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

[PRgal]

52 minutes ago, isalicat said:

Back to the talking to oneself topic:

I am an only child and spent many, many blissful hours alone (reading! just give me a book - I had little desire to do anything else as a child other than almost daily ballet class), so never developed the habit of talking to myself in play.

I do have two autistic friends (both in their late 20s - what they call "high functioning", I guess, as they are both verbally communicative and although they can't live on their own, they do hold down part time jobs etc.) and they both talk to themselves out loud (a lot!) whenever they are not actively talking to other people. They are both very amenable to being politely "shushed" in situations that call for it, but I think at this point it is pretty ingrained. They are very definitely not schizophrenic and I think that is kinda insulting to say to someone. 😾

My son is turning into a reading type (though his current obsession is anything Paw Patrol)!  And an artist, too. He only started developing an interest towards the spring of last year.  He loved art camp, though when I didn't know that when I signed him up (day camps here book up REALLY, REALLY fast.  I wanted to put him in multisport, but it was wait list only.  For every single (week long) session.  And it was maybe one week after registration opened)).  He says it was one of his favourite camps of the summer.  I'm going to sign him up again this year.  

[Acmeproducts]

4 hours ago, peacheslatour said:

How about these two?

 

I wish I had the Gilmore metabolism. I’m trying to lose some weight now.

[emma675]

5 hours ago, peacheslatour said:

How about these two?

 

Speaking of Lorelai Gilmore, I've been told three times in two weeks by random strangers that I look like her. I'm talking a grocery store cashier, tech at the Verizon store, etc. Up until now, no one has ever said that to me once. I cannot figure it out!

Don't get me wrong, Lauren Graham is gorgeous, but I don't think we look anything alike. It's so weird.

[Ancaster]

I was visiting an friend's aunt earlier today at her senior residential home and I bumped into someone I knew from a few years back.  She asked me if I'd moved in.  She has a good 15 years on me and was also visiting someone.

I still haven't got over it. 

 

[Acmeproducts]

2 hours ago, emma675 said:

Speaking of Lorelai Gilmore, I've been told three times in two weeks by random strangers that I look like her. I'm talking a grocery store cashier, tech at the Verizon store, etc. Up until now, no one has ever said that to me once. I cannot figure it out!

Don't get me wrong, Lauren Graham is gorgeous, but I don't think we look anything alike. It's so weird.

She is  gorgeous. Take it as a compliment. 

[Calvada]

I talk to myself all the time.  I also find I talk to inanimate objects - just this morning, I had a conversation with a burned out light bulb I was trying to remove and it was being a bit stubborn about the procedure.  I also say things out loud to remember them.  Most frequently I will say "the door is closed" when I pull out of my driveway, otherwise I'll drive a block and think "Did I close the garage door?"

[shapeshifter]

1 minute ago, Calvada said:

Most frequently I will say "the door is closed" when I pull out of my driveway, otherwise I'll drive a block and think "Did I close the garage door?"

Same! 

And it doesn't help that there was a time when the doors were bouncing back open. I guess some sort of interference. 

Edited January 8 by shapeshifter

[Ancaster]

That seems like a great strategy, like the one when you're supposed to repeat back someone's name when you're introduced.  I think I used to have some strategies, but I can't remember.

Sorry, couldn't resist.

Actually, I have Long Covid and my short-term memory is completely shot, which is irritating, embarrassing, and exhausting.  I used to make lists that I then didn't usually need because writing it down was enough (that was my strategy).  I now live by lists, many lists in different forms, yet my life is still frequently a mess, particularly if my car and a large carpark are involved.  Don't even get me started on keys.

This and the continued lack of energy are things I wouldn't wish on anyone.

Sorry.  Not sure where that came from.

[annzeepark914]

45 minutes ago, Ancaster said:

Actually, I have Long Covid and my short-term memory is completely shot, which is irritating, embarrassing, and exhausting.  I used to make lists that I then didn't usually need because writing it down was enough (that was my strategy).  I now live by lists, many lists in different forms, yet my life is still frequently a mess, particularly if my car and a large carpark are involved.  Don't even get me started on keys.

This and the continued lack of energy are things I wouldn't wish on anyone.

Sorry.  Not sure where that came from.

Chris Cuomo is going to feature a doctor who will discuss ongoing research into long covid on tonight's show.

[shapeshifter]

25 minutes ago, Ancaster said:

That seems like a great strategy, like the one when you're supposed to repeat back someone's name when you're introduced.  I think I used to have some strategies, but I can't remember.

Sorry, couldn't resist.

