I'm back, and why it took so long...

Topics not related to the forum categories.
Forum rules
Keep it civil and mind the rules! Absolutely no ranting!
User avatar
Fyodor
Founding Member & Supporter
Founding Member & Supporter
Posts: 1512
Joined: 04 Jan 2014 05:45
My Press Choice: Progressive
Location: Gernsbach, Germany
Has thanked: 794 times
Been thanked: 504 times

I'm back, and why it took so long...

Post by Fyodor »

Hi Forum!

Usually being a relatively active member of this board, I managed to post 4 entries in all of 2020, and that was in October.

Life has been pretty rough since Christmas 2019... I really don't want to bother you, so if you don't want to read me ranting about life, skip this thread.

In November, my second daughter was born. Cute, but a bad sleeper, woke up up to 12 times (!) a night. And the big girl was jealous, becoming very mean at times. So especially my wife was very tired and wrecked all the time. Just after Christmas 2019, a girl (16) from the youth group that my wife was running, died in a car accident. The other three people were uninjured. She was one of the kindest girls, always helpful, friends with everyone. My wife broke down, and went to the hospital until after New Year's Day. During January, our little girl got very high fever and needed to go to the hospital for two nights to be checked. They found nothing. End of January, my boss came to my desk and said "We need to talk". He took my pass and put me out the door. I had no idea why. A few days later we had the talk, and I learned that a coworker I thought was a nice guy, and with whom I had lunch some times, filed a few very hefty accusations against me, none of which were true. Then came the Corona virus, and life stopped. I had a wife who was a bit under the weather, a little girl who was crying all night, a big girl who was mean to her sister, and was unemployed for no reason. My girls couldn't go to daycare, to friends, even the playgrounds were closed, and they got really grumpy and didn't sleep well, because they couldn't get rid of their energy. It took months until I at least had the mediation hearing at the court. My termination without notice was changed into a regular termination and I was given a "good" reference and a small compensation. In the second half of the year ot looked like my grandfather in law wouldn't make it to Christmas, which he did, but it is nerve wrecking to see someone die over such a long time.

Up to now I wrote 120 job applications, but no success. I have a small job where I check health and safety documentation for nearly nothing, because if I work too many hours or earn to much money I fall out of the unemployment status, losing my unemployment money and other benefits. They will run out mid of 2021 anyways, but it doesn't look too good to find a new job until then.

But if that wasn't enough, the really gave us a beating in our gun laws, too. Just before Christmas 2019, an new gun law was accepted. It took full effect September 2020. Before that, the regulated parts of a gun were barrel and bolt. Now a gun can have up to 6 regulated parts, each of which must be registered separately (!), so a gun can have up to seven numbers including serial number, and all need to be registered. We have a complete ban on magazines (which were unregulated before, you just had to block rifle magazines to 10 rounds when using in competition) above 10 rounds for long guns and 20 rounds for handguns. This includes the disassembled, empty hulls! We can register magazines that already were in our possession before mid of 2017 (the law was written end of 2019), if we have proof of purchase. Which nobody has, because it was deemed unnecessary to keep those. Currently I'm in contact with a lawyer to convince my authorities that I don't need proof of purchase. If this doesn't work, all of the magazines for my Thompson need to be destroyed. The financial loss is limited, but there are no 10 rounds magazines available, which makes the gun useless. Also the gun was changed from category B (permission to own) to category A (forbidden), which doesn't yet affect me, but most probably will in the next update of the law, when they realized they forgot to ban forbidden weapons (yes, they actually did that!).

The only good thing of the year was the birth of my daughter's cousin Amelie. My brother in law and his fiance have a really lovely (and huge) little girl.

So you see the past year was very stressful in every possible way. I so much hope live will be a bit more normal in 2021. My #1 priority is to find a job again, which it is absolutely the wrong time for right now.

Hope to read and write more positive stuff for the rest of 2021.

