Small Talk: The Polygamous Cul-de-Sac

[Absolom]

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Edited September 24, 2021 by Absolom

[Absolom]

That CDC map is not based on testing positivity rates which will vary with the amount of testing done.  It's case rates per 100,000 residents.  They include the alleged positivity rates on the chart, but the colors are based on the current case rates. 

CA 86.1/100K

CT 138.6/100K

MD 140.6/100K

Here's another version with different levels in more colors.  The first was showing levels with substantial and high transmission.

44 minutes ago, Yeah No said:

Today CT's positivity rate was 2.28.  New York's was 2.75.  California's was 3.1 according to local state news websites.  It fluctuates daily and they often switch places. I saw that map on the CDC website and they're saying this is supposedly based on the average positivity rate for the past 7 days. 

 

[Yeah No]

6 hours ago, Teafortwo said:

I have a bit of news: I got a full-time job. I mean, really full-time. It's 45 hours a week. A bit much and I tried unsuccessfully to negotiate for 40, but I'm almost 61, have not had full-time work with benefits for over a year (thank goodness for COBRA and pandemic unemployment!), and was looking to get out of sales and into more of customer service role.  Add on to that my recent health issues/recovery and I feel pretty fortunate.  Surprisingly, I got it through a blind submission on ziprecruiter rather than through my "network." So as of Monday I'm knuckling down. Fortunately it's work from home, at least for now. Later on they say 2 days/week at the office, but I'm hoping by then I can get an exemption. I do have to go in for training and to pick up some equipment next week. This will be the longest indoor exposure I will have had since early March of 2020. Company requires everyone be vaccinated and wear masks, but I'm still very nervous about spending a day in the office. 

I've also fallen in love with my current foster cat, so there's that. I didn't feel ready for a permanent addition to the household (consisting of just me) and the extra responsibility - but it's almost like she's adopting me. I keep telling myself "goodbye is the goal" which is the mantra of fostering. I've interviewed 3 prospective adopter couples (the rescue org. is the conduit, and has final decision). Two have backed out and the third had some red flags. At first I felt the kitty would do better with a family (she loves/needs interactive play) but they've all been couples who work outside the home. I keep telling myself that this is how I'll end up with 3 cats - if I adopt her and continue fostering, I'd likely fall in love over and over again. My apartment is not large. It's just not practical. 

I've been cat-sitting in my neighborhood here in NYC as well, which is really good exercise  but I really won't have time for it now except maybe on the weekends. The pay would be decent, except it's through a pet-sitting app which takes 20% of every booking. 

But hallelujah that I will have enough money coming in now to stop worrying about finances - and most importantly, to stop waking up every morning facing another day of job applications.

I hope everyone is doing well!

Excellent news, Tea, I'm delighted for you on both fronts!  Money worries can consume you.  I hear you about the job applications.  I've been applying to jobs too and collecting unemployment.  I have not really gotten anywhere but I haven't really pushed for it either.  I don't think I could handle a full time job anymore, plus after the nightmare I've been through with jobs in the past decade I'm not in any rush.  My last job ended when I was terminated while collecting workers' comp. after breaking my arm in the parking lot at work slipping on construction debris that wasn't cleared up.  First of all they didn't give me any reason for my termination and I had gotten great reviews from my new boss already.  We had no issues that I knew of.  The decision came from HR.  I suspect the company was getting rid of anyone over 55 as I was not the only person to be terminated for no reason in that age bracket while younger people were not.  Anyway, it is against the law to terminate someone on workers' comp. so I had a dual lawsuit based on wrongful termination and violation of workers' comp. rules, and I won.  Before that job I was laid off in the recession in 2009 from a job I loved along with 230 other people at that rather large company.  My boss had left about a year before and I was reassigned but then that boss left so I was in a bad place at a bad time.  Of course they had an unofficial policy not to rehire anyone after being laid off so I could never get back in there.   So anyway that's why I'm not in any rush.

Coincidentally I've been thinking about fostering pets.  My husband and I love both cats and dogs and grew up with them but we have actually not owned one for over 20 years now.  We somehow got busier and it didn't happen.  Now that we are both home a lot I've been wondering if fostering might be a way to find out if owning a pet is for us now.   Any advice you or anyone can give me on this would be much appreciated.

[Yeah No]

6 hours ago, Absolom said:

That CDC map is not based on testing positivity rates which will vary with the amount of testing done.  It's case rates per 100,000 residents.  They include the alleged positivity rates on the chart, but the colors are based on the current case rates. 

CA 86.1/100K

CT 138.6/100K

MD 140.6/100K

Here's another version with different levels in more colors.  The first was showing levels with substantial and high transmission.

