Chit-Chat: What's On Your Mind Today?

[chitowngirl]

1 hour ago, peacheslatour said:

I'm weird, I love to iron. I find it very relaxing.

 

1 hour ago, Ancaster said:

I love to iron too.  It's an excuse (not that I actually need one!) to watch crappy TV that doesn't require a high level of attention.

Ditto to both!!

[theredhead77]

16 minutes ago, shapeshifter said:

I like to scan my artwork at hi-res and save different versions, which means at least 1Tb hard drive if I don’t want it to die before it’s time, which means close to $2,000!!! 
I’m not sure it’s worth it. 

What about an external drive? Best Buy has a 2TB Western Digital external drive for $68 (not on sale) and I am certain there are better deals to be had with a search more extensive than my 2 second "external hard drive" Google search.
 

Edited September 29, 2023 by theredhead77

[Caoimhe]

3 minutes ago, shapeshifter said:

One of my daughters took an iron to college in 2001. She’s still into fashion.

Mom was still ironing Dad’s no-iron shirts when they were in their 80s.

$200 for an iron? Sheesh!

My laptop died a couple of weeks ago, and I’m still debating about what to replace it with.

I like to scan my artwork at hi-res and save different versions, which means at least 1Tb hard drive if I don’t want it to die before it’s time, which means close to $2,000!!! 
I’m not sure it’s worth it. 

I ironed shirts until my husband took early retirement but they weren’t the no-iron sort!

The $200 iron is apparently very popular with quilters but I’m not convinced it’s worth it. I’ll stick with my $25 iron since I have ruined several and at that price I don’t feel guilty.

On the other hand computers are where I’m happy to spend a bit extra because I use them so much.  I installed a 8TB hard drive in my desktop PC last year just for my media files. I should probably delete some of it but the drive wasn’t that expensive so I’ll just continue my digital hoarding 😁.

[kristen111]

12 minutes ago, shapeshifter said:

One of my daughters took an iron to college in 2001. She’s still into fashion.

Mom was still ironing Dad’s no-iron shirts when they were in their 80s.

$200 for an iron? Sheesh!

My laptop died a couple of weeks ago, and I’m still debating about what to replace it with.

I like to scan my artwork at hi-res and save different versions, which means at least 1Tb hard drive if I don’t want it to die before it’s time, which means close to $2,000!!! 
I’m not sure it’s worth it. 

If it will make you happy, put it on the charge.  I’m sure you’ve put yourself on the back burner many times in your life.  It’s your time now to treat yourself.  Aren’t you worth it?

[annzeepark914]

I need to get peacheslatour and Ancaster to come over and iron a humongous pile of clothes on my ironing board.  Ironing used to be ok but I now loathe doing it. So boring (when I could be on my smartphone 😁)

[Laura Holt]

1 minute ago, annzeepark914 said:

Ironing used to be ok but I now loathe doing it. So boring (when I could be on my smartphone 😁)

I don't mind ironing once I actually get motivated to do it but like you I'll find any excuse to avoid it until the clothing situation reaches crisis point!

[shapeshifter]

2 hours ago, theredhead77 said:

What about an external drive? Best Buy has a 2TB Western Digital external drive for $68 (not on sale) and I am certain there are better deals to be had with a search more extensive than my 2 second "external hard drive" Google search.
 

Yes.
But I like having them handy on the hard drive too.
But you’re right. In the long run it’s better to have them saved elsewhere anyway.
As it is, I’m not sure I backed up my most recent Tiff documents.

 

2 hours ago, kristen111 said:

If it will make you happy, put it on the charge.  I’m sure you’ve put yourself on the back burner many times in your life.  It’s your time now to treat yourself.  Aren’t you worth it?

No charging for me that I can’t pay off each month. 
I’m the daughter of a parent who was a hungry kid in The Great Depression.

But I can afford it. I’m just not sure that’s what I want, and the reason I can afford it is because I don’t spend money.
Plus, the one that just died had some bells and whistles I thought I’d use, but I didn’t. 🤷🏻‍♀️

Edited September 29, 2023 by shapeshifter

[EtheltoTillie]

I hear you, @shapeshifter.  My husband and I are also "second generation" Depression kids. 

But I'm not sure I understand why you can't use an external hard drive as if it were part of the computer.  The computer sees it as just another drive it can read instantly.  Am I misunderstanding?

I bought a rather expensive computer last year for my office.  $1500 or so.  Mostly for high speed and storage, as I don't do graphics.  It's a Dell, and my "IT professional" (a good friend who knows this stuff) helps me pick it out and set it up to use all the programs I use, including my own domain name.  But I can always access any other drive instantly.

