Author Topic: Overheard at Work  (Read 13252900 times)

zephyr911

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Re: Overheard at Work
« Reply #10900 on: October 22, 2015, 12:58:22 PM »
People who buy bottled water…one day we’ll look back at them and laugh the way we do for people who bought pet rocks in the 70’s. I hope.
Interesting story, I had this exchange recently with a friend of a friend on FB, gave my standard dismissive opinion... apparently this person had lived through some kind of mass contamination event, 400,000 people affected in Milawaukee and 100+ died. Hard not to sympathize on an emotional level. But the odds of it ever happening again? If that person ever died from some weird freak event, it'd probably be something totally different.
Quote
Every few years I replenish the stock of silverware at work with pieces from a thrift store. Not sure if coworkers are tossing them in the trash or taking the pieces home, but the forks have a tendency to walk off frequently.
I can't believe I never thought of that! Totally grabbing a load today.

frugalnacho

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Re: Overheard at Work
« Reply #10901 on: October 22, 2015, 01:00:42 PM »
Quote
Every few years I replenish the stock of silverware at work with pieces from a thrift store. Not sure if coworkers are tossing them in the trash or taking the pieces home, but the forks have a tendency to walk off frequently.
I can't believe I never thought of that! Totally grabbing a load today.

I'm going to start stealing silverware from work as well.

MgoSam

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Re: Overheard at Work
« Reply #10902 on: October 22, 2015, 01:14:21 PM »
*Insert evil idea to unplug kettle and see how long it takes them to figure it out tomorrow*

Do it.

And come back here to share any stories.

zephyr911

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Re: Overheard at Work
« Reply #10903 on: October 22, 2015, 01:25:59 PM »
I'm going to start stealing silverware from work as well.
*snort*

CW w/ probably $60K in consumer debt, who always talks about getting out of it, just described a $200 restaurant dinner at a new place in town. Eek.

MgoSam

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Re: Overheard at Work
« Reply #10904 on: October 22, 2015, 01:27:57 PM »
I'm going to start stealing silverware from work as well.
*snort*

CW w/ probably $60K in consumer debt, who always talks about getting out of it, just described a $200 restaurant dinner at a new place in town. Eek.

I don't think I could consider enjoying myself upon spending that much money. Any idea if it was $200 a person or for a couple? I wonder how much of that were drinks. I've stopped drinking for the past few weeks and am amazed at how much money it can save.

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Re: Overheard at Work
« Reply #10905 on: October 22, 2015, 01:38:31 PM »
I'm going to start stealing silverware from work as well.
*snort*

CW w/ probably $60K in consumer debt, who always talks about getting out of it, just described a $200 restaurant dinner at a new place in town. Eek.

I don't think I could consider enjoying myself upon spending that much money. Any idea if it was $200 a person or for a couple? I wonder how much of that were drinks. I've stopped drinking for the past few weeks and am amazed at how much money it can save.

Yup. It has been enough for me that I have started a facepunch worthy coffee routine, so I haven't noticed the difference.

Beaker

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Re: Overheard at Work
« Reply #10906 on: October 22, 2015, 01:51:22 PM »
People who buy bottled water…one day we’ll look back at them and laugh the way we do for people who bought pet rocks in the 70’s. I hope.
Interesting story, I had this exchange recently with a friend of a friend on FB, gave my standard dismissive opinion... apparently this person had lived through some kind of mass contamination event, 400,000 people affected in Milawaukee and 100+ died. Hard not to sympathize on an emotional level. But the odds of it ever happening again? If that person ever died from some weird freak event, it'd probably be something totally different.

That was probably the Milwaukee Cryptosporidium outbreak in 1993. I was there for that, and still in school. Of course it was all over the news, so after the first day everyone should have known about it. The solution was just to boil water before you drank it - no big deal. So I acquired a new chore of boiling a big pot of water every day after school, which would then just sit there for all the water uses. Seems a heck of a lot easier than buying bottled water and dealing with the waste, but apparently not everyone agreed. And continuing to drink bottled water for 22 after the fact seems like an excessive response.

zephyr911

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Re: Overheard at Work
« Reply #10907 on: October 22, 2015, 01:56:25 PM »
I don't think I could consider enjoying myself upon spending that much money. Any idea if it was $200 a person or for a couple? I wonder how much of that were drinks. I've stopped drinking for the past few weeks and am amazed at how much money it can save.
Brazil-style churrascaria. Family of 4, $45/plate + drinks/tax/tip, $220 total. Something about "we won't be doing that again, hahaha"

Don't get me wrong, those places are awesome, but the prices aren't a secret...

zephyr911

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Re: Overheard at Work
« Reply #10908 on: October 22, 2015, 02:08:08 PM »
OH, and same CW last week, when thrift/consignment stores came up: "I should really look into that... just spent well over $100 on t-shirts for one of the kids"

MgoSam

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Re: Overheard at Work
« Reply #10909 on: October 22, 2015, 02:10:21 PM »
I don't think I could consider enjoying myself upon spending that much money. Any idea if it was $200 a person or for a couple? I wonder how much of that were drinks. I've stopped drinking for the past few weeks and am amazed at how much money it can save.
Brazil-style churrascaria. Family of 4, $45/plate + drinks/tax/tip, $220 total. Something about "we won't be doing that again, hahaha"

Don't get me wrong, those places are awesome, but the prices aren't a secret...