Actually, I have Long Covid and my short-term memory is completely shot, which is irritating, embarrassing, and exhausting.  I used to make lists that I then didn't usually need because writing it down was enough (that was my strategy).  I now live by lists, many lists in different forms, yet my life is still frequently a mess, particularly if my car and a large carpark are involved.  Don't even get me started on keys.

This and the continued lack of energy are things I wouldn't wish on anyone.

Sorry.  Not sure where that came from.

My short term memory and energy never returned to my pre-chemotherapy levels of 2015, but I can't know if age is a factor (I was 62).

 

3 minutes ago, annzeepark914 said:

Chris Cuomo is going to feature a doctor who will discuss ongoing research into long covid on tonight's show.

What show?

[annzeepark914]

The Chris Cuomo Show on something called News Nation. He's all I watch on this network. He said he's trying to learn all that he can about long haul as he has it. His show was on at 8:00 EST.

[Ancaster]

4 hours ago, annzeepark914 said:

Chris Cuomo is going to feature a doctor who will discuss ongoing research into long covid on tonight's show.

Thanks.  I just found the show.  It's on here (Pacific) at 11pm I think.

Edited January 9 by Ancaster

[Salacious Kitty]

The Cuomo show is on a channel called News Nation. The show itself will repeat at 11 PT. 

[annzeepark914]

I haven't been able to figure out what exactly News Nation is, but Cuomo is the only one I watch.  He said he's doing his own research (finding scientists who are working on the cause & maybe potential treatment for long haul covid) and posts info' on Substack (something else I know nothing about).

Edited January 9 by annzeepark914

[RealHousewife]

Well, I finally left the job I complained about on here. I posted a bit about it in the work thread, but I thought my feelings about leaving it would be more appropriate here so I hope it's okay for me to vent.

I am okay in terms of money, but boy, is my mental health already taking a hit. It was definitely time for me to go, but I am grieving the loss of a job I loved and was good at. I enjoyed my work and envisioned myself there for many years until recently. It feels like a breakup with a person you once loved and saw yourself with forever but ended up hurting you. 

I miss having something to get me up in the morning. I miss having my day full. I miss having emails to check. I miss my work calls. I miss seeing the many good people there who didn't mistreat me. I miss my work trips. I am a depressive and know how I get when I have too much time on my hands, but I thought these emotions wouldn't hit until much later. I have had some distractions between applying for jobs and personal things I have to take care of, but I miss having a job dearly. I'm confident I will find something eventually, but I worry about not enjoying it as much as I enjoyed my old job, if I will like the people, feel challenged, etc. 

I am going to try to be more active in the evenings than I used to be since I can no longer rely on work for my social interaction. I know I will feel better in time, but at the moment I feel like I was bullied out of a job and have a broken heart.

[EtheltoTillie]

20 hours ago, annzeepark914 said:

The Chris Cuomo Show on something called News Nation. He's all I watch on this network. He said he's trying to learn all that he can about long haul as he has it. His show was on at 8:00 EST.

Ah, Chris Cuomo, my disgraced law school classmate.  Now he's moved on from CNN to some non-station-station.  Of course, I don't wish him any harm, and I hope he can recover from his long Covid.  His disgraced brother, the former governor, is on an "apology tour," promoting his book, as he seems to think he can get people to forget his sexual harassment allegations. 

[peacheslatour]

13 minutes ago, EtheltoTillie said:

Ah, Chris Cuomo, my disgraced law school classmate.  Now he's moved on from CNN to some non-station-station.  Of course, I don't wish him any harm, and I hope he can recover from his long Covid.  His disgraced brother, the former governor, is on an "apology tour," promoting his book, as he seems to think he can get people to forget his sexual harassment allegations. 

Didn't he used to go out with Aunt Sandy, of Semi Homemade fame?

[StatisticalOutlier]

On 1/5/2024 at 7:13 AM, EtheltoTillie said:

Here in NYC they imported the Pret a Manger chain quite a while ago, but they've gotten a bit expensive now too. 

Years ago they had a roast beef sandwich I liked a lot but they took it off the menu, and I hadn't found any other sandwich I really liked.  I was bummed because I liked the format.

But Mr. Outlier and I passed by one the other day and ducked in and they had a chicken banh mi that actually sounded appealing, so we got one of those and macaroni and cheese.  It cost $25 including tax.

We got two "recession specials" at Gray's Papaya on Broadway at 72nd.  I have the receipt and it shows $17, but on my statement it says $19.  Hmm.  ($17 for some delicious but not-special hot dogs and "tropical drink" is bad enough; $19 really hurts.)  This is why I try so hard to always get a receipt (fortunately, they usually just roll their eyes and do what the old lady asks). 

