Small Talk: The Prayer Closet

[all fall down]

5 hours ago, Jeeves said:

Bringing this over from the Lonely J's discussion.

Omigosh, you rock! I'm also sort of a London Underground geek who has finally begun to also use the buses in London. [I not only have an Oyster card, I kept a printout of how much money remains it after my last trip. Heh.]

 

I'm American and also have my own Oyster card that I've had since 2013. I take a screen shot of the balance in the tfl app (I had to sign up with my friends UK address) at the end of each trip. I was just in the UK in December, but didn't actually take the tube. (odd but it worked out that way - I didn't fly into London, only out of it). I started exploring on the busses when I was there in 2016 and 2018. 

Apparently Oyster cards are going out of fashion now that contactless is a thing. At least that's what UK friends told me.

I really wanted to take the Elizabeth line this last time, but when I was going to the airport it was one of the days of the train strike and I was staying way out in Wembley so 2 friends and I just shared an uber to lessen our stress. It was 5am and we were overly tired and all getting sick. It was too much hassle to figure out what was running and what wasn't. I know the tubes were, but the uber just worked better. 

Edited February 13, 2023 by all fall down

[ozziemom]

17 hours ago, all fall down said:

I'm American and also have my own Oyster card that I've had since 2013. I take a screen shot of the balance in the tfl app (I had to sign up with my friends UK address) at the end of each trip. I was just in the UK in December, but didn't actually take the tube. (odd but it worked out that way - I didn't fly into London, only out of it). I started exploring on the busses when I was there in 2016 and 2018. 

Apparently Oyster cards are going out of fashion now that contactless is a thing. At least that's what UK friends told me.

I really wanted to take the Elizabeth line this last time, but when I was going to the airport it was one of the days of the train strike and I was staying way out in Wembley so 2 friends and I just shared an uber to lessen our stress. It was 5am and we were overly tired and all getting sick. It was too much hassle to figure out what was running and what wasn't. I know the tubes were, but the uber just worked better. 

Yes, London is very much contactless for paying for everything! My daughter lives in London and we were there last September. I had my old Oyster card and about £500 and never used either. Credit cards are used for everything, even very small amounts. My daughter had me just use my credit card for the Tube and the train. I forget what she did so I could use it, but it was pretty simple. 

[Minivanessa]

13 hours ago, ozziemom said:

Yes, London is very much contactless for paying for everything! My daughter lives in London and we were there last September. I had my old Oyster card and about £500 and never used either. Credit cards are used for everything, even very small amounts. My daughter had me just use my credit card for the Tube and the train. I forget what she did so I could use it, but it was pretty simple. 

Yes! I was last in London in late 2018, for ten days. I got SO spoiled by being able to pay for almost everything just by tapping my phone to the payment device at the checkout stand. At that time our stores here at home were lagging behind the UK. After that trip, I was disappointed several times at checkout at local stores when I couldn't tap my phone to pay and had to dig the credit card out of my wallet. Of course, our local businesses have made big strides since then, no doubt encouraged by the pandemic - which turned me into a 99% cashless customer as well as allowing me to wave my phone around like magic to buy stuff almost everywhere, LOL.

About Oyster cards on the London Tube and buses. I know the system is contactless, and I could tap my credit card or my phone to pay my fare. But I don't. Because I'm just not used to the rush and crush of people in a central London Tube station - it's far too out of my usual routines and I'm often distracted, even when I'm not in a Tube station but just boarding a bus. I've been known to drop my Oyster card after using it, thinking I'd put it back in my pocket. Either I realized it immediately and picked it up, or a kind person grabbed it and gave it back to me.

If I lose the Oyster card, I'm only out the amount of money still on it. I can replace it, life goes on, not a big deal. OTOH, if I drop (and damage) my phone, or lose my phone or credit card, or my phone or credit card is stolen? That's a much bigger problem. If I lived there, routinely taking Tube trains and buses, I'd use my phone or credit cards to pay. But I don't, and I'm more comfortable using the Oyster card. Just my two cents, lol.

Edited February 14, 2023 by Jeeves

[Quof]

I keep my Oyster card in the outside, zippered pocket of my handbag.  I don't even remove it, just tap my bag on the card reader.  

