Overheard at Work

[Ralph2]

Willpower is truly a finite thing...

Oh yes, it is! Your willpower can get depleted by small things so that you dont have any left for gib things, too. That is why poor people often have no willpower - all that thinking about how to get work, to buy this little thing or not, how to get the kids to school... they use up half the willpower a company CEO has just by shopping.

But willpower also behaves like a muscle, you can train it.

I realized this on vacation staying with family.  Fridges full of soda, beer, sugary snacks, chips, candy.

I put as much stuff away as I could.

But seriously, I hadn't realized how much of my at home willpower is because I just don't have that stuff around.

I sometimes suffer, not from will power but a lack of won't power. I won't have a second donut/slice of cake etc.
Getting better as it seems the older it gets the harder it is to keep it off, doesn't help to be carrying injuries and now driving a desk most of the time.

[Papa Mustache]

I remember cooking a dinner with my now-husband back when we were both in college. I was shocked by the quantity he could eat. The vast amount was non-mustachian to say the least, but it did work out in the end!

Is he a fast eater too? I get reprimanded for that by DW sometimes. ;)

[Papa Mustache]

Rural Kentucky has "y'all" and "all y'all" but we make fun of the folks just south in Tennessee who use "you'uns". Another of my favorites around here is "in-nair" to denote someone who is in good favor with the boss, as in "Boy, you in-nair, ain'tcha?"

It's y'uns, not you'uns, and that's mostly limited to Appalachia rather than the state at large.

I lived in Tennessee twice, Middle & East, and never once heard "y'uns" there.  Where they do say it is in western Pennsylvania.

We have a friend from East TN (Tri-cities) that says y'uns alot to this day. Never heard it much in the parts of the state where I lived.

[SweetTPi]

I loved it when southerners asked me to "Mash the switch"

Like I was going to get out a sledge hammer to turn on the lights.

Sorry to interfere with your mashing, but one mashes a button, not a switch, so unless you have very old-style two button lights, you're flipping those.

I pictured this:


That's a switch, seems like you could mash that.

Where I grew up, you would occasionally be asked to "Outen the lights."  Also, we go and get our "hairs cut", because we want all of them trimmed, not just one.

[onlykelsey]

Since we're already off-topic, does anyone else say "Paper poke" (or maybe "polk") for the brown product made of trees you put your groceries in?

Picked that up from my grandmother (appalachian upper south/PA roots) but have never heard it from other people.

[maco]

I loved it when southerners asked me to "Mash the switch"

Like I was going to get out a sledge hammer to turn on the lights.

Sorry to interfere with your mashing, but one mashes a button, not a switch, so unless you have very old-style two button lights, you're flipping those.

I pictured this:


That's a switch, seems like you could mash that.

Where I grew up, you would occasionally be asked to "Outen the lights."  Also, we go and get our "hairs cut", because we want all of them trimmed, not just one.

My grandma would close the light.

Since we're already off-topic, does anyone else say "Paper poke" (or maybe "polk") for the brown product made of trees you put your groceries in?

Picked that up from my grandmother (appalachian upper south/PA roots) but have never heard it from other people.

I've heard "poke" for "bag" but never used it.

[zephyr911]

I've heard "poke" for "bag" but never used it.

Wait, is that where the expression "a pig in a poke" comes from?

[onlykelsey]

"poke 3  (pōk)
n. Chiefly Southern US
A sack; a bag.
[Middle English, probably from Old North French; see pocket.]

Word History: A pig in a poke is a colorful vernacular expression used to describe something offered in a manner that conceals its true nature or value. Naturally, a buyer cannot inspect the pig if it is covered by a poke—that is, a bag or sack. The word poke meaning "bag" is not confined to just the American South—in many parts of Scotland, poke bag is still used of a little paper bag for carrying purchases like candy. Poke first appears in English in the 1200s and probably comes from Old North French, the northern dialect of Old French. The Old North French word in turn is probably of Germanic origin and is related to words like Icelandic poki, "bag." Poke has several relatives within English. The word pocket comes from Middle English poket, meaning "pouch, small bag," which in turn comes from Anglo-Norman pokete, a diminutive of Old North French poke. Pouche, a variant form of Old North French poke, is the source of the English word pouch." (http://www.thefreedictionary.com/poke)

Old North French via Scotland via Scottish American south, fascinating.

[plainjane]

I've heard "poke" for "bag" but never used it.

Wait, is that where the expression "a pig in a poke" comes from?

Yes.  And "cat out of the bag" is the related saying :)

If you are buying a pig in a poke then anything might be in there and you wouldn't know - except if someone let the cat out of the bag. :)  Really only would work for piglets, but the pig in the poke couldn't be that big to start with.

[zephyr911]

God, I love etymology. I could spend hours just reading about the evolution of languages (and have).

[zephyr911]

Boss and a CW are talking about day-trading Apple... hehe

[JordanOfGilead]

Boss handing out profit sharing bonuses today. After we talk about it, he says something like, "now some people adjust their tax withholding for this so they get as much as possible. If you want to do that, you need to talk to [human resouces] by [date]."

