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Wednesday’s Workwear Report: Extra Fine Merino Ribbed Turtle Neck Sweater

uniqlo-merino-turtleneck-sweaterOur daily workwear reports suggest one piece of work-appropriate attire in a range of prices. I haven't yet added a Uniqlo merino sweater to my wardrobe, but a lot of readers love them and they're highly rated. In general, merino is a great layer — everyone always talks about cashmere, but merino is super-warm and light, and I find that it holds its shape much better than cotton. For $29.90 this is a great layering piece or a top to wear alone paired with something more fun, like a pleated skirt as shown here, or else a statement necklace or brooch or something like that. The sweater comes in 13 (!) colors and offers sizes XS-XL. Extra Fine Merino Ribbed Turtle Neck Sweater Here's an option that comes in plus sizes (and regular and petite) in seven colors. Seen a great piece you’d like to recommend? Please e-mail tps@corporette.com. (L-all)

Sales of note for 1/1/25 (HAPPY NEW YEAR!):

And some of our latest threadjacks here at Corporette (reader questions and commentary) — see more here!

Some of our latest threadjacks include:

176 Comments

  1. My house was built in the late 1940s/early 1950s. The kitchen cabinets are made out of real wood, and I’m happy with them, even though they don’t look new, modern, or trendy. However. At some point someone replaced the counter tops with off-white laminate. Did this person only eat white foods and drink clear liquids? I don’t know. But the counters are so off white that even using lemon juice to try to get a stain out causes a lemon juice colored stain. I think I’m going to ask for new counter-tops for Christmas this year. I went to Lowe’s and looked at the granite and quartz. I’m sort of baffled by which would be better. While I don’t want the replacement to necessarily be off-white, I want something lighter colored. I don’t need to be trendy, and we’re not planning on selling our house anytime soon, so resale value, while a consideration, is not at the top of my list. Any recommendations or tips for type of material or place to buy it? Is Lowe’s/Home Depot good, or should I be looking somewhere else?

    1. Check out your local stone distributor. Usually it’s a massive warehouse full of stone slabs of all kinds from granite to quartz. They’ll have a larger selection than a big box store, often a better price, and more knowledgeable sales people. You also usually will get to pick out the exact slab you’d like to use, which is not an option from a big box. It’s an interesting shopping trip!

      2. this! we replaced our countertops a few years ago and initially went to Home Depot, thinking it would be less expensive. The selection was terrible, the service was terrible, and ultimately, it was not cheaper. We went to a local stone place (in Chicago, Stone City) and they were fantastic.

    3. I have owned both quartz and granite. My preference in quartz – no contest. Quartz countertops are maintenance free and mine had zero staining after five years of constant use and abuse in my last house. My granite, on the other hand tends to show water stains and dough stains (after kneeding particularly buttery or oily breads). I chose a pattern that hides it fairly well and they do lighten with time and right products, but they’re a far cry from my quartz counters in my last house.

      The big driver for me at the time of purchase was the price. I was looking for a cheaper fix (I’m pretty sure I have your exact kitchen in the same colors) and the granite was half the price of the quartz I wanted.

    4. I feel like quart counters look good with shiny new cabinets. I’d want a stone that ages a bit to blend with older cabinets so that it doesn’t look mismatched. I’d probably go with soapstone or a marble and allow them to patina with wear.

    5. I had granite, and I found it a little cold and it was difficult to see if the counter was really clean. I would probably look more closely at Corian if I put in countertops,just for a softer look.

      1. Solid surface all the way. I absolutely love ours, indestructible and maintenance-free. See if you can get an integrated sink.

      2. +1. The house in which I grew up was all Corian–my parents redid one bathroom with it early on and liked it so much they used it for a much larger-scale kitchen remodel and subsequent renovations on different bathrooms. Easy to clean, easy care overall, looks good. After college I rented a place with quartz, and I hated it. Ended up with lots of chips, the counter often looked like it had kind of a film on it, even after cleaning (maybe the wrong products? But, I’d be unhappy to have to use special products for my counter anyway), and was hard to see if it was clean even aside from the film (combo of color and slight sparkle, I think).

    6. Quartz is AMAZING. We got a white quartz countertop that is made to look like cararra marble (so it has some grey in it). It looks fantastic and is extremely easy to maintain.

      1. We moved into a house a few years ago with 1980’s builder cabinets — in knotty pine, natch — and light yellow laminate counters. We had the cabinets painted white and replaced the hardware to update them on a budget. We also put in white quartz counters with grey veining, similar to what lsw describes above — looks like marble but WAY easier to maintain. I have three small kids and our kitchen gets a TON of wear and tear, and a year later there isn’t a single chip, nick, scratch or stain. I love our counters! We got ours at a warehouse-type place; they laser-measured and installed for us but it was, no joke, half the price of The Home Depot.

    7. I shopped the stone stores along with lowes and home depot for our granite and quartz counter tops for our bathrooms. Suprisingly, Lowes and Home Depot were cheaper than the stone stores I went to.

      1. I’m not sure why this is surprising. Lowes and Home Depot are mass-market retailers. Stone stores offer a more selective, premium product so of course it’s going to cost more.

      2. This is opposite of my experience. Home Depot and Lowes had much less selection and were at least twice as expensive. You can also negotiate cost at a stone yard. There are several in my small city, so I asked around. I’ve been extremely happy with my counters.

