Author Topic: Overheard at Work 2  (Read 1113019 times)

Dave1442397

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Re: Overheard at Work 2
« Reply #1200 on: August 12, 2019, 01:35:44 PM »
At my wife's job today:

CW: Did you get a bonus? I got a $500 bonus in my paycheck!
Wife: For what? I didn't hear about any bonuses, and you know our payroll person just got fired, right?
CW: Oh crap, you mean it might be a mistake?
Wife: Yes, I wouldn't spend that until after the next audit. They may come looking for it.
CW: But it's too late...I went on a spending spree on Friday! I don't know how I'll pay it back now!

dragoncar

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Re: Overheard at Work 2
« Reply #1201 on: August 12, 2019, 01:50:24 PM »
Was chatting with a coworker. We were talking about student loans. She told me how she has a huge amount of student debt still at the age of 34 and has decided she doesn’t want to pay it back. I like her otherwise as a person but she’s in for a rude awakening...


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

Reminds me of a 30-something lawyer I know.  We met up for lunch one day when he invited me and my summer clerk to join him and his summer clerk at a local restaurant.  As both clerks are law students, they started discussing their student loans (and the grants and scholarships they both have).  The lawyer said, "I've got about $275,000 in loans.  I'm never going to get rid of them, so I just pay the minimum and don't bother to think about it."  Then he offered to pay for lunch for all of us.  I got him to split the bill with me instead.  Later saw him drive away in a late-model-looking Mercedes.  I didn't mention that DH and I had over $300K in loans between us and managed, with luck and determination, to pay them off in a time period that was shorter than "never."

This is what bugs me about some proposals for the government to pay off student debt (see warren).  I’m not opposed to socializing higher education, but on a practical level this rewards the spendypants or non-critical major choosers and punishes the prudent.  If anyone has low-rate student debt right now it makes zero sense for them to pay it off just in case it does get canceled out

Slightly related https://www.google.com/url?sa=i&source=web&cd=&ved=2ahUKEwi77cqhjf7jAhWM4J4KHdIiBUcQzPwBegQIARAC&url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.theguardian.com%2Fworld%2F2019%2Faug%2F09%2Fchase-bank-cancels-all-credit-card-debt-for-canadian-customers&psig=AOvVaw0rKzkTa-vRi6zSOn-fQzr-&ust=1565725798578536

SwordGuy

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Re: Overheard at Work 2
« Reply #1202 on: August 12, 2019, 02:55:41 PM »
Was chatting with a coworker. We were talking about student loans. She told me how she has a huge amount of student debt still at the age of 34 and has decided she doesn’t want to pay it back. I like her otherwise as a person but she’s in for a rude awakening...


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

Reminds me of a 30-something lawyer I know.  We met up for lunch one day when he invited me and my summer clerk to join him and his summer clerk at a local restaurant.  As both clerks are law students, they started discussing their student loans (and the grants and scholarships they both have).  The lawyer said, "I've got about $275,000 in loans.  I'm never going to get rid of them, so I just pay the minimum and don't bother to think about it."  Then he offered to pay for lunch for all of us.  I got him to split the bill with me instead.  Later saw him drive away in a late-model-looking Mercedes.  I didn't mention that DH and I had over $300K in loans between us and managed, with luck and determination, to pay them off in a time period that was shorter than "never."

This is what bugs me about some proposals for the government to pay off student debt (see warren).  I’m not opposed to socializing higher education, but on a practical level this rewards the spendypants or non-critical major choosers and punishes the prudent.  If anyone has low-rate student debt right now it makes zero sense for them to pay it off just in case it does get canceled out

Slightly related https://www.google.com/url?sa=i&source=web&cd=&ved=2ahUKEwi77cqhjf7jAhWM4J4KHdIiBUcQzPwBegQIARAC&url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.theguardian.com%2Fworld%2F2019%2Faug%2F09%2Fchase-bank-cancels-all-credit-card-debt-for-canadian-customers&psig=AOvVaw0rKzkTa-vRi6zSOn-fQzr-&ust=1565725798578536

Just because a major doesn't pay well doesn't mean it's not important.    Our bodies don't need a lot of certain trace elements but we sicken and die without them.   

As for your other points, just because some people are smart or lucky enough to avoid the traps laid for them by the lenders and those who enable them is no reason not to redress the predatory lending practices they were suckered into.

Steeze

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Re: Overheard at Work 2
« Reply #1203 on: August 12, 2019, 03:33:52 PM »
Was chatting with a coworker. We were talking about student loans. She told me how she has a huge amount of student debt still at the age of 34 and has decided she doesn’t want to pay it back. I like her otherwise as a person but she’s in for a rude awakening...


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

Reminds me of a 30-something lawyer I know.  We met up for lunch one day when he invited me and my summer clerk to join him and his summer clerk at a local restaurant.  As both clerks are law students, they started discussing their student loans (and the grants and scholarships they both have).  The lawyer said, "I've got about $275,000 in loans.  I'm never going to get rid of them, so I just pay the minimum and don't bother to think about it."  Then he offered to pay for lunch for all of us.  I got him to split the bill with me instead.  Later saw him drive away in a late-model-looking Mercedes.  I didn't mention that DH and I had over $300K in loans between us and managed, with luck and determination, to pay them off in a time period that was shorter than "never."

This is what bugs me about some proposals for the government to pay off student debt (see warren).  I’m not opposed to socializing higher education, but on a practical level this rewards the spendypants or non-critical major choosers and punishes the prudent.  If anyone has low-rate student debt right now it makes zero sense for them to pay it off just in case it does get canceled out

Slightly related https://www.google.com/url?sa=i&source=web&cd=&ved=2ahUKEwi77cqhjf7jAhWM4J4KHdIiBUcQzPwBegQIARAC&url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.theguardian.com%2Fworld%2F2019%2Faug%2F09%2Fchase-bank-cancels-all-credit-card-debt-for-canadian-customers&psig=AOvVaw0rKzkTa-vRi6zSOn-fQzr-&ust=1565725798578536

Just because a major doesn't pay well doesn't mean it's not important.    Our bodies don't need a lot of certain trace elements but we sicken and die without them.   

