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Update People on Hive Advice You Followed

JumpyTheFrog

By JumpyTheFrog,
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JumpyTheFrog

JumpyTheFrog

Posted
Posted

I know many of us have asked for advice here over the years, but we don't always remember to come back and update everyone. Please use this thread to let people know how things turned out.

  1. A few months ago I posted about my arm going numb while sleeping. A few people suggested maybe I was cutting off blood flow or pinching a nerve by sleeping with my wrists curled. Since then I have made a conscious effort to keep my wrists straight and the problem has mostly gone away.
  2. I asked about a side-by-side fridge. People were generally against getting one. However, due to all the fridge shortages, to buy a black fridge that wasn't $1800+ we chose a side-by-side. It's been fine. (We have a chest freezer as well.) It has been easier to keep the freezer part organized, and leftovers don't seem to get hidden in the back as much.
  3. Early this year I asked about getting my son diagnosed. He completed the psychoeducational testing and it confirmed my suspicion that his auditory memory is much worse than his visual memory. Most of the other results were about what I expected. Surprisingly, his highest scores were on writing! He was my writing reluctant child who started Writing With Ease 2 in 4th grade because he thought writing two sentences was like being electrocuted. Then he did WWE 3 in 5th grade, and WW4 (minus the dictation) in 6th grade. Now, in 9th grade, he is almost done with the IEW: Ancient History theme book. Although this book is aimed at upper elementary students, it has been perfect for him. The checklist system with clear expectations has been just what he needed. Four years ago I never would've thought he'd score 96-98th percentile in writing (if you ignore his spelling problems).
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prairiewindmomma

prairiewindmomma

Posted
Posted

Some advised me to buy Vionic shoes a few years ago, and it has been life changing. I own several pairs now, and where I haven't been able to get Vionic items (like hiking boots), I found a shoe store specializing in orthotics that helped me get great inserts. I never thought I would need orthotic footwear, but discovering from here that I did has been huge.

Someone advised me about a decade ago to pursue testing on some of my kids, who turned out to be 2E. That has likewise been life changing for the better.  Honestly, I have gotten better advice here than from some paid professionals who charge $$$$ and have multiple degrees under their belt.  

Remember the instant pot craze of 2015 here on the boards? I still use my instant pots on the regular. I also got a great recommendation for a food processor and for a danish dough whisk from here.

Finally (for now), many thanks to those who posted about pre-eclampsia over the years.  The info there helped put it on my radar so that I could call in to my perinatologist when it happened to me. 

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MEmama

MEmama

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Posted

Vionics  for me, too.

Clothes. So many good suggestions. @Laura Corin gave me confidence to wear overalls and I love them so much. ❤️

Silicone baking sheets. Love, love, love them and would have never known about them.

My kitties' newest favourite toy, a Pride scratching house from Target. 😻

Air fryer. Never have I used an “extra” appliance so frequently.

Recipes.

I mean honestly, more than anything, just this incredible, vast, truly awesome amount of knowledge and kindness that pours out of these threads every day. The gift of hearing so many viewpoints I would never get exposure to otherwise has played a huge role in shaping how I think and react.

Oh yeah, once upon a time, curriculum. Probably shouldn’t forget that. Lol

 

 

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Kassia

Kassia

Posted
Posted
1 minute ago, Jean in Newcastle said:

Speed Queen washing machine!  Best thing ever! 

Me too! Love the Speed Queen and never heard of it before WTM.

I've come here for advice so often and learned so much from other people's posts here that I couldn't possibly list it all!  I think maybe the most important information I received here was being prepared ahead of time for Covid.  I passed the info on to my adult kids and we were all much more prepared than we would have been without the hive.  

 

 

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Kassia

Kassia

Posted
Posted
23 minutes ago, MEmama said:

 

I mean honestly, more than anything, just this incredible, vast, truly awesome amount of knowledge and kindness that pours out of these threads every day. The gift of hearing so many viewpoints I would never get exposure to otherwise has played a huge role in shaping how I think and react.

