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Trying not to lose it on camera during this work meeting. First you have someone post this in the chat: How much vibration will the air handlers that are sitting that high up transmit into the floor? Or are they all vibration isolated?

Then the person talking is explaining that "we have a big thing going into a small space" and a lot of talk about penetration

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If they move on to step-things, then you know it is trolling.

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I have no idea what you're talking about. :)

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Random: In Mandarin, there's a term called fu-qi lian (husband-wife face). It's used to describe couples that look alike.

One time, someone told my parents they had fu-qi lian, and my mom got really offended.

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Heh, I have a peculiar-looking longtime friend who always seems to end up with girlfriends that look kinda like him. I'm glad to hear there's a term for that.

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is it because it's a Mandarin thing?

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No, more along the lines of what HAG said, though not as harsh.

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hmm..does your mom think your dad is ugly?

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ouch

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Anyone received their football season tickets? Or heard when they will be issued. I understand that they'll be electronic this season. Anyone know more details about that? Also, does the salad fork go on the outside or inside?

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I decided to go through StubHub this year to avoid the Covid uncertainty around season tickets. Supposed to receive a link to the E-ticket sometime before the first game. While you can buy seats right now there is no ticket issued, you just get a receipt.

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Some single game tickets are showing up. Perhaps they will come down, but both tickets and parking (It still costs more to park in Berkeley than it does to get 2 people in to the game!) have about doubled in price since 2 years ago.

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salad fork on outside. always work your way outside in ..

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Olympics

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Nagoya (Japan) mayor bites gold medal and everyone's mad at him, rightfully so. He said he was just trying to show love and respect by biting it. What an idiot. Toyota, which has HQ based in Nagoya, also spoke up against him.

https://www.nbcnews.com/news/olympics/japanese-mayor-sparks-outrage-biting-olympian-s-gold-medal-amid-n1276012

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I've always thought the medal-biting thing was weird.

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used to be the way you could tell if it was real gold or a fake

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I don't know about this year's medals, but all the medals are usually silver and then covered with either gold or bronze (or left as is)

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Ah yes, the ol' foil-wrapped-chocolate gold medals...

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^^this^^

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and it wasn't even his own medal lol

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sport climbing mens final

we woke up at 430a to watch. because of the scoring system that is based one your relative position, the final standings were not determined till the last climber on the last route

fun to watch. US men came in 2nd and 7th out of 8 finalists. they both had shot at the gold till the end.

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I probably watched too much American Ninja Warrior and Ultimate Beast Masters that it felt weird to me to see the bouldering and lead climbing events being so "straightforward" (or mainly without having to do any real jump like the "ultimate cliffhanger" on ANW)

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Elsewhere in college

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Oregon's starting CB DJ James and starting nickelback Jamal Hill were arrested for shooting people with airsoft guns on Tuesday night. Oregon is reviewing the situation.

https://katu.com/news/local/two-charged-in-eugene-after-shooting-bb-gun-at-people-from-their-vehicle

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probability they get any real repercussions? I say less than 10%

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It is Oregon.

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Contrary to initial reports, LSU starting QB Myles Brennan got a compound arm fracture due a flip flop getting caught in a dock while going fishing.

https://www.saturdaydownsouth.com/lsu-football/lsu-qb-myles-brennan-broke-arm-during-freak-accident-while-preparing-to-fish/

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Today in Covid

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Went out for dinner last night outside. Besides the servers, my wife, and I, nobody is wearing a mask - inside or out. Delta is becoming common and it seems that few people realize/care about the revised CDC science.

It seems like things will have to get worse before the CDC revised their mandate - but they do seem to be leaning that direction.

https://context-cdn.washingtonpost.com/notes/prod/default/documents/8a726408-07bd-46bd-a945-3af0ae2f3c37/note/57c98604-3b54-44f0-8b44-b148d8f75165.#page=1

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Seems like the flip side here. Many wearing masks outdoors and when I went to Safeway the other day only a couple people were maskless. And Arlington has a pretty high vax rate.

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I've noticed around here that areas closer to larger population hubs have more masking. I see a lot more masks in Baltimore and Wilmington, DE than I do in the sparser surrounding areas. Still, the numbers wearing masks is pretty low--maybe 15-20% (this was pre-Delta surge).

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Virtually no masks anywhere locally, but virtually everyone is vaccinated or won't get vaccinated unless possibly a member of their household dies. The vaccination rate has slowed considerably, as those who will already have, pending approval for children, which will open up a new target demmographic.

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Just got back from my trip to Mt. Lassen. Many folks not wearing masks at all...especially on the way up to the park whenever I stopped for snacks or gas.

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OUR CRUMBLING DEMOCRACY

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PRO

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Messi parts away with Barcelona.