    8. I got the basic level granite in the mottled gray/black/white to go in a white kitchen about 5 years ago from Home Depot and am very happy with it. If it stains, I can’t tell. And I am a sloppy cook. I did get the thicker version , not the very cheapest version which is a quite thin slab.

    9. If I were getting counter tops and didn’t care about resale, I would seriously consider Corian. It’s a super-hard plastic that is in a lot of public spaces. Corian is heat resistant for all but the hottest pots and pans, stain-proof, and people make cutting boards out of the stuff. It isn’t cold to the touch like granite. If it gets a scratch, you can remove it using a green scrub pad. The best part of Corian is that you can get an integrated sink with no seam between the counter and the sink. It makes cleaning super easy. I moved from a place with Corian to a place with granite and I really miss the Corian.

    10. In the meantime, there’s a cleaning product called BAR KEEPERS FRIEND that easily removes stains from my off-white laminate counter. It’s a powder similar to Comet but if performs miracles. It even polishes copper bottom pots in just a few swipes.

      For less than $3, it’s worth a shot!

    11. I picked quartz in a mosaic like pattern. It wouldn’t do with your wood, but there are loads of options to pick from. But stick with quartz.

  2. I just bought the Nisa dress from MM LaFleur and I love it! I’m having issues with it clinging to my tights, though. Does this mean I need a slip? How does one solve this problem?

    1. Yes, of course, wear a slip. Even without tights. Why did women stop wearing slips? We still have electrical problems.

        1. I love slips and wear them regularly. Less washing/dry cleaning of clothes, no risk of anything being unexpectedly sheer, nicer, non-clingy lines. My favorites are old school Vassarette ones that I order on Amazon. The adjustable waist half slip and spin slip (a full slip) are my current preference. Both under $10.

  3. I want to be the FIRST to wish the ENTIRE HIVE a Happy Thanksgiveing! We are all goeing up to Rosa’s for turkey dinner. This is her FIRST cookeing experience for the family, and dad is NOT pleased b/c he like’s mom’s cooking and always thought Rosa would onley be good for babie’s. Rosa is set to proove him wrong. We will see!!!! Anyway, all the best to the HIVE! I hope your turkey’s are at least as good as mom’s (and hopefully Rosa’s). YAY!!!!!!!

  4. This is a bit of a brag – I was able to refer two new matters to women colleagues this week! I’m of course sad that I couldn’t keep the business for myself, I’m REALLY trying to build a book, but happy that I could do my part to support other women in my network.

    4. I have a similar brag! I went to go and meet with a woman in another part of the firm that I’m interested in working in and it was really useful. Yay for women linking up!

      (Formerly Runner 5)

  5. Shall we name some things we are thankful for? I’ll start.

    Good health, good friends, family (even when they drive me nuts, they’re still pretty good), chocolate, my hairdresser who gave me an awesome haircut yesterday, my antidepressants for getting me through the election season, all the recipes from Smitten Kitchen that I plan to make when I get back to my apartment after the holiday, Joe Biden memes, and Pantsuit Nation.

    2. A wonderful husband, lovely parents, my dog-in-a-cat-suit cat, my students and colleagues, and pumpkin pie.

    3. In addition to good health, friends, and family, I’m really thankful that I’m hot and rich. I don’t necessarily value looks and money, but it’s nice to have them.

    4. An amazing husband, loving siblings, caring dad & stepmom, warm & friendly in-laws, darling niece and nephew, a healthy cat, a car that runs with no problems, a supportive department at school, a happy workplace, a blue state, and two cases of wassail in the basement to share & get merry on.

    5. That my husband is still by my side. Earlier this year, his depression became exponentially worse and he was hospitalized twice for having the intent, means and plan to commit suicide. He came so very close that to think about it now, like I did last night, leaves me a blubbering mess. Now, he is doing so well (lots of therapy, ECT, and meds); he is attentive, attached and engaged with life. He loves and feels love in return. I will not take that for granted. So while this year has been a bag of sh&t, for the next two days I will be grateful that he did not take his life and that he is still by my side.

      1. Send kudos, blessings, hugs, and prayers to you both! What a story. The power of love!

      2. Big hugs to you and your husband. I’m a fellow depression and anxiety sufferer — I can tell you that, after I came out of my last fog, I was (and am) so grateful to my husband for being with me, and for sticking by me when things got tough.

        What I’m trying to say and being terrible at saying: I’m sure he’s so grateful for you, and your hard work right along side him.

    6. Great husband through thick and thin. Friends. Great referral system and reputation to keep my biz going. Solid docs for all my medical conditions. Freedom. Liberty. More than enough for my needs and no worries that it won’t continue. Ability to give to others. My brain.

    7. A wonderful husband and dog, that my parents are still healthy and enjoying life, my two best girlfriends who have been very supportive through a tough year, an amazing new job after leaving a very toxic one this summer, the return of my mental health as a result of leaving that job, the ability to travel + all the adventures I had this year and have booked for next year, the return of Gilmore Girls, my “Broadway faves” playlist that has gotten me through the last two weeks (especially “Defying Gravity”), all the delicious things I’m going to eat tomorrow.

    8. Great job, good friends, good relationship with my family (mostly), being in a position to not worry about every penny I spend, my cats, my supportive, loving, and funny spouse, reliable car, and not having to replace the HVAC this year either.