Yeah, I enjoy Fogo de Chao but can't justify spending that much. It's Restaurant Week here and on Sunday a friend of mine organized a big dinner, and I might have gone had I been in town. For Restaurant Week dinner is $30/person, which while still WAY more than I would spend, I might be willing to treat myself as an indulgence. I probably wouldn't have gone, and instead might have gone to an ACYE sushi place that's about $28/person, but that's because I get way more utility eating sushi than churrascaria.

On a side note, our former receptionist told us a few years ago about how her and her husband went and didn't know what the prices were like until they got the bill. She isn't the smartest person in the world, so it is possible, but I had to shake my head. Places that don't have prices on the menu do so because they have customers that can afford it, and likely are out of the price range for nearly all of us.

zephyr911

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Re: Overheard at Work
« Reply #10910 on: October 22, 2015, 02:41:17 PM »
I guess there are people that never had to do this, but on the rare occasions that I had enough money for restaurant food as a college student, I would either read the menu (if posted outside) or WALK INSIDE AND ASK FOR A COPY, before ever committing to dine there.

I felt awkward doing this, but I knew as a dumb kid that it was even worse to sit down without knowing what you could afford.

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Re: Overheard at Work
« Reply #10911 on: October 22, 2015, 03:28:45 PM »
Brazil-style churrascaria. Family of 4, $45/plate + drinks/tax/tip, $220 total. Something about "we won't be doing that again, hahaha"

Don't get me wrong, those places are awesome, but the prices aren't a secret...
I *LOVE* those places!  DW and I make a point of going once every year or two.  Yes, it's a splurge.  But we also make sure we can afford it first :)  And in our eyes, it's worth it every once in a while.

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Gondolin

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Re: Overheard at Work
« Reply #10912 on: October 22, 2015, 03:59:41 PM »
Quote
Because of the area I work in, I  have access to salary information, and while the majority earn a ton of money, a few of them, like me, have "normal" salaries. (I put normal in quotes because in my book, we're still paid above average.) Every single one of them complains about not being able to retire. The market dips and they freak out (while I clap my hands and yell SALE). I decided to snoop around and see what everyone in my group contributes to the 401(k) plan. We have a 4% match which isn't amazing, but it's still free money. Plus the plan is with Vanguard and the funds we can choose from are great.  I'm the only one who maxes out their contribution. In fact, the very highly paid employees (we're talking mid to high 6 figures) contribute 0%. We automatically enroll employees at 3% so they had to physically go in and change that number to 0%.  I'm still trying to wrap my head around this one because we don't have any special retirement plans for highly compensated employees. Why wouldn't you max it out?!

To be fair, when you're making 500-900k, a <$2k match plus an $18k tax shelter becomes trivial. Although, it doesn't like they're saying the way they should

maco

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Re: Overheard at Work
« Reply #10913 on: October 22, 2015, 06:43:21 PM »
OH, and same CW last week, when thrift/consignment stores came up: "I should really look into that... just spent well over $100 on t-shirts for one of the kids"
New, that was probably 5 shirts, which (depending on growth spurts and clothing refresh cycle length) might not be an unreasonable number of shirts.

dragoncar

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Re: Overheard at Work
« Reply #10914 on: October 22, 2015, 08:32:30 PM »
I guess there are people that never had to do this, but on the rare occasions that I had enough money for restaurant food as a college student, I would either read the menu (if posted outside) or WALK INSIDE AND ASK FOR A COPY, before ever committing to dine there.

I felt awkward doing this, but I knew as a dumb kid that it was even worse to sit down without knowing what you could afford.

I regularly ask to see a menu before sitting down, mostly because I want to see if there's anything I want to eat.

notquitefrugal

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Re: Overheard at Work
« Reply #10915 on: October 22, 2015, 08:53:10 PM »
Quote
We have a 4% match which isn't amazing, but it's still free money... In fact, the very highly paid employees (we're talking mid to high 6 figures) contribute 0%.

To be fair, when you're making 500-900k, a <$2k match plus an $18k tax shelter becomes trivial. Although, it doesn't like they're saying the way they should

Wait, how would it be a $2,000 match if you were making $500,000 per year? A match is generally expressed as the first X% of the salary you defer. At $500,000 per year, I think you could contribute the full $18,000 (3.6% of salary) and receive an $18,000 match, since the first 4% of contributions are matched.

JZinCO

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Re: Overheard at Work
« Reply #10916 on: October 22, 2015, 09:51:22 PM »
A boss brought in a huge pack of cherry tomatoes. While I was taking some, the closest workmate ask me "Are you gonna bring them home?". I guess my mustachian habits didn't go unnoticed...

Oh yeah. I'm that guy. I scored my dinner tonight (pizza, salad) from the break room. Got a couple jars of cocoa almond spread yesterday.. some cereal last week. I think I get a free item a week at least. In fact on some days, I go to the break room early in the morning or late in the day (when noone is around) just to see what I could grab. Maybe I'm being more cheap than frugal, but hey, it's put out there for somebody to take. Oh, and I'm not rootin in the fridge. There's a 'common' area for people to leave food, books, magazines, trinkets...

Back to the topic umm.. I found a coworker for years doesn't make any elections with her 401(a) DCP and it stagnates in a money market. And my other coworker has a geewhiz father who retired the MMM way and lives off dividend so we have some actually productive chats about personal finance.
« Last Edit: October 22, 2015, 09:54:35 PM by JZinCO »

wileyish

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Re: Overheard at Work
« Reply #10917 on: October 22, 2015, 09:55:23 PM »
People who buy bottled water…one day we’ll look back at them and laugh the way we do for people who bought pet rocks in the 70’s. I hope.
Interesting story, I had this exchange recently with a friend of a friend on FB, gave my standard dismissive opinion... apparently this person had lived through some kind of mass contamination event, 400,000 people affected in Milawaukee and 100+ died. Hard not to sympathize on an emotional level. But the odds of it ever happening again? If that person ever died from some weird freak event, it'd probably be something totally different.

