Author Topic: Overheard at Work  (Read 13252947 times)

Rural

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Re: Overheard at Work
« Reply #20450 on: July 17, 2018, 04:44:37 PM »
Can we please debate the second amendment elsewhere?

zolotiyeruki

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Re: Overheard at Work
« Reply #20451 on: July 18, 2018, 07:57:36 AM »
Can we please debate the second amendment elsewhere?
Yes, please.  There are a few very thorough threads over in the Off-topic subforum.

dragoncar

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Re: Overheard at Work
« Reply #20452 on: July 18, 2018, 10:10:04 AM »
Can we please debate the second amendment elsewhere?
Yes, please.  There are a few very thorough threads over in the Off-topic subforum.

Seriously, this space reserved for discussions of the third amendment, for which we have offensively few threads

solon

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Re: Overheard at Work
« Reply #20453 on: July 18, 2018, 11:06:28 AM »
Can we please debate the second amendment elsewhere?
Yes, please.  There are a few very thorough threads over in the Off-topic subforum.

Seriously, this space reserved for discussions of the third amendment, for which we have offensively few threads

Dang soldiers. Always wanting quarter in my house.

SynestheticSymphony

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Re: Overheard at Work
« Reply #20454 on: July 18, 2018, 12:04:41 PM »
As the geeks around me reminisce about when and why they had to get smartphones for their kids, I am happily texting my wife using T9 on my $25 flip phone.


Raymond Reddington

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Re: Overheard at Work
« Reply #20455 on: July 18, 2018, 10:27:14 PM »
As the geeks around me reminisce about when and why they had to get smartphones for their kids, I am happily texting my wife using T9 on my $25 flip phone.



I'm still rocking an LG exalt. My work phone is a smartphone but not my personal.

Slow&Steady

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Re: Overheard at Work
« Reply #20456 on: July 19, 2018, 07:04:49 AM »
We make our 13 year old use a flip phone, we are the most evil parents known to man. 

I will eventually get him a cheap (prepaid) smart phone but not until he proves that he can take care of the flip phone. 

elliha

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Re: Overheard at Work
« Reply #20457 on: July 19, 2018, 08:15:54 AM »
We plan to get another cellphone and get a very simple phone and use that instead of a home phone. Occasionally when our daughter will need phone she will get to use it as cellphone too but this way we can hopefully delay her having permanent access to one and be able to let her stay at home sometimes in a year or two.

SynestheticSymphony

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Re: Overheard at Work
« Reply #20458 on: July 19, 2018, 08:55:33 AM »
We plan to get another cellphone and get a very simple phone and use that instead of a home phone. Occasionally when our daughter will need phone she will get to use it as cellphone too but this way we can hopefully delay her having permanent access to one and be able to let her stay at home sometimes in a year or two.

That's roughly what my parents did when I was a teenager. Any of us kids who needed a phone when we went somewhere just took one of the cheapie Tracfones that were kept around for such occasions. It was much cheaper, and my parents did not have to worry about the kids being left alone with the entire Internet without any supervision.

Just Joe

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Re: Overheard at Work
« Reply #20459 on: July 19, 2018, 09:34:20 AM »
We make our 13 year old use a flip phone, we are the most evil parents known to man. 

I will eventually get him a cheap (prepaid) smart phone but not until he proves that he can take care of the flip phone.

I see what you did there. And because the flip phone is in good condition there is no reason to get a smart phone until the flip phone dies and because flip phones are immortal, your offspring will have to wait to buy themselves a smart phone in 2038 or thereabouts... Smart! ;)

SynestheticSymphony

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Re: Overheard at Work
« Reply #20460 on: July 19, 2018, 11:58:15 AM »
We make our 13 year old use a flip phone, we are the most evil parents known to man. 

I will eventually get him a cheap (prepaid) smart phone but not until he proves that he can take care of the flip phone.

I see what you did there. And because the flip phone is in good condition there is no reason to get a smart phone until the flip phone dies and because flip phones are immortal, your offspring will have to wait to buy themselves a smart phone in 2038 or thereabouts... Smart! ;)

Even worse: Go on eBay and get him one of those old, indestructable bricks from Nokia. He'll never get to upgrade!!!! Insert evil cackle here
« Last Edit: July 19, 2018, 12:47:18 PM by SynestheticSymphony »

peregrine

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Re: Overheard at Work
« Reply #20461 on: July 19, 2018, 06:54:50 PM »
Overheard inside the gas station near my work, on the rougher side of town.  Both ladies are employees of the gas station.

Lady 1: (shouting across the small store) Did I tell you I totaled my Escalade?
Lady 2: Oh no! What happened?
L1: (still shouting) Some idiot ran the stop sign and hit me in the side. He was going, like, 55. On my kid's birthday weekend, too!
L2:  Did you get a new car?
L1:  No, I can't afford it.  That's why I'm quitting this job.
L2:  You got another job?
L1:  No, but I'm tired of walking to work.

I bought my snacks and left.  There was so much wrong with this conversation, I won't even start here.