A year or so ago Mr. Outlier got a loaner tool at Autozone--you have to pay some amount for the tool, but they refund it if you bring it back.  He took it back and they gave him a receipt but it didn't show up on the credit card, and it took a couple of months to get the credit issued.  He also returned some anti-freeze to a Caterpillar place (bought a gallon too much) and he got a receipt for that, too, but the credit didn't actually go through until he pestered them about it after the credit still hadn't shown up after like six weeks. 

Maybe $100 total for these mistakes, but it's the principle.  I like for things to be correct.

And yes, I will dispute the $19 vs. $17 with my credit card company.  I wonder if Gray's Papaya will claim I left a $2 tip, but I know I didn't.  (I never tip anywhere unless the employees are paid the sub-minimum "tipped" wage, like at table-service restaurants.)  I don't want to think they do this on the regular because they assume most people won't notice.  Maybe they do it because it all gets prepared right in front of you so they can't spit in the food of non-tippers, and have to get back at them some other way.  😀

[EtheltoTillie]

1 hour ago, peacheslatour said:

Didn't he used to go out with Aunt Sandy, of Semi Homemade fame?

Her name is Sandra Lee.  Was she also known as Aunt Sandy? 

[EtheltoTillie]

3 minutes ago, StatisticalOutlier said:

Years ago they had a roast beef sandwich I liked a lot but they took it off the menu, and I hadn't found any other sandwich I really liked.  I was bummed because I liked the format.

But Mr. Outlier and I passed by one the other day and ducked in and they had a chicken banh mi that actually sounded appealing, so we got one of those and macaroni and cheese.  It cost $25 including tax.

We got two "recession specials" at Gray's Papaya on Broadway at 72nd.  I have the receipt and it shows $17, but on my statement it says $19.  Hmm.  ($17 for some delicious but not-special hot dogs and "tropical drink" is bad enough; $19 really hurts.)  This is why I try so hard to always get a receipt (fortunately, they usually just roll their eyes and do what the old lady asks). 

A year or so ago Mr. Outlier got a loaner tool at Autozone--you have to pay some amount for the tool, but they refund it if you bring it back.  He took it back and they gave him a receipt but it didn't show up on the credit card, and it took a couple of months to get the credit issued.  He also returned some anti-freeze to a Caterpillar place (bought a gallon too much) and he got a receipt for that, too, but the credit didn't actually go through until he pestered them about it after the credit still hadn't shown up after like six weeks. 

Maybe $100 total for these mistakes, but it's the principle.  I like for things to be correct.

And yes, I will dispute the $19 vs. $17 with my credit card company.  I wonder if Gray's Papaya will claim I left a $2 tip, but I know I didn't.  (I never tip anywhere unless the employees are paid the sub-minimum "tipped" wage, like at table-service restaurants.)  I don't want to think they do this on the regular because they assume most people won't notice.  Maybe they do it because it all gets prepared right in front of you so they can't spit in the food of non-tippers, and have to get back at them some other way.  😀

So $8.50 each at Grays Papaya?  OMG.  They were famous for a $2 meal.  (Okay, I'm really dating myself.)   I usually get just one hot dog and no drink and don't actually go that often. 

There is still much consternation over the fate of the shuttered East 86th Street branch, BTW . . .

[Ancaster]

36 minutes ago, StatisticalOutlier said:

 

We got two "recession specials" at Gray's Papaya on Broadway at 72nd.  I have the receipt and it shows $17, but on my statement it says $19.  Hmm.  ($17 for some delicious but not-special hot dogs and "tropical drink" is bad enough; $19 really hurts.)  This is why I try so hard to always get a receipt (fortunately, they usually just roll their eyes and do what the old lady asks). 

A year or so ago Mr. Outlier got a loaner tool at Autozone--you have to pay some amount for the tool, but they refund it if you bring it back.  He took it back and they gave him a receipt but it didn't show up on the credit card, and it took a couple of months to get the credit issued.  He also returned some anti-freeze to a Caterpillar place (bought a gallon too much) and he got a receipt for that, too, but the credit didn't actually go through until he pestered them about it after the credit still hadn't shown up after like six weeks. 

Maybe $100 total for these mistakes, but it's the principle.  I like for things to be correct.