Cheers,
Jochen
"I disapprove of what you say, but I will defend to the death your right to say it"
- Evelyn Beatrice Hall, often misattributed to Voltaire

I think I'm thinking, therefore I may possibly be.
Green Frog
Posts: 79
Joined: 05 Dec 2020 13:03
My Press Choice: Lee Loader
Location: Central VA
Has thanked: 2 times
Been thanked: 6 times

Re: I'm back, and why it took so long...

Post by Green Frog »

Well Fyodor, as a new member during your hiatus, I assume it would be proper to say “welcome back.” I look forward to hearing from your gun and reloading experiences as well as hearing what Germany’s gun nuts (I e those who are nutty in their dislike of guns) are doing. I wish you well with the new regs as they are implemented. I’m starting to see hints that even in VA they are making inroads into our rights.

I wish you well and join in the hope that 2021 will live up to the promise of “Happy New Year!”

Regards,
Froggie
User avatar
Macd
Supporter
Supporter
Posts: 1009
Joined: 16 Oct 2017 16:12
My Press Choice: Single Stage
Location: Far East
Has thanked: 362 times
Been thanked: 403 times

Re: I'm back, and why it took so long...

Post by Macd »

Best wishes. You are due for some good luck so keep punching. That job is out there waiting for you. I also hear you regarding the stress that Covid-19 has caused for so many people. Here we are lucky as I live on an island and a combination of early and effective controls, particularly on travel and large gatherings has kept us relatively free of the disease. All businesses are open although some at reduced capacity. Schools and day cares are also operating with special enhancements designed to prevent transmission. Vaccination of at risk groups, healthcare providers and staff at seniors homes is proceeding. The next group will be seniors and then adults with children last as they are still collecting data on any side effects on children. The federal government threw a lot of money into the economy mostly at the individual level. I am sure a lot was misdirected to those not really in need but a shotgun approach was used to get aid out quickly.

I hear you on gun laws. They won't stop crime, they won't stop terrorists but they are easy to pass and the law abiding gun owners, who are not the problem, will suffer, complain but comply. Politicians like to mine votes on issues regardless of the real effectiveness of their legislative efforts. If the public naively thinks banning guns makes them safer politicians will actively reinforce that mistaken belief so they look like they are on the ball and enact restrictive legislation. In Canada, even the police admit publicly that our real problem is illegal guns and the big city gangs.
Last edited by Macd on 07 Jan 2021 07:09, edited 1 time in total.
larryw
Founding Member & Supporter
Founding Member & Supporter
Posts: 1123
Joined: 20 Dec 2013 11:09
My Press Choice: Single Stage
Location: Arizona
Location: Arizona
Has thanked: 688 times
Been thanked: 327 times

Re: I'm back, and why it took so long...

Post by larryw »

Welcome back.. Very sorry to hear of your situation, yea, it's been a miserable year.
Hang in there, things will get better..
A day late & A dollar short? Story of my life +guns
User avatar
RBHarter
Founding Member
Founding Member
Posts: 2040
Joined: 13 Mar 2014 19:45
My Press Choice: Single Stage
Location: The green hell 90 miles north of Texarka
Has thanked: 76 times
Been thanked: 670 times

Re: I'm back, and why it took so long...

Post by RBHarter »

I glad to see you back !

Oh boy ! Littles . Those days I remember almost too well . The second of 4 started Kindergarten and brought home chicken pox . 4 kids with fevers , sweats , itchy .
There was the mystery bug in the youngest boy , 104°F for most of 6 days , nose bleed in the hospital they struggled to get stopped . It all cleared .

This year has been a doosie . Ms and I are almost 8 months into the first solid employment we've had since our move most of 3 years ago . I was practically strong armed into the job .
We mostly have avoided the illnesses so far .

Can't do much about the poli ticks , kill a forest , wear out a carton of pens , maybe they will hear a word or two .

Stay the course , it'll smooth out .
Just a Red neck,White boy, Blue blood American.....
User avatar
Ranch Dog
Site Admin
Site Admin
Posts: 6456
Joined: 22 Jun 2013 17:16
My Press Choice: Progressive
Location: Inez, TX
Has thanked: 1616 times
Been thanked: 2850 times

Re: I'm back, and why it took so long...