Raymond Reddington

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Re: Overheard at Work
« Reply #20462 on: July 19, 2018, 10:05:50 PM »
We make our 13 year old use a flip phone, we are the most evil parents known to man. 

I will eventually get him a cheap (prepaid) smart phone but not until he proves that he can take care of the flip phone.

I see what you did there. And because the flip phone is in good condition there is no reason to get a smart phone until the flip phone dies and because flip phones are immortal, your offspring will have to wait to buy themselves a smart phone in 2038 or thereabouts... Smart! ;)

Even worse: Go on eBay and get him one of those old, indestructable bricks from Nokia. He'll never get to upgrade!!!! Insert evil cackle here

*Diabolical evil laugh*...better yet, remember these?


FindingFI

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Re: Overheard at Work
« Reply #20463 on: July 20, 2018, 05:21:09 AM »
We make our 13 year old use a flip phone, we are the most evil parents known to man. 

I will eventually get him a cheap (prepaid) smart phone but not until he proves that he can take care of the flip phone.

I see what you did there. And because the flip phone is in good condition there is no reason to get a smart phone until the flip phone dies and because flip phones are immortal, your offspring will have to wait to buy themselves a smart phone in 2038 or thereabouts... Smart! ;)

Even worse: Go on eBay and get him one of those old, indestructable bricks from Nokia. He'll never get to upgrade!!!! Insert evil cackle here

*Diabolical evil laugh*...better yet, remember these?



Watched one of those fall down three flights on concrete stairs and land at the button not only fully functional, but without a scratch!

Also had to repair a wall in an apartment in college from a flip phone.  My roommate was having a rough night and threw her flip phone across the room so hard that it punched a hole in the wall.  Phone was fine.

BTDretire

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Re: Overheard at Work
« Reply #20464 on: July 20, 2018, 07:14:30 AM »
 About 2 weeks ago my wife dropped her flip phone in the water.
 It didn't survive.
Many functions worked, but you couldn't call out.

BuffaloStache

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Re: Overheard at Work
« Reply #20465 on: July 20, 2018, 08:37:09 AM »
About 2 weeks ago my wife dropped her flip phone in the water.
 It didn't survive.
Many functions worked, but you couldn't call out.

Flip Phone + waterproofing = truly unstoppable.

Just Joe

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Re: Overheard at Work
« Reply #20466 on: July 20, 2018, 08:40:08 AM »
I really like my smart phone - camera*, password keeper, office functions, email, etc - but this conversation really makes me sentimental for a flip phone. I never even had a flip phone - I was late to the mobile phone thing. DW had one of those Nokia bricks.

*camera - I love having a good camera in my pocket all the time. Inventory at work, pictures of historical markers or museum things to read later, moments of creative photography...

I'm a red panda

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Re: Overheard at Work
« Reply #20467 on: July 20, 2018, 08:56:43 AM »
Nothing to do with overheard at work, but related to cell phones.

My husband and BIL stupidly kept their phones in their pockets on a roller coaster this weekend.  The bar came down on them and snapped both of their screens. They both still work fine though.
DH will likely keep the phone despite the crack. BIL is destraught.  His phone (an Iphone X) isn't even paid off yet, he doesn't have insurance on it, and now it is "ruined" and needs to be replaced.  DH shrugged it off. His Android phone cost $70 at Walmart.  As far as we can tell, the phones do basically the same things (the cheapie lacks an internal compass). The Iphone X camera is a bit better- but DH is more of a DSLR guy anyway.

SynestheticSymphony

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Re: Overheard at Work
« Reply #20468 on: July 20, 2018, 08:59:33 AM »
I really like my smart phone - camera*, password keeper, office functions, email, etc - but this conversation really makes me sentimental for a flip phone. I never even had a flip phone - I was late to the mobile phone thing. DW had one of those Nokia bricks.

*camera - I love having a good camera in my pocket all the time. Inventory at work, pictures of historical markers or museum things to read later, moments of creative photography...

I just switched back to a flip phone from a smartphone a couple of months back. It wasn't really for the money, though the drop from $35 a month down to $20 was nice. The primary goal was to reduce my dependence on an outside device in order to function, as well as to stop the constant flow of unfiltered content coming into my brain. It has really helped me to be able to focus.

But yeah, I definitely miss having a good camera on me whenever I need it.

SynestheticSymphony

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Re: Overheard at Work
« Reply #20469 on: July 20, 2018, 09:01:34 AM »
Nothing to do with overheard at work, but related to cell phones.

My husband and BIL stupidly kept their phones in their pockets on a roller coaster this weekend.  The bar came down on them and snapped both of their screens. They both still work fine though.
DH will likely keep the phone despite the crack. BIL is destraught.  His phone (an Iphone X) isn't even paid off yet, he doesn't have insurance on it, and now it is "ruined" and needs to be replaced.  DH shrugged it off. His Android phone cost $70 at Walmart.  As far as we can tell, the phones do basically the same things (the cheapie lacks an internal compass). The Iphone X camera is a bit better- but DH is more of a DSLR guy anyway.