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Yeah, La Liga is not flinching on forcing Barca to get below a certain salary threshold before being able to "add" players which unfortunately included Messi because his contract had lapsed. While on the one hand, it feels crazy that La Liga would be willing to let Messi leave, as a Braca fan one does hear a ton of conspiracy about how the La Liga brass will bend to the will of Real Madrid...and Messi leaving obviously would benefit Real Madrid.

But it's been an emotional rollercoaster from last summer thinking that Messi will leave to the report of a 5-year extension (provided that Barca could offload some big salaries) and now this.

On the other hand, what team actually has the money to sign Messi at this juncture of the season?

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I'm seeing speculation about Paris St Germain

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Yeah, I guess they got the money to make it work

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I just saw the last play of the Slovakia/France BB game. Made Luka give up the ball, the Slovakia player took it to the rim, looked like he had a clear layup, then Batum blocks the layup attempt. Wow. Would have loved to see Luka go up against USA.

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Luka vs. USA would have been a good storyline, but USA avenging for that loss to France from a week ago OR France beating USA twice to win the Gold are also intriguing storylies.

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This article is pretty cool.

'Omaha! Omaha!' How Peyton Manning changed quarterbacking forever

https://www.espn.com/nfl/story/_/id/31941087/omaha-omaha-how-peyton-manning-changed-quarterbacking-forever

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INDIANAPOLIS -- The record-breaking play some 17 years ago was like something drawn up by kids in the dirt. But it further established Peyton Manning as the NFL's greatest quarterback at the line of scrimmage.

Manning secretly told receiver Brandon Stokley he would give him the "smash symbol" -- a universal call players around the NFL know that signals the slot receiver runs a corner route and the outside receiver runs a hitch route -- if the Chargers gave him a certain look at the line of scrimmage pre-snap.

Manning surveyed the line, and the Chargers gave him the look. He turned left to Stokley, who was in the slot, opened up one hand, balled up the other hand and started pounding it, as if he wanted Stokley and Reggie Wayne, who was lined up out wide, to run the "smash" play. Stokley looked back at Manning nodding his head in agreement.

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KD leads the Men's Olympics BB team to the finals.

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Game #109: A’s wake up at last minute, tie it in 9th, walk it off in 10th

Just when you thought the Oakland A’s lineup couldn’t get any more frustrating to watch, they go and do something like this ... and totally redeem themselves.

The A’s were almost completely silent at the plate for eight innings on Wednesday, but with two outs in the 9th they tied it up, and then in the 10th they walked it off. The 5-4 victory salvaged a series split against the San Diego Padres in their two-game set at the Coliseum.

It’s been a weird couple of days in Oakland. Last night’s game was a trainwreck of bad luck, which the A’s could have won but instead lost in an 8-1 blowout. This afternoon they were simply getting beaten, with no excuses except facing a great pitcher in Joe Musgrove, and then suddenly they won instead.

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Speaking of last minute, I was out and walked in just as mlb network was showing people walking out of the Coliseum. I just missed the end.

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Laureano had the AB of the game to kick off the inning...saw 10 pitches. A's caught a break on the Chapman IF hit....Cronenworth had a play at 1st but he looked Murphy's way at second & then ate it - Gomes had the hit that tied it, but Laureano set the stage.

Pads are a notch below LA and SF without Tatis...

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It’s why Melancon is beatable...he has 2 hittable pitches, lacks strike-out stuff, and pitches to contact.

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Giants ride the eternal power of the stolen first base to glorious victory

https://www.mccoveychronicles.com/2021/8/4/22610699/san-francisco-giants-diamondbacks-recap-alex-dickerson-donovan-solano

I’m going to be very up front with you. Too up front, perhaps. And, in the words of the great Charles Barkley ...

My least favorite rule in all of baseball, above even the free runner in extra innings, is the stolen first base on a strikeout.

I understand the arguments from proponents of the rule. The play isn’t over if the ball isn’t caught (which conveniently ignores that the play still isn’t over when the catcher picks up the ball), a pitcher should be punished for throwing a bad pitch, there needs to be a conclusion to the play, blah blah blah.

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I'm genuinely interested why you think a dropped third strike with two out negates the fact that the ball remains live.

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Oh Noes! An inside baseball discussion broke out!

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Ladies and Gentlemen, your 2021 Arizona Diamondbacks....

Yikes.

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Finding ways to lose games you should win is a feature of a team that is a Major League worst in winning percentage (34-76, .309). It doesn't help that their bullpen lacks any sort of confidence. If you watched Tyler Clippard pitch the ninth inning today, he kept puffing his cheeks like he was trying to calm himself in a tight game.

Finding ways to win games you have no business winning because you've been shut out over 8 and trail by 4 runs going into the final frame is a feature of a team that is very, very confident in themselves and holds the Major League-best record in wins and winning percentage (69-40, .633).

