what are you doing right now?

[wvugurl26]

DH got southern crab cakes one time. Being born and raised in MD he was not pleased to find bacon in his crab cakes. Now where the boy left his brain when he ordered crab cakes in NC, I don't know.

[raeoflyte]

Jan 10, 2024 12:32:01 GMT -5 flamingo said:

We are on vacation and I’m enjoying a mimosa on the deck overlooking the ocean. I’m sorry for everyone dealing with shitty weather - I’ll try to soak up the warm sunshine for y’all 

I’m enjoying being disconnected for the week, but I’m also a little anxious about it. I haven’t been this disconnected in a LONG time. But I’m also enjoying watching all the bickering going on via email without feeling any need to respond and knowing that it will be resolved when I get back. Also, I got the unofficial word that my full promotion should be finalized by the end of March. So, I’m trying to quash the anxiety bc clearly I’m doing something right, lol. Maybe a second mimosa will help 

Can You turn the email off for real? I think that's the best way to unplug.

[lurkyloo]

Jan 9, 2024 19:13:57 GMT -5 soupandstew said:

If you throw a pork tenderloin in a plastic container with a big slug of Kikkoman Garlic and Green Onion Teriyaki Sauce, and let it sit in the fridge for 8 hours or so, and bake at 375 for 25-30 minutes (internal temp 140 degrees) it will be very tasty and moist for minimal effort.  Side of mixed veggies seasoned with a pat of butter and we were good to go. 

*makes note to hire soupandstew to text her orders every night at dinner making time*

[The Walk of the Penguin Mich]

Jan 10, 2024 13:08:46 GMT -5 ken a.k.a OMK said:

 From another Maryland native. Don't forget the Old Bay seasoning.

Of course.  These crab cakes are better than any I have ever eaten in MD (I lived there once upon a time).  It’s a combo of a restaurant recipe (served on fried green tomatoes with a spicy marmelade) that I finally managed to coerce from the chef, and help from Cooks Illustrated for help holding the crab together without too much ‘stuff’. 

The ground up shrimp only acts as glue, rather than using bread crumbs.  It provides no flavor at all, only enhances the crab.

[The Walk of the Penguin Mich]

Jan 10, 2024 13:09:19 GMT -5 wvugurl26 said:

DH got southern crab cakes one time. Being born and raised in MD he was not pleased to find bacon in his crab cakes. Now where the boy left his brain when he ordered crab cakes in NC, I don't know.

Bacon’s just wrong.

[flamingo]

Jan 10, 2024 13:13:13 GMT -5 raeoflyte said:

Jan 10, 2024 12:32:01 GMT -5 flamingo said:

We are on vacation and I’m enjoying a mimosa on the deck overlooking the ocean. I’m sorry for everyone dealing with shitty weather - I’ll try to soak up the warm sunshine for y’all 

I’m enjoying being disconnected for the week, but I’m also a little anxious about it. I haven’t been this disconnected in a LONG time. But I’m also enjoying watching all the bickering going on via email without feeling any need to respond and knowing that it will be resolved when I get back. Also, I got the unofficial word that my full promotion should be finalized by the end of March. So, I’m trying to quash the anxiety bc clearly I’m doing something right, lol. Maybe a second mimosa will help 

Can You turn the email off for real? I think that's the best way to unplug.

Yes absolutely. This is definitely a “me” thing. My boss does not expect me to work. I just suck at disconnecting. But every day I’m checking less and less so at least I’m making an effort.

[NoNamePerson]

Jan 10, 2024 13:21:07 GMT -5 The Walk of the Penguin Mich said:

Jan 10, 2024 13:09:19 GMT -5 wvugurl26 said:

DH got southern crab cakes one time. Being born and raised in MD he was not pleased to find bacon in his crab cakes. Now where the boy left his brain when he ordered crab cakes in NC, I don't know.

Bacon’s just wrong.

Bacon is just nasty. 

