Overheard at Work

[Davids]

Real Mustachians poop at work.

That reminds me... I'll be back in a few minutes.

Dude, smartphones.

Probably impossible to study but I wonder how much longer pooping at work or in general increased because of the smartphone.

[BTDretire]

In the US, its code to have at least one outlet in the bathroom. Against code to have zero. However they have to be GFCI.

What's the code say about having an electrical panel in a bathroom?

No idea, but I bet it's verbotten.

My first home built in 1930 had the electrical panel in the bathroom, in a
small shelf area with a door. It was a difficult area to get to. It also had evidence of
Knob and Tube wiring in the attic, AFAIK it was no longer in use.
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Knob-and-tube_wiring

[BTDretire]

Your showers were 10 minutes (this includes shaving/putting on a towel or robe to go to your room).  Suck it up buttercup...your 4 siblings all use this bathroom too. 

I mean, if you HAVE to live like that sure, I'm not going to argue it can't be done.  But I'm not going to intentionally structure my life so that I can't read an article or three while on my throne in my own house without someone banging on the door for me to hurry up.  But I also am not going to have more than 2 kids, either, which makes it easier.  I spent my time in the Navy, I'm going to enjoy my Hollywood showers, thanks.

 I put a hinged mirror on the wall outside our bathroom, I have a string that allows two adjustments.
In one position I can view the TV from the bathtub, in the other from the toilet. I use it 'regularly'
 Nascar goes the wrong way though!

[solon]

Your showers were 10 minutes (this includes shaving/putting on a towel or robe to go to your room).  Suck it up buttercup...your 4 siblings all use this bathroom too. 

I mean, if you HAVE to live like that sure, I'm not going to argue it can't be done.  But I'm not going to intentionally structure my life so that I can't read an article or three while on my throne in my own house without someone banging on the door for me to hurry up.  But I also am not going to have more than 2 kids, either, which makes it easier.  I spent my time in the Navy, I'm going to enjoy my Hollywood showers, thanks.

 I put a hinged mirror on the wall outside our bathroom, I have a string that allows two adjustments.
In one position I can view the TV from the bathtub, in the other from the toilet. I use it 'regularly'
 Nascar goes the wrong way though!

So you use the tub and toilet with the door open?

[TravelJunkyQC]

Since we've clearly all gotten comfortable with each other here...

We live in a condo with only one bathroom. It's a loft. We can hear (and smell) EVERYTHING. So 1) the secret code is: could you put some music on, I have to do something...., or 2) if one person is in the shower, we sneak over to the concierge's bathroom near the garbage chute.

I don't care about sharing space while #1, but #2 is me-time and I don't really want anyone to be within ear-shot. Nervous poo-er I guess.

Wow, I feel like I just shared personal info with a few thousands of my new best friends.

Now you know.

[MgoSam]

All this talk about bathrooms.... seriously I encourage everyone here to spend a good amount of time in a rural village in India, after having taken a 3rd class train ride overnight to this village. Afterwards you'll be happy that you only need to wait 10 minutes because your roommate is showering and you need to poop.

[gaja]

I dunno... bathrooms are my least favorite to clean and having twice as many pretty much means twice as much cleaning (since bathroom usage tends to scale up in proportion to available bathrooms- or each toilet may get used half as often, but they will probably each be used sometime within the cleaning timeframe). 

If I ever build a bathroom, the number one criteria will be easy cleanability.  I am still considering  designing and patenting my ingenious new toilet design with no nooks, crannies, hinges, etc.  I'll put a drain in the floor and hose everything down with a pressure washer. Ohhh yeah

Don't worry, the MMM forumhas led me to a solution for that one. This amazing thread (http://forum.mrmoneymustache.com/ask-a-mustachian/advice-for-making-your-home-interior-easier-to-clean-and-maintain) has recommended Don Aslett's 'Make Your House Do The Housework' several times. I bought it, and he advocates (to a slightly excessive degree, perhaps) suspending everything and not mixing surfaces more than you have to. So you tile your entire bathroom and buy a suspended toilet like this one: http://cdn.stylisheve.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/01/Suspended-Toilet-Designs-for-an-Original-Bathroom-Style_3.jpg

This forum is the best.

