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These wedge booties have been bestsellers for years now, so I was intrigued when they went 40% off at both Nordstrom and Zappos.
My size was out at Nordstrom, so I ordered through Zappos and was pleased to find that with Prime shipping I received them the next day. (Whereas those holiday cards that I paid for 3-day shipping on the 12th still haven't arrived! Whee!)
In any event, I really like them — I like that there's waterproof leather, a very grippy “molded rubber outsole,” and kind of a kickass take-no-prisoners vibe also.
I've had such great experiences with Zappos returns (365 days, prepaid label/shipping, etc.) that I ordered both the zipper version and the pull-on version and am still trying to decide between the two. I just noticed this slightly lower wedge heel while writing the post, which I may order also.
The pictured boots were $200 but are now marked down to $120. Zappos has them in nine colors, regular widths, sizes 5-12.
Stay tuned for a roundup of our latest favorite shoes in wide widths!
Sales of note for 9.30.24
- Nordstrom – Beauty deals through September
- Ann Taylor – Extra 30% off sale
- Banana Republic Factory – 50% off everything + extra 20% off
- Boden – 15% off new styles
- Eloquii – Extra 50% off sale
- J.Crew – 50% off select styles
- J.Crew Factory – Up to 60% off everything + 50% off sale with code
- Lo & Sons – Warehouse sale, up to 70% off
- M.M.LaFleur – Save 25% sitewide
- Neiman Marcus – Friends & Family 25% off
- Rag & Bone – Friends & Family 25% off sitewide
- Spanx – Lots of workwear on sale, some up to 70% off
- Talbots – Fall Cyber Monday sale, 40% off sitewide and $5 shipping
- Target – Car-seat trade-in event through 9/28 — bring in an old car seat to get a 20% discount on other baby/toddler stuff.
- White House Black Market – 40% off select styles
Sales of note for 9.30.24
- Nordstrom – Beauty deals through September
- Ann Taylor – Extra 30% off sale
- Banana Republic Factory – 50% off everything + extra 20% off
- Boden – 15% off new styles
- Eloquii – Extra 50% off sale
- J.Crew – 50% off select styles
- J.Crew Factory – Up to 60% off everything + 50% off sale with code
- Lo & Sons – Warehouse sale, up to 70% off
- M.M.LaFleur – Save 25% sitewide
- Neiman Marcus – Friends & Family 25% off
- Rag & Bone – Friends & Family 25% off sitewide
- Spanx – Lots of workwear on sale, some up to 70% off
- Talbots – Fall Cyber Monday sale, 40% off sitewide and $5 shipping
- Target – Car-seat trade-in event through 9/28 — bring in an old car seat to get a 20% discount on other baby/toddler stuff.
- White House Black Market – 40% off select styles
And some of our latest threadjacks here at Corporette (reader questions and commentary) — see more here!
Some of our latest threadjacks include:
- What to say to friends and family who threaten to not vote?
- What boots do you expect to wear this fall and winter?
- What beauty treatments do you do on a regular basis to look polished?
- Can I skip the annual family event my workplace holds, even if I'm a manager?
- What small steps can I take today to get myself a little more “together” and not feel so frazzled all of the time?
- The oldest daughter is America's social safety net — change my mind…
- What have you lost your taste for as you've aged?
- Tell me about your favorite adventure travels…
Anonymous
A neighbor is asking me to be treasurer for her run for council in our very small town (less than 10,000 people). Can anyone give me an idea of how much work this will be? I’m good with Excel and budgets but I’m not an accountant.
Anonymous
Ask her to clarify – this can be time consuming with deadlines to update information via uploads to archane systems. Your county’s Supervisor of Elections will have details. The SoE Web site will also have forms and examples.
Anonymous
Are you familiar with campaign finance laws?
anon
Can you ask someone who used to hold that position?
pnw anon
Ask who will be doing the tax and any other regulatory filings. Find out what systems will be used – QuickBooks? Definitely speak with anyone who has done this for her previously. Find out how often you would meet and how you would be expected to communicate the financial activity.
