Author Topic: Overheard at Work 2  (Read 1112953 times)

Gremlin

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Re: Overheard at Work 2
« Reply #2200 on: February 17, 2020, 05:09:45 PM »
Just overheard a couple of workmates bitching behind my back about what a cruel parent I am/was. I unwisely opened my mouth during a conversation about pocket money. I used to give my son $100 in cash, in small notes, every week. Every week he would hand back money to be banked for savings, as well as for rent, power, phone, food, medical, clothing, transportation etc etc. He'd be left with $10 or so at ten years old. Sometimes there were tearful arguments about paying things next week, because he wanted to buy something, but he learned he would have to save up. Imagine the cruelty of preparing your progeny for life in the actual world, and not some lovely bubble of  "everyone is special" childhood!

I think this is brilliant.
+1

AnnaGrowsAMustache

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Re: Overheard at Work 2
« Reply #2201 on: February 17, 2020, 05:15:40 PM »
Just overheard a couple of workmates bitching behind my back about what a cruel parent I am/was. I unwisely opened my mouth during a conversation about pocket money. I used to give my son $100 in cash, in small notes, every week. Every week he would hand back money to be banked for savings, as well as for rent, power, phone, food, medical, clothing, transportation etc etc. He'd be left with $10 or so at ten years old. Sometimes there were tearful arguments about paying things next week, because he wanted to buy something, but he learned he would have to save up. Imagine the cruelty of preparing your progeny for life in the actual world, and not some lovely bubble of  "everyone is special" childhood!

I think this is brilliant.

Thanks, but apparently we are both mistaken. Actually it's burdening small children with adult concerns and not really any different to discussing things like bankruptcy and divorce in front of them. Not sure where the bankruptcy and divorce came into it, but if workplace dipshits think these things are related, who am I to question it???

I'm already jobhunting, so no real drama going forward.

DadJokes

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Re: Overheard at Work 2
« Reply #2202 on: February 17, 2020, 05:35:16 PM »
Well your job as a parent is to prepare them to be adults one day.

SwordGuy

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Re: Overheard at Work 2
« Reply #2203 on: February 17, 2020, 05:49:15 PM »
Just overheard a couple of workmates bitching behind my back about what a cruel parent I am/was. I unwisely opened my mouth during a conversation about pocket money. I used to give my son $100 in cash, in small notes, every week. Every week he would hand back money to be banked for savings, as well as for rent, power, phone, food, medical, clothing, transportation etc etc. He'd be left with $10 or so at ten years old. Sometimes there were tearful arguments about paying things next week, because he wanted to buy something, but he learned he would have to save up. Imagine the cruelty of preparing your progeny for life in the actual world, and not some lovely bubble of  "everyone is special" childhood!

I think this is brilliant.

Thanks, but apparently we are both mistaken. Actually it's burdening small children with adult concerns and not really any different to discussing things like bankruptcy and divorce in front of them. Not sure where the bankruptcy and divorce came into it, but if workplace dipshits think these things are related, who am I to question it???

I'm already jobhunting, so no real drama going forward.

All the kids I know who had parents get divorced figured out that their parents didn't live together anymore and didn't necessarily want to, either.   Might as well talk to them about it, it might even be helpful if that's the intent (as opposed to attacking the ex).   I wonder why that's so hard for them to understand.

I'm pretty sure that when parents go bankrupt their kids figure out something is wrong, it's not particularly hard to, after all.   Jeesh.

You keep up the good work.

Job #1 is to raise children to be (a) good people worth knowing and (b) be able to take care of themselves.    Everything else is a distant second place at best.

mustachepungoeshere

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Re: Overheard at Work 2
« Reply #2204 on: February 17, 2020, 09:08:32 PM »
Colleague spent all of last week complaining that her dad suggested she start paying her own phone bill.

Colleague is 27.

Colleague went shopping on her lunch break and came back with two new pairs of heels. "They were on sale!"

mustachepungoeshere

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Re: Overheard at Work 2
« Reply #2205 on: February 17, 2020, 09:11:08 PM »
Colleague spent all of last week complaining that her dad suggested she start paying her own phone bill.

Colleague is 27.

Colleague went shopping on her lunch break and came back with two new pairs of heels. "They were on sale!"

But wait, there's more!

Another colleague complimented her on the new shoes.

"Thanks! I got a bag and some earrings as well. Put it all on Afterpay!"

Travis

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Re: Overheard at Work 2
« Reply #2206 on: February 18, 2020, 03:42:08 AM »
Just finished a Town Hall on base and the question was raised "We have X housing units, and X assigned parking spaces. What do we do if we have two cars?"  The garrison commander responded (in the most polite tone possible) "We don't have a parking problem, we have a walking problem." He then listed off over 100 additional parking spaces within a block of the apartment towers.

merula

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Re: Overheard at Work 2
« Reply #2207 on: February 18, 2020, 06:56:35 AM »
All the kids I know who had parents get divorced figured out that their parents didn't live together anymore and didn't necessarily want to, either.   Might as well talk to them about it, it might even be helpful if that's the intent (as opposed to attacking the ex).   I wonder why that's so hard for them to understand.