Why would you screw with your withholdings for one paycheck? Why not just jack up your 401k contribution for that pay period and not even let the tax man see your bonus? I know for a fact almost nobody in the office contributes more than the minimum to get the company match, so wouldn't that be a much more reasonable way to get to keep all of your money? I just shrugged and said "it all comes out in the wash anyway, right?"
Really didn't want to have an in-depth financial discussion on a Friday afternoon...

[Dollar Slice]

Why would you screw with your withholdings for one paycheck? Why not just jack up your 401k contribution for that pay period and not even let the tax man see your bonus? I know for a fact almost nobody in the office contributes more than the minimum to get the company match, so wouldn't that be a much more reasonable way to get to keep all of your money? I just shrugged and said "it all comes out in the wash anyway, right?"

There is a widespread belief that bonuses are "taxed extra," probably because any extra amount added to your paycheck is getting taxed at your marginal rate. I had this conversation on Facebook a couple of years ago - my boss had offered me a choice between a bonus and a raise in the same amount. I ended up taking the bonus because I knew my boss well enough to know she would probably give me the raise anyway (she did, five months later, so I made out very well) and also I would save a little money in taxes if I took the money early because we were moving the business to a higher-tax locale and I would only pay ~30% on it as opposed to ~35% in the new place. But I posted on FB before I made the choice, asking (without giving dollar amounts because that's crass) what people would do or if I were missing something. I have a lot of smart friends who work in business and I figured they'd know more than me.

EVERYONE said "take the raise," not for the right answer ("then you'll have it forever and not just once") but because "bonuses are taxed at a higher rate, so you'll get more of the money if you take it as salary." I tried really hard to explain that you pay tax the same way on all your W2 income no matter if it is considered a salary, bonus, commission, whatever. They just. Did not. Get it. It was baffling.

[Paul der Krake]

EVERYONE said "take the raise," not for the right answer ("then you'll have it forever and not just once") but because "bonuses are taxed at a higher rate, so you'll get more of the money if you take it as salary." I tried really hard to explain that you pay tax the same way on all your W2 income no matter if it is considered a salary, bonus, commission, whatever. They just. Did not. Get it. It was baffling.

A good litmus test for taxation literacy is to ask a person the difference between and deduction and a credit. Most can't explain that or the concept of marginal tax rates, but that doesn't stop them from speculating about what goes on in everybody else's paycheck. It's maddening to see so much misinformation among otherwise highly educated workers.

[JordanOfGilead]

Why would you screw with your withholdings for one paycheck? Why not just jack up your 401k contribution for that pay period and not even let the tax man see your bonus? I know for a fact almost nobody in the office contributes more than the minimum to get the company match, so wouldn't that be a much more reasonable way to get to keep all of your money? I just shrugged and said "it all comes out in the wash anyway, right?"

There is a widespread belief that bonuses are "taxed extra," probably because any extra amount added to your paycheck is getting taxed at your marginal rate. I had this conversation on Facebook a couple of years ago - my boss had offered me a choice between a bonus and a raise in the same amount. I ended up taking the bonus because I knew my boss well enough to know she would probably give me the raise anyway (she did, five months later, so I made out very well) and also I would save a little money in taxes if I took the money early because we were moving the business to a higher-tax locale and I would only pay ~30% on it as opposed to ~35% in the new place. But I posted on FB before I made the choice, asking (without giving dollar amounts because that's crass) what people would do or if I were missing something. I have a lot of smart friends who work in business and I figured they'd know more than me.

EVERYONE said "take the raise," not for the right answer ("then you'll have it forever and not just once") but because "bonuses are taxed at a higher rate, so you'll get more of the money if you take it as salary." I tried really hard to explain that you pay tax the same way on all your W2 income no matter if it is considered a salary, bonus, commission, whatever. They just. Did not. Get it. It was baffling.

It amazes me how many people don't realize that that extra tax withholding is where their big "refund" comes from at the beginning of each year. It's their money to begin with and even if you do take the lazy route of letting the government have an interest-free loan of your money for almost an entire year, it's still going to come back to you when your total taxable income is reported and how much you actually owe for the year is calculated.

[runningthroughFIRE]

EVERYONE said "take the raise," not for the right answer ("then you'll have it forever and not just once") but because "bonuses are taxed at a higher rate, so you'll get more of the money if you take it as salary." I tried really hard to explain that you pay tax the same way on all your W2 income no matter if it is considered a salary, bonus, commission, whatever. They just. Did not. Get it. It was baffling.

A good litmus test for taxation literacy is to ask a person the difference between and deduction and a credit. Most can't explain that or the concept of marginal tax rates, but that doesn't stop them from speculating about what goes on in everybody else's paycheck. It's maddening to see so much misinformation among otherwise highly educated workers.

I've explained how tax brackets work to people more times than I can count and it still doesn't sink in with some of them.

Two of my coworkers were talking about their daytrading exploits, and somehow they ended up talking about pulling money out of their 401(k)s to fund an etrade account!  They were justifying it because you'd come out ahead despite the taxes and increase in taxable income due to the company match.