[raeoflyte]

Jan 10, 2024 13:23:03 GMT -5 flamingo said:

Jan 10, 2024 13:13:13 GMT -5 raeoflyte said:

Can You turn the email off for real? I think that's the best way to unplug.

Yes absolutely. This is definitely a “me” thing. My boss does not expect me to work. I just suck at disconnecting. But every day I’m checking less and less so at least I’m making an effort.

It was hard for me too, but now I'm worried I'll never be able to really unplug again. It really is amazing. But I get that it's a complete shift.

[chiver78]

Jan 10, 2024 11:49:17 GMT -5 andi9899 said:

Jan 9, 2024 18:21:15 GMT -5 Pink Cashmere said:

That is not something I am willing to deal with either. Especially since I am the only one that tries to keep the house halfway clean. 

I had to use the small spot cleaner to clean what ran onto the carpet when he peed on the bag in the living room. The carpet cleaner didn’t work properly when I tried to use it a few weeks ago. I asked Mister to see if he could figure out the problem, because I’d tried, with no luck. When Mister was sick and sleeping in the other bedroom, I saw that Boy had somehow got hold of the cap to one of the tanks for the carpet cleaner, and chewed it up. It was laying on the floor in that bedroom. 

I paid over $200 for that carpet cleaner after we moved here, and I’ve used it regularly because of the dogs. I am sure it will irritate Mister for me to bug him to replace it. But I don’t like nasty carpet with spots all over it. I already bought what I needed to handle what was an issue for me. He can either figure out if that one can be fix and the cap can be replaced, or buy a new, comparable one with his own money. Or he can pay for a professional to keep coming to clean the carpets. Which, now that I thought of it, would actually be less work for me, if I refuse to spot clean all the spots from Boy getting into something he shouldn’t, and throwing up. So maybe that’s my solution, professional cleaning that Mr. Moneybags pays for, as often as necessary.

I think I’m going to just make an appointment for Boy to get neutered and tell Mister to drop him off on his way to work.

I think I'd just make the appointment too. He probably also doesn't want to break the bro code and take the little guy's nuts. Too bad. Neutering helps with a lot of the bad behaviors Mister seems ok with ignoring. You're doing the right thing.

You know that if this behavior continues and something happens and someone gets hurt, it's automatically going to be Boy's fault because he's an "aggressive breed" and he will be labeled an aggressive dog.

and this is how I ended up with tarps zip-tied to the back chain link fence. because idiots and assholes are everywhere. 

[Pink Cashmere]

I made an appointment yesterday at an urgent care place to see about my foot. My appointment was for 11am. I have been sitting in the waiting room for 2 hours!

It’s people coughing and snotting, which is why I have been trying to stay out of these settings! If I don’t have COVID, this is a good way to get it.

I’m so disgusted. Healthcare is bullshit these days, a scam.

[giramomma]

Jan 10, 2024 12:46:26 GMT -5 daisylu said:

The 6 steak knives I ordered last week to replace the 4 missing from the block delivered today. I am thinking that I should not open them. 

Bwahaha. 

(And also, I am sorry that you've got this going on.)

[giramomma]

Jan 10, 2024 13:55:32 GMT -5 Pink Cashmere said:

I made an appointment yesterday at an urgent care place to see about my foot. My appointment was for 11am. I have been sitting in the waiting room for 2 hours!

It’s people coughing and snotting, which is why I have been trying to stay out of these settings! If I don’t have COVID, this is a good way to get it.

I’m so disgusted. Healthcare is bullshit these days, a scam.

Yeah, when the missy had her ear ache (round 1) , the only chance of seeing a dr was urgent care, because there were no open appointments in peds.

Here at UC, you don't make appointments. I think they waited 1.5 hours and the missy saw a nurse or PA.

When she wasn't getting better, DH was able to get her into the peds office to see a dr. Not her normal pediatrician. But it was at least a full dr.