 

Thank you, this looks like a more fine tuned representation of things right now based on what I'm seeing reported.  Sometimes I don't get the CDC's categories though.  Being classified as having a very high transmission rate when the 7 day average is more or less 2% seems a little overboard.  I remember this Spring I was waiting for CT to come off the red zone list but that didn't happen until we went way down to something like 1%.  With broad classifications like that it's no wonder virtually every state is red.  But what do I know?

[Absolom]

6 hours ago, Yeah No said:

Being classified as having a very high transmission rate when the 7 day average is more or less 2% seems a little overboard. 

I understand your confusion.  It's because it's a dual classification if you will.  Both case rate AND testing rate have to be at or below the lower level to move down.  It's quite possible to have a case rate of high and a testing rate in low.  The classification would still be in high.  

[Mahamid Frauded Me]

@Teafortwo congrats on the new job! I lost my job last year in June due to the pandemic. I had never been fired or laid off ever in my life. I was in that career field for 30 years, even if a company was hiring, on sites like Linkedin, I was one of 900 applying. I didn't even get an interview until Jan 2021. Thankfully I got a job in March, completely out of my career area, but I do like it, have a great boss and I am not forced to sell my house, which I was scared I was going to have to if I didn't find something soon.

As far as your kitty, I love the saying "who rescued who" ... 

[Teafortwo]

11 hours ago, Mahamid Frauded Me said:

@Teafortwo congrats on the new job! I lost my job last year in June due to the pandemic. I had never been fired or laid off ever in my life. I was in that career field for 30 years, even if a company was hiring, on sites like Linkedin, I was one of 900 applying. I didn't even get an interview until Jan 2021. Thankfully I got a job in March, completely out of my career area, but I do like it, have a great boss and I am not forced to sell my house, which I was scared I was going to have to if I didn't find something soon.

As far as your kitty, I love the saying "who rescued who" ... 

That's great news about your job, too.  And you're right about "who rescued who." My foster officially adopted me today. She's been with me exactly 6 weeks, and today is 1 year and 9 months since I had to say goodbye to my dearly departed kitty whose health issues were just too overwhelming (she was 18 or 19). 

Last night I attended a pet memorial service on zoom, all of us crying in our little boxes onscreen (many had disabled their video). After the candle lighting ceremony, they ran a slideshow of our pets' photos with words from the pet parents on each slide. I was crying, and uncharacteristically, my new baby jumped up on the table and started headbutting me and put her paw on my shoulder. She stayed around for quite some time for caresses.

This morning she came up on the bed, burrowed under the comforter, and curled up by my legs. Normally she sleeps on a chair near my bed. She's only come up on the bed a couple times before, and only to walk around and jump off quickly. It was amazing.

I contacted the rescue and asked if there were any way I could possibly go forward with an adoption, even though there were so many prospective applicants for her. They responded right away: Yes!

[Teafortwo]

19 hours ago, Yeah No said:

Coincidentally I've been thinking about fostering pets.  My husband and I love both cats and dogs and grew up with them but we have actually not owned one for over 20 years now.  We somehow got busier and it didn't happen.  Now that we are both home a lot I've been wondering if fostering might be a way to find out if owning a pet is for us now.   Any advice you or anyone can give me on this would be much appreciated.

I'd suggest interviewing a few rescues in your area. You want to find one with a good foster program, where they don't separate kittens and puppies from their mamas too soon (I think 10 weeks is the earliest, you can double check online). And it should be one where kittens are adopted out in pairs, unless there is a young resident cat already in the home. (Kittens need the socialization of other cats.) A responsible rescue org also spays/neuters their animals before adoption. Typically at some point during the foster stay, if not before. If you find some through an online search of your area and want my input, feel free to send me a DM. On Instagram, @foster_kittens_fyi is an excellent resource. Scroll through and find your state and view the posts. It's a companion account to @foster_kittens, which is one of the earliest cat accounts on IG, run by an extremely knowledgeable woman who is also witty, wise and a fantastic photographer to boot. (The family happens to be LDS, but that is sheer coincidence.) Most rescues need fosters for both kittens and older cats. I have not fostered any kittens myself (yet) as it seems more labor-intensive.

ETA: I just checked the IG acct and there are many rescue orgs in CT, particularly in and around the major cities. Most will have cats, dogs and often other small animals (typically bunnies and guinea pigs.)

