Thread Drift

[rebeccaC]

Other people seem to be happy with thin packable down coats. I'm sort of mystified by this. Maybe there's a psychological aspect -- I'm so used to warm coat=heavy coat that something light and thin just seems wrong. But I have a Pearl Izumi jacket cycling that is very thin yet insanely warm, so I know that such a thing is possible.
Yeah, goose down is much warmer for its weight than synthetic fill.....think of the amount of down a goose has (and it keeps them warm :) )……and think of a coats shell as feathers. My outdoor research jacket is 800 fill and very light, toasty warm, the shell is wind and water proof and it stuffs into a small bag. I have very light goose down comforters for the guest bedroom and people are surprised how nice and warm they are especially for the weight.



I did find that Nordstrom carries Canada Goose coats. They are quite pricey.
Quality is more expensive. I save until I can buy well-constructed, good material clothing by a designer that does more of a timeless look. That way I actually spend less in the long run and have nice clothes, especially for work. Because of only doing clothes shopping when i have saved the money means less shopping for me too.




I used to be cold all.the.time, menopause fixed that, now I'm hot, all the time. It can be 100 outside and I'm hot, it can be 20 outside and I'm hot...
think of it as keeping mary warm in bed on a cold night…she should be thanking you :).....and yeah flip-flops ftw!!!!

[lph]

When it comes to warm clothes, style and fashion mostly go out the window for me once it gets cold enough. I've acquired a fair amount of practical, warm stuff for hiking, skiing or working outdoors, but none of it is particularly attractive unless you go for the lumberjack look ;-)
After some years I felt the need for a "civilian" coat for dressy occasions in cold weather, and now have both a ankle-length wool coat with a mouflon collar and a knee-length down coat. They're surprisingly "un-warm", probably because I don't have warm "civilian" boots to go with them, and overtrousers look weird with a coat. I usually have to choose between looking nice or being warm ;-)

[Pax]

think of it as keeping mary warm in bed on a cold night…she should be thanking you :).....and yeah flip-flops ftw!!!!

She used to be a furnace, just a tiny little ball of heat, menopause did the opposite to her and she's always cold now. Bodies are weird. LOL

[emily_in_nc]

I laugh when I read a description of a coat online and it claims the coat "holds in body heat." I have no body heat. The other day a nurse took my temperature and it was below 97. That is normal for me. Even when I'm getting hot flashes, I alternate between them and cold flashes when I just can't get warm no matter what I do. (Until the internal furnace clicks on and then I can't throw the blankets off and rip off the sweaters fast enough!)

Is your thyroid okay, NY? Low body temp can be a sign of hypothyroidism. I am cold-natured too, although with menopause I am much hotter natured than I used to be and sweat a LOT more. However, I have a very small comfort zone, so I get chilly at much warmer temps than most people. Some of that is probably from living mostly in hot climates for the last four years, though. My blood has definitely thinned!

Good luck finding a coat that keeps you warm.

[Crankin]

My normal body temp is also low, and there have been many times it's been 97. something when at the doctor. As far as I know, my thyroid is fine.
I don't like being hot. I think it comes from living in air conditioning for 23 years. I had no issues adjusting to the cold when I moved back here, but now, it bothers me a little, mostly when I am running to the office from the parking lot. Never, though, when I am exercising! In fact, I prefer being outside in the winter to exercise. And, it's mostly wind related. I hate wind, even when it's warm out!

[Catrin]

My body temp has also been low, generally at least 97, sometimes below. While I've no reproductive system at all, I've never had what I've heard described as a hot flash. I get a little warm from time to time, but it is minor and passes quickly. More often I can't get warm! I do get a good thyroid workup at least once a year as it was removed 30 years ago. Generally speaking I'm colder than before my surgical menopause. I DO prefer to be outside, but I'm becoming less and less fond of winter...

[shootingstar]

I did find that Nordstrom carries Canada Goose coats. They are quite pricey.

Either we have some local rich people walking around (I guess that's the equivalent to a fur coat now) or people just spend money like drinking water...

Last night, I was in WAlmart's killing time with a friend while she shopped. Oe woman asked another customer how the Canada goose coat felt. Customer said that she was actually sweating while walking around in the store..

Outside yesterday was -12 degrees C.

I'm losing my tolerance for hot, humid temperatures/summers. If you suggest a beach vacation vs. a mountain snow vacation, then I would take the mountain snow vacation lst. I actually seemed to have gained slightly greater tolerance to cold winters down to -15 degrees C. Before I moved to Alberta, I would have considered such temp. super cold for me.

[ny biker]

Either we have some local rich people walking around (I guess that's the equivalent to a fur coat now) or people just spend money like drinking water...

Last night, I was in WAlmart's killing time with a friend while she shopped. Oe woman asked another customer how the Canada goose coat felt. Customer said that she was actually sweating while walking around in the store..

Outside yesterday was -12 degrees C.

I'm losing my tolerance for hot, humid temperatures/summers. If you suggest a beach vacation vs. a mountain snow vacation, then I would take the mountain snow vacation lst. I actually seemed to have gained slightly greater tolerance to cold winters down to -15 degrees C. Before I moved to Alberta, I would have considered such temp. super cold for me.

Oh I am the opposite -- I hate the cold more as I get older. If I lived in a cold climate I would not care how much I had to spend for a good coat. Even now I am raising my budget for the coat purchase because it seems that's what I have to do to be warm.

REI has a "dividend match" on certain brands through tomorrow, including North Face and some other brands of coats. Between a coat, Christmas shopping and the $600 I spent on my car a few weeks ago, this month's credit card bill will be significant.

I have had my thyroid checked several times, it's always normal. I take after my father and his mother in this regard.

[emily_in_nc]

Glad your thyroid's okay, NY. I also tend to have lower than normal body temp, or at least I used to, prior to menopause. Not sure now as I have so rarely had it taken.

I definitely prefer warm weather to cold, but I am becoming less tolerant of both HOT and COLD weather as I get older. There are a lot of snowbirds, expats, and tourists down here in Mexico who claim to love the hot, humid weather, but I am definitely tired of it. I do like being warm and wearing shorts and tank tops, but I am tired of being sweaty and sticky. My DH tolerates it much better than I do and sweats less. I am hoping as I get farther from menopause (I'm only a couple of years post-menopausal) that I'll tolerate heat better. We'll see!

[Crankin]

Ok, when it rains, it pours. My other son called yesterday, and his wife is pregnant, too! Very, very early, but probably due about 6 weeks after the first grandchild.
Guess I'll be taking a trip to LA in September.

[ny biker]

Double congrats!!

[Catrin]

Enjoy!

[shootingstar]

Wow, Crankin. More visits..

[ny biker]

I've been putting this off for a long time but can't procrastinate any longer... I have to log into the medical insurance and flexible spending account websites to see where I stand for this year and what I have to spend to use up the FSA.

My reason for delaying it is that I know I will end up angry at the FSA people. I am so careful using the debit card they give us, I only use it for things that are clearly and without a doubt eligible under the law. Like copays at doctors offices, prescriptions at pharmacies and contact lenses. Still they always end up accusing me of fraud and demanding proof that I haven't done anything wrong. I hate them. Last year they screwed up, charged a copay from 2014 to my 2015 account and refused to fix it, saying there was nothing they could do and therefore not letting me have $20 from 2014 that I legitimately should have gotten back.

No, I did not sign up for an FSA for 2016. It's just not worth the aggravation.

I will probably end up irritated by something with the insurance company, too. Ultimately they all punish you for getting sick. And they punish you if you go for checkups to try to avoid getting sick.

Deep breaths...

===

ETA - So yeah, my health insurance only covers one preventive care visit per year. The colonoscopy doctor billed my visit to her under that category, therefore 0% of all other preventive care checkups are covered -- I have to pay completely out of pocket for the visit to the gynecologist. If I had gone for a routine physical, that would have been 100% out of pocket, too.

My employer apparently prefers that we all be diagnosed with late stage cancer or collapse from a stroke or heart attack.

And no, we are not given information about this in advance, beyond a vague sentence in small print in a hard-to-read pdf. We find out after we owe the money to the doctor.

I haven't even gotten to the FSA people yet.

====

OMG the FSA people refused to reimburse me for 2014 charges for NO REASON. "It was a mistake, we will process the claim now." Thieves. Can't wait for them to try to pull the same crap with the 2105 receipts that I'm about to submit.

Oy. Logging out of these websites and moving on to something more pleasant. First I will go on facebook to look at the photo of my friend's cat as he sits on her laptop and gives her the PLAY WITH ME look.

[emily_in_nc]

ETA - So yeah, my health insurance only covers one preventive care visit per year. The colonoscopy doctor billed my visit to her under that category, therefore 0% of all other preventive care checkups are covered -- I have to pay completely out of pocket for the visit to the gynecologist. If I had gone for a routine physical, that would have been 100% out of pocket, too.


What a pain, NY! That does not seem right at all. I am glad you brought it up, though. Just in case mine does the same thing, I'll try to make sure I get the colonoscopy in between years for my preventive physical -- I tend to only do that every other year. I wonder if this is a common practice?

I hope you are pleasantly surprised on the FSA reimbursement for 2015 -- maybe you'll catch a break this time? When I was working and had one, I don't seem to recall having many problems with getting reimbursed. If I did, I've apparently blocked it out of my memory. It was an annoying task, though; I do remember having to fax in forms and such all the time and carefully plan medical expenses throughout the year to use my funds. I remember having to buy a ton of disposable contacts one year b/c I was going to end up with a bunch of money left over in my account....

[Crankin]

Hmm, I can have a colonoscopy and a physical in the same year. Of course, I had my colonoscopy before the ACA, but DH had his after, and was fine. And he goes for 2 preventative exams, yearly, one with the internist and one with the cardiologist. We pay the co-pay for the cardiologst.
The FSA, however is annoying, but it doesn't anger me. We get questioned for receipts on a regular basis for things that are obvious, like PT co-pays, but yet, it paid for 2 years of acupuncture with no questions. We've had several companies, though, and some are definitely better than others. I have used it for very expensive glasses and then pay for my contacts out of pocket. This year, I used it for the contacts, though. What I don't do is use it for the non-prescription things that are supposed to be covered, but are always rejected.

[Pax]

Never bothered with FSA, my employer didn't need to know what I was doing health-wise. Then again, I've never made enough money to file more than a 1040EZ and my out of pocket medical expenses are pretty low, so it's not a big issue.

[rebeccaC]

This discussion makes me really thankful Ellie chose and pays for Kaiser Permanente coverage (a non-profit) for all employees and families. I have a $20 copay for both prescriptions and each office visit as needed even specialists. $0 for preventive services. I do what’s needed to stay healthy and fit so I don’t use it much but a couple of other employees and their families do need it and are very thankful for having it. Ellie knows it also makes for less stressed and more productive employees and feels it's a good investment in her employees.

Since California set up its own ACA exchange, prices for that are also lower here than the states that for political reasons didn’t.

i've never understood the making an insurance profit off someone being ill.....universal health care ftw

[ny biker]

i've never understood the making an insurance profit off someone being ill.....universal health care ftw

Yes! Totally agree.

Our insurance plan is allowed to violate some ACA provisions, apparently. Old coverage limitations are grandfathered. Next year's coverage will be worse, with more copays and deductibles. And it's very hard to find out in advance if something will be covered.

[Catrin]

I had an FSA before moving to our high-deductible plan with HSA account. For the FSA they were required to have proof for every expenditure by the IRS regardless of how obvious an allowed expense. I certainly prefer the HSA account over the FSA, though moving to the CDHP plan itself certainly took some adjusting that first year. All preventative services are covered however, not just one. I've never heard of that NY Biker, so sorry to hear they've been able to get away with that. In the end, for us, they made our CDHP more attractive financially to us than the traditional HMO.

[Crankin]

My insurance (Blue Cross PPO) is like what Rebecca discussed, except it is not an HMO, like Kaiser. I don't have to get referrals for anything, no limits of on things like PT, and reasonable co-pays (20.00-50.00) for various services and drugs. The cost to us has gone up over the years, but, still quite reasonable compared to what i hear from others. Employees at my work have a choice of the same plan (we get it through DH's work), but pay a lot more money for their premiums.
I would never buy one of the high deductible plans. I know they are cheaper premiums, but good health care is pretty important to me. I've had enough things, that while not life threatening, could have been costly if I hadn't had this insurance. My insurance paid for one of my kid's experimental surgery to cure his Raynaud's, 12 years ago, 2 cardiac caths for DH, and a few MRIs/CT scans for me, all for 20.00 co-pays. No complaining here.

[Catrin]

Glad it's worked well for you Crankin. My employer is in the process of phasing out the traditional HMO, and new employees do not have that option. They have raised the premiums, deductibles, and co-pays so much for the HMO that there is no difference in the out of pocket limit for either plan and, indeed, it's slightly higher for HMO plans. We USED to have an HMO like you describe, but that ended in 2008 or so. Even under the HMO the employee is responsible for a sizeable percentage of tests, scans, and surgeries. I try not to remember what our insurance USED to be like, that doesn't do me any good.

[Crankin]

I guess it is really up to employers (yes, I know this sucks) to decide how important wellness and keeping employees healthy is, without breaking the bank. There is no deductible on my plan, or any of the others offered by DH's or my employer. The difference is, that at my work employees do have a choice of a plan where you have to use certain doctors and you can't go to any of the big name hospitals in Boston. While I don't run down there, like some of my friends do, I want to have the choice, and it is worth it to me, to pay for this. When I was sick a few years ago, I went to Brigham and Woman's for a second and third opinion from 2 rheumatologists and a neurologist. While it probably wasn't necessary to that extent, the advice they gave me stopped me from any more rounds of searching. I have recommended one of the doctors to several people, including my own patients.
Of course, like California, Massachusetts has several things that are mandated to be paid for, which I am supremely thankful for.

[Pax]

When we moved to FL we had to switch insurance from our usual State of Illinois HMO to an Open Access plan they offer for people living/working out of state. We went from fantastic coverage with livable deductions to bizarre coverage (drive an hour to Orlando,to see the covered ortho instead of the one who's highly rated and a block from our house), and super high co-pays.

[shootingstar]

I wish a lot of Canadians who ***** and complain about our system, would read in detail what some of you experience in the U.S.

Just to give a taste of CAnadian health care system for someone like myself who also has employee health care benefits since this situation was my most intensive use of the health care system for me so far..

My concussion accident a year ago after cyclist crashed into me ..
Since I was injured in another province, my ambulance ride was $500.00CAN. It was covered by my employee health care benefit. Yes, I would normally have to pay all that. A British Columbia resident would be paying under $100.00.

Kept overnight in emergency services in bed where I was seen by neurologist and interns every few hrs. I did have some meals. Then I was discharged. I made sure I asked for my discharge patient record. I was in a large rm. along with 10 patients. Quite fine for overnight. I knew I would need it once return to Alberta for my rehabilitation.

I found out later I didn't have to pay for any costs in emergency services because British Columbia authorities check again Alberta's public hospital care rates, etc. So no difference in rates. Otherwise I would have to pay for any differences.

Then I had to see my family doctor in Alberta every 2 wks. during lst 5 months of my rehabilitation. No charge, just call my doctor. There were some charges for her to fill in employer disability forms for medical assessments each time. This is more for the employer but still it is a charge. The doctor kindly charged me at a reimbursable rate where I got covered off by benefit plan. I did have some drugs which were 80% coverage for cost but if I didn't have employee benefit, I would have had to pay in full.

Had 8 sessions of physiotherapy which were covered by employee benefit. However without benefit, I would have had been limited to 6 sessions through only certain physio clinics. I had never used physiotherapy before.

I did see a sleep doctor specialist twice..there were no out of pocket expenses. It was part of the public health care system. If I had an overnight sleep assessment that would have been $800.00. But I didn't need that. We already knew what my problems were. (which are common for concussion patients).

I would have had to have far more serious after effects for a full neurological assessment which was another 4 month wait. But I didn't need that. I was already working full-time.

Because I work for govn't, I do have a better employer health care benefits which include disability insurance because I couldn't work for first few months at all.

One of the difficult things probably in Canada which would be the same for parts of the U.S., is it's only the big cities that have specialists and the lack of family doctors in some rural areas. In Alberta, unlike Ontario, it is far more rural. Strong network of family doctor care and specialists are only concentrated in 2 cities for the entire province...Edmonton (350 km. north of Calgary. Edmonton is about 200 km. or more south of Fort McMurrary, the infamous Canadian oil tar sands area) and Calgary. This is very different than southern Ontario which has several top hospitals and other facilities because of several university medical schools in several major cities in that province plus programs for all other allied health care specialties.

[Helene2013]

I can't complain about our medical system in Quebec either. Sure, you go to ER or see a doctor and it is all "free". But we do pay through our taxes. The wait in QC can be quite long in a ER room, unless a true true emergency. It is not because you are through the door by ambulance that it goes faster. They have codes and go by this.