When my older two were little, they used to have an after hours peds clinic just for such issues. I loved that place.

Now, if anyone needs medical help past 7pm, you pretty much have to go to the ER, even if it is not ER worthy.

I try not to complain about the system too much. It's the same system that kept me alive, so....

[soupandstew]

Our local university is always posting on FB about stray dogs found on campus.  Today is a first, they found a Vietnamese pot-bellied pig and he's so dang cute!

[soupandstew]

My phone rang while I was eating breakfast and it was the scheduler from the plumbing company.  After the usual hello and how are you, she started saying something about being scheduled to come out today and I'm "I don't think so!" because no one ever called me and I specifically told the guy all appointments have to be scheduled at least 24 hours, and preferably 48, in advance.  Geez, just because I'm old and female doesn't mean I don't have things to do!!!!!  She said they were coming at 11, and I said the gate will be locked and nobody home so they will be SOL.  I asked for a reschedule to the afternoon between 2 and 5 so we'll see.  This is going to need to be a very firm understanding with all parties when we move forward with the project.  If I am not told by 5 p.m. that a crew is coming the next day, the job site will not be accessible, period.  It's just not that hard to figure out your stuff and shoot a text or VM to the client the night before.  

The other little come to Jesus chat we'll have will involve notifying me when stuff gets broken, which it inevitably will.  House rule, flag the damage (literally, put a color flag on it) and tell me the day it happens.  I will not yell about if it's handled this way; if I find the damage later and know you hid it, I'll go ballistic on you.  Reburying a severed water or electrical line is so not cool and I can right bad Google reviews just as easily as the 5-star ones I usually do for them. 

[jerseygirl]

Had the good will donations in car. Tried to go there today but highways and roads flooded. Made a big circle and glad not too many closures and detours. Will try again next week

[wvugurl26]

DH finally dragged himself to urgent care the day before Thanksgiving. I made an appointment that morning and the earliest I could get was like 1:30pm. It was nearly 4pm when he was done. It was a PA which was probably fine for the sinus infection he'd had for weeks.

He tried to go to our PCP but because of the covid years, we got tagged as "new" patients.

[NastyWoman]

Jan 10, 2024 13:29:07 GMT -5 NoNamePerson said:

Jan 10, 2024 13:21:07 GMT -5 The Walk of the Penguin Mich said:

Bacon’s just wrong.

Bacon is just nasty. 

In defense of bacon: it is NOT nasty. It just does not belong in everything. Some discretion should be exercised, that's all. 

[minnesotapaintlady]

Jan 10, 2024 14:51:43 GMT -5 NastyWoman said:

Jan 10, 2024 13:29:07 GMT -5 NoNamePerson said:

Bacon is just nasty. 

In defense of bacon: it is NOT nasty. It just does not belong in everything. Some discretion should be exercised, that's all. 

Bacon is the food of the Gods.  Reminds me of when my oldest went to a chef camp one summer and made bacon cheesecake.

It was so good.

[soupandstew]

Jan 10, 2024 13:09:19 GMT -5 wvugurl26 said:

DH got southern crab cakes one time. Being born and raised in MD he was not pleased to find bacon in his crab cakes. Now where the boy left his brain when he ordered crab cakes in NC, I don't know.

I love bacon but I do not subscribe to the Southern (and Texan) philosophy that it goes in or on everything.  NO, not on burgers, not in gumbo, not in chili, not in all the other offenses against humanity I see it in.  

[TheOtherMe]

I have picked up my food for this week.  Once I hit the highway, the roads were good until parking in her area and the sidewalk there.  It's a co-operative kitchen and only a small area has been shoveled to get in and out of the door.  Road home was fine until I hit my town.  

I did get one of the salad I don't like, so now I know which one it is.  It must be a regular because it's on next week's menu, too.  But there is a lot of good stuff on next week's menu.

