Congratulations on your years of learning and success! My wife and I can totally relate to all that you’ve written in this post. We made the decision for her to stay home when our first child was born almost 14 years ago. It definitely takes work, planning, communication, and the commitment to live life your own way and not the way your family, friends, or neighbors think you should in order to match their lifestyle.
I agree that giving sweets as gifts is a bit over-doing it. Although I have been guilty of it in the past. I love to cook/bake, and am pretty well known for it among my friends and family. While I am often the pie-guy when it comes to bringing food to the party, I like to change it up a bit for gifts and make foods like salsa or guacamole, zucchini bread, or yes the occasional bottle of booze will do in a pinch.
I tried this. Got to #49, but ran out of steam by #30. I'll leave the list alone for a day, but I doubt I'll do anything with it. Nothing seems to cure my ennui and suicidal thoughts. I'm more than stuck.
Points.com is affiliated with about 4 financial rewards programs, so if your credit card is one of the four, it really does make it easy to track. They also track My Coke Rewards points, those are the codes inside the soda caps. It's just another way to earn points, even for a poor college grad. ;)
In most cases, you void the shops labor warranty by buying your own parts. This is not a scam by the shop to make more money. The suppliers they buy parts from will reimburse the shop for labor cost from a defective part they supplied, but only if it was bought by the shop and not by the customer. If you bought the part yourself and it is defective, you will have to pay the shop labor again to replace it. If the shop bought it, you're only out time.
Also, a reputable shop does not just "mark up" the parts. They sell them at suggested retail. When you find it cheaper yourself, it doesn't mean they are trying to scam you. It may not be the same brand and you may be skimping on quality. Before jumping on a cheaper part, talk to the shop about what you have found.
They can explain the differences in aftermarket brands and what should be used on your car. If it's a matter of affordability, they can go with a cheaper part, and you still keep your warranty. If they are not willing to discuss it, find another shop.
"Also, diesel engines won't warm up much after 2 minutes, anyway, (and can actually get colder if left to idle too long.)"
What makes you think this? A diesel not only needs alot longer than 2 minutes to get up to operating temps, but it does not get colder the longer you let it idle... Not letting them warm up properly in any conditions is never good on the motor...
This is a good post. With any gift it is the thought that counts, as the saying goes. Going out and buying $150 gift for somebody may require very little effort (thought). Making them a gift, even if its worth only a few dollars total in supplies, requires much more thought and effort and usually has much more of an impact on the receiver.
Good post. Miscommunication often leads to trouble. While this situation was quite extreme, miscommunication happens on a daily basis. It can lead to many missed opportunities (in career and social life), added work that you wouldn't have done otherwise, missed work that you should have done, misinterpreted social signals (i.e. someone is hitting on you and you think they are just asking you for directions), and many others. The fact that what people say and what they mean are generally two completely different things which you have to correctly decipher makes things even more difficult.
My bank is also requiring a higher minimum balance on my checking account to avoid a monthly fee. Its makes me wish that they were still allowed to levy overdraft fees.
You make perfect sense. An end of the world scenario would demand heroic action. No time for laundry or grocery shopping. The kind of life that raises the hair on the back of your neck at the slightest noise, or the motion of a shadow in the shadows. The kind of life that demands you do the right thing to the most extreme extent in the blink of an eye without time for doubt. The kind of life that leaves no time for introspection. You're right or you're dead. That's the kind of life that few people actually live, these days. Soldiers for lengthy periods of time, police officers and fire fighters for short bursts. For the rest of us? Tedium. That's when you start questioning the meaning of life. No one questions the meaning of life when bullets are flying or swords swinging. In those moments, life demands to keep happening without wondering why. I guess the trick is, realizing the tedius stuff is just as vital, only much much slower to become critical. Just realize that everything is vital. You just need to adjust your sense of speed. Think of the tedious life as a very slow life or death struggle. It might change perspective.