I do have work group insurance also. It covers for $1000 physio, same for psychologist, etc... no doctor reference required. If I did not have this, I would have to go through public system...with often a delay of a year, even two to get an ultra sound or an MRI.

I have knee injections (synvisc), which came up to more than $1000 per knee, all 100% covered by my insurance
I had MRI, scans, etc...fully covered by my work insurance.

If I had to go through our public system, forget it.... I would have to cough out the money (for most things until you reached a max of expenses), and claim when doing my tax report the following year and only get a tiny return on the expense, if I do get one as you have to reach x% of your net income before being allowed returns.

We also have insurance coverage through our SAAQ (Quebec automobile insurance).

Overall, we have insurance wall-to-wall but it does not mean you get it right away. I'm one of the few luckiest to have a family doctor (some have been waiting for years here in QC - don't know for other provinces). I can see her pretty rapidly if needed. She can prescribed some pills over the phone and they are sent straight to the pharmacist of my choice.

But it all does not come free. I am taxed by the province for a universal system. And I also pay taxes (taxed benefits) for my private work plan. For work, the benefit is +/- $3000 added to my salary. For the provincial one, I have no clue how much we end up paying through taxes but I know my total taxes I end up paying at the end of the year is nearing 50% of my gross income. That is a lot off a paycheque and we are "just" higher middle class. QC is the highest taxed province in Canada.

But at least we know if something happens while in QC, I am covered. And I can opt for any therapist I want or where I want.
If something happens elsewhere in Canada, I am covered partially from QC and I need to have a personal insurance to cover the difference (some provinces have agreements between them). But we have to get the E-care and we are brought back asap in QC.
And if we travel out of Canada, we better brace ourselves with a personal insurance (work is good enough) to cover for any emergency visits as Quebec will only reimburse us for what they would normally pay for the same service in QC, which is a lot less than in some other countries. Same here...they stabilize you and take you right back into your province asap.

We do have excellent specialists if needed too because I live near Montreal. So that is not an issue for me, but those living more remote of big centres, it is a major issue.

Ah. And dental is never covered, nor glasses, etc...unless you were involved in an accident (work or car), or on welfare (and not everything is covered). So those are expenses out of your pocket, unless your work insurance has coverage for those. Many don't. Mine does, but not my husband's. Dental is so expensive that a lot of private insurance have a premium so high that companies prefer to decline it here.

[smilingcat]

Oh ohhh. Talk about health care/insurance and I get more than earful. Let's just say that its another reason for me to emigrate out of US. I pay through the bloody nose for no-health care. Deductible is sky high, premium is sky high. I'm getting fleeced just to avoid the penalty from IRS. And for what?

Some may complain of excessively long wait in ER. but most self respecting ER operate on a strict rule of who is in dire need. If you have a simple fracture and not a compound fracture you may wait while a gunshot victim is rolled in taken care of first. This happens here in US as well as in any other civilized country. Well they may not have a gun shot victim but you get the idea.

So I paid how much last year for nothing.

[shootingstar]

[QUOTE=smilingcat;709229]Some may complain of excessively long wait in ER. but most self respecting ER operate on a strict rule of who is in dire need. If you have a simple fracture and not a compound fracture you may wait while a gunshot victim is rolled in taken care of first. This happens here in US as well as in any other civilized country. Well they may not have a gun shot victim but you get the idea.[QUOTE]

That's correct smilingcat, serious emergencies are handled immediately. My sister is an emergency medicine doctor.
I was and actually had a CT scan. (No I wasn't charged.) I was unconscious and wasn't even aware I had this done to me. I was put on a spinal board because they weren't sure what happened to me. So I woke up a few hrs. later on a spinal board in the hospital bed.

I did have an ultrasound for soft tissue damage while in emergency care. No, I was not charged for that.
Helene, for non-urgent ultrasounds it has been just a month or so wait in Calgary for me. No charge if ordered by doctor.
I was lucky to find a family doctor who I like, not far from home and work when I moved to Calgary. At the time of my accident, it was critical, that I had already established a relationship with a family doctor after moving from Vancovuer.

Alberta has its own problems for available family doctors and part of it, is due to rapid population growth. 35,000 people moved to live in Calgary area. It was the fastest growing city in Canada before the oil bust. Economic recession has caused some oil workers to return back to Maritime provinces, etc., but we still have a bigger population.

Same for regular lab tests for physical checkups ordered by doctor. No charge. It is part of the health care system.

YEs, Helene is right, dental care is not covered at all by the Canadian public health care system. Nor is counselling. For the latter, there might be some access (free or discounted) for low-income and IF there is a non-profit organization with counselling services but sometimes that is more group oriented which really doesn't fit initially a lot of needs. I just happen to have some access because of an employer benefit.

Dental care is very expensive in Alberta. More than British Columbia and Ontario where I've lived for several years. There was an news article a few months ago that compared the different provinces.

Germany I have heard has a good public health care system..but their personal tax rates are higher.
I was a bit shocked that Alberta govn't was dumb enough to nix the personal monthly payment rates. B.C. is now $75.00 monthly payment for individuals to B.C. Mionistry of Health, if you are in highest income bracket: http://www2.gov.bc.ca/gov/content/health/health-drug-coverage/msp/bc-residents/premiums Regardless of whether or not, you use any health care services. I see that payment as simply necessary for maintaining the health care system.

I can't find a fee for Ontario residents. But anyway, here are some general conditions, etc.: http://www.health.gov.on.ca/en/public/publications/ohip/services.aspx
My father had prostate cancer and had excellent top specialist care in Toronto for ..5 years. But then 1 of Canada's major cancer research hospitals is in Toronto. He saw doctors every few months. I have not heard from siblings about costs and would have by now, if there was any or if it was exhorbiant or unreasonable. My father was low-income senior.

He was also admitted to palliative care at a hospital for remaining 2 months of his life. He could not get out of bed nor walk. Again if it was unreasonable costs..I would have heard by now (and probably asked to share costs with siblings for care).

As long as CAnadians can get medical care for needs via their family doctor and then seeing specialists when they need to, then it's not worth getting pissed off about paying higher taxes. I think the waste may be on the administrative side, (million dollar computer technology contracts that get screwed up for health care. THat's a problem of govn't not placing strong contractual controls on consultants.)

I'm biased : I have several siblings who work in the health care system in different facilities and different jobs in Metro Toronto. I honestly don't know why people think they can get more services for less taxation, yet not contribute out of their own wallet.

[Helene2013]

My husband is on wait to have an inguinal hernia surgery. The surgeon said the wait is between 3 to 6 months (3 months if all goes well, 6 months if he gets many calls for cancer surgeries). Nothing to pay either. We saw our generalist who referred to 3 different surgeons, doing surgeries in various hospitals. It was up to us to decide which one he wanted to get the surgery done.

We saw our generalist mid-October, saw surgeon mid-November, pre-op tests were done at hospital on Dec 15 and are good for 6 months. Now we wait for the call. All this is "free" through our province plan. Surgeon said that if husband has any pain until surgery day to get to the ER.

If he wants to get the surgery done faster, we can go through a private clinic. The actual surgeon does not do private, unless the companies pay for it (probably need to be a COO or something). A private surgery costs around $2000 for this. My BIL had it a few years ago. Since he is in no pain/discomfort, we will wait. When he gets the call, it will be 48hrs (sometimes it can be 24hrs if cancellation) and he can refuse twice before being put back at the end of waiting list.

I told him he could go private but prefers to wait.

If I can pay $2000 for my dog's hip surgery (done 2 weeks ago), pay for his physio, etc... I can't complain if I have to pay something for us humans.

If people in Canada truly knew the price of medical care, those who complain about it, would probably be very surprised if they'd see the details of a visit or surgery.

Someone mentioned to me last week tat in Canada they were talking about showing bills to patients so they were aware of how much a surgery or a visit can cost. I know some blood tests I had to take at some point were over $700 (standard blood/urine panel) if I'd go to private lab. I did not as I did not mind waiting an hour at the CLSC to get it done publicly. My private insurance would probably cover it but I hate "abusing" the system as premiums in the end, end up increasing for the whole people at work. So I try to use it wisely. :)

[Crankin]

Wise statements, Helene and Shooting Star. I feel the same way about people who complain about paying for health insurance here. Don't like the 50.00 co-pay? Well, your procedure might actually cost 2,000. Or maybe 10,000.
Taxes are for the common good. That includes health care, roads, police, fire, and schools. Everyone uses these services and it is part of living in a civilized nation that we pay for these things. I don't deny that the US still needs to figure out a way to do this more equitably. It seems like the "red" states have more uninsured people (still) and people who are stuck in those high deductible/co-pay plans because they have opted out of the exchanges as part of the ACA. And then the people blame it on Obama. I thank G-d I live in a state that understands that health care is a right.

[smilingcat]

Please don't think that I'm bad mouthing ACA aka obamacare its a baby step in the right direction. It's far better than nothing. I just can't get relief from ACA.

[shootingstar]

Smiling cat, I kind of gave up trying to understand the complexities of ACA as it was being rolled out. So whatever I say is about publicly funded health services is within only what I've experienced...after living in Ontario, British Columbia and Alberta as an adult.

I just found out from my sister that my father's care for cancer chemotherapy and palliative care, did not require costs by him. He was an ideal patient: made very rare use of health services before he had cancer. He had appendix removed....minor surgery. Very healthy. His greatest pain was experienced in final 3 months of life. He was diagnosed with cancer 5 years before.

In all of this, I still believe that it's best I remain as healthy as possible. When there is serious injury/unforeseen major illness, recovery is faster/living is made less painful because there's less/no other pre-existing medical problems. It really is about quality of life. It is not (for me), taking advantage of a public health care system in unwarranted ways.

[Crankin]

I don't think you are bad mothing the ACA, Smiling Cat. You are self employed, so it makes it all more difficult. This is kind of what I am talking about; if we funded the national health care plan (through taxes and other appropriations), self-employed people would be able to have the same kind of medical care I have. It should not be employer dependent. But, I am seriously doubting that will happen in my lifetime.

[Catrin]

I don't think you are bad mothing the ACA, Smiling Cat. You are self employed, so it makes it all more difficult. This is kind of what I am talking about; if we funded the national health care plan (through taxes and other appropriations), self-employed people would be able to have the same kind of medical care I have. It should not be employer dependent. But, I am seriously doubting that will happen in my lifetime.

I agree with you on all counts! Personally, I would LOVE to "only" have $50 co-pays, but we have what we have and I'm thankful to have it. Many local employers are moving/have moved strictly toward the CDHP insurance plans as a way of managing cost. As expensive as it is, and while it makes it difficult (or perhaps not possible) to take care of emergency medical costs, I can't complain about the level of preventative care my employer makes available to us at no cost - well - to those who have gone the CDHP direction rather than the HMO. Remember what I said about how they made it so attractive to make the move? I recognize they are doing the very best they can in our current broken system. Hopefully there will come a time when it won't be employer dependant but, like you, I don't see it happening in my working life.

Smiling Cat, you aren't bad-mouthing at all - it is a difficult situation. As frustrated as I get with the current system I know there are those who are worse off than I am. So I focus on trying to stay as mobile as possible, and I think carefully about when it is appropriate to see my doctor...or not. I try to use alternative methods as much as I reasonably can. Thankfully with the rise of non-hospital based imaging centers I was able to schedule my MRI next week at a price 1/3 of what a hospital would charge. Still expensive, but it won't cover 1/2 or more of my 2016 deductible...

[emily_in_nc]

DH and I are in the group of Americans who have really benefitted from the ACA. Since we are early retired and too young for Medicare, AND since we have a low income, we qualify for a subsidy and can thus get a very good ACA plan for low cost. We do have co-pays for our doctor visits other than preventive care. So far we have only used it for preventive care and dermatologist visits, plus my asthma inhaler Rx. If we took more out of our retirement funds, increasing our income, we'd pay more for our coverage; potentially a lot more if we didn't qualify for any subsidy. We are legal residents of Florida, which did not establish its own exchange, so we are enrolled through the Federal Exchange and have a Florida Blue PPO "silver" plan. Since we're travelers, we can't chose an HMO plan or we'd be limited to receiving services in Florida.

So, overall, we love the ACA, but we do have to plan our retirement withdrawals carefully to keep our income within the level to receive a subsidy. The monthly costs would be outrageous without this help (~$1100/mo for a typical plan at our ages in Florida). It's actually a form of enforced savings for us since we don't want to withdraw and spend too much of our retirement funds and bump ourselves out of a subsidy. So we can save those funds for later years.

[Crankin]

I feel bored... and it makes me realize how much time I usually spend riding or x country skiing/snow shoeing. There isn't any snow for skiing, at least locally, and it's rainy/freezing rain here. I've been going to the gym, doing spin, tabatta, and circuit training, and doing an occasional trail run, but those things don't take up too much time. I am exhausted the 3 days I work, but since i don't have as much take home work, like I did teaching, I find myself doing some exercise on the days I don't work, and then a lot of errands, and a little socializing. It's not like we are not going out with friends on Fri., Sat. or Sunday nights, but it seems like I have way too much free time on weekends. DH is spending lots of time at the condo, remodeling, but within reason. If there was snow, I'd be out there. Any day that's been OK for road riding, I've been at work.Plus, there's been a bit too much ice on the sides of the road for me to be on a road bike. I know this is a first world problem... it will resolve as soon as the weather is more season appropriate, or warmer, and we move.

[Catrin]

I hear you Crankin, and I've been feeling a bit the same since I've had to pull back a bit on my kettlebells until we learn the results of my neck MRI from yesterday. I seem to be really prone to tweaking neck, shoulder, and knee right now so am dialing back a bit until we learn more and to allow my body a chance to heal. Tomorrow will head to the gym for some time on the ArcTrainer - it doesn't hurt me and allows a chance for SOME movement. Hiking is working better for me, but it's too wet to do much of that right now, and an arctic blast is coming this week. From 50 degrees today, and on Tuesday we are supposed to have a low of something like 2 degrees. It must come, but it would be nice to have it come in increments :eek: Oh well, at least I will get to finally wear the new snow boots to work that I got from Costco - not for the snow but for the cold (my feet and hands get very cold).

[OakLeaf]

Mmmmmkay, I'm back, much as it might annoy some people. Kind of fell off an emotional cliff this fall. Then I've spent about the last two or three weeks thinking I should get back to TE but not sure how to make my re-entry. So here I am. Off to catch up on some other threads.

[Catrin]

Mmmmmkay, I'm back, much as it might annoy some people. Kind of fell off an emotional cliff this fall. Then I've spent about the last two or three weeks thinking I should get back to TE but not sure how to make my re-entry. So here I am. Off to catch up on some other threads.

Good to see you back Oak, I've missed seeing you!

[ny biker]

Mmmmmkay, I'm back, much as it might annoy some people. Kind of fell off an emotional cliff this fall. Then I've spent about the last two or three weeks thinking I should get back to TE but not sure how to make my re-entry. So here I am. Off to catch up on some other threads.

Oh yes I was wondering where you had gone, worried that something was wrong. I hope things are looking up.

No need to plan a re-entry, just dive on in!

[Pax]

Hey Oak! MIssed you around here, it'll be great to finally meet you in real life.

[Crankin]

Nobody here thinks you're annoying, Oak.

[lph]

*waves* Heya! :-)

[rocknrollgirl]

Nobody here thinks you're annoying, Oak.

I agree. I have missed you in the running thread. It is nice to have someone else training for a race.

[Crankin]

I saw my first "picture" of my grandchild today, at 10.5 weeks gestation. Ultrasound technology has sure improved in the past 30 or so years!
You could clearly see the baby's legs, and it looked like they were moving around furiously. The doctor told my DIL the baby is very active.
I think we have a cyclist here...
Definitive due date for this one is August 12th. Since my other son's kid is due either last week in August or first week in September, I suppose there's a chance they could be born on the same day. DH and his brother were born on the same day, 10 years apart and my older son and DH's brother's son were born on the same day, 8 years apart.

[OakLeaf]

How exciting!

[Pax]

Cool beans, Crankin!


If all goes as planned my honey and I will be heading back to IL for a short visit in mid February! Not our favorite time of year but her work doesn't seem to care that it's cold. :p It will be nice to see friends, enjoy some culture, and eat in our favorite places again... probably should have kept my winter coat.

[Crankin]

Yep, I always kept my winter coat, while living in Florida. I actually needed it in AZ, contrary to what most people think.

[ny biker]

So I'm watching "Jezebel." New Orleans, 1852, Bette Davis wears a RED DRESS to a ball even though unmarried girls are supposed to wear white dresses. She is shunned by everyone. Her fiance (Henry Fonda) leaves her, goes to NYC and marries a nice northern girl. Then he catches yellow fever. To atone for wearing the red dress, Bette Davis volunteers to go with him to the island where all the people with yellow fever and leprosy are sent.