Edited September 25, 2021 by Teafortwo

[iwantcookies]

On 9/23/2021 at 9:48 PM, Teafortwo said:

I have a bit of news: I got a full-time job. I mean, really full-time. It's 45 hours a week. A bit much and I tried unsuccessfully to negotiate for 40, but I'm almost 61, have not had full-time work with benefits for over a year (thank goodness for COBRA and pandemic unemployment!), and was looking to get out of sales and into more of customer service role.  Add on to that my recent health issues/recovery and I feel pretty fortunate.  Surprisingly, I got it through a blind submission on ziprecruiter rather than through my "network." So as of Monday I'm knuckling down. Fortunately it's work from home, at least for now. Later on they say 2 days/week at the office, but I'm hoping by then I can get an exemption. I do have to go in for training and to pick up some equipment next week. This will be the longest indoor exposure I will have had since early March of 2020. Company requires everyone be vaccinated and wear masks, but I'm still very nervous about spending a day in the office. 

I've also fallen in love with my current foster cat, so there's that. I didn't feel ready for a permanent addition to the household (consisting of just me) and the extra responsibility - but it's almost like she's adopting me. I keep telling myself "goodbye is the goal" which is the mantra of fostering. I've interviewed 3 prospective adopter couples (the rescue org. is the conduit, and has final decision). Two have backed out and the third had some red flags. At first I felt the kitty would do better with a family (she loves/needs interactive play) but they've all been couples who work outside the home. I keep telling myself that this is how I'll end up with 3 cats - if I adopt her and continue fostering, I'd likely fall in love over and over again. My apartment is not large. It's just not practical. 

I've been cat-sitting in my neighborhood here in NYC as well, which is really good exercise  but I really won't have time for it now except maybe on the weekends. The pay would be decent, except it's through a pet-sitting app which takes 20% of every booking. 

But hallelujah that I will have enough money coming in now to stop worrying about finances - and most importantly, to stop waking up every morning facing another day of job applications.

I hope everyone is doing well!

Congratulations!

[iwantcookies]

12 hours ago, Mahamid Frauded Me said:

@Teafortwo congrats on the new job! I lost my job last year in June due to the pandemic. I had never been fired or laid off ever in my life. I was in that career field for 30 years, even if a company was hiring, on sites like Linkedin, I was one of 900 applying. I didn't even get an interview until Jan 2021. Thankfully I got a job in March, completely out of my career area, but I do like it, have a great boss and I am not forced to sell my house, which I was scared I was going to have to if I didn't find something soon.

As far as your kitty, I love the saying "who rescued who" ... 

congratulations!

[Absolom]

@Yeah No, Connecticut moved into orange on the CDC transmission map today.  You're under 100 cases per 100K per week now.  

[Yeah No]

On 9/25/2021 at 2:56 PM, Absolom said:

@Yeah No, Connecticut moved into orange on the CDC transmission map today.  You're under 100 cases per 100K per week now.  

Thanks for that!  I took a look at the 26th and it was just us and California that were orange.  I wish it was enough to make me feel OK about eating indoors again.  We were eating indoors in June, July and part of August but then went back to outdoor seating only.  Admittedly, we have been eating out more in the past few months to make up for all the time we didn't last year.  Now that we see the cold weather coming we feel like we have to get it all in now.

[Absolom]

10 hours ago, Yeah No said:

I wish it was enough to make me feel OK about eating indoors again.  We were eating indoors in June, July and part of August but then went back to outdoor seating only. 

If it were me, I'd wait for low yellow before considering eating indoors.  I haven't been inside a restaurant since January, 2020.  

[Yeah No]

3 hours ago, Absolom said:

If it were me, I'd wait for low yellow before considering eating indoors.  I haven't been inside a restaurant since January, 2020.  

 Me too, that's why I stopped.  Orange is too high for me.

I just had lunch with a girlfriend that I see about once a month or so and ate outdoors.  We were a little disappointed because the place we wanted to go to is closed on Mondays and we had already rescheduled so at the last minute we ended up at Panera because they have outdoor seating around here.  I usually never go to Panera but she wanted to eat cheap so the choices with outdoor seating were limited.  I always thought Panera was overpriced but seriously, $16.00 for a sandwich and a small iced tea??!!!  Never again.  For only a few dollars more we could have gone somewhere much nicer.

Unfortunately although this friend is on board with the vaccine she is still eating indoors so she acted a little put out by having to eat outside.  Meanwhile it is a beautiful day here in the low 70s and we had very nice seating in the shade.  I am two steps away from writing a Facebook post to the world to tell them not to make me feel guilty for not accepting their invitations to their indoor engagement and retirement parties or any kind of event indoors with no masks.  I don't care if they insist on proof of vaccine, I still don't feel comfortable with it.  And I'm up to here with people putting pressure on me and making me feel bad about it. 