[Jynnan tonnix]

I was in London this past September, and though I had the holder for an Oyster card, I hadn't actually found the card since I got back from the previous trip (about 7 years before). It always seems I go there rarely enough to get really nervous about managing to navigate the train and underground system in between, and the contactless system was certainly new and different from the previous time I was there. I actually had a little bit of money left over from that older trip, and found, to my chagrin, that I was unable to use it when I tried to pay for a pub meal (I had gone for an evening out with my cousin and a few of her friends) because they had changed all the paper bills in the interim. They told me a bank would still be able to change them, but since it was only about 20 pounds, I left them as a donation to a BA charity on the way home. They were going to be worth significantly less in dollars by then than they had been when I arrived LOL. Bad timing. 

I really feel as though I need to go back there sooner rather than later now that I have gotten a bit more comfortable with the transit system once again, though. Maybe I'll try to go again in another year or so.

[lookeyloo]

We were in London in 2007 which was fabulous. Sweet Son arranged trip.  Loved every minute of it.

Went to uro-gynecologist today. First time since the 80 that a "boy" doctor attended to the girly parts.  I liked him a lot.  He explained and explained.  I am okay.  I have a lichen in a small area that requires a tiny dab of steroid cream, blah blah.  recommended Ellure as a supplement to help ward off EColi in the bladder.  He explained why he thought this happened which made sense to me, being old, hysterectomy, no ovaries, no estrogen, less estrogen from breast cancer drug, trying to get off Estring, getting old.  Stay on Estring.  Did bladder sonogram and yay, empties completely.  Offering this as a Public Service.  Said the gyno I saw first was great as a doctor, and told me to travel to see the "family oncologist" who is moving practices about 30 miles away.  Thinks very highly of him.  Cardiologist told me same thing.  I already have appointment at new place.

[ozziemom]

Nice to hear from all the fellow visitors to London! There really is so much to do there and it’s fairly easy to get around. The dollar is stronger against the pound than it’s been in ages, so a good time to go too.

[Turquoise]

We road tripped around the UK & Ireland for our honeymoon 3 1/2 years ago. While I enjoyed what I saw in London, my preference was for the smaller cities & villages we went through. Probably just me. We stayed in a BnB in Vauxhall, and I did enjoy the ease of being able to walk to Westminster, etc. We do need to make a trip back because we covered a lot of area, but didn't get to spend a large amount of time in any one place. Would like to pick a smaller radius and soak it in a bit more.

[Jynnan tonnix]

41 minutes ago, Turquoise said:

We road tripped around the UK & Ireland for our honeymoon 3 1/2 years ago. While I enjoyed what I saw in London, my preference was for the smaller cities & villages we went through. Probably just me. We stayed in a BnB in Vauxhall, and I did enjoy the ease of being able to walk to Westminster, etc. We do need to make a trip back because we covered a lot of area, but didn't get to spend a large amount of time in any one place. Would like to pick a smaller radius and soak it in a bit more.

Yes, I really love the English countryside more than anything. London is a nice city, as cities go, but since I have a few cousins in the London suburbs, I feel as though I've seen it enough. To be honest, I'm sure there is a vast amount there that I've never seen at all, which is probably fascinating, but I'm just not a city person. I also have a cousin out in the countryside around Sheffield, and I could meander around there forever and not get bored. My childhood, up until the age of 10, when we moved to the USA, was mostly spent in a small village in the Mendips, between Bristol and Bath, and that's my happy place. Pity it's kind of hard to get to places out in that neck of the woods without a car these days, but I'm totally not brave enough to tackle that!

[Turquoise]

You know, the driving wasn't as hard as we thought it might be. The steering wheel on the right does help, it's the same concept as here, driver is to the inside of the road. Occasionally I had to remind Mr. Turquoise "Wide right!" LOL. I enjoyed how many out-of-the-way things we saw, in every country. I have  terrible lifelong motion sickness  so the worst for me was the ferry from Wales to Ireland, we traveled through a storm. Miserable. Will make sure I have extra behind the ear patches for our next adventure.

[GeeGolly]

Changing subjects a bit.