[Apples]

Adding to the language foam...where I live some common phrases are:

outen the lights (turn out the lights)
red up (tidy or clean up...red up a room)
yet (as in, are you there yet?  could be 1. are you there or are you still traveling there?  or 2. are you still there? works both ways)
all (the milk is all means we're out of milk)
crik
skip "to be" in sentences (the floor needs swept, the car needs washed)
yous's is popular, and some y'inz

[Taran Wanderer]

On the other hand, taking a raise increases your pay forever, while taking a bonus is only a one time payment.

[myhotrs]

Not to mention bonuses are taxed more, as everyone knows

[RyanAtTanagra]

But money today is better than money tomorrow ;-)

[AlwaysLearningToSave]

Why would you screw with your withholdings for one paycheck? Why not just jack up your 401k contribution for that pay period and not even let the tax man see your bonus? I know for a fact almost nobody in the office contributes more than the minimum to get the company match, so wouldn't that be a much more reasonable way to get to keep all of your money? I just shrugged and said "it all comes out in the wash anyway, right?"

There is a widespread belief that bonuses are "taxed extra," probably because any extra amount added to your paycheck is getting taxed at your marginal rate.
. . .

The widespread belief probably comes from employers who elect to use the flat 25% federal income tax withholding rate for bonuses.  See https://www.irs.gov/publications/p15/ar02.html#en_US_2016_publink1000202352.  For many employees this results in greater-than-normal tax withholding.  If they said that "taxes on bonuses are withheld at a higher rate" they'd be correct. But most people don't understand taxes well enough to know the difference between "tax rate" and "tax withholding rate."  These are the people who sign a W-4 when they start a job and they only ever think about taxes once per year.

[dycker1978]

Why would you screw with your withholdings for one paycheck? Why not just jack up your 401k contribution for that pay period and not even let the tax man see your bonus? I know for a fact almost nobody in the office contributes more than the minimum to get the company match, so wouldn't that be a much more reasonable way to get to keep all of your money? I just shrugged and said "it all comes out in the wash anyway, right?"

There is a widespread belief that bonuses are "taxed extra," probably because any extra amount added to your paycheck is getting taxed at your marginal rate.
. . .

The widespread belief probably comes from employers who elect to use the flat 25% federal income tax withholding rate for bonuses.  See https://www.irs.gov/publications/p15/ar02.html#en_US_2016_publink1000202352.  For many employees this results in greater-than-normal tax withholding.  If they said that "taxes on bonuses are withheld at a higher rate" they'd be correct. But most people don't understand taxes well enough to know the difference between "tax rate" and "tax withholding rate."  These are the people who sign a W-4 when they start a job and they only ever think about taxes once per year.

Where I work, we get a largish bonus that is included on the first check of the year.  It makes it look like my yearly rate is going to be very large and changes the percentage withheld, so it looks like you are paying more taxes.  But this all evens out at tax time the next year, because it does not actually affect my tax rate, just the with holdings on one cheque...

[runningthroughFIRE]

Why would you screw with your withholdings for one paycheck? Why not just jack up your 401k contribution for that pay period and not even let the tax man see your bonus? I know for a fact almost nobody in the office contributes more than the minimum to get the company match, so wouldn't that be a much more reasonable way to get to keep all of your money? I just shrugged and said "it all comes out in the wash anyway, right?"

There is a widespread belief that bonuses are "taxed extra," probably because any extra amount added to your paycheck is getting taxed at your marginal rate.
. . .

The widespread belief probably comes from employers who elect to use the flat 25% federal income tax withholding rate for bonuses.  See https://www.irs.gov/publications/p15/ar02.html#en_US_2016_publink1000202352.  For many employees this results in greater-than-normal tax withholding.  If they said that "taxes on bonuses are withheld at a higher rate" they'd be correct. But most people don't understand taxes well enough to know the difference between "tax rate" and "tax withholding rate."  These are the people who sign a W-4 when they start a job and they only ever think about taxes once per year.

Where I work, we get a largish bonus that is included on the first check of the year.  It makes it look like my yearly rate is going to be very large and changes the percentage withheld, so it looks like you are paying more taxes.  But this all evens out at tax time the next year, because it does not actually affect my tax rate, just the with holdings on one cheque...

This can throw a wrench into planning to not recieve a refund (or owe tax) though.  The payroll system at my job calculates withholdings in each period as if you were earning that much in every period all year.  When my signing bonus/relocation reimbursement came through on my first normal paycheck, the system thought I was making ~350K a year and withheld a ton of extra money.

[Rural]

I loved it when southerners asked me to "Mash the switch"

Like I was going to get out a sledge hammer to turn on the lights.

Sorry to interfere with your mashing, but one mashes a button, not a switch, so unless you have very old-style two button lights, you're flipping those.

I pictured this:


That's a switch, seems like you could mash that.

You're right. Didn't think of that sort, but if any were around me I'd totally ask people to mash it (that's very much a part of my own dialect). As are several things mentioned here:


My floor currently needs swept.
While I don't outen the lights, I am ashamed to serve store boughten bread to guests.
I use y'all more frequently but y'uns sometimes, and my older relatives use it more than I do.
I often tote stuff in a poke, but I know better than to buy a pig in one (the idea is that it could be sickly or even be something else entirely; one should always inspect the pig).
I also will red up the place if company's coming.

[Pooperman]

Do your apples come out like 'alpples' instead?

