Overheard at Work

[RyanAtTanagra]

Wow, love how this all started into a debate about when to cut grass.

Yea, this is a very weird thing to debate.  It's so dependent on where you live...

[BDWW]

CW pays for a gardener to come by his house every other week to cut the grass (small tract home lawn) and use the edge trimmer on the bushes. Costs $100 a month. He says it's a good deal because it would take almost an hour to do the work himself! (Also note I estimate his gross wages are $30-$35 an hour and wife doesn't work).

He just bought a $500 lawn mower. "Just in case" they want to mow in between when the gardener comes. Mowing every single week?? I'm no lawn doctor but that is crazy, I mow when the lawn starts looking overgrown, where we live this is about once per month. Plus he says "if" they ever decide in the future to get rid of the gardener they will need to mow the lawn again themselves and would need a new mower because his wife had a hard time pushing the old one so they needed a new one. Plus they saved all this money using an old lawn mower for 2 years that it makes sense to buy a new one already.

Also needed to purchase a 3 year extended warranty on the mower they don't have solid plans on using. Because who wants to pay to get that fixed!!

LOL, in my area, once a month would require either a baler to harvest the tall straw, or renting a brush hog, since there is no standard mower getting through that much grass. In this weather, I do mine every 6-7 days and it looks presentable, but far from showplace grade. At that schedule it's too thick to be  mulched by the mower, since the mower clogs up. No matter how I do it, I end up with large clumps of excess grass all over the yard. I could easily do it every three to four days or so, like some of my retired, grass obsessed neighbors.

Same here.  You never want to remove more than 1/3 of the height of the grass.  My next door neighbor is on the once a month plan.  It looks like hell during every part of the cycle.  Beginning of the cycle it is scalped and brown with clipping windrows.  Mid cycle it looks ok but uneven.  End of cycle it is way too long.

Wow, love how this all started into a debate about when to cut grass. Me and CW don't live in a particularly hospitable area of grass growth, so the only way it would grow enough to need to be cut more than every other week is if he is watering it a crap ton. I estimate the water bill between an OK lawn and "nice" lawn is minimum $40 a month additional for a teeny tiny lawn (not to mention the environmental impact).

I'm sure all of u would have a heart attack over my mediocre, once-a-month-cut little patch of front lawn. Not crazy and over grown, but it is not lush or overly green. Just enough to keep it alive and not a complete eyesore from across the street.  But I guess it's all a matter of opinion; I would rather save my money and my weekend time in exchange for a half assed tract home lawn.

Sounds similar to my strategy; we water just enough to keep the lawn on the ragged edge of alive/dead. We shoot for once a month cuttings. Still too much water in my opinion, because we live in the bottom of valley filled with gravel (literally a gravel mine a mile away).

[Debts_of_Despair]

Wow, love how this all started into a debate about when to cut grass.

Yea, this is a very weird thing to debate.  It's so dependent on where you live...

For me it's basically a low cost hobby that adds value to my home.  A little extra care goes a long way.

[RetiredAt63]

Sounds similar to my strategy; we water just enough to keep the lawn on the ragged edge of alive/dead. We shoot for once a month cuttings. Still too much water in my opinion, because we live in the bottom of valley filled with gravel (literally a gravel mine a mile away).

Depending on what grass you are growing,you may not need to water at all.  The grasses we have here go totally dormant in a dry summer.  They look dead, but come back when the fall rains arrive.  Then they grow madly until it gets cold.  No growth in winter, under the snow.  NO grass cutting!  (of course there is snow to clear).

[Taran Wanderer]

Mowing every single week?? I'm no lawn doctor but that is crazy...

Where we live, if you don't mow at once a week in the spring and early summer, you're asking for a shaggy yard and a lot more work.  Some weeks at the height of the growing season, I could easily mow twice a week.  This slows down to twice a month in the summer as the rain drops off, then picks up again in the fall to weekly mowings.  In the winter, once a month is usually adequate if you can find a time to mow when it's not wet.