Oh yeah, once upon a time, curriculum. Probably shouldn’t forget that. Lol

 

 

Yes, this is so true.  I am always touched by the generosity of the people here to spend their precious time helping me and others.  It is a true gift.  

And I forgot about curriculum - of course!  🙂  

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Corraleno

Corraleno

Posted
Posted

I learned about both Lukeion and The Great Courses (aka Teaching Company) from the Hive, and they became the twin spines of DS's education. It's no exaggeration to say those two resources changed his life, by giving him access to really deep, high-level academic content in a way that was accessible to a highly-gifted-but-super-dyslexic kid who struggled to read and write. I attribute the fact that he ended up being such good writer to watching hundreds of hours of Great Courses lectures, in which professors laid out very logical, well-organized arguments with clear theses and supporting evidence, so he intuitively knew what a strong argument looked like before he ever had to write a serious essay himself. And the lectures, combined with several years of Lukeion Greek & Latin classes, gave him a fantastic vocabulary. The advice on the College Board was also invaluable when DS was going through the admissions process, and was a breath of fresh air compared to the hyper-intense, super-competitive atmosphere on College Confidential.

I replaced my messy, noisy, inefficient Nutrimill with a Mockmill based on Spy Car's recommendation, and I've also gotten a ton of use out of the Neat steamer he linked here, which I'd never heard of before.

When I commented in a cookware thread a few years ago that I didn't like enameled cast iron because the dutch oven I had chipped really easily and was hard to clean, others said that was not characteristic of good quality brands, so I bought a Le Creuset dutch oven to try and loved it so much that I switched most of my cookware to Le Creuset.

I also bought some carbon steel pans and Emile Henry bakeware many years ago based on recommendations from the much loved and greatly missed Moira. 😢

Someone here recommended this Kuhn Rikon can opener, and I wish I'd found it years ago.

When the pandemic started last spring, someone suggested sprouting broccoli and kale seeds, in case there was a shortage of fresh greens, and that's something I've stuck with and really enjoy — such a cheap and easy way to always have fresh sprouts in the house. 

And the most recent recommendation I followed up on was Skywards suggestion of GT Mystic Mango kombucha in the fermented foods thread  — I was not a kombucha fan before but I bought a bottle of this to try yesterday, and it's really good!

 

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CTVKath

CTVKath

Posted
Posted

Let's see. I love my Speed Queen. I've had it a year.

My daughter couldn't jump rope when she was 6 and y'all gave me great advice. She's 11 now and she still can't jump rope but she excels with gymnastics, swimming, roller skating and bike riding so I don't worry about the jump roping anymore.

Math curriculum advice. Phonics curriculum advice. Thank you soooo much! And searching the forums and reading about learning-to-read issues encouraged me to have our son tested for vision issues. Yep. Convergence problems. After vision therapy, he's doing great.

Lots of other great advice but those are the most memorable.

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teachermom2834

teachermom2834

Posted
Posted

I am known for my (Quiver’s) cinnamon rolls. People think I am the master of the cinnamon rolls. 
 

I can’t even think of specifics which is crazy because I have asked so many questions here over the years and have always gotten pretty good advice. And I have bought so many things discussed here. 

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Spy Car

Spy Car

Posted
Posted
5 minutes ago, rebcoola said:

Vionics for my plantar fasciitis.  

 

Hate to interrupt a thread on advice one has followed with advice one could follow....but.

I was actually thinking about this today. A year of so ago, I started getting plantar fasciitis. I did not know what plantar fasciitis was (although I'd heard the term), but my feet were hurting in the morning.

Not crippling yet, but it was definitely feeling like an "old man" thing. I'm no spring chicken but I'd never felt like I was breaking down. Not good. Not good at all.