As for your other points, just because some people are smart or lucky enough to avoid the traps laid for them by the lenders and those who enable them is no reason not to redress the predatory lending practices they were suckered into.

Still on the fence. I racked up a cool 100k for my undergrad. graduated and didn’t have a decent job for 2 years. Then paid off the whole thing in 3 years making between 40k-70k while living in NYC. Should I have not done that? Should I feel penalized for not getting my debt forgiven? I wanted to go to art school because art is fun. I am an engineer because the recession was real.

Not sure I agree with going back and paying debt that was already taken out years prior. You want to change things going forward? I have no issue with that.

remizidae

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Re: Overheard at Work 2
« Reply #1204 on: August 12, 2019, 03:54:06 PM »


This is what bugs me about some proposals for the government to pay off student debt (see warren).  I’m not opposed to socializing higher education, but on a practical level this rewards the spendypants or non-critical major choosers and punishes the prudent.  If anyone has low-rate student debt right now it makes zero sense for them to pay it off just in case it does get canceled out


There are a lot of good reasons to oppose student debt repayment, but I wish people could express this opinion without insulting those of us who have student loans. Borrowing for school can be a rational choice that pays off for the borrower--and you don't have to be particularly free-spending to have a hard time paying out of pocket for five figures a year in tuition plus living costs. So please stop it with the personal insults.

Wrenchturner

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Re: Overheard at Work 2
« Reply #1205 on: August 12, 2019, 04:18:36 PM »


This is what bugs me about some proposals for the government to pay off student debt (see warren).  I’m not opposed to socializing higher education, but on a practical level this rewards the spendypants or non-critical major choosers and punishes the prudent.  If anyone has low-rate student debt right now it makes zero sense for them to pay it off just in case it does get canceled out


There are a lot of good reasons to oppose student debt repayment, but I wish people could express this opinion without insulting those of us who have student loans. Borrowing for school can be a rational choice that pays off for the borrower--and you don't have to be particularly free-spending to have a hard time paying out of pocket for five figures a year in tuition plus living costs. So please stop it with the personal insults.

Spending five figures on education annually as a young adult IS spendypants.  Spend your own pants, to stretch the metaphor.
« Last Edit: August 12, 2019, 04:20:38 PM by Wrenchturner »

dragoncar

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Re: Overheard at Work 2
« Reply #1206 on: August 12, 2019, 04:21:48 PM »


This is what bugs me about some proposals for the government to pay off student debt (see warren).  I’m not opposed to socializing higher education, but on a practical level this rewards the spendypants or non-critical major choosers and punishes the prudent.  If anyone has low-rate student debt right now it makes zero sense for them to pay it off just in case it does get canceled out


There are a lot of good reasons to oppose student debt repayment, but I wish people could express this opinion without insulting those of us who have student loans. Borrowing for school can be a rational choice that pays off for the borrower--and you don't have to be particularly free-spending to have a hard time paying out of pocket for five figures a year in tuition plus living costs. So please stop it with the personal insults.

It wasn't my intention to imply that EVERY person with student debt is spendypants or chose a major imprudently.  Likewise, some people don't have student debt through no merit of their own (myself included).  But both of those behaviors exist and will be rewarded/harmed by the proposal.

For example, not everyone who took out a liar loan was actually a liar, but the upshot of bailing out those loans is that liars were rewarded.

I also don't think my comment on its face contained any personal insults.
« Last Edit: August 12, 2019, 04:25:21 PM by dragoncar »

LennStar

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Re: Overheard at Work 2
« Reply #1207 on: August 12, 2019, 11:37:49 PM »
This is what bugs me about some proposals for the government to pay off student debt (see warren).  I’m not opposed to socializing higher education, but on a practical level this rewards the spendypants or non-critical major choosers and punishes the prudent.  If anyone has low-rate student debt right now it makes zero sense for them to pay it off just in case it does get canceled out

On a practical level, in a past 19th century model, those "prudent" people who already have no debts will not only have no debts in the future, but also already a foundation for their nest egg.
Also practical that those who have crushing debts no longer have the hammer over them and can actually start to behave rationally.
And not to forget the practical side that the looming threat that now prevents many poor people from studying (which is likely a big reason for that system) will be away.

The student debt crisis in the US now is the result of a totally borked system. Change the system. And then you have to clean up the fallout, aka the debts, which is done by forgiveness.
Expensive? Yes. But that is the result of an insane system. It's not like you weren't warned a quarter century ago.

insufFIcientfunds

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Re: Overheard at Work 2
« Reply #1208 on: August 13, 2019, 05:25:12 AM »
This thread was supposed to be about funny things people heard at work, not about people getting educations they can't afford. Suggest starting another bickering thread and get back to the humor?

mm1970

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Re: Overheard at Work 2
« Reply #1209 on: August 13, 2019, 12:32:23 PM »
All I can think of about these SL convos is that clearly, some people feel that poor people don't deserve educations.

DadJokes

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Re: Overheard at Work 2
« Reply #1210 on: August 13, 2019, 12:41:48 PM »
All I can think of about these SL convos is that clearly, some people feel that poor people don't deserve educations.

I firmly believe that no one "deserves" an education.

dragoncar

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Re: Overheard at Work 2
« Reply #1211 on: August 13, 2019, 01:10:05 PM »
This thread was supposed to be about funny things people heard at work, not about people getting educations they can't afford. Suggest starting another bickering thread and get back to the humor?

Ok I don’t think anyone else made one so here: https://forum.mrmoneymustache.com/off-topic/student-loan-forgiveness-107236/


markbike528CBX

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Re: Overheard at Work 2
« Reply #1212 on: August 13, 2019, 01:46:08 PM »
This thread was supposed to be about funny things people heard at work, not about people getting educations they can't afford. Suggest starting another bickering thread and get back to the humor?
Ok, black boxes are orange and foam comes in many colors and flavors.