I'm pretty sure that when parents go bankrupt their kids figure out something is wrong, it's not particularly hard to, after all.   Jeesh.

You keep up the good work.

Job #1 is to raise children to be (a) good people worth knowing and (b) be able to take care of themselves.    Everything else is a distant second place at best.

I tell my kids that my job is to make them "good grown-ups". I think the above method is brilliant as a way of teaching money management along with the scope of the money. My kids get allowance, but they don't have any real perspective on how much anything costs besides what they want to buy.

Case in point, my grandparents sent my kids $2 each in a Valentine's card. The 7 y/o then had the audacity to ask my parents why the Valentine from them didn't have any cash in it. This comes 2 weeks after my parents took my kids to Disneyland. (I wasn't doing so good on the "good grownups" front that day.)

Wrenchturner

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Re: Overheard at Work 2
« Reply #2208 on: February 18, 2020, 07:57:33 AM »
Colleague spent all of last week complaining that her dad suggested she start paying her own phone bill.

Colleague is 27.

Colleague went shopping on her lunch break and came back with two new pairs of heels. "They were on sale!"

I hate that phrase, "it was on sale!"

Usually it should say, "I got bamboozled!"

talltexan

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Re: Overheard at Work 2
« Reply #2209 on: February 18, 2020, 08:19:06 AM »
If your kids find a deal to save $15/month on your home internet, how much of the savings do you pass on to them for this exercise?

Fish Sweet

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Re: Overheard at Work 2
« Reply #2210 on: February 18, 2020, 01:01:15 PM »
I recently left my job with nothing lined up.  The not-quite-truth I told the company is that I was returning to school full time to pursue a change of career.  The actual truth is more complicated, but the gist of it is that I was tired of working and wanted to take a break, had the savings to do so, wanted to focus on my art & growing my tiny business, and did want to go back to school and change careers... eventually, when I felt like it.

My coworkers were lovely, supportive people, but some of them were clearly very worried about me.  One of them even asked, "but how will you survive??"  I'm pretty sure she thought of the both of us as being in similar financial boats (student debt, car loan, paycheck to paycheck, tons of expenses, barely able to make minimum contributions to retirement), and I've never given her any reason to think otherwise.  I smiled and told her that I had saved up some money and would take out student loans as needed to cover the rest (I won't be taking out any student loans) and her look of shock was.... I don't know.   Not to get up on some snooty MMM high horse, but it just made me feel bad for her. 
I understand the reason to behave this way around others, but I generally try to avoid doing this.  If people are making bad decisions, they might benefit from the suggestion that they have other options.  Especially when many people in my experience tend to finance stuff because "everyone else is doing it".  Those people need to hear your story!

Obviously you have to be cautious about how you do it.  I don't judge people but I also try to avoid materialistic thinking.  Many people I work with can tell I'm frugal, so they're not surprised when I say I'm willing to spend a lump sum on occasion, like buying a new car or taking a trip somewhere.  But I don't show up with fancy clothes or a fancy car or anything like that.  If it's obvious you're not spending a lot of money, you might inspire others to do similarly.

You might invite resentment, but that's coming from someone's insecurity, not your personal inadequacy, so you can treat it like a symptom, not a disease.
If I were truly leaving for FIRE, I think I might have been more truthful, but since I do plan on returning to the workforce (and relying on references from my manager/coworkers) down the line, I didn't want to risk any weirdness or resentment cropping up if I could help it.  Doesn't help that I'm pretty young to be jobless (late twenties) and that the coworker in question is several decades older and definitely better paid than me.

It's not just the 'finance everything, we're all in debt!' cultural mindset that's pervasive, but also the 'YOUR JOB IS YOUR LIFE' attitude that's everywhere.  I think if I had told them that I just wanted to take a break from work (and could afford to), I would have also gotten a lot of "what are you, lazy?" "why don't you want to work for a living?" attitude.  It's weird... we're all in the same boat getting excited for weekends and long holidays and vacations, talking about how tired we are and how we wish we could just be at the beach on a sunny day, but in a WORK WORK WORK culture, actually vocalizing that you just don't want to work is the same as announcing, "I'm an irresponsible lazy fuckup!"

And I am. :)  But I'm not telling my coworkers that.