Edited September 29, 2023 by EtheltoTillie

[EtheltoTillie]

The price of the computer also included all the new versions of software I needed, including Outlook, etc., and I am now running Windows 11.  My old computer was running Windows 7, and it just died. 

[EtheltoTillie]

PS.  I don't use a laptop, so I don't know how that affects what you are trying to achieve. 

[Ancaster]

11 hours ago, annzeepark914 said:

I need to get peacheslatour and Ancaster to come over and iron a humongous pile of clothes on my ironing board.  Ironing used to be ok but I now loathe doing it. So boring (when I could be on my smartphone 😁)

I'll probably be stoned for saying this, but I'd take an iron over a smartphone any day of the week.  ( Every now and again I fish out my little Motorola phone that didn't do anything except make phone calls and texts and look at it wistfully.)

Edited September 29, 2023 by Ancaster

[Ancaster]

11 hours ago, shapeshifter said:

No charging for me that I can’t pay off each month. 
I’m the daughter of a parent who was a hungry kid in The Great Depression.

 

Daughter of British WWII-raised parents from Yorkshire - no debt ever except a mortgage.  I will never understand people who don't pay off credit cards and who juggle card balances unless there was some extreme unforeseen need.  Sorry.

[Laura Holt]

3 hours ago, EtheltoTillie said:

I hear you, @shapeshifter.  My husband and I are "second generation" Depression kids. 

I've never heard that term but it's a good one.  I was raised by parents who grew up during the depression and WWII and our family mantra was reduce, reuse, recycle years before it started trending.

[kristen111]

Anyone watch the” Golden Bachelor” last night?  Fabulous!  Women in their sixties and seventies all decked out with gowns and high heels.  Lots of Botox too.

[EtheltoTillie]

15 minutes ago, Laura Holt said:

I've never heard that term but it's a good one.  I was raised by parents who grew up during the depression and WWII and our family mantra was reduce, reuse, recycle years before it started trending.

Yes, because I just made it up LOL.    It seemed an apt description for those of us of a certain age who were brought up a certain way.  Hence, I put it in quotes. 

8 minutes ago, kristen111 said:

Anyone watch the” Golden Bachelor” last night?  Fabulous!  Women in their sixties and seventies all decked out with gowns and high heels.  Lots of Botox too.

I don't know about this one, Kristen, and I say this as a Housewives watcher, like you.  You are brave.  I can't stand the regular Bachelor shows.  You'll have to start posting on the show thread. 

[annzeepark914]

45 minutes ago, Ancaster said:

I'll probably be stoned for saying this, but I'd take an iron over a smartphone any day of the week.  ( Every now and again I fish out my little Motorola phone that didn't do anything except make phone calls and texts and look at it wistfully.)

I'm speechless!!! OK...I've recuperated to say that all of my smartphones have been Motorola. Tried an iPhone but it unnerved me so much that I couldn't turn my head...until I made the executive decision to return it & get another Motorola. Instant neck relief. I get to read the Washington Post, CNN, enjoy family photos on Facebook Lite, and read this forum. It takes very good photos. And I never use the phone unless I'm running late or call home from the supermarket to see if anything else is needed. I dislike using cell phones.

My parents lived through the depression, so in our fridge were always little containers of leftovers that my mom couldn't bring herself to toss. I'd see these small leftovers in their refrigerator, even in their retirement. Tough generation--enduring WWII just as they were recovering from the depression. 

[peacheslatour]

59 minutes ago, Laura Holt said:

I've never heard that term but it's a good one.  I was raised by parents who grew up during the depression and WWII and our family mantra was reduce, reuse, recycle years before it started trending.

My parents didn't remember the Great Depression but they sure remembered the war years. My mom used to say "Use it up... Wear it out... Make it do... Or do without".

[Cloud9Shopper]

My unpopular opinions of things that I do not care about in the fall:

Pumpkin spice coffee: I’m waiting for all the peppermint and chocolate drinks at Christmas, thanks. :) I put peppermint mocha creamer in my coffee all year, even in the summer. 

Actually, pumpkin spice everything. I just think some of it is overkill. I don’t want my whole house smelling of pumpkin air freshener and pumpkin candles and you get the idea.

Hocus Pocus. I saw it as a kid and now that I’m older I hate all the hype about it on Halloween. It’s not something I’m particularly interested in rewatching as an adult. Yet it’s all some cable ever seems to show in October. I just am not into Halloween movies as a whole since my only other options seem to be horror movies. 