It's a really good thing I wasn't born in antebellum New Orleans. I can't even count the number of red sweaters I own. Hell, I wore one today. :D

[Crankin]

I love that movie!
And yes, it's a good thing I did not live then.

[Crankin]

Saw the ultra sound of baby #2. Not as clear, but still exciting. DIL is not feeling well at all, but she's a nurse, and is carrying on.

[Catrin]

Saw the ultra sound of baby #2. Not as clear, but still exciting. DIL is not feeling well at all, but she's a nurse, and is carrying on.

Good news about the ultrasound! Hope your DIL feels better soon.

[ny biker]

Okay so I hate winter and I don't care who knows it! But at least now that it's February we get 31 Days of Oscar on TCM. So many great movies, so little room on the DVR...

Cool Hand Luke is on tomorrow night and Auntie Mame is also on the schedule this week. You've got to live, live, live!!!

[Pax]

That's putting a positive spin on it, NY, good job!

Have to say, I'm really enjoying my first winter in Florida. It's really crowded but the no snow/ice makes up for it.

[Pax]

Sitting here in a McDonald's parking lot killing two time while waiting for my second interview (NOT at Mcdonalds) it'll be good for me to figure out these traffic patterns, the other day I got here with 15 minutes to spare and today I got here with 45 minutes to spare. LOL wish me luck!

[IBrakeforPastry]

Good luck!

[Pax]

Whew, hour and ten minute interview! Afterward the interviewer told me, with a smile on his face, "you are a VERY strong candidate for this position". Next up, fingerprinting and the start of the exhaustive background checks, if I pass those then I might get an offer.

[Crankin]

So exciting, Pax!
From what I experienced in my short job search, mental health is the one field where age/experience is seen as an asset.

[Pax]

So exciting, Pax!
From what I experienced in my short job search, mental health is the one field where age/experience is seen as an asset.

Agreed. And he acknowledged that I'd been in his chair before and was genuinely curious as to why I'd consider a part time position at a lower level. He accepted my answer "because I've done that before, I can afford to take a part-time position, and I still want to work in the field just not at that level anymore" with an understanding smile.

[emily_in_nc]

Super excited for you, Pax. I think you've got this in the bag!

[OakLeaf]

Pax, sounds like you aced it. Fingers and toes crossed for you!!!!


[Gotta add: traffic "patterns"?? You ain't up north any more. ;) I'm still trying to figure out a joke that combines Florida drivers, lane discipline, and safe words, because I'm pretty sure there's a joke in there somewhere, but when you're trying to get someplace it isn't very funny at all!]

[Crankin]

Ha, ha, Oak. I don't think I'd last a minute driving there. Even ten miles east of where I live, my rate of swearing goes up exponentially, due to the incompetent drivers.

[Pax]

[Gotta add: traffic "patterns"?? You ain't up north any more. ;) I'm still trying to figure out a joke that combines Florida drivers, lane discipline, and safe words, because I'm pretty sure there's a joke in there somewhere, but when you're trying to get someplace it isn't very funny at all!]

Since the ancient of days snow birders have arrived (present company excluded, of course) my language has become a poetry of profanity.

[Pax]

I'm not putting all my eggs in one basket, so I applied for a job in Chicago and one in Tampa (across the state from me). If I can't find a decent job here I'll just branch out, my honey can work from anywhere so instead of getting bummed by lack of opportunity... I'll seek out opportunity.

[Crankin]

Impending "blizzard," so I gave myself a snow day. It's started just south of us, but just a few flakes here, as of now. I feel a bit silly now, but it is supposed to be seriously awful for a few hours and I know what will happen; no one will come to see their therapist! I don't blame them. Schools are closed, so I follow the rule that if that happens, I don't go, either.
It took me an hour to cancel and get confirmations of this from 8 people... time to drag myself into my exercise clothes and get on the treadmill.

[Pax]

I remember the agency being a ghost town any time it snowed, all the clinicians would be there and every single client stayed home. Could never get the director to understand that and let us go home early... so we turned it into bring snacks-do paperwork-then hang out and chat day.

[Crankin]

Well, last year, the clinic actually closed 3 days, which I guess is unusual. Since we are FFS, it's up to us. It is snowing now, and this is exactly the time my first person was scheduled. My boss knows the inner Arizonan comes out in me on these days. I live close, and my car is aweome in snow, but it still is not fun for me to drive in it. I had many horrific drives when I had a 40 mile commute to work, back in the mid nineties. This was when schools didn't close so easily, and a couple of blizzards started while we were at school. Now, I think computer models are more accurate (today sure is), so they cancel ahead of time. I remember as a kid, being released early, the bus getting stuck in the snow, and ending up having to walk "2 miles in a blizzard."

[Pax]

I'm getting so excited, we're going home to IL for a few days next week! I've got a haircut scheduled as well as breakfast/lunch/dinner with various friends, and coffee with my old boss. I can't wait.

[Pax]

Had a wonderful time in Illinois, it was so fun catching up with friends and enjoying our favorite bars and restaurants. Equally glad to be back home here in Florida... going home reminds me why we moved.

[Geonz]

HEllo! I decided ten seconds ago to go back to TE -- haven't logged in in years -- and you were the most recent post ! Enjoy Florida :) :)

[Pax]

Hey Sue!!! Good to see you here!!

[Crankin]

Good to "see" you, Sue. Welcome back.

[Blueberry]

Really glad to see you back!!

[lph]

Sue! *waves*

[OakLeaf]

Sue! Hey!

Pax, glad you had a nice visit.

Crankin, hope you're starting to feel better!

[Crankin]

I am feeling better. Now, I just wish my eyes would stop itching.
Hoping to ride at least 20 miles today, without the wind that was out there yesterday.

[Pax]

I am feeling better. Now, I just wish my eyes would stop itching.
Hoping to ride at least 20 miles today, without the wind that was out there yesterday.

I had that eye itching thing for about three weeks last month, it was maddening.

[Geonz]

Waving Back :) :) Loving the "winter riding" quote, tho' I don't even need lots of bundling for today's "February Thaw" ride...

[Pax]

Had an interview in my current field yesterday (academic libraries) and it went very very well. Heard from one of my references that they already called her and were super impressed with me and my skill set, so yay!

The job working with felons in work release is still out there as well, just caught in the endless background check cycle (dependant upon state police and FBI "getting around" to their part).

[Crankin]

We are moving March 16th. Almost everything is packed, except a few things I need for the next 2 weeks. We are bringing it all over ourselves. Actually going to start unpacking and putting away kitchen stuff this weekend. The movers will only be bringing furniture, so the price is half of the original estimate.
Our painter is finishing up over the next week or so, the shades are in, just need to be installed. Doing the punch list of things we need, like new towels, shower curtains, and bath mats, key pads for the doors, etc. DH is busy ordering as I type, and we will go buy the bath stuff over the next few days. Once the painting is done the shades will be installed, the bathroom cabinets will go up, and the living room furniture we bought in October will be delivered.
Now we just need to sell our house. Looking at putting it back on the market April 1st.

[rebeccaC]

Had an interview in my current field yesterday (academic libraries) and it went very very well. Heard from one of my references that they already called her and were super impressed with me and my skill set, so yay!

The job working with felons in work release is still out there as well, just caught in the endless background check cycle (dependant upon state police and FBI "getting around" to their part).

my magic ball says you'll be offered a job that will present new positive opportunities...:)

[ny biker]

Good luck on the continuing job search and on the move, Pax and Crankin. Both of these activities are often of the two-steps-forward-one-step-back variety.

A few months ago I started working with a different group of people at my job, including a new manager. He is a micro-manager. I do not do well with micro-managers -- I work best when I'm allowed to think for myself. I never hesitate to ask questions or ask for help when I need it, I've been here a long time and have a proven track record. So it's not about me, it's about someone else being unable to let go and trust others. It's very unproductive to have to take time to calm down every time he yanks on the leash.

[Catrin]

Thinking of everyone moving or on the search for a job. Both are stressful and Pax, Crankin I hope both work well for you. NY Biker, I hope your new boss relaxes the reins.

[Pax]

My sympathies NY, in my recent interview I was asked what kind of management style I respond to best. I explained I appreciate being taught whatever is expected, being given the necessary tools/access/authority to accomplish the job, then being left alone. He breathed a sigh of relief and said he was a very hands off manager and had had difficulty with hiring a recent grad who very definitely wanted/needed hand holding.

[Crankin]

Why are the elderly women who work at the polls in my town so surly and rude?
My mom worked at the polls in San Diego for at least 10 years. I know she didn't act like that!
These people are nothing like the poll workers in my old town, who applauded for my son the first time he voted.

[Crankin]

My friend, Jack, had a crash yesterday. I was not riding with him, but it happened when he was with a crazy invitation only group he rides with, that he invited me to join. I saw this when I got a flurry of emails from the group's list. I guess he did an endo on some poorly maintained road in Weston and was knocked out for a minute or so. The police were called, and although there were no obvious injuries, they took him into Boston, to MA General. He got sent home after they checked him out.
It kind of freaked me out, as he rides almost everyday and was a hard core commuter before he retired. But, he doesn't pay attention that well, and i suspect this group was not going slowly! He seems fine, but I admonished him to rest. Hopefully, his wife will enforce this.

[Pax]

Glad he's okay, that's some scary stuff!

[Crankin]

Oy, nothing is ever dull here. DH has been unhappy at work for quite awhile, mostly because he got a new boss a couple of years ago and also his place is full of data driven geeky people who don't understand the human side of business. Oh, and the CEO is most definitely on the spectrum.
On Thursday, he told them he was leaving. He is not ready to retire yet, but he does need to do something different. He does not need to make the amount of money he is making now; once we sell our house, we will pay off the small mortgage we have on the condo. Other than that, we have no debt, except the normal utilities, etc. He is going to work there a couple of more months and then they will continue paying him for quite a while after that. They are also helping him with hooking him up with the type of recruiters that deal with people at his level.
I don't want him to be unhappy, but I would never quit my job before having a new one. I can only think about the bad things that can happen, mostly because my dad was unemployed a lot when I was in my teens and then later in life. It's not the same thing, obviously, but he sees this as an opportunity and I see it as a big pain in the azz. It's not like I make any money now, like I did when I was teaching. Right now, 90% of my paltry salary goes into a 401K. I will have to stop that to pay for the insurance we will need, probably only for a couple of months.
I am trying to ignore the situation, just because there is nothing I can do!

[emily_in_nc]

Crankin ~~ I'm with you; I would never quit a job without having found another, but perhaps that's just not practical at your DH's level. Sounds like no matter what you're in great shape financially, so I suspect it will all work out and he'll find a position that suits him quickly. Good luck with that and your move. Change is good; keeps the synapses firing! :)

[Crankin]

That is part of the problem, Emily. Job searches at his level are somewhat "hidden," and he actually does not have the time he needs to do it in a good way. Now he has access to those kinds of recruiters, without having to pay for it. Since I am not privy to how these things work in the world of business, I guess this is the way people do it. In 2001, he stuck his resume out on Monster and had 2 interviews, and 2 offers. It was a very hard choice for him to make. The other company was quite a different culture, which in the end, would have been better, but probably would not have afforded the opportunities in terms of money and travel, which in turn, afforded us opportunity.
I am fine with change, but I don't want to jeopordize anything. We really can afford for him to take a cut in pay to get what he wants, and work a couple of more years. I know, developmentally, this is a normal stage in older adult growth. That is not the part that bothers me, it's the getting the job, even though the recruiters have already told him it's a very hot job market here. On the other hand, DH also has lots of "trade" skills, and could easily work at doing some of that, if he needed to, while job searching. Most of our friends cannot believe he has done almost all of our remodeling work himself. He has even thought of opening a handyman business, but that would be more for retirement than now. He's also thought of doing mobile bike repair... until I teased him about going to some woman's home and being told "I need you to lube my chain..."

[Helene2013]

I wish him the best in finding a "dream" job at this stage of his life. When you are not happy and you have the chance to move on, you should do so.

I always quit my job before finding one and it never stressed me. Hubby though is a different story. He never would dream of doing this without a new job in hand already.

I always tell my current boss (like others before) that if I am no longer happy with the job or what comes with it, I'm moving on. My boss teases me and tells me he knows that and he keeps the projects fun. :)

But at this stage of my life too, I can "afford" to do this and I have no stress. That is also why I've always managed in my entire life to put a cushion (money) away so if something happened or I was no longer happy in a job I'd move on and know I'd have something to pay the mortgage with. And even in between jobs, I always took vacation or bought big ticket priced items. Hubby goes nuts when I do this....me...nah!

So I'm sure your husband will do just fine.

[Catrin]

Best wishes to your DH during this time, and may he find something that he likes better!

[Pax]

Hope he finds a great job, so very weird starting over at our age... but necessary if you want something different.

[Pax]

Regarding new jobs...

My view of my new gig: The hours are awful, the pay is insulting, my coworker (it's just the two of us) is somewhere on the spectrum and is supposed to be training me but actually has only interacted with me for less than five minutes total in the first four days, and the weird way the calculate vacation in laughable (I'll only get 27 hours of vacation in the next 16 months). BUT, I get 4 personal days, 14-16 holidays, and the place is clean.

It'll do for now. LOL

[Crankin]

That made me laugh, Pax. Do you like the actual work?
There was a job listed today for a group private practice right down the road. I really don't want to change jobs. Yes, it's more $, but I've heard weird/creepy things about this place from clients, and I do believe them. I will think on it for a day or so, but I'd rather work more where I am at. Also, I really don't think I can leave my people. Some of them are just starting to make progress and others are falling apart, and I feel like I want to be there to help them.

[Pax]

I do enjoy the work, and I love the college students. They seem so happy to have someone friendly to interact with, I ask them where they're from and they just blossom, they all want to talk about home. The kids make the job for me.

You seem to enjoy your position, Crankin, seems like it would be a waste to make a change, especially if you've heard weird/creepy things.

[ny biker]

In theory, I would never leave a job without having the next one lined up. In reality, I was once in a situation of being so utterly miserable and exhausted and stressed out by my job that I was unable to think clearly enough to update my resume and look for something new in the little spare time that I had. I was working 7 am - midnight every day and routinely getting yelled at by the b!tch-troll from hell nutjob who ran the company. One day while walking down the street a complete stranger who was walking the other way asked why I looked so angry. When the b-t from hell nutjob told me that she had "reorganized" the company and was eliminating my position, I was thrilled. The fog cleared from my brain and I was able to live again. Then my stressed-out immune system gave way to a cold virus and I was sick for about six weeks -- head congestion, sore throat, cough, pink-eye, it just went from one part of my body to the next, completely wiping me out. When I finally got over it a friend encouraged me to take a couple of continuing education courses at a local college related to software programming and project management for internet applications. I like them so much that I went all in, earned a certificate in dynamic website development and started a new career. I was unemployed for almost a year while taking the classes, except for some temp secretarial jobs that I was able to get. I wiped out my savings account but I have no regrets.

[Crankin]

That pretty much describes DH's situation, but he hadn't looked angry. Just getting up at 3:30 AM.

[Helene2013]

How would you like this for a "forced" training. :) And I thought being chased for 8km by 2 large black dogs for 8kms was something. I think I'd die of fear with this one.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?feature=player_embedded&v=kotWv4MCxNI

[shootingstar]

It would help a lot to find a job that one likes, not for just the money when it's in retirement years.

Ever since dearie took early retirement about 14 yrs. ago, he seems to take upon volunteer projects on cycling advocacy. The latest turned into paid work...his firm has been subcontracted to do finalizing and mapping the bike docking stations for Vancouver's lst bikeshare system set to roll out phase 1 this yr. He's so busy (it's only beginning) that he's had to delegate to his daughter to do online bookkeeping for his son's /her brother's butcher shop...which was what he was doing for free and doing financial modelling. He actually loves seeing and helping a little business grow. His son is incredibly lucky to have him.

[smilingcat]

Getting chased by an angry dog is bad enough but an ostrich? I thought ostrich can run at around 30MPH or faster. Oui.

Farming is my second career. Partly out of choice. I was tired of engineering design work for 30 years then I got laid off. Can't get a job at my age so decided to do what I liked. GARDENING!! and growing veggies/fruit. So I'm a farmer now. Not so Green Acres with Arnold the pig.

I don't miss my old profession all that much. One thing is for sure, I am happier for the most part. Strange in that farming isn't all that glamorous, its not easy, long hours, no such thing as weekends when you have farm animals. And if you do have animals, you end up becoming a mama who feeds them and clean up their mess everyday. I'm just a nanny and a janitor to my 150 strong layer chicken. Clean air? yes, except when the "neighbors" are engaging in Ag-burn where agricultural waste is burnt on site. think of it as an over sized camp fire which generates lots of white smoke. And yes, clean air when its pouring rain outside. Unfortunately, you are getting drenched head to toe even though you are wearing appropriate clothing. Its bone chilling in winter, its mind numbing hot in the summer. YOU REALLY HAVE TO LIKE FARMING if you want to be a farmer.