Quite an anomaly. Municipal water sources have way more restrictions than bottled water. In my city, tests on municipal water are conducted daily and annual reports are available to residents. Also, fuck Nestle.

Quote
Every few years I replenish the stock of silverware at work with pieces from a thrift store. Not sure if coworkers are tossing them in the trash or taking the pieces home, but the forks have a tendency to walk off frequently.
I can't believe I never thought of that! Totally grabbing a load today.

I'm going to start stealing silverware from work as well.

So YOU are that jerk-face making off with the forks. You owe me at least $4.15, Mister!!

Allie

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Re: Overheard at Work
« Reply #10918 on: October 22, 2015, 11:24:19 PM »
May I add a non-money related one?

Coworker sees me pouring in my coffee milk from a recycled juice bottle, inquires about it, and I explain him I ain't drinking that dairy-fluff stuff they give for free, because it's not actual milk and I prefer knowing what I drink. He looks conspiratorially at me and asks me "Is it your own milk?". The guy next to me almost spit his coffee. (And no, I'm not lactating)

On the other hand...when I was actually lactating and pumping at work for my baby, I started bringing my coffee creamer in one of the little pumped milk bottles.  They were leak proof and fit into a little cooler with a specially fitted ice pack.  Made total sense to me.  They stayed cold and accessible.  Every time I went to get coffee, I would bring a little milk bottle with me and add a bit.  Only a close friend ever dared to ask if I was adding breastmilk to my coffee.

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Re: Overheard at Work
« Reply #10919 on: October 23, 2015, 12:23:07 AM »
In copier room...

CW: Damn, the machine is out of paper again, why doesn't anyone load this thing.

Opens a skein of paper, removes 3 sheets, puts them in the side feed, hits print, leaves open skein on top of printer and walks out.

Me: Cringe.

At least he didn't toss the 'extra' paper out...

theadvicist

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Re: Overheard at Work
« Reply #10920 on: October 23, 2015, 02:33:54 AM »

As I was filling the tray with freshly washed thrift store forks once:

CW: "Ewww, gross. Those are used? I’ll stick to the disposables. I’m a germaphobe."
Me:  “So you never eat at restaurants that use real silverware?”
CW: Startled stare.

Yeah, 'cos plastic forks made in a non-sterile factory in China and moved half way around the world in a shipping container are way cleaner than this one I just washed right in front of your face...

I was in the States recently and couldn't believe the amount of disposable stuff used everywhere. Every hotel that had a free continental breakfast used styrofoam cereal bowls! Ugh. Aside from the hideous hideous waste, it's just such a poor dining experience. The bendy spoon scraping along the bottom of the bowl. Buttering a muffin with a flexible knife, ah, it made me ragey!

And restaurants were just as bad. Ordered a coffee and bagel with cream cheese to go, from an independent hipster looking place. The coffee came in an 'Eco-cup!" proudly proclaiming how recycled it was. The bagel was placed in a huge clear plastic box (never even seen one of these in the UK, let alone been given one with something as cheap as a bagel, I'd best describe it as a display box), then in a huge paper bag. About 30 napkins were stuffed in, 3 FULL SETS of cutlery, and then, when I took it out to eat it (what a frigging palaver, trying to balance all that), I discovered my cream cheese was in a separate solo cup and I had to do it myself! Bendy knife, balancing a pound of disposable packaging, but oh great, the coffee cup was recycled. REDUCE, reuse, recycle.

Interestingly, the only place that did what I would consider the SENSIBLE thing of putting the cream cheese ON my bagel and handing it to me in a thin 6" square paper bag was... Starbucks. If some people don't want their cream cheese on immediately, just say, 'On the side?' like with salad dressing. /rant

theadvicist

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Re: Overheard at Work
« Reply #10921 on: October 23, 2015, 02:39:42 AM »
I guess there are people that never had to do this, but on the rare occasions that I had enough money for restaurant food as a college student, I would either read the menu (if posted outside) or WALK INSIDE AND ASK FOR A COPY, before ever committing to dine there.

I felt awkward doing this, but I knew as a dumb kid that it was even worse to sit down without knowing what you could afford.

I regularly ask to see a menu before sitting down, mostly because I want to see if there's anything I want to eat.

Yeah I would never get a table at a restaurant without checking the menu to see if I liked it first. It never occurred to me this could be perceived as checking out the prices... but obviously I would always do that too.

ShoulderThingThatGoesUp

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Re: Overheard at Work
« Reply #10922 on: October 23, 2015, 06:06:31 AM »
A boss brought in a huge pack of cherry tomatoes. While I was taking some, the closest workmate ask me "Are you gonna bring them home?". I guess my mustachian habits didn't go unnoticed...

Oh yeah. I'm that guy. I scored my dinner tonight (pizza, salad) from the break room. Got a couple jars of cocoa almond spread yesterday.. some cereal last week. I think I get a free item a week at least. In fact on some days, I go to the break room early in the morning or late in the day (when noone is around) just to see what I could grab. Maybe I'm being more cheap than frugal, but hey, it's put out there for somebody to take. Oh, and I'm not rootin in the fridge. There's a 'common' area for people to leave food, books, magazines, trinkets...

Back when my wife and I worked in offices, we frequently scored dinner this way by bringing home office meeting leftovers. This worked great except the one time we got food poisoning from her office when she was pregnant. An awful 24 hours of clearing every last drop of everything out of our alimentary canals, all the time worried about the baby, too. (Baby's fine, turning 2 next month.)