They have no idea what it's been like to be me.  For my entire life I've gotten way sicker than anyone I know with any virus.  Everyone else at work would get a cold.  I would be in bed for a week.  Unless I was very careful I caught everyone's cold or flu.  That is why I was well known to be a germaphobe from way back. 

A few years ago when I hosted Thanksgiving I got sick from a guest who was visibly sick.  I asked him politely to go home.  He was so sick he didn't put up a fuss.  Out of like 10 people I was the only person that got sick and it was horrible.

The last virus I had, which was in August of 2019 I got from my husband.  He got it from a passenger in his limo.  He was sick for a few days and went back to work.  I was on my back for over a week and didn't feel normal again for a month.  

I even know what it's like to have long hauler syndrome, which is actually possible to have after a flu.  When I was in college over 40 years ago I got the flu unfortunately during finals.  I had to push myself to get through it or else it would have been horrible taking incompletes at the end of the school year.  Because I didn't rest my recuperation took longer.  Then I had all sorts of symptoms afterwards including physical exhaustion, which lasted over a month.  I couldn't even start my summer job for over a month.  I couldn't even get out of bed.  None of the doctors at the time knew what it was.  Now we have a word for it.

My father died of this virus.  Granted, he was 92, but he was a healthy man for his age.  How do I know I didn't inherit his predisposition to getting the severe form of this virus?  I seem to get every other virus pretty severely!  And how good is my immunity?  No one wants to let me take a test to find out!

So I am sick and tired of the way people act around me about this. 

Sorry just had to vent!

[Absolom]

2 hours ago, Yeah No said:

I always thought Panera was overpriced but seriously, $16.00 for a sandwich and a small iced tea??!!!  Never again.  For only a few dollars more we could have gone somewhere much nicer.

Yes, Panera is bad that way.   It's way over priced for chain food and atmosphere.

[iwantcookies]

I had my first beef Wellington yesterday. It was delicious!

[Mahamid Frauded Me]

21 hours ago, iwantcookies said:

I had my first beef Wellington yesterday. It was delicious!

And I wasn't invited? See if you ever get an invite from me to come to my RV for alfresco dining of Candy Corn, Canned cabbage and whatever else my instapot shits out...

I kid, I love me some beef wellington......

[xwordfanatik]

I've never had it.  It sounds elegant.  I should look up a recipe.

46 minutes ago, Mahamid Frauded Me said:

And I wasn't invited? See if you ever get an invite from me to come to my RV for alfresco dining of Candy Corn, Canned cabbage and whatever else my instapot shits out...

I kid, I love me some beef wellington......

Put me on your invite list!🤣

[Teafortwo]

So yesterday was my first day of the new job. Just a bunch of online meetings. Today I went in for some training. So much for the "everyone wears a mask" rule. Except for myself and the HR lady (who double-masks, like me), no one was wearing a mask. The president of the company came in mid-afternoon, walked into the room where we were training, and shook our hands. No mask. (I used my hand sanitizer as soon as he went into another room and closed the door. The training room had a glass wall.) 

The training and HR stuff could definitely have been accomplished online. As it was, we were just watching our manager click tabs on a screen while she talked. It would have been easier to see what she was doing on zoom than watching on a big flatscreen that was hooked up to her laptop (and kept having to be reconnected.

This is the most exposure I've had to humans since the pandemic started, except for the brief period in May when the vaccines seemed to be most effective and I flew out to attend my friend's memorial service. And of course my surgery in June, which got delayed so I was at the hospital for 10 hours although the procedure itself only took about two.

On Sunday I felt really under the weather and was coughing a lot. I now think it was just the dust from the cat litter. But I was concerned enough to get a covid test, which thankfully was negative. I got the PCR test because it's more reliable than the rapid one. I am getting a Pfizer booster shot on Sat. Having had cancer so recently (even if they got it all out), using steroid inhaler for asthma, and being almost 61, I signed up. It's just a few days over 6 months since my 2nd shot so I opted to do it. No more going in to the office though. They really violated my trust, along with their own rules. 

[Yeah No]

2 hours ago, Teafortwo said:

So yesterday was my first day of the new job. Just a bunch of online meetings. Today I went in for some training. So much for the "everyone wears a mask" rule. Except for myself and the HR lady (who double-masks, like me), no one was wearing a mask. The president of the company came in mid-afternoon, walked into the room where we were training, and shook our hands. No mask. (I used my hand sanitizer as soon as he went into another room and closed the door. The training room had a glass wall.) 

The training and HR stuff could definitely have been accomplished online. As it was, we were just watching our manager click tabs on a screen while she talked. It would have been easier to see what she was doing on zoom than watching on a big flatscreen that was hooked up to her laptop (and kept having to be reconnected.