I've made the sun dried tomatoes that Aaron is talking about and they are amazing and can be quickly tossed in all kinds of recipes. I would highly recommend that! I love capers too but I don't tend to ever find them at a good price... maybe I'm not shopping at the right spot. Great list by the way Linsey!
Great post. One year the borough dug up the road outside our house, We set our youngest out on the porch in his highchair and he sat enthralled for over an hour.
@Guest - You make an excellent observation about summer care, and I often wonder how working parents financially and logistically cope with long summer breaks. Thanks for bringing this up!
I THOUGHT I'D SHARE MY VERSION OF THE "DUMP CAKE." AND PLEASE SEND ME YOUR FAB VERSION OF THE "POKE AND DUMP" CAKE USING EVAPORATED MILK, SUGAR, AND COCOA.
THANKS
!
YOU'LL NEED:
13 X 9 BAKING PAN
1 CAN OF CRUSHED PINEAPPLE
1 CAN OF CHERRY PIE FILLING
1 YELLOW CAKE MIX
1 STICK OF BUTTER OR MARGERINE
I SPRAY THE PAN WITH A COOKING SPRAY.
JUST POUR THE ENTIRE CAN OF CRUSHED PINEAPPLE IN THE PAN, WITH THE JUICE.
SPOON THE CAN OF CHERRY PIE FILLING OVER THE PINEAPPLE.
SPRINKLE THE DRY CAKE MIX OVER THE CHERRY PIE FILLING.
DON'T MIX ANYTHING IN THE PAN. TRUST ME, WHEN IT COOKS, IT ALL MIXES!
CUT THIN SLICES OF BUTTER OR MARGARINE, THEN LAY OVER THE DRY CAKE MIX.
BAKE AT 350 DEGREES FOR 30 MINUTES.
[CHECK YOUR DUMP CAKE AFTER 20 MINUTES, SINCE ALL OVENS BAKE DIFFERENTLY.]
I have found AwardWallet (awardwallet.com) to be a dramatically better site for managing all my frequent flyer, hotel, etc. accounts. The point redemption and exchange options on points.com are for the most part very bad I think, and the IT is pretty buggy as well. FlyerTalk users seem to much prefer AwardWallet also.
Great post, Barlington! Communication - oh, so important when it comes to gift giving and receiving. If the author is pissed at gifts he has gotten - not my fault - dude needs to tell people what he wants. Also, the whole 'do you remember what your mother gave you five years ago....?' comment - give me a break. My husband has purchased gifts from several Christmas' ago that I still use to this day. However, whenever I use the items I don't think "Oh, look. Memories of opening this on Christmas Day." Maybe I don't necessarily remember what I got each Christmas, but I am sure I use(d) and enjoy(ed) the gifts. You know why? I communicated with my family and told them what I hoped to receive.
All I can add is to PLEASE tip the waiter or waitress properly. For example, if you have a coupon for $10 off of a $30 meal, that would obviously bring the bill to $20. However, you really should tip the waiter/waitress based on the original $30. Only a cheap jerk would reduce the tip for the wait staff based on the final total of the bill. If you can't afford to tip properly, then order take-out! (And for the record, I am NOT a waitress.)
