Deep 6 FaWtL

Walmart is cheap because in other stores you're paying for the glorious luxury of not going into a Walmart.

For my fellow broke folks:

I love Aldi for groceries. If it is near you and you haven't tried it, it's cheaper than even Walmart and VERY high quality. Very little variety; almost all store brand, and few employees (you put a quarter in to check out a cart and get your quarter back for returning; you have to buy bags or bring reusable) and no more space than absolutely necessary...but it originated in Germany and those folks know efficiency! I have filled a cart to the rim with food for under a hundred bucks before.

ALDI AND NUDITY FOREVER

Our Aldi is hit-and-miss. I've found some great stuff there (even decent produce, and Blue Bell ice cream) and then there are times that it feels more like the grocery section at Family Dollar and the shelves are half bare with weird stuff.

Today is my niece's first birthday!
I have a surfeit of nephews, but only one niece, and she's pretty fabulous.
Eve's planning on making a white chocolate raspberry cake and filling the playroom with red balloons.
I just want a video of her with her cake.

AWRIGHT

Alright 1st shift lets get moving here. Ready to get out of here.

Edit: Ha worked like a charm as soon as I hit submit there he was.

Aldi's in Wisconsin sucks, hard.

It's gotta be a Bay Area thing, but I've never even seen an Aldi's. I at least know there are Wal*Marts out in Richmond and Pinole, but I don't know whether there are any Aldis in California.

But of course, a quick Google shows the nearest one to be... 213.22 miles away, in southern California.

Guess that explains it.

Personally, I've always been a "produce snob" -- I cannot exist without good fresh produce, which automatically rules out Wal*Mart.

But we got lucky -- even at our lowest combined annual income ($29,000 per year gross for the two of us), there was a Nugget Market right near us that got fresh produce right off the farms (living in an agricultural hub is wonderful), so we could get things like cantaloupes that were still warm from the sun for $0.29/pound. I still remember coming back to the Bay Area and thinking, "Who would pay over $1/pound for produce? Especially this crap?"

Ah, those were the days!

Waxes reminiscent as he thinks about going to the farmer's market tomorrow for his $3.50/pound fresh apples...

EDIT: And I think that's the thing -- there's never been a time when we haven't both been pulling in incomes, up until the point Impus Major was born, so we've been very, very lucky in terms of finances.

In other news, our bathroom had horrible, horrible water hammer in the cold water faucet. I tried to fix it myself, but the pipe was just floating in the middle of nothing, so there was no way to strap it down.

We didn't even mention it to the plumber, yet he noticed the pipe wasn't strapped and suddenly the water hammer has virtually vanished.

Good plumbers... hard to come by, and a wonder when you get them!

Aldi around is ok. And they have fresh fruits and vegetables. Of course all supermarkets that deal in food around here have fresh fruits and vegetables available, majority of which are cheaper than meat or cheese or many processed foods.

Cover Turtle wrote:

Especially the 'why the heck aren't most (public) toilets uni-sex and disability friendly' part.

To keep this as non-political as possible... in the case of the former, because (some) people really don't want to have restrooms shared between people with different sets of genitalia. That's basically what it comes down to. They want the biological sexes segregated in any and all situations that might possibly involve any level of nudity or biological processes in motion aside from married couples.

As for the latter, most places are; those that aren't are either heavily out of date or incredibly cheap about not getting that stuff put in place.

Up here we've just been through a periode (it's slowed down lately) that saw an increase in gender segregated public bathrooms, showers and the like...ostentatiously in an attempt to be more considerate and inclusive of others.

Cover Turtle wrote:

My question is going to be if there's anything we can do to relive the two of you of any stress and worry?

I'm fine, and I don't really know anything that can help her. Mostly I've been doing the tried and true "use any means necessary to keep her mind off of the subject". I know it's a pretty guy-thing to do, but according to one of my psych professors, it's one of the reasons (on average) men tend to cope with grief better.