This toilet is supposedly designed to be as easy to clean as possible. As you see, all the parts are attached to the wall, not eachother.  http://standard.jetsgroup.com/en/Products/Toilets-and-urinals/Pearl.aspx

[aaahhrealmarcus]

Hiking the AT has changed my perspective on the bathroom situation. Pooping au natural just isn't that difficult or as scary as we think it is.

Hahaha, good on you man! I thru-hiked the AT and only pooped "au natural" twice. The rest of the time I managed to hold it until I got to a shelter/privy!

[Ann]

What's the opposite of anal retentive?  Anal dismissive?

Anal expulsive.

I'm not makin that up.  It's Freud.
https://www.alleydog.com/glossary/definition.php?term=Anal-Expulsive

[JAYSLOL]

All this talk about bathrooms.... seriously I encourage everyone here to spend a good amount of time in a rural village in India, after having taken a 3rd class train ride overnight to this village. Afterwards you'll be happy that you only need to wait 10 minutes because your roommate is showering and you need to poop.

Hahaha, that's what I was thinking.  Been there, done that.  27 hour 3rd class train ride.  They had a bathroom though, but it was just a hole in the floor of the train. 

[cheapass]

Hahaha, that's what I was thinking.  Been there, done that.  27 hour 3rd class train ride.  They had a bathroom though, but it was just a hole in the floor of the train.

Sounds like a shitty trip! 😂

[MrGreen]

Hiking the AT has changed my perspective on the bathroom situation. Pooping au natural just isn't that difficult or as scary as we think it is.

Hahaha, good on you man! I thru-hiked the AT and only pooped "au natural" twice. The rest of the time I managed to hold it until I got to a shelter/privy!

I used a couple privies and then never again. Those things are nasty! There was shit, and blood, and who knows what else on the walls. And those privies were dispersed across a large geographical area so I don't think it was "just those privies." It makes me skin crawl just thinking about it.

[I'm a red panda]

Restroom situations while camping/less developed countries have no bearing on what I want in my home.
For 2 people: 2 restrooms; for 3-4 people: 3 restrooms.  4 would be a luxury, but I don't really want to clean that.
I haven't lived with more than 4 people.

[Clean Shaven]

Real Mustachians poop at work.

My husband likes to calculate how much he gets paid for pooping at work.

In other words, food poisoning = pay raise?

[Alfred J Quack]

All this talk about bathrooms.... seriously I encourage everyone here to spend a good amount of time in a rural village in India, after having taken a 3rd class train ride overnight to this village. Afterwards you'll be happy that you only need to wait 10 minutes because your roommate is showering and you need to poop.

Ha, we went to Hong Kong and had a 5 liter electric boiler with a 10 minute timer - it wasn't hot but then again by the time it was empty you could sit down on the toilet (under the boiler) to lather up and wait for it to heat up again. Did I tell you my wife was pregnant at the time and once kicked me out halfway through?
Needless to say the bathroom was efficient at 4sqft. My knees either stuck out the door while "showering" or were banging up on to the sink which was far too large for a bathroom that size.

The bed was also a nice addition where it was claimed to be 6 feet long and my feet stuck out at least 30cm while I'm 6 foot 1. We did choose a hotel for under 25$ a night so we had it coming... We were in luck too, the other available room had a hole in the ground for a toilet  :D

We also went to mainland China (Dongguan province), stayed with my BIL at a large appartment and could shower daily without problem (under the leaking boiler on the balcony too, if you so chose). The balcony had a nice view on a plant from Lenovo :D
Best part about the inlaws is that they have some property here and there with renters (one of them rents for more than 30 years now). They are a lot more mustachian than we are over here and not even out of necessity.
Funny thing is that it's a bit of a custom to lend newlyweds money for a home (if your family is at least somewhat well off). They buy (or build) a small 2 or 3 level appartment and rent a few floors out. Meanwhile they pay back the family loan and end up living in the unrented part without noticble cost...

[paddedhat]

In the US, its code to have at least one outlet in the bathroom. Against code to have zero. However they have to be GFCI.