And yes, I will dispute the $19 vs. $17 with my credit card company.  I wonder if Gray's Papaya will claim I left a $2 tip, but I know I didn't.  (I never tip anywhere unless the employees are paid the sub-minimum "tipped" wage, like at table-service restaurants.)  I don't want to think they do this on the regular because they assume most people won't notice.  Maybe they do it because it all gets prepared right in front of you so they can't spit in the food of non-tippers, and have to get back at them some other way.  😀

I am also a follower upper.  And the queen of waiting on hold until I get what I was promised and paid for.  I don't let things go, not just for the principle, but because so much is due to bad customer service and I'm sick of it.

I'm not going to go on because I've had a horrible day on top of a horrible week, and if I start, I won't stop.

Edited January 10 by Ancaster

[annzeepark914]

Apology Tour 😎. Little brother Chris seems more likeable at the new place. I couldn't stand him when he was at CNN. Maybe getting ousted humbled him.

Keep an eye on Amazon. Last week I ordered a tube of Voltaren and in the package was also a small tube of anti-itch ointment, their brand. A few days later I received my order of one bar of Purpose soap that was inside a big envelope style package with 6 bars of Basis soap that I didn't order (I already have several bars that are unused). I'm calling them tomorrow to ask what's going on. I want to make sure I'm not on some subscription system...and why did they send me the anti-itch ointment?? 

[Ancaster]

2 minutes ago, annzeepark914 said:

Apology Tour 😎. Little brother Chris seems more likeable at the new place. I couldn't stand him when he was at CNN. Maybe getting ousted humbled him.

Keep an eye on Amazon. Last week I ordered a tube of Voltaren and in the package was also a small tube of anti-itch ointment, their brand. A few days later I received my order of one bar of Purpose soap that was inside a big envelope style package with 6 bars of Basis soap that I didn't order (I already have several bars that are unused). I'm calling them tomorrow to ask what's going on. I want to make sure I'm not on some subscription system...and why did they send me the anti-itch ointment?? 

Is there a "scratches head" reaction?

 

[annzeepark914]

2 minutes ago, Ancaster said:

Is there a "scratches head" reaction?

 

I'm wondering if they're working the employees too hard/too fast + I need to ensure that I'm not somehow in a subscription for certain products (did I click on the wrong circle when ordering stuff a while back??) 

[peacheslatour]

1 hour ago, EtheltoTillie said:

Her name is Sandra Lee.  Was she also known as Aunt Sandy? 

To those of us that watched her show, yes. I liked her.

[Ancaster]

1 hour ago, EtheltoTillie said:

Her name is Sandra Lee.  Was she also known as Aunt Sandy? 

She of the infamous Kwanza Cake?

[annzeepark914]

2 minutes ago, Ancaster said:

She of the infamous Kwanza Cake?

OMG...that was awful. Poor Sandra. She posted photos of the house she & Cuomo lived in that was sold when they broke up. She really missed the house (& I guess she also missed her ex-boyfriend, the schlub). 

[oliviabenson]

3 hours ago, peacheslatour said:

Didn't he used to go out with Aunt Sandy, of Semi Homemade fame?

Sandra Lee dated his brother Andrew the ex governor of NY.

[StatisticalOutlier]

1 hour ago, annzeepark914 said:

and why did they send me the anti-itch ointment??

Because Amazon knows before you do that you're about to develop a rash.

I almost never order from Amazon because we travel and it's really hard to coordinate deliveries.  Last year I ordered a chef's knife and paring knife that America's Test Kitchen had recommended.  Only after I ordered them I got an email that the chef's knife wasn't actually available.  Grrrr.

Then when I picked up the paring knife it seemed like a heavy package.  Turned out they sent me 12 paring knives and charged me for one.  I'd ordered the green one even though I preferred another color because it was like 5 cents cheaper.  If I'd known I was getting a lifetime supply, I would have sprung the 5 cents for the color I wanted.  😀

And even though I like things to be right, fuck Amazon.  But I don't actually have a lifetime supply of paring knives because as we travel around, I give one to any of my friends we encounter.  They're always like, "Uh, thanks?"

1 hour ago, EtheltoTillie said:

So $8.50 each at Grays Papaya?  OMG.  They were famous for a $2 meal. 

Thanks for posting that because I went to their website to see how much the Recession Special costs, and it says $6.95 including tax.  But someone got chili and cheese on his two dogs, which adds $1 to each dog.  So $6.95 (mine) + $6.95 + $2.  There's no planet on which that equals to an even dollar amount, and if it did, the closest one rounding up would be $16, not the $17.00 that's on my receipt (with no itemization--surprise surprise), and definitely not the $19.00 that was charged to my card.

Those bastards. 