For your second career, do what you love if money is not all that important.

[emily_in_nc]

I did wonder if your DH might want to do handyman-type work, Crankin, since he seems to be so good at it (and like it)! Definitely sounds like a good post-retirement career when the time comes.

My DH loves that type of work too, but he isn't very social and doesn't like a lot of people, so he just does it for us, and our families. As a result, only rarely over the years of our marriage have we ever had to to hire out any work around the house, boat (when we owned one), and now, he's fixing problems here and there in our motorhome (most recently a shower leak). He loves figuring out what is wrong and how to fix it, and I am very very happy to have him to do these things! His father was the same way when younger, so I can see where he gets it.

[Crankin]

He might want to do that, but not sure if he wants to do it now. He is very social, and started off owning his own mobile lunch truck business (before it was fashionable) in Phoenix, so he knows how to own a business. We grew up rather differently, so it is hard for me to see why he would like to do that kind of job, but I don't care if he does; like your DH, Emily, he enjoys the problem solving aspect of it all. We have talked on and off about him opening a breakfast/lunch place with DIL, but we don't want to use our money to do that! They would be a great team, though.
He says I am being mean, which I am, so I am trying not to say anything.

[ny biker]

When I worked in marketing (my first career) I worked with a guy who was a big DIY-type. He had done some pretty complex projects on his house. When we lost a big client he was laid off and had trouble finding a new marketing position. So he got a contractor's license and got his name on lists of recommended contractors for handyman-type projects with some local condo associations. Last I heard it was working out very well for him. He was over 50 at the time. Soon after his career change he was able to stop taking medication for high blood pressure.


Okay holy crap it's been a bad day here. Loud renovation work this morning from the upstairs apartment -- which has been going on EVERY DAY 7 DAYS PER WEEK since Feb 1, but today was the worst -- so I started the day with a migraine, then sudden emergency drop everything for a new project at work and design the new application RIGHT NOW before knowing what the requirements are and we need to have a meeting right now at lunchtime where we just keep repeating the same things over and over. I started to feel very hungry and the migraine vertigo started to kick in so I actually had to interrupt the meeting to say that I had to get food immediately in order to avoid fainting. I had some snacks at my desk and then walked to a nearby deli, had to stop and sit down to rest mid-way there. And p.s. those high-carb snacks are not helping my attempts to lose the 10 lbs I've gained since last fall which are refusing to go away thanks to these g-d perimenopause hormone swings and if I don't lose at least 5 very soon I will have to buy all new summer clothes because I can't fit into the ones I have and I really do not have money to buy all new summer clothes in a larger size.

Sometimes I really just want to scream.

On the plus side, one of my nephews has the goal of a career in sports broadcasting, and he got the assignment to call the home opener for his college baseball team today. Thanks to the miracle of the internet I'm able to listen to it.

[emily_in_nc]

Yikes, sounds like a rough day, NY. I can kind of relate to your noise issues after living surrounded by mega construction projects in Mexico -- that was one of the main reasons we left after 6 months (originally planned to spend a year). It was really taking a toll on our physical and mental health. We did not go down there to be stressed out, but that was what we got. So I do empathize!

And as for your work situation, as a former software engineer, I can relate to that too -- changing or vague requirements, changes in priorities, deadlines moved up...stress stress stress.

Fortunately in my case, I did not have both of these things happening on the same day! :eek:

I hope things get better for you soon. Do you know how much longer they are going to be working on the upstairs unit?

[ny biker]

Thanks Emily. Fortunately after lunch the migraine went away. I don't know when the upstairs apartment will be finished but I hope it's soon. They're working every day because it's for sale and the realtor listed it as soon as the last renter moved out, even though none of the planned renovations (including a totally new kitchen) had begun yet. So the owner is under pressure to get everything done ASAP. I mostly blame the realtor. Meanwhile I have also noticed that the renter dumped something off her balcony before she moved out and it spilled onto mine. It looks like clay. If I can't clean it easily (i.e, by pouring water on it) I will have to get the owner-who-is-selling to reimburse me for whatever it takes to get it clean. Of course we can add this to the list of crap I don't have time for but have to deal with because a selfish person behaved without regard for the other people on the planet.

The good news is that my home is currently very quiet at night -- both the upstairs and downstairs apartments are empty. The owner downstairs was looking into a bathroom renovation at one point but now they've got it listed as an available rental so I'm hoping they've decided not to do any major (noisy) work. I will not be sorry if it takes a long time for new people to move into either apartment!!

[Crankin]

Glad you are feeling better, NY. I've only had a few migraines in my life and I would not want that to happen at work. And the noise, OY!
We found out the only azzhole on the board at our new condo is the one who just sold his house. Yay. I asked the quiet, retired engineer boyfriend of our neighbor why he was like this and he replied, "Because he's a mysoginist." This guy is so mild mannered and said it in such an angry tone, that I was thankful that I did not have to have any encounters with the trouble maker. Thankfully, the place just went to professional management, so I will not get involved at all. I get too upset with people in those kinds of situations.

[OakLeaf]

NY, glad your head is feeling better. Hopefully the noise will stay to a minimum.

Crankin - I think your DH will be fine. So much of changing one's path in life is about *imagination* - being able to see oneself doing something completely different. It seems to me that he's got that in heaps. I haven't thought about this stuff in many years - myself being on the opposite end of the spectrum, as one of those many humanities majors who wound up in law school because I couldn't think of anything better to do, and also when a friend of mine convinced me that I'd be able to hang out a shingle on my own - I would never have been able to imagine myself as a solo practitioner without his help. But I saw it a lot in my work representing people with adult-onset disabilities, too. Some people have a real aptitude for reinventing themselves - and others are held back by their lack of imagination about what they could be and do. I'm thinking your DH is very much in the first category.

Pax, hope you're settling in.

[Crankin]

Thanks, Oak. I know it will be fine, but for some reason, I am having this strong reaction, kind of like when DS enlisted. Part of it, I think is, being precipitated from the move. Although I fully agreed with the decision, right now, I kind of feel like I am being sealed in my casket, i.e. the last move (well, maybe assisted living), in a small space. I do not like that feeling at all! I've always been a deny-er of getting old, mostly because people in my family have aged well, even when they had "things," especially my dad.
I also see what you saw, in my clients who may have to re-invent themselves. I've found that when I say it in terms of finding something that helps you be true to your values, it resonates with them, and helps them move forward with thinking about something different. I mostly worry about the $... I've never been too involved with DH's career stuff. But, even when he tells me that most people would kill to be in our position, I still worry.

[Aromig]

The good news is that my home is currently very quiet at night -- both the upstairs and downstairs apartments are empty. The owner downstairs was looking into a bathroom renovation at one point but now they've got it listed as an available rental so I'm hoping they've decided not to do any major (noisy) work. I will not be sorry if it takes a long time for new people to move into either apartment!!

Very good job of looking on the bright side!

[Pax]

Oak - my weird little coworker is finally opening up a bit, I was starting to wonder if I was going to be sitting four feet away from someone who NEVER spoke for the duration of the job! Mostly it's about the easiest job I've ever been paid (poorly) to do, so few complaints going forward.

Crankin - my wife is a big worrier about money issues. I came from none, have rarely had much, so I just don't care. But it seems to be on her mind a lot.

[Aromig]

my wife is a big worrier about money issues. I came from none, have rarely had much, so I just don't care. But it seems to be on her mind a lot.

I'm glad it's just not me! Ditto on the coming from none, etc. and money to me is just a means to other things I want to do. My husband worries a lot, and buys the cheapest things he can (to the extent that we're not saving money because he has to replace them more frequently). As we get older (we've been married 21 years) we're each getting worse and more extreme about our positions.

[Pax]

I'm glad it's just not me! Ditto on the coming from none, etc. and money to me is just a means to other things I want to do. My husband worries a lot, and buys the cheapest things he can (to the extent that we're not saving money because he has to replace them more frequently). As we get older (we've been married 21 years) we're each getting worse and more extreme about our positions.

Same here, I think with retirement looming in the not too distant future, she is getting more and more wound up about it. I find when you're used to little, you just get creative or do without, not the end of the world, especially since we moved to where we used to vacation... it's all right here.

[Crankin]

Yeah, DH and I have similar backgrounds on the surface, but not really. My family was wealthy until I was about 13 and then it went to hell when the shoe business left New England. Spent most of my adolescence avoiding my parents and my grandparents did help me. DH comes from more of a blue collar background, where his parents spent everything and his dad was always getting fired. So, he is very good with the money thing, where I just don't like to deal with it.

[Pax]

I think having it once and then losing it would create some anxiety about money. My wife came from a professional family, not wealthy but very comfortable. I came from a blue collar military family where my dad made very little and when we moved (once a year) the govt. would lose his paycheck for two months (minimum). So it was always a case of never enough... things like traveling to a new duty station in AZ from MA in 1968, when we ran out of food in the cooler my folks stopped at a HoJos and and got two plain cheap hot dogs, they ate the buns and my brother and I got the more "nutritious" hot dogs.

[OakLeaf]

I think having it once and then losing it would create some anxiety about money.

That was my grandmother, but it was really my mom who developed the borderline-nutty frugal habits from living through it as a child. From wealth and social status to sudden poverty and ostracization, along with living in four countries on three continents before she was 12 (not military, so without whatever community and language support a child could get from that life). My Oma seemed able to adapt, at least by the time I was old enough to know her. My mom, OTOH - it's really only been since she remarried a year and a half ago that she's eased up on stuff like scrounging expired food at the grocery store (when she's plenty able to afford whatever fresh food she likes).

[ny biker]

Um, so, I just found out that one of my friends died this morning. I had dinner with her and two other friends on Sunday night. She was fine. Talking about a possible new job and her collection of salt and pepper shakers.

A couple of years ago something similar happened with another friend. She had moved a couple of hours away so I hadn't seen her in years but we were in touch on Facebook. One day she was posting about getting lots of work done around the house, the next day she was gone.

[emily_in_nc]

Um, so, I just found out that one of my friends died this morning. I had dinner with her and two other friends on Sunday night. She was fine. Talking about a possible new job and her collection of salt and pepper shakers.

Woah. If you don't mind me being nosy, what happened? People don't usually up and die for no good reason, unless they're in a car/bike/other accident -- or have a stroke or heart attack.

So very sorry for the loss of your friend. That has got to be extremely jarring since you just saw her. :(

[ny biker]

I don't know what happened (yet). Her sister just posted on her facebook page that she had died unexpectedly. She had been very sick a couple of years ago, due to an infection and complications related to diabetes. She had pretty much recovered from that but I guess it's possible that something else occurred related to the diabetes. She never mentioned other health problems. I haven't seen anything about a car crash on any local news source. Another friend is in touch with the sister to find out if there will be a local service, so she might have more information.

For the friend who died a couple of years ago, I never did find out what happened, since I wasn't close enough to her family. One thing I learned from that experience -- it's important to spend time with people, to make the time to stay in touch.

[OakLeaf]

I'm sorry, NY. That's hard.

[Catrin]

So sorry NY Biker :(

[Crankin]

I am sorry, NY. What a shock. I hope you get to say "goodbye" in a more formal way. Is there going to be a funeral?

[Pax]

So sorry, NY, that's just heartbreaking.

[ny biker]

Thanks ladies. I don't know yet about a funeral or memorial service. She was from Boston and most of her family, including her mother, live in that area. But she lived down here a long time so I'm hoping there will be a service for her here, and if not then I will suggest to some other neighborhood friends that we have a get-together in her memory.

I haven't done a charity ride in a while and I was thinking it might be time to do a Tour de Cure this year, since my friend was just one of many people I know who have diabetes. There are several TdCs in this area. The one I'd prefer to do, in terms of location, is the Saturday of Mother's Day weekend and I was planning to be out of town then. There's another one in June. I'm not thrilled by the route they use for that one so I might volunteer to support it instead of riding it. Or maybe I'll look into the one on the eastern shore of Maryland. I'm not sure yet.

[OakLeaf]

Hoping all our PNW TE'rs are okay this morning...

[ny biker]

Hoping all our PNW TE'rs are okay this morning...

??

Local news website here is all about LIVE VIDEO: Ron and Nancy Reagan together again. (Unclear how this is possible on live video -- zombie invasion??) Anyway no mention of anything going on in the PNW. I hope there's nothing serious.

[Crankin]

No shortage of bad news lately.
So, our new living room furniture for the condo arrived today. We ordered it in October and they've been holding it for us since January. I seriously forgot what the stuff looked like. It's beautiful! However, seeing it here has led me to change which pieces I will use in the eating area. My dining room table and one of the hutches will look much better with this new stuff. My kitchen table and hutch will go in the basement until I get my dream of a second little get away in the Berkshires.
I brought my bikes here today, and took a little 7.5 mile ride. I know my way around, but no idea of the mileage for short rides. It was shorter than I thought, but lots of good ideas for rides. The Silque is coming back to the house until we move on Wednesday.

[lauraelmore1033]

Hoping all our PNW TE'rs are okay this morning...

What's going on in the PNW? Growing moss on the north side, but that's nothing new...

[ny biker]

Glad things are okay, Laura.

Crankin, it sounds like things are coming together nicely. And lots of ideas for rides sounds good!

[OakLeaf]

Glad things are okay! I just saw the weather report and the last time we had winds HALF that speed, it shut three states down for a week and a half. I guess things are built differently out there ...

[lauraelmore1033]

Oh, the WIND! That was pretty intense, and power is out in a few places, but didn't seem like anything we haven't seen before. I'm sure i'd be singing a different tune if MY power was out, though.

[Crankin]

Sometimes, I really hate the fact we are so dependent on technology. We still have a land line, well a VOIP line. We had been using some weird Internet phone service, but we set up the new place with Comcast for everything. Today, the old service stopped at the house, but nothing is working at the condo. When DH was on the phone with the Comcast guy, trying to figure this out, the guy is calling our home number and it is ringing on DH's cell phone... WTF? In addition, we returned a modem today, which promptly shut down the wifi at the house, when it was not supposed to. We have another modem there. And the best thing is, every time I go to log into TE, on my phone, I get a thing to start X finity wifi . I can reboot my browser, but really? The wifi at the house was fixed, but they have no idea why our phone has been forwarded to DH's cell. We didn't do it.

[smilingcat]

the plane the plane... or wrong THE WIND!! THE WIND! I just seem to have a knack for finding places to live with high wind.

In California, it was the Santa Ana. dry hot air. It blew the termites from the Inland Empire (San Bernadino) to the coast. It was strong. BUT now where I live at the start of the Columbia River Gorge, my bedroom shakes on regular basis. houses around here routinely loses the roof! When our Pyrenees mix was an old guy he went outside to pee, lifted one of his hind leg and the wind blew him over. He got up and looked behind him to see who had pushed him over. When he couldn't see, he turned his head the other way and looked. The look he gave us was precious. Needless to say we were dying laughing.

Today's gust is pretty mild at only 30+MPH. Oh, a giant cedar came down and crushed an SUV. The driver of the car behind the SUV said, it just fell out of the sky. SUV driver died instantly.

[Crankin]

Yikes. I've been in hurricanes, but never seen anything that dramatic.
OK, came home last night and our Wifi wasn't working again. But, DH was on the phone with them at 4 AM and it is fixed.
We have figured out the problem with our home phone, kind of. It's the old phone provider... they did someting funky, so even though the phones do not work at the house, they somehow have forwarded the calls to DH's cell. When you call our number, you still get our VM message. They work on Pacific time, so we need to wait until 11 AM to talk to them.
Well, now that my Wifi is working, i have no excuse not to do my work, which I need to be logged in to do. I can't do any more unpacking at the condo until our furniture arrives and I go to the Container Store tonight, to buy some storage solutions for under the bathroom sinks. My biggest first world problem is that we need to buy some kind of cabinet for our sports/cycling clothing that we previously had in 2 sets of plastic drawers in closets. Although we have a pretty big walk in closet that we had shelves built for in the condo, there is not room for that. We know where we want to put this up in the loft where our desks will be, but we really have to wait to see what kind of room we have in room after our furniture arrives.
However, this is not a minor issue to me, since I am often going into the plastic set of drawers twice a day...

[Pax]

Crankin, I hear you. It feels as though (for many of us) it's something we must have, but we have no control over. We can't create it, manipulate it, access it consistently, repair it, or control its functionality; we are at the mercy of the companies that provide it.