This is the most exposure I've had to humans since the pandemic started, except for the brief period in May when the vaccines seemed to be most effective and I flew out to attend my friend's memorial service. And of course my surgery in June, which got delayed so I was at the hospital for 10 hours although the procedure itself only took about two.

On Sunday I felt really under the weather and was coughing a lot. I now think it was just the dust from the cat litter. But I was concerned enough to get a covid test, which thankfully was negative. I got the PCR test because it's more reliable than the rapid one. I am getting a Pfizer booster shot on Sat. Having had cancer so recently (even if they got it all out), using steroid inhaler for asthma, and being almost 61, I signed up. It's just a few days over 6 months since my 2nd shot so I opted to do it. No more going in to the office though. They really violated my trust, along with their own rules. 

I have to hand it to you Tea, you're braver than I am.  With all that you've been through recently and that makes you at risk I would feel very uncomfortable in such work situations right now.  I can't believe even the president wore no mask.  At least you won't have to be around them much.  I would have thought pretty much everywhere in NYC would require masks.  I know around here I'm seeing more people not wearing masks again very recently and I don't know why.  I went to another town the other day and in one supermarket everyone wore masks because the store required it, while in another store I was one of the only people wearing one.  In my area most people wear masks even though they aren't generally required if you're vaccinated.  Today I had a contractor come over to change the UV filter for my well water and while he was very nice and professional, he didn't wear a mask either.  Meanwhile the man that came last year from that company did wear one.

Is working from home new for you?  I don't know how I'd feel about it.  I know that when I had to work from home on snow days and other situations I never liked it very much, but that could have had something to do with the boss I was working for at the time who was a real PITA.   

I admit that I really don't want to work anymore.  Up until around 2019 I would have gone back to work for the right job but now after not working for 5 years and with the pandemic I have changed on that.  I'm trying to avoid it even if it means living with less and hoping that I can continue to manage it.  I am hoping to bridge the gap between now and retirement.  At 65 I can start collecting my pensions and other retirement money so that will help, and that's less than 2 years away now.  I'm also hoping to delay collecting Social Security until I'm 66 and 8 months which is my full retirement age.

I realize now that aside from a few months when I had no income, for the past 5 years I've either been on workers' comp., unemployment, or the 5 months or so that I worked for my husband.  That's truly amazing and totally unplanned.  You'd think I was taking grifter lessons from the Browns, LOL!

Anyway, thanks for sharing and please continue to do so!

[TurtlePower]

13 hours ago, Teafortwo said:

So yesterday was my first day of the new job. Just a bunch of online meetings. Today I went in for some training. So much for the "everyone wears a mask" rule. Except for myself and the HR lady (who double-masks, like me), no one was wearing a mask. The president of the company came in mid-afternoon, walked into the room where we were training, and shook our hands. No mask. (I used my hand sanitizer as soon as he went into another room and closed the door. The training room had a glass wall.) 

The training and HR stuff could definitely have been accomplished online. As it was, we were just watching our manager click tabs on a screen while she talked. It would have been easier to see what she was doing on zoom than watching on a big flatscreen that was hooked up to her laptop (and kept having to be reconnected.

This is the most exposure I've had to humans since the pandemic started, except for the brief period in May when the vaccines seemed to be most effective and I flew out to attend my friend's memorial service. And of course my surgery in June, which got delayed so I was at the hospital for 10 hours although the procedure itself only took about two.

On Sunday I felt really under the weather and was coughing a lot. I now think it was just the dust from the cat litter. But I was concerned enough to get a covid test, which thankfully was negative. I got the PCR test because it's more reliable than the rapid one. I am getting a Pfizer booster shot on Sat. Having had cancer so recently (even if they got it all out), using steroid inhaler for asthma, and being almost 61, I signed up. It's just a few days over 6 months since my 2nd shot so I opted to do it. No more going in to the office though. They really violated my trust, along with their own rules. 

I got a third shot 6 weeks ago myself due to immunodeficiency issues. Sore arm and that’s it from the shot. 

I’m certain I’ve been exposed to covid since getting vaccinated due to work (and the people in our town are starting to rebel against masks because on, off, on again, they’re getting PISSED with the inconsistency). So far, no symptoms but I still mask so I don’t pass it along just in case. 

I’d be upset too with your work situation. We wear them at work but we don’t get paid enough to enforce the public to wear them (and get punched or shot for it). Most people do, but some obnoxious  asshats won’t. They’re the loudest ones with that hole in their face wide open and full of pissy words over it. 