When I left here, I noticed my snow guy had not been back this morning to clear the snow from the porch and drive and sidewalk since last night.  It looked like the sidewalk hadn't been done at all.  I do know the other places he has does near me and when I drove home, those were done.  When I got here, he and his young son were here.  I was all happy until I realized the sidewalk isn't done.  The sidewalk has to be done, so I sent him a text.  

Now I have to figure why what the bank says is in my checking account doesn't match what my spreadsheet does and it did yesterday.  I am sure this is an error on my spreadsheet because it was fine yesterday.

[chiver78]

k, I'm a little bit annoyed. I'm pretty sure we're getting blown off by the dog walker today, as it's almost 330pm. I had booked her to take Punk solo so I could stay home with LD and prevent him destroying the house while home alone. today, I was going to ask her to take both of them to see how he does walking with someone else again for the first time in a few years. but she had been coming between 12-2 so I think the window's closed for today. Friday should be interesting if I don't hear from her by then. good thing LD's been cleared for activity again, b/c I'm not putting up with that on the regular. 

[giramomma]

I had a post, and then I shut the computer down. 

I am going to be at my workplace until I retire. I don't think I can get hired anywhere else.

And if someone is willing to take a chance on me, I don't think I'll be able to take a big enough paycut that will allow me to move.

This last job that I just interviewed for. I would have had to take a 10% paycut, and that was if they could have offered me the highest salary possible.

I'm feeling all sorts of upsetness about this. I feel duped. No one tells you this kind of stuff when you are in your early 30s...

I'm going to have to figure out a way to make it 7 years.

[giramomma]

Jan 10, 2024 14:57:33 GMT -5 minnesotapaintlady said:

Jan 10, 2024 14:51:43 GMT -5 NastyWoman said:

Bacon is the food of the Gods.

I know. Post cancer, I'm eating less bacon. I didn't have much to begin with. We had it like 6 times a year. Now, it's even less.

I don't mind cutting down the alcohol. The bacon though...that gets me.

[minnesotapaintlady]

Jan 10, 2024 16:21:01 GMT -5 giramomma said:

Jan 10, 2024 14:57:33 GMT -5 minnesotapaintlady said:

I know. Post cancer, I'm eating less bacon. I didn't have much to begin with. We had it like 6 times a year. Now, it's even less.

I don't mind cutting down the alcohol. The bacon though...that gets me.

I almost never buy it, for the same reason I don't buy chips and crackers. Little impulse control in that area, and nobody eats breakfast in my house for the most part. I bought a 3 lb package from Sam's Club over the holidays and it was like there was crack in the fridge.  I'm pretty sure my son was frying it up at 2am sometimes.

[giramomma]

Jan 10, 2024 16:29:35 GMT -5 minnesotapaintlady said:

Jan 10, 2024 16:21:01 GMT -5 giramomma said:

I know. Post cancer, I'm eating less bacon. I didn't have much to begin with. We had it like 6 times a year. Now, it's even less.

I don't mind cutting down the alcohol. The bacon though...that gets me.

I almost never buy it, for the same reason I don't buy chips and crackers. Little impulse control in that area, and nobody eats breakfast in my house for the most part. I bought a 3 lb package from Sam's Club over the holidays and it was like there was crack in the fridge.  I'm pretty sure my son was frying it up at 2am sometimes.

[soupandstew]

Jan 10, 2024 16:37:44 GMT -5 giramomma said:

Jan 10, 2024 16:29:35 GMT -5 minnesotapaintlady said:

I almost never buy it, for the same reason I don't buy chips and crackers. Little impulse control in that area, and nobody eats breakfast in my house for the most part. I bought a 3 lb package from Sam's Club over the holidays and it was like there was crack in the fridge.  I'm pretty sure my son was frying it up at 2am sometimes.

There's a local breakfast place that has something called "Million Dollar Bacon" on the menu which is thick-sliced, hardwood-smoked bacon baked with brown sugar, black pepper, cayenne, and a maple syrup drizzle.  Regulars just order the bacon crack.  Line out the door on weekends.