Anon
You don’t need to be an accountant, but you do need to follow whatever laws are applicable. My campaign treasurer is amazing because she has very organized spreadsheets and was great with deadlines and my state’s campaign finance rules.
Anonymous
OP here — I’m not familiar with campaign finance laws. I looked at our state SOS website and found a campaign treasurer’s handbook and asked the candidate if it controlled (versus a county one or city one) and she said she thought so.
i should run far away, right? if she doesn’t know if state/county/city rules apply? (she used to be a paralegal and is telling me she can do a lot of the work herself.)
Anon
I mean, state rules are going to be mandatory. It’s rare for a locality to have stricter rules, but some states have weird home-rule rules (and then often for larger cities). This sounds like a lot of work with a lot of potential liability for not a lot of reward. RUN. It would be different if you could have been an assistant treasurer to learn under someone who knew this stuff.
Anon
I would say run because OP clearly doesn’t want to do it, not because the candidate is doing anything wrong.
Anon
If you don’t want to do it, tell her no.
Anon
I have been a campaign treasurer twice; both times was for a statewide campaign, so only state campaign finance laws apply. I’m a bit surprised to hear that there are county-wide campaign finance laws; counties derive their authority from states, and it would be odd for a state to allow a situation wherein there are two sets of laws on those issues.
You’ll have to open up a bank account. You will have to keep track of all receipts and expenditures and upload them into the system by the filing deadlines. You will have to keep track of individual campaign contribution limits as well as limits on accepting contributions from corporations, unions, and non-profits.
The biggest factor is your friend. If she is remotely flakey or the type to wave her hands and say everything is okay, you could be in a lot of trouble. If she gives you bad information, you’re responsible for it. If she does not give you information in advance of the filing deadlines, you’re in trouble. If she thinks that running is a fun thing to do and has no idea of how to be strategic about it, you’re in a for a rough ride.
Baby Weight
My father’s campaign manager basically lived at our house for a few months each cycle. His campaign’s treasurer was there a lot too. As an adult, I’ve stayed far, far away from anything other than voting and donating because of it. Does Emily’s List provide any kind of guidance? (Assuming she’d be an Emily’s lister). You’d think there would be a pack that would have some training for those who do that kind of campaign work.
Anon
I was a campaign treasurer in MA. There’s a required training offered online or in person (I assume not in person anymore). You have to open a bank account with the candidate, do deposits, and report deposits (the donations) within 3 days in their online system. You may have to log in to clarify expenditures if the vendor and purpose isn’t readily apparent. You don’t have to use Quickbooks. Honestly the hardest part is familiarizing yourself with acceptable expenses. You also need to be organized and good with deadlines because there’s an end of year report.
Anon
Re: expenditures, the bank automatically uploads those into the online system. Clarification is needed if, say, you make a purchase at a print shop and a restaurant. You’d need to log in and type “campaign handcard printing” and “dinner for campaign meeting”.
NYNY
Exciting news that I can’t share widely IRL yet: I got a (verbal) job offer today for a role I was in the running for back in January! It’s a step up in title and a move back to an organization I previously worked for. Not as big a bump as I wanted, but I negotiated it up and feel good about it. Waiting for the written offer to review before accepting and submitting my resignation, but I am so ready for this change!
Ellen
Congrats, and don’t worry, we won’t tell anyone!
On a related topic, how can I motivate my new associate to stay when she is looking for immediate courtroom experience? We usually have NOT let associates speak in court, especialy in cases. It is OK if they raise objections in EBT’s, but not in court. She is instructed to tell me what she thinks and I say the objection or not. She says her freinds in other firms have their own case loads and she wants to own a few cases. I say she needs to be here for at least 3 years and becomes a senior associate before she should be abel to speak in court.
What is the HIVE’s expereince in litigation questions like this? Should I allow her to be independent now even if it means flopping on her face? I think she has potential, not like Mason, who focused mainly on sleeping with Lynn. What would the HIVE do?
Anon
Congratulations! 2021 is looking much better!
