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Greta

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Posts posted by Greta

  1. You're right, Patty Joanna, driving isn't that much worse in terms of time investment.  The airport I would be flying to is actually still a 2-hour drive from my final destination.  So once you figure in that drive, security lines, baggage claim, and all of that, it's still a long day!  But the interstate that takes me from here to there seems to be getting more and more populated by huge semi trucks, and thus a little scarier to drive.  That was a big part of my motivation, but like I said, there's still two hours on a busy interstate even if I fly.  So probably not worth it.  

     

    I had no idea about trying the price search on a different computer, though!  Neat trick.  Once when my dad was visiting me, he logged in to his Amazon account to do something.  Then after he left, my daughter went to look again at a video game that she wanted, and the price was almost half of what they had shown before.  It was still logged into my dad's account.  When we logged into her account on a different computer, the price was high.  I guess since my dad had never purchased a video game, they give him a lower price to entice him.  Since she had ordered others before, they knew they had her hooked and could charge her more.  We ordered that game using my dad's account (with his blessing, of course!) and then started shopping at Game Stop!  :lol:  

     

    Anyway, back to the topic at hand.  Cera2, thanks for the reminder regarding the fare alert.  It's worth a shot!

  2. Long story, so I won't bore you with the details.  But I should have explained my situation better:  I have to either fly on this one specific day, or dive, but if I drive it doesn't have to be that exact date.  Weird, I know.  But it's a matter of when there will be someone to pick me up at the airport when I land.

     

    So should I wait until, like, the day before or the day of, and see if I can get a deal?  And if I do that, can I still use a site like kayak, or should I deal with the airline directly?  Should I go hang out at the airport and see if they'll take pity on me?   :lol:  (I realize they have no pity!)

     

    ETA:  Oh, and I should have added, I've never flown stand-by, so I'm not entirely clear on how it works, but I think the answer is yes.  If I could get a flight pretty much any time on this one particular day, that would work.  And I do have the freedom to wait at the airport for hours (sounds fun) to see if that can happen.

  3. Is there a point super-close to the date of travel when the price might drop again?  

     

    I wanted to "sleep on it" and by delaying one day I missed the opportunity to buy tickets at a price that I could afford.  Should I keep my eyes on the tickets to see if they go down again?  Or is that a complete fantasy, and I'm going to have to just accept a 10-hour drive instead?   :(

    • Like 1
  4. Once when a friend of mine was telling me how much it stresses her out to be the only one in her marriage who worries and plans, I realized that if I had more concern, perhaps my husband could worry less.  I had always felt like he worried enough for both of us, so I didn't need to bother!  She was the one who made me see that someone who worries alone worries more.  So though I tend to be more free-spirited and optimistic than my husband, I have tried to show him that I can shoulder some of the burden of concern for our future.  And honestly, as I've aged, I've felt a lot more concern for the future, too.  I still try not to worry, because I feel that worrying robs me of the present (I do have my moments, though!).  But concern and planning can help ensure a better future.  So I try to do that.

    • Like 1
  5. Another vote for strength training - we start losing muscle mass at the age of 35, and bone mass after menopause.  Strength training is the best way to fight both.  There are so many benefits to it.  Maybe you're not old enough to be worried about aging yet.  I am!  I'm 42, but I see so many people in their 70's and even in their 60's (!!!) who have trouble just getting around and functioning normally.  I don't want that to happen to me.  I want to be able to live for as long as I live!  I wish I had taken better care of myself when I was younger, but better to start now than to wait even longer.

     

     

    I think your walking can build a pretty good aerobic base, especially if you are walking briskly, or throw in some intervals of brisk walking where you are pushing yourself.  So the strength training would be a good complement to that.  

     

    If you're interested in doing bodyweight exercises, check out:  http://www.amazon.com/You-Are-Your-Own-Gym/dp/0345528581?ie=UTF8&keywords=you%20are%20your%20own%20gym&qid=1465478751&ref_=sr_1_1&sr=8-1  (If you decide to purchase this book, I recommend print not kindle.  You'll want to refer back to it frequently, and I find it harder in a kindle version to find the page I'm looking for.)