What's with the creeper/lurker notice now? With the old posts on the side and now the lurker notice - what's next - we all watch the letters come up as others type out a post? 🤣👀😬

[Jynnan tonnix]

Just now, Turquoise said:

You know, the driving wasn't as hard as we thought it might be. The steering wheel on the right does help, it's the same concept as here, driver is to the inside of the road. Occasionally I had to remind Mr. Turquoise "Wide right!" LOL. I enjoyed how many out-of-the-way things we saw, in every country. I have  terrible lifelong motion sickness  so the worst for me was the ferry from Wales to Ireland, we traveled through a storm. Miserable. Will make sure I have extra behind the ear patches for our next adventure.

Yeah, I know the driving itself isn't that difficult - we were actually stationed in Scotland for a couple of years back around 1990-91, and had our American car over there with us, which made it even trickier, but I never really drove anywhere except in the immediate vicinity, where I knew everything well. If we ventured any further, Mr. Jyn always drove. I get nervous driving in unfamiliar places at the best of times, so the thought of driving in England doesn't thrill me.

[BetyBee]

10 minutes ago, GeeGolly said:

Changing subjects a bit.

What's with the creeper/lurker notice now? With the old posts on the side and now the lurker notice - what's next - we all watch the letters come up as others type out a post? 🤣👀😬

What do you mean? I haven't noticed this.

[Absolom]

It's a little werid.  You can see the names of other people who have a thread open.  In this case a guest who isn't logged in.  "1 other user is also here"

[GeeGolly]

4 minutes ago, BetyBee said:

What do you mean? I haven't noticed this.

This is at the top of the page.

2 minutes ago, Absolom said:

It's a little werid.  You can see the names of other people who have a thread open.  In this case a guest who isn't logged in.  "1 other user is also here"

You've seen names? I haven't seen any names yet. I'm not into that. Is there a way to shut that off?

[BetyBee]

19 hours ago, Absolom said:

It's a little werid.  You can see the names of other people who have a thread open.  In this case a guest who isn't logged in.  "1 other user is also here"

I have noticed that! In fact when there are multiple other users, I notice they still use "is" - for example "2 other users is also here". Might be better to take the helping verb out altogether, and just say "2 other users here". I'll have to try to see names. I haven't seen that yet. 

Edited February 16, 2023 by BetyBee

[AstridM]

11 minutes ago, BetyBee said:

I have noticed that! In fact when there are multiple other users, I notice they still use "is" - for example "2 other users is also here". Might be better to take the helping verb out altogether, and just say "2 others users here". I'll have to try to see names. I haven't seen that yet. 

Yes, I also noticed this and it drives me crazy!

Make it stop!

Edited February 15, 2023 by AstridM

[Absolom]

25 minutes ago, GeeGolly said:

You've seen names? I haven't seen any names yet. I'm not into that. Is there a way to shut that off?

Yes, I've seen poster names - even yours.  

I don't think individual users can stop it.  It was part of a recent software "upgrade."

[GeeGolly]

Just now, Absolom said:

Yes, I've seen poster names - even yours.  

I don't think individual users can stop it.  It was part of a recent software "upgrade."

Ugh - Big Brother!

[Absolom]

The PTB may have very recently changed it from the list of names to just the number.  Yesterday I was still seeing names.  

Personally I don't need my name showing on every thread I have open nor do I care who else is here.  

Edited February 15, 2023 by Absolom

[crazy8s]

in acct settings in Security and Privacy there is this,

on mine it says

Online Status   Hidden

"If your online status is visible, then other users can see that you are currently online in any online lists, as well as the page you are currently viewing on the community."

 

I cannot find any actual place in my account settings where I might have picked that or where I could change it if I felt so inclined to do such a thing. Not in my acct settings or Security and Privacy that I could find.

[jcbrown]

6 hours ago, crazy8s said:

in acct settings in Security and Privacy there is this,

on mine it says

Online Status   Hidden

"If your online status is visible, then other users can see that you are currently online in any online lists, as well as the page you are currently viewing on the community."

 

I cannot find any actual place in my account settings where I might have picked that or where I could change it if I felt so inclined to do such a thing. Not in my acct settings or Security and Privacy that I could find.

Maybe it's when you follow individual shows? I know there are radio buttons there one of which defaults to "let others see that I follow this content." Don't know if you can go back and change that and it would be painful to have to do it for every one.

[Salacious Kitty]

My status is Hidden. I did nothing to set it that way. I assume my name isn't seen, and I am just part of the # of posters viewing a thread. 