Wrenchturner

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Re: Overheard at Work 2
« Reply #2211 on: February 18, 2020, 03:05:40 PM »
I recently left my job with nothing lined up.  The not-quite-truth I told the company is that I was returning to school full time to pursue a change of career.  The actual truth is more complicated, but the gist of it is that I was tired of working and wanted to take a break, had the savings to do so, wanted to focus on my art & growing my tiny business, and did want to go back to school and change careers... eventually, when I felt like it.

My coworkers were lovely, supportive people, but some of them were clearly very worried about me.  One of them even asked, "but how will you survive??"  I'm pretty sure she thought of the both of us as being in similar financial boats (student debt, car loan, paycheck to paycheck, tons of expenses, barely able to make minimum contributions to retirement), and I've never given her any reason to think otherwise.  I smiled and told her that I had saved up some money and would take out student loans as needed to cover the rest (I won't be taking out any student loans) and her look of shock was.... I don't know.   Not to get up on some snooty MMM high horse, but it just made me feel bad for her. 
I understand the reason to behave this way around others, but I generally try to avoid doing this.  If people are making bad decisions, they might benefit from the suggestion that they have other options.  Especially when many people in my experience tend to finance stuff because "everyone else is doing it".  Those people need to hear your story!

Obviously you have to be cautious about how you do it.  I don't judge people but I also try to avoid materialistic thinking.  Many people I work with can tell I'm frugal, so they're not surprised when I say I'm willing to spend a lump sum on occasion, like buying a new car or taking a trip somewhere.  But I don't show up with fancy clothes or a fancy car or anything like that.  If it's obvious you're not spending a lot of money, you might inspire others to do similarly.

You might invite resentment, but that's coming from someone's insecurity, not your personal inadequacy, so you can treat it like a symptom, not a disease.
If I were truly leaving for FIRE, I think I might have been more truthful, but since I do plan on returning to the workforce (and relying on references from my manager/coworkers) down the line, I didn't want to risk any weirdness or resentment cropping up if I could help it.  Doesn't help that I'm pretty young to be jobless (late twenties) and that the coworker in question is several decades older and definitely better paid than me.

It's not just the 'finance everything, we're all in debt!' cultural mindset that's pervasive, but also the 'YOUR JOB IS YOUR LIFE' attitude that's everywhere.  I think if I had told them that I just wanted to take a break from work (and could afford to), I would have also gotten a lot of "what are you, lazy?" "why don't you want to work for a living?" attitude.  It's weird... we're all in the same boat getting excited for weekends and long holidays and vacations, talking about how tired we are and how we wish we could just be at the beach on a sunny day, but in a WORK WORK WORK culture, actually vocalizing that you just don't want to work is the same as announcing, "I'm an irresponsible lazy fuckup!"

And I am. :)  But I'm not telling my coworkers that.

It's a strong argument.  Ideally your future hirer would appreciate that you value a work/life balance.  And ideally your former employer won't hold your priorities against you, assuming you're competent.  I can understand your choice here.

gaja

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Re: Overheard at Work 2
« Reply #2212 on: February 19, 2020, 04:48:14 AM »
If your kids find a deal to save $15/month on your home internet, how much of the savings do you pass on to them for this exercise?
We have delegated authority for selected categories to the kids (13 and 12 y.o.):

The oldest is a spender, and we are trying to motivate her to save. She gets a relatively large food budget each month, and it is her responsibility to plan menus and make shopping lists. If the rest of us spend outside the food budget, she gets to yell at us. Whatever is left over at the end of the month, she gets to keep. We urge her to save some of it, but don't force her.

The youngest is a lazy saver. She is motivated by having more free time, and sends all of her money to the savings account. Her job is to wash and put away all the clothes. We plan to increase her duties gradually to include handling the clothes budget, teaching her to mend clothes, etc. She gets paid a flat rate now, but if she starts caring about money I plan to give her bonuses for hanging clothes to dry instead of using the dryer. So far, having her responsible for washing clothes has resulted in fewer loads of laundry being washed, because the kids now use their clothes more before they declare them dirty.

TL/DR: if my kids found a way to save $15/month, they would get 100 % of it.

zolotiyeruki

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Re: Overheard at Work 2
« Reply #2213 on: February 20, 2020, 07:40:36 AM »
Just finished a Town Hall on base and the question was raised "We have X housing units, and X assigned parking spaces. What do we do if we have two cars?"  The garrison commander responded (in the most polite tone possible) "We don't have a parking problem, we have a walking problem." He then listed off over 100 additional parking spaces within a block of the apartment towers.
That is awesome, and deserves posting in the anti-antimustachian overheard at work thread.

mm1970

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Re: Overheard at Work 2
« Reply #2214 on: February 20, 2020, 01:57:47 PM »
Just finished a Town Hall on base and the question was raised "We have X housing units, and X assigned parking spaces. What do we do if we have two cars?"  The garrison commander responded (in the most polite tone possible) "We don't have a parking problem, we have a walking problem." He then listed off over 100 additional parking spaces within a block of the apartment towers.
Ha this is amazing.