I quit caffeine about 3 1/2 weeks ago. At first I had the headaches and was extremely tired and moody. However, for the past few weeks I have developed insomnia! I know that doesn't seem to make sense! It is driving me crazy! I sleep good one night and have a good day, feeling more calm and in control. Then the next day I wake up at 3 and can't go back to sleep. Do you know what its like when you are trying not to drink caffeine after maybe 3 or 4 hours of sleep and then still expected to carry on normally with your day and function. This is killing me. I'm trying really hard to stay away from caffeine. I had gotten to the point where I would get a small buzz from caffeine, but mostly just felt tired all of the time. I was unable to control my weight and was gaining weight. I'm pretty sure it has to do with the constant energy swings throughout the day. I'm in my late thirtees and I just can't handle caffeine like I used to. I guess I always knew it was bad for me and quit for periods of time in the past. The last time I quit was about a year ago. I quit for a month, but still felt tired so I started drinking it again. I really need to get off of it. I feel it is the first step to becoming more healthy, having more energy and hopefully getting my weight under control. I've heard of adrenal failure and that in that new book, "Caffeine Blues" the author says to stay off of caffeine for two months and see how you feel. I'm really trying, but two months is a long time to feel bad. The insomnia is killing me. When I don't get a good night sleep there is nothing that I can do, no Java fix, to keep me going. I just feel really miserable all day. I have to do this for my children. I just started homeschooling them a few months ago. I'm tired of not feeling well. When will this insomnia end and when will I start to feel better. Anyone that thinks that caffeine is not a drug is ridiculous. Quitting for me is a day to day battle that right now is pretty intense. I can see myself a year from now being much healthier, and I'm just trying to hang on!
I typically wing it -- I've never been charged an extra fee for staying late (1-2 hours seems to be the threshold for avoiding the fee). Anything beyond that is pushing it. Of course, if it's a very busy day at the hotel, late checkout of any kind may not be possible. I would say late checkout without the fee works about 70% of the time.
I know exactly what this article is talking about. I was in that predicament when I tore my achilles tendon in 2006. I had around 4 credit cards with a $4,000 available credit combined and had to use that to support my family until I was unable to get back to work. Not only did it put me in more debt, but it affected my credit too. I was able to get back on track after working overtime for a few months to pay everything off. Chase was the best that gave me huge breaks during my injury. My advice, be careful what you spend on credit cards and don't make minimum payments.
Congratulations on your years of learning and success! My wife and I can totally relate to all that you’ve written in this post. We made the decision for her to stay home when our first child was born almost 14 years ago. It definitely takes work, planning, communication, and the commitment to live life your own way and not the way your family, friends, or neighbors think you should in order to match their lifestyle.
I agree that giving sweets as gifts is a bit over-doing it. Although I have been guilty of it in the past. I love to cook/bake, and am pretty well known for it among my friends and family. While I am often the pie-guy when it comes to bringing food to the party, I like to change it up a bit for gifts and make foods like salsa or guacamole, zucchini bread, or yes the occasional bottle of booze will do in a pinch.
I tried this. Got to #49, but ran out of steam by #30. I'll leave the list alone for a day, but I doubt I'll do anything with it. Nothing seems to cure my ennui and suicidal thoughts. I'm more than stuck.
I couldn't agree more. There's something to be said for an actual, physical card instead of an e-card. It's much more personal.
Points.com is affiliated with about 4 financial rewards programs, so if your credit card is one of the four, it really does make it easy to track. They also track My Coke Rewards points, those are the codes inside the soda caps. It's just another way to earn points, even for a poor college grad. ;)
Hi Carrie,
Thanks for the comment. Cross-posting would be great. Thanks again for providing such an easy to use service.
Reward points are definitely attractive and money savers.. potentially. Just best not to get to obsessed with getting reward points for rewards sake!
In most cases, you void the shops labor warranty by buying your own parts. This is not a scam by the shop to make more money. The suppliers they buy parts from will reimburse the shop for labor cost from a defective part they supplied, but only if it was bought by the shop and not by the customer. If you bought the part yourself and it is defective, you will have to pay the shop labor again to replace it. If the shop bought it, you're only out time.
Also, a reputable shop does not just "mark up" the parts. They sell them at suggested retail. When you find it cheaper yourself, it doesn't mean they are trying to scam you. It may not be the same brand and you may be skimping on quality. Before jumping on a cheaper part, talk to the shop about what you have found.
They can explain the differences in aftermarket brands and what should be used on your car. If it's a matter of affordability, they can go with a cheaper part, and you still keep your warranty. If they are not willing to discuss it, find another shop.