     

    A bench and an assortment of dumbbells will give you a lot of versatility.  If funds are limited, skip the bench and start with the dumbbells, because there's quite a bit you can do without a bench.  Throw in a pull-up bar or gymnastics rings if you can.  I haven't done anything with rings yet -- TRX classes are offered at my gym, but they are not included in the basic membership (they cost extra), so I haven't tried it yet.  But it looks fun -- very challenging, but fun! 

     

    You might want to check out https://www.girlsgonestrong.com  They're having a sale right now on their program, so I may buy it.  But even if you're not interested in that, I've been really enjoying the articles and videos that they post (they post them to Facebook too, if you want to get them that way.)

     

    If you're a nerd like me who likes to know about the research regarding fitness, this book is really interesting and motivating:  http://www.amazon.com/First-20-Minutes-Surprising-Exercise/dp/0142196754?ie=UTF8&keywords=the%20first%20twenty%20minutes&qid=1465480075&ref_=sr_1_1&sr=8-1

     

     

     

     

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  6. It depends on what type of librarian you want to be. Some people work in their county library and the town calls their job a librarian. But, there is a degree of library science and you get awarded an MLS. That is usually the basis for being a librarian, unless there are some other circumstances. Sometimes other education beyond a BA can stand in for an MLS if it is closely related to the work needed done by the library.

     

    To be a school librarian some states require you to have both MLS and to have some teaching credits. My neighbors who are librarians both work in a school (different schools and different school systems though). They both have an MLS and some educational classes that any teacher would have to have to be certified to work in the public school. They both have some teaching component to their jobs. But they are also in the teacher's union and get teacher benefits. Some states don't require school librarians to have any qualifications though. However, in that case I suspect you don't get the same benefits as the teachers.

     

    DH and my sister are both academic librarians. They work in college libraries, but different colleges. My sis is a health services librarian at a small private college that has several health related programs. DH is director of acquisitions for a major research university. Same degree, but very, very different jobs. My sister works with students also has some reference desk shifts, and DH directs a whole department and has a budget of 20 million dollars. Before that he was the director of electronic resources.

     

    Some universities classify librarians as faculty and they are required to have two masters degrees, an MLS and another in their field of study. Other universities classify them as staff and only require the MLS. Generally if you are hired as faculty then you are also required to publish in your field, just like any other professor. However, I am sure there are exceptions to that at individual colleges. I am speaking in very general terms. But it isn't uncommon for academic librarians to have more than one advanced degree so that they are more employable. It also makes it easier for them to change institutions. If you work at a university that doesn't require that second master's degree you might want to get one in case you want to work at a school that does require them.

     

     

    These days, the growth areas of the field are all tech related. It's all data bases and customer service.

    Thank you so much for this information! I'm contemplating career options for when my daughter goes to college. This might involve more education than I'm willing to invest in, but it's worth thinking about. It seems like a career I would enjoy. Lots of options I need to consider, though.

  7. I also wouldn't think to put Pride and Prejudice (my favorite movie!) in the rom-com category either, though I think MANY parts of it are hugely funny. I have a slightly strange sense of humor though.

     

     

    I agree, its humor is one of the things that makes it such a great story!  But since (to me, at least) the humor isn't the major point or focus of the story, I don't think of it as rom-com.  But, I can certainly see how others would see it differently.  However you want to label it, it IS a great movie (and book)!

  8. I'm guessing some people don't quite fully grasp what "rom-com" means, because I'm scratching my head over some of these recommendations.

     

     

    As I was reading this thread I was thinking "oh dear, I seem to have very different tastes in rom-coms compared to my fellow WTMers.  Why am I always the weird one?"  But maybe part of it is that I have a different definition of rom-com.  (And, also, that I'm always the weird one.)  When I think of rom-com, I think My Big Fat Greek Wedding, not Pride and Prejudice.  I dunno.  I love both, but I would only put one in that category.

    • Like 6
  9. The backlog of lab tests is deplorable for everything, not just rape. I have a relative who waited nearly 8 months to get the results of blood work taken from a drunk driver to confirm their blood alcohol levels.

     

    People are also waiting really long times for autopsies of victims bc there's just not enough state medical coroners or large enough facilities.