It's not that we don't deal with issues at all, but it's about handling your trauma when you're ready to deal with it, which for me at least, is after I've gotten situated and can handle the scenario in a less emotional manner.

It seems to be working for Tala. A little kratom seemed to calm her down, too. She's definitely missing access to other herbal remedies, and she's really not a drinker, similar to me.

My mom also offered to talk to her if she needed anyone. My mom lost her mom in her 20s, so not too far from Tala, and my mom likes Tala even more than my ex-wife...and with two sons, my mom never had a daughter, so she's got this surrogate mom thing going sometimes. So I think that'll help too.

It's even more sad 'cause my mom and her mom were just starting to become friends. My mom visited Tala's mom at her house (bedridden, as I said), and was planning on visiting her after the hospital before things took a turn for the worse.

Oh, some good news - they didn't need the medical coma. Tala's lungs aren't getting better, but she has a tracheotomy right now that seems to be doing it's job. She can't talk or anything, but eventually Tala can video-chat her, even though her mom won't be able to respond.

Bad news - she's on the strongest antibiotics they have, and nothing seems to be working. :-(

Prayers from those who do so would be appreciated. She says to tell all of you she appreciates the words of condolences.

Okay.

War, war never changes.

... Hold on, wrong game...

F~+! you dad!!

There we go!

Why does every alien species I have first contact with have backward bending legs, and laser rifles.

I get it, you're aliens, and a#@&@!%s.

Just once, once! I'd like to find an alien species that's conical, and sprays psychotropic drugs out of it's eyeballs.

Or at least doesn't have f*%#ing laser rifles!!

I love Aldi. Both the one here and the one by my old apartments are great.

My main complaints are their hours - they don't open until 10, so no grabbing stuff on the way to work first thing in the morning - and the fact that they rarely have more than one aisle open, even at the busiest hours, and no self-checkouts, so the lines get REALLY long.

But their prices are fantastic, their products reliable and quality, and there's always something interesting in the one aisle dedicated to "here today gone tomorrow" deals.

Why does every alien species I have first contact with have backward bending legs, and laser rifles.

I get it, you're aliens, and a*~*%$+s.

Just once, once! I'd like to find an alien species that's conical, and sprays psychotropic drugs out of it's eyeballs.

Or at least doesn't have f#%%ing laser rifles!!

Shiro's having fun with that in Fallout 76.

Every time he sees a new creature, he spends the time to put on his full power armor, get out his biggest gun, and then goes over and tries to talk to it.
He has yet to not have to kill it.

My favorite is his description of the aliens: "I saw them, and they were just toodling around in their vehicle, so I went over and hailed them. And they just started shooting at me! So I hit them with my .50-caliber machine gun and killed them all. I would have liked to have talked to them, but everything in this game hates you."

Ha! Now I've figured out how to switch to MY rifle!

Take that alien dickbags!!

Is promptly gunned down by aliens.

About lego - the only thing I'd build with the set is what the set told me to build(like, you know, a house). As in instructions for fixing lego up. My BF, on the other hand, would happily jumble multiple sets together to create...what...flying house on rocket boosters, that dual wields light sabers?

Now where the heck did that come from?

It's vague in my memory, but I did both as a kid. Initially I would follow the instructions and build what the set directed me to build. But then later I tore my sets apart and built entirely custom-made stuff.

The last Legos thing I ever built was an enormous spaceship -- I remember it being like a meter long, but it was probably more like 30 cm -- with three pilots, a power core, a launchable rocket, and two detachable fighter pods. It was more elaborate than any set I ever built.

Ah, memories!

I did the same. My final project was a huge space station city named Miletus. I never finished it.

I want to incorporate that into my homebrew world somehow now.

Hi, everyone.

Hello

"If you're happy and you know it, clap your face!" - Little girl singing in the bookstore.