Oh yeah. Back when I used to use a smartphone, it was great knowing that I had only paid $70 for my device. If anything happened to it, oh well!

(Which was good, because finding decently protective cases for low-end smartphones can be hard.)

slugline

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Re: Overheard at Work
« Reply #20470 on: July 20, 2018, 09:03:33 AM »
Overheard inside the gas station near my work, on the rougher side of town.  Both ladies are employees of the gas station.

Lady 1: (shouting across the small store) Did I tell you I totaled my Escalade?
Lady 2: Oh no! What happened?
L1: (still shouting) Some idiot ran the stop sign and hit me in the side. He was going, like, 55. On my kid's birthday weekend, too!
L2:  Did you get a new car?
L1:  No, I can't afford it.  That's why I'm quitting this job.
L2:  You got another job?
L1:  No, but I'm tired of walking to work.

I bought my snacks and left.  There was so much wrong with this conversation, I won't even start here.

This boggles my mind. Doesn't she have insurance? Why was she driving an Escalade on a gas station attendant's wages? And the job thing is beyond logic.

The Escalade nameplate has been around long enough where there are plenty of old vehicles out there for hand-me-downs and used vehicle sales. Not mustachian by any means, but as long as the annual mileage is kept down, the costs don't necessarily need to be insane.

Jouer

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Re: Overheard at Work
« Reply #20471 on: July 20, 2018, 09:04:32 AM »
Overheard inside the gas station near my work, on the rougher side of town.  Both ladies are employees of the gas station.

Lady 1: (shouting across the small store) Did I tell you I totaled my Escalade?
Lady 2: Oh no! What happened?
L1: (still shouting) Some idiot ran the stop sign and hit me in the side. He was going, like, 55. On my kid's birthday weekend, too!
L2:  Did you get a new car?
L1:  No, I can't afford it.  That's why I'm quitting this job.
L2:  You got another job?
L1:  No, but I'm tired of walking to work.

I bought my snacks and left.  There was so much wrong with this conversation, I won't even start here.

This boggles my mind. Doesn't she have insurance? Why was she driving an Escalade on a gas station attendant's wages? And the job thing is beyond logic.

She probably had an 84-month loan so was likely upside-down. The insurance wouldn't even pay out enough to pay the rest of her loan.

Just Joe

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Re: Overheard at Work
« Reply #20472 on: July 20, 2018, 10:25:37 AM »
Perfect candidate for a basic ebike/scooter/moped/bicycle.

wkumtrider

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Re: Overheard at Work
« Reply #20473 on: July 20, 2018, 10:54:08 AM »
Reading the above Escalade story reminded me of something similar at work.  A co-worker had to go to one of the company vehicles to get some paperwork.  It is parked in the back lot, about 100 yards from the office.  She got in her car and drove to the company car instead of walking.  She did it twice.  No words.

frugalfoothills

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Re: Overheard at Work
« Reply #20474 on: July 20, 2018, 12:34:59 PM »
I have a coworker who is easily the most Spendy person I know (which is saying something as I have a lot of Spendypants in my life.) Most recently he has been working on refinancing his home (hasn't closed yet) with the intention of taking cash out to do "renovations." I think they are set to close today, but it has been bumped back at least 5 times now, so I'm not holding my breath.

So far, with the "renovation" budget, he has purchased (via financing):
  • New flooring for the entire house (okay)
  • A thousand dollars in new landscaping materials like plants, rocks, etc. (okay?)
  • A new couch from West Elm (not okay)
  • A new dining room table from West Elm (not okay)
  • Four new accent chairs from World Market (not okay)
  • A thousand dollars in patio furniture from World Market (not okay)
  • A new washer/dryer set, Apple Watch, laptop, NintendoSwitch from BestBuy (yikes)
  • A Peloton indoor stationary bike (this is starting to hurt)
  • A new desk and bookcase from West Elm for the "home office" (RIP)
  • Is shopping for an Audi SUV despite his 7 year old Nissan working fine (I wish I was joking)

I give him shit for it all the time. He works on the team I previously worked on, and can't be making more than $70K/year (including annual bonus). His partner is a fledgling real estate agent. I found out about the Peloton today and told him "you either need an intervention, or I need to come back to this team for your salary." His response?

"Well next time you refinance, go for the cash out option!"

dragoncar

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Re: Overheard at Work
« Reply #20475 on: July 20, 2018, 12:40:42 PM »
Overheard inside the gas station near my work, on the rougher side of town.  Both ladies are employees of the gas station.

Lady 1: (shouting across the small store) Did I tell you I totaled my Escalade?
Lady 2: Oh no! What happened?
L1: (still shouting) Some idiot ran the stop sign and hit me in the side. He was going, like, 55. On my kid's birthday weekend, too!
L2:  Did you get a new car?
L1:  No, I can't afford it.  That's why I'm quitting this job.
L2:  You got another job?
L1:  No, but I'm tired of walking to work.