This schedule assumes no sprinklers or artificial irrigation.  If you water, it would be weekly mowing (or more) eight months a year.

Mowing schedule is very much dependent on where you live.

[marty998]

Maybe it's like beards - the more you mow it the more it grows.

I shaved daily for 10 years. Let the thing grow on holiday for 4 weeks. Now I have a 3 day growth that took 7 days to grow.

[AnnaGrowsAMustache]

Years ago I worked a part time office job while I was at university. My take home pay from that job was $100 a week. I was approached by the office manager and asked if I'd like to come along to a local show the whole office was going to see, tickets $90 or so. She was shocked at my reaction to the cost, and that fact I turned down the opportunity to see this particular show. Her face when my mouth dropped at the cost was hilarious. She thought it was very reasonable for a silly local show. This woman paid my wages every month so knew exactly how much I was taking home.

Now I make a lot more, but it would still have to be a pretty damn good show for me to pay $90! Cirque Du Soleil? Yes. Some local troupe of Players production of a murder mystery? Hell no.

[paddedhat]

Wow, love how this all started into a debate about when to cut grass. Me and CW don't live in a particularly hospitable area of grass growth, so the only way it would grow enough to need to be cut more than every other week is if he is watering it a crap ton. I estimate the water bill between an OK lawn and "nice" lawn is minimum $40 a month additional for a teeny tiny lawn (not to mention the environmental impact).

I'm sure all of u would have a heart attack over my mediocre, once-a-month-cut little patch of front lawn. Not crazy and over grown, but it is not lush or overly green. Just enough to keep it alive and not a complete eyesore from across the street.  But I guess it's all a matter of opinion; I would rather save my money and my weekend time in exchange for a half assed tract home lawn.

Oh, I'm far from a lawn fetishist. I just happen to live in extremely fertile farm country, when everything grows like it's on steroids.  Unless I was about to lose the yard to a drought, I wouldn't spend a dime on water either, and even then it would be the absolute minimum needed to get through. No weed n' feed either, this shit needs no encouragement.

[RetiredAt63]

Wow, love how this all started into a debate about when to cut grass. Me and CW don't live in a particularly hospitable area of grass growth, so the only way it would grow enough to need to be cut more than every other week is if he is watering it a crap ton. I estimate the water bill between an OK lawn and "nice" lawn is minimum $40 a month additional for a teeny tiny lawn (not to mention the environmental impact).

I'm sure all of u would have a heart attack over my mediocre, once-a-month-cut little patch of front lawn. Not crazy and over grown, but it is not lush or overly green. Just enough to keep it alive and not a complete eyesore from across the street.  But I guess it's all a matter of opinion; I would rather save my money and my weekend time in exchange for a half assed tract home lawn.

Oh, I'm far from a lawn fetishist. I just happen to live in extremely fertile farm country, when everything grows like it's on steroids.  Unless I was about to lose the yard to a drought, I wouldn't spend a dime on water either, and even then it would be the absolute minimum needed to get through. No weed n' feed either, this shit needs no encouragement.

You must live near me, that describes my lawn this year perfectly.  Cool wet spring, grass is in heaven.

[Feivel2000]

To limit uncontrolled growth in my garden, I use plenty of foam. You should try it too.

[Psychstache]

To limit uncontrolled growth in my garden, I use plenty of foam. You should try it too.

Is your foam lawn orange or black?

:)

[SwordGuy]

Had a lady neighbor who was mowing her yard on her riding lawnmower 3 (or more!) times a week.

I told my wife I wanted to buy the woman a vibrator so I didn't have to listen to the damn mower every day.

My wife said no.  :(

[paddedhat]

Had a lady neighbor who was mowing her yard on her riding lawnmower 3 (or more!) times a week.

I told my wife I wanted to buy the woman a vibrator so I didn't have to listen to the damn mower every day.

