The Chit Chat Chit Chat Thread

[ajrwdwgirl]

Oh dear--where can I start with this one? Lived in this state my entire life, and yes, I've been to the Pops concerts on the 4th--but quite a few years ago. Oh, I know how I can explain this to you--

Think of the Magic Kingdom on Christmas Day . . . CROWDS, crowds and more crowds, for the 4th of July concert on the Boston Esplanade. Seriously, I'd advise against it. And it's worse now since 2001, with the extra security screening, etc. And if you watch the concert on tv (I'm not sure what network carries it out in your state), the people in the front area would get there well before 8:00 AM, and line up for security screening to get in. Then they'd set up their blankets on the ground, food coolers, etc. and stay there ALL DAY up until the time of the concert, which is around 8:00 PM. The 4th of July in Boston is extremely HOT and HUMID; and because the Hatch Shell (where the Boston Pops perform) is on the Esplanade, that is adjacent to the river--zillions of mosquitoes, etc. NO thanks.

You see, years ago when I'd go there, it was prior to 2001, and we could just free-range all over the place. (No security screening, no "pens" to corral people in, etc.) We'd get there maybe 1-2 hours ahead of the concert, and not have a great viewing area, but they would have giant speakers up and down the Esplanade, so you could still hear the music quite well. The fireworks following the concert were fun, too. Hubs and I have zero desire to ever go to the 4th of July concert there again though.

Your description is kind of what I thought it would be like. I don't know if I really have much desire to be there all day, especially since we would be most likely flying in and we wouldn't really have any picnic gear. Unfortunately, we don't get the Boston Pops on tv here anymore but they were fun to watch. Maybe we could catch a regular concert or something if we go to Boston.

 

[ajrwdwgirl]

lucky you. I have to make the insane effort of waking up.. walking 3 paces, and be infront of my computer to "get to work"

That sounds like a tough gig!

 

[MOXOMUMD]

Oh my England. You just can't get a break.

 

[donaldtoo]

View attachment 206180

13 days until National Donut Day.

I, especially, like that one on the top left...!

 

[Mr Ferret 75]

is this norway?

*edit* its gorgeous regardless.. somehow reminds me of ketchikan in alaska.

Yes Norway. It was our second port of call in 2015.

 

[Cesar R M]

That sounds like a tough gig!

yes.. so tiring!

 

[StarWarsGirl]

I can understand that, when I had to drive a distance (only 20 minutes) to and from work I used that as my decompression time. Obviously I was driving so I couldn't blank stare, but once I got home I had already processed what I needed to for the day and the next day so my mind felt a little freer than it does now. Now I get home in about 3 minutes so now my walks with Kapono are my decompression time.

Yup, my commute home is my decompression time. It's also backroads through residential areas, so it's very pretty. When I was in school and had a 30-45 minute commute, I used to sing the entire way home.

At my old job, I had about an hour commute on the Beltway (which Marylanders know is just horrible). I would usually have audiobooks on my phone, which was the only way I tolerated the traffic. I much prefer rolling out of bed an hour before my start time instead of leaving an hour before my start time.

 

[Gabe1]

for @MinnieM123

 

[Gabe1]

Yup, my commute home is my decompression time. It's also backroads through residential areas, so it's very pretty. When I was in school and had a 30-45 minute commute, I used to sing the entire way home.

At my old job, I had about an hour commute on the Beltway (which Marylanders know is just horrible). I would usually have audiobooks on my phone, which was the only way I tolerated the traffic. I much prefer rolling out of bed an hour before my start time instead of leaving an hour before my start time.

I found commutes differed. When I took a train into the city in the morning I used it as my drink my coffee and wake up time. Reverse, read and decompress. All and all about an hour.

When I had to commute from the docks or Ohare on home and then pick up a kid(s) from daycare it was nerve inducing. I so needed to decompress when I finally pulled into my driveway. But with a kid or then two it had to be all about them and getting a family dinner on the table and then getting them ready for bed, baths, clothes for the next day, backpacks prepared, children's paperwork, sleep, them fed in morning and delivered to daycare and repeat. *insert bad word* insane time of my life.

I would not trade it but my advice is for anyone, think hard before you leap into that world. It isn't for everyone. You loose most all personal being and become Mommy or Daddy above yourself. It isn't for everyone. I would not trade it, but look at an hour or so back and forth to work and add in a kid or two to that to the equation and being stuck in traffic @FutureCEO life becomes even more complicated when daycare closes at 6pm. I admire those who choose by choice not to have children through thoughtful choice. One of my bestest friends couple have gone down this road. They get poked by some but I respect their decision. Cause it is beyond life altering. A long commute back and forth without children to deal with upon destination is easy verses what parents find at the end of the commute. To me the rewards was worth it, to others I wholeheartedly respect the opposite choice

And to Edit: The reason I finally gave up career #1 for career #2 to own my own business and work out of my own home.

 

[Gabe1]

Ah my uncles, my mom and cousin had a big conversation about those kind of experiences over Thanksgiving. They all went to Catholic school. I'm shocked at what they got away with.

I started a reply to this and somehow it got lost somewhere, go figure. I nor either of my parents had good experiences in Catholic schools with our nuns as teachers. Still my parents sent us onto Catholic Schools. Drummed into heads was a basic logic of would you let a heathen society care for your children and educate them?

But being from N. Illinois the epic center for a good portion of all the Priest issues of our times with children I had to pro-actively rethink the teachings. I had to say the sleep over weekend 'retreats'??? Mind you I am specifically jaded as a disclaimer 'cause our parish had two priests arrested, being in sleepy hallow we were a good stash point so I am bitter about the two in a row micro community that we are, being a perfect dump point for all that.