What's the code say about having an electrical panel in a bathroom?

No idea, but I bet it's verbotten.

I haven't dealt with that one in a few decades, but IIRC,  No to bathrooms, stairways, landings, closets, etc.... Plus a minimum working space and headroom in the area in front of the panel, like 3' sq. of floor space, and 6'-6" of headroom.

[dragoncar]

I dunno... bathrooms are my least favorite to clean and having twice as many pretty much means twice as much cleaning (since bathroom usage tends to scale up in proportion to available bathrooms- or each toilet may get used half as often, but they will probably each be used sometime within the cleaning timeframe). 

If I ever build a bathroom, the number one criteria will be easy cleanability.  I am still considering  designing and patenting my ingenious new toilet design with no nooks, crannies, hinges, etc.  I'll put a drain in the floor and hose everything down with a pressure washer. Ohhh yeah

Don't worry, the MMM forumhas led me to a solution for that one. This amazing thread (http://forum.mrmoneymustache.com/ask-a-mustachian/advice-for-making-your-home-interior-easier-to-clean-and-maintain) has recommended Don Aslett's 'Make Your House Do The Housework' several times. I bought it, and he advocates (to a slightly excessive degree, perhaps) suspending everything and not mixing surfaces more than you have to. So you tile your entire bathroom and buy a suspended toilet like this one: http://cdn.stylisheve.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/01/Suspended-Toilet-Designs-for-an-Original-Bathroom-Style_3.jpg

This forum is the best.

This toilet is supposedly designed to be as easy to clean as possible. As you see, all the parts are attached to the wall, not eachother.  http://standard.jetsgroup.com/en/Products/Toilets-and-urinals/Pearl.aspx

Can the hinge part be removed and hosed down?

[honeybbq]

All this talk about bathrooms.... seriously I encourage everyone here to spend a good amount of time in a rural village in India, after having taken a 3rd class train ride overnight to this village. Afterwards you'll be happy that you only need to wait 10 minutes because your roommate is showering and you need to poop.

 I've dropped turds where there was an outline for your feet and a hole in between and I hadn't showered in a week... but that doesn't mean in my life of relatively luxury that I want that at home. Perspective is good, but you don't have to model everything you've been exposed to.

[The Guru]

Will someone- ANYONE- PLEASE post something you Heard at Work??

[DTaggart]

Will someone- ANYONE- PLEASE post something you Heard at Work??

Well, I was in the restroom, and from the next stall I heard....


:)

[AMandM]

For a household with 2 people 1 bathroom plus a separate toilet is ideal.

My BIL and his wife have one bathroom and a separate toilet.  But they also have have six kids.

[LadyFIRE]

I'm so amazed by these pooping issues....

I grew up in a house of 4 (mum, dad, 2 kids) and we never had an issue with our one toilet.

Although our toilet was separate to the bathroom. So you could poop while someone showered without being in the same room, they would just get a little cooked when you flushed and stole all the cold water!

[Alim Nassor]

We once stayed in a homestay in Georgetown, Penang, Malaysia.   Some of the Chinese clans have family jetty's over the water that have been there for generations.  We stayed in a home of the Chew family's jetty.  I woke up the first morning and went to take my morning constitutional, squatting over a hole under the shower head.   I heard a loud splash, and walked out onto the porch to wave goodbye to a big turd going out with the tide.

[MrGreen]

I'm so amazed by these pooping issues....

I grew up in a house of 4 (mum, dad, 2 kids) and we never had an issue with our one toilet.

Although our toilet was separate to the bathroom. So you could poop while someone showered without being in the same room, they would just get a little cooked when you flushed and stole all the cold water!

Ditto. My mom raised us two kids through out teenage years in a house with one toilet. I don't ever recall bathroom time being a big issue. I guess our family time didn't include explosive diarrhea.