Long ago and far away, we lived in family student housing, with one big parking lot, and it wasn't close to most of the apartments.  Now,  you couldn't really get another spot without paying for a campus parking permit.  And that permit would be a very long way away.  So we only had one car.

We learned quickly to get a cart to get groceries to the apartment from the car, and luckily for us no kids yet at that time.  (Our apartment was on the 2nd and 3rd floors, and a walk-up).

Within a block though?  That's really sad.

Freedomin5

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Re: Overheard at Work 2
« Reply #2215 on: February 20, 2020, 06:28:43 PM »
Our company recently offered a stipend to compensate for additional costs due to the coronavirus. Basically, many employees have had to spend extra to purchase face masks or self-funded flights out of China. It was a very generous ~$2000-$6000 usd depending on the size of your family.

The very next day, one employee (who is always broke and could barely afford a $5 replacement face mask) messaged the employee group chat talking about getting a flight to Japan for a week-long vacation. They were quickly reminded that Japan would likely put them under two-week quarantine since they were flying from China, and that many countries are closing their borders to non-residents. While Japan is still semi-open, these border changes are implemented with little to no prior warning. But now I know why they always seem to be strapped for cash.

Mairuiming

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Re: Overheard at Work 2
« Reply #2216 on: February 21, 2020, 06:43:36 AM »
It was a very generous ~$2000-$6000 usd depending on the size of your family.

That is certainly a very generous offer.

My employer offered to upgrade medical insurance policy for foreign workers at employer's expense. (costing ~ US$ 500).

mtn

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Re: Overheard at Work 2
« Reply #2217 on: February 21, 2020, 07:32:02 AM »
Case in point, my grandparents sent my kids $2 each in a Valentine's card. The 7 y/o then had the audacity to ask my parents why the Valentine from them didn't have any cash in it. This comes 2 weeks after my parents took my kids to Disneyland. (I wasn't doing so good on the "good grownups" front that day.)

Disclaimer: I have 7 years to go before I have a 7 year old, and it has been about 23 years since I was 7 myself, so my frame of reference here for how "with it" 7 year olds are is off...

But is this really "not doing so good on the 'good grownups' front"? From what I imagine a 7-year old's mindset is, great-grandparents and grandparents are sort of the same thing. If they get a card with cash in it, maybe the expect all cards from grandparents to have cash in it. Additionally, I don't think that a 7 year old will necessarily be able to recognize the huge cost of a family vacation.

I suppose it depends on the tone, and if there was a sense of entitlement with it, but on the surface it seems like a teaching opportunity rather than impertinence. After all, a 7 year old has 10-15 years before they're a grown up.



As an aside, now I'm smiling thinking about my Grandparents. Every time I came to visit, Grandpa wait til we were alone - could have been just passing in the hall - and slip me a bill or 4. Could have been $5, could have been $100, depended on what he had with him and how old I was and all that, but you could tell he always felt like a big shot doing it. And all of us grandkids thought he was too, because for us, he was. He told us all that the "walking around money" was over once we were 18, but I don't think that was true for any of us as he bent the rules every time, and if he didn't, Grandma did in cards... Halloween Cards, Easter Cards, Thanksgiving Cards, St. Patricks Day cards (we're not Irish, or even "Irish on St. Patricks Day")... I think I once got a Flag Day card from her with a tenner in it. Had no clue there was such thing as a Flag Day card.
« Last Edit: February 21, 2020, 09:33:58 AM by mtn »

BlueHouse

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Re: Overheard at Work 2
« Reply #2218 on: February 21, 2020, 07:50:02 AM »
Oh my.  The custodian guy was complaining to my office-mate about how tired he was.  He hadn't slept at all because he couldn't get on some gaming platform until midnight and then he played until 4am.  Then he catches the bus to get here by 6am. 

Custodian:  "I want to be a gamer but this job is interfering with that"

I know nothing about gaming (other than board game night with my pals), so I don't know whether he has a future in it or not, but I do know the same custodian believed the broom challenge but didn't want to try it himself because he missed the date.  He also thinks that women can control and even hold off the flow of their periods, especially in the first day or two. 

Sibley

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Re: Overheard at Work 2
« Reply #2219 on: February 21, 2020, 08:00:59 AM »
Oh my.  The custodian guy was complaining to my office-mate about how tired he was.  He hadn't slept at all because he couldn't get on some gaming platform until midnight and then he played until 4am.  Then he catches the bus to get here by 6am. 

Custodian:  "I want to be a gamer but this job is interfering with that"

I know nothing about gaming (other than board game night with my pals), so I don't know whether he has a future in it or not, but I do know the same custodian believed the broom challenge but didn't want to try it himself because he missed the date.  He also thinks that women can control and even hold off the flow of their periods, especially in the first day or two.