I haven't been to work in over a year, so my useful contribution is limited.
A younger colleague bought a new Subaru wrx sti (350HP?) and promptly took it to the shop to have it upped to about 800.  Shop time to driving time ratio ~ 10:1, as it kept blowing up.

Wrenchturner

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Re: Overheard at Work 2
« Reply #1213 on: August 13, 2019, 04:07:02 PM »
This thread was supposed to be about funny things people heard at work, not about people getting educations they can't afford. Suggest starting another bickering thread and get back to the humor?
Ok, black boxes are orange and foam comes in many colors and flavors.

I haven't been to work in over a year, so my useful contribution is limited.
A younger colleague bought a new Subaru wrx sti (350HP?) and promptly took it to the shop to have it upped to about 800.  Shop time to driving time ratio ~ 10:1, as it kept blowing up.
Better than folding the car around himself and a light pole, I suppose.

jps

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Re: Overheard at Work 2
« Reply #1214 on: August 13, 2019, 04:17:53 PM »
Not at work, but with a friend.

A friend who is 30, rents a studio, works at a coffee shop (past 10 years, probably at $15/hour) showed me a mug he really wanted to buy off of etsy. It was a sweet mug that was handmade and had this really cool pirate design, I think with a pirate ship and some sort of skull and crossbones. The mug was $60. With shipping it was $80. Now, I am all for handmade goods and art. I love to support artists and understand that you are paying for all of the time they have invested in their skill.

We were sitting at a table when he was about to buy it and I said, "that is a sweet mug, but $80 is a whole lot of money just for something to drink coffee out of, especially when you already have many other mugs." He decided I was right, but gee dang it I was shocked that someone would so seriously consider like 6 hours of work after taxes to buy something that they already owned dozens of, just because this one was neat.

Gremlin

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Re: Overheard at Work 2
« Reply #1215 on: August 13, 2019, 07:22:17 PM »
Not at work, but with a friend.

A friend who is 30, rents a studio, works at a coffee shop (past 10 years, probably at $15/hour) showed me a mug he really wanted to buy off of etsy. It was a sweet mug that was handmade and had this really cool pirate design, I think with a pirate ship and some sort of skull and crossbones. The mug was $60. With shipping it was $80. Now, I am all for handmade goods and art. I love to support artists and understand that you are paying for all of the time they have invested in their skill.

We were sitting at a table when he was about to buy it and I said, "that is a sweet mug, but $80 is a whole lot of money just for something to drink coffee out of, especially when you already have many other mugs." He decided I was right, but gee dang it I was shocked that someone would so seriously consider like 6 hours of work after taxes to buy something that they already owned dozens of, just because this one was neat.

I think the point is that your friend didn't do this at all.  They thought only about the shiny, fancy mug that they might have.  They might have equated that to spending $80, but even if they did they almost certainly didn't equate it to 6 hours of work.

A3 Life

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Re: Overheard at Work 2
« Reply #1216 on: August 14, 2019, 10:48:22 AM »
Me: With central banks cutting interest rates I’m worried about inflation and thinking about investing in gold.

Colleague: I thought the same thing 2 years ago, so I invested in bitcoin. Then I lost $6k. If there’s going to be inflation, you should invest in a new car. In fact, you should buy the new Tesla Model 3 before the price goes up.

Me: *facepalm
« Last Edit: August 14, 2019, 10:54:00 AM by A3 Life »

dragoncar

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Re: Overheard at Work 2
« Reply #1217 on: August 14, 2019, 11:16:43 AM »
Me: With central banks cutting interest rates I’m worried about inflation and thinking about investing in gold.

Colleague: I thought the same thing 2 years ago, so I invested in bitcoin. Then I lost $6k. If there’s going to be inflation, you should invest in a new car. In fact, you should buy the new Tesla Model 3 before the price goes up.

Me: *facepalm

Economic stimulus 101

mm1970

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Re: Overheard at Work 2
« Reply #1218 on: August 14, 2019, 11:31:51 AM »
All I can think of about these SL convos is that clearly, some people feel that poor people don't deserve educations.

I firmly believe that no one "deserves" an education.
Time to completely dismantle all public schools, from kindergarten to 12th grade.  Teach your own damn kids.

Kitsune

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Re: Overheard at Work 2
« Reply #1219 on: August 14, 2019, 12:44:50 PM »
All I can think of about these SL convos is that clearly, some people feel that poor people don't deserve educations.

I firmly believe that no one "deserves" an education.
Time to completely dismantle all public schools, from kindergarten to 12th grade.  Teach your own damn kids.

Oh, please no. I live in eternal hope that, at some point, I'll be surrounded by people with some level of critical thinking and literacy. Looking at someof the people having kids now... please, no.

imadandylion

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Re: Overheard at Work 2
« Reply #1220 on: August 14, 2019, 06:47:59 PM »
A couple of coworkers were discussing their kids today. One of them was asking the other if their kids started school yet. Shortly after that, one of them mentioned that their four kids had to go to different schools. That is, four different schools, four different routes. I thought that was nuts, and then the other coworker said, "Oh yeah, I know how that is. My two kids (similar age) went to different schools..." So this is normal for people these days?! Whatever happened to just letting your kids walk to and from school?

I can't imagine how much time, energy, and fuel gets expended on that logistical mess every school day, just because they either feel like they can't tear their kids away from their old friends or because they feel like their kids need to be at "the best" schools.

I know there's a lot of problems with the way cities are laid out, but gawd, they're really buying into it, and that's part of the problem. At least that younger generation is supposed to as a whole be less into driving.

SwordGuy

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Re: Overheard at Work 2
« Reply #1221 on: August 14, 2019, 07:52:16 PM »
A couple of coworkers were discussing their kids today. One of them was asking the other if their kids started school yet. Shortly after that, one of them mentioned that their four kids had to go to different schools. That is, four different schools, four different routes. I thought that was nuts, and then the other coworker said, "Oh yeah, I know how that is. My two kids (similar age) went to different schools..." So this is normal for people these days?! Whatever happened to just letting your kids walk to and from school?