[Zaga]

Adding to the language foam...where I live some common phrases are:

outen the lights (turn out the lights)
red up (tidy or clean up...red up a room)
yet (as in, are you there yet?  could be 1. are you there or are you still traveling there?  or 2. are you still there? works both ways)
all (the milk is all means we're out of milk)
crik
skip "to be" in sentences (the floor needs swept, the car needs washed)
yous's is popular, and some y'inz

About 2/3 of those are from my neck of the woods.  You must be near-ish Pittsburgh! 

Do you know what a grinny is?

[Smokystache]

Adding to the language foam...where I live some common phrases are:

outen the lights (turn out the lights)
red up (tidy or clean up...red up a room)
yet (as in, are you there yet?  could be 1. are you there or are you still traveling there?  or 2. are you still there? works both ways)
all (the milk is all means we're out of milk)
crik
skip "to be" in sentences (the floor needs swept, the car needs washed)
yous's is popular, and some y'inz

About 2/3 of those are from my neck of the woods.  You must be near-ish Pittsburgh! 

Do you know what a grinny is?

I used to spend a lot of time at/in the crik.  Catching bullfrogs and trying to catches grinnies ( ground squirrels).

[Fi(re) on the Farm]

I work with a woman who is  retiring in January with a good sized pension.  She was discussing the amount of taxes she was going to have withheld from her pension check and stated "I need to get the same refund I get now otherwise I won't be able to pay my bills." 

[TheGrimSqueaker]

"poke 3  (pōk)
n. Chiefly Southern US
A sack; a bag.
[Middle English, probably from Old North French; see pocket.]

Word History: A pig in a poke is a colorful vernacular expression used to describe something offered in a manner that conceals its true nature or value. Naturally, a buyer cannot inspect the pig if it is covered by a poke—that is, a bag or sack. The word poke meaning "bag" is not confined to just the American South—in many parts of Scotland, poke bag is still used of a little paper bag for carrying purchases like candy. Poke first appears in English in the 1200s and probably comes from Old North French, the northern dialect of Old French. The Old North French word in turn is probably of Germanic origin and is related to words like Icelandic poki, "bag." Poke has several relatives within English. The word pocket comes from Middle English poket, meaning "pouch, small bag," which in turn comes from Anglo-Norman pokete, a diminutive of Old North French poke. Pouche, a variant form of Old North French poke, is the source of the English word pouch." (http://www.thefreedictionary.com/poke)

Old North French via Scotland via Scottish American south, fascinating.

Also the modern English word "pocket".

[Papa Mustache]

Adding to the language foam...where I live some common phrases are:

outen the lights (turn out the lights)
red up (tidy or clean up...red up a room)
yet (as in, are you there yet?  could be 1. are you there or are you still traveling there?  or 2. are you still there? works both ways)
all (the milk is all means we're out of milk)
crik
skip "to be" in sentences (the floor needs swept, the car needs washed)
yous's is popular, and some y'inz

About 2/3 of those are from my neck of the woods.  You must be near-ish Pittsburgh! 

Do you know what a grinny is?

Y'all might have fun with this:

http://www.nytimes.com/interactive/2013/12/20/sunday-review/dialect-quiz-map.html

[Astatine]

Adding to the language foam...where I live some common phrases are:

outen the lights (turn out the lights)
red up (tidy or clean up...red up a room)
yet (as in, are you there yet?  could be 1. are you there or are you still traveling there?  or 2. are you still there? works both ways)
all (the milk is all means we're out of milk)
crik
skip "to be" in sentences (the floor needs swept, the car needs washed)
yous's is popular, and some y'inz

About 2/3 of those are from my neck of the woods.  You must be near-ish Pittsburgh! 

Do you know what a grinny is?

Y'all might have fun with this:

http://www.nytimes.com/interactive/2013/12/20/sunday-review/dialect-quiz-map.html

I did it for funsies (being an Aussie). I broke it! "An error has occurred. Please save this link for later."

[shelivesthedream]

Adding to the language foam...where I live some common phrases are:

outen the lights (turn out the lights)
red up (tidy or clean up...red up a room)
yet (as in, are you there yet?  could be 1. are you there or are you still traveling there?  or 2. are you still there? works both ways)
all (the milk is all means we're out of milk)
crik
skip "to be" in sentences (the floor needs swept, the car needs washed)
yous's is popular, and some y'inz

About 2/3 of those are from my neck of the woods.  You must be near-ish Pittsburgh! 

Do you know what a grinny is?

Y'all might have fun with this:

http://www.nytimes.com/interactive/2013/12/20/sunday-review/dialect-quiz-map.html

I did it for funsies (being an Aussie). I broke it! "An error has occurred. Please save this link for later."

Me too! (English)

[RetiredAt63]

Adding to the language foam...where I live some common phrases are:

outen the lights (turn out the lights)
red up (tidy or clean up...red up a room)
yet (as in, are you there yet?  could be 1. are you there or are you still traveling there?  or 2. are you still there? works both ways)
all (the milk is all means we're out of milk)
crik
skip "to be" in sentences (the floor needs swept, the car needs washed)
yous's is popular, and some y'inz

About 2/3 of those are from my neck of the woods.  You must be near-ish Pittsburgh! 

