Monday Randoms

[midwestmama]

Sept 23, 2024 10:05:14 GMT -5 livinitup said:

My organization announced a new org change on Friday and my boss isn’t on it. My entire department got shifted under a new person who does not know our systems. “Nothing will change” seems to be the mantra of the day. Cool. Who will do the full time job my boss did? My boss was here 10 years! That’s just cold, cold, cold.

We went through a big reorg a few years ago, and the line was "we'll stop doing some work" to compensate for the loss of positions. (In many departments, enough people who were eligible took the separation package that not many positions were actually eliminated.  DH and I are still wishing that he would have still worked there (he left this employer two years prior for a job elsewhere, due to a restructuring at that time and uncertainty about his role), because he would have been eligible for the separation package.  Would have been life-changing for us in the sense that if was able to find a job pretty quickly, we would have been able to pay years off of our mortgage.)  Anyways, the work never stopped, of course, and we've hired back a number of positions which had previously been eliminated.  It was definitely a rough year where we were down a position and the work didn't slow or stop.

[meowmaps]

My husband and I have been randomly watching movies from the 90s when we’re too tired to give our full attention to a new program.

We watched Deep Impact over the weekend and I can’t stop thinking about how Leelee Sobieski’s family left their dog in the house. An extinction level event is coming and rather than take your family pet with you to either survive or die together, you leave them to face their mortality alone? Monsters!

[midwestmama]

Sept 23, 2024 10:43:02 GMT -5 candreco said:

Sept 23, 2024 10:27:09 GMT -5 fluffycookie said:

Truly random and I am probably overthinking this. I am working on the agenda for the boosters meeting this week and I want to offer families that have multiple players on the team a discount for the booster fee which is 225/player. How much would you offer? The treasurer is trying to reach out to the other boosters to see what discount they offer.

What sport and what does the fee pay for? I'd probably knock it down to at least $150 for a second kid, $100 for a third.

Also curious about the sport and what the fee covers.  For example, our ticket sales, concessions, and other fundraising offsets quite a bit of the pay-to-play fee.  They actually cut the fee in half starting this year (from $120 for high school to $60 for one sport/season).

Without knowing more details, I would say gut reaction is down to $200 for the second player, and down to $150 if there is a 3rd player.

[fluffycookie]

Sept 23, 2024 10:43:02 GMT -5 candreco said:

Sept 23, 2024 10:27:09 GMT -5 fluffycookie said:

Truly random and I am probably overthinking this. I am working on the agenda for the boosters meeting this week and I want to offer families that have multiple players on the team a discount for the booster fee which is 225/player. How much would you offer? The treasurer is trying to reach out to the other boosters to see what discount they offer.

What sport and what does the fee pay for? I'd probably knock it down to at least $150 for a second kid, $100 for a third.

Hockey. The fees go to: food for away games, senior night (fathead, banners for the school, light refreshments/food after the game, announcer, photographer, flowers, decorations), teacher appreciation night (light refreshments, pay for the teachers to attend), jackets for the new players, varsity jackets, covers the players (middle school and high school) tickets for the end of the year banquet, end of the year banquet, ice for once a week captains practices which is about 9 weeks.  I am sure I am missing stuff.  We do fundraising as well.

[fluffycookie]

Sept 23, 2024 10:46:28 GMT -5 midwestmama said:

Sept 23, 2024 10:43:02 GMT -5 candreco said:

What sport and what does the fee pay for? I'd probably knock it down to at least $150 for a second kid, $100 for a third.

Also curious about the sport and what the fee covers.  For example, our ticket sales, concessions, and other fundraising offsets quite a bit of the pay-to-play fee.  They actually cut the fee in half starting this year (from $120 for high school to $60 for one sport/season).

Without knowing more details, I would say gut reaction is down to $200 for the second player, and down to $150 if there is a 3rd player.

We don't get any fees from the ticket sales or concession stands.  The school gets some money from the tickets and the rink runs the concession stands so they get all the money.  The booster fee is separate from the school fee which is I thin was 250 last year.

The sport is hockey. The fees go to: food for away games, senior night (fathead, banners for the school, light refreshments/food after the game, announcer, photographer, flowers, decorations), teacher appreciation night (light refreshments, pay for the teachers to attend), jackets for the new players, varsity jackets, covers the players (middle school and high school) tickets for the end of the year banquet, end of the year banquet, ice for once a week captains practices which is about 9 weeks. We do fundraising as well.

[pinkdutchtulips]

J and I celebrated our 7th! anniversary over the weekend. Saw Jon Pardi in Wheatland (outside of Sacto for you Nor Cal folks) and spent the weekend at the Hard Rock Hotel ... had a fabulous dinner then returned to our normal lives Sunday afternoon - football and picking up the dog from the kennel. Miss R spent the weekend w friends by the old house. 

Also today marks 11 years since I left R's dad. It has been to the biggest (and best) change I've ever made in my life. Was it easy? No. Was it terrifying? Yes. Did I know I'd be ok? Yes. I just knew I had to leave him and put him completely behind Miss R and I. 