I know a tiny bit about gaming, as a job. Let's just say the odds are very much against him.

Just Joe

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Re: Overheard at Work 2
« Reply #2220 on: February 21, 2020, 08:42:33 AM »
Is it like pro-athletics where companies sponsor players?

TheGrimSqueaker

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Re: Overheard at Work 2
« Reply #2221 on: February 21, 2020, 08:45:11 AM »
Oh my.  The custodian guy was complaining to my office-mate about how tired he was.  He hadn't slept at all because he couldn't get on some gaming platform until midnight and then he played until 4am.  Then he catches the bus to get here by 6am. 

Custodian:  "I want to be a gamer but this job is interfering with that"

I know nothing about gaming (other than board game night with my pals), so I don't know whether he has a future in it or not, but I do know the same custodian believed the broom challenge but didn't want to try it himself because he missed the date.  He also thinks that women can control and even hold off the flow of their periods, especially in the first day or two.

A woman who is on the old-fashioned pill form of birth control (a pill a day keeps the pregnant away) can elect to bust out a new package of pills and continue with the hormone replacement instead of continuing with the usual cycle of placeholder pills.

PrairieBeardstache

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Re: Overheard at Work 2
« Reply #2222 on: February 21, 2020, 08:45:47 AM »
Is it like pro-athletics where companies sponsor players?

Yes

happyuk

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Re: Overheard at Work 2
« Reply #2223 on: February 21, 2020, 09:03:05 AM »
Wrench, I agree that people need to be honest and maybe it will help others.

I absolutely hear what you say Wrench, and don't strongly disagree.  But I have sometimes found to my cost that even when these things are pointed out in a friendly and diplomatic way (ie don't borrow money when you shouldn't) they can still cause enormous offence to worldly persons, almost like you insulted their wife or something.  I find that now I tend to not offer a counter-opinion for this very specific topic, unless I am specifically asked, even though I am happy to wade in with contrarian opinions on other subjects.

As one one bearded hippy guy from the Middle East (who allegedly knew a thing or two) once said

"Give not that which is holy unto the dogs, neither cast
ye your pearls before swine, lest they trample them
under their feet, and turn again and rend you."

merula

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Re: Overheard at Work 2
« Reply #2224 on: February 21, 2020, 10:28:51 AM »
A woman who is on the old-fashioned pill form of birth control (a pill a day keeps the pregnant away) can elect to bust out a new package of pills and continue with the hormone replacement instead of continuing with the usual cycle of placeholder pills.

The problem comes when your yearly Rx runs out after 9 months and your insurance company are assholes.

But I think the problem described is the men who believe that needing menstrual supplies is because of something akin to incontinence, and if we just tried harder we wouldn't need such things. See also, the guy who invented labia glue.

Kris

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Re: Overheard at Work 2
« Reply #2225 on: February 21, 2020, 10:45:12 AM »
A woman who is on the old-fashioned pill form of birth control (a pill a day keeps the pregnant away) can elect to bust out a new package of pills and continue with the hormone replacement instead of continuing with the usual cycle of placeholder pills.

The problem comes when your yearly Rx runs out after 9 months and your insurance company are assholes.

But I think the problem described is the men who believe that needing menstrual supplies is because of something akin to incontinence, and if we just tried harder we wouldn't need such things. See also, the guy who invented labia glue.

Exactly.

Plus, frankly, it doesn't always work that well. I tried to do that, but was never able to get my period to stop completely. Instead of having a full-blown normal period once a month, I would have unpredictable spotting at odd times instead. Eventually, after the frustration of never knowing when that would happen and having to wear panty liners as a result, it just wasn't worth it, and I went back to having regular periods.

Sugaree

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Re: Overheard at Work 2
« Reply #2226 on: February 21, 2020, 10:55:08 AM »
A woman who is on the old-fashioned pill form of birth control (a pill a day keeps the pregnant away) can elect to bust out a new package of pills and continue with the hormone replacement instead of continuing with the usual cycle of placeholder pills.

The problem comes when your yearly Rx runs out after 9 months and your insurance company are assholes.

But I think the problem described is the men who believe that needing menstrual supplies is because of something akin to incontinence, and if we just tried harder we wouldn't need such things. See also, the guy who invented labia glue.

Exactly.

Plus, frankly, it doesn't always work that well. I tried to do that, but was never able to get my period to stop completely. Instead of having a full-blown normal period once a month, I would have unpredictable spotting at odd times instead. Eventually, after the frustration of never knowing when that would happen and having to wear panty liners as a result, it just wasn't worth it, and I went back to having regular periods.