    9. I am more thankful than ever for my husband this year. He is just as devastated by the election as I am and right away signed up for some volunteer work. I’m thankful that he is so supportive of me but even more thankful that as a white, straight man he is so outraged even though he likely will not feel the effects personally.

      I’m thankful for a great job, that I live in a neighborhood I love, wonderful friends (one of whom is moving back home after years abroad or on the other coast!! extra thankful!), and that my sister is my best friend.

    10. I’m thankful to have gotten my Dream job, especially after staying home for several years with babies, my supportive husband, my four babies, our health, my mom, my super fun extended family of siblings, in laws and tons of nieces and nephews.

    11. Great idea! I’m grateful for my three kids, my dream job, and an amazing tribe that supports me even though my bio family is essentially off the grid.

      I’m also grateful that my husband is willing to dig in with me when things get tough. We’ve had a rough patch lately and while things have been a little uncertain around here, I so appreciate his willingness to talk things through and work on them together.

    12. Lovely Husband, without a doubt. He is a miracle!

      And… my son is doing well, my friends are great, job is fine, new Marital Residence is great and LH is great about making it “ours,” health is good. And yes, Joe Biden memes and West Wing reruns to get me through the next four years…

    14. My two very best friends who are coming to visit me for Thanksgiving; my cat, who happens to be the cutest, best cat in the world; HRC, my parents, even though they annoy the crap out of me sometimes, the masters swim team I’m on.

    15. My job, my job, my job. It’s so much better than the last two. My colleagues are bright and hard-working and positive. Some have become friends.

      Finally having a circle of girlfriends for the first time in my life. And a darn good boyfriend to boot.

      Having a clean bill of health after PTSD treatment in conjunction with GAD. Thanks to all of you who got me back to my doctor to talk about treatment during a relapse. Doing much better now :)

  6. I need legal document guidance.
    My father is a thrill-seeker with a death wish – it is finally time to prepare his estate to make things easy when he has a fatal ATV accident or motorcycle crash. At the moment he has NOTHING planned, which worries me in the more immediate situation. I am an attorney and happy to get some basic documents going quickly to have someone else look over. He wants to turn everything over to me in the end – I just need to know where to head.

    What documents would you suggest I get rolling on?Does anyone recommend Rocket Lawyer or Legal Zoom?

    – living irrevocable trust (if I do this, do we need to fill out account beneficiary forms?)
    – will (is this needed if I put everything in a trust? I’m unclear)
    – DPOA
    – advanced directive/healthcare proxy
    – list of passwords – for computer stuff

    TIA! if my dad goes while skydiving or mountain biking, it will be doing what he loved. However – I’m trying to save myself the trouble after he’s gone :)

    1. This should be fairly cheap. I’d hire a real lawyer to do it. There are conflict of interest issues with a lawyer drafting a will where they are also the beneficiary.

      1. +1 I will never recommend the Legal Zoom-type services to anyone, sorry!

        I am an attorney, but I used a local attorney for my simple estate and it cost me $400. That included a will, POA, and medical directive.

        1. Ditto. I am also a lawyer, and used a local attorney for my estate (married, no kids or plans for them).

          We had wills, POAs and medical directives for both of us done, and I think it was $600.

          Very worth it to know that it was done properly.

        2. Agreed. When that moment comes, the last thing I want to worry about is whether the forms were executed properly. Also, in my state, it is a conflict of interest that disqualifies you from inheriting if the lawyer is the drafter and the beneficiary.

          1. It’s worth checking the rules on this in your specific state – in mine, there’s an exception if the lawyer is a family member.

        3. Yes, I am in transportation and hired another attorney to do my will. It cost $300 for wills, POAs, HPOAs for myself and my husband. If you don’t do wills, you need to hire someone who knows what they are doing. I also agree that you may run into ethical issues or even a will challenge if you draft a will of which you are a beneficiary.

    2. REAL LAWYER! It shouldn’t be that expensive and as anon above noted, you shouldn’t be drafting them directly.
      Considering your dad’s interest, make sure you also address issues related to his potentially being incapacitated — I’m not sure if long-term care insurance is an option considering his interest, but he may also want to look into that.
      From a practical perspective, is there anyone who would be surprised by this plan — siblings, spouse, girlfriend, etc.? I think making sure that they know his estate planning in advance may reduce issues for you after he’s gone.

    3. Legal Zoom will not be much cheaper than an actual attorney and your documents likely would have errors depending on your state law. See a local lawyer for this.

    4. It cracks me up that you’re a lawyer and wouldn’t go to a lawyer for legal services.

    5. I don’t think it’s that weird to try to do it yourself w/Legal Zoom or a similar service, especially if you have legal training. My dad is a lawyer but not an estate lawyer and he did our family’s wills himself.

      1. Let us know how that works out…

        I vote “real lawyer who does this kind of thing every day.”

        1. Yes, but an irrevocable trust will create more headaches than you can possibly imagine. If you are thinking about this you most definitely need the advice of someone who specializes in trusts and estates.

        2. Depending on where you live, you may be able to accomplish the same thing with a revocable trust (but this also depends on dollar value of the estate).

      2. I’m a T&E lawyer and also had this question (and kind of presumed it was a typo / misuse of words)… If you are trying to avoid probate, your father should go with a fully funded REVOCABLE trust.