I bought my snacks and left.  There was so much wrong with this conversation, I won't even start here.

This boggles my mind. Doesn't she have insurance? Why was she driving an Escalade on a gas station attendant's wages? And the job thing is beyond logic.

She probably had an 84-month loan so was likely upside-down. The insurance wouldn't even pay out enough to pay the rest of her loan.

Maybe she realized how bad of an idea it was and considered the insurance payoff to be a relief.

Don’t most lenders require gap insurance?

Jouer

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Re: Overheard at Work
« Reply #20476 on: July 20, 2018, 12:49:24 PM »
Overheard inside the gas station near my work, on the rougher side of town.  Both ladies are employees of the gas station.

Lady 1: (shouting across the small store) Did I tell you I totaled my Escalade?
Lady 2: Oh no! What happened?
L1: (still shouting) Some idiot ran the stop sign and hit me in the side. He was going, like, 55. On my kid's birthday weekend, too!
L2:  Did you get a new car?
L1:  No, I can't afford it.  That's why I'm quitting this job.
L2:  You got another job?
L1:  No, but I'm tired of walking to work.

I bought my snacks and left.  There was so much wrong with this conversation, I won't even start here.

This boggles my mind. Doesn't she have insurance? Why was she driving an Escalade on a gas station attendant's wages? And the job thing is beyond logic.

She probably had an 84-month loan so was likely upside-down. The insurance wouldn't even pay out enough to pay the rest of her loan.

Maybe she realized how bad of an idea it was and considered the insurance payoff to be a relief.

Don’t most lenders require gap insurance?

I've never heard of gap insurance (Canada). I do know some people who have written off their car and got less from insurance than they owed on their loan.

dragoncar

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Re: Overheard at Work
« Reply #20477 on: July 20, 2018, 01:00:10 PM »
Overheard inside the gas station near my work, on the rougher side of town.  Both ladies are employees of the gas station.

Lady 1: (shouting across the small store) Did I tell you I totaled my Escalade?
Lady 2: Oh no! What happened?
L1: (still shouting) Some idiot ran the stop sign and hit me in the side. He was going, like, 55. On my kid's birthday weekend, too!
L2:  Did you get a new car?
L1:  No, I can't afford it.  That's why I'm quitting this job.
L2:  You got another job?
L1:  No, but I'm tired of walking to work.

I bought my snacks and left.  There was so much wrong with this conversation, I won't even start here.

This boggles my mind. Doesn't she have insurance? Why was she driving an Escalade on a gas station attendant's wages? And the job thing is beyond logic.

She probably had an 84-month loan so was likely upside-down. The insurance wouldn't even pay out enough to pay the rest of her loan.

Maybe she realized how bad of an idea it was and considered the insurance payoff to be a relief.

Don’t most lenders require gap insurance?

I've never heard of gap insurance (Canada). I do know some people who have written off their car and got less from insurance than they owed on their loan.

It’s basically a rider that pays at least your loan balance.  The only time I ever bought a new car it was only like a $100 one-time fee

Dave1442397

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Re: Overheard at Work
« Reply #20478 on: July 20, 2018, 01:02:39 PM »
I have a coworker who is easily the most Spendy person I know (which is saying something as I have a lot of Spendypants in my life.) Most recently he has been working on refinancing his home (hasn't closed yet) with the intention of taking cash out to do "renovations." I think they are set to close today, but it has been bumped back at least 5 times now, so I'm not holding my breath.

So far, with the "renovation" budget, he has purchased (via financing):
  • New flooring for the entire house (okay)
  • A thousand dollars in new landscaping materials like plants, rocks, etc. (okay?)
  • A new couch from West Elm (not okay)
  • A new dining room table from West Elm (not okay)
  • Four new accent chairs from World Market (not okay)
  • A thousand dollars in patio furniture from World Market (not okay)
  • A new washer/dryer set, Apple Watch, laptop, NintendoSwitch from BestBuy (yikes)
  • A Peloton indoor stationary bike (this is starting to hurt)
  • A new desk and bookcase from West Elm for the "home office" (RIP)
  • Is shopping for an Audi SUV despite his 7 year old Nissan working fine (I wish I was joking)

I give him shit for it all the time. He works on the team I previously worked on, and can't be making more than $70K/year (including annual bonus). His partner is a fledgling real estate agent. I found out about the Peloton today and told him "you either need an intervention, or I need to come back to this team for your salary." His response?

"Well next time you refinance, go for the cash out option!"

Wow, that's just nuts. As for buying furniture from World Market, if it's all like the stuff at their Reno store, I wouldn't touch it. I like World Market because they always have a good variety of foreign chocolate & candy, which I like to sample. The furniture, what I saw of it, seemed like cheap crap.

dragoncar

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Re: Overheard at Work
« Reply #20479 on: July 20, 2018, 01:09:09 PM »
Best day of my life was when the local world market moved to a new location and liquidated their old location. Got a ton of cheap wine and beer, and my parents bought the wine display racks for super cheap.