I was lucky that it always worked well for me and when my insurance company gave me crap about it my doctor told me to just let them pay more for Seasonique instead.  Now I have the implant and unless I'm getting close to the three year mark, I rarely get any kind of breakthrough bleeding.

ixtap

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Re: Overheard at Work 2
« Reply #2227 on: February 21, 2020, 11:02:10 AM »
A woman who is on the old-fashioned pill form of birth control (a pill a day keeps the pregnant away) can elect to bust out a new package of pills and continue with the hormone replacement instead of continuing with the usual cycle of placeholder pills.

The problem comes when your yearly Rx runs out after 9 months and your insurance company are assholes.

But I think the problem described is the men who believe that needing menstrual supplies is because of something akin to incontinence, and if we just tried harder we wouldn't need such things. See also, the guy who invented labia glue.

Exactly.

Plus, frankly, it doesn't always work that well. I tried to do that, but was never able to get my period to stop completely. Instead of having a full-blown normal period once a month, I would have unpredictable spotting at odd times instead. Eventually, after the frustration of never knowing when that would happen and having to wear panty liners as a result, it just wasn't worth it, and I went back to having regular periods.

I was lucky that it always worked well for me and when my insurance company gave me crap about it my doctor told me to just let them pay more for Seasonique instead.  Now I have the implant and unless I'm getting close to the three year mark, I rarely get any kind of breakthrough bleeding.

So jealous. The last time I was on the pill, I bled and spotted for 6 weeks straight until I just gave up. There is no way I am trying an implant!

ysette9

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Re: Overheard at Work 2
« Reply #2228 on: February 21, 2020, 11:38:46 AM »
I’ve got an implant now which seems to be great, except for the part where my face looks like a teenager again, and not in the youthful glow kind of way. Sigh.

Sanitary Stache

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Re: Overheard at Work 2
« Reply #2229 on: February 21, 2020, 12:38:01 PM »
I had my vas deferens cut and cauterized.

dragoncar

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Re: Overheard at Work 2
« Reply #2230 on: February 21, 2020, 02:17:39 PM »
I chopped off my balls and died

mm1970

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Re: Overheard at Work 2
« Reply #2231 on: February 21, 2020, 02:24:16 PM »
OMG this convo is going south.

@ysette9 I feel you.  I've got gray hair, progressive glasses, wrinkles AND pimples, wtF?

ixtap

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Re: Overheard at Work 2
« Reply #2232 on: February 21, 2020, 02:29:10 PM »
I chopped off my balls and died

You seem to have recovered nicely!

Friar

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Re: Overheard at Work 2
« Reply #2233 on: February 21, 2020, 03:23:55 PM »
See also, the guy who invented labia glue.

Wait, what?

After a quick Google it is what is says on the tin. Glue for the labia. To trap the blood internally until you go to the toilet, at which point your urine dissolves the "amino acid and oil based" preparation and everything fall into the toilet together. Seamless. Nothing could go wrong.

The first article I read was titled "A Chiropractor Says Labia Glue is Better Than Tampons".

Chiropractors: well known for their studies of menstruation.

merula

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Re: Overheard at Work 2
« Reply #2234 on: February 21, 2020, 04:09:36 PM »
See also, the guy who invented labia glue.

Wait, what?

After a quick Google it is what is says on the tin. Glue for the labia. To trap the blood internally until you go to the toilet, at which point your urine dissolves the "amino acid and oil based" preparation and everything fall into the toilet together. Seamless. Nothing could go wrong.

The first article I read was titled "A Chiropractor Says Labia Glue is Better Than Tampons".

Chiropractors: well known for their studies of menstruation.

I was kinda wondering when someone would respond on that.

Did your article show the direct quote “Yes, I am a man and you as a woman should have come up with a better solution then diapers and plugs, but you didn’t. Reason being women are focused on and distracted by your period 25% of the time, making them far less productive [than] they could be.”

https://www.self.com/story/mensez-labia-lipstick-glue-periods

The Snopes article is particularly enlightening: https://www.snopes.com/fact-check/mensez/

IsThisAGoodUsername

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Re: Overheard at Work 2
« Reply #2235 on: February 21, 2020, 04:13:54 PM »
For anybody considering contraception, before you make any decisions on what's right for you, be sure to look at Annuale: https://www.youtube.com/watch?reload=9&v=LuQIEy_x9w4

:D

Friar

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Re: Overheard at Work 2
« Reply #2236 on: February 21, 2020, 11:40:46 PM »
See also, the guy who invented labia glue.

Wait, what?

After a quick Google it is what is says on the tin. Glue for the labia. To trap the blood internally until you go to the toilet, at which point your urine dissolves the "amino acid and oil based" preparation and everything fall into the toilet together. Seamless. Nothing could go wrong.

The first article I read was titled "A Chiropractor Says Labia Glue is Better Than Tampons".

Chiropractors: well known for their studies of menstruation.

I was kinda wondering when someone would respond on that.