The bad grammar bugs. FJ has the same feature, except there's no option to hide yourself. Its plural subject/verb agreement is also correct, so I know it can be done.

Edited February 16, 2023 by Salacious Kitty

[GeeGolly]

I checked my status and it was hidden, yet @Absolom was able to see my name at one point.

[peppergal]

I reported the subject verb agreement in the bugs forum, and the PTB claimed that it was something coming from the Invision overlords and that they could do nothing about it.  When asked if primetimer had reported it to the company so it can be fixed upstream, they went silent about it.  I couldn't find a known bugs list at the Invision level, and since we aren't direct customers I don't think we can report it there ourselves, so the silence is frustrating. 

That FJ has subject/verb correct suggests that either they are on a different/better version of the software, or PTB are wrong about not being able to configure it at their level.

The feature doesn't add much value for me, and the terrible grammar just makes it look like this place is run by people that flunked elementary school grammar classes.  I wish they could/would just turn it off completely if they can't/won't fix it.  But maybe there's a majority of people that love knowing which topics have the most people hanging out and want the info no matter how badly it is presented.

[Notabug]

When I go to the privacy settings, it says I am visible on the board which I presume means everyone can see my screenname when I am in a thread.  I tried, but could not figure out how to stop being visible; I couldn't find any instructions or a button even when I clicked all over the page.  I was never asked my preference, it just happened.

If there is anyone who knows how to fix my privacy settings, I'd appreciate some advice.

[peppergal]

@Notabugyou might have to go over the the help or bugs forums.  My setting is shown as hidden, but I also cannot find anywhere to change it.  Based on what I'm seeing, it was able to be set in the past (I remember setting it ages ago on the privacy setting page) and it remembers your previous setting, but something either broke or hid the ability to change it now.

PS, I finally broke down and re-enabled my ad blocker for the site just so that I could write a custom filter to block the bad grammar user number tag.  My inner grammar OCD gremlin is much happier now.

[Minivanessa]

9 minutes ago, Notabug said:

When I go to the privacy settings, it says I am visible on the board which I presume means everyone can see my screenname when I am in a thread.  I tried, but could not figure out how to stop being visible; I couldn't find any instructions or a button even when I clicked all over the page.  I was never asked my preference, it just happened.

If there is anyone who knows how to fix my privacy settings, I'd appreciate some advice.

I wish I could help, but I don't have an answer. I've checked that status in my privacy settings, and its says "hidden." And like you, I can't find any way to change that.

The only thing that occurred to me, and it's probably not an answer, is this. When we choose to follow a forum or topic, we have some options. I never check the box to allow others to see that I follow the forum. I wonder if that's somehow connected to that privacy setting? Anyway,  here's a screenshot of what I'm talking about.

 

In my offline life, I'm clearing out my jewelry. Not that I own anything fabulous or worth big bucks, but I've accumulated stuff over the years. I've barely worn any jewelry over the last few years, but now I'm putting on a bit of bling (very low-key as bling goes, LOL) in my daily life. Then, last week bought a couple of very nice pieces of Native American jewelry, which make me happy to wear.

That prompted me to take my jewelry box to the dining room table and sort. everything. out. I found Marie Kondo to be irritating AF about many things, but this was one situation where "does it bring me joy?" was appropriate, as well as "when will I wear this again?" I used a magnifier to look for sterling and gold markings. Everything that I don't like enough to want to wear again is out of the jewelry box and in its own teensy ziploc bag*.  I have plenty left in my jewelry box - things I know I'll wear, including a few things with sentimental importance. 

After investigating eBay, doing other research, and thinking it over for a few days, I've decided to take the unwanted silver and gold stuff to a gold buying company here, and see how much I can get for them. The costume stuff is bagged up and will be donated to a charity shop, unless I find somebody who might want some of it. (We have a shelf in the parking garage elevator lobby of our condo building where we can place items that we want to give away. I may put some things there and see if there are any takers.)

I'm so happy to have done that little sorting and clear-out job, I just had to come here and bore you with the deets. Thanks for reading if you stuck it out this far!  🤣. ❤️

*I'd bought a bunch of small plastic bags in 2021 when as executor of her estate, I was confronted with sorting out my late friend's ginormous load of jewelry acquired over a long life. Most of it costume, some of it really nice - and all of it jumbled together. Sorting it out was a JOB! Those little plastic bags were invaluable. I bought 'em at a Michaels store, but there's an example on Amazon: here.