[Crankin]

Good way of describing how I felt yesterday. Well, I texted anyone who might call my land line and said just use the cell # until you hear otherwise... in fact, that was the first hint something was wrong with the Wifi. I was sending the texts through my computer and they all were not sent. Then, I had to go and re-send from my phone, using the 4G.
OK, enough of my complaining. We've made very good progress with the moving stuff, really DH just waiting for our painter to finish the bathrooms. Remember the painter on Murphy Brown? Kind of like that... he is meticulous, but slow and must be doing school drop off and pick up, because he comes at 9 and leaves by 3:30 at the latest. My older son worked for him, during 2 summers in college. I remember my son telling me how he was a drop put from the corporate world, and I can see why he hated it!

[Aromig]

I haven't done a charity ride in a while and I was thinking it might be time to do a Tour de Cure this year, since my friend was just one of many people I know who have diabetes.

What a great way to honor your friend. I'm sorry for your loss.

[ny biker]

Thanks Aromig. After looking into the dates, routes and expected average speeds -- there are four different Tours de Cure accessible from the DC metro area, five if you count Richmond -- I think I might end up volunteering for one of them instead of riding in it. I think I could help with SAG, or maybe as a ride marshall. Still thinking about it.

I've learned some additional information about what happened to my friend. As mentioned, she had diabetes, and almost two years ago she became very ill from complications (ketoacidosis) caused by a UTI. One day she had been texting back and forth with her sister (who lives in another state) about an upcoming trip. When she stopped answering texts, her sister became worried and called our local police department and asked them to do a welfare check (my friend lived alone). They found my friend unconscious and brought her to the hospital. Things looked very bad for a day or so but she slowly recovered -- very slowly, as it took a while to kill the infection and she was left very weak from the ordeal. But recently it had seemed that she was more or less fully recovered and she never mentioned any lingering problems.

Since then my friend's sister obtained the name and phone number of the man who lived next door to my friend (he also had a spare key for emergencies). The night before she died, friend's sister called the neighbor to ask her to check on friend, because she was acting strangely. The neighbor checked and agreed that friend seemed mentally fuzzy, so he called an ambulance and she was taken to the hospital. She died there the next morning. So it sounds like she had another diabetes-related problem, and unfortunately this time it was just too much for her to survive.

I am glad that she wasn't alone when it happened.

I know a fair number of people with diabetes. Most seem to have it under control but I guess things can go from controlled to not pretty quickly.

[Crankin]

It is such a horrible disease. A young man I went to grad school with, went home during winter break of the first year and found out he had Type 1. He wasn't even 30. He came back a year later and is doing well, but what an ordeal. He thought he was just exhausted from all of the school work.
Well, all of the tech problems were solved, although up to yesterday early evening, it looked like we might have to change our phone #. But, amazingly, the former phone provider gave up all of their "rights."
Second to last night in the house. Almost everything we are moving ourselves is there. A lot is unpacked, but some stuff, I have to wait until a couple of pieces of furniture comeon the moving truck to put stuff away. DH spent about 5 hours putting together a piece we bought at Ikea yesterday... he just needs to put the vanity cabinets up tomorrow night.
It's not like we can't come back to get stuff, as DH has a little work to do before the house goes back on the market. But, I am tired of all the going back and forth.

Looks like we might be using the MA Health Care Connector for a couple of months... aka the Affordable Care Act. I found out I can't get benefits at my work because I don't have enough billable hours. This will be DH's thing to solve with his company, before he leaves.

[emily_in_nc]

Good luck with finishing up the move and getting your house back on the market, Crankin. I hope it will sell lickety-split this time! It's an unsettled feeling to be waiting on that. Enjoy getting settled into your new space. I am sure it's nice!

[Crankin]

I must admit it is looking very nice!
Will be going over there for more unpacking in an hour. Three of my clients nicely changed times or cancelled, giving me time in the middle of the day

[Crankin]

Exhausted. Was at the condo until 1 AM... I have not seen that hour for a long time. Up at 6. DH just went to get us bagels, no food here for breakfast.
DH still did not get the shower rods, towel holders up, but the fixtures and mirrors in the bathrooms, that we chose in October are in and look awesome. Glad my taste hasn't changed.
Waiting for the movers.

[Pax]

Exciting and exhausting! So glad you're digging your new place.

[Aromig]

Sounds like the new place is coming together nicely! Enjoy (and hope it doesn't wear you out too much!)

[OakLeaf]

Glad it's coming together. Good luck with the final push. Don't forget to give yourself extra recovery time.

[Crankin]

Ha, I have my 5:45 AM circuit training class tomorrow. I'd like to skip it, but I now live exactly .99 miles from the gym, so I can sleep an extra 15 minutes. And Friday, my DIL from CA will be here, on her way home from a trip to the Azores. Thankfully, she is staying with my other son, but we have plans with her during the day Friday, then need to come home, change, and turn around to go back into the city for our theatre night.

[ny biker]

I'm dealing with yet another person at work who thinks I'm an idiot. This is actually a relatively new experience for me -- it never happened until a few years ago. I do not think it's a coincidence that all the people who think I'm an idiot are men. They're all from the same country too (not the US) so I suspect there could be a cultural element. Though I have no problems with other male co-workers from the same country so that does not fully explain it. Regardless of culture, it still makes me angry.

[Crankin]

I'd be furious, NY. Sometimes cultural things are the reason, which makes it difficult because it is so ingrained. You want to be respectful, obviously it's their culture, but I have seen what you are talking about, and it's not nice.

I think we must have got the movers sent from the senior center, followed up by helpers from the prison down the road. They are calling me young lady, so you get the idea. If DH wasn't here, they'd be scratching their heads. They are almost done getting the stuff in the truck, but it's been a long few hours. Thankfully, I was gone for about an hour of it, and I missed them having to lower DH's wardrobe over the open wall from the stairway landing to the ground floor. We told them how it was brought up (same company), but I guess no one listened. They were trying to tell us they couldn't do it. Well, it got in here, so it came out! Unfortunately, it necessitated DH emptying all of his clothes, so that is why I got to leave and go to the new place and bring back crates for him to use to do that.

[shootingstar]

I'm dealing with yet another person at work who thinks I'm an idiot. This is actually a relatively new experience for me -- it never happened until a few years ago. I do not think it's a coincidence that all the people who think I'm an idiot are men. They're all from the same country too (not the US) so I suspect there could be a cultural element. Though I have no problems with other male co-workers from the same country so that does not fully explain it. Regardless of culture, it still makes me angry.

Because this seems recurring with only certain work colleagues, at least, is their/your supervisor/manager enlightened? If it is a major/critical procedural/design that is significant that you have solved / know already (and it's part of your job), you might want to ask them to email their queries/comments to you -- if there's time. Then calmly reply to them by email, cc: to your direct manager/supervisor. Add cheerfully if they have further problems....contact you.

People might see their own overconcerns/attitudes if you rephrase what their (unfounded) concerns are (that leads to treat you like an idiot).

[OakLeaf]

Ugh, NY. That's frustrating and infuriating. Is your immediate supervisor supportive? Can you talk to them about it?

[Crankin]

Hope you can resolve the work situation, NY. I can't imagine the stress it is causing.
OK, we are in the condo, and I actually had a good night's sleep. However, when the alarm went off at 5, I went back to sleep. So, thanks, Oak, for telling me to "recover." My body is sore from lifting and carrying. It amused the movers greatly to see me carrying in stuff from my car and refuse "help."
We have a lot of work to do. The basics are done, i.e. the kitchen and our bedroom, but still need to make the bed in the guest room up and put together the furniture in the loft, unpack all the boxes that have stuff from our desks. We re-purposed a large oak cabinet that we originally had made when my younger son was 2 and was breaking our TV and stereo daily. It has locking doors, so he wouldn't do that. I'd been waiting for it to get here, as I had 2 very large boxes full of stuff like the food processor to put in there. DH lost the keys. Or, at least, we don't know where they are. Eventually, he popped open the locks with a screwdriver, but I spent 2 hours being pissed!
We brought a lot of stuff we need to sell, but thankfully, we have a huge full basement, that will take a long time to organize.

[emily_in_nc]

Yay -- glad you're in, Crankin. I can imagine there are a lot of stressful bits and will be for some time to come, but setting up a new home is exciting and exhiliarating (at least to me) as well, so it helps keep the energy level high when you need it most.

[Crankin]

We found the keys yesterday...
Everything in our living areas is pretty much done. We have to buy new lamps for our bedroom, as we decided not to bring the ones that were attached to the wall at the house (we had them in the previous house, too, so they are 20 years old). DH is now focusing on getting the house in shape for selling. There's some fading on the hardwood where our kitchen table was, so he may have to sand and coat. He repaired the front step and needs to paint, too.
Had a wonderful lunch with my DIL from CA and her friend, who layed over here on their way home from the Azores. They had a great trip. She does not look as pregnant as my other DIL, but she is tall. We gave her a bunch of stuff from my son, including his HS yearbook. When DH was reading the quote he had, which was from a movie, she finished it before he finished reading it. No wonder they are married...

[ny biker]

OMG. I don't have time for details but I just had the most ridiculous conversation with the micromanager at work. He clearly does not trust us. It completely broke my concentration and now almost 2 hours later I still can't get my focus back on what I need to do. We're on a very tight deadline, we simply don't have time for this sort of thing. I mean, he wanted me to go back and change everything I did on Friday and I had to work until 2 am Saturday morning to get it done. This despite having gone over all the plans in minute detail before I did the work. I was in the zone today, very productive, and now I'll have to work OT to finish what needs to get done before tomorrow.

I had a major conflict with my last manager -- long story short we had a plan for my long-term career development that was good for me, my employer and our client. He looked me in the eye and said he supported it, then he totally undermined it because it was inconvenient for him in the short-term. Then he left the company but the damage was done and the conflict was considered all my fault. So now I really need to get along with the micromanager. But I don't react well when people waste my time. I understand that it can be hard to step back and trust other people to do a good job, but if you can't handle that then you need to not accept the promotion to manager.

Thank you for letting me vent.

[Aromig]

OMG. I don't have time for details but I just had the most ridiculous conversation with the micromanager at work. He clearly does not trust us. It completely broke my concentration and now almost 2 hours later I still can't get my focus back on what I need to do. We're on a very tight deadline, we simply don't have time for this sort of thing.

So frustrating. I hope you got through that, and that a ride today helps relieve stress.

[Crankin]

Does anyone besides me feel like her head is exploding from the increasing pace of technology?
The chance occurence of moving and having new appliances that need at least a PhD to use, installing Nest to run the thermostat, and a change over to Google Mail at work is sending me over the edge.
Some, in fact most, of these things are not computer related. I really feel like I don't know how to use half the things in my home. I just cannot remember, and there is nothing wrong with my memory, except for when it comes to this type of stuff. I am kind of like this with my bike, too. Don't like change, at all! I can feel it if there is one teeny thing off with my bike set up.

[Helene2013]

I love technology...but too much is like not enough.

I just want a cell phone to us a basic calls (read E-calls) and get my music in it. Ipod would have been great with music and basic phone - not a fan of flip phones). Why do we have to have the zillions things in it (trying to fit a computer on a 3'' screen anyway) at a very high cost with high plans almost mandatory (at least for Canada). Why can't we get a simple phone at a decent price?

Why do we have to get a clothes washing machine or dishwashers that has so many different options? Anyway, I always use basically the same setting on most loads.

Even tv and their attachments...way too much for me. Heck! Even my alarm clock is a challenge to move back/forward the time on it! Dah!

I don't mind using it...if someone else sets it for me (like TV with Roku, with our intelligent cable box, name it). If hubby was not here I would not have a third of the stuff as it is too much for my head too.

Ah ... we bought a new Canon wi-fi printer when I got injured in January so I could send the medical papers to my insurance, etc. Our high-end printer does only print. But it worked for about a month on wi-fi. Now...it refuses to work without the USB cable. I tried removing, uninstalling, reinstalling, getting new software, name it... wi fi is active on the printer but all our machines (computers, iphone, ipad, etc.) are not seeing it. Works only with cable. Grrrr So I gave up. So much for technology.

[IBrakeforPastry]

Yes, Crankin, and maybe I'm a skeptical fuddy-duddy, but I also feel much of it is unnecessary, and just something else to break or go wrong. I don't have cable anymore, but I used to enjoy watching HGTV. I would laugh at the appliance commercials with all these gee-whiz features and think "why?" Same with computers. Every time Apple updates their software, my computer slows down even more, and I have to learn new stuff. The salesboy at the store told me my computer was "old" and I should probably get a new one. Things get outdated too fast, there's no continuity, and, if you haven't realized it, you hit a nerve with me. It's going too fast, and we're becoming its slave, not its master.

[Pax]

I'm one of those Apple people who just lost the use of my iphone with the latest update, I'd been having issues before that and spent forever trying to get things resolved with Apple, this was the last straw. I'm going the opposite way now, less and less tech (when I can find it), my only home computer is a chromebook and I just got a simple android phone... still wish it wasn't necessary to have either. I do appreciate the value of modern tech, I just wish it wasn't so complicated and pervasive, I can still barely turn our fancy new oven on.

[Crankin]

I couldn't live without my I Phone, more for work related things, though. I know I use only .5% of the features and the only apps I have are related to email, Facebook, Yelp, etc.
DH sets up everything for me, and like you, Helene, I really don't know anything about how the wireless printers work, blah, blah, blah. We just got ours working at the new place, after a week. It really is the house stuff that just seems silly. No, I do not want to be able to control my washer and dryer from my I Phone! I figured out how to use my new oven for simple baking yesterday, but no way was I going to try the convection oven. I will never use it, but DH thought we "needed" this. I don't like the microwave at all. It has a dial instead of push buttons for some of the set up and figuring out how to set the clock was an ordeal. I think I really do have a problem with changes in the actual physical actions needed to take to complete a task. Everything seems to be taking me longer, like even opening up the veggie drawers in the fridge, because the pull out is on the bottom, not the top.
And the TV, well, we have full cable now. Before we had a combo of digital antenna, cable, and Apple TV. I never learned how to use the Apple TV and there were a few times I wanted to watch a show when DH was gone and I couldn't. He seems to regularly swear at it, when it is not synched or something, so I don't see what the point is. So now, I can turn on the TV and change channels, but that's it. I have never learned how to access the guide, look for movies, or play them. But, of course, there were times a few years ago when I rented a movie (tape) and couldn't watch it, because I couldn't get the VCR to turn on. In my house, it's always some long thing to complete a task, with many options. I hate it.
So, I am not a total Luddite, but the past couple of weeks have made me irritable, most of it stemming from this. The newest thing is, that last night DH set up the Google mail, which stole all of my contacts...

[Pax]

Crankin - my brother has a TV set up that has boxes for HD, streaming, wii, and some sort of gaming console. When my SIL had surgery and I went over to sit with her, we were going to watch some old movie on TCM, neither of us could get the TV to come on, he has four different remotes and things have to be turned on in sequence... we played cards instead. :p

[Crankin]

So now I will have to get rid of Outlook for my personal email, to get my contacts back. Just because my work got rid of Outlook, Google is assuming lots of things. I had my laptop set up differently before I got this job, so I have options. The contacts are still there (don't know how DH accessed them), but are not showing up in my email. I had to do some emailing for my volunteer work for AMC, which is when I discovered it. This is not a crisis, but just an example of the annoying things that have piled up in the past few weeks.

[emily_in_nc]

Planned Obsolescence.

I watched an amazing video from "The Story of Stuff" a few years ago all about this, and it does make me crazy. Manufactured "needs" and all that. And yet, the "simplification" movement is huge. How is all this crap simplifying our lives?

I used to be the computer guru in our family (Windows not Apple) and helped all my family members with their systems, networks, etc., but now it is all moving past me. I am on Windows 8.1 and have no desire whatsoever to upgrade to Windows 10. I am sure I will at some point because I'll be forced to, but I am not enthusiastic about it. And my stepdad has a wifi printer he can't get machines on his mixed Windows network to "see" and wants my help, and I am so dreading it b/c I have almost no clue about it other than I am good at researching and trying things and being more patient trying different solutions than he is.

Don't even get me started about my Android tablet...very little about it is intuitive to me. Like how the he*l do I copy/paste text? I am so used to Ctrl-C, Ctrl-V on my Windows PCs that it's very hard to train my hands to do otherwise.

Crankin (and others), I share your frustration. I fear this makes us "old dogs". :(

[Crankin]

Yes, DH sees having all of this stuff (like Nest) as a way to simplify, while I just see it as one more thing to learn. A thing I don't want or need to learn, like algebra! He gets excited about gadgets. Nest will now know when I am heading home and raise/lower the temperature accordingly because it's synched with my I Phone. The test will come one day when I want to shut off the heat and open the windows, or worse, put the AC on.
Funny, my kids are a bit Luddite for their generation.