Also I have a west elm couch RIP me Amirite?

Hedge_87

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Re: Overheard at Work
« Reply #20480 on: July 20, 2018, 01:13:52 PM »
I have a coworker who is easily the most Spendy person I know (which is saying something as I have a lot of Spendypants in my life.) Most recently he has been working on refinancing his home (hasn't closed yet) with the intention of taking cash out to do "renovations." I think they are set to close today, but it has been bumped back at least 5 times now, so I'm not holding my breath.

So far, with the "renovation" budget, he has purchased (via financing):
  • New flooring for the entire house (okay)
  • A thousand dollars in new landscaping materials like plants, rocks, etc. (okay?)
  • A new couch from West Elm (not okay)
  • A new dining room table from West Elm (not okay)
  • Four new accent chairs from World Market (not okay)
  • A thousand dollars in patio furniture from World Market (not okay)
  • A new washer/dryer set, Apple Watch, laptop, NintendoSwitch from BestBuy (yikes)
  • A Peloton indoor stationary bike (this is starting to hurt)
  • A new desk and bookcase from West Elm for the "home office" (RIP)
  • Is shopping for an Audi SUV despite his 7 year old Nissan working fine (I wish I was joking)

I give him shit for it all the time. He works on the team I previously worked on, and can't be making more than $70K/year (including annual bonus). His partner is a fledgling real estate agent. I found out about the Peloton today and told him "you either need an intervention, or I need to come back to this team for your salary." His response?

"Well next time you refinance, go for the cash out option!"

Wow, that's just nuts. As for buying furniture from World Market, if it's all like the stuff at their Reno store, I wouldn't touch it. I like World Market because they always have a good variety of foreign chocolate & candy, which I like to sample. The furniture, what I saw of it, seemed like cheap crap.

My wifes step-dad (Is step father-in-law a title?) bragged about how he did this years ago. When my mother-in-law and him got married of course they opted for a destination wedding. I was umm.... very reluctant to go. We had just bought a house of our own on home and where putting most of our extra money into renovating our country house with good bones but needing TLC. The first winter we where there we had snow blow in under one of the doors because the guy before did not install it properly. He was kinda pissy that I prioritized that over going on a fancy pants beach vacation. Then he said, "Well you could just take out a personal loan to go on the trip". I don't think so buddy.

frugalfoothills

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Re: Overheard at Work
« Reply #20481 on: July 20, 2018, 01:50:52 PM »
Best day of my life was when the local world market moved to a new location and liquidated their old location. Got a ton of cheap wine and beer, and my parents bought the wine display racks for super cheap.

Also I have a west elm couch RIP me Amirite?

All joking aside, have you been happy with your West Elm couch? I am going to have to replace a sectional pretty soon and feel like I've looked at a million options. There's a West Elm outlet nearby and was thinking I might be able to snag one at a reduced outlet price, but I've read some not awesome reviews about them.

Sidenote....... couch shopping is the literal worst.

honeybbq

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Re: Overheard at Work
« Reply #20482 on: July 20, 2018, 02:22:15 PM »
Overheard inside the gas station near my work, on the rougher side of town.  Both ladies are employees of the gas station.

Lady 1: (shouting across the small store) Did I tell you I totaled my Escalade?
Lady 2: Oh no! What happened?
L1: (still shouting) Some idiot ran the stop sign and hit me in the side. He was going, like, 55. On my kid's birthday weekend, too!
L2:  Did you get a new car?
L1:  No, I can't afford it.  That's why I'm quitting this job.
L2:  You got another job?
L1:  No, but I'm tired of walking to work.

I bought my snacks and left.  There was so much wrong with this conversation, I won't even start here.

This boggles my mind. Doesn't she have insurance? Why was she driving an Escalade on a gas station attendant's wages? And the job thing is beyond logic.

I had to look this up.
The MSRP on a 2018 Escalade is $75k.
How does someone who makes minimum wage (I'm assuming, at a gas station??) afford such a vehicle?

honeybbq

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Re: Overheard at Work
« Reply #20483 on: July 20, 2018, 02:26:32 PM »

  • A Peloton indoor stationary bike (this is starting to hurt)

OMG. A Peloton!!! That's a couple gs for the stationary bike plus the monthly fee....  I'm dying.  Who are these people who think the need/deserve/earned such a thing?

Davnasty

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Re: Overheard at Work
« Reply #20484 on: July 20, 2018, 02:45:46 PM »

  • A Peloton indoor stationary bike (this is starting to hurt)

OMG. A Peloton!!! That's a couple gs for the stationary bike plus the monthly fee....  I'm dying.  Who are these people who think the need/deserve/earned such a thing?

Had to look that up, what the hell is this? $39/month for live instructors on a screen? That's almost what I pay for a real gym which comes with classes.

C'mon man, get yourself a real bike.

RetiredAt63

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Re: Overheard at Work
« Reply #20485 on: July 20, 2018, 06:42:43 PM »
Reading the above Escalade story reminded me of something similar at work.  A co-worker had to go to one of the company vehicles to get some paperwork.  It is parked in the back lot, about 100 yards from the office.  She got in her car and drove to the company car instead of walking.  She did it twice.  No words.

