They didn't have time to get cash and Paypal took a cut of my pay. I brought my laptop here to do work and universal charger but it had an adapter tip that doesn't fit this laptop. I last used it with ds' old laptop. Oops. So if I can find a cheap set of adapter tips I'll have my laptop all weekend while I dog sit. If I can't, I'm not buying the whole adapter plus plug set for $20 or so. Not worth it. I left my book at home too ugh. I do have my cell phone at least. The laptop is better for work, though, which I hoped to do some work stuff.

I cannot even fathom why he would be needed at 9am and not get home til that late. What time was the actual wedding?? Was there a great distance between the wedding ceremony and the reception? I wouldn't want to be involved, either!

I learned the term "HSP" a few years back. And I didn't have such a great understanding of what introversion was until then, either. I mean, I thought an introvert just hated crowds (and really while I don't love them, I'm ok with them in limited doses. Christmas shopping at the mall... sounds like a nightmare to most people but it doesn't phase me that much. Though it's kind of a last resort as I usually shop ahead or online). So I didn't quite know how to label myself. Then later, and I think this term has been described to me in a contradictory way since then, I read that introvert/extrovert is really about how you recharge. Hosting a big event sounds like something I'd need days to recover from, though I might enjoy it to an extent. I dreaded those visits with my inlaws because they would last for hours and when I'd retreat to the guest room (we slept there) I'd be criticized! I was considered rude, anti social or they would think it was weird for me to nap I guess because no one else was really a napper. But the alternative was to stay in the living room where FIL watched his shows (usually stuff I didn't care about) and others would come and go (in and out of the house for smoking), talk, cook/make noise in the kitchen, etc. Just a lot of activity. I'd beg xh sometimes to just stay for dinner and go if we were doing a Friday night dinner, but he wouldn't compromise and we'd be there all day. Knowing more about myself I know that if I'm ever in a relationship again they can't expect me to spend all day long at someone's house. Like even if I really liked a person, I just don't think I'd want to be there that many hours. I think HSP may be why I lean toward cats. They are much more calm. But some dogs are calm. I don't know of a test to check for extrovert/introvert/ambivert. I am just basing that on my own observations about myself. I do want to go out and do things with people.... but no one ever takes me up on it. That's their "family time" or whatever.

I normally bake the chicken, too. I’ve had so many awful chicken pot pies (mini Marie calendars which I had to bake forever in a glass dish upside down to fully cook lol) I just don’t trust not blind baking. I buy the roll out dough.

Last year I made 2 turkey pot pies with leftover Thanksgiving turkey. Froze then had one less thing to cook for Christmas. My kids are wishy washy on liking it! I love it

Oh gosh no lol if I’m trying homemade it won’t be for a house that might not get eaten. Plus the homemade ones probably aren’t rigid enough. I’ve watched someone attempt to replicate one I think on a cooking show. I can’t remember the show but we watched on YouTube? This crew recreated tons of store bought items with varying success. Ah, here she is: https://m.youtube.com/results?search_query=%23clairesaffitz

You can get a rotisserie chicken if you want. I buy crusts. The blind baking step is kind of a pain. I use the recipe called classic on the Pillsbury website. I buy the carrot/pea mixed veggies.

The book says when people are stressed a long time/overaroused (or exposed to things like viruses) they may be low on some neurotransmitters, hence depression. I don’t know how much of being an HSP plays a role for me, but I do have depression and take antidepressants. I think mine may be more situational.

I do not know if I have a strong reaction to caffeine other than soda makes me pee a lot 🤣 I said no to that one.

Yes. It’s in the book on pg 98. It says they may be over aroused by things like a long day at work or too much time in the city. The book says it’s about 30% of HSPs.

True. I retook the quiz today and got 23.

To me the key to defining an introvert is how you recharge. Some people (extroverts) recharge by being around others. Some (introverts) need to recharge alone and may find gatherings exhausting.

The HSP author describes it as innate but I suppose some people are molded by certain things… I just don’t know if I’d call them an HSP/empath. I also think there’s overlap with other descriptors so someone that is very sensitive to sounds could have sensory processing disorder or similar. And I don’t even think SPD is necessarily considered an official DSM thing. I don’t think I have SPD. I do need to get away from people to recharge, as an introvert would. I might be an ambivert.

Probably not a reference to me but I was briefly a librarian (in name). They called me the branch manager and librarian at the tiny branch where I worked. But I don't have a MLS/MLIS degree. Was a graphic designer. Now work at a magazine.

I don't generally like a TV on unless I'm watching it. The kids I babysat for were playing a board game with me while the ipad was sitting there with a guy blabbing on YouTube. It was like it didn't bother them at all. I gently asked if we could turn the ipad off. I don't know if it's an HSP thing or not but I cannot stand trying to sleep with a TV on or in earshot. I want total darkness/quiet. If I'm driving my kids and have the radio on and then ds is in the back listening to something on his phone it's like uggggh. Competing sounds. I do not like big gatherings. I can handle them, but I prefer smaller group settings or one-on-one. I also prefer deeper connections and conversations which aren't really possible in large settings. I saw a cool device online similar to ear plugs but just to make volume more bearable with young children or other sounds. I probably could have benefited from that when they were younger lol. But I don't even like putting things in my ears at all (over the head style headphones for me).