"Also, diesel engines won't warm up much after 2 minutes, anyway, (and can actually get colder if left to idle too long.)"
What makes you think this? A diesel not only needs alot longer than 2 minutes to get up to operating temps, but it does not get colder the longer you let it idle... Not letting them warm up properly in any conditions is never good on the motor...
This is a good post. With any gift it is the thought that counts, as the saying goes. Going out and buying $150 gift for somebody may require very little effort (thought). Making them a gift, even if its worth only a few dollars total in supplies, requires much more thought and effort and usually has much more of an impact on the receiver.
Good post. Miscommunication often leads to trouble. While this situation was quite extreme, miscommunication happens on a daily basis. It can lead to many missed opportunities (in career and social life), added work that you wouldn't have done otherwise, missed work that you should have done, misinterpreted social signals (i.e. someone is hitting on you and you think they are just asking you for directions), and many others. The fact that what people say and what they mean are generally two completely different things which you have to correctly decipher makes things even more difficult.
My bank is also requiring a higher minimum balance on my checking account to avoid a monthly fee. Its makes me wish that they were still allowed to levy overdraft fees.
You make perfect sense. An end of the world scenario would demand heroic action. No time for laundry or grocery shopping. The kind of life that raises the hair on the back of your neck at the slightest noise, or the motion of a shadow in the shadows. The kind of life that demands you do the right thing to the most extreme extent in the blink of an eye without time for doubt. The kind of life that leaves no time for introspection. You're right or you're dead. That's the kind of life that few people actually live, these days. Soldiers for lengthy periods of time, police officers and fire fighters for short bursts. For the rest of us? Tedium. That's when you start questioning the meaning of life. No one questions the meaning of life when bullets are flying or swords swinging. In those moments, life demands to keep happening without wondering why. I guess the trick is, realizing the tedius stuff is just as vital, only much much slower to become critical. Just realize that everything is vital. You just need to adjust your sense of speed. Think of the tedious life as a very slow life or death struggle. It might change perspective.
I've made the sun dried tomatoes that Aaron is talking about and they are amazing and can be quickly tossed in all kinds of recipes. I would highly recommend that! I love capers too but I don't tend to ever find them at a good price... maybe I'm not shopping at the right spot. Great list by the way Linsey!
Great post. One year the borough dug up the road outside our house, We set our youngest out on the porch in his highchair and he sat enthralled for over an hour.
Whatever happened to Jungle Crazy?
@Guest - You make an excellent observation about summer care, and I often wonder how working parents financially and logistically cope with long summer breaks. Thanks for bringing this up!
HI NOODLE
I THOUGHT I'D SHARE MY VERSION OF THE "DUMP CAKE." AND PLEASE SEND ME YOUR FAB VERSION OF THE "POKE AND DUMP" CAKE USING EVAPORATED MILK, SUGAR, AND COCOA.
THANKS
!
YOU'LL NEED:
13 X 9 BAKING PAN
1 CAN OF CRUSHED PINEAPPLE
1 CAN OF CHERRY PIE FILLING
1 YELLOW CAKE MIX
1 STICK OF BUTTER OR MARGERINE
I SPRAY THE PAN WITH A COOKING SPRAY.
JUST POUR THE ENTIRE CAN OF CRUSHED PINEAPPLE IN THE PAN, WITH THE JUICE.
SPOON THE CAN OF CHERRY PIE FILLING OVER THE PINEAPPLE.
SPRINKLE THE DRY CAKE MIX OVER THE CHERRY PIE FILLING.
DON'T MIX ANYTHING IN THE PAN. TRUST ME, WHEN IT COOKS, IT ALL MIXES!
CUT THIN SLICES OF BUTTER OR MARGARINE, THEN LAY OVER THE DRY CAKE MIX.
BAKE AT 350 DEGREES FOR 30 MINUTES.
