Small Talk: The Prayer Closet

[BitterApple]

I've been to London a bunch of times, but never did the Ripper tour. If I go back, that's going to be at the top of my list. 

[lookeyloo]

We went on several spectacular adventures engineered by Sweet Son.  The first big one was to London in 2010 I think it was.  I had just finished my radiation for breast cancer and he thought we should celebrate.  He handled everything.   Including sending a letter via snail mail in a big envelope to the  head honcho of the hotel explaining reason for trip, and both of our rooms were upgraded.  Only he (in our lives) would have thought to do that.  I loved being in London.  We did the usual, plus just walking around in neighborhoods pretending we lived there.  Where would we shop, where is the post office, where is the library, etc.  Mr lookeyloo and I took a day trip to the Cotswolds and to Blenheim, him being a Churchill fan.  It was, as everything with Sweet son was, magical.  Last winter son in law signed us up for a Virtual Tour of Jerusalem.  It was very good and we enjoyed.  Then last week, daughter in law signed us up for a virtual tour of Auschwitz.  Also very good.  

[Marshmallow Mollie]

@ginger90 I love the, I think it’s called pyrography? What a nice gift!

[BitterApple]

Have any of you gone down the rabbit hole and watched that LuLaRoe documentary on Amazon Prime?

I started watching last night, and holy banana balls, that is some batshit crazy stuff. I can't believe women actually had to be on a wait list to dish out thousands of their own money for inventory they didn't even get to choose. So if you ended up with six boxes of Christmas leggings in June, you're stuck with it. It's amazing how they kept these poor women in an endless cycle of buying inventory to make up for previous losses.

I also got a chuckle when they pushed women to "retire" their husbands so they could help in the business. My mind immediately went to Zach and Whitney Bates. 

Anyways, it's a good watch if you're fascinated by the psychology of culty MLM's 

Edited September 21, 2021 by BitterApple

[Cinnabon]

11 minutes ago, BitterApple said:

Have any of you gone down the rabbit hole and watched that LuLaRoe documentary on Amazon Prime?

I started watching last night, and holy banana balls, that is some batshit crazy stuff. I can't believe women actually had to be on a wait list to dish out thousands of their own money for inventory they didn't even get to choose. So if you ended up with six boxes of Christmas leggings in June, you're stuck with it. It's amazing how they kept these poor women in an endless cycle of buying inventory to make up for previous losses.

I also got a chuckle when they pushed women to "retire" their husbands so they could help in the business. My mind immediately went to Zach and Whitney Bates. 

Anyways, it's a good watch if you're fascinated by the psychology of culty MLM's 

Yes, I just watched it too! Crazy stuff.

[MargeGunderson]

35 minutes ago, BitterApple said:

Have any of you gone down the rabbit hole and watched that LuLaRoe documentary on Amazon Prime?

I started watching last night, and holy banana balls, that is some batshit crazy stuff. I can't believe women actually had to be on a wait list to dish out thousands of their own money for inventory they didn't even get to choose. So if you ended up with six boxes of Christmas leggings in June, you're stuck with it. It's amazing how they kept these poor women in an endless cycle of buying inventory to make up for previous losses.

I also got a chuckle when they pushed women to "retire" their husbands so they could help in the business. My mind immediately went to Zach and Whitney Bates. 

Anyways, it's a good watch if you're fascinated by the psychology of culty MLM's 

There’s a forum for it too! So bonkers (LuLaRoe, not the forum).

[lookeyloo]

46 minutes ago, BitterApple said:

Have any of you gone down the rabbit hole and watched that LuLaRoe documentary on Amazon Prime?

I started watching last night, and holy banana balls, that is some batshit crazy stuff. I can't believe women actually had to be on a wait list to dish out thousands of their own money for inventory they didn't even get to choose. So if you ended up with six boxes of Christmas leggings in June, you're stuck with it. It's amazing how they kept these poor women in an endless cycle of buying inventory to make up for previous losses.

I also got a chuckle when they pushed women to "retire" their husbands so they could help in the business. My mind immediately went to Zach and Whitney Bates. 

Anyways, it's a good watch if you're fascinated by the psychology of culty MLM's 

Yes it was horrifying.  Some of the Sister Wives sell it.