Post by Ranch Dog »

Welcome back, Jochen; I've missed your participation. I'm really sorry to hear what has taken place in your life. Like Macd, I, too, feel, "That job is out there waiting for you." It might be tough to believe at times, but you must. You and your family are in my prayers.
Michael
Image
User avatar
Fyodor
Founding Member & Supporter
Founding Member & Supporter
Posts: 1512
Joined: 04 Jan 2014 05:45
My Press Choice: Progressive
Location: Gernsbach, Germany
Has thanked: 794 times
Been thanked: 504 times

Re: I'm back, and why it took so long...

Post by Fyodor »

Thanks for all the good wishes. I'm pathologically positive, so I don't loose hope easily. I'm just realistic, this isn't the best times to search for a new job. But I will find one eventually. And my girls won't miss on anything.
"I disapprove of what you say, but I will defend to the death your right to say it"
- Evelyn Beatrice Hall, often misattributed to Voltaire

I think I'm thinking, therefore I may possibly be.
Jeff H
Supporter
Supporter
Posts: 71
Joined: 30 Jun 2013 09:25
My Press Choice: Turret
Location: NW Ohio
Has thanked: 31 times
Been thanked: 47 times

Re: I'm back, and why it took so long...

Post by Jeff H »

Holy cow, Fyodor!

Been a rough year for a lot of us, but this is not a competition. Try to live a little less stressfully this year!

If it were a competition, I'd concede, throwing in the towel.

I truly hope things look up for you and your family soon.
User avatar
Fyodor
Founding Member & Supporter
Founding Member & Supporter
Posts: 1512
Joined: 04 Jan 2014 05:45
My Press Choice: Progressive
Location: Gernsbach, Germany
Has thanked: 794 times
Been thanked: 504 times

Re: I'm back, and why it took so long...

Post by Fyodor »

Hey guys!

Life went on, as it always does.

My grandfather in law still is with us... sometimes he plays with the girls, sometimes he stares at the ceiling, drooling. We aren't sure if it is good or bad. It definitely is extremely tiresome and exhausting for his wife and daughter, who take care of him. Seems like he's trying to complete the century.

My big girl now is in kindergarten, and loves it. She also learns how mean kids can be too each other... I guess that's inevitable. We support her and keep her up when she got called names again.

The little one sleeps a bit better now, but when she wakes up, it's still a noisy situation. And since I accidentally broke her leg in bed at night (fell on her) beginning of July, she doesn't want me around her at night. During the day she loves playing with me, but at night she only wants mamy. The leg is good again, but I felt devastated for weeks. Still do sometimes... even if it was an accident, that's nothing you want to experience.

Good thing is: I finally got a new job that I like with nice coworkers. Bad thing: 30% less income than before, and a 40 mile commute. And I can't use the PC for personal stuff, not even during brakes. Writing on my mobile phone is a bit cumbersome, so I rarely do it.

Life's good.
"I disapprove of what you say, but I will defend to the death your right to say it"
- Evelyn Beatrice Hall, often misattributed to Voltaire

I think I'm thinking, therefore I may possibly be.
User avatar
Ranch Dog
Site Admin
Site Admin
Posts: 6456
Joined: 22 Jun 2013 17:16
My Press Choice: Progressive
Location: Inez, TX
Has thanked: 1616 times
Been thanked: 2850 times

Re: I'm back, and why it took so long...

Post by Ranch Dog »

Good to hear from you again, Fydor! I am glad that your girls are getting along better, and with your job, hopefully, life will improve, and other opportunities will arise that bring better fortunes to your family. I'm really sorry about the accident with your younger daughter; time will heal everything.

Families around the globe have been through some tough times in the last eighteen months, and I hope that your family is heading into a brighter time ahead.
Michael
Image
Post Reply

Return to “Topic Bucket”