When she got back to her office, everybody had those little dot bruises around their eyes from vomiting with great force. The restaurant lost a solid corporate account that day.

I'd still bring home leftover office food if the opportunity presented itself. Things happen, but they usually don't.

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Re: Overheard at Work
« Reply #10923 on: October 23, 2015, 06:46:10 AM »
People who buy bottled water…one day we’ll look back at them and laugh the way we do for people who bought pet rocks in the 70’s. I hope.
A coworker spotted me filling up my mug at the water fountain at work. Granted, our building is old, and some of the faucets have a sign that say "Run water for at least 1 minute before consumption." Still:

CW: Wow, you're brave.
Me: Why, because I'm drinking from the water fountain?
CW: Yes.
Me: Well, there's no sign (warning to run water for a minute), so I'm assuming it's safe.
CW: I wouldn't do it.
Me: You have to die from something, right?

This coworker is a part of the $5/month water club. Yes, they pool their money to purchase those big bottled water coolers and drink from that.

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Re: Overheard at Work
« Reply #10924 on: October 23, 2015, 07:10:36 AM »
People who buy bottled water…one day we’ll look back at them and laugh the way we do for people who bought pet rocks in the 70’s. I hope.
A coworker spotted me filling up my mug at the water fountain at work. Granted, our building is old, and some of the faucets have a sign that say "Run water for at least 1 minute before consumption." Still:

CW: Wow, you're brave.
Me: Why, because I'm drinking from the water fountain?
CW: Yes.
Me: Well, there's no sign (warning to run water for a minute), so I'm assuming it's safe.
CW: I wouldn't do it.
Me: You have to die from something, right?

This coworker is a part of the $5/month water club. Yes, they pool their money to purchase those big bottled water coolers and drink from that.

People are stupid. I work in the water industry. Bottle water has no special regulations; they fall under all the same regulations municipalities do for their drinking water. The treatment process is the same for both.

Most bottle water companies use tap water, run it through a carbon filter (the same type of filter is on your refrigerator that no one ever replaces) and pass it off as purified or specially filtered. Its a sham.

I wonder how many other products are shams like this. I once worked in a sourkraut facility and they used the same enormis vat of kraut to fill 7 "different" company labels. Buy the cheapest sourkraut its all the same.

zephyr911

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Re: Overheard at Work
« Reply #10925 on: October 23, 2015, 07:25:49 AM »
I *LOVE* those places!  DW and I make a point of going once every year or two.  Yes, it's a splurge.  But we also make sure we can afford it first :)  And in our eyes, it's worth it every once in a while.

If you like meat and you've never been, you'll love it.
We hit one in Brazil on our honeymoon. Yes, yes, and yes! Eat till it f'ing hurts, 10 kinds of meat, etc. etc. etc.
I'm not opposed to the concept in any fashion... just opposed to a debt-ridden friend overpaying to experience it. :(

New, that was probably 5 shirts, which (depending on growth spurts and clothing refresh cycle length) might not be an unreasonable number of shirts.
I don't question the need or the quantity, I question paying retail for all of them after identifying consumer debt as a problem one would like to be rid of.

theadvicist

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Re: Overheard at Work
« Reply #10926 on: October 23, 2015, 08:20:28 AM »

People are stupid. I work in the water industry. Bottle water has no special regulations; they fall under all the same regulations municipalities do for their drinking water. The treatment process is the same for both.

Most bottle water companies use tap water, run it through a carbon filter (the same type of filter is on your refrigerator that no one ever replaces) and pass it off as purified or specially filtered. Its a sham.

I wonder how many other products are shams like this. I once worked in a sourkraut facility and they used the same enormis vat of kraut to fill 7 "different" company labels. Buy the cheapest sourkraut its all the same.

I remember when Dasani was withdrawn from sale in the UK because the scandal broke that it was... tap water.

ETA reading up on it was not just tap water, it was tap water to which they apparently added carcinogens! https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Dasani#United_Kingdom
« Last Edit: October 23, 2015, 08:24:21 AM by theadvicist »

MgoSam

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Re: Overheard at Work
« Reply #10927 on: October 23, 2015, 08:50:51 AM »
People who buy bottled water…one day we’ll look back at them and laugh the way we do for people who bought pet rocks in the 70’s. I hope.
A coworker spotted me filling up my mug at the water fountain at work. Granted, our building is old, and some of the faucets have a sign that say "Run water for at least 1 minute before consumption." Still:

CW: Wow, you're brave.
Me: Why, because I'm drinking from the water fountain?
CW: Yes.
Me: Well, there's no sign (warning to run water for a minute), so I'm assuming it's safe.
CW: I wouldn't do it.
Me: You have to die from something, right?

This coworker is a part of the $5/month water club. Yes, they pool their money to purchase those big bottled water coolers and drink from that.

Water coolers aren't that expensive to maintain, but then again I don't know how much water costs where you are and if they are paying for a service to deliver it. Here, we can fill up at 5 gallon drum of water for 39 cents a gallon. I have two jugs at the office and I will fill them up and bring them in, but then again mine is a small office so that water lasts a while. This is a necessity in my eyes as our tap is nasty, and I don't believe that my workers, especially in the warehouse, should have to bring in their own water.

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Re: Overheard at Work
« Reply #10928 on: October 23, 2015, 09:50:10 AM »
Water coolers aren't that expensive to maintain, but then again I don't know how much water costs where you are and if they are paying for a service to deliver it.