[Scarlett45]

@BitterApple LulaRich is next on my list.

[iwantcookies]

Any author/book recommendations? Or is there a forum for book discussions?

[BetyBee]

1 hour ago, iwantcookies said:

Any author/book recommendations? Or is there a forum for book discussions?

I don't know, but my book club just finished Midnight Library and I really enjoyed it!

[ginger90]

2 hours ago, iwantcookies said:

Or is there a forum for book discussions?

There is:

[iwantcookies]

8th grade trip was to Hershey park. It was so much fun! Oh to be young again.

[awaken]

10 hours ago, BitterApple said:

Have any of you gone down the rabbit hole and watched that LuLaRoe documentary on Amazon Prime?

I started watching last night, and holy banana balls, that is some batshit crazy stuff. I can't believe women actually had to be on a wait list to dish out thousands of their own money for inventory they didn't even get to choose. So if you ended up with six boxes of Christmas leggings in June, you're stuck with it. It's amazing how they kept these poor women in an endless cycle of buying inventory to make up for previous losses.

I also got a chuckle when they pushed women to "retire" their husbands so they could help in the business. My mind immediately went to Zach and Whitney Bates. 

Anyways, it's a good watch if you're fascinated by the psychology of culty MLM's 

Just read an article about it. Plan to watch soon!  

[iwantcookies]

No amazon or I would have watched the lulano lol

[Mindthinkr]

@iwantcookies How did your Sunday meet and greet go? 

[jcbrown]

On the subject of London, the last time I was there was on my first sabbatical. My parents had never been out of the country other than Ontario, Canada. I bought two travel guides to Britain and wrapped them up for Christmas and we informed them that we were taking them with us. They would never have done such a trip by themselves because they did not really know it was possible--the way you think it is harder than it is if you've never been overseas. I planned the whole thing and we took them to London, York, Edinburgh, Bath, and back to London. I am so glad we did that (and that after we put them on a plane for home we took ourselves to Paris to decompress). We wanted to take my husband's mom on a similar trip but unfortunately she died before we did so.

[GeeGolly]

Its so hard to believe that nearly two years out this is where we are, but it is. Hospitals in parts of Idaho are now rationing care due to too many Covid patients and TN is giving monoclonal antibody treatment only to the unvaxxed.

[SunnyBeBe]

4 hours ago, GeeGolly said:

Its so hard to believe that nearly two years out this is where we are, but it is. Hospitals in parts of Idaho are now rationing care due to too many Covid patients and TN is giving monoclonal antibody treatment only to the unvaxxed.

Yes. There’s a recent downward turn as of yesterday in NC, but it’s still very bad.  A friend’s partner recently broke his neck and had surgery at a local major hospital. They can’t move him to proper wing due to crowding.  He’s getting good care though.  
 

I had my appointment with Duke yesterday….I’ve always been so pleased.  Well, I’m going to just say the medical community is under a lot of stress.   

Edited September 23, 2021 by SunnyBeBe

[iwantcookies]

On 9/22/2021 at 8:13 AM, Mindthinkr said:

@iwantcookies How did your Sunday meet and greet go? 

It’s different days. There was nothing on Sunday. 

[BetyBee]

I'm about 6 hours in on a 24 hour urine capture test. It's not so bad during my waking hours, but I'm dreading tonight when I get up in the middle of the night to pee. Then I'll have to tote it to the kitchen and pour it into the twin receptacles, put it back in the fridge and try to get back to sleep. I'm also skipping coffee because I'm having blood work tomorrow...as early as possible, so I can get back to my normal life! 

[Absolom]

1 hour ago, BetyBee said:

I'm dreading tonight when I get up in the middle of the night to pee. Then I'll have to tote it to the kitchen and pour it into the twin receptacles, put it back in the fridge and try to get back to sleep.

I have to do the 24 hour catch regularly.  I've never put it in the fridge.  The instructions that come with mine say keeping it in a pan of ice water is fine.  So the pan or bottom half of a cooler goes in the bathroom and the receptacle goes in there with a few trays of ice.  I have found that freezing ice blocks in storage containers works better than ice trays.  It saves some effort in the middle of the night.

