Author Topic: Overheard at Work  (Read 13252545 times)

Zamboni

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Re: Overheard at Work
« Reply #500 on: July 12, 2013, 06:50:47 PM »
1)  A jeep is not a truck.  An 18-wheeler is a truck.
2)  my 70 year old momma drives a pink Corolla, and she can kick the snot outta any "truck"-driving-suburban-dwellin'-paper-pushin' daddy.  Muscular-legged bicycle daddy, however, she'd give a wide berth.

ender

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Re: Overheard at Work
« Reply #501 on: July 12, 2013, 06:59:26 PM »
Talking with colleagues at lunch about company benefits and 401k savings came up.

Turns out even saving 6% is really rough for some people (which is what our match is through). I mentioned I put 18% in (oops, won't do that again) and got some HOW CAN YOU AFFORD THAT reactions from both people. Probably will be I didn't have the heart to tell them I'm also maxing a Roth IRA, HSA, and saving about $1k a month for a house downpayment.... :(


Zamboni

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Re: Overheard at Work
« Reply #502 on: July 12, 2013, 07:38:23 PM »
They just don't get that, because of the tax savings, the 401k withholding isn't nearly as big of a bite as they think it will be.  If you are feeling kind, you could try suggesting that they up their withholding by one percent next month just to see how much their take home goes down.  That's how I did it (month over month) until I got to 19%. 

Nah, you're right, they won't listen.

dweebyhawkeyes

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Re: Overheard at Work
« Reply #503 on: July 12, 2013, 10:37:39 PM »
A coworker is buying two TV dinners everyday for lunch on the way to work. Why? Because she thinks the STEAK lunch her brother is packing for her tastes gross when reheated... so she just throws it away and buys her own instead of asking him to make something different. Makes the frugal, vegan, and family-oriented sides of me all very sad.

mushroom

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Re: Overheard at Work
« Reply #504 on: July 13, 2013, 08:04:17 AM »
Yay, I finally have a work story to share!!  ;)  I'm a psychologist working PT in a medical setting.  I had a work colleague today who was ranting about politics tell me that he will never financially be able to retire and neither will I.  I refrained from telling him that I will have PLENTY of retirement savings by that point due to my frugal lifestyle.  We are in a low COL area and he makes a minimum of 100k and has for 20 years so there's no reason why he shouldn't have adequate savings.

People are interesting.

Yeah, it's crazy. My work automatically enrolls you in a 401K with 2% contribution and 2% match unless you choose to opt out, which one of the doctors - obviously making 6 figures - did. ??? To be fair, pretty much all of the doctors bring in their own lunch to work every day, while most of the medical assistants eat out every day, which also doesn't make any sense to me.

Albert

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Re: Overheard at Work
« Reply #505 on: July 13, 2013, 08:11:58 AM »
Yeah, it's crazy. My work automatically enrolls you in a 401K with 2% contribution and 2% match unless you choose to opt out, which one of the doctors - obviously making 6 figures - did. ??? To be fair, pretty much all of the doctors bring in their own lunch to work every day, while most of the medical assistants eat out every day, which also doesn't make any sense to me.

Is it because they are saving money or because they are so swamped with work that it is all they have time for? I suspect it is often the latter.

Nudelkopf

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Re: Overheard at Work
« Reply #506 on: July 18, 2013, 07:25:17 PM »
A school friend (22yo) just got a payrise (~$90k AUD)... And he was complaining that he couldn't afford a new car, so his parents bought him one instead. What? I promptly texted my best mustachian friend and we had a little gossip about him.

englyn

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Re: Overheard at Work
« Reply #507 on: July 18, 2013, 08:09:27 PM »
my 70 year old momma drives a pink Corolla, and she can kick the snot outta any "truck"-driving-suburban-dwellin'-paper-pushin' daddy.  Muscular-legged bicycle daddy, however, she'd give a wide berth.

bahaha that's awesome!

cdub

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Re: Overheard at Work
« Reply #508 on: July 18, 2013, 11:05:35 PM »
My coworker admitted today that sometimes he flies all the way to Boston (we're in SoCal) and back immediately just so he can get the miles and not lose his "gold status".