I can't imagine how much time, energy, and fuel gets expended on that logistical mess every school day, just because they either feel like they can't tear their kids away from their old friends or because they feel like their kids need to be at "the best" schools.

I know there's a lot of problems with the way cities are laid out, but gawd, they're really buying into it, and that's part of the problem. At least that younger generation is supposed to as a whole be less into driving.

I've seen exactly 2 children walking in a school crossing zone during the slow-speed period in the last 18 years.   Two.


On a humorous note, I was visiting a military base in town.   I heard a couple of guys discussing the gun carry rules on post for when they were in their cars.   They didn't like it because, the way the rules were written, there was a point in time they weren't able to defend themselves if attacked.   They thought that rule was silly.

A lady stated the words to this effect in a very quiet, soft-spoken manner, "When I drive by the elementary school in the morning, I have to slow down to 25mph because that keeps the small children safe."  (Of course, that's because the small children will run in front of the cars and do other foolish things.)   She paused, then continued, "But when I drive past the solder's barracks, I have to slow down to 15mph..."

That argument was over real quick.   The guys had nothing.

I bust a gut laughing.

kanga1622

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Re: Overheard at Work 2
« Reply #1222 on: August 14, 2019, 08:32:23 PM »
A couple of coworkers were discussing their kids today. One of them was asking the other if their kids started school yet. Shortly after that, one of them mentioned that their four kids had to go to different schools. That is, four different schools, four different routes. I thought that was nuts, and then the other coworker said, "Oh yeah, I know how that is. My two kids (similar age) went to different schools..." So this is normal for people these days?! Whatever happened to just letting your kids walk to and from school?

I can't imagine how much time, energy, and fuel gets expended on that logistical mess every school day, just because they either feel like they can't tear their kids away from their old friends or because they feel like their kids need to be at "the best" schools.

I know there's a lot of problems with the way cities are laid out, but gawd, they're really buying into it, and that's part of the problem. At least that younger generation is supposed to as a whole be less into driving.

Just to provide another perspective - I live in a town of 10,000 people. And my two kids will never be in the same school building together. Our schools break preK-1, 2-5, 6-8, 9-12. As my kids are 4 years apart in school due to their birthdays, we always have to shuttle to multiple schools or pay for the bus passes. We have zero choice about which school our kids attend; this is just the way the public school decided to fill the buildings.

SwordGuy

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Re: Overheard at Work 2
« Reply #1223 on: August 14, 2019, 10:30:00 PM »
In a town of 10,000, aren't the schools close enough that all but the very youngest can just walk or bike to school?

DadJokes

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Re: Overheard at Work 2
« Reply #1224 on: August 15, 2019, 06:08:59 AM »
In a town of 10,000, aren't the schools close enough that all but the very youngest can just walk or bike to school?

No.

I grew up in a town of 13,000. Most of the town is very spaced out due to farmland and oil fields. Depending on where you live, it could require going down the highway to get to any school.

Kitsune

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Re: Overheard at Work 2
« Reply #1225 on: August 15, 2019, 06:53:21 AM »
A couple of coworkers were discussing their kids today. One of them was asking the other if their kids started school yet. Shortly after that, one of them mentioned that their four kids had to go to different schools. That is, four different schools, four different routes. I thought that was nuts, and then the other coworker said, "Oh yeah, I know how that is. My two kids (similar age) went to different schools..." So this is normal for people these days?! Whatever happened to just letting your kids walk to and from school?

I can't imagine how much time, energy, and fuel gets expended on that logistical mess every school day, just because they either feel like they can't tear their kids away from their old friends or because they feel like their kids need to be at "the best" schools.

I know there's a lot of problems with the way cities are laid out, but gawd, they're really buying into it, and that's part of the problem. At least that younger generation is supposed to as a whole be less into driving.

My oldest is starting school this year, and yeah, we're transporting her to a "better" school.

Translation: we're NOT signing up for a 45-minute drive to pick her up after school (or a bus that drops her off 2 hours before we get home from work, at age 5... um, no - our jobs are in the opposite direction of the school the district would bus her to), and are transporting her to the school that is 1km from my work instead, which logistically works much better. By doing so, she (and subsequently all our children) can go to a diverse school with well-trained teachers and multiple activities, instead of the school where, litereally, there's a wing built onto the side of the building to house the Social Services department, and the HS graduation rate is under 30%.

... So, yeah. While I wouldn't shuffle my kids to multiple different schools, I can definitely understand why parents look at the school closest to their house and go <uuuuum... no.>

Sugaree

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Re: Overheard at Work 2
« Reply #1226 on: August 15, 2019, 07:20:06 AM »
A couple of coworkers were discussing their kids today. One of them was asking the other if their kids started school yet. Shortly after that, one of them mentioned that their four kids had to go to different schools. That is, four different schools, four different routes. I thought that was nuts, and then the other coworker said, "Oh yeah, I know how that is. My two kids (similar age) went to different schools..." So this is normal for people these days?! Whatever happened to just letting your kids walk to and from school?

I can't imagine how much time, energy, and fuel gets expended on that logistical mess every school day, just because they either feel like they can't tear their kids away from their old friends or because they feel like their kids need to be at "the best" schools.

I know there's a lot of problems with the way cities are laid out, but gawd, they're really buying into it, and that's part of the problem. At least that younger generation is supposed to as a whole be less into driving.

My oldest is starting school this year, and yeah, we're transporting her to a "better" school.

Translation: we're NOT signing up for a 45-minute drive to pick her up after school (or a bus that drops her off 2 hours before we get home from work, at age 5... um, no - our jobs are in the opposite direction of the school the district would bus her to), and are transporting her to the school that is 1km from my work instead, which logistically works much better. By doing so, she (and subsequently all our children) can go to a diverse school with well-trained teachers and multiple activities, instead of the school where, litereally, there's a wing built onto the side of the building to house the Social Services department, and the HS graduation rate is under 30%.