Aldi's in Wisconsin sucks, hard.

really? That blows.

captain yesterday wrote:

Aldi's in Wisconsin sucks, hard.

really? That blows.

It might have improved in the last twenty years but I'm not going there.

There are plenty of better, closer, options for groceries.

"If you're happy and you know it, clap your face!" - Little girl singing in the bookstore.

I hope you were, and you did.

Aldi is alright in most respects, but the choice of beer there is normally a bit sub-par. Mind you, Lidl isn't great either.

Resist or Embrace. The choice is permanent!

Tala's mom is breathing with a ventilator, which I'm told is a step up. She's fighting the infection. We video chatted her this morning.

Tala's dad is moving up here. He has room in the truck for my scooter! I get my Yamaha Vino back!

Other good news; Tala is joining my Pathfinder VTT group. The GM finally okay'd it (we have a flaky player so he said she's good to take his spot). My desire to play anything else will be tapered as I get to help a newbie, one of my favorite things to do in tabletop. She hasn't played RPGs since high school! (She's early 30s) It's so great to see someone you love psyched for your hobby.

Finally, I start orientation Monday. I'm nervous, but excited.

That link looks like nightmare fuel.

I maybe should have warned people

Tala's mom is breathing with a ventilator, which I'm told is a step up. She's fighting the infection. We video chatted her this morning.

Tala's dad is moving up here. He has room in the truck for my scooter! I get my Yamaha Vino back!

Other good news; Tala is joining my Pathfinder VTT group. The GM finally okay'd it (we have a flaky player so he said she's good to take his spot). My desire to play anything else will be tapered as I get to help a newbie, one of my favorite things to do in tabletop. She hasn't played RPGs since high school! (She's early 30s) It's so great to see someone you love psyched for your hobby.

Finally, I start orientation Monday. I'm nervous, but excited.

glad to hear.

Woran wrote:

Woran wrote:

I'm a biologist.
A fertilized human egg is just as at home in the abdominal cavity in its early stages as in a womb. The great arterial network that surrounds the intestines provide it with the same nutrients that the womb would. Its only when proceeding to the stage where the egg would promote placenta growth, that it becomes dangerous. And painfull.
you can read up on abdominal pregnancy

*Swallows loudly and winces at the pics in the link*

This young woman here gets it.
You don't really need to get creative to imagine a pregnant man...nature has almost (but not quite) got everything covered for you to make such as strange concept or fantasy come true...

Yeah. You need a fertilized egg and a large needle.

Now as someone who buys pantry supplies for the office I'll say it's rather hard to get coffee that makes everyone happy. Coffee's taste is in the tongues of the taster. Like for me I cannot stand coffee with the slightest bit of acidity, whereas for Cover Turtle, he likes it. So cut the company providing "bad" coffee some slack, maybe someone down there actually likes that type of coffee? You can complain that person/people in question has horrible taste, though.

Though I'll say if majority claim that the coffee is bad, they should look into another brand unless there are budget restrictions.

Oh, its not the type or brand. Its literally one of the worst type of coffee machines. It doesnt work with actual coffee, but coffee extract.

I can understand why they do it. The machine looks fancy and is easy to maintain, and never arguments about who should brew a new pot. And its a cheap way to provide coffee.

But it doesnt taste good :(

Switch to tea.

I baked some baked beans today, which means I am now Emperor of the Universe.

Switch to tea.

Listen to your Uncle Freehold.

My girlfriend's mom is back in the hospital again. It doesn't look like she'll make it this time.

I wish your GF's mom, your GF and you lots of strength in the coming days.

well on some good news my Gf got hired for a new job and its paying about 4 more an hour then her previous with a lot better benefits.

Also I'm starting Skyward tonight.

Congratulations!

Freehold DM wrote:

Switch to tea.

Listen to your Uncle Freehold.

Eh. I'm not much of a tea person.