Anonymous
What are grieving people doing during Covid? We’ve lost an awful lot of people from Covid, and people are still dying of normal non-Covid things like cancer, heart disease, etc. I understand why funerals are out and I agree – you can have your 100+ person memorial service when there’s not a pandemic raging. But do we really think people shouldn’t go comfort mom when dad dies? That she should go to the funeral home and deal with all the end of life details by herself? She should stay home alone during her first holiday without dad? To me, that’s fundamentally different than socializing because we wanna and it’s faaaaaamily and the hooooolidays! And frankly I can’t imagine anyone refusing to be by an immediate family member’s side to grieve. I guess I just don’t understand why the guidance seems to be complete lockdown instead of giving people a roadmap of what to do to minimize risk if they ABSOLUTELY MUST visit a different household.
Anonymous
We did a Zoom funeral for my relative’s service and it was well-attended (30+ people). One family member traveled to be there with his wife and help with the details. 2-3 people were at the service live from the family, trying to socially-distance.
Carrie
+1
I attended a Zoom funeral for the parent of a dear friend. It was wonderful and I was stunned how many people attended, how nice the readings were, as well as spontaneous participation from co-workers/friends who wanted to share stories.
My friend went to be with her Mom (the new widow) and wore masks in her mom’s house.
anon
Where are you seeing these exact recommendations? I haven’t had any close relatives die, but my understanding is that even very cautions people are having someone there with the primary survivors and that there are funerals, they are just very small (less than 10 people) and everyone else attends via zoom.
Anonymous
Yes. They are.
Anonymous
Can’t she use the telephone to make funeral arrangements?And are you really suggesting people should fly in to potentially expose surviving members to COVID?
Anonymous
Is this really happening though? In my area there are no wakes but funerals with up to ten people are allowed. If someone is masked and distanced why can they not attend at the funeral home to assist with the burial arrangements.
In some cases, people may want to remain distanced from mom because mom may be in a nursing home and at high risk for covid. No one wants to risk losing both parents in the same year. Where that is not the case, I have heard of people joining households with the newly widowed parent but masking, separate bathrooms etc until the first 7-10 days have passed.
Anonymous
Why though? Who post a hypo just to stir people up. Some people are grieving alone. Some people are gathering. Grief stricken people are making their choices and this thread does is heap judgment for no reason.
Anon
Amen, weren’t this morning’s threads enough?
anonymous
My dad passed away unexpectedly (non-covid related) a month ago. My mom called early in the morning when she woke up and he wasn’t breathing. Thankfully we only live 20 minutes away and drove over there immediately. We wore masks and the police officers and people from the funeral home who came also wore masks and we kept our distance from them. We had seen my parents occasionally for dinner prior to my dad passing. My mom is a teacher and was WFH and she only left the house for groceries.
My brother lives a three hour flight away and flew home the next day. We had a Hindu ceremony an as the eldest son, he did the last rites. It was just me, my husband mom and brother at the funeral along with the priest who was wearing a mask and face shield. At the time the funeral home allowed up to 30 people, but my mom told her friends she only wanted immediate family there.
So yeah, I went to comfort my mom when my dad died and helped drive her to/from the funeral home to make arrangements, etc.
Anon
There are guidelines though? Every college student heading home at the end of the semester was given guidelines for rejoining their household. Quarantine times, etc.
Anonymous
Uh no you can’t plan death, this is nothing like coming home from college. When a close relative dies, you can’t just sit on your hands and wait two weeks to show up. A lot of things have to be done in that time.
Carrie
But a lot can be done by phone. And a lot can be done wearing a mask, socially distancing, and just doing the best you can do.
Anonymous
There are literally designated people, including authorities and funeral directors, to guide you through the whole process. It does nothing to “show up” and “be present,” you still have to follow a procedure. Yes, you do have to be timely about it. That’s part of the plan.
KS IT Chick
A childhood friend passed away from cancer this summer. He had been in hospice care for several months, so it wasn’t a surprise when he passed.
His brothers, sisters and their spouses (7 siblings) plus their children came home for the funeral. They specifically requested that family friends and more extended family not attend the funeral, to avoid extra exposure. His wife made the arrangements with the funeral home and the parish priest. All of the attendees were masked and stayed in their small family groups, at distance from one another. They used prerecorded music so no singing or organ.