[andi9899]

Jan 10, 2024 16:19:33 GMT -5 giramomma said:

I had a post, and then I shut the computer down. 

I am going to be at my workplace until I retire. I don't think I can get hired anywhere else.

And if someone is willing to take a chance on me, I don't think I'll be able to take a big enough paycut that will allow me to move.

This last job that I just interviewed for. I would have had to take a 10% paycut, and that was if they could have offered me the highest salary possible.

I'm feeling all sorts of upsetness about this. I feel duped. No one tells you this kind of stuff when you are in your early 30s...

I'm going to have to figure out a way to make it 7 years.

Why do you have to take a pay cut? If you're experienced in what you do, wouldn't you look for an increase?

[giramomma]

Jan 10, 2024 16:50:18 GMT -5 andi9899 said:

Jan 10, 2024 16:19:33 GMT -5 giramomma said:

I had a post, and then I shut the computer down. 

I am going to be at my workplace until I retire. I don't think I can get hired anywhere else.

And if someone is willing to take a chance on me, I don't think I'll be able to take a big enough paycut that will allow me to move.

This last job that I just interviewed for. I would have had to take a 10% paycut, and that was if they could have offered me the highest salary possible.

I'm feeling all sorts of upsetness about this. I feel duped. No one tells you this kind of stuff when you are in your early 30s...

I'm going to have to figure out a way to make it 7 years.

Why do you have to take a pay cut? If you're experienced in what you do, wouldn't you look for an increase?

Because jobs with my current skill set are paying less than what I'm getting paid now? 

On the whole, there aren't really a lot of non-management public sector jobs paying 90K a year. Most jobs that are being created are in the 60K.

Also, public sector jobs have pay bands that aren't negotiable.

We hired someone a couple of years ago, worked at my employer, just in a different unit. He had to take almost a 10% salary cut when he moved to our unit.

I also have a weird skill set. People don't want to pay top dollar for a jack of all trades, master of none. 

What I'm really good at is seeing connections, opportunities, and trying new things. You know, innovate. I couldn't even get my unit to understand how to promote me with that skill set. Quite frankly, one of the leaders defined it as playing around. Which, was true, to an extent. 

There's a few more skills I could build out, to help be more attractive. I'm not sure I want to. 

Going back to school to become a teacher is completely off the table, now. I'd be looking at a 40% paycut. Even the public school positions I could do, they want someone with k12 teaching experience. (Our district even requires a teaching certificate to sub even 1 day a school year).

[Opti]

Jan 10, 2024 11:28:33 GMT -5 minnesotapaintlady said:

Work added 5 days of puppy care to my benefits.   It's getting to the point where I can't afford NOT to get a dog. 

If I liked the cold weather I'd think of moving up there and working where you work. Congrats on the puppycare bennies.

[soupandstew]

Well, I just had that little come-to-Jesus talk earlier than expected with a supervisor at the plumbing company because, after we changed our whole day around to accommodate their guys this afternoon 2-5, I got a call at 4 that one of the two said it "was too late for him" and they want to come tomorrow "around 10 or 11".  

I truly understand the vagaries of field work and the challenges of coordinating two people, but this shit will not fly with me.  I made it very clear that we feel completely disrespected by the company, will not tolerate further behavior of this nature, and are currently 100% prepared to move to another company if the two employees are not here by 11 am tomorrow, and that I don't mean 11:15 unless someone has arterial bleeding and I get the note from their doctor.  And that we expect a firm quote by close of business tomorrow.  I also made it crystal clear IF (and that's one big if) we move forward with them I will require a text no later than 6 pm every night of the project to say if they will have crew on site the following day because the job site will not be accessible if I don't get that text.  

If you think I'm pissed, you should see DH   I'm taking the chain off him and giving him full authorization to rip the throat out of folks tomorrow