[Step37]

My coworker mentioned that he's going to bring his six-year-old daughter to the office for the day a few weeks from now. This will be fun and cute; the kid is PUMPED about it and I don't mind at all. Here's the anti-mustachian part:

CW: She has it all planned out. We are going to stop at Tim Hortons on the way and get a donut. For lunch, we will go back to Tim Hortons so she can have a wrap.
Me: oh, fun! (cringe)

The kid is clearly conditioned to this, as evidenced by her dad's daily behaviour. Out for fast food nearly every day for lunch, commutes in brand new clown truck, big mortgage, pretty spendy lifestyle from what he's mentioned. He's a great guy and very hard worker; it just makes me sad to see him waste so much money.

[LennStar]

My coworker mentioned that he's going to bring his six-year-old daughter to the office for the day a few weeks from now. This will be fun and cute; the kid is PUMPED about it and I don't mind at all. Here's the anti-mustachian part:

CW: She has it all planned out. We are going to stop at Tim Hortons on the way and get a donut. For lunch, we will go back to Tim Hortons so she can have a wrap.
Me: oh, fun! (cringe)

The kid is clearly conditioned to this, as evidenced by her dad's daily behaviour. Out for fast food nearly every day for lunch, commutes in brand new clown truck, big mortgage, pretty spendy lifestyle from what he's mentioned. He's a great guy and very hard worker; it just makes me sad to see him waste so much money.

Probably too young - but what about the childs math?
After all, at work you often need math! So train it and let the child add up what the cost for the eating stuff is as long as its at his dads work place. And how much hours Daddy has to work for it.

[Metric Mouse]

Will someone- ANYONE- PLEASE post something you Heard at Work??

Well, I was in the restroom, and from the next stall I heard....


:)

Haha!

[I'm a red panda]

Will someone- ANYONE- PLEASE post something you Heard at Work??

I feel really badly for one of my coworkers (who makes just under 6 figures) who can't get approved for a corporate credit card, and does not have one of her own, and is having to figure out how to pay for her travel expenses for an upcoming business trip...

[BTDretire]

So you use the tub and toilet with the door open?

Ya, it's a bathroom off the bedroom which is at the end of the hallway,
if I had company it would be different.

[marielle]

I heard from a coworker that my boss (plant manager) wants to trade his year old truck for a 2017. He's pissed because he's put 20k+ miles on it in a year. Mainly because he can't commit to flights to see his family, so he drives 12 hours each way instead, many times a year.

I'm not even really sure if he uses it to do anything truck related because he's renting. I guess he uses it for hunting.

[boyerbt]

I heard from a coworker that my boss (plant manager) wants to trade his year old truck for a 2017. He's pissed because he's put 20k+ miles on it in a year. Mainly because he can't commit to flights to see his family, so he drives 12 hours each way instead, many times a year.

I'm not even really sure if he uses it to do anything truck related because he's renting. I guess he uses it for hunting.

I know some people who do this and it boggles my mind. Making long trips like this 1-2 a year for a week or so can make sense but they are doing it monthly and only for a normal weekend. You barely get any time to spend with family: if you hit the road after work on Friday, get home in the early morning of Saturday and have to leave by late afternoon at best on Sunday. You're spending equal time in the car as you are with the family.

[marielle]

I heard from a coworker that my boss (plant manager) wants to trade his year old truck for a 2017. He's pissed because he's put 20k+ miles on it in a year. Mainly because he can't commit to flights to see his family, so he drives 12 hours each way instead, many times a year.

I'm not even really sure if he uses it to do anything truck related because he's renting. I guess he uses it for hunting.

I know some people who do this and it boggles my mind. Making long trips like this 1-2 a year for a week or so can make sense but they are doing it monthly and only for a normal weekend. You barely get any time to spend with family: if you hit the road after work on Friday, get home in the early morning of Saturday and have to leave by late afternoon at best on Sunday. You're spending equal time in the car as you are with the family.

He kind of makes his own schedule so he'll often times leave on a Wednesday or something, and come back Monday. Maybe longer during a holiday. But still, he's averaged going once every 4-6 weeks in the past 5 months or so. In a truck!!! I think it's 1500+ miles each time.

We theorize that he bought the truck with cash because he said his payment was $450/month which is super low for a truck like he has, so he probably made up a number. His rent is dirt cheap because it's a rural town and he has no other expenses besides child support I guess? It could be worse...