My wife said no.  :(

I have an OCD neighbor, and he fixates on the lawn. Totally sweet elderly guy who is losing his wife to liver cancer. He literally does things like mowing every other day, and sweeps the street in front of the house, no matter what time it is. He admits it keeps his mind off of the inevitable. I awoke at 3 AM recently to a repetitive  swooshing sound out the window. Creepy AF until I was fully awake and able to process. Just my old neighbor, with his damn corn broom, sweeping the street in front of my house, in total darkness, at 3 AM, no worries. Last weekend he scared my daughter so bad, she had to muffle a scream. She didn't know his story, and she and her boyfriend returned late from a night out. She opened her door first, as the car stopped, heard the sweeping, but it was too dark to see where it was coming from. She jumped into the car and told her boyfriend to get out, walk to her side and escort her to the door. She later told him that if it was some sort of broom wielding reaper, she was cool with sacrificing a boyfriend, LOL.

[paddedhat]

Had a lady neighbor who was mowing her yard on her riding lawnmower 3 (or more!) times a week.

I told my wife I wanted to buy the woman a vibrator so I didn't have to listen to the damn mower every day.

My wife said no.  :(

Reminds me of a great old joke:

Two nuns were riding their bikes to the church. The nun in the lead says that she knows a shortcut, and turns down a steep cobblestone street.  As they vibrate down the hill the second nun says, "Oh my, I've never come this way before." The other nun replied, "No worries dear, it's just the cobblestones". 

[JAYSLOL]

Mowing every single week?? I'm no lawn doctor but that is crazy...

Where we live, if you don't mow at once a week in the spring and early summer, you're asking for a shaggy hard and a lot more work.  Some weeks at the height of the growing season, I could easily mow twice a week.  This slows down to twice a month in the summer as the rain drops off, then picks up again in the fall to weekly mowings.  In the winter, once a month is usually adequate if you can find a time to mow when it's not wet.

This schedule assumes no sprinklers or artificial irrigation.  If you water, it would be weekly mowing (or more) eight months a year.

Mowing schedule is very much dependent on where you live.

I AM a lawn doctor, and anywhere around here mowing less than once a week will turn nasty very quickly in the spring and summer.  At my house, I have never watered or fertilized the lawn and it is currently growing at about 10" a week.  Yep, 1 - 2" a day.  I left one area for 3 weeks and it had to be cut with an actual farm tractor, not just a ride on. 

[BuffaloStache]

At my house, I have never watered or fertilized the lawn and it is currently growing at about 10" a week.  Yep, 1 - 2" a day.  I left one area for 3 weeks and it had to be cut with an actual farm tractor, not just a ride on.

Where do you live, the jungle?

[JAYSLOL]

At my house, I have never watered or fertilized the lawn and it is currently growing at about 10" a week.  Yep, 1 - 2" a day.  I left one area for 3 weeks and it had to be cut with an actual farm tractor, not just a ride on.

Where do you live, the jungle?

Some days it feels like it.  But no, it's a rural area in the bottom of a valley where everyone around me irrigates and fertilizes like crazy, so I suspect we get extra growth because the water and nutrients seep through the ground into my yard. 

[RyanAtTanagra]

At my house, I have never watered or fertilized the lawn and it is currently growing at about 10" a week.  Yep, 1 - 2" a day.  I left one area for 3 weeks and it had to be cut with an actual farm tractor, not just a ride on.

Where do you live, the jungle?

Some days it feels like it.  But no, it's a rural area in the bottom of a valley where everyone around me irrigates and fertilizes like crazy, so I suspect we get extra growth because the water and nutrients seep through the ground into my yard.

You seriously need to get rid of the yard, sounds like you could have crazy-productive gardens.

[BuffaloStache]

You seriously need to get rid of the yard, sounds like you could have crazy-productive gardens.

This is an excellent point. Could be growing tons of things with that growth rate on grass.

[ysette9]

Another one chiming in to agree. I basically find any front yard grass that isn't covered in kids' play equipment or toys to be a sad, sad space where tomatoes or something else delicious should be growing. If you aren't into growing things to eat then how about at least some flowering plants so there is something pretty to look at?