Edited September 29, 2021 by TurtlePower
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[Teafortwo]

17 hours ago, Yeah No said:

Is working from home new for you?

I absolutely LOVE working from home. In my pre-pandemic job, we had a "distributed workforce" - colleagues all over the country in different time zones. Anything beats taking the subway every day. I still haven't been on it since Feb.28, 2020. Yesterday I took a cab to the office and back. I'd planned on taking the ferry home but I was exhausted and didn't have a warm enough jacket. 

Today I've basically been on hold all day except for a morning meeting and answering some questions based on yesterday's training, because the manager is setting up someone else in a different dept. But aside from lunch hour, I been careful not to step away from the computer for long. Just in case.

I was in fact tempted to walk out yesterday because of the lack of mask compliance, but I really need the job and I figure I was exposed the longest to just two maskless people, aside from saying hello to the president and a few other employees. The mask situation in restaurants here is ridiculous. I picked up some tacos for lunch, the place has a sign saying that everyone entering must show proof of vaccination or stay masked - but no one is checking anyone's vaccine info. (I have mine stored on an app for this purpose, so I don't have to carry my vaccine card around.)

I REALLY want to go outside, but am sure if I do I'll get pinged by the manager, and I don't want to put the company info on my private phone - it will want to sync everything with my personal gmail which I truly (true-ly!) hope to avoid.

ETA: BINGO! Got a message from supervisor a 5:29 pm.

Edited September 29, 2021 by Teafortwo

[iwantcookies]

I seem to attract a lot of compulsive liars. Any one else has this happen to them? Jeez what is wrong with people!

[Mahamid Frauded Me]

2 hours ago, iwantcookies said:

I seem to attract a lot of compulsive liars. Any one else has this happen to them? Jeez what is wrong with people!

I am sorry, I have a family member that is one...I hate it and it almost gives me anxiety attacks

[iwantcookies]

https://www.target.com/p/women--39-s-plus-size-floral-print-quilted-jacket---rachel-comey-x-target-black-3x/-/A-82639437
 

would you wear this coat?

[Pickleinthemiddle]

43 minutes ago, iwantcookies said:

https://www.target.com/p/women--39-s-plus-size-floral-print-quilted-jacket---rachel-comey-x-target-black-3x/-/A-82639437
 

would you wear this coat?

Um, no.

[Cetacean]

1 hour ago, iwantcookies said:

would you wear this coat?

For Halloween?

[iwantcookies]

23 minutes ago, Cetacean said:

For Halloween?

 

23 minutes ago, Cetacean said:

For Halloween?

No for a few months. Whispers… is it that ugly to you all?

[Yeah No]

25 minutes ago, iwantcookies said:

No for a few months. Whispers… is it that ugly to you all?

Yep.

[Cetacean]

35 minutes ago, iwantcookies said:

No for a few months. Whispers… is it that ugly to you all?

Um, well, yeah.

[Teafortwo]

This week is going to be tough. I'm dreading it. The "training" was virtually useless. There needs to be a manual for how to respond to scenarios that recur frequently. I was totally confused on Thursday and Friday, to the point I was almost in tears. I'm sure I'll get the hang of it but it's really irresponsible of the company not to have a "best practices" resource. It's not a good look for customers to be waiting for answers because there are too many new people who don't know how to respond to their simple inquiries. 

I'll get through it but....

Thanks everyone for your support, encouragement, and your congratulations on my finding this job. The co-workers seem nice but I just want to do a good job without having to ask a question every 3 minutes. And no, watching someone click on tabs for a few hours and then taking a quiz is NOT a substitute for written training materials.

Rant over. Goodnight all.

[Absolom]

4 hours ago, iwantcookies said:

https://www.target.com/p/women--39-s-plus-size-floral-print-quilted-jacket---rachel-comey-x-target-black-3x/-/A-82639437
 

would you wear this coat?

Never.  But I'm short and small and I'd look like a little kid in someone else's clothes in that kind of tent like thing.

[Yeah No]

50 minutes ago, Teafortwo said:

This week is going to be tough. I'm dreading it. The "training" was virtually useless. There needs to be a manual for how to respond to scenarios that recur frequently. I was totally confused on Thursday and Friday, to the point I was almost in tears. I'm sure I'll get the hang of it but it's really irresponsible of the company not to have a "best practices" resource. It's not a good look for customers to be waiting for answers because there are too many new people who don't know how to respond to their simple inquiries. 

I'll get through it but....

Thanks everyone for your support, encouragement, and your congratulations on my finding this job. The co-workers seem nice but I just want to do a good job without having to ask a question every 3 minutes. And no, watching someone click on tabs for a few hours and then taking a quiz is NOT a substitute for written training materials.