[BetyBee]

22 minutes ago, Absolom said:

I have to do the 24 hour catch regularly.  I've never put it in the fridge.  The instructions that come with mine say keeping it in a pan of ice water is fine.  So the pan or bottom half of a cooler goes in the bathroom and the receptacle goes in there with a few trays of ice.  I have found that freezing ice blocks in storage containers works better than ice trays.  It saves some effort in the middle of the night.

Great tip, @Absolom!

[Rootbeer]

3 hours ago, SunnyBeBe said:

Yes. There’s a recent downward turn as of yesterday in NC, but it’s still very bad.  A friend’s partner recently broke his neck and had surgery at a local major hospital. They can’t move him to proper wing due to crowding.  He’s getting good care though.  
 

I had my appointment with Duke yesterday….I’ve always been so pleased.  Well, I’m going to just say the medical community is under a lot of stress.   

As a member of the medical community who isn't even dealing directly with COVID, let me tell you, we are tired, so very tired.  Experienced people are leaving the profession in droves: I now know at least 10 docs who have gone/are going into retirement years earlier than they planned because they're tired of it.  Hospitals are begging for nurses, aides, technicians who are also leaving their jobs to either start over in another field or retire early rather than continue in the pressure cooker we're all living in these days.

Those of us who aren't quitting entirely are looking at ways to get some relief; I'm switching to part time work next year to give myself a break.  I love my work so much, but I can't let it consume me the way it has the past year or so.  I thought I'd be one of those docs who would never really retire; now, I'm not so sure.  I just heard from a friend from residency who is retiring at the end of the year, making me the only one from my year still working as of Jan. 1.

The medical system in this country is at a turning point and COVID has taken us right to the brink.  Things will never be the same in medical care here in the US.

Edited September 23, 2021 by Rootbeer

[Cinnabon]

32 minutes ago, Rootbeer said:

As a member of the medical community who isn't even dealing directly with COVID, let me tell you, we are tired, so very tired.  Experienced people are leaving the profession in droves: I now know at least 10 docs who have gone/are going into retirement years earlier than they planned because they're tired of it.  Hospitals are begging for nurses, aides, technicians who are also leaving their jobs to either start over in another field or retire early rather than continue in the pressure cooker we're all living in these days.

Those of us who aren't quitting entirely are looking at ways to get some relief; I'm switching to part time work next year to give myself a break.  I love my work so much, but I can't let it consume me the way it has the past year or so.  I thought I'd be one of those docs who would never really retire; now, I'm not so sure.  I just heard from a friend from residency who is retiring at the end of the year, making me the only one from my year still working as of Jan. 1.

The medical system in this country is at a turning point and COVID has taken us right to the brink.  Things will never be the same in medical care here in the US.

I’m still waiting to see free or low cost nursing courses offered, since they claim they’re so needed. I know quite a few who would be interested but can’t afford it

[crazy8s]

I agree  @Rootbeer

I listen to my DIL who is ob/gyn. Last week she worked 5 days straight without coming home. In 2 days she delivered 16 babies and had 8 patients waiting at home that were scheduled to be induced, but were told there were no beds. plus 3 surgeries.  Her senior partner just retired, so it is her, 1 partner and 2 midwives. Their office is understaffed. She gets yelled at by patients and their spouse/partners about vaccines and masks. Office is short on staff because people quit, have childcare issues, kids doing virtual school or whatever. She is exhausted.

one funny note on that - one of the babies she delivered was actually stuck with the name Armadillo........ again i wonder what is wrong with people

 

[SunnyBeBe]

A lot of things went wrong at the doctor visit. (Things regarding my pump, CGM and meter data downloads. I won’t go into details.)  It’s a specialist department and they are considered the best, so, it was rather odd.  Still, I tried to understand and realize the situation.  I was very polite about it.  My doctor was very pregnant, so I have empathy for her.  I’ll return in a few months and we’ll get a fresh start after her maternity leave. The touchless check-in didn’t work.   I don’t think they have enough staff on the campus to refill the hand sanitizer stations.  No one offered a sanitizer wipe for my urine culture….it turned out ok.  It could have been worse. The doctor apologized. She was very stressed.  I’m going to adjust my expectations and be glad I’m pretty healthy. 