I am still on a friendly basis with his brother and SIL. It wasn’t ideal but they felt that it was the best way to honor him in a time when such things can easily go very wrong.
LaurenB
My grandmother died at the beginning of the pandemic, at a location 1000 miles away from where her only relatives (my mother, sister and I) live. Obviously in normal times we would have flown out but it wasn’t possible. The funeral home and cemetery took care of everything and sent us pictures of her in her casket and as the casket was lowered into the ground, so we could be assured that her body was treated with dignity. A friend local to that area said he’d go to the funeral on our behalf, and we told him absolutely not, under no circumstances. It was not worth it. My sister and I consoled our mother over the phone, not in person. It wasn’t a function of “refusing to be by her side while she grieved” – it was a function of understanding that we all needed to play things safe so that hopefully my mother would make it to 100 like my grandmother did. Honestly, I can see sending one family member to be the “delegate” to a widow, but not the whole gang.
Anonymous
+1. People aren’t staying home because they want to. It’s to prevent even worse tragedies. I can’t imagine how awful I would feel if I insisted on “all of us being together” and someone in my family lost their life as a result. The only circumstance I could see being okay with is sending a delegate if the location could be reached within a reasonable drive and no exposure beyond gas stations.
I’m sorry for your loss.
LaurenB
This is a bit of a threadjack to myself but hopefully someone will see it and this will be of use. My grandmother was buried in a family plot and we had prepaid for the funeral when she went into the nursing home (that’s a whole other Medicare/Medicaid discussion). She was one of four siblings and her parents (my great-grandparents) had bought 10 sites assuming that they, all four siblings and their spouses would be buried there – but the other 3 siblings left the area and are buried in their new towns, so it’s only my great-grandparents and grandparents buried there. I looked into selling the other sites but for a number of reasons that’s not legal, feasible, blah blah blah. But I could donate them to a charity that takes care of funerals for indigent children, so I did so. Two of the plots have already been used, so I guess it’s a mixture of happiness that they are going to good use for families who don’t have the money for a burial, and sadness that it meant two children have died.
Anon
As my absolutely grief-stricken MIL says, “if I couldn’t see Grandma for the last year of her life, why the hell would I risk traveling now for a funeral?”
The family living in the house with her a comforting as best they can, and a Zoom memorial is in the works.
Anon
An elderly member of my family passed away unexpectedly (non covid) and the drama of the funeral was exactly like the big weddings defying restrictions. People flew in from multiple states with surging numbers because they just had to be together. Held at a private house so there could be more than a hundred people, instead of the 30 allowed. Claims that everyone wore masks, but photos show otherwise. And best of all, those high-risk family members who opted out are still being ostracized.
Anonanonanon
We had a very small outdoor graveside funeral for my mother in law. Five people with masks. My husband handled most of the arrangements by phone. No congregating happened except the little distanced conversations that happened walking back to cars. It was sad but not sure what else to do given the circumstances.
Anonymous
Signal-boosting Lauren’s comment from the morning thread about how you cannot make a 20-person indoor meet-up safer by providing hand sanitizer:
“This is like saying that you are planning on giving everyone drinks and then have them drive home, but you’ll take steps to keep it safe by checking everyone’s tires to make sure they are at the right pressure.”
FL Girl
Slow hand clap! That is awesome.
Anon
I’ve got another one: “This is like saying you’re going to have unprotected sex with someone you know has HIV, but keep it safe by washing your hands first.”
COVID advice
So I promise I’m not tr*lling. I fell downmy stairs an managed to smash my lower arm against a metal banister. It’s partially numb and there is a large bump but due to the numbness it no longer really hurts. I am really struggling with the decision about whether or not to go to the doctor, there is a non zero chance I may have fractured it or there is some sort of nerve damage, however it’s also a possibility that it’s just a bad bone bruise and will go away on its own. Cost is in no way shape or form a factor in this decision, only COVID. Currently I’m thinking of possibly signing up for one of those fancy medical practices where you pay a yearly fee, but even that makes me a little uneasy. Advice? I have only done telemedicine this whole pandemic but I don’t think this is the type of thing a doctor can assess virtually.