[Lynda]

I was talking to a coworker about his weekend at the Casino. He was comparing people who "bet" on the stock market with people who bet on horses. Let's see if you can guess which he thought was foolish.

[cheapass]

I was talking to a coworker about his weekend at the Casino. He was comparing people who "bet" on the stock market with people who bet on horses. Let's see if you can guess which he thought was foolish.

I wonder if he thinks owning a company is foolish. Or owning thousands of companies.

[Lynda]

I was talking to a coworker about his weekend at the Casino. He was comparing people who "bet" on the stock market with people who bet on horses. Let's see if you can guess which he thought was foolish.

I wonder if he thinks owning a company is foolish. Or owning thousands of companies.

My guess is that someone told him a horror story about losing their ass on an individual stock and he never looked into it enough to know that index funds exist.

[CptCool]

Lots of people realize index funds exist, they just don't think it's worth their time to only match the market. They're out there to get rich because they heard on the news that this stock or this industry is going to be big

[JordanOfGilead]

I figure this would be a thread appreciative of this particular SMBC comic.

http://www.smbc-comics.com/comic/a-joke-2

[Inaya]

Not really antimustachian, but mind boggling nonetheless. At a volunteer event for work yesterday I accidentally sat at the same lunch table as some senior VPs and at least one C-level. Nice guys, but I couldn't relate to their conversation.

VP1: "Now the big thing is to rent a private jet and travel the world."
VP2: "I've thought about a timeshare on a jet."
VP3: "I don't think I could do that."
VP2: "Why not? You've got four houses. Just sell a couple and get a plane."
VP3: "Nah. I'm going to sell some houses and get a boat."

I suspect by "boat" he meant "yacht."  I can't even imagine what it would be like to have that kind of money. If they can afford it, cheers to them. When I sat down I heard something about, "and I paid in cash. 485." Given the context, I think he was paying $485,000 in cash on a house. Good on him if that's the case!

[MgoSam]

Lots of people realize index funds exist, they just don't think it's worth their time to only match the market. They're out there to get rich because they heard on the news that this stock or this industry is going to be big

I've heard someone say they don't use index funds because they "track the market." Apparently the guy was only interested in trying to beat it. I didn't know him, but I would have loved to hear about his track record in beating the market.

[JanF]

"I'm sick of my Lexus and want to upgrade to an Audi. It's only an extra 200/month if I upgrade!"
- Coworker who complains about not having enough money to make repairs to her house

Good news might be that she realizes that it's a stupid waste of money but she might end up doing it anyway if she gets raise/promotion!

[slugline]

"I'm sick of my Lexus and want to upgrade to an Audi. It's only an extra 200/month if I upgrade!"
- Coworker who complains about not having enough money to make repairs to her house

Good news might be that she realizes that it's a stupid waste of money but she might end up doing it anyway if she gets raise/promotion!

This sounds like a clear case of Tiny Details Exaggeration Syndrome!

[NorthernDreamer]

I think I freaked out someone at work when discussing our pension plan. We have government jobs with a fairly generous pension plan (the higher of defined benefit vs defined contribution, calculated each year in retirement). I just said that I am not counting on it being the way it is now when I draw from it. She just said, "it better be because people are counting on it! It's not like I have any RRSPs."

Yikes. I suppose if there are any changes in the future we might be grandfathered in, but silly me never really considered that people working here would have NO OTHER retirement plans. This colleague definitely does not know about my plans. No one at work really does, except one temp who is 25 and I vaguely talked about frugality and early retirement. I recommended they read The Millionaire Teacher. Perhaps I should tell that to the 45 year old without a backup plan too...

[Uturn]

coworker actually said this today "I'm 63 and starting to worry about retirement."  He makes around $130k/yr, it's not a stretch to believe that his inflation adjusted salary has been in that range for decades. 

[BuffaloStache]

coworker actually said this today "I'm 63 and starting to worry about retirement."  He makes around $130k/yr, it's not a stretch to believe that his inflation adjusted salary has been in that range for decades.