Played two Pathfinder Society adventures today, back to back. It was a lot of fun.
Mr.T my husband made lamb curry with yellow rice and sajoer beans for us for dinner <3

Orthos wrote:

That link looks like nightmare fuel.

I maybe should have warned people

If you do something nature wasn't wanting you to do, you can expect things to get screwed up. I don't even know how you'd carry the fetus to a deliverable term by probably the abdominal version of C-section, considering there isn't the nutrient lining of the womb and all that protecting. And the, where would you put the baby thing, it might cause your intestines to explode...

To me looking at the pictures was fine but again I'm sort of resistant to gore...

Limeylongears wrote:

Freehold DM wrote:

Switch to tea.

Listen to your Uncle Freehold.

Eh. I'm not much of a tea person.

I just drank a couple of potfuls yesterday =)

Tala's mom is breathing with a ventilator, which I'm told is a step up. She's fighting the infection. We video chatted her this morning.

Tala's dad is moving up here. He has room in the truck for my scooter! I get my Yamaha Vino back!

Other good news; Tala is joining my Pathfinder VTT group. The GM finally okay'd it (we have a flaky player so he said she's good to take his spot). My desire to play anything else will be tapered as I get to help a newbie, one of my favorite things to do in tabletop. She hasn't played RPGs since high school! (She's early 30s) It's so great to see someone you love psyched for your hobby.

Finally, I start orientation Monday. I'm nervous, but excited.

Ok - glad to hear the better news, maybe once both of you get stable income, you might be able to afford the plane ticket to fly over for a visit.

So, the plumbers came this morning.
According to WW, they stayed just long enough to say, "yup, we're going to have to break through the tile to take care of that, we'll send your landlord a bid and we'll see you on Monday".

WW's stepmom came and picked up the kids and me and took us to a workshop in the children's studio at the art museum. Then we stayed at the museum waaaaay too long, until Val was freaking out and bouncing off the walls, and she actually told him "shut up" in the car on the way home.
I don't think she's going to invite both of the kids next time; she'll probably take Hermione by herself.

If there was a night to wish I had a fairy godmother, this is it. After grandma dropped us off, I told the kids to go read comic books on the couch and to give me ten minutes of quiet before I start making dinner.

So far they're obeying, because comic books. (I have a few silver age Wonder Woman. Yes, they're ridiculously corny, but oh well.)

Played two Pathfinder Society adventures today, back to back. It was a lot of fun.

Mr.T my husband made lamb curry with yellow rice and sajoer beans for us for dinner <3

We'll have to have a go at sajoer beans, seeing as ALL (DE) is going veggie for 2019. Those look tasty!

So, the plumbers came this morning.

According to WW, they stayed just long enough to say, "yup, we're going to have to break through the tile to take care of that, we'll send your landlord a bid and we'll see you on Monday".

Wooooow... I'd send you mine, but I suspect that non-event was the landlord's doing, not the plumbers.

When I called our plumber for the fridge line (which we love love LOVE), the receptionist said, "Well, we can send someone out to give you an estimate, or we can just have them do it. We charge $122/hour for labor, plus parts."

Being me, I said, "Just do it."

I suspect most landlords are far more circumspect in their approach, but my feeling was that I needed the work done, I was going to be home, so I could make sure the guy wasn't slacking and check the itemized bill to make sure I'd gotten my money's worth.

Easier to get the job done and threaten to sue them if they do it poorly than sit around with no plumbing waiting for everyone to approve everything.

But that's apparently just me...

So, the plumbers came this morning.

According to WW, they stayed just long enough to say, "yup, we're going to have to break through the tile to take care of that, we'll send your landlord a bid and we'll see you on Monday".

WW's stepmom came and picked up the kids and me and took us to a workshop in the children's studio at the art museum. Then we stayed at the museum waaaaay too long, until Val was freaking out and bouncing off the walls, and she actually told him "shut up" in the car on the way home.
I don't think she's going to invite both of the kids next time; she'll probably take Hermione by herself.