[candreco]

Sept 23, 2024 10:50:19 GMT -5 fluffycookie said:

Sept 23, 2024 10:43:02 GMT -5 candreco said:

What sport and what does the fee pay for? I'd probably knock it down to at least $150 for a second kid, $100 for a third.

Hockey. The fees go to: food for away games, senior night (fathead, banners for the school, light refreshments/food after the game, announcer, photographer, flowers, decorations), teacher appreciation night (light refreshments, pay for the teachers to attend), jackets for the new players, varsity jackets, covers the players (middle school and high school) tickets for the end of the year banquet, end of the year banquet, ice for once a week captains practices which is about 9 weeks.  I am sure I am missing stuff.  We do fundraising as well.

Man, youth sports constantly astound me. Since it covers a lot of stuff parents would otherwise have to pay for, I'd go with midwestmama's $200/$150.

[jinkies]

Both my kids have struggled with friendships for years. I wish I had any idea of what the problem is, so that I could try to help. It is heart breaking to watch them put themselves out there over and over and get rejected (DS, repeatedly) or picked on (DD, repeatedly).

I posted over the weekend that I thought DS (16) was being ghosted by his best friend. It came to a head last night because they had plans to hang out yesterday for the first time in months, and friend ignored messages all weekend. He finally texted at 9:00 last night and was super dismissive about it, saying that the plans weren't final because they hadn't set a time, even though they'd arranged for weeks to do something, and DS started texting Saturday morning to ask about what time worked. When DS said it would have just been nice if he had texted earlier, the kid acted like DS was being unreasonable and crazy. They have been best friends for 3 years, and he was, in fact, DS's only real friend that he hung out with outside of school or extracurriculars. He is devastated.

DD (almost 13) keeps falling into the same trap of befriending kids who bait her into talking about others ("Don't you think Suzie is mean, I hate her" and then if DD agrees, they run back and tell Suzie that DD hates her) to start drama. She started a new school this year and thought she had found a real friend, in part because they were both picked on by "Emily", and they bonded over it. Then the new friend posted pictures of herself hanging out with Emily over the weekend. DD feels super betrayed and just wants someone to be her friend, and not hang out with mean girls who make fun of her. I feel like that's not asking too much, but she hasn't found anyone yet.

It was a rough weekend in the Jinkies house.

On the bright side, DS started a new weekly activity last night, so maybe (?) he'll find some friends there.

DD always has her people from her horse barn, who are wonderful and supportive. So at least she has some good people in her life, even if most of them are older teens and even adults.

This is one of the hardest parts of parenting for me.

[jane6672]

Sept 23, 2024 10:22:45 GMT -5 eb777888 said:

Sept 23, 2024 8:47:35 GMT -5 jane6672 said:

@

I would like to know HOW when I’m sometimes only pooping every 3-4 days thanks to pregnancy, when it IS time to poop, MH is inevitably already in the bathroom pooping.

It’s like he’s got some competitive poop spidey sense.

Are you by chance on iron supplements? I had low iron when I was pregnant and the supplements did this to me. They ended up giving me a magnesium supplement with it and that helped so much. 

I am taking iron, but also taking magnesium. I’m on a high fiber, whole food diet (bc reflux) and take fiber supplements… it’s just either all or nothing in the poop department 🥲

I miss my regular digestion.

[bears]

jinkies that is all so rough!

My DD is also having a hard time, socially. She is 12 and loves to play with our much younger neighbors (5&6), but has become very skittish with her peers. Even when kids want to engage with her, she doesn't (ignores them when they say hi). She makes some connections at camps and sports, where she's exposed to the same kids day in and day out and has multiple chances to engage...but none of those friendships have been long-lasting.

We did a social group, but it was far and didn't have much long-lasting impact, IMO. I really wish I could find something closer, but none of the psychology groups are offering this for tweens since COVID. I really was hoping she would make her school sports team, but she didn't. I told her she needs to join a school club that meets regularly. She is furious at me for pushing so much, but I think she needs it.

[1confused1]

Two days of work then I am off for the rest of the week. The trip we are going on is not going to be relaxing, but I can’t wait to get away from the daily grind.

[ProfessorArtNerd]

Sept 23, 2024 8:47:35 GMT -5 jane6672 said:

@

I would like to know HOW when I’m sometimes only pooping every 3-4 days thanks to pregnancy, when it IS time to poop, MH is inevitably already in the bathroom pooping.

It’s like he’s got some competitive poop spidey sense.

I cannot wait til our addition with powder room is complete! Although my sister and mom live together, have two bathrooms and still have this problem 🤣

[ssmjlm]

Sept 23, 2024 8:45:21 GMT -5 ssmjlm said:

My car is at the audio repair shop today so crossing all my fingers and toes it gets repaired.

Well what the dealer said was wrong, is not what is wrong. They replaced the part and I still have no working sound.