We have a small office and it's about $5/mo per person when you include everything (delivery, rental of the cooler, etc.). It's a nice cheap perk to have, it dispenses hot water for tea as well as cold water... and we don't have a tap/sink anywhere in our office so people would have to get tap water from the sometimes-icky shared-with-other-companies bathroom sink, or buy bottled.

MgoSam

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Re: Overheard at Work
« Reply #10929 on: October 23, 2015, 11:11:17 AM »
Water coolers aren't that expensive to maintain, but then again I don't know how much water costs where you are and if they are paying for a service to deliver it.

We have a small office and it's about $5/mo per person when you include everything (delivery, rental of the cooler, etc.). It's a nice cheap perk to have, it dispenses hot water for tea as well as cold water... and we don't have a tap/sink anywhere in our office so people would have to get tap water from the sometimes-icky shared-with-other-companies bathroom sink, or buy bottled.

I'm guessing that your's is a big office? For the cooler, we went on craigs' list and bought one and then bought two jugs and like I said, we refill them at the grocery store a block away for 39 cents a gallon or $1.95. I'm guessing that this wouldn't fly at a big office because people don't have time for that, but man does that add up.

kimmarg

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Re: Overheard at Work
« Reply #10930 on: October 23, 2015, 11:14:32 AM »
People who buy bottled water…one day we’ll look back at them and laugh the way we do for people who bought pet rocks in the 70’s. I hope.
A coworker spotted me filling up my mug at the water fountain at work. Granted, our building is old, and some of the faucets have a sign that say "Run water for at least 1 minute before consumption." Still:

CW: Wow, you're brave.
Me: Why, because I'm drinking from the water fountain?
CW: Yes.
Me: Well, there's no sign (warning to run water for a minute), so I'm assuming it's safe.
CW: I wouldn't do it.
Me: You have to die from something, right?

This coworker is a part of the $5/month water club. Yes, they pool their money to purchase those big bottled water coolers and drink from that.
I would have said never buy water but then I worked in an office with horrendous tasting hard water. I caved and joined the water club ($5/ month) not too many months after I did annual tests revealed the water (from a well) did not meet federal clean drinking water standards. After that my employer took over the cost of water.

nobodyspecial

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Re: Overheard at Work
« Reply #10931 on: October 23, 2015, 11:31:23 AM »
The coffee came in an 'Eco-cup!" proudly proclaiming how recycled it was. The bagel was placed in a huge clear plastic box (never even seen one of these in the UK,.....but oh great, the coffee cup was recycled. REDUCE, reuse, recycle.
Their inability to handle the concept of a china mug (the only proper way to serve tea) is why there is no hope for the civlisation over here.
That and not playing cricket, and having discovered a way of making rugby both boring and more dangerous.

jinga nation

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Re: Overheard at Work
« Reply #10932 on: October 23, 2015, 11:34:05 AM »
People who buy bottled water…one day we’ll look back at them and laugh the way we do for people who bought pet rocks in the 70’s. I hope.
A coworker spotted me filling up my mug at the water fountain at work. Granted, our building is old, and some of the faucets have a sign that say "Run water for at least 1 minute before consumption." Still:

CW: Wow, you're brave.
Me: Why, because I'm drinking from the water fountain?
CW: Yes.
Me: Well, there's no sign (warning to run water for a minute), so I'm assuming it's safe.
CW: I wouldn't do it.
Me: You have to die from something, right?

This coworker is a part of the $5/month water club. Yes, they pool their money to purchase those big bottled water coolers and drink from that.
At my workplace, bunch of folks trying to bring back the water coolers and monthly water dues, etc. I was asked and replied "FuckNo!". I told them that there's a water fountain in our office, two fountains in the huge shower facility next door that dispense supercoldaqua, and there's 50cent water bottles in the fridge (that I only use in an emergency, buying one and refilling for the day). I'm that Nalgene water bottle chap.

jinga nation

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Re: Overheard at Work
« Reply #10933 on: October 23, 2015, 11:49:27 AM »
CW1 to CW2: Let's buy a Keurig machine for $96. (Yeah that damn 2.0 with the DRM hack)
CW2 sends out an email to 20+ people asking to pitch in to share cost.
I replied that I wouldn't participate, love my cheap instant coffee, can get 16oz of good Sumatran in the building café for $2, or use my weekly free Dunkin Donuts coupons nearby.
When CW1 brings in the new machine the next day, purchased without any consensus,
CW3: There's an unused Keurig machine in the back of the datacenter (CW3 is a fellow cheap bastard).
CW1: Huh, oh whatever.
I walk in.
CW1: Jinga, what's $96 divided by 7?
Me: just under $14. Why?
CW1: For the coffee machine
Me: Does that price includes sales tax?
CW1: Damn!
CW4: I'll contribute, even though I don't drink coffee or use Keurig stuff, but I don't want to be accused in the future of not paying. (Same guy who played in office fantasy football league last year but didn't pay his $20 until the season was over.)
« Last Edit: October 23, 2015, 12:09:39 PM by jinga nation »

dragoncar

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Re: Overheard at Work
« Reply #10934 on: October 23, 2015, 11:58:02 AM »
People who buy bottled water…one day we’ll look back at them and laugh the way we do for people who bought pet rocks in the 70’s. I hope.
A coworker spotted me filling up my mug at the water fountain at work. Granted, our building is old, and some of the faucets have a sign that say "Run water for at least 1 minute before consumption." Still:

CW: Wow, you're brave.
Me: Why, because I'm drinking from the water fountain?
CW: Yes.
Me: Well, there's no sign (warning to run water for a minute), so I'm assuming it's safe.
CW: I wouldn't do it.
Me: You have to die from something, right?