INSANE! :) I didn't even know people did that?

dragoncar

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Re: Overheard at Work
« Reply #509 on: July 18, 2013, 11:21:08 PM »
My coworker admitted today that sometimes he flies all the way to Boston (we're in SoCal) and back immediately just so he can get the miles and not lose his "gold status".

INSANE! :) I didn't even know people did that?

It could be worth it... for me, I've got a companion pass where someone can fly FOR FREE wherever I go (for 1-2 years after I attain the status).  That is worth a lot.  But you need to fly revenue miles to get it, so if I'm only one $300 flight from Boston away from getting the status, it's totally worth the cost (if not the time).

Zamboni

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Re: Overheard at Work
« Reply #510 on: July 19, 2013, 05:08:52 AM »
^Thank you for this insight.  It explains what I thought was very odd behavior from some sales and marketing guys.  Now I know there was a method to their madness.

randymarsh

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Re: Overheard at Work
« Reply #511 on: July 19, 2013, 05:41:30 AM »
Yep, it's called a mileage run in the frequent flyer community.

oldtoyota

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Re: Overheard at Work
« Reply #512 on: July 19, 2013, 06:30:37 AM »
Guy at work is renting because he "can't afford a house in DC." I think the guy makes $100-$150K.

Second person drives 1 mile to work.

Christof

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Re: Overheard at Work
« Reply #513 on: July 19, 2013, 06:45:13 AM »
Flying is one area where price and cost don't correlate very much, especially in business class and first class. For instance, the cheapest way to fly First class on American Airlines from New York to Los Angeles is via Miami and Panama (JFK-MIA-PTY-MIA-LAX in frequent traveller speak) which costs only 35% of the direct flight and gets up to 300% the status miles.

ChiStache

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Re: Overheard at Work
« Reply #514 on: July 19, 2013, 07:48:45 AM »
I have a coworker in his early sixties. He has the position immediately senior to mine, so I've always wondered about whether he might have plans to retire soon, which would allow me to seek a promotion.

Anyway, the other day he mentioned that he refinanced his car to pay down his credit card debt; and that now his credit card debt is at $50,000. This same man spends about $10 a day for lunch and just got back from a two week vacation in the Caribbean.

So, yeah, I'm not expecting that promotion to be available any time soon. 

renbutler

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Re: Overheard at Work
« Reply #515 on: July 19, 2013, 08:04:45 AM »
Guy at work is renting because he "can't afford a house in DC." I think the guy makes $100-$150K.

Sometimes I say I can't "afford" something, even though I technically can, just because it's easier than saying "I could afford it, but the price is outrageous and I don't feel it's a good value for me."

mpbaker22

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Re: Overheard at Work
« Reply #516 on: July 19, 2013, 09:15:32 AM »
Guy at work is renting because he "can't afford a house in DC." I think the guy makes $100-$150K.

Sometimes I say I can't "afford" something, even though I technically can, just because it's easier than saying "I could afford it, but the price is outrageous and I don't feel it's a good value for me."

Yep, in the same scenario actually, I cannot afford a house in St. Louis, because I cannot find anything cheaper than the NPV of $320/month.  Actually, that's not quite true, but I can't find anything with 0 risk and the NPV equivalent of $320/month.

jpo

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Re: Overheard at Work
« Reply #517 on: July 19, 2013, 09:25:10 AM »
Guy at work is renting because he "can't afford a house in DC." I think the guy makes $100-$150K.

Sometimes I say I can't "afford" something, even though I technically can, just because it's easier than saying "I could afford it, but the price is outrageous and I don't feel it's a good value for me."
I do this too but I'm pretty sure most people catch on.

dragoncar

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Re: Overheard at Work
« Reply #518 on: July 19, 2013, 10:05:05 AM »
Guy at work is renting because he "can't afford a house in DC." I think the guy makes $100-$150K.

Sometimes I say I can't "afford" something, even though I technically can, just because it's easier than saying "I could afford it, but the price is outrageous and I don't feel it's a good value for me."