[emily_in_nc]

Yes, DH sees having all of this stuff (like Nest) as a way to simplify, while I just see it as one more thing to learn. A thing I don't want or need to learn, like algebra! He gets excited about gadgets. Nest will now know when I am heading home and raise/lower the temperature accordingly because it's synched with my I Phone. The test will come one day when I want to shut off the heat and open the windows, or worse, put the AC on.
Funny, my kids are a bit Luddite for their generation.

I wouldn't have even known what you were talking about w/ "Nest" except that we happened to be in Home Depot and Lowe's this week buying stuff for the RV, and I saw it there. Otherwise, I've been so out of the loop on the latest in home improvements for the past few years while we've been traveling and living in foreign countries. Sometimes ignorance really is bliss. :rolleyes:

Talk about Luddites, we don't even have Smartphones, only dumb little flip phones to make calls on. I take photos with a digital camera and use my Asus Transformerbook (laptop/tablet hybrid, Windows 8.1) for the internet. I do have the Android tablet as well, but it's an old one (Galaxy Tab 2) and very lightly used. I mainly want to use it for reading e-books and have the Kindle app, but I'm confounded now because the silly Axis 360 app that I am required to use by the library I'm a member of says I already have it registered on six devices (not so, only three; I don't even own six devices), so it won't let me me open a book. (I have submitted a question to them about this but have not received a response yet, hoping Easter weekend has something to do with that....)

SMH... :(

[shootingstar]

I work for govn't and was disturbed that they decided to make a service only electronic for citizens to log in and submit some info. It pisses me off when at work, some tech evangelist is touting electronic only.

I've had and use my home computer for past 20 years and have gone through 3 computers. My career entails working heavily content management and group training.

What is disturbing that all of us will be required to use technology as the only way to deal with govn't in terms of submitting info. and the cost of technology /changes in use goes up, not down. THis is the last thing we should have to worry about in the last 2 decades or last decade of life.

My partner bought an iPhone a month ago because he was requested to for his subcontract job. I haven't got one yet..there's no point as long as we can Skype one another daily. So I still enjoy using by digital pocket camera (I'm onto my 3rd one since they don't make them last beyond 3-4 yrs. I do take thousands of photos.)

I just blog and that's enough in addition to email for me.

It amuses me when I read about people unplugging for vacation, etc. I'm happy just checking email once a day when I'm on vacation.That's all that's necessary.

[Crankin]

Well, given my dad was not able to learn to use a computer (the mouse confounded him), I think Shooting Star's point is well taken. I have a client, just a few years younger than me, who is a true Luddite, mostly because she has lived a sheltered life in one small town, and done the type of work that did not require any tech skills. She has been increasingly frustrated by things you can only do on-line, including signing up for Mass Health and other government things.
On another note, we got a call last night that my exchange student son and his wife had a baby boy early Saturday morning! They are all fine, we heard the baby cry over the phone (we were in the car), but she had a difficult time, ending up in a c section. So happy for them and waiting for pictures.

[smilingcat]

You might want to remind the techies that NO COUNTRY in the world is 100% wired! Not even in France where ISP is the government.

Older people are left behind in the fast pace world of tech. I'm not that old and have no interest in Pininterest, facebook, twitter, or what ever else that may be around. Just don't have idle time. And surprise not everyone owns a computer or know how to use them. Someone suggested to go to a library to use the free computer. Not everyone even in the gen-X know how to use it.

ANOTHER BETTER REASON: Every time someone in government suggest go 100% digital, I remind them what about those below the poverty line. They are deciding whether to heat the house in the winter time, buy warm clothing or food. THEY DON'T HAVE THE LUXURY OF OWNING A COMPUTER AND SOMETIMES NOT EVEN A CELL PHONE!! Let these techies survive for a month or two on the wages of those in poverty and see when they will ditch their computers and cell phones.

Things like this makes me angry. Forgetting about those who are less fortunate, those in poverty etc.

[shootingstar]

My partner retired about 15 yrs. ago in his late 50's. He has gone through 3 computers - 1 desktop, 1 laptop and now iPad. This is not even his iPhone and yea, he has a 5 yr. old Garmin ..which is now, god-send for this contract job of his for required GIS information.

It's pretty scary in terms of high tech investments..in ADDITION to health care costs..which by the way, even Canada's public health care system doesn't cover 100% (it never did). ie. dental, specialized drugs needed for many years, etc.

We have in our municipality some low income discounted municipal services after an application review (based on income, etc.) ie. transit, recreational services...but nowhere is there non computer information submission.

For me to breathe poverty in my workplace..I would be viewed as a renegade, Luddite (which already I don't want ageism working against me at this time in my career).. I'm not in a decision-making, management role at work. Already some people at work, know that I don't have a cellphone. HOnest, I keep this fact low-key.

Dumb as it may seem, it is small reason why I do blog outside of work....just 1 signal that I DO use social media and do interact with others. I do blog for more meaningful personal reasons which I won't bore people here on TE forum.

I wish I could retire and not play these little games to maintain my "progressive" shiny façade to the working world, in my line of work. But that is reality of remaining job relevant to a major employer.

[rocknrollgirl]

Love this conversation! We joke all the time about finding a place to retire where we cannot get any service! This forum is my only form of social media.

No FB, or twitter or snapchat or instagram. We don't text. We just ditched our flip phones and got track phones at Walmart for 50 dollars and a pay as you go card. I have a laptop and a tablet that I use when I travel. We were just about to cut the cable cord, but comcast has a monopoly in our town and we found out that if we cut the cable, they would jack our internet rates up three fold. GRRHHH.

It is a joke at school that I am " off the grid". They tried force me to sign up for twitter so that they could send me messages in case of an emergency. I laughed, and responded by saying. Well, I have worked here for 28 years right? And you know where my classroom is right? And you know where I live, 2 miles away, right? So I am pretty sure that if there is an emergency, someone will tell me. Found out quickly enough on 9/11.

My hubs and I go all day without emailing or talking, unless it is about what time we are running after work. My coworkers are horrified by this. They walk around ALL DAY with phone in hand. I do not get it. My computer is on on my desk all day. Pretty sure I can go to the lav with a cell phone in hand. Drives me crazy.

[Pax]

... We were just about to cut the cable cord, but comcast has a monopoly in our town and we found out that if we cut the cable, they would jack our internet rates up three fold. GRRHHH.
We ran into the same thing back in IL, it was infuriating; so I canceled all our service with them, got a tablet with 4G on it, and upped our cell data plan to 10gigs, saved a bunch of money and never looked back. Comcast is the devil! :D

[emily_in_nc]

We just ditched our flip phones and got track phones at Walmart for 50 dollars and a pay as you go card.

That's what we have! :D Ours happen to be flip phones, but they were the super cheap LG ones. Only reason I prefer this type is when I had the flat one with buttons, I found I was butt-dialing a lot, and I didn't want to lock the phone, which makes it a pain to answer and call. I use my phone very infrequently anyway, never been a phone person (much to my mother's chagrin). It's mostly just for safety on rides and to talk to DH when we are apart for whatever reason.

[emily_in_nc]

Comcast is the devil! :D

And its demon twin, Time-Warner! :mad: SO glad we don't have to deal with them now. As full-time RVers, we do have a Verizon MiFi device and data plan, but that's IT for utilities now.

[Pax]

And its demon twin, Time-Warner! :mad: SO glad we don't have to deal with them now. As full-time RVers, we do have a Verizon MiFi device and data plan, but that's IT for utilities now.

We get basic cable provided by our HOA through Brighthouse, we had to get broadband for my honeys work at home gig, when she's done we'll go back to the basic "free" service and our phones for connectivity.

My presence on the web has decreased dramatically since we moved to FL, I'm outside a lot more and when I'm home I just use my chromebook to check TE, and my fake FB account to see if our favorite restaurants are offering any specials. It's really nice; I used to be heavily involved in a couple of motorcycle forums, spent literally hours every day reading/writing on them. Very glad that's in the past now.

[Helene2013]

One reason I can't wait to see retirement arrive (+/-4 years now). So we can become RV fulltimers too and be free of way too many things related to a home/costs. Staying in such small environment and traveling/staying 6 months in winter 6 in summer somewhere forces you to think about plans and other junk we think we MUST have but realize we DON'T need. Viva marketing and the likes to work our heads in the needs.

Personnally, I would not have a tv and my goodness I'd save tons of money on the tv itself, and the cable fee, and the roku plan and.... and.... In Quebec, I think we have the highest fees for such services in north america. Can't wait to get out of here. But it is what it is for now....too close to early retirement to make such a move.

[Trek420]

I'm one of those Apple people who just lost the use of my iphone with the latest update, I'd been having issues before that and spent forever trying to get things resolved with Apple, this was the last straw. I'm going the opposite way now, less and less tech (when I can find it), my only home computer is a chromebook and I just got a simple android phone... still wish it wasn't necessary to have either. I do appreciate the value of modern tech, I just wish it wasn't so complicated and pervasive, I can still barely turn our fancy new oven on.

If the latest update bricked your iPhone it might not have installed properly. If you installed over wifi I think the fix is settings > iCloud > back ups > manage storage and see if you have iOS 9.3 in there. Delete it.

Then wait for Apple to re-release it. I never get the software when it first comes out. Nor rush, no reason to. I update before things start crashing for sure but never the first on the block.

Can't wait to retire. About 01/21/18 but who's counting?

[shootingstar]

So far I haven't had tv for last 5 yrs., before that he had tv and was paying cable for 8 yrs.

Prior to that I didn't have tv for about 25 yrs. Admittedly if it weren't for a tv in Vnacouver, I would be out of touch...with foodnetwork, HGTV, etc.? Latter has not influenced my own quality of living. It hasn't changed my taste..since on the food side I was already eating broadly and trying different things without foodnetwork.

I'm pretty certain once he finishes his contract job, he will cancel his cellphone plan. And write off the iPhone as business expense..which you can in Canada.

[Crankin]

I am more connected than I used to be when I was teaching. The day in school didn't allow me to surf the web!
I am on FB and TE and that's it. However, I do check them a lot.
I started texting when I got my I Phone when I got my first counseling job. It was the best way for in home therapy clients to reach me. Now, I tell everyone to text me to cancel/reschedule appointments, or if they need to talk. I don't talk about their private stuff by text, but if they need to reach me, it's the fastest way. Sometimes, my VM at work takes hours to go through. I give everyone my cell number and no one has abused it. DH and I do text during the day, but, it's mostly around cooking dinner, or other things like that. I also text my older son for initial contact; he never answers his phone or listens to voice mail.
We have a Comcast monopoly, too as our town refuses to put in underground wires for FIOS. The town now has it's own system, but I don't want a different email, and it's only for Internet, not TV. But, we always get good deals, so we are now back to the phone, Internet, and cable with them. I actually don't watch a lot of TV, except for news, but I still want to have it.

[Pax]

If the latest update bricked your iPhone it might not have installed properly. If you installed over wifi I think the fix is settings > iCloud > back ups > manage storage and see if you have iOS 9.3 in there. Delete it.

Then wait for Apple to re-release it. I never get the software when it first comes out. Nor rush, no reason to. I update before things start crashing for sure but never the first on the block.

Can't wait to retire. About 01/21/18 but who's counting?

Thanks, I'll try that, I am one that got bricked. My other issues with Apple are an Apple ID that is linked to an old hacked and no longer accessible yahoo account. I've been all the way up through senior apple tech support and apple engineers and they say they cannot unlink the eleven apple products from it, so no access to my account/itunes/music/anything, well anything except updates that brick my phone. :mad:

[Trek420]

Thanks, I'll try that, I am one that got bricked. My other issues with Apple are an Apple ID that is linked to an old hacked and no longer accessible yahoo account. I've been all the way up through senior apple tech support and apple engineers and they say they cannot unlink the eleven apple products from it, so no access to my account/itunes/music/anything, well anything except updates that brick my phone. :mad:

You should be able to link a second email to your Appleid and you use that one. Just do not create a new Appleid. The only issue with the old one would be if you change your password or need to reset it. Since you can't have Apple send you an email you'd just use security questions.

I hope you set those up and or remember who you considered your favorite teacher at that time :D

https://support.apple.com/en-us/HT203983

[Pax]

You should be able to link a second email to your Appleid and you use that one. Just do not create a new Appleid. The only issue with the old one would be if you change your password or need to reset it. Since you can't have Apple send you an email you'd just use security questions.

I hope you set those up and or remember who you considered your favorite teacher at that time :D

https://support.apple.com/en-us/HT203983

I knew all my security questions, I could answer every question they threw at me, but without the original receipt from the macbook I bought back in '07 or '08 (where I created my original apple account), they won't change my account so I can get into it. Told them I was going to move to another brand and all they could offer me was "if you buy a new iphone and simply say you do not have an account, you can set up a new one using a different email". I asked them if they'd give me a credit for the current, barely two year old iphone and they replied "well we can't wipe it without your ID/password, so no".

So, I'm done.

[Catrin]

So sorry Pax - I would fire Apple as well :mad: It isn't like they are cheap - and that would be an excuse either but it does add insult to injury.

[Pax]

Beyond all the cost and annoyance, it's so wasteful!

[Pax]

On a happier drift, I'm enjoying my switch to an android phone, our condo pool is just warm enough that I can start swimming regularly again, and my new job is the easiest money I've ever made. ;)

[Catrin]

Yayyy Pax! Glad to hear you like the new phone. I switched from the iPhone to Android years ago now and have not regretted it.

As for me, I'm stopping group KB training next month. Well, any form of group training and I am sad about that. I've so many broken bits and problems that I can't do much of the class. I really need one on one with him but I can't afford that.

I do, however, know what I can do. I've my own KB gym at home, can still hike (this is improving all the time) and still have my gym membership that isn't expensive. So I will work on my own and meet individually with him every 5 or 6 weeks to check my programming.

I will miss the group social interaction, but it's the best thing to do given my situation and tendency to do things I shouldn't when surrounded by others doing those things. That probably comes as no surprise :)

It also feels a bit like I'm giving into my age and that has me a bit cranky with myself but will get over it. The point is to stay active in a sustainable way.

[Trek420]

On a happier drift, I'm enjoying my switch to an android phone, our condo pool is just warm enough that I can start swimming regularly again, and my new job is the easiest money I've ever made. ;)

Yay pools and easy jobs!

On a happy note I have some kind of training today so will not be fielding calls about problems caused by the new iOS. I still love Apple. Apparently Knott's ordered me the SE and the camera kit for my 60th BD. Maybe they will have the Knicks out of 9.3 by the time it arrives.

Never ever ever ever ever ever be the first on the block to downloaded the software. You don't have to, don't bother, wait. I always wait till I can go a week, maybe two since talking to someone whose phone's been bricked. Then back up the phone and update. Let someone else be the crash test dummy.

[emily_in_nc]

Personnally, I would not have a tv and my goodness I'd save tons of money on the tv itself, and the cable fee, and the roku plan and.... and.... In Quebec, I think we have the highest fees for such services in north america. Can't wait to get out of here. But it is what it is for now....too close to early retirement to make such a move.

We do have two flat-screen TVs in our motorhome (it came with them) but only an antenna for picking up over-air stations. Some locales give you all the major networks; others, you're lucky to get one or two channels. It's fine for our (minimal) TV needs most of the time, though we are pretty unhappy that the NCAA basketball tournament final 4 is being broadcast only on cable for the first time ever, since my alma mater (UNC-CH) is in it. Sigh...can't have everything, I guess. The price we're paying (free!) makes our set-up fairly sweet, despite its occasonal shortcomings. :D

[Catrin]

Free is good Emily! Pity you can't see the NCAA games though...but good luck to your team! I don't have cable either, but do stream Netflix to my tv.

[emily_in_nc]

On a happier drift, I'm enjoying my switch to an android phone, our condo pool is just warm enough that I can start swimming regularly again, and my new job is the easiest money I've ever made. ;)

Awesome all around! I'm here to say that a perfect good life can be lived entirely without Apple. I have never owned an Apple product and am getting along just fine! :rolleyes: :cool: :D

[emily_in_nc]

Free is good Emily! Pity you can't see the NCAA games though...but good luck to your team! I don't have cable either, but do stream Netflix to my tv.

Since we have metered internet, Netflix and that ilk is not an option. I can watch (occasionally) an hour-long show after the fact online, but I have to watch the bandwidth. Fortunately, I don't watch much, so it all works out. We may have enough excess bandwidth this month to watch a little of the games, or we can watch at my mom's (DirecTV) if we feel like it, but they are on so late, we probably won't. We'll be fine no matter what! First world problem for sure -- I guess living in Mexico with nearly no US TV has helped cure me of any lingering TV addiction I have! :rolleyes:

[Crankin]

I am an Apple fan because I find all PCs and Android products very difficult to use. I have a PC at work, which I only use to connect to our e-medical notes/scheduling software and email. And frankly, most of the time, even though I am sitting at my desk, I check my work email on my IPhone! I have only received 240 emails in 2.5 years, so it's not a major thing. If I have to type a Word doc on my PC at work, I don't know how to do anything. One day I had to call DH and ask him how to cut and paste, as I am so not used to right clicking.
We had a Netflix plan for years, like 2 movies a month. It was so cheap, they never publicized it. Finally, when it got to the point we didn't watch even 2 movies a month we dropped it. We can get it on our TV, along with Hulu, and Amazon, and now we have the Comcast movies, too. But, I can't sit long enough to watch. Once in awhile on a Friday night we might watch a movie, but otherwise I am either sleeping, eating, or riding.