But if I can say for all of my ragging about what I grew up with and experienced as a parent: I changed parishes. We moved over to a different small town when my second child was born after all the ick stink. I needed to have my DD baptism. It was arranged by a Nun vs a church Decon or a Priest. She was beyond a sweet elderly woman, well into her 80's. She asked to hold my DD. As we spoke of the day forthcoming she held my DD as if she was her own with great love and appreciation for life and commitment to God. I walked away with less bitterness and knowledge as a young parent that all I endured, my parents endured, that there was indeed good Priests and Nuns out there. I am still beyond guarded but that particular Nun I will never forget.

 

[Figgy1]

for @MinnieM123

Gee thnx, now I want to get a watermelon while I'm out later

 

[Figgy1]

Good morning I'm waiting for the hardware store to open. One of our water filters sprung a leak Good thing we can by pass it until later

 

[Figgy1]

 

[MOXOMUMD]

14 days until Father's Day.

 

[MOXOMUMD]

 

[MinnieM123]

for @MinnieM123

Thank you--that is an EXQUISITE presentation!

 

[MinnieM123]

Oh my England. You just can't get a break.

They have many wonderful people there, and they've always stood strong in the face of adversity. A reporter from the BBC referenced the below last night:

 

[FutureCEO]

Hi there! I live in the Boston area, and it can be very crazy seeing the Pops on the 4th of July. People do get there right when the gates open to get a good spot, and then they hang out with their lawn chairs and coolers all day until the concert. The Pops actually do a dress rehearsal the night before, so that may be a little less insane. I hope that helps!

@ajrwdwgirl

I know you don't live around here but I just watch it on PBS . I watch that and the Capitol Fourth. NYC one sucks. It really does, at least for me. Too much pop crap.

 

[FutureCEO]

I found commutes differed. When I took a train into the city in the morning I used it as my drink my coffee and wake up time. Reverse, read and decompress. All and all about an hour.

When I had to commute from the docks or Ohare on home and then pick up a kid(s) from daycare it was nerve inducing. I so needed to decompress when I finally pulled into my driveway. But with a kid or then two it had to be all about them and getting a family dinner on the table and then getting them ready for bed, baths, clothes for the next day, backpacks prepared, children's paperwork, sleep, them fed in morning and delivered to daycare and repeat. *insert bad word* insane time of my life.

I would not trade it but my advice is for anyone, think hard before you leap into that world. It isn't for everyone. You loose most all personal being and become Mommy or Daddy above yourself. It isn't for everyone. I would not trade it, but look at an hour or so back and forth to work and add in a kid or two to that to the equation and being stuck in traffic @FutureCEO life becomes even more complicated when daycare closes at 6pm. I admire those who choose by choice not to have children through thoughtful choice. One of my bestest friends couple have gone down this road. They get poked by some but I respect their decision. Cause it is beyond life altering. A long commute back and forth without children to deal with upon destination is easy verses what parents find at the end of the commute. To me the rewards was worth it, to others I wholeheartedly respect the opposite choice

And to Edit: The reason I finally gave up career #1 for career #2 to own my own business and work out of my own home.

We got out of work an hour early Friday so it only took me an hour to get home. Could have been a lot worse. Local TV station said it was a 20 minutes wait during rush hour that day, I call BS and someone paid them off to say that.

There is another way I could go but that way took me the same amount of time to get home because of an accident but I got to Providence before 5 so that was good. Here's something you don't hear everyday, Fall River was good for something.

“If you have to be somewhere, give yourself extra time,” said Eric Offenberg, the RITBA’s director of engineering. “We’re anticipating 20-minute delays if you’re going over in rush hour.” -----Try an hour it took me to go a mile.

 

[Goofyernmost]

I found commutes differed. When I took a train into the city in the morning I used it as my drink my coffee and wake up time. Reverse, read and decompress. All and all about an hour.

When I had to commute from the docks or Ohare on home and then pick up a kid(s) from daycare it was nerve inducing. I so needed to decompress when I finally pulled into my driveway. But with a kid or then two it had to be all about them and getting a family dinner on the table and then getting them ready for bed, baths, clothes for the next day, backpacks prepared, children's paperwork, sleep, them fed in morning and delivered to daycare and repeat. *insert bad word* insane time of my life.

I would not trade it but my advice is for anyone, think hard before you leap into that world. It isn't for everyone. You loose most all personal being and become Mommy or Daddy above yourself. It isn't for everyone. I would not trade it, but look at an hour or so back and forth to work and add in a kid or two to that to the equation and being stuck in traffic @FutureCEO life becomes even more complicated when daycare closes at 6pm. I admire those who choose by choice not to have children through thoughtful choice. One of my bestest friends couple have gone down this road. They get poked by some but I respect their decision. Cause it is beyond life altering. A long commute back and forth without children to deal with upon destination is easy verses what parents find at the end of the commute. To me the rewards was worth it, to others I wholeheartedly respect the opposite choice

And to Edit: The reason I finally gave up career #1 for career #2 to own my own business and work out of my own home.

Sometimes things are like depositing money in a bank. You don't use it right then, but, later on you take it out and use it when it has earned interest. The same goes with children. They are a ton of work, worry and time. They disrupt every effort that one personally has to just be selfish and do only for ourselves. However, when the mad rush of life starts and continues to slow down, you don't remember, smile and pat yourself on the back because you drove home from work and unwound. You process all those years of non-stop and smile and think... wow, I did all that! I have humans on this planet that are half my DNA and they are sometimes like me and, most of the time, like themselves. That is payback time and no matter how much effort was put in during those difficult years, nothing will ever replace those feelings and memories.

I have my children close by, but, I cannot describe just how lonely I feel sometimes. I wish I were young again and be doing it all over. No matter how much I complained about it back then, I would gladly do it again and again and again. Looking back, I was never happier or felt more needed then I was during that time.