[CHECK YOUR DUMP CAKE AFTER 20 MINUTES, SINCE ALL OVENS BAKE DIFFERENTLY.]
YOU'LL LOVE IT!
I have found AwardWallet (awardwallet.com) to be a dramatically better site for managing all my frequent flyer, hotel, etc. accounts. The point redemption and exchange options on points.com are for the most part very bad I think, and the IT is pretty buggy as well. FlyerTalk users seem to much prefer AwardWallet also.
Great post, Barlington! Communication - oh, so important when it comes to gift giving and receiving. If the author is pissed at gifts he has gotten - not my fault - dude needs to tell people what he wants. Also, the whole 'do you remember what your mother gave you five years ago....?' comment - give me a break. My husband has purchased gifts from several Christmas' ago that I still use to this day. However, whenever I use the items I don't think "Oh, look. Memories of opening this on Christmas Day." Maybe I don't necessarily remember what I got each Christmas, but I am sure I use(d) and enjoy(ed) the gifts. You know why? I communicated with my family and told them what I hoped to receive.
I have to agree with both the author and Jake on this. Sharing a soda is NOT going to hurt a restaurant's bottom line, folks.
All I can add is to PLEASE tip the waiter or waitress properly. For example, if you have a coupon for $10 off of a $30 meal, that would obviously bring the bill to $20. However, you really should tip the waiter/waitress based on the original $30. Only a cheap jerk would reduce the tip for the wait staff based on the final total of the bill. If you can't afford to tip properly, then order take-out! (And for the record, I am NOT a waitress.)
I quit caffeine about 3 1/2 weeks ago. At first I had the headaches and was extremely tired and moody. However, for the past few weeks I have developed insomnia! I know that doesn't seem to make sense! It is driving me crazy! I sleep good one night and have a good day, feeling more calm and in control. Then the next day I wake up at 3 and can't go back to sleep. Do you know what its like when you are trying not to drink caffeine after maybe 3 or 4 hours of sleep and then still expected to carry on normally with your day and function. This is killing me. I'm trying really hard to stay away from caffeine. I had gotten to the point where I would get a small buzz from caffeine, but mostly just felt tired all of the time. I was unable to control my weight and was gaining weight. I'm pretty sure it has to do with the constant energy swings throughout the day. I'm in my late thirtees and I just can't handle caffeine like I used to. I guess I always knew it was bad for me and quit for periods of time in the past. The last time I quit was about a year ago. I quit for a month, but still felt tired so I started drinking it again. I really need to get off of it. I feel it is the first step to becoming more healthy, having more energy and hopefully getting my weight under control. I've heard of adrenal failure and that in that new book, "Caffeine Blues" the author says to stay off of caffeine for two months and see how you feel. I'm really trying, but two months is a long time to feel bad. The insomnia is killing me. When I don't get a good night sleep there is nothing that I can do, no Java fix, to keep me going. I just feel really miserable all day. I have to do this for my children. I just started homeschooling them a few months ago. I'm tired of not feeling well. When will this insomnia end and when will I start to feel better. Anyone that thinks that caffeine is not a drug is ridiculous. Quitting for me is a day to day battle that right now is pretty intense. I can see myself a year from now being much healthier, and I'm just trying to hang on!
I typically wing it -- I've never been charged an extra fee for staying late (1-2 hours seems to be the threshold for avoiding the fee). Anything beyond that is pushing it. Of course, if it's a very busy day at the hotel, late checkout of any kind may not be possible. I would say late checkout without the fee works about 70% of the time.
I know exactly what this article is talking about. I was in that predicament when I tore my achilles tendon in 2006. I had around 4 credit cards with a $4,000 available credit combined and had to use that to support my family until I was unable to get back to work. Not only did it put me in more debt, but it affected my credit too. I was able to get back on track after working overtime for a few months to pay everything off. Chase was the best that gave me huge breaks during my injury. My advice, be careful what you spend on credit cards and don't make minimum payments.
DJB