Do you know what a grinny is?

Y'all might have fun with this:

http://www.nytimes.com/interactive/2013/12/20/sunday-review/dialect-quiz-map.html

I did it for funsies (being an Aussie). I broke it! "An error has occurred. Please save this link for later."

Me too! (English)

Me three! Canadian

[Rural]

Adding to the language foam...where I live some common phrases are:

outen the lights (turn out the lights)
red up (tidy or clean up...red up a room)
yet (as in, are you there yet?  could be 1. are you there or are you still traveling there?  or 2. are you still there? works both ways)
all (the milk is all means we're out of milk)
crik
skip "to be" in sentences (the floor needs swept, the car needs washed)
yous's is popular, and some y'inz

About 2/3 of those are from my neck of the woods.  You must be near-ish Pittsburgh! 

Do you know what a grinny is?

Y'all might have fun with this:

http://www.nytimes.com/interactive/2013/12/20/sunday-review/dialect-quiz-map.html

I did it for funsies (being an Aussie). I broke it! "An error has occurred. Please save this link for later."

Me too! (English)

Me three! Canadian

 I think it's just plain broken. I'm both American and someone who used it successfully in the past, and it's giving me the same error.

[Pooperman]

Adding to the language foam...where I live some common phrases are:

outen the lights (turn out the lights)
red up (tidy or clean up...red up a room)
yet (as in, are you there yet?  could be 1. are you there or are you still traveling there?  or 2. are you still there? works both ways)
all (the milk is all means we're out of milk)
crik
skip "to be" in sentences (the floor needs swept, the car needs washed)
yous's is popular, and some y'inz

About 2/3 of those are from my neck of the woods.  You must be near-ish Pittsburgh! 

Do you know what a grinny is?

Y'all might have fun with this:

http://www.nytimes.com/interactive/2013/12/20/sunday-review/dialect-quiz-map.html

I did it for funsies (being an Aussie). I broke it! "An error has occurred. Please save this link for later."

Me too! (English)

Me three! Canadian

 I think it's just plain broken. I'm both American and someone who used it successfully in the past, and it's giving me the same error.

I just used it and it nailed my (unaccented) NY/NJ dialect.

[Vertical Mode]

Adding to the language foam...where I live some common phrases are:

outen the lights (turn out the lights)
red up (tidy or clean up...red up a room)
yet (as in, are you there yet?  could be 1. are you there or are you still traveling there?  or 2. are you still there? works both ways)
all (the milk is all means we're out of milk)
crik
skip "to be" in sentences (the floor needs swept, the car needs washed)
yous's is popular, and some y'inz

About 2/3 of those are from my neck of the woods.  You must be near-ish Pittsburgh! 

Do you know what a grinny is?

Y'all might have fun with this:

http://www.nytimes.com/interactive/2013/12/20/sunday-review/dialect-quiz-map.html

I did it for funsies (being an Aussie). I broke it! "An error has occurred. Please save this link for later."

Me too! (English)

Me three! Canadian

 I think it's just plain broken. I'm both American and someone who used it successfully in the past, and it's giving me the same error.

I just used it and it nailed my (unaccented) NY/NJ dialect.

I would think if anyone would break it, it would've been someone from my neck of the woods...where wicked smaht guys go ta Hahvahd.

Really thick Boston accents can be quite harsh, sometimes even a lifelong Bostonian (me) can barely understand what is being said.

[Ralph2]

Just finished reading the whole lot, wow. Two stories from trainees I used to control.

Had 5 or 6 appies who were starting to push parade timings, then one was late, next day two were late and then they were all late. The police had set up radar on the hill coming down to base and all had been caught, despite being told it was going to be in the area. The next day all were early as none had a license and all caught the bus.
After the first one got done the rest knew but had other things on their minds. No one to blame but themselves.
This caused multiple problems as they were all mechanics and most were going out to civilian placements which got cancelled.
Reason for the speeding, couldn't organise to leave any earlier, but now can leave an hour earlier to get the bus. Most learnt that lesson.

A few years later, different location and now a bunch of adult trainees (still mechanics). All wanted to move off base (some sort of noisy planes) but needed good reasons to do so. One wanted to go defacto as he wanted a house and yard and if single would end up with a unit. He went through all the lectures and briefs with info of what could happen if it went wrong.
Ended up not happy with her uni choice etc and started having issues. It ended up with the Admino and padre, it was close but we saved him 20 odd years of maintenance etc that he was not even thinking about. Good mechanic but pers skills were lacking.

Most of the others just bought new shiny off road utes or muscle cars etc, easy in comparison.

My own kids were adults by this time so I had some knowledge of the possible issues but some things are above pay grade.

[maco]

Adding to the language foam...where I live some common phrases are:

outen the lights (turn out the lights)
red up (tidy or clean up...red up a room)
yet (as in, are you there yet?  could be 1. are you there or are you still traveling there?  or 2. are you still there? works both ways)
all (the milk is all means we're out of milk)
crik
skip "to be" in sentences (the floor needs swept, the car needs washed)
yous's is popular, and some y'inz

About 2/3 of those are from my neck of the woods.  You must be near-ish Pittsburgh! 