This coworker is a part of the $5/month water club. Yes, they pool their money to purchase those big bottled water coolers and drink from that.

I probably wouldn't drink water from a building that had a sign like that

MM_MG

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Re: Overheard at Work
« Reply #10935 on: October 23, 2015, 12:00:12 PM »
At the airport just now...

Bartender:  Yeah, some people worry about their credit score and stuff like that...not me.

Patron 1:  I absolutely LOVE my car!  I don't care what happens I am not getting rid of it no matter what! 

I could only hear part of the coversation, but I can imagine how the rest of it went.

Oh and a facepunch for me for paying for a drink at the airport. 

TheGrimSqueaker

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Re: Overheard at Work
« Reply #10936 on: October 23, 2015, 12:24:07 PM »
At the airport just now...

Bartender:  Yeah, some people worry about their credit score and stuff like that...not me.

Patron 1:  I absolutely LOVE my car!  I don't care what happens I am not getting rid of it no matter what! 

I could only hear part of the coversation, but I can imagine how the rest of it went.

Oh and a facepunch for me for paying for a drink at the airport.

No facepunch from me. I find current TSA and airline interactions intolerable while completely sober, one can't bring liquids through check-in, and obviously drinking to a sufficient level of inebriation before leaving the house isn't wise (or legal, if you drive to the airport). The only remaining option for getting through the mandatory poke-and-grope without doing something arrest-worthy is to buy the overpriced booze.

Dollar Slice

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Re: Overheard at Work
« Reply #10937 on: October 23, 2015, 12:27:05 PM »
We have a small office and it's about $5/mo per person when you include everything (delivery, rental of the cooler, etc.). It's a nice cheap perk to have, it dispenses hot water for tea as well as cold water... and we don't have a tap/sink anywhere in our office so people would have to get tap water from the sometimes-icky shared-with-other-companies bathroom sink, or buy bottled.

I'm guessing that your's is a big office? For the cooler, we went on craigs' list and bought one and then bought two jugs and like I said, we refill them at the grocery store a block away for 39 cents a gallon or $1.95. I'm guessing that this wouldn't fly at a big office because people don't have time for that, but man does that add up.

No, mi'ne is not a big office, as I said in the first five words of that post you just quoted ;-)

I think last month we got 20 gallons of water delivered and it cost $34 including cooler rental/delivery. It's not crazy cheap (midtown NYC never is!) but it's a pretty minor expense that the company pays for. I really doubt there is any store in the vicinity where we could get cheaper water. I'm quite happy for the company to pay an extra couple of dollars a week if it prevents employees from buying lots of smaller bottles (wasting plastic + expense) or drinking more soda/crap.

Geostache

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Re: Overheard at Work
« Reply #10938 on: October 23, 2015, 12:30:09 PM »
People who buy bottled water…one day we’ll look back at them and laugh the way we do for people who bought pet rocks in the 70’s. I hope.
A coworker spotted me filling up my mug at the water fountain at work. Granted, our building is old, and some of the faucets have a sign that say "Run water for at least 1 minute before consumption." Still:

CW: Wow, you're brave.
Me: Why, because I'm drinking from the water fountain?
CW: Yes.
Me: Well, there's no sign (warning to run water for a minute), so I'm assuming it's safe.
CW: I wouldn't do it.
Me: You have to die from something, right?

This coworker is a part of the $5/month water club. Yes, they pool their money to purchase those big bottled water coolers and drink from that.
I would have said never buy water but then I worked in an office with horrendous tasting hard water. I caved and joined the water club ($5/ month) not too many months after I did annual tests revealed the water (from a well) did not meet federal clean drinking water standards. After that my employer took over the cost of water.

I do understand that. I cannot drink tap water in the LA/San Diego area. The water there literally turns my stomach! I haven't tried filtered (usually out on a business trip). I'm usually buying facepunch-worthy bottled water while there.

UnleashHell

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Re: Overheard at Work
« Reply #10939 on: October 23, 2015, 12:34:02 PM »
The coffee came in an 'Eco-cup!" proudly proclaiming how recycled it was. The bagel was placed in a huge clear plastic box (never even seen one of these in the UK,.....but oh great, the coffee cup was recycled. REDUCE, reuse, recycle.
Their inability to handle the concept of a china mug (the only proper way to serve tea) is why there is no hope for the civlisation over here.
That and not playing cricket, and having discovered a way of making rugby both boring and more dangerous.


China cup? pah. nice to look at but totally useless when it comes to dunking your chocolate digestives. Mugs are the only way to go and the yanks have mugs that are big enough to dunk any biscuit known to mankind.

Of course theres no decent biscuits here but....

MgoSam

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Re: Overheard at Work
« Reply #10940 on: October 23, 2015, 12:58:37 PM »
People who buy bottled water…one day we’ll look back at them and laugh the way we do for people who bought pet rocks in the 70’s. I hope.
A coworker spotted me filling up my mug at the water fountain at work. Granted, our building is old, and some of the faucets have a sign that say "Run water for at least 1 minute before consumption." Still:

CW: Wow, you're brave.
Me: Why, because I'm drinking from the water fountain?
CW: Yes.
Me: Well, there's no sign (warning to run water for a minute), so I'm assuming it's safe.
CW: I wouldn't do it.
Me: You have to die from something, right?

This coworker is a part of the $5/month water club. Yes, they pool their money to purchase those big bottled water coolers and drink from that.
I would have said never buy water but then I worked in an office with horrendous tasting hard water. I caved and joined the water club ($5/ month) not too many months after I did annual tests revealed the water (from a well) did not meet federal clean drinking water standards. After that my employer took over the cost of water.