Edited September 24, 2021 by SunnyBeBe

[CalicoKitty]

10 hours ago, Rootbeer said:

As a member of the medical community who isn't even dealing directly with COVID, let me tell you, we are tired, so very tired.  Experienced people are leaving the profession in droves: I now know at least 10 docs who have gone/are going into retirement years earlier than they planned because they're tired of it.  Hospitals are begging for nurses, aides, technicians who are also leaving their jobs to either start over in another field or retire early rather than continue in the pressure cooker we're all living in these days.

Those of us who aren't quitting entirely are looking at ways to get some relief; I'm switching to part time work next year to give myself a break.  I love my work so much, but I can't let it consume me the way it has the past year or so.  I thought I'd be one of those docs who would never really retire; now, I'm not so sure.  I just heard from a friend from residency who is retiring at the end of the year, making me the only one from my year still working as of Jan. 1.

The medical system in this country is at a turning point and COVID has taken us right to the brink.  Things will never be the same in medical care here in the US.

I retired from nursing over 8 years ago, and am getting more and more emails with job offers each week.  I'm old.  They must know that.  But I still receive at least 4 emails each week.  If I didn't have such trouble with my knee, and could actually stand and walk, I would be tempted to help out.  But I just can't physically.  I can't go grocery shopping, so I KNOW I would be unable to work.  But the demand is very high, and I so admire our doctors and nurses.  I also don't have a license in my new state of residence, so there's that, also.

Edited September 24, 2021 by CalicoKitty

[CalicoKitty]

I visited my brother today.  His books are going to be available in ebook form in just 2 weeks, with paperback print versions about 4 weeks after that.  I got to see the final final copies of the covers as well as the author's blurb on the back covers.  He is so excited.  Even though it is a "I pay you, you print" type of deal, the company has done a beautiful job on the layout and the editing.  I think he said he gets something like 70% after costs (whatever that means). He said tonight that his goal is 10 sales.  From what I've read, it will sell much better than that.  They are just books of positive writings.  365 of them! I am so proud of him.

[Love2dance]

So very sorry for all the stress and overwork all of you in healthcare are experiencing, @Rootbeer. I completely understand why you need a break (and @crazy8sDIL). Hope things start to improve, but it doesn’t look too likely. 
 

Edited September 24, 2021 by Love2dance

[iwantcookies]

Father of 12 died of COVID. No info if he got vaccinated.

 

https://people.com/human-interest/father-of-12-died-of-covid-complications-after-family-tried-to-find-ecmo-machine/

[crazycatlady58]

5 hours ago, CalicoKitty said:

I visited my brother today.  His books are going to be available in ebook form in just 2 weeks, with paperback print versions about 4 weeks after that.  I got to see the final final copies of the covers as well as the author's blurb on the back covers.  He is so excited.  Even though it is a "I pay you, you print" type of deal, the company has done a beautiful job on the layout and the editing.  I think he said he gets something like 70% after costs (whatever that means). He said tonight that his goal is 10 sales.  From what I've read, it will sell much better than that.  They are just books of positive writings.  365 of them! I am so proud of him.

Would you please message me with his name and tge book title.

[SunnyBeBe]

Our local news stations Wral and Wtvd do daily stories of people who died from covid who were unvaxxed. MOST of them had dying words of I was wrong. Please get vaxxed! Sometimes entire families die, father, mother and adult daughter…..had one funeral.

 Young teacher just died leaving husband and 4 minor children!  In ICU she regretted not getting vaxxed. Said she was foolish.  Still…..people ignore the stories.  😔

https://www.wral.com/coronavirus/apex-teacher-who-regretted-not-getting-vaccinated-dies/19889460/

 

 

[Liddy52]

My original vaccine  was Moderna. As of right now, I think only the Pfizer one is approved for boosters. (For ages 65 and over and high risk persons.) I remember someone here posted something about that it might be beneficial ( better protection) to get a different vaccine for your booster. Does anyone have any more information about that? 