The only exception to my anti-Halloween media stance is Halloween episodes of The Resident. Those were always well done and never crossed the line into too dark or felt too corny or childish like Hocus Pocus. 

[Browncoat]

1 hour ago, peacheslatour said:

My parents didn't remember the Great Depression but they sure remembered the war years. My mom used to say "Use it up... Wear it out... Make it do... Or do without".

My mother was the same.  She'd take us clothes shopping and always ask, "Do you see anything you can't live without?"  So we got what we absolutely needed, but not a whole lot extra.  Obviously I could live without that random thing -- I'd managed to do so so far!

[oliviabenson]

1 hour ago, kristen111 said:

Anyone watch the” Golden Bachelor” last night?  Fabulous!  Women in their sixties and seventies all decked out with gowns and high heels.  Lots of Botox too.

No because I have given up on finding anyone to date. Aka no one wants to DATE me. I’m really unhappy about being alone. 

Shows about finding love would depress me even more…

[kristen111]

1 hour ago, EtheltoTillie said:

Yes, because I just made it up LOL.    It seemed an apt description for those of us of a certain age who were brought up a certain way.  Hence, I put it in quotes. 

I don't know about this one, Kristen, and I say this as a Housewives watcher, like you.  You are brave.  I can't stand the regular Bachelor shows.  You'll have to start posting on the show thread. 

I am not a fan of the other Bachelor/Bachelorette shows at all and don’t watch, but this new one interested me.  I wanted to see how women and a man in their sixties and seventies looked.  I did have to put my pillow on my face when they kissed tho, lol.  I have trouble watching young people slobbering all over each other.    Just was curious how they all looked.

 

 

[oliviabenson]

The golden bachelor star is 72. He is older than my parents (if they were alive).

 

[kristen111]

2 hours ago, Laura Holt said:

I've never heard that term but it's a good one.  I was raised by parents who grew up during the depression and WWII and our family mantra was reduce, reuse, recycle years before it started trending.

I didn’t have it so good either.   I had to sleep with my older sister until I got married.  I also had to wear her shoes  she grew out of.   That’s why I now say once in awhile we have to treat ourselves even when we can’t afford to, but not all the time.

[Anela]

On 9/27/2023 at 9:20 PM, shapeshifter said:

Wow. Crazy.
Was it her first day on the job?

I’ve had all 7 of my Covid shots (I just counted ’em) at Walgreens over the past however many years — during which time my insurance changed — and I’ve never paid a cent at the pharmacy.

They were all covered by my insurance premiums that I pay — I guess?

But I’m 99.999% sure they would have been covered by the government even if I was uninsured (like those 8 years in the 80s when I was married with 2-3 kids and no health insurance).

I’m glad you were able to choo$e to get it done and not miss your yoga retreat.🙌
Namasté🙏

My county health department mentioned having covid shots available, but only for people with insurance. I don't have insurance, so I didn't go for one.

 

[oliviabenson]

Parts of NYC is having flooding. Not where I’m at, but looking at reddit it’s bad in some areas.

[Anela]

18 minutes ago, oliviabenson said:

Parts of NYC is having flooding. Not where I’m at, but looking at reddit it’s bad in some areas.

I follow someone who lives in Brooklyn, and she posted video of it this morning. :(

[EtheltoTillie]

Yeah, I stayed home.  Didn't want to attempt the subways today. 

[Laura Holt]

57 minutes ago, kristen111 said:

I didn’t have it so good either.   I had to sleep with my older sister until I got married.  I also had to wear her shoes  she grew out of.   That’s why I now say once in awhile we have to treat ourselves even when we can’t afford to, but not all the time.

I am the oldest, I got the new stuff.  I don't think my younger sisters have ever really gotten over that.  I figure it was one of the few perks of being the oldest in a big family but they disagree 🙂.

[shapeshifter]

1 hour ago, kristen111 said:

I didn’t have it so good either.   I had to sleep with my older sister until I got married.  I also had to wear her shoes  she grew out of.   That’s why I now say once in awhile we have to treat ourselves even when we can’t afford to, but not all the time.

Ah. Yes. That makes sense. My parents worked so hard to give us what they didn’t have that I just felt guilty.

Mom shared a room with her 4-years younger brother until she got married at 19. Then their grandmother shared the room with my uncle until he joined the Navy at 17.

Dad slept on the couch until he got married — except for when he was in the Army.

But it’s not a competition about who walked to school uphill both ways the furthest. 😉
It’s just interesting how those experiences effect us, and then our children too.