[Pax]

... but otherwise I am either sleeping, eating, or riding.
Kinda jealous pf the sleeping part, my new job is hella easy, but switching around from evenings to days for the quarterly breaks is wreaking havoc on my sleep. After working days for the last 25 years, I'm finding I prefer working evenings, love the relaxed mornings, the lack of people around in the evenings, and the very quiet and easy commute.

[smilingcat]

speaking of iPhone, It's very unlikely that FBI managed to break Apple security. Brute force approach to finding the passcode would require tens of millions of try. Each try requires the iPhone to respond and even with month of time on FBI's hand, they would not have had enough tries to have gotten the passcode. Other methods people have suggested are pretty far flung not to mention the need of very best tech's to pull off the required engineering feat.

So nada. What I think and so does some of my techie friends is that FBI to have said what it did was to keep the bad guys from thinking that iPhone is secure in hopes that bad guys will not use iPhone.

Encryption and security features will reach a point where it becomes economically unrealistic to break the code. And the only way in would be through the back door. Usually back door is available while the product is in development to aid in debug/testing. On a very secure system, such back door self destruct (erased) upon product release or have a time bomb.

And to Pax, I'm really sorry to hear about your "bricked" iPhone.

[Catrin]

Sounds like a fun change Pax, if challenging transition where sleep is concerned. Between hiking/kettlebells, knitting, reading, and church activities I'm tempted to keep pushing back my bedtime - but I get up at 4:30 am and I need at least 7 hours of sleep to focus properly at work. I just re-read that sentence, I guess I really shouldn't be sad over the end of group training for me - it isn't like I'm tied to the couch :cool:

Smilingcat - that's an interesting thought on the iPhone security. I wouldn't put it past them, chances are we will never know if it was actually broken or not.

[Crankin]

Nothing would surprise with cyber security. Our close friend is a cyber security expert for a company that does all government contracts. What he can tell us is maddening.
Pax, I also like my different schedule, in that I don't go to work until 9 or 10 and I work until 6 or 7. I get a lot of stuff done in the morning on the days I work. However, despite that, I still get up at 5:30, and 5 on the days I go to the gym. If I am very tired, I give myself the liberty of sleeping later, though. It doesn't happen often. I have been trying to get 8 hours of sleep and was doing well until the move, DH's job stuff. I have been having trouble either falling asleep or waking up in the middle of the night and having trouble getting back to sleep. But, I am not tired, and it will pass.

[emily_in_nc]

Crankin, I think one reason I've always been a Windows person rather than Apple is that is what we used at work for most of my career. So it was always the norm for me, and I was surrounded by IT folks who were able to help with obscure stuff, so I learned a lot from them.

I agree that everything in Microsoft Office is overly complicated, and I have cursed all those products many times. But the basic Windows, I do like and feel comfortable with. Our company often had deals with Dell or HP or both to give us better pricing on Microsoft systems, so I just never saw the need to try an Apple product. I am sure they are lovely, but being very budget-conscious, I can't bring myself to find out. Had I ever gotten started with them, I would probably be an Apple cheerleader.

I must say, I do love the right click! So much you can do with it. :D

I also find Android challenging, because it's different than Windows; just something new to learn, and anything you use infrequently is going to be more difficult.

[ny biker]

OMG, catching up here after being swamped at work and traveling over the Easter weekend. I am becoming known among my facebook friends as the person who can't handle technology, because I'm always complaining about my tablet dying suddenly and the new one being impossible to use and the brand new PC won't work right and what were the people at Sansa smoking when they redesigned their awesome little mp3 player into a useless piece of junk. I am convinced that all the people who design technological interfaces are 13 year olds who never actually use the stuff they're designing. My friends keep telling me to just give in and buy Apple products. Clearly that is not the answer, even if I could afford them.

These days I try to buy everything tech related from Micro-Center, because their technical support is fantastic. I never would have gotten my current pc to work without their help. They also helped me find the right cable to hook my parents' old DVD player into their new TV. In fact now that I think of it I should call them and ask if they can help me find a browser that actually works with my Samsung tablet.

We have a new microwave oven in the kitchen at my office. I cannot figure out how to set it to heat up food for a specific period of time. It's either 1 whole minute, 2 whole minutes, 3 whole minutes, etc. There's no "time cook" button to set it for 1:15 or 45 seconds. Why would they not include this necessary feature on a microwave???

I live in fear of the day when I will have to replace my oven or washing machine. Or get a new car. I simply don't have the time or energy or space in my brain for more complicated things.

[Catrin]

NY Biker, have you tried Chrome on your Samsung tablet? It seems to work well on both of my Android (all Samsung) devices.

[Crankin]

Yes, although I had a couple of old PCs when I taught, it was mostly Apples. My first Apple laptop, courtesy of a grant I worked on for 2 years (they gave us 20K :eek:, I really had to work!), I used for a very long time, from 2002 until 2007. If I had taken it home, no one would have known, since it was not in the school system's inventory, but I gave it to a younger teacher, who is now a principal. My first computer at home was a Mac clone desktop (yes, there were a few), which cost much less than the real ones. I had that until about 2005, when I got an I Mac desktop. I think I got my first laptop in 2007, and I gave the desktop to my son, who used it to watch movies... I had the heavy, white laptop for only a couple of years; when I was in school, I really needed something better. I got the computer i have now in 2009, which makes it old, but it is perfectly fine for me.

[Catrin]

Ahhh, the migration between computers. My first few were Macs, I remember in particular the Performa 475 for which it cost me close to $500 to double the RAM...which was only 4 megs. Moved to Windows because I got good deals at work. My current one is a 24 inch all in one Sony that I bought in 2008. It was advanced for the 2008 and still does pretty well but Sony seriously customized thier all-in-one desktops. SO much that the drivers can't be updated which means I can't upgrade from Windows 7. I like Windows 7 but they will stop supporting it. Eventually I will need to decide if I will ever replace it or simply get a more advanced tablet when it eventually dies. Time will tell. I don't see a return to Apple products for me.

Heh, I remember logging onto bulletin boards with a modem, paying by the minute AND long distance charges long before I heard of WWW access. Glad those days are behind us but it was also fun at the time :-)

[smilingcat]

I prefer my penguin over raspberry, blackberry and apple. Really don't care for Dos 3.0 and all the way up to win 10. currently running win7 on this computer just too lazy to load up another penguin.

And yes there is such a thing called Raspberry Pi and Propeller (parallax propeller) and few other odd ball stuff with healthy followings. Oh, Arduino from Italy is pretty hot. These require that you are a bonafide geek and speak BASH, C++ or CPP or other giberish. Even Arduino can hack into your computer.

here https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kAG39jKi0lI

meh I need to go hug my penguin. How about a Hackintosh?? hmmm that's pretty dated as well. One thing I do really like is Puppy(linux) its foot print is around 100Meg. If you have a 8G memory stick its more than happy.

I'm not fond of google keeping tabs of me through android and uncle MS thought windows or uncle Bezos through that internet big box company. They all keep tabs on you. So does Facebook, Twitter and other social media. They know more about you than you!!

I like the old tag line from ATT when ATT was THE phone company. Tag line was "Reach out and crush someone". Isn't that how it went? that's the way my techie friends and I remember the tag line.

[ny biker]

I'm not fond of google keeping tabs of me through android and uncle MS thought windows or uncle Bezos through that internet big box company. They all keep tabs on you. So does Facebook, Twitter and other social media. They know more about you than you!!

Yes, I stopped using the google search engine and google maps. One reason was that they moved everything around on maps and started to use incomprehensible icons for everything. But the other reason was that Google is already far enough up into my business. I also do not use chrome for that reason.

Right now I'm using the firefox browser on my tablet. I've looked into Dolphin and Opera because they get good reviews, but when you read the details all you see is some version of "this used to be great but the latest update wrecked it." So I stay with firefox. The main problem is with facebook -- I can't type anything, and it crashes frequently.

[Crankin]

I hate Google. I am forced to use it now for my work email and calendar, but the email address didn't change, i.e. it's not a google address, just probably cheaper for the agency to use. I almost fell off my couch laughing watching the google webinar on how to use the stuff. Like a bunch of therapists are going to be sitting around chatting and sharing stuff? The voice of the woman reminded me of the people I hear when DH is doing conference calls. I am very happy with Safari at home. There used to be some things I do I had to switch to Chrome for, but not anymore.

[shootingstar]

Yes, I stopped using the google search engine and google maps. One reason was that they moved everything around on maps and started to use incomprehensible icons for everything. But the other reason was that Google is already far enough up into my business. I also do not use chrome for that reason.

Right now I'm using the firefox browser on my tablet. .

NY biker, do you mean that Google is auto interconnected to your business applications and personal google?

Crankin, I suppose google calendar is used because it's cheaper or it's because of connectivity with clients?? I certainly wouldn't be comfortable using a business calendar via google calendar.

I don't mind google engine for initial searching if there's no specific database/good website with aggregate info if I believe the info. is available on the open internet.

[Crankin]

Actually, the calendar is a moot point. It's just part of the package. I used Outlook calendar, and before that ICal, for my personal record of appointments, but we do our scheduling through an electronic medical record system that is for protected health information. So, that's the official scheduling mechanism, and I use the Google calendar as a backup and for my personal stuff. No one has access to it if we don't want them to. I only use first names when I put client names in the Google calendar.
I am one of the few therapists where I work that gives everyone my mobile phone # and tells them to text me if they need to change an appointment, or they need to talk on the phone. I don't do therapy by text, but if I depended on my office voice mail, I would not get messages in a timely manner. This makes life so much easier for me, I can respond quickly, which validates their feelings, and it's all good. In 5 years, I have never had anyone abuse this, either, even teenagers. So, I guess, this is a positive outcome of technology.

[ny biker]

I meant that google is all up in my personal business, since I have an android phone and I know they're getting everything they can on me from that. So I try to use options like Bing on my pcs at home and work.

Some of my new teammates at work likes to call on the phone rather than email. I totally prefer email. I think I was actually left out of a meeting recently because they called my work phone when I had stepped away from my desk.

I will add another good thing about texting, Crankin. It is great for keeping in touch with relatives and friends who live thousands of miles apart. Last fall I watched the major league baseball playoffs and world series with siblings and nephews even though we were in four different cities at the time. By the time it was over we had racked up more than 500 group texts. It's also currently the only way I can communicate with a relative who is dealing with a controlling spouse.

[rebeccaC]

I use a VPN for all work and related work net time and usually for personal use. It keeps work private and also stops sites especially phishing sites, spam sites and content farms from collecting data.

When google started to bring user data across its services and integrated their search, email, social and work sites I just started to not use google products much unless through the VPN.

I remember an ‘all things considered’ episode last year where the TorProject was discussed as a good way to keep your net interactions private without tracing or gathering personal, location data and it was free. Tor was originally developed for those in authoritarian/dictatorial countries to be able to use the net privately. I never looked into it because of the companies VPN.

[Pax]

Musings on condo living... Love never having to do any outside maintenance and having a sparkling clean pool to get into any time I want. Not a fan of living elbow to elbow with people who do not share my values and/or who seem to exist solely to create drama. Our condo is paid for and we hope to live here forever, but not 100% sure about the tradeoff of having to live in such close proximity to other people. hmmmmm

[Crankin]

My husband was really concerned with exactly that. But, we found a place where we are in a group of 3 attached homes, in the middle. Our neighbors are perfect and we never hear anything. Plus, there are only 15 units in total. The back of our house faces woods/wetlands, and that helps, although you can see cars on the main road slightly off in one direction, if we are in our sunroom. Once leaves are on the trees, we won't see the cars at all. There's a big berm there and woods, so we don't see a lot.
The values thing would get to me more than living close to others.

[rebeccaC]

pax...feel blessed you don't have Trek420's past crazy neighbor :)
I have some interesting people living in my building and have some good conversations and the occasional dinner. I just don't let negative people affect me and i have lots of other positive/productive things to do rather than socialize much in the building anyway. perhaps riding more and lesser crowds will help......and reading on the beach :)

[Pax]

I just ignore them now, they love going door to door to stir up trouble, complain, try to get people to join in a lawsuit, etc. But by now they've figured out to give me a wide berth. Once our friends get down here from IL (they bought the condo two doors down) it'll be better.

[ny biker]

Since I've done my share of complaining about the things that drive me nuts about my condo, I was thinking yesterday as I was walking around the neighborhood about the positive aspects of living here, and the goods and bads of other places where I've lived. I've only ever lived in apartments except for the years growing up in my parents' house. My current condo is in a nice neighborhood, with plenty of established trees and flowers. I don't use the pools or tennis courts, but as far as I know they're kept in good shape and appreciated by many of my neighbors. We have a historic designation which helps ensure that the buildings are well cared for and can't be drastically changed by neighbors with questionable taste -- at least not on the outside where the rest of us are affected. The community rules are reasonable in my opinion. We have trash pick up 6 days a week, plus weekly recycling and large item pick up. The area is generally safe with low crime rates -- I can walk around at 10 pm without concern (though I do keep the mp3 player volume low and keep an eye on what's going on around me, just in case). It's also convenient to shopping centers and major highways. There are decent stores and restaurants within walking distance, and I can walk to the gym.

I also enjoy not having to do yard work and exterior maintenance. If I did want to do some gardening, I could use my balcony or volunteer to take care of the area around my building. The condo maintenance people usually do a good job with snow removal and ice mitigation. I would prefer to have an assigned parking space, but at least I have off-street parking and a way to deal with vehicles that are illegally parked in our lot.

There's a tree across from my living room and bedroom that has beautiful pink flowers every spring. Then the petals fall into a pink carpet around the tree. (I'm a bit worried that the freeze we expect this week will hurt those blossoms which are just starting to bloom.)

I have central air conditioning and complete control over my thermostat. Also a washer and dryer in my home and a dishwasher in my kitchen. I lived in some great pre-war apartment buildings in NYC and Chicago back in the day but did not have any of these conveniences in either of them. Being able to leave your clothes in the dryer overnight without worrying about someone taking them out and dropping them on the floor -- or stealing them -- is a simple pleasure that most suburbanites don't appreciate. I have that nice balcony that I don't take advantage of nearly enough.

I only have three closets, but two of them are big, bigger than the closets in those nice pre-war buildings.

In retrospect it was not a good financial decision to buy my condo. It was too much of a fixer-upper in a stagnant real estate market and I doubt I'll ever come close to breaking even on the investment I've made in updating it and making it a nice place to live. But I have enjoyed the process of planning and designing and learning about home renovations and for the first time as an adult I live in a place where I have chosen the wall colors. I'll probably never be able to use that knowledge again in a home of my own, but maybe I can help a niece or nephew at some point. I have enjoyed meeting some nice people along the way as I've bought cabinets and appliances and hired people to fix or renovate things.

If you gave me a pile of cash I don't know if I would move out of my neighborhood. I might just buy one of the townhouses, or buy the units above and below mine and turn them into closets and bike rooms and guest rooms. Okay actually if the pile of cash was big enough I'd buy a place on the western shore of the Chesapeake. But I'd probably still want a townhouse where I am now.

[Pax]

Ah, the pile of cash conundrum. ;)

I'd leave my condo in a heartbeat if the cash pile were enough to buy on the sand, then I'd sell my car, have the groceries delivered, and never have to go anywhere except by foot or bike again.

[Crankin]

4 inches of snow today.
It's going to be freezing until Wednesday afternoon, so no outdoor riding for me until Friday, most likely.

[Helene2013]

No snow for Montreal but ohhhh soooo cold. We're breaking a cold record. brrrrr Heard snow may fall on Wed (something like 5-10cm). Come on!!! We've had enough of winter. Time for shorts and flip flops. haha

[Catrin]

Parked at my gym this morning at 6:30 and walked the 1.33 miles to the office. 56 degrees, lovely, almost too warm with my REI jacket. Reversed that walk at 4pm. 38 degrees and with a blustery cold wind. Today is supposed to be the nicest for awhile, and even snow flurries on Thursday they say. Ready for warm weather to stick around...but I feel guilty for complaining as we didn't have much of a winter at all.