I do understand that. I cannot drink tap water in the LA/San Diego area. The water there literally turns my stomach! I haven't tried filtered (usually out on a business trip). I'm usually buying facepunch-worthy bottled water while there.

I haven't used this, but I've heard great things.

http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B004GN8RDY/ref=pd_lpo_sbs_dp_ss_2?pf_rd_p=1944687742&pf_rd_s=lpo-top-stripe-1&pf_rd_t=201&pf_rd_i=B006OJHHIE&pf_rd_m=ATVPDKIKX0DER&pf_rd_r=0Z02QG0HETGTAVJVBG85

mamagoose

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Re: Overheard at Work
« Reply #10941 on: October 23, 2015, 12:58:51 PM »
At the airport just now...

Bartender:  Yeah, some people worry about their credit score and stuff like that...not me.

Patron 1:  I absolutely LOVE my car!  I don't care what happens I am not getting rid of it no matter what! 

I could only hear part of the coversation, but I can imagine how the rest of it went.

Oh and a facepunch for me for paying for a drink at the airport.

Maybe the Bartender doesn't worry about his credit score b/c he's debt-free and owns his house outright and therefore has no need to borrow money so his credit score is irrelevant?

Maybe Patron 1 loves their car b/c it's a 20-year-old beater that they've kept on life support using their own skills & tools, regardless of moving up the career ladder & coworkers telling him he "deserves" a better car?

Just being optimistic :)

MgoSam

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Re: Overheard at Work
« Reply #10942 on: October 23, 2015, 01:05:10 PM »
We have a small office and it's about $5/mo per person when you include everything (delivery, rental of the cooler, etc.). It's a nice cheap perk to have, it dispenses hot water for tea as well as cold water... and we don't have a tap/sink anywhere in our office so people would have to get tap water from the sometimes-icky shared-with-other-companies bathroom sink, or buy bottled.

I'm guessing that your's is a big office? For the cooler, we went on craigs' list and bought one and then bought two jugs and like I said, we refill them at the grocery store a block away for 39 cents a gallon or $1.95. I'm guessing that this wouldn't fly at a big office because people don't have time for that, but man does that add up.

No, mi'ne is not a big office, as I said in the first five words of that post you just quoted ;-)

I think last month we got 20 gallons of water delivered and it cost $34 including cooler rental/delivery. It's not crazy cheap (midtown NYC never is!) but it's a pretty minor expense that the company pays for. I really doubt there is any store in the vicinity where we could get cheaper water. I'm quite happy for the company to pay an extra couple of dollars a week if it prevents employees from buying lots of smaller bottles (wasting plastic + expense) or drinking more soda/crap.

Whoops, I think I assumed it was a big office, so just read "big" when you instead wrote "small." $34 for 4 drums isn't terrible. And I didn't realize you were in NYC, where driving isn't easy and so it likely makes sense to have it delivered.

MgoSam

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Re: Overheard at Work
« Reply #10943 on: October 23, 2015, 01:05:59 PM »
At the airport just now...

Bartender:  Yeah, some people worry about their credit score and stuff like that...not me.

Patron 1:  I absolutely LOVE my car!  I don't care what happens I am not getting rid of it no matter what! 

I could only hear part of the coversation, but I can imagine how the rest of it went.

Oh and a facepunch for me for paying for a drink at the airport.

Maybe the Bartender doesn't worry about his credit score b/c he's debt-free and owns his house outright and therefore has no need to borrow money so his credit score is irrelevant?

Maybe Patron 1 loves their car b/c it's a 20-year-old beater that they've kept on life support using their own skills & tools, regardless of moving up the career ladder & coworkers telling him he "deserves" a better car?

Just being optimistic :)

Well played. Btw, for half a second I thought you name was Mongoose.

turketron

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Re: Overheard at Work
« Reply #10944 on: October 23, 2015, 01:23:02 PM »
At the airport just now...

Bartender:  Yeah, some people worry about their credit score and stuff like that...not me.

Patron 1:  I absolutely LOVE my car!  I don't care what happens I am not getting rid of it no matter what! 

I could only hear part of the coversation, but I can imagine how the rest of it went.

Oh and a facepunch for me for paying for a drink at the airport.

No facepunch from me. I find current TSA and airline interactions intolerable while completely sober, one can't bring liquids through check-in, and obviously drinking to a sufficient level of inebriation before leaving the house isn't wise (or legal, if you drive to the airport). The only remaining option for getting through the mandatory poke-and-grope without doing something arrest-worthy is to buy the overpriced booze.

"Travelers may carry as many 3.4 ounce bottles of liquid (mini bottles of liquor are 1.7 ounces) that fit comfortably in one, quart sized, clear plastic, zip-top bag. Comfortable means that the bag will seal without busting at the seams. One bag is permitted per passenger."

You can bring mini bottles through security and drink em in the terminal. Technically you can't open them on the flight itself but they're not likely to catch you. I've brought a few mini whiskey bottles and bought a $2 drip coffee to add them to once I'm in the terminal.

http://blog.tsa.gov/2014/01/tsa-travel-tips-tuesday-traveling-with.html
http://imatravelninja.com/2012/05/16/take-alcohol-to-drink-on-your-flight/

Dollar Slice

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Re: Overheard at Work
« Reply #10945 on: October 23, 2015, 01:39:50 PM »
Not necessarily a popular opinion apparently, but I just took the time to look up the cost of tapwater in NYC. Google says NYC water costs $3.39 for 100 cubic feet - or $0.0045 per gallon. That means you can take home the jugs and fill them for $0.09. You decide whether to bill the company at the going rate or not.
Yes, this sounds like an excellent plan. All I'd have to do is schlep 320 pounds of water per month via two elevators, two stairwells, and 4 miles of rush hour subway. Totally worth it for $20/mo after taxes.