Thankful I'm WFH as I sit here in tears over this car issue.

[glitzy07]

fluffycookie Our hockey association (youth, not HS) does a 10% discount for the second player and 15% for the third. This is for registration fees not booster stuff, but FYI if that helps at all.

[Jalapeñomel]

Wicked, the movie, is going to make so much money, like Avatar money.

[noodleoo]

jinkies, I’m so sorry. That’s heartbreaking to read. I had was bullied and had mean girl experiences in middle school and I’m so scared for it for my kids. I’m afraid it is going to be so much worse now. I hope better things/friends are ahead for your kids.

[meanie]

jinkies friend stuff is so tough, and watching your kids get hurt is the absolute worst. Big hugs to you (and them!)

[fluffycookie]

jinkies, sending hugs to your DS and DD. Friendships are hard and I am finding change on a dime these days.

[ssmjlm]

Sept 23, 2024 12:10:11 GMT -5 ssmjlm said:

Sept 23, 2024 8:45:21 GMT -5 ssmjlm said:

My car is at the audio repair shop today so crossing all my fingers and toes it gets repaired.

Well what the dealer said was wrong, is not what is wrong. They replaced the part and I still have no working sound.

Thankful I'm WFH as I sit here in tears over this car issue.

At this point I'm just talking to myself.

They found some corrosion, cleaned that, put in the "new to me part" and all is working. So happy! 

[scm1011]

jinkies, that is so hard. My kids are still little and have only had minor friend issues arise so far, but even then my heart absolutely breaks. I don't know how I'll manage when things get more complicated and high stakes as they age. I think its great that they both came to you though - as someone who navigated similar friendship issues in middle school I never would have told my mom.

[emilyinchile]

I just ate a birthday cake KitKat that I grabbed before we left NY, and I regret not buying 50 of them. It's like frosted circus animal cookies and KitKat had a baby, and omg delicious.

[ssmjlm]

Does anyone remember that I had a whole HR issue with employees and a service dog because one wanted to have one and another person claimed they were deathly afraid and would have panic attacks???

Well I was just notified as I prepare to return to my old position that the person they hired to work side by side with the woman with a service animals is AFRAID OF DOGS.

I always disclosed a service animal in our division when I did any job offers for this slot, so I'm very WTFing that no one disclosed it.

All the memos for record I guess. Starting with the email to my boss from today's incident that was witness by 4 people. FANTASTIC.

[followyourarrow]

I work in a large machine shop where we make little metal parts. So the whole facility including my office smell like metal, oils, welding, that kinda thing. Except our office manager sprayed the offices down in pumpkin spice. I prefer the clean smell of the metal and oils.

[TR]

Sept 23, 2024 12:15:28 GMT -5 Jalapeñomel said:

Wicked, the movie, is going to make so much money, like Avatar money.

What is insane to me is that there is ZERO indication (that I can tell) from the trailer that this is only Part I and that there will be a second movie.

[Patsy Baloney]

I think this is an unpopular opinion: Wicked is blah. Blah!

[lust2hart]

Sept 23, 2024 15:00:40 GMT -5 Patsy Baloney said:

I think this is an unpopular opinion: Wicked is blah. Blah!

I like the music but am indifferent about the story. 

[ssmjlm]

Sept 23, 2024 15:00:40 GMT -5 Patsy Baloney said:

I think this is an unpopular opinion: Wicked is blah. Blah!

Ariana Grande is not a good actress. Surely there were better people for the movie?

[thebreakfastclub]

I don't care for movies so not the target audience at all for Wicked. But when projects have huge budgets and multiple years of delays and now this is a two part movie?!? Like 4+ hours are needed!

These signs usually point to it missing the impossibly high expectations and not being a hit and people getting sick of it really fast.

[lavenderblue]

Sept 23, 2024 12:15:28 GMT -5 Jalapeñomel said:

Wicked, the movie, is going to make so much money, like Avatar money.

I am so excited for this movie, it looks absolutely amazing. And for some reason I feel like I need to go see it in some sort of costume LOL

ETA I see not everyone shares in my excitement! But I love Wicked, it's one of my favorite Broadway shows and I'm a sucker for the original Wizard of Oz movie and the book. Basically, I love everything Oz

[lust2hart]

Sept 23, 2024 15:19:51 GMT -5 lavenderblue said:

Sept 23, 2024 12:15:28 GMT -5 Jalapeñomel said:

Wicked, the movie, is going to make so much money, like Avatar money.

I am so excited for this movie, it looks absolutely amazing. And for some reason I feel like I need to go see it in some sort of costume LOL

ETA I see not everyone shares in my excitement! But I love Wicked, it's one of my favorite Broadway shows and I'm a sucker for the original Wizard of Oz movie and the book. Basically, I love everything Oz

Have you read Finding Dorothy? It's historical fiction about Maud Baum, the wife of Frank Baum, who wrote The Wonderful Wizard of Oz. It's so good!