If there was a night to wish I had a fairy godmother, this is it. After grandma dropped us off, I told the kids to go read comic books on the couch and to give me ten minutes of quiet before I start making dinner.

So far they're obeying, because comic books. (I have a few silver age Wonder Woman. Yes, they're ridiculously corny, but oh well.)

I would have cast sleep on them, but I go about things differently...

Yeah, remember when we had all the trouble with the water heater when we moved in?
I begged them to send the guy who finally put everything to rights and who was so competent.
The landlord's answer was, "No, we don't work with them anymore; they're too expensive."
They're expensive because they're the only ones who knew what in the heck they were doing.

Yeah, remember when we had all the trouble with the water heater when we moved in?

I begged them to send the guy who finally put everything to rights and who was so competent.
The landlord's answer was, "No, we don't work with them anymore; they're too expensive."
They're expensive because they're the only ones who knew what in the heck they were doing.

yeah that is how it goes sometimes.

Yeah, remember when we had all the trouble with the water heater when we moved in?

I begged them to send the guy who finally put everything to rights and who was so competent.
The landlord's answer was, "No, we don't work with them anymore; they're too expensive."
They're expensive because they're the only ones who knew what in the heck they were doing.

Oh, gods. I am *sooooooooo* sorry!

I can absolutely understand "due process" by a property manager, as it's their job to make sure the owners aren't getting ripped off for unnecessary work, so I can see:
(1) Have the property manager come in and inspect the issue to make sure it really needs repairs. (Check)
(2) Bring in 3 plumbers to make bids on the job. (If they did, they utterly failed to communicate this to you.)
(3) Hire the cheapest.

But to me it sounds like the property management company just doesn't know what they heck they're doing. They're not communicating with you, they don't have a Rolodex of "their guys", so they're just screwing everything up.
I swear, I should send you my plumbers *and* my property managers!

Why does every alien species I have first contact with have backward bending legs, and laser rifles.

I get it, you're aliens, and a@+*&%*s.

Just once, once! I'd like to find an alien species that's conical, and sprays psychotropic drugs out of it's eyeballs.

Or at least doesn't have f!%&ing laser rifles!!

I feel like the backward facing knees probably work better then our horrible horrible frontward facing knees.

Hi, everyone.

*Waves to John*

Hello

*Waves to Drejk too*

Tala's mom is breathing with a ventilator, which I'm told is a step up. She's fighting the infection. We video chatted her this morning.

Tala's dad is moving up here. He has room in the truck for my scooter! I get my Yamaha Vino back!

Other good news; Tala is joining my Pathfinder VTT group. The GM finally okay'd it (we have a flaky player so he said she's good to take his spot). My desire to play anything else will be tapered as I get to help a newbie, one of my favorite things to do in tabletop. She hasn't played RPGs since high school! (She's early 30s) It's so great to see someone you love psyched for your hobby.

Finally, I start orientation Monday. I'm nervous, but excited.

Good to hear thing a looking a bit better for Tala's mom.

Also, scooter brother forever!
(Got an old beat-up PGO Big Max ^^')

Switch to tea.

No!

Limeylongears wrote:

Freehold DM wrote:

Switch to tea.

Listen to your Uncle Freehold.

Eh. I'm not much of a tea person.

*Nods and nuzzles Woran*

*Yawns*
Tired...Nighty Night folks...

*Waddles over to his corner besides Mort's basket, kneads his blankets and spins around himself couple of times before popping into his shell*

Yeah, remember when we had all the trouble with the water heater when we moved in?

I begged them to send the guy who finally put everything to rights and who was so competent.
The landlord's answer was, "No, we don't work with them anymore; they're too expensive."
They're expensive because they're the only ones who knew what in the heck they were doing.

There are very few adages in the world more true than the following when it comes to service:

YOU GET WHAT YOU PAY FOR!!!!!