One of my key drivers to force me to look into financial independence/personal finance was a conversation I had with my mom. She was slightly younger than 63, but said the same thing about being worried about retirement. It amazes me...

[BDWW]

coworker actually said this today "I'm 63 and starting to worry about retirement."  He makes around $130k/yr, it's not a stretch to believe that his inflation adjusted salary has been in that range for decades.

One of my key drivers to force me to look into financial independence/personal finance was a conversation I had with my mom. She was slightly younger than 63, but said the same thing about being worried about retirement. It amazes me...

One of the perhaps understressed boons of mustachian/frugality. I'm not all that close to FI, but by my math, I could stop contributing entirely and still retire comfortably at 65.
Maybe there should be a slogan: Just try it for a few years, and then you can give up go back to your spendypants ways, and you'll still retire well. (Assuming they can keep their hands out of the cookie jar.)

[shanghaiMMM]

coworker actually said this today "I'm 63 and starting to worry about retirement."  He makes around $130k/yr, it's not a stretch to believe that his inflation adjusted salary has been in that range for decades.

One of my key drivers to force me to look into financial independence/personal finance was a conversation I had with my mom. She was slightly younger than 63, but said the same thing about being worried about retirement. It amazes me...

One of the perhaps understressed boons of mustachian/frugality. I'm not all that close to FI, but by my math, I could stop contributing entirely and still retire comfortably at 65.
Maybe there should be a slogan: Just try it for a few years, and then you can give up go back to your spendypants ways, and you'll still retire well. (Assuming they can keep their hands out of the cookie jar.)

A great point, one I've been thinking about a lot regarding saving now and then maybe going part time in the future.

Some basic examples:

Save $100,000 by 30, stop saving altogether, by 65 it's worth $1,150,615.
Even save $100,000 by 40, stop saving, by 65 it's worth $572,541.

Both amounts would ease a lot of minds regarding retirement I'd bet!

[Rife]

Generally, my co-workers do only expensive hobbies like skiing and golfing, but sometimes cheap hobbies threaten their social order and results in comments like this: "She (girlfriend) initially just wanted a Walmart bike, but then she came out with us one day and saw what we all have. Now she is up to the big boy prices."

I always find it especially impressive when people spend thousands on what could otherwise be very economical. I will give him that he is at least helping her get the pricey bike secondhand for much less than it could have been.

[Debts_of_Despair]

I think I freaked out someone at work when discussing our pension plan. We have government jobs with a fairly generous pension plan (the higher of defined benefit vs defined contribution, calculated each year in retirement). I just said that I am not counting on it being the way it is now when I draw from it. She just said, "it better be because people are counting on it! It's not like I have any RRSPs."

Yikes. I suppose if there are any changes in the future we might be grandfathered in, but silly me never really considered that people working here would have NO OTHER retirement plans. This colleague definitely does not know about my plans. No one at work really does, except one temp who is 25 and I vaguely talked about frugality and early retirement. I recommended they read The Millionaire Teacher. Perhaps I should tell that to the 45 year old without a backup plan too...

That is the norm at my govt employer.  Sad.

[Tyson]

I think I freaked out someone at work when discussing our pension plan. We have government jobs with a fairly generous pension plan (the higher of defined benefit vs defined contribution, calculated each year in retirement). I just said that I am not counting on it being the way it is now when I draw from it. She just said, "it better be because people are counting on it! It's not like I have any RRSPs."

Yikes. I suppose if there are any changes in the future we might be grandfathered in, but silly me never really considered that people working here would have NO OTHER retirement plans. This colleague definitely does not know about my plans. No one at work really does, except one temp who is 25 and I vaguely talked about frugality and early retirement. I recommended they read The Millionaire Teacher. Perhaps I should tell that to the 45 year old without a backup plan too...

That is the norm at every employer.  Sad.

Fixed that for you.