MgoSam

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Re: Overheard at Work
« Reply #10946 on: October 23, 2015, 01:54:11 PM »
At the airport just now...

Bartender:  Yeah, some people worry about their credit score and stuff like that...not me.

Patron 1:  I absolutely LOVE my car!  I don't care what happens I am not getting rid of it no matter what! 

I could only hear part of the coversation, but I can imagine how the rest of it went.

Oh and a facepunch for me for paying for a drink at the airport.

No facepunch from me. I find current TSA and airline interactions intolerable while completely sober, one can't bring liquids through check-in, and obviously drinking to a sufficient level of inebriation before leaving the house isn't wise (or legal, if you drive to the airport). The only remaining option for getting through the mandatory poke-and-grope without doing something arrest-worthy is to buy the overpriced booze.

"Travelers may carry as many 3.4 ounce bottles of liquid (mini bottles of liquor are 1.7 ounces) that fit comfortably in one, quart sized, clear plastic, zip-top bag. Comfortable means that the bag will seal without busting at the seams. One bag is permitted per passenger."

You can bring mini bottles through security and drink em in the terminal. Technically you can't open them on the flight itself but they're not likely to catch you. I've brought a few mini whiskey bottles and bought a $2 drip coffee to add them to once I'm in the terminal.

http://blog.tsa.gov/2014/01/tsa-travel-tips-tuesday-traveling-with.html
http://imatravelninja.com/2012/05/16/take-alcohol-to-drink-on-your-flight/

Yup, I've done that before and had a TSA agent stare at me and then wink before clearing me. That is true, you technically cannot open them on your plane, so if you are going to, then do so discretely. I doubt passengers care, but flight attendants could get into trouble, so yeah there's that.

TheGrimSqueaker

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Re: Overheard at Work
« Reply #10947 on: October 23, 2015, 03:28:17 PM »
At the airport just now...

Bartender:  Yeah, some people worry about their credit score and stuff like that...not me.

Patron 1:  I absolutely LOVE my car!  I don't care what happens I am not getting rid of it no matter what! 

I could only hear part of the coversation, but I can imagine how the rest of it went.

Oh and a facepunch for me for paying for a drink at the airport.

No facepunch from me. I find current TSA and airline interactions intolerable while completely sober, one can't bring liquids through check-in, and obviously drinking to a sufficient level of inebriation before leaving the house isn't wise (or legal, if you drive to the airport). The only remaining option for getting through the mandatory poke-and-grope without doing something arrest-worthy is to buy the overpriced booze.

"Travelers may carry as many 3.4 ounce bottles of liquid (mini bottles of liquor are 1.7 ounces) that fit comfortably in one, quart sized, clear plastic, zip-top bag. Comfortable means that the bag will seal without busting at the seams. One bag is permitted per passenger."

You can bring mini bottles through security and drink em in the terminal. Technically you can't open them on the flight itself but they're not likely to catch you. I've brought a few mini whiskey bottles and bought a $2 drip coffee to add them to once I'm in the terminal.

http://blog.tsa.gov/2014/01/tsa-travel-tips-tuesday-traveling-with.html
http://imatravelninja.com/2012/05/16/take-alcohol-to-drink-on-your-flight/

Yup, I've done that before and had a TSA agent stare at me and then wink before clearing me. That is true, you technically cannot open them on your plane, so if you are going to, then do so discretely. I doubt passengers care, but flight attendants could get into trouble, so yeah there's that.

Unfortunately I have to fit toiletries and contact lens fluid in the bag too. By the time I've crammed them in, there's not enough room for a sufficient amount of libation to make the ruse worthwhile.

Financially it would probably be more optimal to bring booze and purchase toiletries upon arrival, however I often don't have flexible transportation onsite.

supernovajm

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Re: Overheard at Work
« Reply #10948 on: October 23, 2015, 03:34:43 PM »

Unfortunately I have to fit toiletries and contact lens fluid in the bag too. By the time I've crammed them in, there's not enough room for a sufficient amount of libation to make the ruse worthwhile.


Good news: contact lens fluid is exempt from the 1 quart bag rule. it's considered medical. Just like aerosol inhalers for asthma and the like. I brought a big bottle of solution (the hydrogen peroxide kind, no less) on the plane in a separate bag and nobody batted an eyelash.

LeRainDrop

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Re: Overheard at Work
« Reply #10949 on: October 23, 2015, 04:00:56 PM »
I *LOVE* those places!  DW and I make a point of going once every year or two.  Yes, it's a splurge.  But we also make sure we can afford it first :)  And in our eyes, it's worth it every once in a while.

If you like meat and you've never been, you'll love it.
We hit one in Brazil on our honeymoon. Yes, yes, and yes! Eat till it f'ing hurts, 10 kinds of meat, etc. etc. etc.
I'm not opposed to the concept in any fashion... just opposed to a debt-ridden friend overpaying to experience it. :(

Confession:  Ex-boyfriend and I loved Fogo de Chao but rarely went, so as part of our vacation, when we had an 8-hour layover in Atlanta, we took MARTA up to Buckhead to eat there, and then MARTA back to the airport.  We were so freakin' stuffed from dinner that I had to walk slowly so as not to puke, and boyfriend had to make a pit stop in The Container Store (sorry, everyone!)  :-)