... So, yeah. While I wouldn't shuffle my kids to multiple different schools, I can definitely understand why parents look at the school closest to their house and go <uuuuum... no.>

I can relate to this.  We live in a great district, but had briefly considered this really, really cool old Victorian place.  But then we realized we'd have to mentally add $120k onto the price of the house to pay for private school because the school that was literally in sight of the house was just so bad.  The house didn't seem like such a great deal then.

Kitsune

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Re: Overheard at Work 2
« Reply #1227 on: August 15, 2019, 07:26:55 AM »
A couple of coworkers were discussing their kids today. One of them was asking the other if their kids started school yet. Shortly after that, one of them mentioned that their four kids had to go to different schools. That is, four different schools, four different routes. I thought that was nuts, and then the other coworker said, "Oh yeah, I know how that is. My two kids (similar age) went to different schools..." So this is normal for people these days?! Whatever happened to just letting your kids walk to and from school?

I can't imagine how much time, energy, and fuel gets expended on that logistical mess every school day, just because they either feel like they can't tear their kids away from their old friends or because they feel like their kids need to be at "the best" schools.

I know there's a lot of problems with the way cities are laid out, but gawd, they're really buying into it, and that's part of the problem. At least that younger generation is supposed to as a whole be less into driving.

My oldest is starting school this year, and yeah, we're transporting her to a "better" school.

Translation: we're NOT signing up for a 45-minute drive to pick her up after school (or a bus that drops her off 2 hours before we get home from work, at age 5... um, no - our jobs are in the opposite direction of the school the district would bus her to), and are transporting her to the school that is 1km from my work instead, which logistically works much better. By doing so, she (and subsequently all our children) can go to a diverse school with well-trained teachers and multiple activities, instead of the school where, litereally, there's a wing built onto the side of the building to house the Social Services department, and the HS graduation rate is under 30%.

... So, yeah. While I wouldn't shuffle my kids to multiple different schools, I can definitely understand why parents look at the school closest to their house and go <uuuuum... no.>

I can relate to this.  We live in a great district, but had briefly considered this really, really cool old Victorian place.  But then we realized we'd have to mentally add $120k onto the price of the house to pay for private school because the school that was literally in sight of the house was just so bad.  The house didn't seem like such a great deal then.

In theory, I support public schools and dislike private schools. Statistically, home education (like reading out loud) can make up for a (reasonably minor) gap in educational quality at school, no matter which school they go to.

But there's just a level of 'bad' that's... I can't put my kids in that environment. There's a difference between 'less affluent and less resources' (which, incidentally, is the school we're transporting out kids to, as compared to the school across town that is more affluent and has more resources but would be less multicultural and a huge detour - and statistically not much better) and actually, straight-up 'the teachers are dealing with trauma, drug and alcohol abuse, severe poverty, and more than 30% of the students are in and out of foster care and the trauma of instability and family separation that that entails, and that takes up so much educational time that they can't actually EDUCATE'. I can't make up for that, and I can't send my kids in that. Call me bourgeois, but.

Sugaree

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Re: Overheard at Work 2
« Reply #1228 on: August 15, 2019, 07:37:49 AM »
A couple of coworkers were discussing their kids today. One of them was asking the other if their kids started school yet. Shortly after that, one of them mentioned that their four kids had to go to different schools. That is, four different schools, four different routes. I thought that was nuts, and then the other coworker said, "Oh yeah, I know how that is. My two kids (similar age) went to different schools..." So this is normal for people these days?! Whatever happened to just letting your kids walk to and from school?

I can't imagine how much time, energy, and fuel gets expended on that logistical mess every school day, just because they either feel like they can't tear their kids away from their old friends or because they feel like their kids need to be at "the best" schools.

I know there's a lot of problems with the way cities are laid out, but gawd, they're really buying into it, and that's part of the problem. At least that younger generation is supposed to as a whole be less into driving.

My oldest is starting school this year, and yeah, we're transporting her to a "better" school.

Translation: we're NOT signing up for a 45-minute drive to pick her up after school (or a bus that drops her off 2 hours before we get home from work, at age 5... um, no - our jobs are in the opposite direction of the school the district would bus her to), and are transporting her to the school that is 1km from my work instead, which logistically works much better. By doing so, she (and subsequently all our children) can go to a diverse school with well-trained teachers and multiple activities, instead of the school where, litereally, there's a wing built onto the side of the building to house the Social Services department, and the HS graduation rate is under 30%.

... So, yeah. While I wouldn't shuffle my kids to multiple different schools, I can definitely understand why parents look at the school closest to their house and go <uuuuum... no.>

I can relate to this.  We live in a great district, but had briefly considered this really, really cool old Victorian place.  But then we realized we'd have to mentally add $120k onto the price of the house to pay for private school because the school that was literally in sight of the house was just so bad.  The house didn't seem like such a great deal then.

In theory, I support public schools and dislike private schools. Statistically, home education (like reading out loud) can make up for a (reasonably minor) gap in educational quality at school, no matter which school they go to.

But there's just a level of 'bad' that's... I can't put my kids in that environment. There's a difference between 'less affluent and less resources' (which, incidentally, is the school we're transporting out kids to, as compared to the school across town that is more affluent and has more resources but would be less multicultural and a huge detour - and statistically not much better) and actually, straight-up 'the teachers are dealing with trauma, drug and alcohol abuse, severe poverty, and more than 30% of the students are in and out of foster care and the trauma of instability and family separation that that entails, and that takes up so much educational time that they can't actually EDUCATE'. I can't make up for that, and I can't send my kids in that. Call me bourgeois, but.

That's exactly the kind of situation that this would have been.  My best friend teaches at the high school and nearly half of her 10th and 11th graders are functionally illiterate.  How is she supposed to teach high school history if she's gotta teach basic reading skills too. 