Do you know what a grinny is?

I'm from Shaler (but if you're only "near-ish" Pittsburgh, then North Hills is a bigger target for me to name), and I do not know what a grinny is.

[mm1970]

Just finished reading the whole lot, wow. Two stories from trainees I used to control.

Had 5 or 6 appies who were starting to push parade timings, then one was late, next day two were late and then they were all late. The police had set up radar on the hill coming down to base and all had been caught, despite being told it was going to be in the area. The next day all were early as none had a license and all caught the bus.
After the first one got done the rest knew but had other things on their minds. No one to blame but themselves.
This caused multiple problems as they were all mechanics and most were going out to civilian placements which got cancelled.
Reason for the speeding, couldn't organise to leave any earlier, but now can leave an hour earlier to get the bus. Most learnt that lesson.

A few years later, different location and now a bunch of adult trainees (still mechanics). All wanted to move off base (some sort of noisy planes) but needed good reasons to do so. One wanted to go defacto as he wanted a house and yard and if single would end up with a unit. He went through all the lectures and briefs with info of what could happen if it went wrong.
Ended up not happy with her uni choice etc and started having issues. It ended up with the Admino and padre, it was close but we saved him 20 odd years of maintenance etc that he was not even thinking about. Good mechanic but pers skills were lacking.

Most of the others just bought new shiny off road utes or muscle cars etc, easy in comparison.

My own kids were adults by this time so I had some knowledge of the possible issues but some things are above pay grade.

I didn't understand much of this.

[ShoulderThingThatGoesUp]

Just finished reading the whole lot, wow. Two stories from trainees I used to control.

Had 5 or 6 appies who were starting to push parade timings, then one was late, next day two were late and then they were all late. The police had set up radar on the hill coming down to base and all had been caught, despite being told it was going to be in the area. The next day all were early as none had a license and all caught the bus.
After the first one got done the rest knew but had other things on their minds. No one to blame but themselves.
This caused multiple problems as they were all mechanics and most were going out to civilian placements which got cancelled.
Reason for the speeding, couldn't organise to leave any earlier, but now can leave an hour earlier to get the bus. Most learnt that lesson.

A few years later, different location and now a bunch of adult trainees (still mechanics). All wanted to move off base (some sort of noisy planes) but needed good reasons to do so. One wanted to go defacto as he wanted a house and yard and if single would end up with a unit. He went through all the lectures and briefs with info of what could happen if it went wrong.
Ended up not happy with her uni choice etc and started having issues. It ended up with the Admino and padre, it was close but we saved him 20 odd years of maintenance etc that he was not even thinking about. Good mechanic but pers skills were lacking.

Most of the others just bought new shiny off road utes or muscle cars etc, easy in comparison.

My own kids were adults by this time so I had some knowledge of the possible issues but some things are above pay grade.

I didn't understand much of this.

Me neither, but I read it a second time and I'm pretty sure I understand the first story now. The second one still baffles me.

[Ralph2]

Just finished reading the whole lot, wow. Two stories from trainees I used to control.

Had 5 or 6 appies who were starting to push parade timings, then one was late, next day two were late and then they were all late. The police had set up radar on the hill coming down to base and all had been caught, despite being told it was going to be in the area. The next day all were early as none had a license and all caught the bus.
After the first one got done the rest knew but had other things on their minds. No one to blame but themselves.
This caused multiple problems as they were all mechanics and most were going out to civilian placements which got cancelled.
Reason for the speeding, couldn't organise to leave any earlier, but now can leave an hour earlier to get the bus. Most learnt that lesson.

A few years later, different location and now a bunch of adult trainees (still mechanics). All wanted to move off base (some sort of noisy planes) but needed good reasons to do so. One wanted to go defacto as he wanted a house and yard and if single would end up with a unit. He went through all the lectures and briefs with info of what could happen if it went wrong.
Ended up not happy with her uni choice etc and started having issues. It ended up with the Admino and padre, it was close but we saved him 20 odd years of maintenance etc that he was not even thinking about. Good mechanic but pers skills were lacking.

Most of the others just bought new shiny off road utes or muscle cars etc, easy in comparison.

My own kids were adults by this time so I had some knowledge of the possible issues but some things are above pay grade.

I didn't understand much of this.

Me neither, but I read it a second time and I'm pretty sure I understand the first story now. The second one still baffles me.

Sorry, context more info, in Australia

1st gp, all red P platers, first of 3 steps to full license, all lived in same area and speeds were enough to lose them their licenses. Those who first lost their licenses got lifts with the others who then lost their licenses, all were booked in the same area in the one week. They then lost money from lost work opportunities as they couldn't drive for up to 6 months, no one wants a mechanic who can not drive. Several also delivered Pizza after hours, hard on a push bike.

2nd gp, main player was going to get his defacto pregnant and dump her, and did not realise the consequences, child support until end of education etc.
The others were just buying expensive vehicles, iPhones etc.

[maco]

Sorry, context more info, in Australia

1st gp, all red P platers, first of 3 steps to full license, all lived in same area and speeds were enough to lose them their licenses. Those who first lost their licenses got lifts with the others who then lost their licenses, all were booked in the same area in the one week. They then lost money from lost work opportunities as they couldn't drive for up to 6 months, no one wants a mechanic who can not drive. Several also delivered Pizza after hours, hard on a push bike.