     

    And I completely agree that people (cops or otherwise) who don't do their job thoroughly should be forced to do it properly or fired.

     

    I completely agree our justice system is flawed every direction we look. I'm all for fixing that.

     

     

    This is such a shame.  I've read that the relentless pursuit of marijuana crimes is (at least in part) responsible for many other violent crimes not getting the time and attention that they deserve from police departments.  I don't know if that's true, but if it is, it would probably be the deciding factor for me in the debate about legalizing marijuana.  I have mixed feelings about that generally, but if drunk drivers and rapists are going free so that we could put marijuana growers and distributors in jail, that is insane.  I know limited funding in general has to be an issue as well.  I don't know what other factors might be at play here.  But this seriously needs to be addressed.  It has got to change.

     

    Sorry, I know I'm getting off topic.  

    • Like 1
  10. It does not matter if anyone ever falsely accused someone of anything.

     

    What matters in legal justice is whether there is evidence they can prove someone committed a crime, any crime, because no, we do not and should not be convicting people of crimes just because someone says they were wronged.

     

    That IS the difference in this case. She was able to prove her case. I'm glad she was able to prove her case. I'm thrilled there were two good men to come to her aid and stop her rapist.

     

    But no, if you are actually advocating that a person should be able to say someone committed a crime, especially such a serious crime, and get a conviction based on their word alone, then I cannot agree with that under any circumstances.

    The problem is that the police sometimes don't bother collecting evidence, or testing the evidence that has been collected. If the victim doesn't act the "right" way or have the "right" kind of story, her allegations don't get taken seriously by the people who swore to protect and serve her, so a proper investigation never happens. I think what poppy was saying was that if it weren't for the two eyewitnesses, the police might have brushed her off, never bothered to find out if there was real evidence. This story is long, but it is well worth reading: https://www.propublica.org/article/false-rape-accusations-an-unbelievable-story

     

    The backlog of untested rape kits (hundreds of thousands of them!) is such a serious issue that it has finally gotten national attention. http://www.endthebacklog.org

     

    Lack of existing evidence is no doubt a problem in some cases. But lack of collecting and processing available evidence is a huge problem.

    • Like 8
  11.  

    If any of you think you can control or stop rapists be my guest.

     

     

    There is some hope on that front, actually:  http://www.upworthy.com/kenyas-unique-approach-to-rape-prevention-should-have-the-rest-of-the-world-taking-note?c=ufb3

     

    And here's the abstract for the study:  http://jiv.sagepub.com/content/early/2015/06/03/0886260515586367.abstract

     

    Perhaps there are other programs like this out there.  I sincerely hope so.  This is the only one I've personally heard of.

    • Like 1
  12. I did 40 minutes of steady cardio yesterday afternoon as planned, and went to the gym with my husband this morning for weights.  We did legs, arms, and shoulders.

     

    I'm also doing a one-mile walk every morning, and again every evening.  That's pretty much just become a habit now that I don't think of as part of my "exercise routine" per se, but just something very enjoyable that I look forward to!

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  13. I wish we had enough bedrooms to have my own!   One set of grandparents had their own rooms, so I don't necessarily think it's weird.  I would love to be able to keep my room nice and neat and lovely and let him trash his.  Whoops, did I just say that?  :lol: :lol:

     

    Yes, and there's that as well!  :D

  14. My husband and I have separate bedrooms.  First of all, I just really like having space that is entirely 100% mine.  Maybe that sounds selfish, but there's something so relaxing about it to me.  I walk into that room every night and just feel such a sense of peace.  As the only girl in my family growing up, I always had my own room, and I guess that got me spoiled to the arrangement.  

     

    Secondly, my husband, love him to pieces, is annoying as all heck to sleep with.  He tosses and turns like you would not believe.  He doesn't just roll over when he wants to change positions during the night, he sits up and hurls himself down again!  It is no fun to be startled awake several times a night.  Plus, our sleep schedules are very different.  He's an early to bed, early to rise type (8pm to 4am!) and I'm, well, not (11pm to 7am).  So separate sleeping quarters just makes more sense for us, so that I'm not waking him up when I go to bed, and he's not waking me up at 4am.