I will say that this particular school has recently gotten a fantastic career tech coordinator though.  They've even set up a branch of the credit union I use at the school and hire some of the students to work as tellers during the day.  The kids can open savings accounts and deposit paychecks.  In quite a few cases, the kids might be the only one in their families to have a bank account and not use check cashing services. 

Kitsune

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Re: Overheard at Work 2
« Reply #1229 on: August 15, 2019, 07:39:13 AM »
In a town of 10,000, aren't the schools close enough that all but the very youngest can just walk or bike to school?

No.

I grew up in a town of 13,000. Most of the town is very spaced out due to farmland and oil fields. Depending on where you live, it could require going down the highway to get to any school.

It blew my mind when a parent told me the school her middle school aged kids attended in WNC DOESN'T ALLOW STUDENTS TO WALK TO SCHOOL.  Even the kid who lives across the street from the building gets picked up in a bus or has to be dropped of in a car.  At the end of the day the students line up in the bus line or the car pick-up line.  No one is allowed out of the building on foot.  I know times change, but at that age I was working a part time job where people trusted me to take care of their kids outdoors, not being treated like I was unable to navigate a sidewalk on my own.

And that's a school policy that made sense to someone infantilizing and risk-averse, and isn't going to change without some fairly determined parental pushback.

And then people complain that kids/teenagers don't know how to handle things... when they're never allowed the opportunity to learn. And, yay: in 4-6 years, these are kids who are (assuming a standard progression of college-going or job-having) going to be driving cars, living on their own, etc... oh, THAT's a fun steep learning curve. No possibility for disaster THERE... (Sarcasm. So much sarcasm.)

Sugaree

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Re: Overheard at Work 2
« Reply #1230 on: August 15, 2019, 07:40:25 AM »
In a town of 10,000, aren't the schools close enough that all but the very youngest can just walk or bike to school?

No.

I grew up in a town of 13,000. Most of the town is very spaced out due to farmland and oil fields. Depending on where you live, it could require going down the highway to get to any school.

It blew my mind when a parent told me the school her middle school aged kids attended in WNC DOESN'T ALLOW STUDENTS TO WALK TO SCHOOL.  Even the kid who lives across the street from the building gets picked up in a bus or has to be dropped of in a car.  At the end of the day the students line up in the bus line or the car pick-up line.  No one is allowed out of the building on foot.  I know times change, but at that age I was working a part time job where people trusted me to take care of their kids outdoors, not being treated like I was unable to navigate a sidewalk on my own.


I think here that no one really says anything about a kid who shows up to school on foot, but it may be the same way in the afternoon.  The problem is that they built the new elementary school right on the edge of one of the newer subdivisions which is full of younger families.  Everyone who owned property there thought that this was a great idea until it was actually built and they realized how awful traffic was going to be.  A lot of people have to walk their kids to school because they can't get out of their driveways.

kanga1622

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Re: Overheard at Work 2
« Reply #1231 on: August 15, 2019, 08:36:51 AM »
In a town of 10,000, aren't the schools close enough that all but the very youngest can just walk or bike to school?

Unfortunately no. The PreK-1 school doesn't allow kids to ride their bikes to school (unless a parent rides with them) as it has been a safety concern. The 2-5 school is 1.4 miles from our home, crosses the 3 busiest streets in town, and the most direct paths go through/around a college campus which makes for more distracted drivers overall and a ton of street parking which limits viability. Several of the kids that live on the south side of town do ride their bikes to the 2-5 school as they don't have to cross all the busy roads. Our town is also sprawling quite a bit with more new building on the far north, far west, and far east parts of town. We used to drop the kids off but each school has separate drop off times due to playground staffing. The hardest part was trying to pick them up on early dismissal days when all schools dismiss at the same time and one vehicle obviously could not be in different parts of town at the same time. Busing the kids has been a tremendous help for us with scheduling but it does come at a cost.

FIRE@50

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Re: Overheard at Work 2
« Reply #1232 on: August 15, 2019, 08:48:38 AM »
I'm trying to imagine what the "3 busiest streets" in a town of 10,000 people look like...

bluebelle

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Re: Overheard at Work 2
« Reply #1233 on: August 15, 2019, 08:59:57 AM »
I'm trying to imagine what the "3 busiest streets" in a town of 10,000 people look like...
often small towns have the highway running through them and people 'forget' to slow down.

dcheesi

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Re: Overheard at Work 2
« Reply #1234 on: August 15, 2019, 09:13:24 AM »
In a town of 10,000, aren't the schools close enough that all but the very youngest can just walk or bike to school?

No.

I grew up in a town of 13,000. Most of the town is very spaced out due to farmland and oil fields. Depending on where you live, it could require going down the highway to get to any school.

It blew my mind when a parent told me the school her middle school aged kids attended in WNC DOESN'T ALLOW STUDENTS TO WALK TO SCHOOL.  Even the kid who lives across the street from the building gets picked up in a bus or has to be dropped of in a car.  At the end of the day the students line up in the bus line or the car pick-up line.  No one is allowed out of the building on foot.  I know times change, but at that age I was working a part time job where people trusted me to take care of their kids outdoors, not being treated like I was unable to navigate a sidewalk on my own.
Not personal experience, but I've heard of school systems that combined this rule with a minimum distance rule to be eligible for bussing. Parents of kids living within a mile or two of school were effectively required to drive their kids in and wait in the long drop-off/pick-up lines?!

Kitsune

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Re: Overheard at Work 2
« Reply #1235 on: August 15, 2019, 09:24:01 AM »
I'm trying to imagine what the "3 busiest streets" in a town of 10,000 people look like...
often small towns have the highway running through them and people 'forget' to slow down.
Do we wanna talk about the drunk drivers at 10am? Or is that just my small town?