Did your article show the direct quote “Yes, I am a man and you as a woman should have come up with a better solution then diapers and plugs, but you didn’t. Reason being women are focused on and distracted by your period 25% of the time, making them far less productive [than] they could be.”

https://www.self.com/story/mensez-labia-lipstick-glue-periods

The Snopes article is particularly enlightening: https://www.snopes.com/fact-check/mensez/

It didn’t have that quote from what I recall but I didn’t read too closely. It was just too bizarre.

Reading the snopes article leaves me thinking that it’s satire. I refuse to believe that someone would say those things in seriousness.

I don’t myself have the equipment for menstruation but I wouldn’t expect it to be any more distracting on average than, say, feeling hungry. Yes it’s there but it’s not at the forefront of your mind. Clearly there will be exceptions to this do I’m happy to be corrected.


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dragoncar

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Re: Overheard at Work 2
« Reply #2237 on: February 22, 2020, 12:11:59 AM »
If a woman tells me menstruation isn’t distracting I’d believe it.  But speaking simply about expectation, well I’ve had bad nosebleeds and used tampons to stop them.  I’m not saying my productivity was eliminated, but it was certainly uncomfortable and distracting.  Now it’s ridiculous to say that women are made unproductive by periods but I’m also curious if it’s really distraction free as well.  Maybe you just get used to it over time and for me it was always a rare event? (Yes I realize a nose is different from a vagina my question may seem silly but I haven’t got any first hand experience)

Playing with Fire UK

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Re: Overheard at Work 2
« Reply #2238 on: February 22, 2020, 01:08:20 AM »
Think of it like urinating. You aren't distracted at your desk because you know you'll have to pee at some point, it's just a task you'll take care of. However some people are very distracted and in pain because they are busting to go or because they have kidney stones or a bladder infection.

A period can be 100% not a distraction. It can also be associated with really painful symptoms for some people.

AnnaGrowsAMustache

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Re: Overheard at Work 2
« Reply #2239 on: February 22, 2020, 01:26:37 AM »
If a woman tells me menstruation isn’t distracting I’d believe it.  But speaking simply about expectation, well I’ve had bad nosebleeds and used tampons to stop them.  I’m not saying my productivity was eliminated, but it was certainly uncomfortable and distracting.  Now it’s ridiculous to say that women are made unproductive by periods but I’m also curious if it’s really distraction free as well.  Maybe you just get used to it over time and for me it was always a rare event? (Yes I realize a nose is different from a vagina my question may seem silly but I haven’t got any first hand experience)

I don't find periods themselves remotely distracting. You can't feel a tampon once it's inserted, so nothing to distract. I know men aren't quite aware of the intricacies of vaginas, and that's ok, but actually there aren't touch receptors up inside the vagina. At least not when you're not turned on and I have yet to be turned on by a tampon...... Noses are very sensitive by comparison! Sometimes I have a little period pain, which for me translates to back pain - depends which way your uterus points as to where the pain feels like it's coming from. I take a pill, just like you would. Sometimes I get tired after a period - I don't eat a lot of meat so I just eat a steak. And I sometimes get frickin annoyed by stupid shit, but that's about midcycle, not actually when the red is running. It's not the same for all women. I think I may be quite lucky. I really think that other things in the workplace are far more distracting on a daily basis, like temperature.




Imma

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Re: Overheard at Work 2
« Reply #2240 on: February 22, 2020, 03:28:33 AM »
A woman who is on the old-fashioned pill form of birth control (a pill a day keeps the pregnant away) can elect to bust out a new package of pills and continue with the hormone replacement instead of continuing with the usual cycle of placeholder pills.

The problem comes when your yearly Rx runs out after 9 months and your insurance company are assholes.

But I think the problem described is the men who believe that needing menstrual supplies is because of something akin to incontinence, and if we just tried harder we wouldn't need such things. See also, the guy who invented labia glue.

Exactly.

Plus, frankly, it doesn't always work that well. I tried to do that, but was never able to get my period to stop completely. Instead of having a full-blown normal period once a month, I would have unpredictable spotting at odd times instead. Eventually, after the frustration of never knowing when that would happen and having to wear panty liners as a result, it just wasn't worth it, and I went back to having regular periods.

Insurance companies decide how many strips of the pill you get?? That's crazy. I just go to the pharmacy when I run out and as contraceptives are not covered by my health insurance if you're over 21, I pay €18 for 3 boxes of 3 strips.

Where I live most doctors actually recommend skipping periods when you're on the pill. There's no function, it's not a 'real' menstruation but a fake one. It's just feeling shitty for no medical reason at all. Most women don't get spotting from taking the pill continously, actually my doctor said I should call her if it happens more than once because it's a sign you may not be on the right pill. I'm sure some women will always have some spotting but it's not the norm.