Oh, and I noticed a "service fee" on my Schlotzsky's receipt the other day.  Turns out it's a 3% fee for online orders.  I always order in person, but Wednesdays are buy-one get-one free pizza days, and you can't get the deal unless you order online. 

And I ran into something similar today at Popeye's:  if you want to use one of their promo codes, you can't just give/show them the number at the counter any more--you HAVE to order online.  Do people just not care whether their food is hot any more?  I don't really care with fried chicken, but cold chicken tenders aren't wonderful.  Why in the world is the deal now restricted to people who order online (and are more likely to bitch on Yelp that their food was cold!)?

[EtheltoTillie]

FWIW, I think the food at Popeyes is always too hot.  I have to wait a bit to eat it. I love it, though. 

[BlueSkies]

I get surprised if I look up people from my past online and find literally nothing.

 

While perhaps they keep low profiles many of these peeps how I remember them I thought were built for this social media age.  

[PRgal]

40 minutes ago, BlueSkies said:

I get surprised if I look up people from my past online and find literally nothing.

 

While perhaps they keep low profiles many of these peeps how I remember them I thought were built for this social media age.  

People change.  Life gets busy.  

[shapeshifter]

11 hours ago, BlueSkies said:

I get surprised if I look up people from my past online and find literally nothing.

 

While perhaps they keep low profiles many of these peeps how I remember them I thought were built for this social media age.  

I have one friend like this.

Okay.
I found an email address that may or may not be valid (ends in tivejo.com) and I sent this:

Quote

[Subject line: photos of painting?]

In the early 1970s I painted a portrait of you that I think you gave to your Mom?  

If you have a photo of it that you could send (email or text) I would appreciate it, even if the resolution is poor.

I included my "official" signature info with "Retired Reference and Web Services Librarian," my instagram, and my phone number.

I already get so much spam on my phone from that area, it can't be any worse.

ETA: I'm regretting I didn't use an email address that did not contain my real name. 😕
Hopefully it really is the old friend or at least his wife or kid and not a phishing email. 
But, even if it is, I don't think just having my name and phone number and email are enough to steal my identity. 
There's no birthdate or mother's maiden name or street address.

 

Edited January 11 by shapeshifter

[Yeah No]

57 minutes ago, BlueSkies said:

I get surprised if I look up people from my past online and find literally nothing.

While perhaps they keep low profiles many of these peeps how I remember them I thought were built for this social media age.  

The two times I couldn't find people from my past online I later found out they died before it became common to have an internet presence.  Both died in the '90s just before social media became a thing.  Very sad. 😞

Although one person I knew who once had an online presence became invisible and I still wonder if maybe they had some kind of trouble and used one of those services to wipe themselves from the internet.

[shapeshifter]

41 minutes ago, Yeah No said:

Although one person I knew who once had an online presence became invisible and I still wonder if maybe they had some kind of trouble and used one of those services to wipe themselves from the internet.

I wonder if those services that you can pay to fix things if your bank account or identity get compromised also wipe your presence from the face of the web.

[BlueSkies]

2 hours ago, Yeah No said:

The two times I couldn't find people from my past online I later found out they died before it became common to have an internet presence.  Both died in the '90s just before social media became a thing.  Very sad. 😞

Although one person I knew who once had an online presence became invisible and I still wonder if maybe they had some kind of trouble and used one of those services to wipe themselves from the internet.

Tell me more about services to wipe someone yourself from the internet 

[StatisticalOutlier]

8 hours ago, EtheltoTillie said:

FWIW, I think the food at Popeyes is always too hot.  I have to wait a bit to eat it. I love it, though. 

The bone-in chicken can be too hot to even touch, never mind eat, but that rarely happens with tenders, for some reason.

3 hours ago, Yeah No said:

The two times I couldn't find people from my past online I later found out they died before it became common to have an internet presence.  Both died in the '90s just before social media became a thing.  Very sad. 😞

I have a very common name and it would be super hard to find me just by using online search tools and my name. 

The ironic thing is that Mr. Outlier and I started a website back in 2003 when we started traveling fulltime.  For several years, if you searched google for information about the aircraft boneyard in Tucson, our site was at the top of the results because we wrote a story about our visit and posted a bunch of photos.  Google's pre-advertising algorithm favored sites that were actually pertinent to the search and contained useful information instead of machine-generated copy, and there were very few websites like ours at the time, so ours was at the top, which always cracked me up.  We're the source for information on the boneyard??

Does anyone remember city directories?  They were also called criss-cross directories, and were kind of the reverse of a phone book.  They listed all addresses in the city, and the name of the person there, and they also had a list of all phone numbers, with the person who had it. 