What I did...and it has worked 100% is to stretch the feet, both pointing the feet long and (seems most critical) pulling the feet towards one's shins. Get a good stretch.

I do it everyday--except I forget sometimes, so maybe not every day. Doesn't take a lot. Not sure this is a universal solution as N=1, but the situation was bumming me out and once I started stretching it has vanished.

Hope that helps. My advice rarely cost someone nothing. Lucky you. LOL.

Worth a try.

Bill

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Spy Car

Spy Car

Posted
Posted
3 hours ago, Corraleno said:

 

I also bought some carbon steel pans and Emile Henry bakeware many years ago based on recommendations from the much loved and greatly missed Moira. 😢

 

Dear Moira turned me on to Michael Clay Thompson language arts and we shared a love of carbon steel pans and Miquon math and a thousand and one other things. I miss her so badly. What a beautiful soul.

I think about her very frequently.

Bill

 

 

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math teacher

math teacher

Posted
Posted

So many things through the years!! 

FitFlop

Bissell Crossweave floor cleaner

citrus squeezer

Knowledge and preparation for the Covid pandemic. If it wasn't for this place and the wisdom of all you wonderful people, would I be like some of my friends? Scary thoughts!!

Thank you SWB and everyone!

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Laura Corin

Laura Corin

Posted
Posted
9 hours ago, MEmama said:

 

 @Laura Corin gave me confidence to wear overalls and I love them so much. ❤️

 

I'm glad you are enjoying them.  It's been so chilly here this spring that I'm still in multiple winter layers, but maybe I'll get into my dungarees soon.  Hmmm... lined dungarees, there's a cosy idea for next winter ...

So much great advice from the Hive, particularly on gifted and LD issues, and Third Culture Kid stuff.  And... you have all just broadened my outlook, allowing me to eavesdrop on conversations and cultures that I would not otherwise have experienced.

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Guest

Guest

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Posted

I will forever be grateful that I got most of my “this coronavirus thing might become a pandemic” information here, months before people locally were paying attention. It is literally the reason I had four cloth masks, a bottle of sanitizer, toilet paper, a pulse oximeter and a packet of travel wipes. It may also be the reason I did not contract COVID, even when I had a COVID+ husband. 

As far as updating past threads, I recently received in the mail the Mother-of-Bride dress I discussed here and for which I got a hundred suggestions. I hate it. It’s going back. So I am more or less back to the drawing board. (I do have another dress I might try but it does not have each detail I wanted. ) 

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Wheres Toto

Wheres Toto

Posted
Posted

Definitely all the Covid advice.  I'm in one of the first US hit areas yet we were still more prepared than many people thanks to the advice here.

I know I've gotten a ton of curriculum advice over the years.  Great Courses Plus, random books on different topics, I'm really having a hard time thinking of things though.  

Just having a place to come for a chat in the mornings while I have my tea has been great.  

The politics board has allowed me to get a detailed perspective that I wouldn't have otherwise.  

I don't cook so all the appliance, cookware, etc don't mean anything to me. 😉

Bone Broth - I think it was Jean who recommended bone broth and it has been wonderful for dh and myself.  Really helps keep old injuries from being as painful.  Dh didn't believe me until he tried it and now he swears by it and recommends it everywhere.  Unfortunately the brand we've been using is hard to get right now. 

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Kassia

Kassia

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Oh, I have to add one more HUGE thing I learned from this board.  National Merit/PSAT advice!  My older three kids were in ps and our district had very few National Merit students and I just assumed it was something out of reach and never anything we should pursue.  With my youngest, I learned on this board that it is absolutely possible for capable students to become NMF with the proper preparation.  Dd was well prepared, achieved NMF, and LOVES the college she attends with almost a free ride thanks to her National Merit scholarship.  She's happy and we saved a bundle of $.  Never would have happened without this board.  I doubt she would have even taken the PSAT since we had already used SAT before her junior year to fulfill the state testing requirement for homeschoolers.  