     

    This, by the way, has no bearing whatsoever on our intimacy.  We didn't do this because we are avoiding each other.  It just works better for us.  

     

    Oh, also, I like my girly room decor, and the fact that, even though I dearly love my dogs, I can have *one* room in my house that's relatively free of dog hair!!!  Hubby would never agreer to a dog-free bedroom.  One of our dogs sleeps with him!

     

     

     

    • Like 2
  15. I thought I'd share this article/video of a 10 minute dynamic warm-up:

     

    https://www.girlsgonestrong.com/blog/injury-prevention/dynamic-warm-up-a-10-minute-pre-workout-routine-for-women/

     

     

    I had a rough time last week due to muscle cramps, but I'm looking forward to a better week this week!  Planning on steady-state cardio this afternoon.  

     

    Also, I had to share this silly little victory moment that I had.  I was mindlessly scratching a minor itch on my upper arm, when I suddenly realized, holy cow there's an actual biceps muscle in there!  :lol:  It's still very small, but it's at least noticeably present now, and that's a huge improvement!  :D

    • Like 5
  16. We are trying to live debt free.

    Then I think the question is, "do you have enough cash to pay for a new car?" We are pretty frugal in general, and with cars in particular. Other than the timing belt, the issues you describe are annoying but not serious, and would be nowhere near enough to make me personally want to buy a new car. I'd fix the timing belt and not worry about the rest. But our "newest" car is 15 years old, and has a lot of quirks, and our old one is 20 and is pitiful! I don't get any joy out of owning cars, to me they're just a way to get from point A to point B. So I'm biased. :) If you have the money and that's how you want to spend it, then absolutely go for it! But I think you're saying you want to live debt free and you'd have to take on debt to do this. So then I'd say not worth it. Our only debt is our mortgage, and I'd love to be rid of it as well. I've lived under the crushing weight of debt before, and I would really like to avoid it in the future. I respect your intention to live debt free, and I'd encourage you to stay with it for awhile, and see how it feels. It's easy to take on debt later if you decide too. It's much harder to pay off a debt once you've taken it on.

     

     

    ETA:  When we buy cars, we buy new.  We just keep them forever, like till they're not drivable anymore.  :D

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  17. I would do it the minute I get out of bed, or even in bed if possible, or before I go to bed. You wake up and go to bed every day without fail so that should work.

     

    Excellent idea!  I've tried to make it part of my workout routine, but my workout routine varies every day, so it didn't seem to "stick".  But waking up and going to bed are things that I do, without fail, every single day.  So it makes a lot more sense to tie it to those.  Thanks!

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  18. So sorry! That is discouraging, but it's best to rest and heal. You can get back on track after recovering. In the future, would it be helpful if we periodically ask you how your piriformis exercises are coming along? 

     

     

    Aw, thanks, Laurie!  You're the best.  I should be a grown-up and figure out a way to remember it myself, but yes that would be great!  :D

    • Like 1
  19. I don't think windfall profits should be required to be shared with employees.  It depends on many things.  I think employees should be paid a fair wage for their work and whatever risk they may be taking.  Most people don't think employees should be taking any risks for their employers, but risk is the thing that ultimately leads to rewards. 

     

     

    I get this, and I absolutely agree:  choosing to be an employee rather than an entrepreneur or investor means that I have the security of a regular paycheck.  And that reduced risk comes with a reduced potential benefit as well.  That's all perfectly reasonable, and as just as it should be.  The problem is, I think we've lost sight of what constitutes a "fair wage".  

     

    This article is interesting, though I realize the numbers are a couple of years old.  http://fortune.com/2013/11/12/why-wal-mart-can-afford-to-give-its-workers-a-50-raise/

     

    The company that my Dad worked for his entire life now pays it's workers about half of what they paid when he first signed on (in the 1970's), when adjusted for inflation.  They've also drastically cut back on benefits, vacation time, and pensions, and they've put their workforce on brutal rotating shifts.  All the while their profits have been increasing.  I understand that the employees get a very modest share of those profits.  But why they should get less and less while the profits go up and up is beyond me.  

    • Like 4
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