Edited September 29, 2023 by shapeshifter

[EtheltoTillie]

12 minutes ago, Laura Holt said:

I am the oldest, I got the new stuff.  I don't think my younger sisters have ever really gotten over that.  I figure it was one of the few perks of being the oldest in a big family but they disagree 🙂.

I'm an only child, so I didn't have to contend with this.  But my mother's younger sister (youngest of four) carried this grudge for decades. The irony is that the oldest sisters bore the worst brunt of the depression.  Oh, well.  Youngest sister went and married a professional wrestler at 18.  You can imagine how that turned out. 

Edited September 29, 2023 by EtheltoTillie

[annzeepark914]

I shared a big bedroom with my older sister until I was about 9. We were lucky that my godmother made exquisite dresses for us when we were young. She should've had her own business, creating party clothes for little girls. Even the buttons were unique.

[Laura Holt]

1 minute ago, EtheltoTillie said:

But my mother's younger sister (youngest of four) carried this grudge for decades. 

Yep.  The sister closest in age to me is still harbouring grudges, some based on reality, some not, and will cast things up to me as if I had any control over it!  If only I had actually had the power in my family that she seems to think I had!

[PRgal]

2 minutes ago, EtheltoTillie said:

I'm an only child, so I didn't have to contend with this.  But my mother's younger sister (youngest of four) carried this grudge for decades. The irony is that the oldest sisters bore the worst brunt of the depression.  Oh, well.  Youngest sister went and married a professional wrestler at 18.  You can imagine how that turned out. 

I'm an only as well.  I got SOME hand-me-downs, usually in the form of toys from a neighbour (an only) who is seven years older than me.  I got her play kitchen, which was really cool (I also had my own play kitchen).  A cousin of mine, ALSO an only, got some of my clothes, especially party dresses.  

[shapeshifter]

10 minutes ago, EtheltoTillie said:

I'm an only child, so I didn't have to contend with this.  But my mother's younger sister (youngest of four) carried this grudge for decades. 

That’s interesting to me because my middle daughter resented the hand-me-downs.

But then I separated from my ex when the youngest was a toddler, so by the time she was in school we were more financially secure — because I was working and careful with the money. Also, I recall my skinny middle daughter refusing to give up clothes to the youngest — she’d wear dresses as tunics.

Heh, which brings me back to not being comfortable buying an expensive computer unless I can justify my use for it.😉

There are a lot of things I could buy that are not extravagant, but if I buy them all, I won’t be living within my means.

So I’ve replaced guilt for having nice things with fear of not having enough for anything.🙃

Edited September 29, 2023 by shapeshifter

[annzeepark914]

2 hours ago, oliviabenson said:

No because I have given up on finding anyone to date. Aka no one wants to DATE me. I’m really unhappy about being alone. 

Shows about finding love would depress me even more…

I may have already asked if you've ever tried Meet Up. It's something like that, or meeting someone at work. It's tough finding the guy who's the right one. But as you know, you're better off single and looking than miserable with the wrong person. 

[peacheslatour]

39 minutes ago, PRgal said:

I'm an only as well.  I got SOME hand-me-downs, usually in the form of toys from a neighbour (an only) who is seven years older than me.  I got her play kitchen, which was really cool (I also had my own play kitchen).  A cousin of mine, ALSO an only, got some of my clothes, especially party dresses.  

I was also an only, which I loved because both my parents were very career driven and hardly ever home so I had the house to myself most of the time. On the other hand, when I messed up, they focused laser like attention on me and there was no sibling around to distract them.

[chitowngirl]

I have a friend who has 4 sisters and they all shared one bedroom: bunk beds and trundles! She said Heaven help you if you needed the bathroom! Her 2 brothers had it made!

[Laura Holt]

22 minutes ago, peacheslatour said:

On the other hand, when I messed up, they focused laser like attention on me and there was no sibling around to distract them.

One of the best things about a big family is that sooner or later one of your siblings will screw up and take the focus off whatever is is you did that your parents are fretting over!

[Bastet]

8 hours ago, EtheltoTillie said:

My old computer was running Windows 7, and it just died. 

My computer with Windows 7 is still going, and I hope that will continue, but I kind of hold my breath each morning as I boot it up.

58 minutes ago, PRgal said:

I'm an only as well.  I got SOME hand-me-downs,

I'm an only child as well, and my parents had plenty of money to buy everything new, but a big part of the reason they had plenty of money was that for a long time they didn't (especially my dad; he grew up in poverty), so they didn't go wild as their income rose, and I got hand-me-downs, too.  My best friend's family and mine were very close, so her older sister was kind of like my older sister, too.  When she no longer wanted/needed/fit into/whatever stuff, she'd make a pile of it in the family room when I was over (which was a lot, just as my BF was frequently at my house) and we learned to negotiate who got what.  I never had any aversion to used clothes (they were new to me, so it was just as good as getting something from the store), or to clothes my mom made for me.