 

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Indigo Blue

Indigo Blue

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Posted

For me, it’s all the kind advice and commiseration I have received regarding personal trauma for which I had never in my life before experienced support or understanding of any kind. This board , along with lots of reading and studying, has given me new insight that has literally changed me and how I see things. It has helped me to become much stronger inside. So, to all of you here who contributed to that, a huge thanks.

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saraha

saraha

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Way too many things to mention! The board Has been intregal to many aspects of our life! Everything from curriculum to modifying behavior, to books, vacation recommendations, to things I didn’t even know about or that I needed! And cinnamon rolls! No one remembers a time before quiver’s cinnamon rolls 😆

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Indigo Blue

Indigo Blue

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Is it ok to say that I loved when @Spy Carmade avatars? That was a fun thread. And I appreciate mine. That made my day!
 

Also, I love when people show creative things they have done. For example, @Quill’s art 🖼 and others. 
 

I tried and loved Hello Fresh. Really great, but I was mostly curious and didn’t keep that up. 

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Jean in Newcastle

Jean in Newcastle

Posted
Posted
5 hours ago, Wheres Toto said:

Definitely all the Covid advice.  I'm in one of the first US hit areas yet we were still more prepared than many people thanks to the advice here.

I know I've gotten a ton of curriculum advice over the years.  Great Courses Plus, random books on different topics, I'm really having a hard time thinking of things though.  

Just having a place to come for a chat in the mornings while I have my tea has been great.  

The politics board has allowed me to get a detailed perspective that I wouldn't have otherwise.  

I don't cook so all the appliance, cookware, etc don't mean anything to me. 😉

Bone Broth - I think it was Jean who recommended bone broth and it has been wonderful for dh and myself.  Really helps keep old injuries from being as painful.  Dh didn't believe me until he tried it and now he swears by it and recommends it everywhere.  Unfortunately the brand we've been using is hard to get right now. 

I can't get that brand of bone broth either! 

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Faith-manor

Faith-manor

Posted
Posted

Covid info informed our choices. I was lurking last year while working just to keep up.

Instapot. I bought one based on stories here and love it.

Textbook recommendations way way back when I was homeschooling my first high schooler. So look I helpful and glad I asked!

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Not_a_Number

Not_a_Number

Posted
Posted (edited)
3 hours ago, Spy Car said:

Not sure of it falls under the rubric of "advice" per se, but the ongoing tracking and reporting of accurate Covid related info and especially vaccine information provided by @Corraleno  has been invaluable to me. Thank you!

I'll second the @Corraleno shout-out! Thank you very much for your thoroughness and care with information. Much appreciated. 

 

Quote

Similar thanks to @Not_a_Number for putting her statistical-mindset to good use. Much appreciated!

Bill

It's been fun to geek out 🙂 . As long as no one confuses me for a real statistician!!! (Mathematician and probabilist, yes. Statistician... no. Although I try to be clear about what I know and what I don't.) 

In general... this board has been invaluable during COVID. Just wonderful. The best source I've found. Thank you very much to all of you. 

I've much appreciated the thoughtful discussions by people who are willing to look on both sides of the story, like @Pam in CT, @Pawz4me, @Spryte, @FuzzyCatz and many other people I'm not remembering. 

I'm very thankful for the nonjudgmental folks who put up with my ranting, like @fairfarmhand, @Ausmumof3, @Xahm and @MissLemon. 

And many thanks to @lewelma for suggesting the "Explosive Child" book -- we are just starting to try some of the techniques and they've definitely been helpful. I am embarrassed to admit that I was reluctant to try it because DD8 isn't explosive, per se... but apparently it is just as helpful with kids who are quietly and inflexibly obstinate 😉 . 

Edited by Not_a_Number
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rebcoola

rebcoola

Posted
Posted
11 hours ago, Spy Car said:

Hate to interrupt a thread on advice one has followed with advice one could follow....but.