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Yep. With their total sell-off the Nats are now losing games they should win by giving up four and five runs in the ninth. No lead is safe.

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ugh...I watched starting LaMonte Wade Jr. Not a bad change but just not outside enough. Wade was super early but had just enough bat to poke it down the line.

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Maybe they should've kept Kelly in but you should expect the BP to not implode. <<insert gif of Kenley>>

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Kelly was dealing...102 pitches? I think you let him go out there and yank him if anyone reaches, tho that's hindsight...you don't really expect your pen to implode and give up the 4-spot.

That said, this Giants team is kinda relentless...dunno when that happened.

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Ah, yes. The Russ Ortiz rule.

Ask Dusty Baker about that. Or any Giants fan after Game 6 of the 2002 World Series.

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Not sure, either. Only that it seems to have happened. Plus, adding Kris Bryant seems to have given the team a second wind.

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It is rather silly, bc if it gets a swing & a miss, how bad a pitch is it actually? The hitter should not be rewarded for swinging at a pitch in the dirt...

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The batter should not be forced to go back to the dugout if the catcher can't hold onto the ball.

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Didn't the Atlantic league add in that you can "steal" 1st on a dropped strike at any point? Or maybe they didn't actually do it.

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The Atlantic League rule is different from the MLB rule in that it applies even if first base is occupied with less than two out.

The longstanding MLB rule requires that first base be unoccupied or, if first base is occupied that there be two outs.

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Ahh...I see. Didn't realize that was the ATL league rule.

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And yes, I've seen the rule work against teams I've rooted for although I can't cite an example off the top of my head.

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Max Scherzer strikes out 10 in electric Dodgers debut

https://www.truebluela.com/2021/8/4/22605640/max-scherzer-dodgers-debut-10-strikeouts-astros-recap

Max Scherzer is used to the big stage. The three-time Cy Young Award winner has seen just about everything in baseball, and has designs on even bigger games this year. But Wednesday night at Dodger Stadium provided an electric atmosphere just the same, and Scherzer was up to the task in the Dodgers’ 7-5 win over the Astros.

“I understand why we’re here. I understand we have a great team, and the fans should feel that way,” Scherzer said Wednesday. “But as a player, you can only control what you can control. You can’t worry about other people’s expectations. All I can do is go out there and pitch my game.”

Scherzer was electric, striking out 10 in seven innings, allowing only a pair of runs. He played to the crowd by striking out Jose Altuve three times in three at-bats, then Scherzer finished off his night by getting pinch-hitter Chas McCormick swinging.

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Closer than it should have been. Joe Kelly gave up a homer, and then, some Jansen drama. Gave up a hit and then a 2 run HR to start the 9th. And then struck out 3 in a row.

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Time for Treinan to assume the closer role. Then hopefully Knebal will get healthy and Jimmy Nelson's forearm gets better. Joseph Kelly been pitching well all year except for his first couple of outings.

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The Kelly AB with Correa Kelly shook up a bunch of pitches for the FB. I wonder if this was a I want to get him out with the FB. And I'd guess he missed location. If it were a closer game maybe he throws one of his breaking pitches.

On a better note, Altuve struck out 4 times. The Golden Sombrero. He looked bad on multiple breaking pitches.

"Guessing's harder than knowing." - Orel Hershiser

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First time ever. First 3 vs Scherzerer, then Kelly.

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Heh...maybe he's struck out 5 times before.

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CAL

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GO Bears!!!

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Work

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Very busy. We've got churn among the staff, and a fairly sizable amount of that is resignations. Not sure why, although I know of at least three instances since the start of the pandemic where folks decided to move out of state. The positions left vacant are in the trades. They are not positions that can be filled remotely, as a programmer might.

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The good: got a promotion.

The bad: a lot more crap to do now.

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Congrats!! Mo Money Mo Problems

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Congratulations!

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Busy busy busy

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Everyone making up for 1+ years of not doing anything?

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Yep, safe outdoor activity + summer weather + people excited to do anything = a very busy summer on the water

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I used to travel frequently for work, spent about 75 nights at hotel every year. I have not travelled for work or leisure since March 2020 and been working from home every day. I never thought I could, but I'm so used to it by now. The only night I stayed away from home was when I had to evacuate from wild fires in November 2020.

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On Tuesday I went back to my office for the first time in 500+ days. I went in to support some hardware testing for data collection, which couldn't be done offsite. It's still very sparse. My pre-pandemic building of 20-25 people had 2 other people in it. And the old building across the street where my office used to be had 5-10 cars in its parking lot, compared to the 80-100 on a regular, pre-pandemic day.

I was there yesterday too and they imposed a mask mandate starting at midnight this morning. So I suspect it will be even more sparse until the Delta variant simmers down.