    7. I handle estate work and half of our cases consist of testators who did not properly prepare their documents, often trying to do it on the cheap themselves. It just creates more of a hassle and additional costs for their loved ones when they are still grieving. Don’t do that to them. Do it right.

    8. Follow up to the advice re: depends on the state law, which state? Decedent’s? Location of assets? Beneficiary?

      1. Both decedent’s and location of assets. If someone owns property in multiple states, they will need to go through probate in each state where the property is located. An estate planning attorney can help streamline this, for example, placing the second home inside an LLC that is sitused in home state.

  7. I am hunting for a cashmere wrap. I hope to find one with a good Black Friday/cyber Monday discount and would like to stay under $100. Any recommendations? I’d love to find something super soft, medium weight, light neutral color (cream, ivory, light tan).

    1. I know I’ve recommended this a dozen times on this size, but the Talbots waterweave cashmere wrap is great. The MRSP is over $100, but their Black Friday deal is usually 50% off an item and 40% off the rest of your purchase.

      1. Wow… just looked at this.

        Cashmere wrap is $159 full price. Now down to $79.

    2. My Nordstrom wrap, which checks all your boxes, cost around $100; I bought it last spring. I don’t think now is the time for the best deals. If you can hold off till after Christmas, winter items will go on deeper discount.

    3. Great advice– I will check out Talbots, and I can also wait until after Christmas. Thank you both!

  8. Um, you guys… I’ve got something in my stomach and it isn’t pie! It’s early (5 weeks?) so I’m a bit nervous that something will go wrong but also trying to let myself get a bit excited and let what comes, come. My husband is over the moon, he has spent the last 4 days talking to my belly.

    I called the midwife this morning and I won’t be seen / have a scan until early January. I’m going home for the holidays so if all goes well, I should tell my parents then, right? With the caveat that I haven’t been examined yet?

    1. Congratulations!!! Of course tell your parents, you guys sound really close and they are lovely. Wonderful news!!

    2. Congratulations!

      I’d tell your parents, with all those caveats, if you’ve got that kind of relationship. They’ll be elated for you!

      1. Thanks! I definitely will and I suspect my mom is on baby-watch anyways. They’ve been wonderful about not applying any sort of grandbaby pressure although I know they can’t wait. My dad informed me a year ago that he’d come over for six months so we could go back to work and not have to worry about nursery!

    4. Congrats. Certainly tell your parents if that feels right to you. And no need to caveat your happiness. If it feels better to you to do so, by all means, but today you are pregnant, and you are allowed to be happy.

        1. If your baby bean goes to care, a Scottish one. All of my American friends who married Brits have adorable kids who call them Mummy and have full English accents (because they are in London). Your baby bean will have a Scottish one, if his child minders are Scottish! Adorbs. All the best to you!

          1. And on the flip side, I have an English friend who is married to an American and lives in California. She sometimes shakes her head in wonder about how she ended up as the mother of a full-on American kid!

    6. Congrats! I’m at 8 weeks and will probably tell my parents this weekend. It’s so hard not to tell the world right now.

      1. I’m weirdly looking forward to going to the dentist on Friday so I can tell someone. I need to tell my yoga teacher as I’ll need to switch from hot yoga to regular for the first few months.

        1. Ha, that’s awesome. I told the checkout lady when I bought pre-natals. Just had to share my excitement.

        2. Congratulations! FWIW, if it’s available at your yoga studio, I highly recommend prenatal yoga, even if it’s in addition to regular classes (with modifications). It was definitely a gentler practice, but I liked the focus on the pregnant body and the aches and pains that go along with it, the new baby, breathing, preparing for childbirth, etc.

    9. Congratulations!!!!! Tell you parents if you want to, but it’s fine to wait a while if you feel more comfortable that way.

    10. Congratulations! I’d tell your parents – it will be much easier than coming up with reasons to refuse alcoholic beverages the whole holiday season, and it’s a relief to be able to talk to other people about it. False positives on pregnancy tests are so rare that it’s unlikely to be a false alarm, so my rule for telling people in the first trimester was not to tell anyone I wouldn’t want to “untell” if something happened to the baby.

    13. How nice – me too! I am also 5 weeks along, so really early as well, but oh so so so excited! I will tell me parents in two weeks when I am visiting. I already have told my best friends cause i just couldn’t keep it to myself (at work, all I can think is: Noone knows there are two of us :) :) ) At the same time I am quite nervous, but also very optimistic and mostly over-the-moon happy!

    17. Congratulations. I’ve been trying since January and I’m so jealous that you can tell at Thanksgiving or Christmas. I was nauseous when you were nauseous too but mine was just wonky hormones. I’m so happy that you got your BFP.

  9. How do you all deal with bad annual reviews? I have only ever had very positive reviews, but this is my first year at a new company and I can’t believe I got some not-stellar feedback from clients. A few admins on my team got much better feedback than I did – and they have all been here for a while – so I don’t think is a case of bad survey or harsh clients. How do I recover from this? I have an end of the year meeting with my boss next month and I am a bit dumbfounded. To be clear, the reviews aren’t objectively terrible but they aren’t great and they are worse than the other team members.