Rant over. Goodnight all.

Your welcome and I admire you for what you're doing and hanging in there after all you, like all of us have been through in the past year and a half.  Nothing was ever easy but it all seems so much harder now.  And I wish all people that dealt with customers were as conscientious as you are.  It seems like a lot of companies these days are putting new people on the front lines trying to answer questions they don't yet know how to answer.  I find myself politely ending the phone call and calling back until I find someone that can help me more often these days. 

[Yeah No]

31 minutes ago, Absolom said:

Never.  But I'm short and small and I'd look like a little kid in someone else's clothes in that kind of tent like thing.

I think it makes the model in the photo look much larger than she really is and that's something I don't find attractive about it.  Also the print is way too huge and bright for a short person.  I can just imagine how it would make me look, all of 5 feet 1 and a half shapely inches of me, LOL.

[Yeah No]

I've had to turn down two party invitations in Manhattan this month.  One is my husband's client's retirement party and one is my high school friend's engagement party.  Both are indoors and will be attended by many unmasked people.  Both will require proof of vaccine but doing the math about how high risk we are and how we're still waiting for the Moderna booster approval, we've decided to decline them.  Plus both events are in the evening and would require that we stay overnight in a hotel.  We really hate to have to turn them down but what bothers us is that these people all had plenty of advance notice to schedule these parties during the Summer at outdoor venues.  All of the people involved are in their 60s and should know better.

Also I am upset about having been called to do Jury Duty in Hartford (otherwise known around here as "Covid Central").  My lawyer friend says they were accepting deferrals based on Covid concerns for a while but somehow I was not given that option so I postponed it until this month to buy a little time.  But I just got a notice in the mail about my "upcoming service" and it does not mention any option to further postpone it for any reason.  I just can't believe this.  I don't even go to Hartford period anymore if I can avoid it because of the relatively high Covid numbers much less would I want to go to court, which my lawyer friend says is a nightmare from the POV of social distancing and even mask wearing, which although required is not really enforced.  He tries to avoid going there like the plague but unfortunately he has had to go a few times since they started in-person trials again.  He theorized that if they made it that easy to get out of jury duty right now, everyone would be doing it.  Perhaps.

Meanwhile the news today told us that 27% of the Covid cases in the state right now are breakthrough cases in vaccinated people, although supposedly most of them are asymptomatic.

And why do I always get called for Jury Duty anyway?  I don't personally know ONE person that gets called EVER, including my husband.

I don't look forward to calling the Jury Administration office tomorrow.  Ugh.....

[iwantcookies]

What about this one? As you can tell I want a jacket with flowers on it. 
 

 

[Irate Panda]

1 hour ago, iwantcookies said:

What about this one? As you can tell I want a jacket with flowers on it. 
 

 

I like this one better than the other one because it doesn’t make the woman look boxy, but I’m all for people wearing whatever they like, so if you like the other one that’s all the really matters because fashion is so subjective.

[Irate Panda]

6 hours ago, Yeah No said:

I've had to turn down two party invitations in Manhattan this month.  One is my husband's client's retirement party and one is my high school friend's engagement party.  Both are indoors and will be attended by many unmasked people.  Both will require proof of vaccine but doing the math about how high risk we are and how we're still waiting for the Moderna booster approval, we've decided to decline them.  Plus both events are in the evening and would require that we stay overnight in a hotel.  We really hate to have to turn them down but what bothers us is that these people all had plenty of advance notice to schedule these parties during the Summer at outdoor venues.  All of the people involved are in their 60s and should know better.

Also I am upset about having been called to do Jury Duty in Hartford (otherwise known around here as "Covid Central").  My lawyer friend says they were accepting deferrals based on Covid concerns for a while but somehow I was not given that option so I postponed it until this month to buy a little time.  But I just got a notice in the mail about my "upcoming service" and it does not mention any option to further postpone it for any reason.  I just can't believe this.  I don't even go to Hartford period anymore if I can avoid it because of the relatively high Covid numbers much less would I want to go to court, which my lawyer friend says is a nightmare from the POV of social distancing and even mask wearing, which although required is not really enforced.  He tries to avoid going there like the plague but unfortunately he has had to go a few times since they started in-person trials again.  He theorized that if they made it that easy to get out of jury duty right now, everyone would be doing it.  Perhaps.

Meanwhile the news today told us that 27% of the Covid cases in the state right now are breakthrough cases in vaccinated people, although supposedly most of them are asymptomatic.

And why do I always get called for Jury Duty anyway?  I don't personally know ONE person that gets called EVER, including my husband.

I don't look forward to calling the Jury Administration office tomorrow.  Ugh.....