SwordGuy

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Re: Overheard at Work 2
« Reply #2241 on: February 22, 2020, 06:39:13 AM »
See also, the guy who invented labia glue.

Wait, what?

After a quick Google it is what is says on the tin. Glue for the labia. To trap the blood internally until you go to the toilet, at which point your urine dissolves the "amino acid and oil based" preparation and everything fall into the toilet together. Seamless. Nothing could go wrong.

The first article I read was titled "A Chiropractor Says Labia Glue is Better Than Tampons".

Chiropractors: well known for their studies of menstruation.

I was kinda wondering when someone would respond on that.

Did your article show the direct quote “Yes, I am a man and you as a woman should have come up with a better solution then diapers and plugs, but you didn’t. Reason being women are focused on and distracted by your period 25% of the time, making them far less productive [than] they could be.”

https://www.self.com/story/mensez-labia-lipstick-glue-periods

The Snopes article is particularly enlightening: https://www.snopes.com/fact-check/mensez/

It didn’t have that quote from what I recall but I didn’t read too closely. It was just too bizarre.

Reading the snopes article leaves me thinking that it’s satire. I refuse to believe that someone would say those things in seriousness.

I don’t myself have the equipment for menstruation but I wouldn’t expect it to be any more distracting on average than, say, feeling hungry. Yes it’s there but it’s not at the forefront of your mind. Clearly there will be exceptions to this do I’m happy to be corrected.



Oh, you live in England.    I live in the USA and we have elected legislators say things that stupid or worse on a frequent basis.   98% of them are from one political party.    (To be fair, the other main party also says stupid things but on different topics.)

Friar

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Re: Overheard at Work 2
« Reply #2242 on: February 22, 2020, 07:01:06 AM »
Ah yes, the classic "women can shut it down" line being one of them.

Our politicians are far perfect I'm sure but I'd like to think they would be lambasted for the sorts of stuff I've read from US politicians.

That said, I don't really follow politics so I'm sure people could find examples of British politicians saying incredulous things and not being held to account.

LennStar

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Re: Overheard at Work 2
« Reply #2243 on: February 22, 2020, 10:18:11 AM »
See also, the guy who invented labia glue.
I was not sure if I should look that up.
And I think no, I should not have.

It is technically interesting though that this seems to work. There is real craszy stuff modern glue can do and that is Top 2 I think.

ysette9

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Re: Overheard at Work 2
« Reply #2244 on: February 22, 2020, 12:36:50 PM »
I had my vas deferens cut and cauterized.
I am starting to talk up that idea. I know it will take time for that seed to sprout and blossom

TheGrimSqueaker

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Re: Overheard at Work 2
« Reply #2245 on: February 22, 2020, 01:01:18 PM »
Well, that deteriorated quickly.

Sorry for setting off a foam explosion-- I seem to have triggered something. My goal was to point out that an admittedly eccentric co-worker's point of view did have a basis in fact.

ysette9

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Re: Overheard at Work 2
« Reply #2246 on: February 23, 2020, 03:22:10 PM »
It wasn’t a deterioration, merely a meandering walk down a weedy path. :-)

Goldielocks

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Re: Overheard at Work 2
« Reply #2247 on: February 23, 2020, 04:31:58 PM »

But I think the problem described is the men who believe that needing menstrual supplies is because of something akin to incontinence, and if we just tried harder we wouldn't need such things. See also, the guy who invented labia glue.
Hmm  This would work for men, too.  (The glue).

Men that lose productivity because they need to take at least 20 minutes a day to use the rest room.   They could glue their anus shut and only "release" every three days, from the comfort of their homes and not while on the clock at work.


dragoncar

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Re: Overheard at Work 2
« Reply #2248 on: February 23, 2020, 11:13:22 PM »

But I think the problem described is the men who believe that needing menstrual supplies is because of something akin to incontinence, and if we just tried harder we wouldn't need such things. See also, the guy who invented labia glue.
Hmm  This would work for men, too.  (The glue).

Men that lose productivity because they need to take at least 20 minutes a day to use the rest room.   They could glue their anus shut and only "release" every three days, from the comfort of their homes and not while on the clock at work.

The glue is deactivated by urine, through, so it might get a bit awkward

Rural

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Re: Overheard at Work 2
« Reply #2249 on: February 24, 2020, 05:55:26 AM »

But I think the problem described is the men who believe that needing menstrual supplies is because of something akin to incontinence, and if we just tried harder we wouldn't need such things. See also, the guy who invented labia glue.
Hmm  This would work for men, too.  (The glue).

Men that lose productivity because they need to take at least 20 minutes a day to use the rest room.   They could glue their anus shut and only "release" every three days, from the comfort of their homes and not while on the clock at work.

The glue is deactivated by urine, through, so it might get a bit awkward


Would just require some creativity.