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RTDNTOTO šŸ» Random Thoughts Deserving No Thread Of Their Own 20 (2025)

WSU MUP Student said:
I always wonder what will happen if three different high school running groups all cross paths simultaneously at one of the intersections. Is there going to be a brawl? Some sort of impromptu race?
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Something akin to the street racing in "Grease". Maybe a summer band camp flautist would function as the chick who drops the scarf to start the race? Seems probable...
 
WSU MUP Student said:
Within about a half mile of our house in a few different directions there are 3 high schools and 2 middle schools and all the track and cross country kids like to run through our neighborhood.

The public high school at the end of our street must be hosting some sort of early morning running camp this week because the streets were lousy with teenagers running through the 'hood yesterday morning and today I went to the track to work out and as I was finishing up kids were starting to show up... and they did not look happy to be at the track at 7:00 a.m. on a rainy Tuesday. The kids from the private schools on the other side of our neighborhood seem to like to run through a little bit later in the day, just before lunchtime. I always wonder what will happen if three different high school running groups all cross paths simultaneously at one of the intersections. Is there going to be a brawl? Some sort of impromptu race?
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ursus said:
Aaah, the weeks after the 4th of July, when the world turns its collective attention to.....back-to-school. Ugh. Sure sign of this change of seasons within the season is the advent of the track teams running all over hell in the early mornings. I'm on two different buses in two different cities before 7:30 a.m. The world is now completely dominated by track kids from the high schools, like bands of street-toughs but with taper hair cuts and running shorts.

So with all this, how far off can pumpkin spice season within the season really be? You be the judge, but the seasons within the seasons move quickly, friends. Don't let back-to-school-early hijack your summer! Fight!!
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5 Trapper Keepers remaining on the shelf = pumpkin spice time.
 
Anxiety about retirement. Where, when, how, how much.
Inside Out Hello GIF by Disney Pixar
 
dandy_warhol said:
Anxiety about retirement. Where, when, how, how much.
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Where - as in do you move or not
When - Social Security age based upon birth year plus years in pension plan
How - Give notice at budget time to max out benefits - way earlier that 2 week notice
How much - pension plus social security
 
Ri
MD Planner said:
And you not taking advantage of a program that exists for this circumstance will not help the fact that it is underfunded. Employers pay premiums based upon how often they lay people off. So you're actually hurting everyone by not claiming this benefit. Secret jobs are great and all that but you need to bring as much money in as possible until you find another full time job.
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Well, it's something I may consider down the road if we start to get nervous about my resources disappearing too much. It's just not something we need to do right away since I'm still getting paid full salary. Once that ends, and--hopefully it doesn't get to this point--we're depleting our resources and start to see the dark bottom of the financial barrel, I can consider it. But that would be probably a year or so down the road.

This is assuming we don't draw home equity, which neither of us really wants to do, since our house is this close (holds fingers about 1/2 inch apart) to being paid off*. But if we do that, we'd have another solid decade.

Unemployment benefits are great for people who don't have resources they can tap into, and I have absolutely no problem with people who need the help (ditto SNAP, Medicaid, etc.) That's why it's there.

Jim

* 30 year mortgage taken out in 2013, we expect to have paid off in 2027 or 28.
 
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jumbach said:
Unemployment benefits are great for people who don't have resources they can tap into, and I have absolutely no problem with people who need the help (ditto SNAP, Medicaid, etc.) That's why it's there.
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My intention is certainly not to argue with you but since you posted about it I responded with what I considered solid advice and judging by the reactions received; others thought it was as well. Last point and I won't bring it up again; by not filing you're doing a disservice to yourself and all other unemployed people. As LP said, statistics matter. These are funds 100% entitled to you and the reason your employer pays Unemployment Insurance premiums. Hopefully you find a job before your severance period is over. But I've been there and that time goes fast so if you're still unemployed at that point you should file. You're not "cheating" anybody and taking money away from someone else. It doesn't work like that. I wish you the best in your job search.
 
I was just re-reading notes I had been taking a while ago here at my office...I need to work on my handwriting. I have bad, bad scrawl. I couldn't for the life of me figure out what I had written and underlined three times, meaning there was some urgency to the notation. Brawn of Americas? Balls of America? OH! BANK of America. Now it makes sense. But I'll be thinking "The Balls of America" all day. :)
 
The Terminator said:
The Cat I adopted 3 days ago might have run away. I think he slipped out the door when I was taking some trash out in a Benadryl & melatonin delirious pre-sleep state and didn't realize it. Im hoping hes just hiding somewhere I cant see, there is one upper cupboard that I didnt have time to check before leaving 4 werk.
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I always heard you've gotta keep the cat locked in for a couple weeks until their internal compass resets to the new save point, but preventing the escapes meanwhile is devilish work.
 
joscoffee said:
I always heard you've gotta keep the cat locked in for a couple weeks until their internal compass resets to the new save point, but preventing the escapes meanwhile is devilish work.
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Yeah, I was trying to ease him in slowly and not overwhelm the little fella. Was very gentle with letting him just chill and not touching him unless I needed to examine him. He was coming out of the shell, but I absent mindedly left a door open going to take out some trash and I think that's how he escaped. I was in a delirious pre-sleep melatonin state and wasn't thinking.
 
WSU MUP Student said:
I always wonder what will happen if three different high school running groups all cross paths simultaneously at one of the intersections. Is there going to be a brawl? Some sort of impromptu race?
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Similar but different.....

