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RTDNTOTO 🐻 Random Thoughts Deserving No Thread Of Their Own 20 (2025)

Did a deep weeding of my planting area in front of my house. I hadn't had much success growing anything there that I much liked except weeds - which I do not like - and decided it was time to fight back. Hours later (it would have been shorter if I owned a wheelbarrow, but no) it is ready for new decorative grass (Karl Foerster) and maybe something else this fall.

Two things: this is the very last landscape project I will ever do, thank you very much, and I got a sunburned bald head to boot.

Meh!
 
Maister said:
Haven't yet figured out how to fully capitalize on the upcoming three-day weekend.
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We are coming out of what I call the "long dry spell," with no holidays between mid-February and late May. It's the longest stretch of the year without a holiday.

Then we have the summer holidays bunched together (one each in May, June, July, and early September), then they peter out again as they gear up toward the "second bunch," as I call it, between October and January, with three in November alone.
 
Sounds like my guest appearance on a radio show was such a success that I've been asked if I want to host a sports/leisure/entertainment show for an hour on Saturday or Sunday mornings.

Well, I do have some albeit limited radio experience*, but those aren't really my areas of expertise. I'm willing to give it a try starting in July though. Basically, talking and taking calls about anything and everything related to the "extras in our lives."

Still working out the details; as usual, anything about the City of Reno would be off limits.

Jim

* I co-hosted the "morning drive" show on my high school radio station, KVHW25B "Ram Radio," decades ago. We pretty much talked about football, girls, and teachers.
 
dandy_warhol said:
Pizza for dinner on a school night just feels wrong.
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Say Less Bad Luck GIF by Bridge and Tunnel on EPIX
 
Got my first two AI-generated letters in opposition to a variance and subdivision request on tonight's PC agenda.

"Hello Mr. Gedunker, Director of Planning,
I hope this letter finds you well ... blah blah blah" Sadly, AI can't come up with anything better than "what about the ...?" (flooding, traffic, property values, safety, functionality, wildlife habitat, wetlands, children, etc.)

Nimby is gonna nimby, baby.
 
Gedunker said:
Got my first two AI-generated letters in opposition to a variance and subdivision request on tonight's PC agenda.

"Hello Mr. Gedunker, Director of Planning,
I hope this letter finds you well ... blah blah blah" Sadly, AI can't come up with anything better than "what about the ...?" (flooding, traffic, property values, safety, functionality, wildlife habitat, wetlands, children, etc.)

Nimby is gonna nimby, baby.
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What were the tell tale signs that it was AI generated ?
 
Gedunker said:
Got my first two AI-generated letters in opposition to a variance and subdivision request on tonight's PC agenda.

"Hello Mr. Gedunker, Director of Planning,
I hope this letter finds you well ... blah blah blah" Sadly, AI can't come up with anything better than "what about the ...?" (flooding, traffic, property values, safety, functionality, wildlife habitat, wetlands, children, etc.)

Nimby is gonna nimby, baby.
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My best nimby letter was an out of state opposition to a dog kennel. How does this affect you in another state?
 
Gedunker said:
Got my first two AI-generated letters in opposition to a variance and subdivision request on tonight's PC agenda.

"Hello Mr. Gedunker, Director of Planning,
I hope this letter finds you well ... blah blah blah" Sadly, AI can't come up with anything better than "what about the ...?" (flooding, traffic, property values, safety, functionality, wildlife habitat, wetlands, children, etc.)

Nimby is gonna nimby, baby.
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test guy GIF
 
My city manager is retiring at the end of this month, and she is going out, leaving supportive vibes and positive bread crumbs for all of us department heads - it's amazing, but I will miss her! I have been in denial for the last few months and now it's hitting me
 
Influenced by the recent neverending GIF posts about tacos...how does one make it taco night without being suburban mom taco night? What is missing and what must be removed? I think tacos are one of the perfect food items on this earth and we do get some great tacos around here as there is good minority Hispanic population. But secrets are not divulged.

1747844415358.png
 
SlaveToTheGrind said:
Influenced by the recent neverending GIF posts about tacos...how does one make it taco night without being suburban mom taco night? What is missing and what must be removed? I think tacos are one of the perfect food items on this earth and we do get some great tacos around here as there is good minority Hispanic population. But secrets are not divulged.

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Where's the iceberg lettuce?
 
#1 thing for not midwest taco night for me is change up the meat. Next, soft corn tortillas, not hard shells. I happen to like cabbage, pico, and maybe a little sauce, but the awesome thing about tacos is you top them however you want and midwest tacos are just fine.

Today I saw a sign for AZ Fish Co. now open. I don't think I want to go to a place known for it's fish. I mean There are plentiful oceans around here, but still...
 
I don't think the purchasing manager likes me much. I challenge the status quo, they toss out State Law references and I read them and they are not even close to what they claim they do. It won't be a massive deal if whom ever responds to our add is super detailed (i.e. removing the brown M&M's level detailed...) with the submittal.
 