I still can't believe it's a 2016 with 20k+ miles.

[MrGreen]

I heard from a coworker that my boss (plant manager) wants to trade his year old truck for a 2017. He's pissed because he's put 20k+ miles on it in a year. Mainly because he can't commit to flights to see his family, so he drives 12 hours each way instead, many times a year.

I'm not even really sure if he uses it to do anything truck related because he's renting. I guess he uses it for hunting.

So he chose to drive 20,000 miles in a year and he's pissed that he drove them? Is he angry about breathing too? Lol

[Just Joe]

Us youngins' used to do this in the military. Get off duty Fri, drive ten plus hours home to visit for the weekend, back by 6AM Mon. I knew guys who did this several times a year. I did this a few times in the course of a couple of years. Never a quality visit, jetlagged for days on end from lack of quality sleep, etc.

I remember getting back on morn about an hour before quarters. Tough day. So many variables that could have prevented me from returning on time. I became a little smarter as I got older and quit that kind of nonsense.

[JayhawkRacer]

Real Mustachians poop at work.

That reminds me... I'll be back in a few minutes.

Dude, smartphones.

I was going to ask, are you guys not on the toilet at work right now? That's most of my browsing time.

[BTDretire]

I heard from a coworker that my boss (plant manager) wants to trade his year old truck for a 2017. He's pissed because he's put 20k+ miles on it in a year. Mainly because he can't commit to flights to see his family, so he drives 12 hours each way instead, many times a year.

I'm not even really sure if he uses it to do anything truck related because he's renting. I guess he uses it for hunting.

Chart from http://twocents.lifehacker.com/the-popular-car-models-owners-are-most-likely-give-up-a-1793058041?utm_source=feedburner&utm_medium=feed&utm_campaign=Feed%3A+lifehacker%2Ffull+%28Lifehacker%29
 

[AMandM]

Mainly because he can't commit to flights to see his family, so he drives 12 hours each way instead, many times a year.

On the bright side, driving 12 hours is probably cheaper than flying.  And flying, what with the security screenings and getting to/from the airport, takes several hours. So arguably a mustachian choice, all in all.

[Chris22]

Mainly because he can't commit to flights to see his family, so he drives 12 hours each way instead, many times a year.

On the bright side, driving 12 hours is probably cheaper than flying.  And flying, what with the security screenings and getting to/from the airport, takes several hours. So arguably a mustachian choice, all in all.

12 hours is pushing it, but I much prefer driving to flying.  Driving I control my destiny and my schedule, flying I'm at the whim of others and there is MUCH downtime.  Plus my car is super comfortable, flying is much less so.  And with three people in the family, driving is almost always cheaper than three plane tickets.

[marielle]

Mainly because he can't commit to flights to see his family, so he drives 12 hours each way instead, many times a year.

On the bright side, driving 12 hours is probably cheaper than flying.  And flying, what with the security screenings and getting to/from the airport, takes several hours. So arguably a mustachian choice, all in all.

I don't think so. Remember, it's 24 hours total driving. Roughly 1500 miles, which is close to 80 gallons of gas or $175-200. Factor in wear and tear and depreciation of a brand new 2016 truck and you've EASILY surpassed the $350 flight price. If you use the 55 cents per mile rule, it's $825. It's a brand new truck so this could be close to accurate. Also, add in an oil change every two times he does this (not sure how much it would be for a large truck). If he was doing it in a 2005 Prius then I would say it would be worth it maybe.

The problem he had was not being able to stick to a flight and constantly changing the times, which made it significantly more expensive. In that case, yes driving is definitely cheaper.

[kayvent]

A dear friend (CW) at work mentioned that he was happy that his father stopped working for the military before CW started university because if the father hadn't, CW would have not qualified for student loans.

I asked how much their father was making in the military. Hearing the amount, I said CW would have been fine either way. His father made enough to have easily cashflowed university.

CW rebutted that his two younger siblings started university in the following two years.

I said that CW's father still made enough to cashflow the three expenses simultaneously.

Another coworker, having done the math in their head said that would have only left CW's father with 30K a year after taxes.