    1. You may consider thinking of a few sentences to say at the beginning of the review along the lines of, “I’ve always gotten positive performance reviews in the past, but this has been a year of adjustment for me, and I know there are areas that I can improve on. It’s been a high priority of mine during my time here to be a good fit for this role and I’m grateful for everything I’ve learned so far.” And then no more excuses or explanations or apologies as you get the feedback. You can reiterate your ‘opening statement’ at the end – that you have worked hard and will continue to work hard based on the feedback.

      I have done plenty of reviews in the past, and when I have to share negative feedback, I always feel much more optimistic about the future of employees who say, “I know I had some misses recently and I really want to do better,” than employees who are either totally unaware of their shortcomings or who push back on every bit of feedback.

      Something else you might consider: check out the book “Thanks for the Feedback: The Science and Art of Receiving Feedback Well”. It helps with things like reframing negative feedback so it doesn’t feel like an attack on your identity, and incorporating feedback without becoming paranoid or paralyzed.

      1. Oh – one more suggestion – set a calendar reminder for 3-4 months after your annual review, and send an email to your manager with a few bullet points of specific examples of ways that you have incorporated the feedback from your annual review into your work. The best would be if you have specific, measurable outcomes that you can report, but even if it’s just to say, “One of the pieces of feedback you gave me was a need to be more thorough in proofreading; I have made it a habit to set documents aside for a bit and read them with fresh eyes before sending them, which I believe has helped significantly.” or something like that.

        1. This sounds obnoxious. Don’t do this. I would recommend bringing this up organically when your supervisor compliments you on something, “Yes, I took more time to proofread per your recommendation at my annual review.” Only do this once or twice.

          1. Different strokes, I guess. If I complimented a team member and they responded with the above, I would find it very weird and forced. As a manager, I would not find it obnoxious at all to receive documentation from a team member showing that they had taken specific steps to improve themselves.

          2. Fair enough. OP, you should demonstrate that you’re taking critique seriously in a way that fits into your workplace culture.

          3. Yes, exactly! Thanks, Godzilla!

            And thanks also for the opportunity to type the words, “Thanks, Godzilla!”

        2. I like this except I wouldn’t add the part about “which I believe has helped significantly.” Let your boss make that determination. But I think it’s good to show that you’ve taken the feedback seriously and outline the steps you’ve taken to fix the issues that were identified at the review.

    2. Getting to see these reviews before the meeting with your boss is a good thing, because you can address them headon instead of getting blindsided.

      Come up with concrete plans to address the problems raised in the reviews. How are you going to fix this so it is not a problem going forward? What steps/processes can you put in place?

      Do you have any emails from the clients complimenting your work? Print those out and bring them with you.

      1. Yeah, from a managerial perspective, no one is expecting absolute perfection. I think if you go into your meeting with your boss conveying you are aware of areas you can improve on, upbeat that you now have awareness of them, and some ideas on how to address those areas and openness to suggestions Boss has too, it’s a winning combo.

  10. I am looking at buying the 13″ Dagne Dover tote. I probably won’t be carrying a laptop, but I do typically carry a small redweld (1-2″ thick). Would this be a good size? I’d love to go to the smaller mini, which looks like its dimensions might work, but only if It can go over my shoulder and the pictures look like it might not.

    Also, if anyone has the dark gray, does it look as dark as their pictures? I’d like more of a pewter that would go both with navy and black.

    Thanks and happy Thanksgiving to all!

    1. I have the 13″ in a fun red/orange color and I love it. I carry my Microsoft Surface pro (2nd or 3rd edition not the newest), a legal pad, my two full-size passion planners (2016 & 2017 – damn end of year) and then various other little items like sunglasses, wallet, makeup bag etc. I think you’d be OK with the redweld.

  11. Can anyone recommend specific pieces of affordable art? I know all the sources like art.com, minted, Emily Henderson’s site, but I could use specific recs instead of just sites. I have a big empty wall in the living room that is begging for some big statement pieces.

    1. YOu might check out Thomas McKnight’s website. He’s the one who got fame from the White House xmas cards. His genre is to give you views of various areas by looking into rooms and then out their windows. It’s bright, usually large sized, and lithographs may be within budget…

      It’;s hard to give you specific recs bc everyone has a different taste and color palette. Hopes this helps.

      You can also enlarge black/white photos you’ve taken and put them up in a gallery wall arrangement. I like that look, with them all having either gold, black, white, silver frames. Some places actually sell a template for placements on a wall. This could be much more of a personal statement. You could do the same with color photos, but I gravitate toward the black/white for some reason.

      1. I also like Skyline Art Prints. They have a variety of artists and let you pick if you want just the print, wrapped canvas, or framed.

    4. Have you looked at MoMA store and museum/theater gift stores in general? You won’t find affordable original art, but they usually have well-curated selections of prints and photographs.

    5. Do you have an art school near you? If so, they usually have student shows where a lot of pieces are affordable (and some are not).

      1. $3,300 is affordable!? Good lord. I enjoy art and have several original pieces in my home and I don’t think that’s affordable by any normal definition of that word.

    7. Does your city have any art-in-the-park type event? We have one that we go to annually and I usually find something nice there. It’s a good way to get something that has local ties (there are always watercolors of nearby landscapes) and you’re supporting individuals and small businesses. The prices also tend to be pretty cheap for original art.