Yeah, maybe's he's saving a stache so he can move out of DC and retire somewhere cheaper?

livetogive

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Re: Overheard at Work
« Reply #519 on: July 19, 2013, 12:15:30 PM »
I work with a bunch of financial mercenaries so hopefully I can give you some more fodder later, but here goes:

My Boss "Why are you moving?  I thought you loved your apartment?"
Me "Because it will save us $300 or more per month and well still be close to work (same hood)"
Boss "$300 doesn't even move the needle in my house"

Or:

Coworker right after ipad 4 came out "I'm going to buy an iPad 4"
Me "didnt you just buy a 3?"
Them "Yeah, but the 4 is better"
Me "ok, did you know you can sell your 3 on eBay for more than half what you'll pay for the 4?  It only takes 1 day."
Them "sounds like a lot of work.  Ill just keep the 3 for a tv controller or something"

And finally:
Other boss is moving bc kids have left the house so now it's just him and his wife.  "we finally found a house to close on.  It's bigger than what we want but we can't pass it up.  It's too perfect."
Me "Cool!  How much bigger?"
Other boss "it's 7 bedrooms."

aclarridge

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Re: Overheard at Work
« Reply #520 on: July 19, 2013, 01:11:52 PM »
Guy at work is renting because he "can't afford a house in DC." I think the guy makes $100-$150K.

Sometimes I say I can't "afford" something, even though I technically can, just because it's easier than saying "I could afford it, but the price is outrageous and I don't feel it's a good value for me."
I do this too but I'm pretty sure most people catch on.

+1

Albert

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Re: Overheard at Work
« Reply #521 on: July 19, 2013, 04:39:23 PM »
I have a coworker in his early sixties. He has the position immediately senior to mine, so I've always wondered about whether he might have plans to retire soon, which would allow me to seek a promotion.

Anyway, the other day he mentioned that he refinanced his car to pay down his credit card debt; and that now his credit card debt is at $50,000. This same man spends about $10 a day for lunch and just got back from a two week vacation in the Caribbean.

So, yeah, I'm not expecting that promotion to be available any time soon.

I bet there is a lot more going on there than 10$ lunches and vacations in Caribbean. Still it's kind of sad that at his age the guy still hasn't learned to live within his means.

Albert

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Re: Overheard at Work
« Reply #522 on: July 19, 2013, 04:42:13 PM »
Sometimes I say I can't "afford" something, even though I technically can, just because it's easier than saying "I could afford it, but the price is outrageous and I don't feel it's a good value for me."

Exactly.

AlmostIndependent

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Re: Overheard at Work
« Reply #523 on: July 19, 2013, 06:06:59 PM »
Sometimes I say I can't "afford" something, even though I technically can, just because it's easier than saying "I could afford it, but the price is outrageous and I don't feel it's a good value for me."

I usually just say "that is fucking insane!" On a totally unrelated note I have also been called an asshole :)

oldtoyota

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Re: Overheard at Work
« Reply #524 on: July 19, 2013, 08:19:05 PM »
Guy at work is renting because he "can't afford a house in DC." I think the guy makes $100-$150K.

Sometimes I say I can't "afford" something, even though I technically can, just because it's easier than saying "I could afford it, but the price is outrageous and I don't feel it's a good value for me."

That could be. He's a snazzy dresser, so I just have the vibe he's a spender. I could be wrong.

pachnik

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Re: Overheard at Work
« Reply #525 on: July 20, 2013, 02:23:56 PM »
A retirement-age colleague said to me one day that the difference between the two of us was that I had a lot of money in the bank and that she had a fabulous wardrobe.  It still boggles my mind.

Adventine

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Re: Overheard at Work
« Reply #526 on: July 20, 2013, 07:10:13 PM »
A retirement-age colleague said to me one day that the difference between the two of us was that I had a lot of money in the bank and that she had a fabulous wardrobe.  It still boggles my mind.

I think she may have been trying to put you down... In the most pathetic way possible.

Daleth

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Re: Overheard at Work
« Reply #527 on: July 20, 2013, 08:11:49 PM »
I paid for my weekend MBA as I went (no debt) at a reasonably priced local school while working full time.