Anon
If you are more scared of COVID than nerve damage, wait a day and make a first-in-the-morning appointment (when office is probably most clean and has had no one breathing in it overnight). See what has happened. Often, that gives you and the triage staff a clue about what is going on. Maybe nothing. Maybe something (permanent; time and treatment will make no difference). Maybe something else (temporary or time/treatment may help).
FWIW, I burned my hand so bad it has nerve damage. I only went to the doctor for the pain. They couldn’t do anything really (esp. that the nerve damage wasn’t obvious until it had healed). Gave me some weak topical meds and a tetanus shot, so my pain actually increased. The tetanus shot was still a good idea though.
Good luck!
Anonymous
If you’re more scared of covid than of losing functionality of your arm you’re an idiot.
Anon
Is it your dominant arm? Kidding. Either way, try to go earlier in the day. But go.
pink
lolz. needed that laugh.
Anonymous
I went to an urgent care affiliated with my doc that had X-ray on premises when I thought I broke my ankle. The doc looked at it, sent me to get X-rays, then reviewed films while I waited. Conclusion, bad sprain, I’m still glad I went in. It’s not zero risk, but my ankle is kind of important. Go in!
pnw anon
If you aren’t already, maybe ice it and organize a telemedicine visit so they can help you assess whether you need to go in or not. But I have gone to the doctor several times this year for urgent needs. Seen a few providers and none of them have made me feel like I am being selfish for getting medical help.
Anonymous
Oh my god what is wrong with you? You need to go to an ER or a real urgent care or an orthopedist immediately. This is an emergency you need to be seen in person. Right now.
COVID advice
I’m trying not to waste limited medical resources when people are literally dying, I’m also trying to prevent any unnecessary exposure myself. The goal is to be a good responsible citizen.
Anonymous
You need medical care right now! No one is helped by you losing your arm!
Anon
Orthopedists are not staffing COVID wards in most cases. Please get medical care, unless you have a good idea that this injury is minor enough not to need treatment.
Anonymous
are you kidding me? the orthopedic surgeon doesn’t have a choice–either help Covid patients or see you. I promise. Your original post sounded like you didn’t want to go to the ortho because you were afraid of catching COVID in the waiting room. Now you are trying to tell us that you don’t want to go because you are trying to be a responsible citizen. This is lunacy. You are not going to get COVID from the doctor’s office. Also, you aren’t saving anyone by not going to the ortho. This is the opposite of responsible. Also, lay off this site for a while, because your perspective is warped.
Anonymous
This.
Go to the doctor for your arm.
Anon
Seriously. Stop being a martyr and just go to the doctor. You’re not going to get a medal because you skipped out on important medical treatment.
Anonymous
No one is “trying to get a medal.” They’re trying to not get sick. Please stop with the casual cruelty when over 2,000 people are dying of COVID every day in the U.S. alone.
Anonymous
Dude, she is not going to “die of Covid” after going to an orthopedic surgeon’s office. Everyone in the doctor’s office will be masked, they will doing a great job of keeping people spread out in the waiting room. The doctor’s office may be one of the safest places to be.
LaurenB
“Wasting limited medical resources” would be if you were choosing to get completely unnecessary cosmetic surgery (which the hospital wouldn’t allow you to do anyway — most elective surgeries aren’t being allowed). If you need medical care for a sprain, a UTI / bladder infection, an eye infection, an injury — go get it. It’s FINE.
Anon
My daughter had 2 appointments for a toe that turned out not to be broken. If you are not high risk, seek medical care. The doctor and/or ER will be taking extensive COVID precautions.
Anonymous
Even if you are high risk, seek medical care. I can’t believe that anyone would believe that someone should delay medical care, potentially for nerve damage, due to being high risk for Covid. I do not understand what is happening here anymore.
anon
+1
This is why people can’t take a lot of the good advice here seriously, because it gets mixed in with this nonsense. This is a medical emergency. Go seek medical help.