      1. Search your city + open studios and browse away! Or a nearby city with more of an art scene. Or look for “first fridays” in areas where there are artist studios – meet a local artist and buy something or even have something commissioned. Agree w/student shows. Even local/regional high school art shows. In my city there are a million holiday markets and they usually have some good stuff.

        1. Also, check out student art shows. You could find some stuff you really love at a good price. Plus, you’ll be helping out a relatively new artist.

    8. Unfortunately, since everyone has such different taste, that’s nearly impossible. It is something you have to live with every day, so a piece of art needs to work for you personally. Not to mention color scheme, frame style (a lot of less expensive art comes framed or matted) etc. There are some great suggestions here though!

    9. I wanted something big and colorful for my office and I found an affordable, one of a kind piece on… Craigslist. Yes, some local person who dabbles in painting was selling her art for pretty much the price of her canvases and paints, and I love the piece.

  12. This is part etiquette question, part Hatch Act question. I am a (white) law clerk. I’ve been wearing a BLM button on my coat as a gesture of solidarity. I did some quick research and I’m fairly confident this is okay under the Hatch Act, since I don’t think it is “partisan.”

    Today I am meeting a group of judges from our courthouse and traveling with them via subway to a lunch event, so I’ll be wearing my coat and button for quite a while. I feel a little ashamed I am even thinking about this, but should I remove the button or move it to my bag where it is a little less noticeable? I feel strongly about this cause, but don’t want to create unnecessary friction at work or put my own judge in an awkward position with his colleagues if anyone has a problem with it. Then I feel awful for thinking about removing the button since the whole point is to show solidarity when it is inconvenient for me personally. Blah.

    1. For what it’s worth, I’m black and I wouldn’t wear it on my jacket. That said, I am also not a button-wearing, bumper sticker sporting kind of girl. I believe in supporting important causes and being vocal about things, and I have a ton of opportunities to do that even without buttons and the like.

      The button’s cool, I’m just saying that there are many ways you can support the cause and make your views known. If you still do those things, moving the button isn’t a big deal or something you should feel bad about.

    4. Unfortunately I think you should remove it. People get particularly sensitive about BLM (and similar causes) and may judge you for it or think youre ‘biased’ or ‘partisan’. What one views as solidarity others view as shoving your ‘opinion’ down peoples throats in the workplace. It is what it is. Just wear it outside of the workplace.

      =(

    6. I think you’re right about the Hatch Act.

      That said, I think it’s slightly off to say that “the whole point is to show solidarity when it is inconvenient for me personally.” Surely the point is to show solidarity when it would be helpful or effective, regardless of whether it’s inconvenient to you personally? I.e. the really important question is whether wearing this button in this situation is good for the cause.

      Maybe that is what you meant and I’m just having an issue with your phrasing. But if it does put your judge in an awkward position, or makes other judges or clerks feel cheesed off and defensive, or if people think “Political buttons of whatever kind are unprofessional” and it reflects badly on your judge (who supports BLM, it sounds like–right?), that doesn’t help. On the other hand, it might lend emotional support to other supporters who are in a tough spot. So I think what you have to do is weigh the likelihood of all these positive and negative outcomes and make your decision based on that. Try not to fall into the temptation of thinking that you can help a cause *by inconveniencing yourself*. :)

      1. I should have said “the whole point is to show solidarity *even* when it is inconvenient for me personally.” I do not think that simply making myself uncomfortable would help anybody else, of course.

        After some more thought I decided to remove the button, primarily because I am concerned other judges might think badly of ANY social or political button (even if OK under the Hatch Act) and reflect poorly on my judge. He is very socially progressive, although we haven’t spoken about BLM specifically. I’m sure he’d be supportive in theory but I don’t want to make him feel awkward. It’s also the first time I’m meeting a lot of these judges and don’t want them to have a weird first impression of his clerk.

        1. Ah, okay, I thought that might be the case. Anyway, it sounds like you made the right call! :)

    7. I would remove it also, as a Fed (and replace it for your commute home.) Not because I’d be uncomfortable standing for it personally but while I like to think this isn’t a political issue, I wouldn’t be testing the Hatch Act.

      You can always call your ethics counselor and ask – probably an uncomfortable convo but then you will know what is the absolute answer.

    8. The Hatch Act is not your only consideration here. I’m going to assume you are a federal law clerk. If so, please review your ethical obligations, which include not to align yourself — either way — with any cause that could come before your judge in any shape or form. It is not an issue of partisanship, it is an issue of being viewed as potentially biased should an issue that even tangentially touches on this end up before your judge. Just like their judges, law clerks are supposed to avoid even the appearance of impropriety, which means no buttons, bumper stickers or anything (even lawn signs) that support a cause.

      1. This. My husband is judicial employee. He is very cautious to always appear non-biased on all issues. It’s one of the big downsides of the job. Our accounts are joint and we share a last name so I even refrain from making political donations. That is likely above and beyond for Hatch Act purposes but he feels more comfortable with his ethical obligations that way.

        What’s annoying is that he obviously does still have political opinions and preferences. He’s human. He’s just not allowed to tell the world about them. Wouldn’t it be better to just know what our judges internal preferences and biases are? I guess the idea is they don’t want judges to be bought and they are more open to bribes and corruption when people know what you care about.