2nd gp, main player was going to get his defacto pregnant and dump her, and did not realise the consequences, child support until end of education etc.
The others were just buying expensive vehicles, iPhones etc.

So defacto is Aussie slang for girlfriend? What was the "Admino and padre" part of that story?

[dsmexpat]

EVERYONE said "take the raise," not for the right answer ("then you'll have it forever and not just once") but because "bonuses are taxed at a higher rate, so you'll get more of the money if you take it as salary." I tried really hard to explain that you pay tax the same way on all your W2 income no matter if it is considered a salary, bonus, commission, whatever. They just. Did not. Get it. It was baffling.

A good litmus test for taxation literacy is to ask a person the difference between and deduction and a credit. Most can't explain that or the concept of marginal tax rates, but that doesn't stop them from speculating about what goes on in everybody else's paycheck. It's maddening to see so much misinformation among otherwise highly educated workers.

I've explained how tax brackets work to people more times than I can count and it still doesn't sink in with some of them.

Two of my coworkers were talking about their daytrading exploits, and somehow they ended up talking about pulling money out of their 401(k)s to fund an etrade account!  They were justifying it because you'd come out ahead despite the taxes and increase in taxable income due to the company match.

Tax brackets must be confusing. I have explained them several times to my otherwise-intelligent husband and he just can't grasp and retain the concepts. He bases some of his political opinions and votes on his misunderstanding of tax brackets...most others must do this too. Scary!

I like to explain it as a bucket with several leaks. One 10% leak at the bottom. Another 5% leak (in addition to the 10% leak) slightly further up. Another 10% leak even higher than that and so forth. As you fill the bucket up with income first only the bottom leak leaks. Then the water level reaches the second leak and additional water poured in is subject to both leaks. If you keep filling it up you get to more and more leaks but never to a point that adding more water doesn't increase the level.

[Vertical Mode]

EVERYONE said "take the raise," not for the right answer ("then you'll have it forever and not just once") but because "bonuses are taxed at a higher rate, so you'll get more of the money if you take it as salary." I tried really hard to explain that you pay tax the same way on all your W2 income no matter if it is considered a salary, bonus, commission, whatever. They just. Did not. Get it. It was baffling.

A good litmus test for taxation literacy is to ask a person the difference between and deduction and a credit. Most can't explain that or the concept of marginal tax rates, but that doesn't stop them from speculating about what goes on in everybody else's paycheck. It's maddening to see so much misinformation among otherwise highly educated workers.

I've explained how tax brackets work to people more times than I can count and it still doesn't sink in with some of them.

Two of my coworkers were talking about their daytrading exploits, and somehow they ended up talking about pulling money out of their 401(k)s to fund an etrade account!  They were justifying it because you'd come out ahead despite the taxes and increase in taxable income due to the company match.

Tax brackets must be confusing. I have explained them several times to my otherwise-intelligent husband and he just can't grasp and retain the concepts. He bases some of his political opinions and votes on his misunderstanding of tax brackets...most others must do this too. Scary!

I like to explain it as a bucket with several leaks. One 10% leak at the bottom. Another 5% leak (in addition to the 10% leak) slightly further up. Another 10% leak even higher than that and so forth. As you fill the bucket up with income first only the bottom leak leaks. Then the water level reaches the second leak and additional water poured in is subject to both leaks. If you keep filling it up you get to more and more leaks but never to a point that adding more water doesn't increase the level.

Also a nice metaphor for the inevitability of taxes. ;-)

[MoonShadow]

EVERYONE said "take the raise," not for the right answer ("then you'll have it forever and not just once") but because "bonuses are taxed at a higher rate, so you'll get more of the money if you take it as salary." I tried really hard to explain that you pay tax the same way on all your W2 income no matter if it is considered a salary, bonus, commission, whatever. They just. Did not. Get it. It was baffling.

A good litmus test for taxation literacy is to ask a person the difference between and deduction and a credit. Most can't explain that or the concept of marginal tax rates, but that doesn't stop them from speculating about what goes on in everybody else's paycheck. It's maddening to see so much misinformation among otherwise highly educated workers.

I've explained how tax brackets work to people more times than I can count and it still doesn't sink in with some of them.

Two of my coworkers were talking about their daytrading exploits, and somehow they ended up talking about pulling money out of their 401(k)s to fund an etrade account!  They were justifying it because you'd come out ahead despite the taxes and increase in taxable income due to the company match.

Tax brackets must be confusing. I have explained them several times to my otherwise-intelligent husband and he just can't grasp and retain the concepts. He bases some of his political opinions and votes on his misunderstanding of tax brackets...most others must do this too. Scary!

I like to explain it as a bucket with several leaks. One 10% leak at the bottom. Another 5% leak (in addition to the 10% leak) slightly further up. Another 10% leak even higher than that and so forth. As you fill the bucket up with income first only the bottom leak leaks. Then the water level reaches the second leak and additional water poured in is subject to both leaks. If you keep filling it up you get to more and more leaks but never to a point that adding more water doesn't increase the level.