Anonymous
Call your doctor and see what they advise.
anon
I would go ahead and make an appointment with an orthopedist. The appointment will likely not be for today, and you can cancel if it goes away on its own. An orthopedist’s office will be safer, Covid-wise, than an ER or urgent care. If you can, look for one that has imaging equipment within the office suite or on premises, so you don’t get sent to another facility for x-rays.
I’ve been to the doctor several times this year. I went to a retina specialist because I had floaters in my vision, and while the floaters were not caused by a retina detachment, he incidentally found and repaired a retina tear. I’ve also had my annual pelvic exam for the first time in 5 years, got my first mammogram, and got my IUD replaced. So far, so good, though I recognize there’s a non-zero risk.
Is it Friday yet?
This, going to a standalone orthopedist office is not going to be taking resources away from the COVID ward, and a good office should be taking precautions so your risk is low. I’ve also been to several different doctors and the dentist this year, you shouldn’t be deferring medical care, especially in this case, where it’s urgent and could potentially have long term implications for your arm’s functionality.
Anonymous
this must be fake. where are all the smart, high achieving women?? GO TO THE DOCTOR. You need X-rays. You are not going to get Covid from going to the doctor’s office, where mask compliance will be 100% and they have probably updated the air filtration systems. It is like everyone forgot how to asses risk on their own. I understand that there is at least one person who reads this site who hasn’t left her house since March. She also spends a lot of time looking out her windows at other people’s cars, and has grown bitter and unhappy. She has a ton of time on her hands, so may be posting here as multiple different people, all urging everyone to stop trying to balance risk and just do exactly what she is doing. Please. Use your head. Why have you only done telemedicine the entire pandemic? How are your teeth getting cleaned? Where have you seen reports of cases being linked to doctor’s or dentist offices? What do you think is going to happen to you? As a side note, I did hurt my ankle earlier this year, and it turned out that I had an entrapped nerve–I am still not 100%, months later. You need someone to give you the information on what is wrong, and possibly start physical therapy.
Aunt Jamesina
I know plenty of people who have loads of book and workplace smarts and zero common sense :-)
Anonymous
I mean literally all the responses are “go to the doctor”
anon
+1
Anonymous
You’re right. I haven’t seen all the “smart, high-achieving” women either. They’re still meeting up with family and thinking the pandemic doesn’t apply to them and spreading COVID far and wide and then getting mad at people who are scared about that reality.
LaurenB
Not sure how you conclude this. Plenty of the smart, high-achieving women on this board (SHAWOTB) have indicated that they are spending the holidays with immediate household members only. Whenever someone brings up a larger gathering or plane travel over the holidays, it is quickly (and appropriately) condemned.
anon
Are there people being extra conservative and posting about it on this board? Yes. Are they all the same exact person? Probably not. Does speculating and making broad judgments about their intelligence/mental health/lack of hobbies/healthcare situation help anyone? Certainly not.
mascot
Do any of the orthopedic groups in your town have their own orthopedic urgent care centers? I’d start there. That way you can be seen quickly, but avoid the general urgent care scene. I’ve been to several in-person medical visits during this, including urgent care, and have been pleasantly surprised at how diligent they are about spacing, screening, etc.
Anonymous
Maybe try an urgent care? Most have x-ray capabilities and while there is a non-zero chance of a COVID patient being there, you are unlikely to be diverting care or some such thing. I’ve said it before, but will repeat for the people in the back – cancer diagnoses are down over 50% in 2020 and it’s not because people aren’t getting it. Do not delay medical care.
Senior Attorney
When I broke my ankle a few years ago I called my doctor and she said “don’t go to Urgent Care — it’s full of sick people. Go to the orthopedist.” So. That’s what I’d suggest.
Anon
Seek medical advice right away!
My preferred urgent care (with x-ray and lab capability) won’t see anyone with anything remotely Covid-like. I’m super cautious re Covid, but would absolutely go there right away for an injury like that.
Think about it this way: ignoring injuries is a good way to turn something that could have been easily handled on an outpatient basis into something that needs inpatient care, which is what is in short supply. You taking care of yourself now could actually be helping your area’s medical system.
Aunt Jamesina
I would go to an urgent care center.
No Face
You definitely need to go to an urgent care ASAP.