SwordGuy

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Re: Overheard at Work 2
« Reply #1236 on: August 15, 2019, 11:07:35 AM »
I'm trying to imagine what the "3 busiest streets" in a town of 10,000 people look like...
often small towns have the highway running through them and people 'forget' to slow down.
Do we wanna talk about the drunk drivers at 10am? Or is that just my small town?
Kids can be taught, certainly by 7th grade if not sooner, to watch out for traffic.   I was walking to school in 2nd grade along with lots of other kids in my small town.   It's not rocket science.   Beware of Tiny Details Exaggeration Syndrome.

DadJokes

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Re: Overheard at Work 2
« Reply #1237 on: August 15, 2019, 11:29:46 AM »
I'm trying to imagine what the "3 busiest streets" in a town of 10,000 people look like...
often small towns have the highway running through them and people 'forget' to slow down.
Do we wanna talk about the drunk drivers at 10am? Or is that just my small town?
Kids can be taught, certainly by 7th grade if not sooner, to watch out for traffic.   I was walking to school in 2nd grade along with lots of other kids in my small town.   It's not rocket science.   Beware of Tiny Details Exaggeration Syndrome.

I rode a bike everywhere in the small town I grew up in. On the busy street (we lived right on it), I was hit by a car on my bike when I was 12 from behind because the driver didn't see me. My sister was hit by one crossing the street at night by a car with no lights when she was 14.

You can teach kids all you want - most of them are still going to do stupid things. I'm certainly not advocating for not letting kids ride bikes or walk anywhere. But encouraging them to ride down busy streets generally isn't a good idea.

SwordGuy

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Re: Overheard at Work 2
« Reply #1238 on: August 15, 2019, 11:58:38 AM »
I'm trying to imagine what the "3 busiest streets" in a town of 10,000 people look like...
often small towns have the highway running through them and people 'forget' to slow down.
Do we wanna talk about the drunk drivers at 10am? Or is that just my small town?
Kids can be taught, certainly by 7th grade if not sooner, to watch out for traffic.   I was walking to school in 2nd grade along with lots of other kids in my small town.   It's not rocket science.   Beware of Tiny Details Exaggeration Syndrome.

I rode a bike everywhere in the small town I grew up in. On the busy street (we lived right on it), I was hit by a car on my bike when I was 12 from behind because the driver didn't see me. My sister was hit by one crossing the street at night by a car with no lights when she was 14.

You can teach kids all you want - most of them are still going to do stupid things. I'm certainly not advocating for not letting kids ride bikes or walk anywhere. But encouraging them to ride down busy streets generally isn't a good idea.

If there are no alternate routes, sure.   If there are no sidewalks on the busy streets, sure.   

But a whole lot of people panic about this for no good reason.   

As a kid I would walk my bike where it wasn't safe to ride if there weren't better routes.  Once  the tough area was past I would remount and continue with my ride.  It's not hard to teach that.   If you actually spend time with your kids as they bike you'll get a good idea whether they are safe and responsible or not.   Ditto if you later follow along behind them when they go off on their own the first time and don't let them see you doing it.  That's what my mom and dad did when I wanted to bike farther away from home between 4th and 5th grade.   If I had started acting in a reckless and inattentive manner my trip would have been promptly cut short.   

Again, this isn't rocket science.   If kids aren't taught to be responsible (part of which includes allowing them the ability not to be) at home they can't be expected to suddenly become responsible later.   You have to grow them into it and monitor and correct their process.    They aren't TVs that you just turn off when you're done interacting with them.   They have to be taught.

insufFIcientfunds

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Re: Overheard at Work 2
« Reply #1239 on: August 15, 2019, 12:04:48 PM »
This thread digresses a lot! Make your kids walk to school in oncoming traffic, take them, make them ride this bus, do what you need to do.

Let's just get the damn kids to school and talk about stupid people we work with!

imadandylion

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Re: Overheard at Work 2
« Reply #1240 on: August 15, 2019, 02:16:42 PM »
This thread digresses a lot! Make your kids walk to school in oncoming traffic, take them, make them ride this bus, do what you need to do.

Let's just get the damn kids to school and talk about stupid people we work with!

Okay, here's another one:

So my boss mentioned that when he got married (for the second time), they spent over $20,000, but 'It's not *that bad* when you think about how much money other people spend on weddings.'

Uhh, okay, what? I think it is pretty bad. I don't really know if rationalizing a cost based off other people's budgets is a good thing either.

Dave1442397

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Re: Overheard at Work 2
« Reply #1241 on: August 15, 2019, 06:14:14 PM »

Okay, here's another one:

So my boss mentioned that when he got married (for the second time), they spent over $20,000, but 'It's not *that bad* when you think about how much money other people spend on weddings.'

Uhh, okay, what? I think it is pretty bad. I don't really know if rationalizing a cost based off other people's budgets is a good thing either.

I remember my wife's friend spending $20k on just the wedding dress. A Vera Wang dress.

My wife spent around $250 for her dress. I think I married the right one :)

AMandM

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Re: Overheard at Work 2
« Reply #1242 on: August 15, 2019, 07:10:34 PM »
I remember my wife's friend spending $20k on just the wedding dress. A Vera Wang dress.

WHAT?! Are you sure you didn't put an extra zero in there?

Freedomin5

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Re: Overheard at Work 2
« Reply #1243 on: August 16, 2019, 05:55:47 AM »
Recent conversation with coworker...

Coworker: I’m ordering Starbucks. Would you like me to get you something?
Me: No thanks. I’m good.
Coworker: You don’t drink coffee?
Me: I do, but I prefer cold brew made from Cambodian beans.
Coworker: That’s delicious!
Me: Yup, and so easy to make! I make my coffee at home and drink it before I get to work.
Coworker: Oh, that’s so much work. I’m going to order on the Starbucks app and get them to deliver it to the office.

The local Starbucks knows coworker’s order by heart since they go in every morning for a coffee.

I, on the other hand, soak ground coffee in cold water in the fridge overnight, and the next morning, I have a lovely non-bitter, mellow, cold brew coffee. I bought a metal washable Thai coffee filter to strain the grounds. No coffee maker necessary.

insufFIcientfunds

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Re: Overheard at Work 2
« Reply #1244 on: August 16, 2019, 06:14:27 AM »
Recent conversation with coworker...