The main distinction I make is that while I'm sensitive I'm less weighted down by other's emotions than my sister. Empaths may need more time to recuperate/be more affected. I do feel the room and don't like to be in certain places/situations with certain energy, but when I get away I think I bounce back faster than she does. But I did get physically sick after watching a very emotional movie, so I don't know how to measure it!

I don't know if I'd call these light but some ideas of what to do with the meat: Ham/egg sandwhich (on toasted ciabatta bread). I also occasionally make sliders with Hawaiian rolls and meat/cheese baked with garlic salt/butter on the top and I spread some butter inside the rolls. Chicken salad chicken spaghetti (rotel style is the one I make). Stir fry with either rice or riced cauliflower tacos gumbo, chili, tortilla soup (add with your soup list in colder weather) Just plain meat and veggies. You don't have to add another side/carb if you don't want to. Sloppy Joes

Everything I've studied/learned has said that empaths are just preyed on by certain people (ie narcissists). I think we are born an HSP or empath. I don't think it's based on our upbringing. I think you think you became that way from your surroundings, but I don't believe that's the case. My dad and others used to tell me I was "too sensitive." It was very frustrating. As an adult he read the book first and then gave me his copy and the workbook but I never finished the workbook. Unfortunately I think he perceived it as a "how to fix that problem" rather than, "I understand you better now." I don't know. According to the author, roughly 20% of the population is an HSP. So it's not as uncommon as we may have originally thought. It's just not valued that much in our society. In my FOO I believe one sister is an empath, I'm an HSP, and the other sister can come across as "cold" LOL.

I heard an idea recently to use pop tarts for gingerbread houses... I might try that sometime. The website where I saw the examples used frosted ones with coordinating colors (ie. oreo pop tarts on a Halloween house).

Likewise to the don't always call people out but make a mental note. I'm also sensitive to people's moods and feelings. The bolded to me screams empath and/or HSP. Those things are common with those types of people.

Haha after that thread where we talked about pop tarts recently I thought of you guys when I saw a homemade pop tart recipe in my facebook feed (https://iambaker.net/pumpkin-pie-pop-tart/) Hmm I don't know if I'd say "never" but it was quite the pain. Lumpia. Took me a while to figure out how to work with the rice paper and then frying was a pain. I hardly ever use that much oil and I don't like reusing oil (worried it's reached it's smoke point and not a good idea to recycle). I'm just not good at frying stuff and to this day I don't know what else I should have bought as wrapping paper as that looked like the best match in the Oriental Market. People have told me there are better options. I froze some and sent them to xh's house for them to cook in the air fryer. I checked back with them a couple weeks later and they had not even done it! So who knows if my hard work was tossed the time they lost power to the freezer...

Interpreting things two ways and seeing how more than one conclusion can be made. It probably drives people nuts, but it can be useful, too. I pointed out to someone how a thing they said was confusing. They got defensive and mad at me (which led me to think ok see, that's why I don't try to point these things out) and then eventually thanked me. Still though, I probably won't ever point a similar thing out to them due to their initial response.

I had set aside some money in a medical folder in my bank account for ds' ER bill. We think the ER office visit is covered, but there may be some parts of it we pay (I have no idea, I'm guessing we'll owe something for the stitches/xray). I just sent part of that to xh for my share of the glasses. I should have time to replenish the medical folder a little bit after pay day. I don't know when we'll get the hospital bill. For sure I owe ~$30 to urgent care for my copay but not sure how much on my tailbone xray. They told me the max should be $175 so I'm guessing less than that.

Man that stinks, you guys — the calculators, Covid @hjffkj @historically accurate hjffkj, I’m glad you have an alternative movie plan. Do you own a projector or fo you have to rent one? @prairiewindmomma and @HomeAgainglad you guys found some good deals! @DawnM hope you manage ok the rest of the month. That’s great you sold some big ticket items. I probably will be paid after Labor Day (I usually get paid around the 5th). I drove further than I expected today to attend a networking event. I don’t know what the gas price was when I stopped to get a little. The networking was two fold. Mostly ended up giving me connections for people that may want to advertise with us (which I passed along). Also was kinda curious who I’d run into if I need to apply to higher paying jobs after my contract ends. I’m in a contract til Feb. and I’m in a lease til Sept so I’m just doing the best I can with my current situation. The dog sitting won’t be profit. It will just offset other costs like ds’ new glasses or my upcoming medical bill from urgent care. My Rover account is just pending background check now. Takes about 2 weeks. Dd asked for Hulu last visit for a new show. I’ve been using a free trial but some shows I can only access season 1… that’s how they get you!! Pay to see more? The show she wanted is rated mature so I said no. We didn’t know at first. It’s animated.

Can I send an eye roll toward the grumpy friend? you and your dd may both have ocd. Who knows. I used to be a compulsive hand washer among other OCD things though never clinically diagnosed with it. My antidepressant helps keep it at bay. But germs still gross me out. Having those thoughts/compulsions on top of being self conscious how others perceive you isn’t fun. Try to ignore others’ reactions. Everyone has different comfort levels. They may not “get” you and vice versa. I’m just glad the pastor was ok — he didn’t shame her.