FYI, I’ve gotten medical care during their pandemic. You are probably safer there than the grocery store.
LaurenB
Please go see a doctor for this. This is still important care. The orthopedic guy isn’t treating Covid patients; you aren’t tearing him off the infectious disease unit to look at your arm.
Anonymous
It happened in March that literally everyone was assigned the Covid patients — it’s going to depend on where she is. Maybe she’s in North Dakota or Florida, I know those states are favorites.
LaurenB
My relative in FL who is undergoing cancer treatment — her oncologist and hematologist are not in the infectious disease unit treating Covid patients. The cardiologist / cardiac surgeon who just operated on my mother is not in the infectious disease unit treating Covid patients. My relative who is donating a kidney to someone — her surgeon is not in the infectious disease unit treating Covid patients.
Anonymous
What? This did not happen in my state, at any point during the pandemic. Never did “they” pull the orthopedic surgeons into hospital settings to work on covid patients.
COVID advice
Update for you all: I called my doctor’s office and reception booked me a virtual appointment first thing tomorrow morning and confirmed that should the doctor deem it necessary can refer me for an x-ray (or other test) for later tomorrow afternoon.
Vicky Austin
Good for you.
Anonymous
Sounds like a reasonable course of action. Ignore the people calling you crazy – they’re gaslighting you by making the pandemic so much worse through their own actions and then acting like you’re absurd for being worried about the risk of catching it in close interactions with others. If you do need an X-ray, try to wear a surgical or KN95 mask (that’s what I did for my own essential medical care this year), but if you don’t have them, just wear your best-fitting cloth mask. Good luck!
Anon
No, going to the doctor is nothing like going to a Thanksgiving gathering or having friends over for indoor drinks. Nor did the OP say anything about being in a high-risk category in which she has legitimate reason to fear covid will be worse than an untreated arm injury. Give us credit for not being stupid when we suggest urgent medical care.
Anonymous
I suggested medical care too! I just didn’t feel the need to call OP a crazy moron on top of it.
COVID advice
Thank you! I appreciate your kindness, I really needed it, its been a hard day. Luckily I have a single N95 from a home reno project last year that I’ve been saving precisely for a situation like this.
Anonymous
Why are you saving your N95 for a doctor’s office visit? Use that at the grocery store. Also, those can be re-used. No need to “save” it.
LaurenB
No one is gaslighting her. It IS absurd for her not to seek needed medical care. There is no doctor or public health professional who thinks that all other medical care should be put on hold during the pandemic. I have relatives who have needed pacemakers, MRIs, chemotherapy/radiation for cancer recurrence, and physical therapy during this time, and they all got them, because those are necessary things. Seeking out medical care for acute injuries is in no way comparable to gathering with 30 of your BFFs for an indoor party.
Anon
My local hospital has a walk-in orthopedic clinic for injuries, and they’re seeing people one at a time.
Anon
I don’t know why people have to be jerks to you but in your shoes I’d call your primary care doc if you have one and ask for an x ray. I felt fairly comfortable in the radiology facility in my town recently. They had significantly reduced capacity so there were no people in the waiting room with me. Obviously I wore a mask, kept my hands to myself, etc.
Your doc may also have some advice about waiting and seeing whether it is better tomorrow.
I would try to avoid going to the ER right now.
Anon
Go to an urgent care clinic. You’ll avoid the ER and most COVID concerns, and get help right away.
Anonymous
I thought I had avoided the dreaded Harry & David’s box of fruit this year. Studiously, subtly, I ignored any request for my address. Yet still, Saturday morning, a box of hard pears showed up, which made me think of the poster whose husband got irate to receive pears. I mean, if you have to send me Harry & David’s please can we at least have some Moose Munch?!!!
Anonymous
Ha, I got a box of pears too and was sooo disappointed that it wasn’t chocolate.
Anon
I received a box of Harry & David that included pears. Key word: included. Now I can convince myself that I’m being somewhat healthy when I eat a pear and truffles, instead of just truffles.
LaurenB
I got 2 huge boxes of H&D pears from different people! Saves me from a trip to grocery store to load up on fruit! Yum.