Leading up to Christmas last year, my neighbor had UPS, FedEx, and Amazon on their porch at the same time. I excitedly watched the encounter unfold with anticipation of the possibilities. There was no snide comment, no witty one-liner, not even a passive-aggressive gesture. It was disappointingly uneventful. They missed a golden opportunity to form a delivery brotherhood over tales of rogue sprinklers, yapping dogs, and porch snacks; and to leave with a group selfie, a handshake pact, and a few fewer packages.
 
The Terminator said:
Yeah, I was trying to ease him in slowly and not overwhelm the little fella. Was very gentle with letting him just chill and not touching him unless I needed to examine him. He was coming out of the shell, but I absent mindedly left a door open going to take out some trash and I think that's how he escaped. I was in a delirious pre-sleep melatonin state and wasn't thinking.
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Put a shirt you recently wore on the front porch. Maybe he'll recognize your smell and come back.
 
Big Owl said:
Similar but different.....

Leading up to Christmas last year, my neighbor had UPS, FedEx, and Amazon on their porch at the same time. I excitedly watched the encounter unfold with anticipation of the possibilities. There was no snide comment, no witty one-liner, not even a passive-aggressive gesture. It was disappointingly uneventful. They missed a golden opportunity to form a delivery brotherhood over tales of rogue sprinklers, yapping dogs, and porch snacks; and to leave with a group selfie, a handshake pact, and a few fewer packages.
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this is a great image - shoot, that would have been awesome to catch on your Ring
 
MD Planner said:
My intention is certainly not to argue with you but since you posted about it I responded with what I considered solid advice and judging by the reactions received; others thought it was as well. Last point and I won't bring it up again; by not filing you're doing a disservice to yourself and all other unemployed people. As LP said, statistics matter. These are funds 100% entitled to you and the reason your employer pays Unemployment Insurance premiums. Hopefully you find a job before your severance period is over. But I've been there and that time goes fast so if you're still unemployed at that point you should file. You're not "cheating" anybody and taking money away from someone else. It doesn't work like that. I wish you the best in your job search.
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I will add that typically unemployment insurance tax is withheld from most peopleā€™s pay. File as soon as youā€™ve worked your last day even if you are receiving severance pay. Delayed filing MAY cause issues with the claim.
 
JNA said:
In my fair community back school is
August 4-5: Students with last names K-Z in attendance
August 6-7: Students with last names A-J in attendance
August 8: ALL Students at School
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We start the 5th.

I stopped by the dollar store today to pick up some cheap organizational trays for my tool box. The employees were putting Halloween decorations on the shelves. I'm sure by this point Hobby Lobby has started to mark down Christmas stuff and is rolling out Valentines.
 
DVD said:
I've let mine slip. I missed the billing cycle because it's all electronic now and I'm not an electronic guy and it's just not worth it to me to keep it going. The funny part, some of the junior planners have asked me about AICP. I'll help, but I'm not an advocate
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Mine was 2 months late but no penalty. Work pays.
 
MD Planner said:
My intention is certainly not to argue with you but since you posted about it I responded with what I considered solid advice and judging by the reactions received; others thought it was as well. Last point and I won't bring it up again; by not filing you're doing a disservice to yourself and all other unemployed people. As LP said, statistics matter. These are funds 100% entitled to you and the reason your employer pays Unemployment Insurance premiums. Hopefully you find a job before your severance period is over. But I've been there and that time goes fast so if you're still unemployed at that point you should file. You're not "cheating" anybody and taking money away from someone else. It doesn't work like that. I wish you the best in your job search.
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I will consider this.

kjel said:
I will add that typically unemployment insurance tax is withheld from most peopleā€™s pay. File as soon as youā€™ve worked your last day even if you are receiving severance pay. Delayed filing MAY cause issues with the claim.
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Our payroll people said we can file on September 5, since we will be paid through the 4th. If we wait too long after that, it might cause issues with the system. So the advice Iā€™m getting seems to side with yā€™all.

One option she did give: file and get the paper checks, but donā€™t cash them unless I really need them at some point down the road (they are good for two years before they revert back to the Treasurer*). That way I count as a stat, and Iā€™m not taking money I donā€™t need. Win!

* and even after that happens, you can still get itā€”itā€™s considered unclaimed property.
 
jumbach said:
Our payroll people said we can file on September 5, since we will be paid through the 4th. If we wait too long after that, it might cause issues with the system. So the advice Iā€™m getting seems to side with yā€™all.

One option she did give: file and get the paper checks, but donā€™t cash them unless I really need them at some point down the road (they are good for two years before they revert back to the Treasurer*). That way I count as a stat, and Iā€™m not taking money I donā€™t need. Win!

* and even after that happens, you can still get itā€”itā€™s considered unclaimed property.
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You could always cash them, set aside the money and donate it to a food bank when you've found new employment.
 
I keep getting obvious sales calls asking for my ex, even though she's had nothing to do with this phone for a decade. The temptation to be dickish is overwhelming, but I haven't succumbed.

Yet.
 
Big Owl said:
My porch skeleton is finally dressed for summer. My regular Amazon delivery guy loves him. The skeleton is always in his confirmation pictures.


View attachment 64852
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I was outside sitting on the porch eating lunch one day a few weeks ago when an Amazon driver came up to make a delivery and I stood up to meet him on the porch because I wanted to be in the confirmation photo with me holding the package. It's been my dream.

Sadly, he laughed and put the package on the step and told me that it's actually against their policy to take a confirmation photo with the recipient holding their package. :disappointed"

Maybe I should have referred to it as my "box" or "parcel" instead of my "package"?
 
as posted on Twitter
This is the Precipice Trail in Acadia Natā€™l Park. Thereā€™s a sign at the beginning that says ppl have fallen and died.
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Would you hike / climb this ?
 
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