Cleaned/re-organized the garage yesterday so I don't have to "waste" a day of a three-day weekend doing it.

Also, re-stocked our go bags since it's fire season again. Just in case.

Jim
 
My garage is due for a deep clean/re-org, especially since the contractor is using it to work in for our bathroom remodels.
 
michaelskis said:
I don't think the purchasing manager likes me much. I challenge the status quo, they toss out State Law references and I read them and they are not even close to what they claim they do. It won't be a massive deal if whom ever responds to our add is super detailed (i.e. removing the brown M&M's level detailed...) with the submittal.
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I had similar issues with the Finance Director when I first got here. She was under the opinion that everyone had to bow down to her.
 
I am doing the same "guess the skyline" game at work. Apparently, this week it's stumping people. I thought it was an easy one.
 

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joscoffee said:
Sometimes I feel that simply having coffee on the desk helps even if it is not being consumed. But this effect goes away if it gets cold or empty.
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This is going to sound bizarre, but I actually understand this and have experienced it myself. :wow:
 
The level of irritation I feel for clients expecting us to work for free as though we're a local nonprofit is pretty incredible, and then acting churlish when I say no. I get that you have a need outside of the scope. But addressing that need costs in time and materials. I suggested that you include an additional contingency/betterment to optionally tap by staff task order for unanticipated needs at the beginning of the project, and you declined. I did some extra meetings outside of the scope already because I'm a nice guy. The fact that you're scared to take an amendment to your city manager or city council speaks to an entirely different issue.

I'll happily squint to squeeze an extra public engagement or some additional cool content, especially if you've been an enjoyable client (treat your consultants well, and they'll return the favor). But you can't run around expecting me to absorb $25K because you changed your mind or want to add something that was specifically removed from the scope.
 
jumbach said:
I tore the tag off my pillow last night. Am I so busted?
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You hear those sirens off in the distance... they are already coming for you!



My youngest 'graduated' from elementary school this morning. They did a moving up ceremony earlier in the week and today (last day of school) they did a parade. Some kids decorate their parents vehicles or golf carts, my kid didn't want to. He just wanted me to wash my truck and ride in the very back. So that is what we did.

While waiting, he asked me what it felt like when I finished elementary, high school, and college. I told him that it was fun, exciting, but also disappointing too. I explained that I kept thinking, wait, this it? This is all there is? He smiled and asked, "OK, so it is ok to feel disappointed?" I just told him that instead of feeling disappointed, just look forward to all the awesomeness of middle school.
 
Suburb Repairman said:
The level of irritation I feel for clients expecting us to work for free as though we're a local nonprofit is pretty incredible, and then acting churlish when I say no. I get that you have a need outside of the scope. But addressing that need costs in time and materials. I suggested that you include an additional contingency/betterment to optionally tap by staff task order for unanticipated needs at the beginning of the project, and you declined. I did some extra meetings outside of the scope already because I'm a nice guy. The fact that you're scared to take an amendment to your city manager or city council speaks to an entirely different issue.

I'll happily squint to squeeze an extra public engagement or some additional cool content, especially if you've been an enjoyable client (treat your consultants well, and they'll return the favor). But you can't run around expecting me to absorb $25K because you changed your mind or want to add something that was specifically removed from the scope.
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I always treat my consultants well and they always seem to give me a little extra when I ask. Granted I always tell them if it's out of the scope just tell me no and we do hire these consultants for much more than just my one contract. We're a good client to have around with the amount of work we send out.
 
DVD said:
I always treat my consultants well and they always seem to give me a little extra when I ask. Granted I always tell them if it's out of the scope just tell me no and we do hire these consultants for much more than just my one contract. We're a good client to have around with the amount of work we send out.
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Exactly. Treat us well, and we will squint at the contract. I know with one client they always brought these awesome pastries from the local panaderia. I was open with the client about the fact that some of our hours got "forgotten" on invoices because of this, and there is a running joke in the office that I would structure an entire compensation piece of a contract based on tacos :drool;
 
Suburb Repairman said:
The level of irritation I feel for clients expecting us to work for free as though we're a local nonprofit is pretty incredible, and then acting churlish when I say no. I get that you have a need outside of the scope. But addressing that need costs in time and materials. I suggested that you include an additional contingency/betterment to optionally tap by staff task order for unanticipated needs at the beginning of the project, and you declined. I did some extra meetings outside of the scope already because I'm a nice guy. The fact that you're scared to take an amendment to your city manager or city council speaks to an entirely different issue.

I'll happily squint to squeeze an extra public engagement or some additional cool content, especially if you've been an enjoyable client (treat your consultants well, and they'll return the favor). But you can't run around expecting me to absorb $25K because you changed your mind or want to add something that was specifically removed from the scope.
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insubordinate GIF
 
So in our group each week we pick a $20 word and try to work it into our internal meetings in entertaining ways. This week, the word was "churlish" :D:D:D
 
AIB ^^^
"churlish" definitions 2 & 3 sure can be used to describe any of the following:
applicant at the front counter, some people at public meetings, certain developers, code violators
 
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