Coworker: I’m ordering Starbucks. Would you like me to get you something?
Me: No thanks. I’m good.
Coworker: You don’t drink coffee?
Me: I do, but I prefer cold brew made from Cambodian beans.
Coworker: That’s delicious!
Me: Yup, and so easy to make! I make my coffee at home and drink it before I get to work.
Coworker: Oh, that’s so much work. I’m going to order on the Starbucks app and get them to deliver it to the office.

The local Starbucks knows coworker’s order by heart since they go in every morning for a coffee.

I, on the other hand, soak ground coffee in cold water in the fridge overnight, and the next morning, I have a lovely non-bitter, mellow, cold brew coffee. I bought a metal washable Thai coffee filter to strain the grounds. No coffee maker necessary.

That sounds really good. Do you drink it cold? I imagine the people at starbucks get TONS of regulars. It cracks me up when someone walks in with an English muffin or something small. Like those at the grocery are cheaper for a whole pack than the one you bought!

We bought a box of Rural King K-cups. They aren't the best, but taste okay and nice to have a warm cup in the morning at work.

Freedomin5

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Re: Overheard at Work 2
« Reply #1245 on: August 16, 2019, 06:23:31 AM »
Recent conversation with coworker...

Coworker: I’m ordering Starbucks. Would you like me to get you something?
Me: No thanks. I’m good.
Coworker: You don’t drink coffee?
Me: I do, but I prefer cold brew made from Cambodian beans.
Coworker: That’s delicious!
Me: Yup, and so easy to make! I make my coffee at home and drink it before I get to work.
Coworker: Oh, that’s so much work. I’m going to order on the Starbucks app and get them to deliver it to the office.

The local Starbucks knows coworker’s order by heart since they go in every morning for a coffee.

I, on the other hand, soak ground coffee in cold water in the fridge overnight, and the next morning, I have a lovely non-bitter, mellow, cold brew coffee. I bought a metal washable Thai coffee filter to strain the grounds. No coffee maker necessary.

That sounds really good. Do you drink it cold? I imagine the people at starbucks get TONS of regulars. It cracks me up when someone walks in with an English muffin or something small. Like those at the grocery are cheaper for a whole pack than the one you bought!

We bought a box of Rural King K-cups. They aren't the best, but taste okay and nice to have a warm cup in the morning at work.

It’s 35C (95F) here right now, so not only do I drink it cold, I drink it over ice. Come winter time, I’ll decrease the amount of water I use to increase the coffee concentration, then add hot water. My coworker will switch from Starbucks  ice coffee with milk to Starbucks latte.

Dogastrophe

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Re: Overheard at Work 2
« Reply #1246 on: August 16, 2019, 07:17:58 AM »
Does cold brewed coffee have a different taste than cold coffee? 

At the risk of sending insufFIcientfunds into another rage post by going off topic:

Had a former employee who continually complained about  his pay.  He rarely worked a full week; smoked about a pack a day (in NS, a pack of smokes is $12+).  We have a maggot wagon (food truck) that shows up to our site every morning - truck owner let regulars run a tab.  He would get breakfast and coffee and a few other odds and sods everyday.  Each Friday he would settle his tab of between $40 and $50. His average take home pay was likely in the $400 range - at a minimum he was spending $130 per week on cigs and breakfast!  Small consolation - he did contribute to the company matched RRSP each week.

Just Joe

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Re: Overheard at Work 2
« Reply #1247 on: August 16, 2019, 07:48:00 AM »
My eldest came home the other day and told us that their new team coworker was a big spender on food and smokes. Everyday. Despite their modest pay. And coworker's 35 mile commute in an older thirsty 4WD.

Ahhh, makes a Mom 'n Dad proud that the kiddo is paying attention to the world around them... ;)

imadandylion

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Re: Overheard at Work 2
« Reply #1248 on: August 16, 2019, 08:51:47 AM »
I remember my wife's friend spending $20k on just the wedding dress. A Vera Wang dress.

My wife spent around $250 for her dress. I think I married the right one :)

You sure did. 20k is a lot. Nosy me now wants to know if her friend really could 'afford' that!

Recent conversation with coworker...

Coworker: I’m ordering Starbucks. Would you like me to get you something?
Me: No thanks. I’m good.
Coworker: You don’t drink coffee?
Me: I do, but I prefer cold brew made from Cambodian beans.
Coworker: That’s delicious!
Me: Yup, and so easy to make! I make my coffee at home and drink it before I get to work.
Coworker: Oh, that’s so much work. I’m going to order on the Starbucks app and get them to deliver it to the office.

The local Starbucks knows coworker’s order by heart since they go in every morning for a coffee.

I, on the other hand, soak ground coffee in cold water in the fridge overnight, and the next morning, I have a lovely non-bitter, mellow, cold brew coffee. I bought a metal washable Thai coffee filter to strain the grounds. No coffee maker necessary.

People always want everything to be so convenient. I can't tell you how many times I've heard that line when I am getting out the fruity arils from a pomegranate at the office kitchen sink. Never fails to illicit a slew of unsolicited commentary. Yeah, it's a few minutes of 'work' but it's worth it.  I wonder if your coworker ever even tried making coffee at home because it's really quite easy.

bluebelle

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Re: Overheard at Work 2
« Reply #1249 on: August 16, 2019, 09:24:46 AM »
It's something I've never understood - folks that don't "have time" to make coffee at home, so they stop on their way to work to pick it up.   Two minutes tops to set up the coffee maker the night before (programmable ones can be had for $20), pour the coffee in the morning....even adding in washing the coffee pot and travel mug, it still has to be faster than going through the drive thru for coffee.....If if it cost the same (and we know if doesn't), making the coffee at home seems SO much easier and faster.  Plus I know I washed my hands (bit of a germaphobe)