I ran across one the other day (improbably, in a car repair place) for Austin in 1978.  I went to college in Austin for a year, and then moved away and came back in 1978.  All the people I went to school with were still there, and it was a gas looking them up.  (You have to have an address, not a name, but I'm a savant for addresses and phone numbers.)

I also, for the first time, read the introduction to the city directory, and found out it was compiled for businesses to find customers.  (I was surprised to find it wasn't compiled so high school girls could see where a cute guy lives and look up his family's name.) 

This time around, I also found out the directory has an economic rating for each block, indicating which quintile it is in for personal income in the city.  Now that was fascinating.  That was just when Austin was becoming more suburban, and the wealth was moving outward.  The neighborhoods near downtown, except the ones with mansions, were in the lowest 40% of income, and the ring of development a few miles out was in the top 40%.  Boy oh boy has that changed. 

Anyway, I miss the solid, actual information that we had in phone books and city directories.  I've used online sources to look up people, and they're stunningly inaccurate.  Or, well, they have some accurate information but it's buried in massive amounts of inaccurate information, and there's no way to know which is which.

Which is disappointing for me because I've always been able to dig up info on people (which is why I knew about city directories back when I was a kid).  You had to do some legwork, but what you unearthed came from reliable sources like city directories and phone books and county records.  Nowadays everybody just click click clicks and they're getting scads of bogus information.

And sometimes you just need to be a person.  Back in the early days of the internet, I was in Austin and a co-worker told me that another co-worker, Rhonda, is looking for an old boyfriend she had in Houston, and she'd heard I was good at finding people.  I told her to get his name from Rhonda, and when she brought it to me, I took one look and said, "I know that guy.  He was at a windsurfing clinic I went to a couple of months ago down in South Texas.  Here's his email address." 

[EtheltoTillie]

29 minutes ago, StatisticalOutlier said:

The ironic thing is that Mr. Outlier and I started a website back in 2003 when we started traveling fulltime. 

Does anyone remember city directories?  They were also called criss-cross directories, and were kind of the reverse of a phone book. 

I

So wait you don't live in NYC and you were just passing through and went to Gray's Papaya?  LOL.  And you travel full time like Jack Reacher? 

I remember those directories.  They were called reverse directories and they were available in the library.

I was a fan of the Kinsey Milhone alphabet mysteries by Sue Grafton.  The conceit was that the stories started in the 80s and never really advanced out of the 80s.  So in much later books, Kinsey was still using phone directories at the library and so on.   Grafton did a good job of avoiding anachronistic technology mentions but she was definitely winking at the audience.  

Edited January 10 by EtheltoTillie

[Ohiopirate02]

17 hours ago, peacheslatour said:

To those of us that watched her show, yes. I liked her.

She has found a new audience on Tik-Tok and she is Aunt Sandy there as well.  Or at least her drink recipes have found a new audience.  

[StatisticalOutlier]

1 hour ago, EtheltoTillie said:

So wait you don't live in NYC and you were just passing through and went to Gray's Papaya?  LOL. 

Actually, we walked from our hotel on 48th between 10th and 11th (good god, I can't believe how gentrified the tire-changing district has become) to the TKTS place near Lincoln Center, and then to Gray's Papaya.  And then to Radio City to see the Rockettes, and then to see the windows at Saks (sadly the only windows left down there) and the tree at Rockefeller Center, and from there to the Whitney, and then back to our hotel.

We were there for two full days and parts of two days and walked something like 35 miles.  Walking in NYC is (obviously) one of my favorite things to do.  Cigarette smoke started ruining it for me, when they banned indoor smoking and everybody started smoking outside--there's nothing worse than trying to outpace someone to get out of his smoke slipstream, because New Yorkers walk fast.  Some of that has changed to vaping, which is good, but the smell of weed everywhere (which stinks, unlike the stuff we had back in the 1970s) has been an overall net loss on the pleasantness of walking scale.  It's a shame.

One night we were in Chinatown doing a tasting tour of pineapple buns and decided to walk across the Brooklyn Bridge.  Maybe it's because it was right before Christmas, but it was gross.  There were vendors with carts and giant bright lights shining right in your eyes all along the walkway, selling tourist shit that you can buy everywhere else in the city.  We thought we might walk far enough to get past them, but realized they extended a long way, and we'd have to walk right by them on the way back, too.  Thank you for ruining the Brooklyn Bridge.

Quote

And you travel full time like Jack Reacher? 

Heh.  I have about as much in common with Jack Reacher as you do.  No, we travel fulltime like every other asshole who saw some youtube videos during the pandemic and bought an RV and hit the road for FREEDOM!!!!, making it impossible to find places to stay now.