[Absolom]

9 hours ago, GeeGolly said:

I checked my status and it was hidden, yet @Absolom was able to see my name at one point.

My guess is that there were some complaints and a site wide change to private was made.

[Zella]

1 hour ago, Absolom said:

My guess is that there were some complaints and a site wide change to private was made.

I think you're right. In ye olden days, the option to mark yourself as hidden was pretty visible if you went to your profile. I don't remember where it was, but I remember coming across it easily enough years ago and selecting it. I'm not finding it now. 

[Absolom]

It's a bit buried after you go to your account and then privacy and settings, re-enter your password, and then it's in red and as far as I could tell not able to be changed.  

[Salacious Kitty]

I'm assuming you can only see names if you're on a desktop? I post from my phone or tablet and have never seen anyone's name here. On FJ, I can see names if I tap on the "users here" feature, or it will show a username if it's just one. 

 

Edited February 16, 2023 by Salacious Kitty

[BetyBee]

We're getting snow today - looks like we could wind up with 7inches or more. We got ourwalk in before it started accumulating. It's very pretty!

[Ohiopirate02]

13 minutes ago, Salacious Kitty said:

I'm assuming you can only see names if you're on a desktop? I post from my phone or tablet and have never seen anyone's name here. On FJ, I can see names if I tap on the *users here" feature, or it will show a username if it's just one. 

 

I'm currently on a desktop, and I cannot see the names only the number of users.  I will admit that I haven't really delved into this, and I personally do not care if my name is on a list of "active" users on this particular forum.  My posts on here and other forums are out there for others to read, react and comment on.  This new update is not adding anything to what I have already posted.

[Salacious Kitty]

I just tapped again to double check, and it just says "# users here." No names. 

[Zella]

FWIW I'm on here on a desktop just as much as I am on a phone, and I never personally saw the names, only numbers. I totally believe people saw them, but I don't think it has anything to do with what device you were using. 

[Notabug]

34 minutes ago, Salacious Kitty said:

I'm assuming you can only see names if you're on a desktop? I post from my phone or tablet and have never seen anyone's name here. On FJ, I can see names if I tap on the "users here" feature, or it will show a username if it's just one. 

 

I have never seen any names, just number of people currently viewing in the same area.

58 minutes ago, Zella said:

I think you're right. In ye olden days, the option to mark yourself as hidden was pretty visible if you went to your profile. I don't remember where it was, but I remember coming across it easily enough years ago and selecting it. I'm not finding it now. 

Yes, I remember that and it is not there anymore.  I am listed as visible and there doesn't seem to be an option to change that.  It's not the end of the world, but I'd rather not be visible since most everyone else is not.  I was hidden in the old format and never tried to change it.

 

3 hours ago, Jeeves said:

I wish I could help, but I don't have an answer. I've checked that status in my privacy settings, and its says "hidden." And like you, I can't find any way to change that.

The only thing that occurred to me, and it's probably not an answer, is this. When we choose to follow a forum or topic, we have some options. I never check the box to allow others to see that I follow the forum. I wonder if that's somehow connected to that privacy setting? Anyway,  here's a screenshot of what I'm talking about.

 

I

I haven't checked the 'let others see' on anything that I follow and yet my profile says I am visible.

I suspect the last update contained some serious errors and/or the folks installing it were not very good at it.

[Scarlett45]

Something I learned today that I thought my friends in Small Talk might find useful:

 

For those of us getting USA passports, you MAY NOT wear your glasses in your passport photo*; guess who realized this after her mom walked into Walgreens in the icy slush to get a passport photo today??? She will get the photo retaken when the weather is better, she doesn’t have any trips planned just it was time to get it renewed etc. 

Oh and ink is like blood, I am out, as usual😂. 
 

 

*an exception required by a medical professional for situations where you can cannot remove them

[sagittarius sue]

56 minutes ago, Scarlett45 said:

Something I learned today that I thought my friends in Small Talk might find useful:

 

For those of us getting USA passports, you MAY NOT wear your glasses in your passport photo*; guess who realized this after her mom walked into Walgreens in the icy slush to get a passport photo today??? She will get the photo retaken when the weather is better, she doesn’t have any trips planned just it was time to get it renewed etc. 