I more than doubled my annual gross pay within three years of graduating (60k -> 120k + bonus). I know I would not have gotten several of my subsequent jobs without the MBA. I don't recommend it for everyone, and I don't think a very high price MBA is necessarily smart. But it worked for me.

There's the key: reasonably priced local school! I went to law school within the last decade and chose local public university because they offered me a scholarship, they were located in a city where I wanted to live and the jobs I wanted are plentiful, and upon reviewing the websites of the top law firms in that city I saw they hired plenty of people from there. Law school cost me a grand total of about $42,000 (that's loans for tuition plus loans for expenses) and upon graduation my income increased by 500%. To quote the rapper Macklemore, from his highly Mustachian tune "Thrift Shop" (extolling the virtues of shopping at thrift stores), "This is fvcking awesome..."

Re law school scholarships, it's not widely known but law schools will give significant and sometimes even full scholarships to students whose grades and LSAT scores are significantly higher than the average numbers at that school. (In other words, if you could get into a top 20 school but go to a school ranked in the 30s or 40s, your school may give you a scholarship.) Having students with those higher numbers boosts the school's average on those numbers, and that in turn helps boost the school's ranking in US News and World Report (the primo law school ranker). This is even true at highly ranked schools; I've known two people who got into Harvard but also got offered full scholarships at Michigan. The Mustachian chose Michigan; the other one chose Harvard (and is now locked into student loans the size of a mortgage).

Anyone who is or who has a relative considering law school, feel free to PM me. THE KEY is to IGNORE the usual advice (i.e. "go to the best law school you get into") and instead go to the best-ranked school that meets these three criteria: (1) gives you a significant scholarship and/or is otherwise dramatically cheaper than the other schools you got into--e.g., a public university instead of a private one; (2) is accredited and has been for at least 20 years, preferably much longer; and (3) is either located in a place where the kinds of post-law-school jobs you want are plentiful (hint: cities, especially "secondary" cities like Pittsburgh and Cleveland and such, are good for this--the firms there like to hire locally and thus will give you interviews even though you're not at a top-ranked school, and there's also often lots of courthouse, district attorney, etc. jobs).... or is a known feeder school for some esoteric kind of law job that you would like (e.g., maybe you want to go into environmental activism; there are a couple of law schools that are really known for that--unsurprisingly they're in Vermont and Oregon).

If you can't get into a school that meets ALL THREE criteria, DO NOT go to law school.
« Last Edit: July 20, 2013, 08:13:28 PM by Daleth »

Aline

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Re: Overheard at Work
« Reply #528 on: July 20, 2013, 08:12:35 PM »
This wasn't overheard, someone said this to me:

"I eat out twice a day and cook twice a day. They pay us so much though I don't need to worry about eating out so much."

Also:

"I'm too lazy to cook." (Heard from various co-workers after they oggled my *puffs out chest* fabulous home-made falafel I brought to work one day.)

Okay, so I go a little far with the cooking thing (I'm a fanatic, and super picky)...but come on, people! It is not hard to fry up something. You can boil a pot of pasta or rice and walk away while it cooks for 40 minutes.

</rant>

dragoncar

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Re: Overheard at Work
« Reply #529 on: July 20, 2013, 08:53:31 PM »
This wasn't overheard, someone said this to me:

"I eat out twice a day and cook twice a day. They pay us so much though I don't need to worry about eating out so much."

Also:

"I'm too lazy to cook." (Heard from various co-workers after they oggled my *puffs out chest* fabulous home-made falafel I brought to work one day.)

Okay, so I go a little far with the cooking thing (I'm a fanatic, and super picky)...but come on, people! It is not hard to fry up something. You can boil a pot of pasta or rice and walk away while it cooks for 40 minutes.

</rant>

It's not the cooking that is "hard," it's the mess.  I love to cook, but do it less (or cook different diages) because I don't feel like scrubbing.

As to law school, my number one tip is go a decade ago when prices were way lower.

NumberJohnny5

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Re: Overheard at Work
« Reply #530 on: July 20, 2013, 10:21:29 PM »
It's not the cooking that is "hard," it's the mess.  I love to cook, but do it less (or cook different diages) because I don't feel like scrubbing.