        1. Of course all judicial employees, including judges, have personal and political opinions as well as personal history, etc. However, the idea is that judges, and those who work for them, should decide specific cases and issues based on the facts of that case, without being swayed by those personal opinions. Where the outcome of a case is close, the public should not be given even the impression that a judge has decided a case because he or she dislikes Planned Parenthood or does not agree with BLM.

      1. A Clinton button is objectively partisan….kind of different than a Black Lives Matter button, where there’s at least an argument it’s not aligned with a political party.

        1. Yeah I know. I’ve been leaving it on (not a lawyer) as a sort of not-everyone-agrees-with-Trump thing, but maybe I’ll replace it with a more neutral button or the safety pin thats all the rage on pantsuit nation or something

      2. That’s partisan, so you’re not allowed to wear/display it while you’re (a) physically at work, or (b) on official time. (Bumper stickers on a car you park at work don’t count.) You can wear it while you’re commuting, but you have to take it off when you get to work.

  13. Wise ladies — I’ve been trying to eat more oatmeal recently. Every time I cook it with milk on the stove, I get a gluey whitish buildup in the bottom of the pot. Is there a way to avoid that?

    2. I make mine with plain water. Whenever I use milk, it gets gluey. Water, a dash of cinnamon, and a few drops of vanilla or almond extract. If I want it creamy, I make a well on top of the oatmeal when it’s in my bowl and pour a little half and half in there.

      1. +1 water….it combines with the oatmeal dust and does create a sort of milky effect, which for me is enough.

    4. The only times I have avoided that is if I stir constantly so it doesn’t have a chance to set on the bottom. But I don’t always have time to stand there and stir it the whole time so I just soak the pan after.

    5. I avoid the issue by making overnight oats. I usually thrown oats, milk and whatever mixins into a big Tupperware on Sunday and then have oatmeal for a few days.

    6. I’m just impressed you’re making oatmeal on the stove. The idea of not using the microwave never even occurred to me.

    7. I’ve never heard of making oatmeal just with milk. You’re supposed to simmer ’em in water; add milk or cream when they’re done. Don’t forget the brown sugar!

      1. I only make it with milk (on stove or in microwave) + lots of cinnamon and a bit of brown sugar or maple syrup. I think it tastes horrid with water.

        1. Me too. I make it with all milk also. I do not like it with plain water at all. The taste and texture is different. I usually make mine in the microwave at work, but I like it best made on the stovetop with all milk.

    8. Whether to put milk in porridge is a seriously controversial question here. I make it with one (small) mugful/ beaker each of oats, milk, and water. It’s how my mum makes it so therefore it is the best way.

      Signed

      Your scottish correspondent.

  14. I just wanted to thank this group for the Mirena advice since, oh, the beginning of time. I got mine on Friday (not entirely due to the election but the results of the election confirmed that an IUD is the right choice for me).

    I took 4 advil before my appointment. My GYN was running late so we had a rushed consult while I disrobed but we had talked about Mirena in depth about 6 months ago so it was NBD. I won’t lie–the insertion hurt! The medical assistant gave me a heating pad just as pain started and I started counting down from 30 when the pain got really bad. I made it to 15 and the procedure was over. She did an ultrasound to make sure it was placed properly using a probe.

    It hurt when I left the office but I kept the heating pad, drove home, changed out of my street clothes, found my heating pad, and sat on the couch. Well, the adrenaline must have died because I was IN PAIN for about the next 8 hours. I ended up napping and taking 2 more doses of 4 advil. At one point, I did drive to my boyfriend’s (20 mins) and then needed to lay down with my heating pad.* I did not feel up for leaving his place to go out to eat. Saturday, I woke up and felt fine. I took 2 advil just in case and had a normal day.

    My only surprise: I got my period yesterday! It makes sense: I was on the pill and stopped taking it after the IUD so it’s likely my normal withdrawal cycle–the timing is about right: 4 days after my last active pill.

    So thanks everyone on here who through the years has shared their Mirena stories. I wouldn’t have had the courage to do this. It feels so good to not have to worry about BC for the next 5 years!

    *He did offer to come to my house instead. He’s sweet that way. But traffic to my house at rush hour is awful and it’s a reverse commute for me to go to his. Plus. we had plans on Saturday that meant staying at his place was going to be easier.

    1. This is my situation as well and I’m getting mine inserted… whenever the ordering process ends (why is it so hard for doctors to keep this just in stock? do they “go bad”? real question :( ) Thanks for your addition to the advice – including confirming my suspicion that I should not plan on wanting to go back to work afterwards.

      1. Mine hurt horribly during insertion (I passed out from it laying on the table), but after I was fine. I was a little dazed from the ordeal, but once inserted properly, it should no longer hurt. I think I even did a yoga class that evening.

    2. It hurts so badly! I went to work after mine, and the seatbelt even aggravated it. For anyone else considering it, take meds beforehand and schedule it at the end of the day. Lesson learned.

    3. I have considered getting an IUD. I’ve been on the pill for years and have had no problems. I guess my only reason for considering it is the election and the potential for the cost of the pill to increase. Right now my insurance covers 100% of the cost. The pain of an IUD really frightens me.

      1. It’s not just the pain. Several friends have had problems with them falling out once inserted. One friend bled for six months straight after insertion. My philosophy is “if it’s not broke, don’t fix it.” If you’re happy with the pill, I wouldn’t seek out an IUD.