[BeautifulDay]

About a month ago CW was super stressed about a broken sewage pipe under her house and all the damage done.  She had no idea how she would meet the deductible.  A few weeks earlier her water heater broke and she didn't have money to replace it either.  I've been feeling bad for her and tried to give her advice when appropriate. I know that she doesn't make much in an unskilled entry level position and that her husband works in a big box hardware store so doesn't have super high wage.
 
Then this morning she shows up to work in a brand new car.  She is so excited. Ugh. 

[Paul der Krake]

Generally, my co-workers do only expensive hobbies like skiing and golfing, but sometimes cheap hobbies threaten their social order and results in comments like this: "She (girlfriend) initially just wanted a Walmart bike, but then she came out with us one day and saw what we all have. Now she is up to the big boy prices."

I always find it especially impressive when people spend thousands on what could otherwise be very economical. I will give him that he is at least helping her get the pricey bike secondhand for much less than it could have been.

Wal-Mart bikes are junk that will end in a landfill within a couple hundred miles. She made the right decision even if it wasn't for the right reasons.

[Playing with Fire UK]

One of my key drivers to force me to look into financial independence/personal finance was a conversation I had with my mom. She was slightly younger than 63, but said the same thing about being worried about retirement. It amazes me...

One of the perhaps understressed boons of mustachian/frugality. I'm not all that close to FI, but by my math, I could stop contributing entirely and still retire comfortably at 65.
Maybe there should be a slogan: Just try it for a few years, and then you can give up go back to your spendypants ways, and you'll still retire well. (Assuming they can keep their hands out of the cookie jar.)

Agreed! I felt a huge wave of relief when my old age pension was funded (UK so there's no taking it out early). Although growth and inflation rely on more estimates, it is far quicker to save for the year's expenses at age 99 than next year's expenses, because the growth will do the heavy lifting. It could also address the slow growth of the stache in the early years - don't count how many forward looking years' stache you have, count backwards from 100 (or whatever).

[Rife]

Generally, my co-workers do only expensive hobbies like skiing and golfing, but sometimes cheap hobbies threaten their social order and results in comments like this: "She (girlfriend) initially just wanted a Walmart bike, but then she came out with us one day and saw what we all have. Now she is up to the big boy prices."

I always find it especially impressive when people spend thousands on what could otherwise be very economical. I will give him that he is at least helping her get the pricey bike secondhand for much less than it could have been.

Wal-Mart bikes are junk that will end in a landfill within a couple hundred miles. She made the right decision even if it wasn't for the right reasons.

I am not going to argue bike culture, but the point is spending thousands of dollars on a once in a while hobby, and she was guilted into it. I can see it more if it is your main transportation or for work. There has to be a middle ground to get an old bike for cheap and fix it up.

[sw1tch]

Generally, my co-workers do only expensive hobbies like skiing and golfing, but sometimes cheap hobbies threaten their social order and results in comments like this: "She (girlfriend) initially just wanted a Walmart bike, but then she came out with us one day and saw what we all have. Now she is up to the big boy prices."

I always find it especially impressive when people spend thousands on what could otherwise be very economical. I will give him that he is at least helping her get the pricey bike secondhand for much less than it could have been.

Wal-Mart bikes are junk that will end in a landfill within a couple hundred miles. She made the right decision even if it wasn't for the right reasons.

I am not going to argue bike culture, but the point is spending thousands of dollars on a once in a while hobby, and she was guilted into it. I can see it more if it is your main transportation or for work. There has to be a middle ground to get an old bike for cheap and fix it up.

A used quality hybrid or similar bike could probably be had for $100-$200.  A heck of a lot cheaper than a few grand and will outlast a Walmart bike.  Even brand new, those bikes retail for ~ $400 - $500.  I ride something similar on a daily basis.

[BabyShark]

We're having retirement planning meetings this week at work. I wanted to go but had something come up so I asked my legal assistant to let me know how it goes.  She (who just turned 50) and another legal assistant (who's in her 40s) just walked in to my office and said "we can never retire, we're gonna die at our desks, we'll retire when you retire" (I'm 26).  Yikes.