I don’t live in your state, but a couple of months ago here they deferred over Covid concerns.  They didn’t even ask for any documentation just deferred it over the phone.  There was nothing on the actual mailing they sent about Covid deferment, but maybe they will offer it over the phone.

[ginger90]

1 hour ago, iwantcookies said:

What about this one? As you can tell I want a jacket with flowers on it. 
 

 

Such a personal choice. If you want something for New York  winters when it’s not snowing, sure. My personal preference is a jacket that covers my butt, is weatherproof, and is comfortable to wear while driving.

In those cases Columbia or North Face is my choice.

I’ve never shopped here, but came across this one, again, personal choice. It’s called BLUE FLORAL BOUQUET.

Edited October 4, 2021 by ginger90

[laurakaye]

I still mourn a blue and gray coat that I looked at several times but never bought, about 20 years ago, fearing that it wasn't "me."  If you like the floral coat and it makes you happy, get the floral coat.  The older I get, the more I see something that I initially think isn't "me" and buy it and wear it and then - suddenly - it is me, because I said so. :)  

[iwantcookies]

I think I will go to the store and try it on. I don’t like to order coats online. I want to make sure it fits and I like it. 

[Yeah No]

11 minutes ago, iwantcookies said:

I think I will go to the store and try it on. I don’t like to order coats online. I want to make sure it fits and I like it. 

I like the second one better than the first but it doesn't look like it's lined or can be worn in the very cold weather.  It's more like a Fall jacket.  Plus it looks like a pullover, which I personally don't find convenient.  Last year I saw some cute floral Fall and Winter jackets out but the season is young yet so maybe there will be more coming out soon.

I'm with you on wanting to try it on!  I couldn't possibly buy a coat online.  One reason we need to keep our brick and mortar stores.

[iwantcookies]

Instagram, Facebook are down. 

[WhatAmIWatching]

18 hours ago, iwantcookies said:

https://www.target.com/p/women--39-s-plus-size-floral-print-quilted-jacket---rachel-comey-x-target-black-3x/-/A-82639437
 

would you wear this coat?

This coat actually looks like it feels like a cozy, warm hug. I have an old, extremely fugly, brown faux Sherpa type coat that hits my ankles (I'm tall). I can admit that it actually looks like a worn out, matted bathrobe sans belt. My husband *hates* it and has tried to throw it out many times lol.

I now only wear it around the house and yard, and usually when husband is working overnights, or not home, so he doesn't have to witness its glory. 
 

If *you* love it, I say get it! Wear that cozy warm hug and enjoy the bright flowers when the weather is dull and drab.

[xwordfanatik]

I'm all about comfort these days.  I haven't bought clothes lately, but I've still got some I've yet to wear.  

We got our booster Covid shots today.  I wish more unvaccinated people would get on the ball and just do it.  I can't imagine how hard it would be to work in a hospital now.

[Cetacean]

I read today about a new drug by Merck that shows promise for treating Covid. I wonder how many anti-vaxxers who said that the "vaccines were developed too quickly so cannot be safe" will gladly accept a drug that was developed in even less time just because it isn't mandated.

[MaddyMaeboxerbabe]

My mom lives in Ca.  She was called for jury duty and asked to be excused.  She has served several times in the past but is very afraid of contacting COVID.  She is 81!    Well she received a letter back saying age and Covid no longer were valid excuses.  I told her not to go, but she went.  She was released after 2 hours.   

[iwantcookies]

Last time I got called and picked for jury trial was ohhhh when I was college. I’m hoping they forgot about me!

[Teafortwo]

3 hours ago, xwordfanatik said:

I'm all about comfort these days.  I haven't bought clothes lately, but I've still got some I've yet to wear.  

We got our booster Covid shots today.  I wish more unvaccinated people would get on the ball and just do it.  I can't imagine how hard it would be to work in a hospital now.

I got mine on Saturday. Large city-run site, almost completely empty. I had to fudge a little - do I have "active cancer" well, maybe not, but the area where my tumor was removed in June will be re-scanned next month (if I can get an appt). Do I take high-dose steroids? No, but I use a steroid inhaler every night and steroid nasal spray. If they want to prosecute me, so be it.

Still taking every possible precaution, avoiding crowds, wearing a mask indoors around others even if all are vaccinated. I just do not want to risk even an asymptomatic version.

[Cetacean]

21 hours ago, Yeah No said:

I don't look forward to calling the Jury Administration office tomorrow.  Ugh.....

Just keep saying "can you speak up" and "I can't hear you" until you drive them crazy.  Same thing if you get called in for questions.  They can't use someone hard of hearing.