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I've been going into the building nearly every day. Such is the importance of being available to handle paperwork, even though much of what is "paperwork" is now handled electronically.

Also, there's also the fact that I do not like handling some of my work from home. My home office is not ergonomically set up; my at work office is ergonomic.

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I've been in to the office a few times and it's usually the security guards, the maintenance staff, maybe an IT help desk guy, and me. Very empty.

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Really busy, but should calm down after our big annual meeting next week. Generally happy because I feel like my boss and most of my coworkers value my contributions. Also glad to be part of a team that does really cool things--one of our user groups got FDA approval in May for emergency use of their drug as a treatment for COVID-19.

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Boring. Without the travel to the 5 or 6 major events around the world over the last 1.5 years it really does suck. I think the plan is for the Lisbon event next March to be the first F2F event since New Orleans back in 2020, but given the Delta variant I could see that also being cancelled. Ugh...maybe it's time to find something totally different to do.

I'm open to ideas...

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Oohhhh...Lisbon is great. Difficult place to drive, though.

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The missus feels the same way. She used to travel 10-15 days per month pre-pandemic and she hasn't traveled since. After all this time working from home, she's getting ready to peel the metaphorical wallpaper off the walls.

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Mine really isn't the wanting to be away from home. There was 1 event in Asia, 2 in Europe, and two in the US, each about a week. So it allowed me to travel to a cool destination, stay in a nice hotel, and eat great food on the company's dime (technically the Bluetooth SIG since we're contracted by them). After I got premier Gold United benefits, I've only been able to travel a couple of times and unless United extends the benefits one more year like Delta did, I'll lose it at the end of the year. The main benefit is free Economy Plus at ticket purchase for personal trips. Work pays for that if I didn't have Premier Gold. The US lounges suck but the Lufthansa one in Germany is good.

These trips made the boring work worth it. But without the trips I'd rather do something else. Maybe even something totally different. If I were younger I'd consider trying to be a pilot but at 51 I'd probably be too close to retirement age for it to be worth it.

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my guess is that you will be working another 15+ yrs so you might as well find something you like more. presumably there will be a little less of that kid-raising financial pressure and responsibility so you can hopefully afford to take a little time to find the right thing.

you used to like all the cool robot stuff back in the day. robots and AI are all big deal these days.

but i am sure there is plenty of other stuff too if you took a few risks and were a little creative about it.

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while i am not in a "boring" job, i would like to do something more meaningful or education related.

even thought about getting teachings credentials and teaching HS math/science/CS

but there are some other university teaching options that i could follow up on that would be more flexible and less work probably.

luckily we are at a point where we technically could retire, but earning a normal amount would just push off the time at which we start needed to rely on retirement savings.

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Hey, wallpaper is back homie, maybe she should be installing some.

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Actually, we installed some on a wall the downstairs powder room a few years ago and last year we put some on a wall in cf-98's room. But pulling it down wouldn't be nearly enough to satisfy her forever-stuck-in-this-house angst.

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Work is fine. we are back to masks in the office full time, which SUCKS.

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sucks but I need the bucks

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So Fire Starkey gave me some (well earned) guff for complaining about how I needed to find another job but not actually doing it. I thought for a decent chunk of June and July that my job was going to disappear because of funding problems, so I started thinking about what could be next... only for the funding issues to get miraculously resolved, my boss to quit, and his boss to ask me to be the interim program manager. I should have asked for hazard pay.

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put in a request for an additional 50% pay. since you are doing two jobs now...

but don't want to gouge them for two full salaries...

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at one point I was covering 5 different roles - not well, but even the customer noticed how many people it took to appropriately cover the work I had been juggling. Anything to keep a 5 mile commute I guess.

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Great, I guess, I've been self employed for seemingly forever.

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Love it! Almost 6 months in as a court research attorney and the job is everything that I could want from my career. Should've changed jobs 10 years ago. My only complaints are not really complaints at all (long commute and a little lonely).

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good overall. $$ are pretty good but it is just not that challenging or at least i am keeping it that way.

i probably work 20+ hours/week at my FT job. another 5 for teaching and i have extra time for consulting and looking into future possibilities.

however, it is fine for the current moment w/ two teenage girls in HS and wife who works ALL THE TIME.

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Work is good, first summer job for me advertising cutlery, silverware, and cookware. If anyone wants to hear a demo let me know I get paid just to show the products ,if you'd like a demo maybe I can contact you all via a backup email (I'm not aware of how many people lurk the site so I don't want you relentlessly ended with spam stuff in your primary/business emails but if you give the primary email that's fine by me just want to say the backup email as an option, if you choose to have one you'll get an email with a .edu email similar to my name on WFC. Let me know how your jobs are going as well everyone.

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