Very true. My wife loves to cook, does so all the time. Uses a ton of dishes, huge mess each time. Guess whose job it is to clean dishes (hint, it's not hers).

Speaking of which, she made brownies today. I finished sink load #1 a couple hours ago, about time to start on #2. Some days, I really want to buy a dishwasher.

:)
« Last Edit: July 20, 2013, 10:23:05 PM by josetann »

Jamesqf

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Re: Overheard at Work
« Reply #531 on: July 20, 2013, 11:16:14 PM »
Speaking of which, she made brownies today. I finished sink load #1 a couple hours ago, about time to start on #2. Some days, I really want to buy a dishwasher.

Now how on earth do you get even one sink full of dishes from making brownies?  Mixing bowl, measuring cup, baking pans, spoon, possibly beaters on a mixer - what more can you get dirty?

NumberJohnny5

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Re: Overheard at Work
« Reply #532 on: July 21, 2013, 12:16:29 AM »
Now how on earth do you get even one sink full of dishes from making brownies?  Mixing bowl, measuring cup, baking pans, spoon, possibly beaters on a mixer - what more can you get dirty?

There was at least one bowl to mix part of the brownies (had quick oats in it, I can tell that much). Then a pot to do something with chocolate. Then put in four different pans to bake. There was a bowl that looked to only be used to hold a chocolate spoon. Layer of oats in the kitchen and dining room (our daughter helped). Various spoons and possibly forks. Spatula (I don't get the use of a spatula...I just use whatever spoon was used earlier in the mixing process). I'm not exactly sure just how much of the dishes were from this one baking attempt...but earlier I had maybe 1, 1.5 loads of dishes to wash. Now it's at least 3.

Not trying to complain, but when I cook, I know I'll have to clean dishes up afterward. If I didn't, I'd probably cook more.

Edit: Found another bowl. So that's two large mixing bowls, a regular bowl (to lay a spoon in), a pot, four baking pans, measuring cups, spoons, spatula, two beaters, and who knows what else. Plus the mess in the floor (and I guess you can count the socks she took off that had the oat mix all over them, since I also do laundry). There'll be at least one plate later (the baking pan is silicone, so it needs support when taken somewhere, i.e. work), though it should be virtually clean. The counters are a mess, and the electric skillet was used as counter space (thus, it has to be washed too).

And this was for brownies. Ask me what Thanksgiving is like.

I do get the appeal of fast food; $15, everyone gets something that halfway resembles sustenance, kids play, and that's that.

*Sigh*
« Last Edit: July 21, 2013, 01:24:44 AM by josetann »

AlmostIndependent

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Re: Overheard at Work
« Reply #533 on: July 21, 2013, 10:02:48 AM »
SO and I used to have the arrangement that the person that cooks doesn't have to do dishes. She took that to mean that she didn't have to clean or put away anything. That left me with a huge amount of cleaning (I'm still not entirely sure how you have space to continue cooking in that situation.) I like to rinse and reuse stuff and generally keep things neat so I can have plenty of space on the counter and the sink is actually useful (not jammed with dishes.) I pointed out the inequity of the situation and she has gotten a lot better. A gentle conversation might get things headed in the right direction.

kudy

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Re: Overheard at Work
« Reply #534 on: July 21, 2013, 11:48:27 AM »
Quote
I like to rinse and reuse stuff and generally keep things neat so I can have plenty of space on the counter and the sink is actually useful (not jammed with dishes.)

Yes, if done the way I like to do it, dishes are re-used and kept to a minimum, and the dishes at the end are usually only 1-2 minutes after the meal is done cooking (but *before* I eat it, don't want anything crusting up on a pot/pan). It baffles me to watch someone like my GF cook... much like the horrors described above, with not only many dishes getting dirty, but nothing being rinsed or cleaned through the process, including countertops, etc. It's generally a disaster. And, that's why in my house, whoever cooks is responsible for their own dishes :)

stubby

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Re: Overheard at Work
« Reply #535 on: July 21, 2013, 07:13:56 PM »
Coworker who last year bought a 5 bedroom basement home for he and his wife (no kids) and didn't have 20% down so is paying PMI, now buying a fancy new German sports car being delivered from overseas.


oldtoyota

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Re: Overheard at Work
« Reply #536 on: July 22, 2013, 06:59:22 AM »
Speaking of which, she made brownies today. I finished sink load #1 a couple hours ago, about time to start on #2. Some days, I really want to buy a dishwasher.