Realizing at this point that I live a very comfortable life on spending of 24K (and a fifth of that is daycare expenses), I nodded my head, agreed that that would be difficult, and smiled. Different worlds .

[Ann]

A dear friend (CW) at work mentioned that he was happy that his father stopped working for the military before CW started university because if the father hadn't, CW would have not qualified for student loans.

I asked how much their father was making in the military. Hearing the amount, I said CW would have been fine either way. His father made enough to have easily cashflowed university.

CW rebutted that his two younger siblings started university in the following two years.

I said that CW's father still made enough to cashflow the three expenses simultaneously.

Another coworker, having done the math in their head said that would have only left CW's father with 30K a year after taxes.

Realizing at this point that I live a very comfortable life on spending of 24K (and a fifth of that is daycare expenses), I nodded my head, agreed that that would be difficult, and smiled. Different worlds .

Yeah, but one of the differences is: It's one thing to live on 24K a year.  It's another to tell someone ELSE to live on 24K a year so that they will bankroll YOUR future.  Sounds like CW took out student loans and maybe mostly paid for university himself (probably still paying for it).  His father wouldn't necessarily have made up the difference just because his one was disqualified for manynlow interest rate loans due to parental income.

Edited to say: I should add that I agree with you that people's mindsets are different and they will refuse to believe something is possible even when someone (you) is living proof right in front of them.  It is also possible that your CW's assessment of the situation may be correct, and that it did benefit him that his reported parental income was much lower than it would have been a few years ago (if they weren't going to contribute anything).

[Goldielocks]

What's the opposite of anal retentive?  Anal dismissive? 

Vacuous?   

[Monocle Money Mouth]

What's the opposite of anal retentive?  Anal dismissive? 

Vacuous?   

Sloppy or maybe absent minded?

[o2bfree]

It's "anal expulsive". Ewww....

[AMandM]

I don't think so. Remember, it's 24 hours total driving. Roughly 1500 miles, which is close to 80 gallons of gas or $175-200. Factor in wear and tear and depreciation of a brand new 2016 truck and you've EASILY surpassed the $350 flight price.

You're right. I always forget depreciation.  Our cars are old enough that we don't include it.  ;-)

[Metric Mouse]

It's "anal expulsive". Ewww....

Yes, but is it black or orange?

[TomTX]

Yeah. Take out student loans when a perfectly viable job is available (and my friend did disregard her advisor's advice and found a TA position). But remember, without a TA or RA position, my friend would not only have to pay for living expenses but also tuition, which is $14k a semester. Granted, TAing takes about 10-15 hours a week (though some classes will require closer to 20), so yes, it does slow her down from graduating. But seriously?

Good for your friend!  I found TAing to be not as demanding as it sounds.  Even with a full course load, I was able to handle the extra 15 hours/week with no problem.

Depends. If your friend is delaying getting an $80k/year job 6 months to save $14k, I can certainly see the argument to get out faster and take the loan.

[B2027]

Coworker was talking about how he got a pretty much brand new truck for only $44,000 and payments were only $526 per month. Which he followed up with by saying "Good thing I'm really frugal with my money and could take advantage of that deal!!"

Luckily I was so dumbfounded I couldn't say anything.

[Just Joe]

It's "anal expulsive". Ewww....

Yes, but is it black or orange?

Depends on whether there is a dress involved... (Ewwww.)

[johnny847]

Yeah. Take out student loans when a perfectly viable job is available (and my friend did disregard her advisor's advice and found a TA position). But remember, without a TA or RA position, my friend would not only have to pay for living expenses but also tuition, which is $14k a semester. Granted, TAing takes about 10-15 hours a week (though some classes will require closer to 20), so yes, it does slow her down from graduating. But seriously?

Good for your friend!  I found TAing to be not as demanding as it sounds.  Even with a full course load, I was able to handle the extra 15 hours/week with no problem.

Depends. If your friend is delaying getting an $80k/year job 6 months to save $14k, I can certainly see the argument to get out faster and take the loan.

She has at least a year left.

Furthermore, I don't know how familiar you are with academia, but it is VERY common for PhD students to graduate later than expected.

EDIT: Clarified, PhD students