1 minute ago, chitowngirl said:

I have a friend who has 4 sisters and they all shared one bedroom

My dad is one of eight, and there was one bedroom for all of them, so they not only shared a room they shared beds.  He grew up in a town and era where most people, especially the girls, got married young, so by the time the youngest ones came along the oldest ones were gone, so there weren't ever eight of them in there at once, but still too many for everyone who was there to have their own bed. 

[PRgal]

There are a lot of onlies on this board!  Any onlies who are one and done parents?

[annzeepark914]

31 minutes ago, peacheslatour said:

I was also an only, which I loved because both my parents were very career driven and hardly ever home so I had the house to myself most of the time. On the other hand, when I messed up, they focused laser like attention on me and there was no sibling around to distract them.

I never thought much of what being an only child meant (other than to envy them not having to fight with a sibling 😏) until our only-child-grandson's lifestyle attracted my attention, several years ago. Friends (only children themselves) had to keep reminding me that "He's an only child--it's different for these kids".  I can't even remember now what seemed different to me. I loved it, though, when my sister went to Girl Scout camp in the Poconos and I got to be an only child for a week or two.  Good times!!

[Bastet]

Just now, PRgal said:

Any onlies who are one and done parents?

I'm a no way in hell to parenting.  But my mom, an only child, went on to only have one herself. 

They'd initially planned on two, but it took longer to get pregnant than expected, and by the time I existed and they thought about what it would be like to have another one in 2-3 years if it could even happen, they decided nope, we're good, and my dad got a vasectomy.  Thank goodness!  I know a lot of it is nurture rather than nature, but I'm convinced I was born to be an only child. 

There were two girls my same age on the block, so I had the best of both worlds -- someone to play with whenever I wanted, but no one I had to actually share my space and parents with, or even have around when I wanted to be alone (which was a lot).

[peacheslatour]

4 minutes ago, PRgal said:

There are a lot of onlies on this board!  Any onlies who are one and done parents?

We're one and done. So is my dad and so was his mom. I never wanted children but my husband did. We made a deal, that we would have one. And I'm extremely glad we did. I love my son more than my own life. 

[Laura Holt]

My husband is what used to be called a change of life baby with  an older sister who was already in high school when he came along. Best of both worlds in some ways.  He got the perks of being the baby of the family and being the only child.  

Edited September 29, 2023 by Laura Holt

[Browncoat]

I'm the youngest, but I didn't really get hand-me-downs beyond baby clothes, which were passed around among my mother's siblings for years.  My sister is quite a bit older and larger than I am, so her things would never have fit me.  Fortunately, our house had enough bedrooms that we didn't have to share.  I did get the hand-me-down bicycle from my sister, and then it got passed along to one of my cousins when I outgrew it.

[peacheslatour]

Just now, Browncoat said:

I'm the youngest, but I didn't really get hand-me-downs beyond baby clothes, which were passed around among my mother's siblings for years.  My sister is quite a bit older and larger than I am, so her things would never have fit me.  Fortunately, our house had enough bedrooms that we didn't have to share.  I did get the hand-me-down bicycle from my sister, and then it got passed along to one of my cousins when I outgrew it.

I had a crazy aunt who even though my uncle did very well financially, always sent me stuff she picked up at garage sales. I got an EZ Bake oven from her once that was missing all the mixes.

[Suzn]

33 minutes ago, PRgal said:

There are a lot of onlies on this board!  Any onlies who are one and done parents?

I'm an only with an only.  I was given a hard time for being an only, because I didn't have to share.  The things was that there was very little to share, so I was never spoiled as I was accused of.

[EtheltoTillie]

I’m also a none and done. Have had our variety of beloved dogs and cats over the  years. 

[kristen111]

23 minutes ago, peacheslatour said:

We're one and done. So is my dad and so was his mom. I never wanted children but my husband did. We made a deal, that we would have one. And I'm extremely glad we did. I love my son more than my own life. 

We had three.  After the third, he wanted two more.  I was 34 then.  It was enough for me.

[oliviabenson]

21 minutes ago, peacheslatour said:

I had a crazy aunt who even though my uncle did very well financially, always sent me stuff she picked up at garage sales. I got an EZ Bake oven from her once that was missing all the mixes.

Your aunt was cheap! 🤣