Now how on earth do you get even one sink full of dishes from making brownies?  Mixing bowl, measuring cup, baking pans, spoon, possibly beaters on a mixer - what more can you get dirty?

It goes like this: If someone is cooking for you, you don't ask questions about the millions of pans they use. When I cook, I clean up as I go along. This concept is unknown to my SO, who seems to dirty 10 pieces of cookware each time cooking is involved. The bottom line? Someone cooked for me, so I shut up and clean the dishes. =-)


oldtoyota

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Re: Overheard at Work
« Reply #537 on: July 22, 2013, 07:00:30 AM »
SO and I used to have the arrangement that the person that cooks doesn't have to do dishes. She took that to mean that she didn't have to clean or put away anything. That left me with a huge amount of cleaning (I'm still not entirely sure how you have space to continue cooking in that situation.) I like to rinse and reuse stuff and generally keep things neat so I can have plenty of space on the counter and the sink is actually useful (not jammed with dishes.) I pointed out the inequity of the situation and she has gotten a lot better. A gentle conversation might get things headed in the right direction.

I'm glad you mentioned this. I need to have this conversation.

dragoncar

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Re: Overheard at Work
« Reply #538 on: July 22, 2013, 09:51:23 AM »
Speaking of which, she made brownies today. I finished sink load #1 a couple hours ago, about time to start on #2. Some days, I really want to buy a dishwasher.

Now how on earth do you get even one sink full of dishes from making brownies?  Mixing bowl, measuring cup, baking pans, spoon, possibly beaters on a mixer - what more can you get dirty?

It goes like this: If someone is cooking for you, you don't ask questions about the millions of pans they use. When I cook, I clean up as I go along. This concept is unknown to my SO, who seems to dirty 10 pieces of cookware each time cooking is involved. The bottom line? Someone cooked for me, so I shut up and clean the dishes. =-)

That assumes that cooking is the harder of the two activities, which for many of us it's not.  That's like saying "bottom line if someone gets you a $5 gift, you get them a $10 gift!"

EMP

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Re: Overheard at Work
« Reply #539 on: July 22, 2013, 10:28:35 AM »
Speaking of which, she made brownies today. I finished sink load #1 a couple hours ago, about time to start on #2. Some days, I really want to buy a dishwasher.

Now how on earth do you get even one sink full of dishes from making brownies?  Mixing bowl, measuring cup, baking pans, spoon, possibly beaters on a mixer - what more can you get dirty?

Well for brownies you potentially have three bowls. One for wet, one for dry and one to melt butter in. 

I got my hubby to use less dishes by complimenting his cooking skills.  He was looking for props on his cooking skills.  I told him he was much more of a chef than I am.  Since I'm a pretty good cook, he asked what the difference was.  I told him it was because there were still clean dishes left in the house when I was done cooking.

He has since slowed down on the # of dishes he uses. 
« Last Edit: July 22, 2013, 10:31:25 AM by EMP »

Eric

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Re: Overheard at Work
« Reply #540 on: July 22, 2013, 10:33:32 AM »
Speaking of which, she made brownies today. I finished sink load #1 a couple hours ago, about time to start on #2. Some days, I really want to buy a dishwasher.

Now how on earth do you get even one sink full of dishes from making brownies?  Mixing bowl, measuring cup, baking pans, spoon, possibly beaters on a mixer - what more can you get dirty?

It goes like this: If someone is cooking for you, you don't ask questions about the millions of pans they use. When I cook, I clean up as I go along. This concept is unknown to my SO, who seems to dirty 10 pieces of cookware each time cooking is involved. The bottom line? Someone cooked for me, so I shut up and clean the dishes. =-)

That assumes that cooking is the harder of the two activities, which for many of us it's not.  That's like saying "bottom line if someone gets you a $5 gift, you get them a $10 gift!"