Oh and ink is like blood, I am out, as usual😂. 
 

 

*an exception required by a medical professional for situations where you can cannot remove them

Last year I got my passport photos at a CVS, and I'm glad the person taking the photo advised me to take off my glasses before she took it.

[Scarlett45]

2 minutes ago, sagittarius sue said:

Last year I got my passport photos at a CVS, and I'm glad the person taking the photo advised me to take off my glasses before she took it.

Yeah the guy taking the picture didn’t say anything! I double checked and she has her glasses on in her current one but that was a decade ago. 

[jcbrown]

They told me not to smile in my Real ID photo (Northern CA). I mean, you're at the DMV so it's no challenge to not be smiling.

[lookeyloo]

I had my passport renewed a couple years ago with glasses.  And it hasn't caused me any problems.   I wonder why?

[Scarlett45]

10 hours ago, lookeyloo said:

I had my passport renewed a couple years ago with glasses.  And it hasn't caused me any problems.   I wonder why?

The rule might be recent (the last year or so)- my mom is wearing glasses in her current passport, but I asked my friend who’s an asylum officer (so she sees passports constantly and they talk about things like this at work) and she said “yeah you can’t wear your glasses any more in your new photo”(she’s a full time glasses wearer). 
 

So it’s not that current passports are a problem, it’s when you get a new picture for renewal. 

[Mindthinkr]

I ran into a first last night. A lady pastor lied to my face. My neighbor was with me and was also shocked. It was not something like a little white lie to make me feel better about something. I’m sad about it and no longer feel I can trust her. 

[zoomama]

1 hour ago, Mindthinkr said:

I ran into a first last night. A lady pastor lied to my face. My neighbor was with me and was also shocked. It was not something like a little white lie to make me feel better about something. I’m sad about it and no longer feel I can trust her. 

that is a shame. NO pastor should be caught in a lie.

[peppergal]

My understanding is that they have found that glasses cause the biometric scanning on the automated border control gates to have more errors.  There's two issues: reflections or tint on the glasses making it difficult for the machines to see the eyes and significant changes in eye wear shape between when the photo was taken and when the person wants to cross the border confusing the computer.  So countries that want to use those automated lanes are requiring new passports to have no eye wear in photos when feasible to increase the number of people that can use those lanes without error.  As more people renew under the new rules, the error rate of the automated lanes should go down, reducing both the wait time at the border and the number of people needed to staff it.

Note that if your current passport photo has glasses with barely visible frames (like those rimless ones or the thin wire ones) if you take your glasses off for the camera in the automated lane, you have a much higher chance of having no errors. 

 

[CalicoKitty]

11 hours ago, Scarlett45 said:

The rule might be recent (the last year or so)- my mom is wearing glasses in her current passport, but I asked my friend who’s an asylum officer (so she sees passports constantly and they talk about things like this at work) and she said “yeah you can’t wear your glasses any more in your new photo”(she’s a full time glasses wearer). 
 

So it’s not that current passports are a problem, it’s when you get a new picture for renewal. 

I had to remove my glasses for my most recent driver's license, and I have never had to before.  Must be a new thing.

[CalicoKitty]

9 hours ago, Mindthinkr said:

I ran into a first last night. A lady pastor lied to my face. My neighbor was with me and was also shocked. It was not something like a little white lie to make me feel better about something. I’m sad about it and no longer feel I can trust her. 

It is shocking.  I was in charge of music at the Anglican church were I used to live, and the priest seemed to have trouble with being truthful.  He lied in an email about a conversation we had had, and I left my post soon after.  It really is unnerving.

[Scarlett45]

2 hours ago, CalicoKitty said:

I had to remove my glasses for my most recent driver's license, and I have never had to before.  Must be a new thing.

It’s probably something with the facial recognition software. I could imagine glasses (with their various sizes and shapes) would trip them up. 

[Salacious Kitty]

Is anyone else having trouble with the site today? My phone is freezing and crashing, this site only. All apps and other websites run normally. It's a pain to try to read, let alone post! 

I've cleared my cache and checked all my apps. Everything else look good. 

Weird...