Does she have knee/hip problems? Before my physiotherapy I would have been in agony by the time I reached the company car, let alone walking back again.

Hula Hoop

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Re: Overheard at Work
« Reply #20486 on: July 21, 2018, 02:15:40 AM »
An American colleague who is in his early 60s and plans to work "forever."  We were chatting around the coffee machine at work and he told me that he had hoped to send his three kids to college here in Europe where a quality education is a lot cheaper.  His three kids grew up in Italy but at least 2 of them went to expensive American private school for high school.  All three are perfectly bilingual.

Anyway, a few years ago the oldest kid went with her (also American) mother to her home state where they toured the mother's very expensive private alma mater.  The oldest kid was "in love" with this private college and decided to go there instead of the free or incredibly cheap colleges here in Italy or elsewhere in Europe.  So he and his wife forked out the crazy private US college tuition.  The kid has now graduated from this US college and moved back to Europe where she does a job which she could more easily have gotten with European credentials (she had to go through a long process to convert her US degree to a local European one).

So kid #2 obviously had to go to private college in the US too and he is currently over there studying.  Taking out loans and being supported by my colleague and his wife.  And kid #3 is just finishing high school and plans to go the same path.

My kids are a lot younger but colleague was amazed when I told him that they are in local Italian public school and that the older one was at a local Italian sleep away camp.  He was amazed that my kids have turned out just as perfectly bilingual as his even though we pay a fraction of what he did for their education. 

RetiredAt63

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Re: Overheard at Work
« Reply #20487 on: July 21, 2018, 06:24:42 AM »
My kids are a lot younger but colleague was amazed when I told him that they are in local Italian public school and that the older one was at a local Italian sleep away camp.  He was amazed that my kids have turned out just as perfectly bilingual as his even though we pay a fraction of what he did for their education.

It's called language immersion.  Live your life in a new language, you will acquire that language.  Plus the culture - hope your kid enjoys the camp.

Hula Hoop

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Re: Overheard at Work
« Reply #20488 on: July 21, 2018, 07:46:36 AM »
My kids are a lot younger but colleague was amazed when I told him that they are in local Italian public school and that the older one was at a local Italian sleep away camp.  He was amazed that my kids have turned out just as perfectly bilingual as his even though we pay a fraction of what he did for their education.

It's called language immersion.  Live your life in a new language, you will acquire that language.  Plus the culture - hope your kid enjoys the camp.

Yeah, I know.  My point was that both me and my colleague are native speakers of English raising kids in Italy.  My kids and his kids were all born here.  They are all bilingual as we speak mainly English at home and they function in the outside world in Italian.  However, he chose to spend $$$$$ on private American school, English language summer camps (which cost an arm and a leg here) and above all private college in the US  to try to make his kids bilingual.  We are doing none of that yet our kids are still bilingual due to the way they're being raised. 
« Last Edit: July 21, 2018, 07:49:03 AM by Hula Hoop »

Raymond Reddington

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Re: Overheard at Work
« Reply #20489 on: July 21, 2018, 01:31:43 PM »
Overheard inside the gas station near my work, on the rougher side of town.  Both ladies are employees of the gas station.

Lady 1: (shouting across the small store) Did I tell you I totaled my Escalade?
Lady 2: Oh no! What happened?
L1: (still shouting) Some idiot ran the stop sign and hit me in the side. He was going, like, 55. On my kid's birthday weekend, too!
L2:  Did you get a new car?
L1:  No, I can't afford it.  That's why I'm quitting this job.
L2:  You got another job?
L1:  No, but I'm tired of walking to work.

I bought my snacks and left.  There was so much wrong with this conversation, I won't even start here.

This boggles my mind. Doesn't she have insurance? Why was she driving an Escalade on a gas station attendant's wages? And the job thing is beyond logic.

I had to look this up.
The MSRP on a 2018 Escalade is $75k.
How does someone who makes minimum wage (I'm assuming, at a gas station??) afford such a vehicle?

And to think, they could have gone with a very new and very unMustachian Chevy Tahoe or Suburban for 50K and gotten basically the same car, just without the stupid trim and the Caddy/Escalade branding!

RWD

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Re: Overheard at Work
« Reply #20490 on: July 21, 2018, 02:49:40 PM »
Overheard inside the gas station near my work, on the rougher side of town.  Both ladies are employees of the gas station.

Lady 1: (shouting across the small store) Did I tell you I totaled my Escalade?
Lady 2: Oh no! What happened?
L1: (still shouting) Some idiot ran the stop sign and hit me in the side. He was going, like, 55. On my kid's birthday weekend, too!
L2:  Did you get a new car?
L1:  No, I can't afford it.  That's why I'm quitting this job.
L2:  You got another job?
L1:  No, but I'm tired of walking to work.

I bought my snacks and left.  There was so much wrong with this conversation, I won't even start here.