[sw1tch]

We're having retirement planning meetings this week at work. I wanted to go but had something come up so I asked my legal assistant to let me know how it goes.  She (who just turned 50) and another legal assistant (who's in her 40s) just walked in to my office and said "we can never retire, we're gonna die at our desks, we'll retire when you retire" (I'm 26).  Yikes.

Well, when you retire in a few years, you can tell them that it's time for them to retire as well.

My colleagues have said something similar in jest: "sw1tch will be here the longest" - I'll be leaving in about another month!

[Chris22]

Generally, my co-workers do only expensive hobbies like skiing and golfing, but sometimes cheap hobbies threaten their social order and results in comments like this: "She (girlfriend) initially just wanted a Walmart bike, but then she came out with us one day and saw what we all have. Now she is up to the big boy prices."

I always find it especially impressive when people spend thousands on what could otherwise be very economical. I will give him that he is at least helping her get the pricey bike secondhand for much less than it could have been.

Wal-Mart bikes are junk that will end in a landfill within a couple hundred miles. She made the right decision even if it wasn't for the right reasons.

I am not going to argue bike culture, but the point is spending thousands of dollars on a once in a while hobby, and she was guilted into it. I can see it more if it is your main transportation or for work. There has to be a middle ground to get an old bike for cheap and fix it up.

"Big boy prices" may mean $500.  Which is, incidentally, about where new worthwhile mountain bikes start.  That's the middle ground for many, it's not $129 at WalMart but it isn't $thousands either. 

[TaraB]

Used to have a coworker who was a goldmine. She was about 36, still lived with parents (though actively hated it). She would order takeout food for breakfast (frequently cheeseburgers....) and different takeout food for lunch, and had at least 2 different gym memberships and BMW 5-series and designer handbags. She had a ton of expensive beauty products (but nice skin wasn't ever gonna improve the situation if you know what I mean).

I remember sitting at my cubicle listening to her beg her older brother for money for her car insurance on said BMW. She would also argue with her mom about money while at her cubicle. Work husband and I would frantically text each other a running commentary on these calls.

She would go out drinking all weekend and then sleep all day Sunday and then brag about it on Monday.

Then she got the idea that she wanted to buy a house. But since she had no money, really her parents would buy her a house.

After all of this quasi-public drama, she had the audacity to ask for a raise, despite performance issues. No raise was given.

I don't know what happened to her, but I do miss the entertainment value of her daily trainwreck (and eating habits). Perhaps that's why I've delighted in reading this whole thread over the last few weeks.

[dividendman]

She would order takeout food for breakfast (frequently cheeseburgers....)

Tell me more! Who offers this service?!

[Chris22]

She would order takeout food for breakfast (frequently cheeseburgers....)

Tell me more! Who offers this service?!

I once worked for a very large man (~400lbs) and about 1-2x a week we'd show up to work and our entire area would stink of grilled onions because he'd stop at White Castle for a couple burgers for breakfast.  I've still never stepped foot in one because of that association.

[TaraB]

She would order takeout food for breakfast (frequently cheeseburgers....)

Tell me more! Who offers this service?!

Our old office was in a college town so one was a greasy omelet/sandwich restaurant. I couldn't really stomach their food as a sober person.
(Just googled them and that location is no longer open....)

There was a restaurant/tavern that was slightly more upscale(expensive) that she frequented as well- I guess if you are a frequent customer, they'll make you a $14 cheeseburger at 9:30 AM.

[MgoSam]

She would order takeout food for breakfast (frequently cheeseburgers....)

Tell me more! Who offers this service?!

Our old office was in a college town so one was a greasy omelet/sandwich restaurant. I couldn't really stomach their food as a sober person.
(Just googled them and that location is no longer open....)

There was a restaurant/tavern that was slightly more upscale(expensive) that she frequented as well- I guess if you are a frequent customer, they'll make you a $14 cheeseburger at 9:30 AM.

$14!!! And I feel guilty for wanting to get takeout for lunch about once a week (want, I don't always act on this impulse).