[Pax]

Thank you all so much, reading the last few replies has definitely shown me the move was a good thing! :D

[Crankin]

I feel the same way, Catrin. It looks like a winter wonderland outside my window, and it is cold, but it will be gone by Thursday night, with rain and temperatures in the 50s. We didn't have much of a winter, either, and it really feels all out of whack. I've clearly been in the early spring frame of mind since February, except for that one bitter snap when we were up in Vermont.
Our AMC bike worshop is Saturday. I love doing it, but I know how exhausting it is, after 4 one hour presentations introducing newbies to types of bikes and other shwag. This year, our LBS is lending us a hybrid and mountain bike for display, as we have neither of those anymore, and I used to borrow them from my neighbor.

Off to work.

[ny biker]

It's cold here today. Freezing overnight last night and again tonight. I'm just over it -- if this were January I'd say it was decent for getting outside to ride or go for a walk. But now I'm just tired of tights and booties and warm gloves and wondering if I'm wearing the right layers.

In other news, I need to go buy a bathing suit. Still 10 lbs over the weight I want to be (despite several months' effort to lose weight), all 10 of those lbs are concentrated between my waist and my knees, not a good look for a swimsuit. I'm pretty sure I will not enjoy this shopping experience!!!

[Pax]

In other news, I need to go buy a bathing suit. Still 10 lbs over the weight I want to be (despite several months' effort to lose weight), all 10 of those lbs are concentrated between my waist and my knees, not a good look for a swimsuit. I'm pretty sure I will not enjoy this shopping experience!!!

Shopping for a fun suit, a lap suit, or a tankini? I'm a big fan of Swim Outlet and have bought dozens of suits from them.

[ny biker]

Is Swim Outlet an online store?

I'm invited to a backyard birthday party where there's a pool, and for a family vacation we rented a house that's next to a pond and includes use of a canoe. And someday maybe I'd like to try try flat-water kayaking. So I'm hoping for a tankini that's comfortable and easy to move in. Also I'd really like a little skirt to cover the lumpiest parts.

I really need to be able try on the suits before I buy -- swimsuit sizing is even more messed up than sizing for bike clothes. Last year I tried a few suits at the LL Bean store that's near me but wasn't able to find anything that fit right. But it was the end of the season so there wasn't much available. I was thinking of trying them again, and also checking out the Land's End department at the Sears near my office. They both seem to have suits that are designed for grown-up bodies but are still colorful and not old-lady looking.

[Pax]

Yes, it's online, but you can return items you don't want. I'm big fan of these tops: http://www.swimoutlet.com/p/dolfin-maribelle-printed-racerback-tankini-swimsuit-top-8130549/?utm_source=google&utm_medium=cpc&utm_campaign=google-shopping&color=10887&size=11017&gclid=Cj0KEQjwxI24BRDqqN3f-97N6egBEiQAGv37hEklJdAN7FmqXel1EjxMTcmMLNUq05TFe9ZKKb0CyHQaAuiE8P8HAQ I wear bottoms that I bought at Bealls (not sure if you have those) but they're just shorter board shorts that are much more forgiving than bikini bottoms.

[OakLeaf]

Thank you all so much, reading the last few replies has definitely shown me the move was a good thing! :D

Hahahaha, I've been telling all my neighbors that as much as I'm not thrilled about running in a light snow, it beats the F out of 90° and 90% humidity! :D

[Pax]

Hahahaha, I've been telling all my neighbors that as much as I'm not thrilled about running in a light snow, it beats the F out of 90° and 90% humidity! :D

Yet another reason I'm glad I don't run! LOL

[ny biker]

Out cycling yesterday, looking at the trees and noticing how some are in bloom while others are only just showing buds, and I was wondering. In the fall there are so many acorns everywhere. But in the spring, no baby oak trees. This seems terribly inefficient.

[Crankin]

Can't answer your oak tree question. But I have also noticed a lot more buds on the trees, some small things flowering, which started in March. This is way early for where I live. It's not like everything is in full bloom, and the trees, at first glance, still look bare, but usually, this doesn't start until about now, with full bloom, around the middle to end of May.
We have had so much rain! It is raining again today, but thankfully, the rest of the forecast has shaped up nicely. 70 on Sunday and 60, which is perfect, for the Marathon, on Monday.

[Trek420]

pax...feel blessed you don't have Trek420's past crazy neighbor :)

We hope to be past the crazy neighbor soon. But she's doing what she can on the way out.

We have a restraining order. She can not be within 20' of us nor out property. Yet as we were selling our condo she consistently trundled down stairs and bothered as far as we know nearly every buyer and their agent telling them what in her view is wrong with our unit. As far as we know she was inside our unit that we have a restraining order on her for.

She was bad enough that several of the realtors contacted our management company and asked "WTF??!! Who is this lady, why is she here, she says she's on the board or head of the board and is any of this true?"

We have an offer who understands "there's always one nut in the tree". But if that keeps us from selling I will unleash hell on the HOA. :mad: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8IPzpaD4UOE

Good news is our buyer knows we have an all new board. The flaky, incompetent and sometimes fraudulent one we had before has been replaced. One of the board members, a lawyer, is determined to at minimum get nutty neighbor supervised but would really like to get her committed.

[shootingstar]

I'm sorry for your headaches re the inexplicable neighbor, Trek. Wow, inside your unit. Serious.

Anyway, here in southern Alberta, we've had an unusually warm and dry winter. Warm meaning -10 to 5 degrees C. Normally our winters -35 to 5 degrees with several snowfalls in 1 winter. But it wouldn't surprise us locals, if we get a freak snowfall in May..which we did last year.

If we don't get enough rain/snow from now until June, then it will be a major problem for crops in our province, etc. Not good.

[Trek420]

I'm sorry for your headaches re the inexplicable neighbor, Trek. Wow, inside your unit. Serious.

Yeah. You would think if the nut wants us to leave she'd be praising the unit to the heavens. "Buy it, please. It's heavenly! Move here!" What a nut.

This whole episode is blowing my mind. We're both astoundingly, incredibly, consistently, amazingly nice, good people. What have either of us ever done to deserve this nut or this treatment? But you can't explain insane.

Our new board member, the lawyer, looked up our cases for the restraining orders and told us "Wow! I had no idea you were treated so badly. This is worse than I could imagine". We reported every incident to the board and they did nothing other than the occasional so sorry song: sorry that this is happening to you la la la la.

She also found there was at least one other resident with a restraining order against the nut in about '96. This may be in addition to at least one other couple our nutty ex nun forced to move out.

But I'm looking out my window, there's a hummingbird who's discovered our feeder. I can see the river and forests the doggie and I walked by this morning and that soon I'll ride to work along. Say what you wish about real estate in this city but I breath a sigh of relief on every ride and walk. We deserve this after two years of sheer hell.

[OakLeaf]

This seems terribly inefficient.

Not to the squirrels, deer, turkeys and bugs, it doesn't! And pulling hundreds of oak seedlings out of a mulch bed is no picnic, either. :D



Trek, what a nightmare for you and Knott. Hope you can put it all behind you ASAP!

[rebeccaC]

We hope to be past the crazy neighbor soon. But she's doing what she can on the way out.

We have a restraining order. She can not be within 20' of us nor out property. Yet as we were selling our condo she consistently trundled down stairs and bothered as far as we know nearly every buyer and their agent telling them what in her view is wrong with our unit. As far as we know she was inside our unit that we have a restraining order on her for.

She was bad enough that several of the realtors contacted our management company and asked "WTF??!! Who is this lady, why is she here, she says she's on the board or head of the board and is any of this true?"

We have an offer who understands "there's always one nut in the tree". But if that keeps us from selling I will unleash hell on the HOA. :mad: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8IPzpaD4UOE

Good news is our buyer knows we have an all new board. The flaky, incompetent and sometimes fraudulent one we had before has been replaced. One of the board members, a lawyer, is determined to at minimum get nutty neighbor supervised but would really like to get her committed.

hence the continuing reasons i'll use her as a crazy neighbor example




But I'm looking out my window, there's a hummingbird who's discovered our feeder. I can see the river and forests the doggie and I walked by this morning and that soon I'll ride to work along. Say what you wish about real estate in this city but I breath a sigh of relief on every ride and walk. We deserve this after two years of sheer hell.

yes….THIS

:)

[smilingcat]

Tis why I like having a farm in semi-rural setting of 10 acres. Although... you still can't get away from the crazies. Its just little harder to cross path with them. rolling coal pkup with huge confederate flags flying in the back. And occasionally trying to deliberately force you off the road just because I drive a Prius. I guess they don't know their geography. We is in Pacific Northwest buckwheat!!

Some of them at least get the ultimate prize of Darwin award. Its a shame really.

Well Trek, I hope it soon will be just a nightmare with the looney/crazy neighbor and you get to sell your place. Life is too short to deal with self hating angry person.

[Trek420]

Well Trek, I hope it soon will be just a nightmare with the looney/crazy neighbor and you get to sell your place. Life is too short to deal with self hating angry person.

Thanks all. Our long national nightmare is over. We will be closing in less than 2 weeks. She could not prevent our sale, we got a great offer.

Now we'll be getting a tandem bike and a kayak because we f'ing deserve it. Knott wants to get this: http://hasebikes.com/95-1-Tandem-PINO-ALLROUND.html

Can't wait to post pictures as we get them.

[ny biker]

I need to check this thread more often; I have too many things to say. Confederate flags in Oregon?? The Maryland legislature considered making coal rolling illegal but then decided that it's okay after all. To me it's just a dumb waste of money for the sake of being mean.

And sometimes you do have to keep reminding yourself that you can't explain insane -- your own actions really don't matter, the crazy person will just find ways to be crazy. I'm glad it almost in your rear-view mirror with a good road ahead, Trek.

[Crankin]

That is awesome news! You deserve the toys.
DH is now on the phone on his first job interview. It would be perfect for him... this just proves we really need that barn door to arrive for our sunroom, as there is no place to go and shut the door in our new place, except the bedrooms. Our desks are in a small loft that overlook the entire bottom floor.
Now I just need to sell my house. It's been 2 weeks, we've had lots of traffic and we've lowered the price as much as we can. Considering most houses in my town cost 1-2 million, this is a deal.

[Pax]

Congrats Trek and Knott!!

[OakLeaf]

Woohoo Trek! Congrats to you and Knott, enjoy the new toys! Crankin, fingers crossed for you and your DH.

[Catrin]

Congratulations! Whooohooo!

[Trek420]

Now I just need to sell my house. It's been 2 weeks, we've had lots of traffic and we've lowered the price as much as we can. Considering most houses in my town cost 1-2 million, this is a deal.

Any bites? Will lowering the price send the wrong signal or gain interest? Who can understand the market.

We bought at 160. Our realtor said we should list at 225. "You're mad!" we said "Too high" we said. We sold for 300 and she's paying cash. It's crazy.

At our new digs the condos in front by the river go for half a million. Same for our building top floor. We're in back, ground floor with no river view hence we could afford this. But guess what? 15-25 yards walks from the door we're on the river. I call it my quarter million dollar dog walk.

"By hun, taking the recycling and the dog out. Saving us a bundle. See ya" ;)

My plan is put the bulk of the gains to this one to pay it down and get the mortgage still lower.

[ny biker]

My plan is put the bulk of the gains to this one to pay it down and get the mortgage still lower.

I was just looking at my latest mortgage statement and thinking that I need to look into this. For some years now I've been putting all my cash into much-needed renovations. But within a year or so, as I finish the major work, I want to try to pay off more of the mortgage.

And kudos on that quarter million dog walk. Reminds me of my parents' house up on a hill in a beach town. No stunning view, unless you look out one window during the winter when there are no leaves on the trees when you can kinda sorta see the water. But a short walk around the corner and boom there it is. Of course if the current governor gets his way it will all be replaced by highway ramps and a giant expensive bridge, but that's a gripe for another day...

[Crankin]

Trek, although the market is very hot here, our house is a contemporary, which automatically eliminates at least 3/4 of the buyers. People in MA are adverse to anything modern on the outside, although they like all the bells and whistles on the inside. Lowering the price does not send a bad message... it is aimed at buyers who will not go above a certain price point, and it's certainly not cheap! It might pull in people who live in neighboring towns, who specifically want to move to Concord. My house has all the bells and whistles inside, although the layout is somewhat different. It's also on a hill, in the woods. But, spectacular views and a community pond. So, if someone is looking at it, they are at least open to a contemporary. We just have to find the right person out of that smaller market. We have had quite a few private showings, in addition to 3 open houses. There is someone coming this weekend who lives in a community west of here, is from my town, and is familiar with the neighborhood. So, this sounds hopeful.
People here are generally extremely picky, which makes me laugh. In the past 25 years, we've seen homes where the garage door fell off when we opened it, DH fell through the back steps (like foot through the wood), unflushed toilets, ironing boards with clothes hanging on them in the family room, etc. People seem to not be able to see their own vision of a house, which DH and I have no issue doing. I find they focus on things they don't like, that are often easily changed.
Well, it's only been 3 weeks and it took us 6 weeks to sell our last house, in a very hot market.

[Xrayted]

Sorry to hear that your neighbor never calmed down and is now making selling difficult as well, Trek. I'm so happy that where I bought at the coast has been a good experience so far. My neighbors are mostly part time, only a few full time live on my road. No one bugs us but all that go by always wave or stop to chat. I'm so glad I bought this place and changed my future in this way. I know your new place will be exactly what you are looking for in every way. Good luck!! Congrats. :cool:

[Catrin]

Yikes Trek, hopefully all will pass soon.

I outsmarted myself today - parked 1.33 miles from work at my gym. Walked to work. Walked back to my gym for a class after work. Left my keys in the office but didn't catch it until I arrived at my gym and looked for my little tag to swipe in. Walked back to work then back to NIFS. The moral of the story is if you park your car that far from your destination, make sure you check for your keys before heading back to the car in >80 temps when we just had freezing temps last week...

It's also interesting just how much harder 5 miles on pavement is on me than 5 miles on dirt. Not moving so well tonight, between knee and hip, but I will take it. The sunshine was glorious!

[Crankin]

My allergies are making me feel awful. I am trying, trying, trying not to overdo anything, without stopping outdoor activity. Woke up feeling gross, so the idea of being out the door for a group ride went, well, out the door. Will ride later with DH. Two cups of coffee later, I feel better, so I am going to hang out, do some Passover cooking/errands and try to enjoy the day.

[Pax]

Feel for you, Crankin, hope the allergies pass quickly. But hey, if you're staying home and making yummy Passover food, I can be there in a few hours. :D

[Crankin]

The more, the merrier. I have this holiday down to a science, since I do it every year. I don't *have* to make a cake, as my friend is bringing strawberries and whipped cream, and chocolate matzah, but it would be nice. Eh, they take so many eggs, or I don't have the right kind of pan. But the horseradish, matzah balls, and charoset are made, leaving me with only the main dish and kugel to prepare. I make things that don't require cooking time while the guests are here.
I will most likely end up making the cake I always make, that only requires 6 eggs. But, I will need to go out and buy some orange juice for the recipe. Which means, I have to get dressed....

[Catrin]

Hmmmm, sounds wonderful, pretty sure I could be there in time :) Hope your allergies relent by then, I'm having a few problems with them myself today. It just went straight from winter to summer here which always causes that problem.

Sent from my SAMSUNG-SM-G870A using Tapatalk

[Pax]

Had a former co-worker who invited me to Passover dinner many years running. It was an experience, loved the food and the company, sat quietly while they prayed in Hebrew, and loved the passionate conversations following the meal.

[Trek420]

Sorry to hear that your neighbor never calmed down and is now making selling difficult as well, Trek. I'm so happy that where I bought at the coast has been a good experience so far. My neighbors are mostly part time, only a few full time live on my road. No one bugs us but all that go by always wave or stop to chat. I'm so glad I bought this place and changed my future in this way. I know your new place will be exactly what you are looking for in every way. Good luck!! Congrats. :cool:

The new pad is very healing. Just walking the doggie in this area is so calming. We're gradually meeting the neighbors and of course know their dogs by name but not the people names yet. :roll eyes: There's a young gay married couple upstairs from us. Knott met them and their Mom/MIL who was visiting. She was so excited to learn we're "gay married" too. It was cute :)

Your place sounds wonderful!

Pesach Sameach, to all!

[Crankin]

I went out and got the juice and the cake is made. You have to bake it in a pan lined with parchment, which I always find hard to flatten down. But, it's cooling now.
Passover and Thanksgiving are my favorite holidays. They are essentially about the same thing (freedom) and are heavily dependent on being associated with specific food. We do a short Seder (it's only been about 10 years since I gave up using the 5 minute pre-school Hagaddah from when my kids went to JCC preschool in Tempe) and it's only my son and his wife and our good cycling/ski friends. The only Hebrew parts are the important prayers and the songs, which we cut short, because no one except my son can sing.
I have never bought a real seder plate or matzah cover; still use the ones my kids made in preschool and I cannot bring myself to do otherwise. There were a couple of seders where my younger son was in Iraq or Afghanistan and the ritual objects he made when he was 3 or 4 were quite meaningful.