      2. I was really happy with the Pill for over a decade. I made the switch because (1) I’m 36 and apparently the side effects for the Pill can get worse after 35 and (2) I am going to be relying on Obamacare for insurance and well, Obamacare might not exist in a few months. If Obamacare goes, so does no-copay BCPs.

        In terms of how debilitating the pain is, I would compare it to a bad cold. I could fall asleep, I could walk around the apartment, cook lunch, eat, and drive for 20 minutes. But I didn’t want to go out and would have had a hard time concentrating on work.

      3. I thought my IUD insertion hurt, but that’s because my sister said hers was only slightly uncomfortable. Mine was nowhere near as bad as what is being described here, so take that for what it’s worth. It was painful during the insertion. Once it was in, it was uncomfortable for a few days. Better than period cramps. I can’t remember, but almost certainly went back to work afterwards.

    4. I’ve gotten the Mirena twice – before I was ever pregnant and just after delivery of 2 babies. The first time was so painful – I turned white in the doctors office, thought I was going to faint, and they had to call my husband to pick me up. (Was fine later that night other than bad cramping but no way I could have gone back to work right after.). My second time I barely realized the doc was done (same OB both times). My OB told me ahead of time that after being pregnant, it would be a breeze – not sure if that’s because certain areas have “stretched” or my definition of pain has changed after having 2 babies…

      I’m terrible with remembering the pill so even though it was painful the first time around, the pain was temporary enough that I thought the trade off was worth it (plus, I stopped getting my period so an unanticipated bonus when I was traveling extensively where tampons aren’t readily available).

  15. Thinking of making a trip to Amsterdam in April. Any advice- where to stay, what to do? Would you visit The Hague or Brussels or somewhere else while there as well?

    1. How long do you have? If 4 days or less I’d just stay in Amsterdam. If you have more than that, I’d do some trips to the Dutch countryside. I don’t care for Brussels at all so I wouldn’t go there. Go to Bruges if you’re set on Belgium, but unless you have significantly more than a week, I’d just stay in the Netherlands.

    2. I wouldn’t necessarily go to belgium but you can do a short train ride to other dutch cities if you don’t want to just stay in amsterdam the whole time. i thought leiden was incredibly charming and a totally different feeling. there are all these small “secret” public garden courtyards you can google to find.

      in amsterdam, i would definitely try to do a canal cruise (as touristy as they are), the anne frank house (it will be a line but it was so moving and worth it to me), get some good coffee at the super hipster coffee places (coffee + coconuts i think)…. i also enjoyed the house of bols (that gin brand), the begijnhof with the courtyard and garden, really liked the rijksmuseum. foodwise also try some of the street frites (i liked vlaamse frites over the other really popular one), apple pie and food at Cafe Winkel 43 (kinda crowded too).

    3. The best meal I had in Amsterdam was rijsttafel (“rice table”). It’s a traditional meal from Dutch colonial days (so not quite PC) that features Indonesian food. Rice table is basically a sampler of all the Indonesian dishes that they can think of. We went with a group and had 20-30 dishes served family style. I don’t remember where we went but google has lots of options and reviews to find a place.

    4. Depending on how much time you have, mid to end of April is prime-time tulip season. I visited Keukenhof, which I thought was really cool and unique.

    5. Yellow Bike Tours. I did one that went through the city and put into the countryside as well. Charming.

    6. You need 3 days in Amsterdam, and then do a day trip to delft. Another day trip to The Hague and visit the mauritshaus.

      Go to Bruges for a couple of days. And Paris is just three hours away by Thalys. Skip Brussels.

    7. I replied below, but accidentally did it as a new post. Happy to answer any questions if I can :-)

  16. You can book timed entry in advance at most museums, which I would recommend, especially if you’re trying to go on a weekend. For Anne Frank, I would book as soon as possible http://www.annefrank.org/

    The Resistance museum is another really interesting one http://www.verzetsmuseum.org/museum/en

    If you go to Keukenhof, I highly recommend renting bikes when you’re done and biking around the surrounding tulip fields. https://www.rentabikevandam.nl/en/keukenhof/ (warning – automusic on this one)

    If you like windmills, you might want a day or half day trip to either Kinderdijk or Zaanse Schaans.
    Kinderdijk has ~ 20 windmills along a river – you can take a 30 minute boat ride up/down the river to see them, and also go inside one or two, and there is a tiny museum with a video.
    https://www.kinderdijk.com/ (also has automusic, sorry!)

    Zaanse Schans is a small “village” – kind of like a tiny colonial Williamsburg – with windmills and old shops/houses, and some restaurants, that is kind of neat. You can go into some of the mills which are still in operation, and take a boat cruise up the river past the cocoa factory (and the air smells like hot chocolate). You can also take a boat across the river and wander through a beautiful neighborhood with the traditional green houses of the area.
    https://www.dezaanseschans.nl/?lang=en

    If you’re into beer, I’d recommend checking out some of the smaller breweries instead of the Heineken Experience (though it’s an interesting contrast!). When we last had visitors we booked an English language tour at De Prael which is right in the red light district http://deprael.nl/

    There is also this one — I haven’t been yet, but it’s supposed to be great http://www.brouwerijhetij.nl/?lang=en

    There’s plenty to do in and around Amsterdam (and The Hague and Leiden and Delft) – I’d save Belgium for another trip (and check out Bruges and Ghent, or Antwerp over Brussels). Have a great trip!

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