I'm telling you, the great recession was nirvana for fulltime travel.  Hardly anybody was fulltiming yet, and there wasn't a lot of money floating around for people to buy RVs or even vacation, so only the most popular places (like Yellowstone) required any advance planning or timing, and no place required reservations just to get into the park.  We just went here and there, wherever we wanted, without worrying about where we'd stay when we got there.  (Wow--look at all the words that start with W in that sentence!)

Those days are long gone.

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I was a fan of the Kinsey Milhone alphabet mysteries by Sue Grafton. 

We have instituted a policy to get books only out of Little Free Libraries, being fans of pre-internet serendipity.  Since we travel all around, we get a good variety (there's nothing more annoying than looking in a Little Free Library and seeing only books you put in there).  So far, we've scored 10 of the Grafton books, and 10 of the numbered Janet Evanovich Stephanie Plum books.

Actually, I use Little Free Libraries as a gauge of neighborhoods, and like to see if I can predict how dense they'll be just based on looking around.  I have a pretty good track record. 

Some have so many you could use them like cairns--you can see the next one when you're standing at one.  Hey, Takoma Park, Maryland--not every house needs to have a Little Free Library. 

And check out this Little Free Art Gallery in Reston, Virginia.  Just when I think all humanity is nothing but a collection of assholes, I run across something like this.

 

[shapeshifter]

12 minutes ago, StatisticalOutlier said:

Actually, I use Little Free Libraries as a gauge of neighborhoods…
And check out this Little Free Art Gallery in Reston, Virginia.  Just when I think all humanity is nothing but a collection of assholes, I run across something like this.

There are Free Libraries in Rochester NY, but I haven’t seen a Free Gallery.
I hope I do!

[EtheltoTillie]

@StatisticalOutlier  You came too soon!  About five days ago the City cleared out those annoying vendors!  It had been in the news for months, getting worse and worse.    I haven't walked across the bridge in years, but I can see the on ramp from my office window.  Too bad I didn't know you were coming.  It would have been fun to meet up. 

@shapeshifter you obviously have have to build your own little free gallery. 

[chitowngirl]

18 minutes ago, StatisticalOutlier said:

One night we were in Chinatown doing a tasting tour of pineapple buns and decided to walk across the Brooklyn Bridge.  Maybe it's because it was right before Christmas, but it was gross.  There were vendors with carts and giant bright lights shining right in your eyes all along the walkway, selling tourist shit that you can buy everywhere else in the city.  We thought we might walk far enough to get past them, but realized they extended a long way, and we'd have to walk right by them on the way back, too.  Thank you for ruining the Brooklyn Bridge.

The vendors have been banned from the Brooklyn Bridge.

[EtheltoTillie]

1 minute ago, chitowngirl said:

The vendors have been banned from the Brooklyn Bridge.

Jinx.

[StatisticalOutlier]

I just noticed I called it a Little Free Art Gallery, but the sign says Free Little Art Gallery.  I guess because the art is little? 

FWIW, after much deliberation, I took the one on the far right.  It reminded me of David Hockney's non-swimming pool paintings.  I'm going to put it in this little alcove-type thing in my cabinets, where I previously installed one of those clocks that is just hands and I've never liked it. 

I kind of like knowing that the artist, Betty Flowers, will never know what happened to her little painting.

[theredhead77]

52 minutes ago, StatisticalOutlier said:

I kind of like knowing that the artist, Betty Flowers, will never know what happened to her little painting.

If you change your mind, I'm pretty sure there is a way to register what you took and where it ended up.

This also reminds me I need to find my local Little Free Library.

[annzeepark914]

@StatisticalOutlier was this little gallery in the Lake Anne shopping area? I love that unique area...so European in style. Reston is a planned community & that section was the original town (the goal, back in the late 60's was people could walk/cycle to work, to stores etc). My husband does tax aid for AARP in Reston. In the spring, Reston does a big volunteer appreciation (pre-pandemic, there would be a big dinner with gourmet foods; now he picks up a tote bag with wonderful foods, small wine bottles, wine glasses, great desserts, the works!) We don't live there, but it's quite an interesting town.