[Madtown]

40 minutes ago, Liddy52 said:

My original vaccine  was Moderna. As of right now, I think only the Pfizer one is approved for boosters. (For ages 65 and over and high risk persons.) I remember someone here posted something about that it might be beneficial ( better protection) to get a different vaccine for your booster. Does anyone have any more information about that? 

From what I have read, it is recommended to stick with the same vaccine. It could be different by now. I'm guessing the CDC website might have some info.

[Minivanessa]

26 minutes ago, Madtown said:

From what I have read, it is recommended to stick with the same vaccine. It could be different by now. I'm guessing the CDC website might have some info.

I hope that Moderna comes out with some information soon. AFAIK they have been working on the booster issue. I expect we'll be hearing more from the FDA and CDC before too long. I got the Moderna vaccine, so I'm impatiently waiting for this news.

[Cinnabon]

7 minutes ago, Jeeves said:

I hope that Moderna comes out with some information soon. AFAIK they have been working on the booster issue. I expect we'll be hearing more from the FDA and CDC before too long. I got the Moderna vaccine, so I'm impatiently waiting for this news.

I’ve heard that you may be able to get a Pfizer booster even if you previously got the Moderna, but I can’t find anything definite. It’s also unclear how they are defining “at risk” for those 50-65. 

[Absolom]

States and local health departments are preparing for how they will handle boosters.  I'd check the state health department site or your county or city site.  If they don't have anything try again early next week.  CDC still recommends staying with the same brand of vaccine.  Moderna has submitted their package, I think, so it should not be too long.  

Edited September 24, 2021 by Absolom
Missed a "not."

[peppergal]

1 hour ago, Liddy52 said:

My original vaccine  was Moderna. As of right now, I think only the Pfizer one is approved for boosters. (For ages 65 and over and high risk persons.) I remember someone here posted something about that it might be beneficial ( better protection) to get a different vaccine for your booster. Does anyone have any more information about that? 

My understanding is that there are insufficient studies about mixing the vaccines (I know of no formal studies actually).  So they don't know if it offers better or worse protection, nor do they know if it may have health side effects. 

FDA and CDC are looking into the Moderna booster.  They dropped it from the last meeting because Moderna did not have as much study information on booster efficacy and safety as Pfizer did.  Partly because the Israeli study was mostly(or all?) Pfizer and partly because Moderna was granted EUA later so there isn't as much data about waning immunity in the general population yet.  J&J is in the same boat.  FDA told both to go out and gather more data and they will review it when appropriate.

The good news is that so far the Moderna vaccine seems to be holding protection better for longer.  There's lots of theories as to why: it had more payload in the syringe, the people most at risk had already gotten the Pfizer before Moderna was available, and the time between shots was longer seem to be the top 3 theories, but it could also just be a better vaccine that lasts a bit longer. 

 

[BetyBee]

We had Pfizer and we got it pretty early (1st jab in late January). We went this morning for our flu shots and planned to get the Covid booster. Unfortunately, the local approval had not yet come through. They think it will be okayed by Monday. So we'll try again next week. I felt sorry for the pharmacist. We were walk-ins, but they have a lot of scheduled appointments for the booster today and they have to call them all to tell them they'll have to wait. 

Edited September 24, 2021 by BetyBee

[Madtown]

3 hours ago, Jeeves said:

I hope that Moderna comes out with some information soon. AFAIK they have been working on the booster issue. I expect we'll be hearing more from the FDA and CDC before too long. I got the Moderna vaccine, so I'm impatiently waiting for this news.

i looked this up the other day when we were thinking my husband should get the 3rd Covid shot. The latest article I read(was posted last week)said it will be a few more weeks before Moderna's booster is ready. It's all confusing reading. When you look up Moderna booster, it talks about the Moderna 3rd Covid shot. My MIL talked to her pharmacist about the difference and he said the booster just has a little more in it. Moderna has more in it than Pfizer, so I don't know if there is a big differnce in getting the 3rd shot or booster if you had Moderna.

[GeeGolly]

1 minute ago, Madtown said:

i looked this up the other day when we were thinking my husband should get the 3rd Covid shot. The latest article I read(was posted last week)said it will be a few more weeks before Moderna's booster is ready. It's all confusing reading. When you look up Moderna booster, it talks about the Moderna 3rd Covid shot. My MIL talked to her pharmacist about the difference and he said the booster just has a little more in it. Moderna has more in it than Pfizer, so I don't know if there is a big differnce in getting the 3rd shot or booster if you had Moderna.