I was actually thinking about this today. A year of so ago, I started getting plantar fasciitis. I did not know what plantar fasciitis was (although I'd heard the term), but my feet were hurting in the morning.

Not crippling yet, but it was definitely feeling like an "old man" thing. I'm no spring chicken but I'd never felt like I was breaking down. Not good. Not good at all.

What I did...and it has worked 100% is to stretch the feet, both pointing the feet long and (seems most critical) pulling the feet towards one's shins. Get a good stretch.

I do it everyday--except I forget sometimes, so maybe not every day. Doesn't take a lot. Not sure this is a universal solution as N=1, but the situation was bumming me out and once I started stretching it has vanished.

Hope that helps. My advice rarely cost someone nothing. Lucky you. LOL.

Worth a try.

Bill

Yeah that probably would have worked when I was 19 if I had rested.  Instead it was massage, stretch, shot go do sport, heat therapy, stretch, night splints do it all again the next day.  I can keep it under control now with stretching, rollering and good shoes.

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Carol in Cal.

Carol in Cal.

Posted
Posted
12 hours ago, Spy Car said:

Hate to interrupt a thread on advice one has followed with advice one could follow....but.

I was actually thinking about this today. A year of so ago, I started getting plantar fasciitis. I did not know what plantar fasciitis was (although I'd heard the term), but my feet were hurting in the morning.

Not crippling yet, but it was definitely feeling like an "old man" thing. I'm no spring chicken but I'd never felt like I was breaking down. Not good. Not good at all.

What I did...and it has worked 100% is to stretch the feet, both pointing the feet long and (seems most critical) pulling the feet towards one's shins. Get a good stretch.

I do it everyday--except I forget sometimes, so maybe not every day. Doesn't take a lot. Not sure this is a universal solution as N=1, but the situation was bumming me out and once I started stretching it has vanished.

Hope that helps. My advice rarely cost someone nothing. Lucky you. LOL.

Worth a try.

Bill

There is a good thread on the General Board (it’s preChat Board era) called “Plantar fasciitis—what has helped you?” It has tons of crowd sourced help with this.  I agree with stretching toward the shins, and when I was in the throes of this I did it every time I had to rise to my feet, even if I had just sat down.  I will say, you have a much milder case of it than most of us if that is all you need to do to are it better, so I’m happy for you!  I suspect that the generally wider, flatter men’s shoes have something to do with this phenomenon being more common for women than men, but I have known men to have crippling cases of it.

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Carol in Cal.

Carol in Cal.

Posted
Posted
29 minutes ago, rebcoola said:

Yeah that probably would have worked when I was 19 if I had rested.  Instead it was massage, stretch, shot go do sport, heat therapy, stretch, night splints do it all again the next day.  I can keep it under control now with stretching, rollering and good shoes.

PLEASE try a Med Massager.  The last time I had a persistent case of this, that was what fixed it for me.  I think it increased the circulation to my feet while breaking up little bits of scar tissue.  It was quite remarkable.

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popmom

popmom

Posted
Posted

The advice to get an attorney after a bad car accident. That was years ago.
 

So much advice from the learning challenges board for my youngest. 
 

Most recently...I’m no longer stressing over my sourdough starter. 🙂 It’s in the fridge rn while I’m on vacation. 
 

I got a steam cleaner after @Spy Car’s thread. It’s a Karcher, and it’s amazing. And I think my propane weed torch came from his recommendation, too! 😂

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Lady Florida.

Lady Florida.

Posted
Posted

Tramontina stainless clad cookware, Speed Queen washer, miscellaneous small kitchen gadgets, and Vionics sandals.

When one of our cats wouldn't drink from a water bowl someone recommended a pet water fountain. I wasn't aware such a thing existed. It solved the problem.

Early in Covid I got good mask recommendations from people here.

Various recipes through the years.

Various book recommendations through the years. When ds was high school age I got a number of literature recs for him to read. For myself the recommendations continue to this day both through the Book a Week threads and various book rec threads that pop up now and then.