[athousandclowns]

I order a lot from Amazon including subscriptions for a  protein drink not available  in stores and dog food. I’ve been really sick so on the 8th after going back and forth about using Amazon fresh or a grocery store ordered cough medicine Pedilyte  jello etc. from  my regular Amazon account.     I’m woken via text at 7:am saying my card had been declined.
  All fricken day yesterday I went between my bank and Amazon which kept saying I need to update payment.   I was assured by the bank that there was no block. Cut to end of day I get notice 2 things I ordered late yesterday ( doggie pee pads and rug shampoo) had been charged on a card I don’t want to use because although 0  % interest  the  balance is high. They just used it because other one had not been going through.  
  I wound up getting connected to fraud at my bank and it was quite informative. 1) she said Amazon did the block at 10 pm on my first order on 8th and I was unaware because I was in bed attempting to get sleep

.2)  She looked and told me how many vendors  kept my card number and that’s how people steal your information.  The card I use most had been kept 27 times which she deleted or inactivated   She said when ordering online it will say in fine print down bottom about keeping card number and even when you’re calling an order can happen. . . One was Go Fund Me which was only one I allowed to keep my number others like a T-shirt company,Shopify and many I never did.  

She  told me that once a decline / block it triggers the bank to then be on alert and decline.  Every time I check on status of order in red says I need to update payment information which I’ve done 14 times as well as bank telling me twice there’s no block on it.  
 So here I am without Pedilyte  , jello and ginger cookies amongst other necessities. I’m not up to talking to a call center in India because I’m hard of hearing and don’t understand half of their “ customer service” which involves just telling me  anything and repeating thank you Miss Clowns for that information  a dozen times

 When  I have the energy I’ll call Amazon again and tell them I’ve stopped my subscriptions until they give me an explanation.  Life isn’t done testing this old lady because my freezer door was left open the night before to accompany my cough and Amazon frustration. End of my moan. Oh goody pee pads arrived.  

[shapeshifter]

5 hours ago, StatisticalOutlier said:

I just noticed I called it a Little Free Art Gallery, but the sign says Free Little Art Gallery.  I guess because the art is little? 

FWIW, after much deliberation, I took the one on the far right.  It reminded me of David Hockney's non-swimming pool paintings.  I'm going to put it in this little alcove-type thing in my cabinets, where I previously installed one of those clocks that is just hands and I've never liked it. 

I kind of like knowing that the artist, Betty Flowers, will never know what happened to her little painting.

I'm curious if you know the medium of the mini-art? Is it heavy enough to be painted on masonite? Or is it light enough to be on cardboard or foam board? Is it acrylic or oil? (That could be uncertain if not labeled — perhaps with a miniature title card🥰).
Back in the 70s I painted tiny seascapes with oils on the insides of oyster shells.

Edited January 11 by shapeshifter

[shapeshifter]

1 hour ago, athousandclowns said:

I order a lot from Amazon including subscriptions for a  protein drink not available  in stores and dog food. I’ve been really sick so on the 8th after going back and forth about using Amazon fresh or a grocery store ordered cough medicine Pedilyte  jello etc. from  my regular Amazon account.     I’m woken via text at 7:am saying my card had been declined.
  All fricken day yesterday I went between my bank and Amazon which kept saying I need to update payment.   I was assured by the bank that there was no block. Cut to end of day I get notice 2 things I ordered late yesterday ( doggie pee pads and rug shampoo) had been charged on a card I don’t want to use because although 0  % interest  the  balance is high. They just used it because other one had not been going through.  
  I wound up getting connected to fraud at my bank and it was quite informative. 1) she said Amazon did the block at 10 pm on my first order on 8th and I was unaware because I was in bed attempting to get sleep

.2)  She looked and told me how many vendors  kept my card number and that’s how people steal your information.  The card I use most had been kept 27 times which she deleted or inactivated   She said when ordering online it will say in fine print down bottom about keeping card number and even when you’re calling an order can happen. . . One was Go Fund Me which was only one I allowed to keep my number others like a T-shirt company,Shopify and many I never did.  

She  told me that once a decline / block it triggers the bank to then be on alert and decline.  Every time I check on status of order in red says I need to update payment information which I’ve done 14 times as well as bank telling me twice there’s no block on it.  
 So here I am without Pedilyte  , jello and ginger cookies amongst other necessities. I’m not up to talking to a call center in India because I’m hard of hearing and don’t understand half of their “ customer service” which involves just telling me  anything and repeating thank you Miss Clowns for that information  a dozen times

 When  I have the energy I’ll call Amazon again and tell them I’ve stopped my subscriptions until they give me an explanation.  Life isn’t done testing this old lady because my freezer door was left open the night before to accompany my cough and Amazon frustration. End of my moan. Oh goody pee pads arrived.  

I wish I could Zoom in to help you figure this out (having dealt with such issues) but I'm sure you will get it resolved since you don't sound like you're going to just let the bad guys win. So stressful!