This boggles my mind. Doesn't she have insurance? Why was she driving an Escalade on a gas station attendant's wages? And the job thing is beyond logic.

I had to look this up.
The MSRP on a 2018 Escalade is $75k.
How does someone who makes minimum wage (I'm assuming, at a gas station??) afford such a vehicle?

And to think, they could have gone with a very new and very unMustachian Chevy Tahoe or Suburban for 50K and gotten basically the same car, just without the stupid trim and the Caddy/Escalade branding!

Pretty sure the only reason they chose the Escalade was due to the branding and nothing to do with the basic capabilities of the vehicle. There's a good chance the Escalade in question was purchased used, as they've been around since 1999. There are a couple hundred or so for sale on Autotrader for less than $10k. Still a terrible choice for a vehicle due to fuel economy and such.

Just Joe

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Re: Overheard at Work
« Reply #20491 on: July 21, 2018, 08:56:45 PM »
Overheard inside the gas station near my work, on the rougher side of town.  Both ladies are employees of the gas station.

Lady 1: (shouting across the small store) Did I tell you I totaled my Escalade?
Lady 2: Oh no! What happened?
L1: (still shouting) Some idiot ran the stop sign and hit me in the side. He was going, like, 55. On my kid's birthday weekend, too!
L2:  Did you get a new car?
L1:  No, I can't afford it.  That's why I'm quitting this job.
L2:  You got another job?
L1:  No, but I'm tired of walking to work.

I bought my snacks and left.  There was so much wrong with this conversation, I won't even start here.

This boggles my mind. Doesn't she have insurance? Why was she driving an Escalade on a gas station attendant's wages? And the job thing is beyond logic.

I had to look this up.
The MSRP on a 2018 Escalade is $75k.
How does someone who makes minimum wage (I'm assuming, at a gas station??) afford such a vehicle?

Reconstructed wreck with high mileage and 84 month loan perhaps.

LennStar

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Re: Overheard at Work
« Reply #20492 on: July 22, 2018, 11:09:59 AM »

  • A Peloton indoor stationary bike (this is starting to hurt)

OMG. A Peloton!!! That's a couple gs for the stationary bike plus the monthly fee....  I'm dying.  Who are these people who think the need/deserve/earned such a thing?

Had to look that up, what the hell is this? $39/month for live instructors on a screen? That's almost what I pay for a real gym which comes with classes.

C'mon man, get yourself a real bike.

Gosh!

Looked it up too. This one, right?
https://www.onepeloton.com/bike

I like the "Get the bike for NO MONEY DOWN with Peloton financing."

Thought it was just the US brand for what I have gotten used (and cat haired) for 20€ instead of the 200-300€ new.
It is great for winter (cold and sometimes dangerous), summer (allergy and easily sunburned) and the spontanious 10-minute ride whenever I want (good for my knee).
So I do get some use out of it.

But no, this isn't a fucking bike, this is an entertainment suite with the excuse of moving your legs instead of sitting still! For ten times the price of my model in new!

A-MA-ZING!


Raymond Reddington

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Re: Overheard at Work
« Reply #20493 on: July 22, 2018, 12:13:45 PM »
Sidenote....... couch shopping is the literal worst.

This. It took us months to settle on a couch. Then when we did (Wayfair), it was on back order for 4 months and we finally got it. We are happy with it, but it was a giant pain in the ass. And there are so many horrible couches out there. So many places with leather (high maintenance and looks bad when it gets old), these ridiculous entertainment unit type couches with cupholders and everything else (I like to hold my wife on the couch, not reach over an immobilized wheelchair with food try and four cupholders just to hold her hand), and the "bargain" couches are all chintzy, too small, or made of uncomfortable material.

And on that note, never, ever, go to Bob's Discount Furniture. That store is terrifying. All the worst couches, being hounded by 10 different salesmen the second you walk in the door, unsupervised little kids running around, and random gorilla statues as decorations. I will never go there again.

I hope this couch lasts forever.

Roadrunner53

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Re: Overheard at Work
« Reply #20494 on: July 22, 2018, 01:55:32 PM »
Bob's is the worst with the sales people stalking you. You can tell them you are just looking and they will follow you around and lurk. As soon as you even look interested in something they spring out of their hiding spot and start babbling about the furniture. Horrible, horrible! Never go there!

Gin1984

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Re: Overheard at Work
« Reply #20495 on: July 22, 2018, 04:24:25 PM »
I finally have one to post and funny enough two happened within a week of each other.
First, I mentioned to someone that I saw when I started that we were capped at 30% of income to our 401k and two people responded with, well who can save 30% unless their spouse is independently wealthy.  I'm over here going, me.... And that is how you get wealthy.  Sigh.

Then, another person was asking another coworker about our tuition reimbursement and so I mentioned the could use their 529 to lower their taxes and was told, "I have enough tax deductions".  I just ok, and walked away.

runbikerun

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Re: Overheard at Work
« Reply #20496 on: July 23, 2018, 03:29:40 AM »

  • A Peloton indoor stationary bike (this is starting to hurt)

OMG. A Peloton!!! That's a couple gs for the stationary bike plus the monthly fee....  I'm dying.  Who are these people who think the need/deserve/earned such a thing?