Hahahahaha.  Totally agree.  I would choose to cook every single time if it meant that I didn't have to clean anything.

randymarsh

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Re: Overheard at Work
« Reply #541 on: July 22, 2013, 10:36:24 AM »
Well for brownies you potentially have three bowls. One for wet, one for dry and one to melt butter in. 

Is this a homemade vs. box thing? I've never ever used 3 bowls to make brownies.

kt

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Re: Overheard at Work
« Reply #542 on: July 22, 2013, 10:43:47 AM »
Well for brownies you potentially have three bowls. One for wet, one for dry and one to melt butter in. 

Is this a homemade vs. box thing? I've never ever used 3 bowls to make brownies.

yeh, it's a homemade thing. the way i make it is one bowl to melt chocolate and butter, one to whip sugar and eggs, one to combine dry ingredients, although generally i just add the dry to the chocolate to reduce washing up. (or because i can't find enough bowls that are big enough)

oldtoyota

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Re: Overheard at Work
« Reply #543 on: July 22, 2013, 11:24:15 AM »
Speaking of which, she made brownies today. I finished sink load #1 a couple hours ago, about time to start on #2. Some days, I really want to buy a dishwasher.

Now how on earth do you get even one sink full of dishes from making brownies?  Mixing bowl, measuring cup, baking pans, spoon, possibly beaters on a mixer - what more can you get dirty?

It goes like this: If someone is cooking for you, you don't ask questions about the millions of pans they use. When I cook, I clean up as I go along. This concept is unknown to my SO, who seems to dirty 10 pieces of cookware each time cooking is involved. The bottom line? Someone cooked for me, so I shut up and clean the dishes. =-)

That assumes that cooking is the harder of the two activities, which for many of us it's not.  That's like saying "bottom line if someone gets you a $5 gift, you get them a $10 gift!"

Good point. If you have a neat cook, though, the clean up is not that bad. I put things away as I go along and don't use as many pots and pans as SO does. =-)


EMP

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Re: Overheard at Work
« Reply #544 on: July 22, 2013, 01:12:30 PM »
Apropos of nothing, pretty sure this, http://www.instructables.com/id/Mug-Brownie/ changed my life.

Gen Y Finance Journey

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Re: Overheard at Work
« Reply #545 on: July 22, 2013, 02:02:21 PM »
Apropos of nothing, pretty sure this, http://www.instructables.com/id/Mug-Brownie/ changed my life.

I can attest to the mug brownie. I was very skeptical at first, but it's delicious!

Rural

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Re: Overheard at Work
« Reply #546 on: July 22, 2013, 03:08:48 PM »
Thanks for making me google. I've been making cake in a mug for some time now, but apparently the possibilities are endless:

http://www.number-2-pencil.com/2013/02/26/30-mug-recipes/

ender

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Re: Overheard at Work
« Reply #547 on: July 22, 2013, 04:24:52 PM »
That assumes that cooking is the harder of the two activities, which for many of us it's not.  That's like saying "bottom line if someone gets you a $5 gift, you get them a $10 gift!"

My grandparents have split cooking/cleaning so completely for so many decades I don't know how they will survive without the other.

oldtoyota

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Re: Overheard at Work
« Reply #548 on: July 22, 2013, 07:55:31 PM »
Thanks for making me google. I've been making cake in a mug for some time now, but apparently the possibilities are endless:

http://www.number-2-pencil.com/2013/02/26/30-mug-recipes/

You can also make them in small canning jars and send them overseas to military service members--or anyone else who would be cheered by a little cake.

jrhampt

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Re: Overheard at Work
« Reply #549 on: July 23, 2013, 02:44:35 PM »
Well for brownies you potentially have three bowls. One for wet, one for dry and one to melt butter in. 

Is this a homemade vs. box thing? I've never ever used 3 bowls to make brownies.

Word.  I actually mix the whole thing up in the baking pan and thus have one measuring cup and one baking pan.