My understanding is the third shot is the booster,

[Madtown]

Just now, GeeGolly said:

My understanding is the third shot is the booster,

That is what I kept getting out of articles I have read, until I read the last one that said it will be a few more weeks before their booster is out. I know a lot of people that got Moderna and they are just getting the third shot.

 

[Absolom]

The third dose of Moderna that people are currently getting is supposed to be for people who are immunocompromised and fit within the CDC definition of that.   I had a third dose in August because, yes, I meet the requirements.  

[BetyBee]

Never mind.

Edited September 24, 2021 by BetyBee

[Absolom]

LA County has put out their booster rules.  It's only for people who had Pfizer so far.  

https://ktla.com/news/local-news/l-a-county-begins-giving-pfizer-covid-boosters-to-eligible-residents/

[CalicoKitty]

OK.  I just came home from a trip to see my brother in Ca, and I am a little shocked.  The students in the High Schools (there two in the district) made a complaint that the girls were being held to different standards when it comes to the dress code.  So--the district included them in making new rules.  You can now wear:  Pajamas (no slippers, however), any kind of top that has straps (so you could put spaghetti straps on a tube top and it would be fine), any leisure wear is great, bare midriff is fine, any cap or hats are fine.  As far as I can tell from reading the list, anything except just a sports bra (it needs something over it, no matter how small) or just a tube top, or slippers is just fine.  This apparently is the new dress code for the entire district.  I am very curious, since I have been out of teaching for about 8 years.  Is this typical in other school districts around the country?

[ginger90]

2 hours ago, CalicoKitty said:

OK.  I just came home from a trip to see my brother in Ca, and I am a little shocked.  The students in the High Schools (there two in the district) made a complaint that the girls were being held to different standards when it comes to the dress code.  So--the district included them in making new rules.  You can now wear:  Pajamas (no slippers, however), any kind of top that has straps (so you could put spaghetti straps on a tube top and it would be fine), any leisure wear is great, bare midriff is fine, any cap or hats are fine.  As far as I can tell from reading the list, anything except just a sports bra (it needs something over it, no matter how small) or just a tube top, or slippers is just fine.  This apparently is the new dress code for the entire district.  I am very curious, since I have been out of teaching for about 8 years.  Is this typical in other school districts around the country?

Not in my area of Pennsylvania.

[GeeGolly]

Dress codes around here haven't changed much, but the wording has. Rather than male and female dress codes, they now have one. Generally its tops with straps of at least one inch, no bare midriffs and bottoms can be no shorter than just above the knee. No hats/head coverings, unless for religious reasons, no see-through clothing and no clothing with provocative statements or pictures. Footwear must be safe for stairs and specific activities.

[Ijustwantsomechips]

7 hours ago, Cinnabon said:

I’ve heard that you may be able to get a Pfizer booster even if you previously got the Moderna, but I can’t find anything definite. It’s also unclear how they are defining “at risk” for those 50-65. 

I saw this story posted earlier. It addresses mixing vaccines. 
 

https://apple.news/AeBIHH64ERginCq-jh5ID7g

Edited September 24, 2021 by Ijustwantsomechips

[SunnyBeBe]

15 hours ago, Ijustwantsomechips said:

I saw this story posted earlier. It addresses mixing vaccines. 
 

https://apple.news/AeBIHH64ERginCq-jh5ID7g

Thanks.  I half way expect a change on that though.  As the experts learn more, the recommendations change.  I’ll follow protocol, of course. I’m anxious for my booster, as I’m high risk. I was going to discuss it with my doctor last week, but it didn’t happen.  Long story as I have posted about. 
 

I saw a story on the news yesterday of a new covid vaccine delivery where you apply a patch to your arm. It’s sticks on with fine little spikes like velcro and you wear it for 2 days.  The expert said it’s better that way and delivered gradually.  No needles.  It won’t be available for another year. My question is how can you confirm a person actually wore it the full time?  Who signs the vaccine card?