Had to look that up, what the hell is this? $39/month for live instructors on a screen? That's almost what I pay for a real gym which comes with classes.

C'mon man, get yourself a real bike.

Gosh!

Looked it up too. This one, right?
https://www.onepeloton.com/bike

I like the "Get the bike for NO MONEY DOWN with Peloton financing."

Thought it was just the US brand for what I have gotten used (and cat haired) for 20€ instead of the 200-300€ new.
It is great for winter (cold and sometimes dangerous), summer (allergy and easily sunburned) and the spontanious 10-minute ride whenever I want (good for my knee).
So I do get some use out of it.

But no, this isn't a fucking bike, this is an entertainment suite with the excuse of moving your legs instead of sitting still! For ten times the price of my model in new!

A-MA-ZING!

This is surreal. Actual professional cyclists use direct drive turbo trainers with inbuilt power meters, which start at around five hundred dollars. A fair number of them use Zwift, which is fifteen dollars a month. Even if you're completely satisfied that indoor riding for fitness, hooked up to a screen, is a legitimate thing to spend money on, you can get a better setup for well below half the price.

Primm

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Re: Overheard at Work
« Reply #20497 on: July 23, 2018, 05:25:53 AM »

  • A Peloton indoor stationary bike (this is starting to hurt)

OMG. A Peloton!!! That's a couple gs for the stationary bike plus the monthly fee....  I'm dying.  Who are these people who think the need/deserve/earned such a thing?

Had to look that up, what the hell is this? $39/month for live instructors on a screen? That's almost what I pay for a real gym which comes with classes.

C'mon man, get yourself a real bike.

Gosh!

Looked it up too. This one, right?
https://www.onepeloton.com/bike

I like the "Get the bike for NO MONEY DOWN with Peloton financing."

Thought it was just the US brand for what I have gotten used (and cat haired) for 20€ instead of the 200-300€ new.
It is great for winter (cold and sometimes dangerous), summer (allergy and easily sunburned) and the spontanious 10-minute ride whenever I want (good for my knee).
So I do get some use out of it.

But no, this isn't a fucking bike, this is an entertainment suite with the excuse of moving your legs instead of sitting still! For ten times the price of my model in new!

A-MA-ZING!

This is surreal. Actual professional cyclists use direct drive turbo trainers with inbuilt power meters, which start at around five hundred dollars. A fair number of them use Zwift, which is fifteen dollars a month. Even if you're completely satisfied that indoor riding for fitness, hooked up to a screen, is a legitimate thing to spend money on, you can get a better setup for well below half the price.

Enter Matthew Hayman, Paris-Roubaix, 2016. Broke his arm 6 weeks before the race, trained on Zwift and a turbo trainer, went on to win the race.

So not only do actual professional cyclists do it, they do it with some success.

runbikerun

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Re: Overheard at Work
« Reply #20498 on: July 23, 2018, 05:49:03 AM »
That was a cracking race to watch, especially with the bonus of seeing the win go to such a diligent domestique. I didn't mean to imply that I'm unconvinced of the merits of indoor training - God knows I spend enough time on the turbo in the winter!

The more I think about this, the more ridiculous the product is. Not only is it two to three times the price of the setup Hayman used to successfully train for the biggest one-day race on earth, it's about ten times the price of a basic DIY setup. Get a cheap turbo for a hundred or so, get a cheap training wheel for about the same if you're expecting to do a lot of time on it, and stick your laptop in front of the bike. Go to YouTube, type in "train with GCN", and get to work...

SynestheticSymphony

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Re: Overheard at Work
« Reply #20499 on: July 23, 2018, 08:14:09 AM »
One of the tech support guys (FlakeyGuy) who sits beside me is absolutely terrible with money. Both he and his wife work full-time, yet they are absolutely buried in debt due to their excessive spending.

Of course, in addition to eating out for every meal, he also makes daily trips to the gas station across the street for their overpriced, single-pack snacks and soda. Also, being in a position with lots of downtime, his team has a tendency to bring in games and things to occupy their time. Naturally, if someone brings in something new, he always ends up buying one too.

Two of his notable conversations come to mind:



FlakeyGuy: "So, I've started part-time at McDonald's in the mornings before I come to work here. I want to add the extra income to get ahead."

one day later...

FlakeyGuy: "I got another tattoo on my chest! It only cost $350!"



FlakeyGuy: texts OtherCoworker "Hey, OtherCoworker, would you be able to loan me $1,700? Our ferret got slammed in the door. It needs surgery if it's going to have a chance to live, and we don't have the money right now."

one day later...

FlakeyGuy: "My daughter was in town last week. I went out and bought her the newest Playstation and a bunch of games because her mother is always buying her stuff and I want to do it too."

 

Wow, a phone plan for fifteen bucks!