Movie (theater) recommendations. Streaming show recommendations.

Affinity Photo, photo editing software that's as powerful as Photoshop for a tiny fraction of the cost. And it comes with lifetime updates. Thank you Bill @Spy Car!

16 hours ago, Corraleno said:

 

Someone here recommended this Kuhn Rikon can opener, and I wish I'd found it years ago.

 

That's the one I got too, thanks to someone here. 

I think I've been here so long that if I don't hit submit now I'm sure I'll think of more things to add. 😂

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Indigo Blue

Indigo Blue

Posted
Posted

I think it was @Harriet Vanethat once said the best thing you can do for chronically tight, knotted muscles (myofascial pain) is vigorous exercise. It wasn’t me who asked about that, but I came across it when she posted. At the time, seemed counterintuitive to me...because...pain. I kept that in my mind and tried to apply that theory, failing many times. Just kept working out areas with a hard ball and trying again. And again and again and again. I began to realize that each knot that got worked out made the muscle loose enough to make the next knot in line in that muscle strand come to (painful) life.  Lather, rinse, repeat until the whole strand was loose. Then another strand. That meant working with the hard ball and getting up and hiking vigorously even with pain, which activated more areas, then working with the ball and exercising more. Slowly that has paid off. This was months and months ago. I have been to all types of doctors and finally gave up because I finally realized no one could help me but myself. I started to really believe in what Harriet was saying, and because of what she said in that thread, I persevered. I’m not 100 percent, but every day is a little bit closer. I have meant to post this to you, Harriet, for a long time! You are right. You have to work those darn things out and keep moving! Thank you!!

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stephanier.1765

stephanier.1765

Posted
Posted

Like others have said, too many things to remember but this is the first and only place online I seek advice. I trust you to tell me the truth and to give me a variety of perspectives. You are also the only ones I speak of in real life. I'm often repeating things I've learned here and I always give this board credit for those pieces of wisdom.

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Indigo Blue

Indigo Blue

Posted
Posted (edited)

Also, I am a huge fan of Instant Pot because of this board, too. I have two of them. They have been great to have for preparing meals quickly when my knotted back burns too much to stand and cook for long periods. 
 

There was a thread recently about good ideas for easy ways to prepare food when you can’t spend a long time making meals because of any sort of disability/pain. For this, you can’t beat the Instant Pot.

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rebcoola

rebcoola

Posted
Posted
1 hour ago, Carol in Cal. said:

PLEASE try a Med Massager.  The last time I had a persistent case of this, that was what fixed it for me.  I think it increased the circulation to my feet while breaking up little bits of scar tissue.  It was quite remarkable.

I use a vibration plate daily.

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rebcoola

rebcoola

Posted
Posted
1 minute ago, Carol in Cal. said:

Which one do you use?  Does it vibrate fast enough to make your heel slightly numb?  That’s what the MM does.

I use a lifepro rumblex 4d it definitely makes my heel numb.  I have a lot of issues that feed into each other.  I have no hope of leading a pain free life. 

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Spy Car

Spy Car

Posted
Posted
7 minutes ago, happi duck said:

❤️ the hive! ❤️ 

I've said this before but the hive is like a perfect, ever changing magazine of all the things!

I have a terrible memory for specifics but I know that we have all the Affinity products due to @Spy Car's recommendation! (And heads ups on sales)

 

 

 

I take a little comfort (make that a lot of comfort) knowing that when I am clueless about something, that I have a really good resource here to backstop me.

And glad you (and @Lady Florida. among others) are enjoying the Affinity graphics suite. I've plugged them so hard that I feel like I could be taken for a shill, but I know these are one of the greatest bargains ever for people who want to learn professional graphic programs that are akin to Photoshop and Illustrator (plus page layout) w/o getting hooking into Adobe's expensive rental model.

Bill

 

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