid off since there were no events.
About June I started going a little stir crazy from living alone. Late July I drove from CO to WA to stay with family and work remotely from there (very carefully, of course). We were having a blast, getting out to hound any chance we could get... Just tearing it up and making the best of it. Got to get to Whidbey island and ride the ferry - that was cool - family heritage up in that area a bit.
Late August, there was a knock at the door, folks informing my sister and I that our father had taken his own life. He had drug and alcohol issues when we were growing up, and was 11 years sober, and had gotten help for his demons, but it wasn't enough... (I hope no one has to go through a death like that, it's unlike any other bereavement I've ever experienced). Finding even little blips of happiness after that proved difficult. Managed a weekend trip up to Hansen creek to dig for crystals.
Then the smoke rolled in for what felt like forever. Close friend of mine since 6th grade had to flee their house. Once we knew what was going on and offered to help haul belongings they had already fled. Luckily the winds cut down and they were able to return. Damn lucky. Managed another weekend trip to Damon point - lots of seals staring us down and of course some rocks.
Then sister's landlords decided it was the perfect time to remodel the house, which sent me back to CO and them into a hotel for 3 weeks. Landlords not exactly sympathetic to prorating any amount of their rent.
I return back to find reviewer comments on a project of mine that with some digging and testing revealed that the last 2 years of my work was, effectively, garbage... I couldn't take it and dropped from my Ph.D. program and internship.
All of my belongings are packed and I'm moving back to my home turf to try something different.. maybe something more tangible and less abstract. Sis, BiL, neice, and I are going to get a place together to try to form like Voltron, and try to thrive not just survive. Her job just shut down again and this time permanently - so much for that promotion. I had planned to take off this last Monday, but uhaul has delayed my hitch installation... So I'm spending Thanksgiving with a bottle of wine instead, y'know, like the gov wants us to do...
I'm trying to find the bright side of things, but all I can think of are rocks... Lots of rocks. Petrified wood, jaspers, agates from the PNW, some more from Utah on my way to and fro... Just several 5-gallon buckets full. I'd like to plug my tumblers in again once I get settled. Few chonkers in there I want to get going. Either I'm coming out of this with a lot more resilience or in a straight jacket...
There's blessings here and there, but it's hard to find them when it's one damn thing after another.
I will say though that there is a lot of love out there and people willing to talk and listen. Good friends lend their ears and I'm thankful for that. I tell you what though, the other night, frying up that last pack of venison from my father came with a lot of emotions - he's still putting food on the table.
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Post by jasoninsd on Nov 27, 2020 1:56:30 GMT -5
It has been a rollercoaster ride that I would probably not recommend. Finding things to maintain sanity has been challenging and mostly keeps falling back on the rockhounding to get away from it all. Plus side of that is improving my eye towards picking up on good material and getting a fair bit of it. I lucked out when this started locking things down, I could work from home. Sis and BiL were not so fortunate since they're both in the culinary field. Their bosses pulled every string to get them hours after lockdowns ended. Sister had just gotten a promotion to a supervisory position at a catering company, but the other folks got laid off since there were no events. About June I started going a little stir crazy from living alone. Late July I drove from CO to WA to stay with family and work remotely from there (very carefully, of course). We were having a blast, getting out to hound any chance we could get... Just tearing it up and making the best of it. Got to get to Whidbey island and ride the ferry - that was cool - family heritage up in that area a bit. Late August, there was a knock at the door, folks informing my sister and I that our father had taken his own life. He had drug and alcohol issues when we were growing up, and was 11 years sober, and had gotten help for his demons, but it wasn't enough... (I hope no one has to go through a death like that, it's unlike any other bereavement I've ever experienced). Finding even little blips of happiness after that proved difficult. Managed a weekend trip up to Hansen creek to dig for crystals. Then the smoke rolled in for what felt like forever. Close friend of mine since 6th grade had to flee their house. Once we knew what was going on and offered to help haul belongings they had already fled. Luckily the winds cut down and they were able to return. Damn lucky. Managed another weekend trip to Damon point - lots of seals staring us down and of course some rocks. Then sister's landlords decided it was the perfect time to remodel the house, which sent me back to CO and them into a hotel for 3 weeks. Landlords not exactly sympathetic to prorating any amount of their rent. I return back to find reviewer comments on a project of mine that with some digging and testing revealed that the last 2 years of my work was, effectively, garbage... I couldn't take it and dropped from my Ph.D. program and internship. All of my belongings are packed and I'm moving back to my home turf to try something different.. maybe something more tangible and less abstract. Sis, BiL, neice, and I are going to get a place together to try to form like Voltron, and try to thrive not just survive. Her job just shut down again and this time permanently - so much for that promotion. I had planned to take off this last Monday, but uhaul has delayed my hitch installation... So I'm spending Thanksgiving with a bottle of wine instead, y'know, like the gov wants us to do... I'm trying to find the bright side of things, but all I can think of are rocks... Lots of rocks. Petrified wood, jaspers, agates from the PNW, some more from Utah on my way to and fro... Just several 5-gallon buckets full. I'd like to plug my tumblers in again once I get settled. Few chonkers in there I want to get going. Either I'm coming out of this with a lot more resilience or in a straight jacket... There's blessings here and there, but it's hard to find them when it's one damn thing after another. My heart truly goes out to you. I'm so sorry you've had to go through all of this. I want to say keep hanging in there...but that doesn't seem good enough to say...and I wish I had the right words to say right now... Please know I'm sending you positive thoughts (some can call it prayers if they want).
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Post by rockjunquie on Nov 27, 2020 9:10:40 GMT -5
Benathema I really feel for you and I'm glad you shared. None of us can know what other people are having to endure unless they share. I lost my a very close brother to suicide. He was only 21. I was drunk for 2 years. Very self destructive. Dealing with suicide is the worst. If only those who choose it understood the devastation they leave behind. My heart goes out to you.
I'm equally sorry that all you worked for was effectively ripped from you with one bad review. I sincerely hope you find success in a new endeavor.
We've been dealing with a tough year, too. Too many deaths. Preparing for my MIL's demise now. She's not long for this world.
Thank goodness for rocks, huh?
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Post by knave on Nov 27, 2020 13:00:30 GMT -5
Thanks for sharing Benathema... You did the right thing to open it up, I’ll be sending good vibes as well. Thanks again
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