Also a nice metaphor for the inevitability of taxes. ;-)

Except for my bucket doesn't leak, and hasn't for several years.

[nnls]

Sorry, context more info, in Australia

1st gp, all red P platers, first of 3 steps to full license, all lived in same area and speeds were enough to lose them their licenses. Those who first lost their licenses got lifts with the others who then lost their licenses, all were booked in the same area in the one week. They then lost money from lost work opportunities as they couldn't drive for up to 6 months, no one wants a mechanic who can not drive. Several also delivered Pizza after hours, hard on a push bike.

2nd gp, main player was going to get his defacto pregnant and dump her, and did not realise the consequences, child support until end of education etc.
The others were just buying expensive vehicles, iPhones etc.

So defacto is Aussie slang for girlfriend? What was the "Admino and padre" part of that story?

Defacto is live in partner, so pretty much a married like scenario without the bit of paper. So if you are in a defacto relationship with someone and it goes wrong you can go through family court similar to if you were married.

I assume the OP is in the armed services with his talk of parade times? So Admino and Padre might be slang for for some sort of squadron leaders or administrators. Padre from memory is the Chaplain

[Basenji]

Sorry, context more info, in Australia

1st gp, all red P platers, first of 3 steps to full license, all lived in same area and speeds were enough to lose them their licenses. Those who first lost their licenses got lifts with the others who then lost their licenses, all were booked in the same area in the one week. They then lost money from lost work opportunities as they couldn't drive for up to 6 months, no one wants a mechanic who can not drive. Several also delivered Pizza after hours, hard on a push bike.

2nd gp, main player was going to get his defacto pregnant and dump her, and did not realise the consequences, child support until end of education etc.
The others were just buying expensive vehicles, iPhones etc.

So defacto is Aussie slang for girlfriend? What was the "Admino and padre" part of that story?

Defacto is live in partner, so pretty much a married like scenario without the bit of paper. So if you are in a defacto relationship with someone and it goes wrong you can go through family court similar to if you were married.

I assume the OP is in the armed services with his talk of parade times? So Admino and Padre might be slang for for some sort of squadron leaders or administrators. Padre from memory is the Chaplain

Oh good, it wasn't just me having a stroke.

[Ralph2]

Sorry, context more info, in Australia

1st gp, all red P platers, first of 3 steps to full license, all lived in same area and speeds were enough to lose them their licenses. Those who first lost their licenses got lifts with the others who then lost their licenses, all were booked in the same area in the one week. They then lost money from lost work opportunities as they couldn't drive for up to 6 months, no one wants a mechanic who can not drive. Several also delivered Pizza after hours, hard on a push bike.

2nd gp, main player was going to get his defacto pregnant and dump her, and did not realise the consequences, child support until end of education etc.
The others were just buying expensive vehicles, iPhones etc.

So defacto is Aussie slang for girlfriend? What was the "Admino and padre" part of that story?

Defacto is live in partner, so pretty much a married like scenario without the bit of paper. So if you are in a defacto relationship with someone and it goes wrong you can go through family court similar to if you were married.

I assume the OP is in the armed services with his talk of parade times? So Admino and Padre might be slang for for some sort of squadron leaders or administrators. Padre from memory is the Chaplain

Oh good, it wasn't just me having a stroke.

Yeah sorry, Admino is the unit admin officer (Air force)and Padre is the chaplain, both locations were military.

Don't do a lot of writing on line and when I do I forget the wider audience sometimes.
Will do better next time.

[nnls]

Sorry, context more info, in Australia

1st gp, all red P platers, first of 3 steps to full license, all lived in same area and speeds were enough to lose them their licenses. Those who first lost their licenses got lifts with the others who then lost their licenses, all were booked in the same area in the one week. They then lost money from lost work opportunities as they couldn't drive for up to 6 months, no one wants a mechanic who can not drive. Several also delivered Pizza after hours, hard on a push bike.

2nd gp, main player was going to get his defacto pregnant and dump her, and did not realise the consequences, child support until end of education etc.
The others were just buying expensive vehicles, iPhones etc.

So defacto is Aussie slang for girlfriend? What was the "Admino and padre" part of that story?

Defacto is live in partner, so pretty much a married like scenario without the bit of paper. So if you are in a defacto relationship with someone and it goes wrong you can go through family court similar to if you were married.

I assume the OP is in the armed services with his talk of parade times? So Admino and Padre might be slang for for some sort of squadron leaders or administrators. Padre from memory is the Chaplain

Oh good, it wasn't just me having a stroke.

Yeah sorry, Admino is the unit admin officer (Air force)and Padre is the chaplain, both locations were military.

Don't do a lot of writing on line and when I do I forget the wider audience sometimes.
Will do better next time.

I am glad I got Padre right and admino for admin officer makes a lot of sense :)

[Mattzlaff]

We just got bonuses at work that exceeded the previous bonuses by double. 16.3% of our salary.

There's one guy at work who had it spent THAT DAY on parts for his brand quad and used snow mobile. Other guys are spending it on new vehicles "once momma has her new car paid off I'm scrapping my 07 chevy and buying a new Denali"

I'll quietly tuck it away and invest in my future...FIRE is that much closer.