Anonymous
Ooo I love their pears!
NYCer
Ha! Me too! Send them my way. :)
Anonymous
Can you donate them to a food bank and feel good about your good deed? A lot of people are hungry right now & fruit can be a rare treat for impoverished people.
Anonymous
The Food bank doesn’t want the six or eight pears. Seriously, how would they manage them? I did just send the food bank a check for $1000 instead of Christmas gifts. Let’s just have the pear joke, ok?
anon
Ok then let’s hear the joke. All I see is complaining and ingratitude.
Anonymous
How would they manage them? Really? They can give them to the first six or eight people they see.
Anon
What, I love the H&D pears!!
Anonymous
Can you donate them to a food bank?
LaurenB
Please don’t. Food banks want $$, or if you’re going to give food, they need non-perishable foods they can store and use as they see fit. Seriously, you’d be better off handing them to the next person you see begging than you would by going to a food bank to drop them off.
Senior Attorney
Haha, that’s me! So far no dreaded pears at Chateau Senior Attorney, but the week is young…
Anonymous
Oh, I am with you on this. If you are going to send food, please send something of great quality so it is a treat. May I suggest Frog Hollow in SF? Or one of the cuties purveyors?
Dahlia
lol!! I love the pears! I am so sad that I have only received chocolate and junk food this year and no nice refreshing pears!
Anon
Dog stuff
Our dog was little when we got him. He is not table-height yet. However, if he looks straight up, he can fling his tongue up and then arch it over 90 degrees and swipe the first inch of table-top space, looking for something delicious.
It was hysterical to me when he did that at dinner last night (and yet, THAT’S NOT FUNNY (and then again: this is why kids who grow up with pets generally have fewer allergies (b/c they are bombarded with disgusting things so immune system treats everything as NBD)). At any rate, training is about to commence before we accidentally encourage it.
anon
Our dog is now tall enough to stand on her back legs and counter-surf. We’ve never had a dog that could do this before so we are still learning to push things back. I walked into the kitchen last night and she had a fine mist of queso splattered all over her muzzle. I assume she managed to flick her tongue into the bowl that was up there and sneak a taste. After I stopped laughing, I pushed back the bowl and reminded everyone of her newfound abilities. At least we aren’t entertaining these days so it’s only our family to experience her germs.
Anon
The top of my fridge is prime real estate – basically the only safe place for food unless it’s behind a closed/latched door. Smart, athletic, food motivated dogs are wildly entertaining and challenging. Wouldn’t trade her for anything (most of the time).
Anon
My knee-high dog once did a straight vertical leap to knock a pan of tiramisu off the top of my refrigerator. You have been warned!
Anon
Thank goodness my dog doesn’t have a vertical leap. I’ve known whippets who have found themselves stranded on the top of the fridge before!
Anonymous
My parents taught my childhood dog not to do this by lacing foods strategically with hot sauce and tying things to cans full of coins. Only takes a few bad experiences for most dogs to quit trying. Better to start sooner when there’s less good experiences to counteract though.
Anon
Gross.
Anon
I feel pretty dumb even asking this, but I know you all will be able to fill me in – why exactly where the train stations in London so packed over the weekend? I get that there was an announcement made on Saturday night stating that traveling outside of the city would only be for essential travel…but where were all of those people going? Had that many people been planning to leave London later that week to visit family for Christmas? Or were they scared to get stuck in London? If so, why?
Anonymous
Again? Why? They were going to family homes they had planned to be at for the holidays or to second homes. Obviously.
Anon
The lockdown is to prevent spreading a new ultra-spreadable strain of COVID. And it looks like it may have backfired by encouraging panic travel.
Anonymous
Yup. The lockdown was poorly thought through and executed.
I just don’t get why we are rehashing this again
Anon
OP here – I scanned through the main posts from the morning thread and didn’t see it there, so sorry if this is “rehashing” something that you’ve already read. It really was an innocent question.
No Face
Did it backfire? It seems like the people who rushed to the station are the people who would travel no matter what. There are plenty of people who change their behavior based on recommendations.
Anonymous
+1. For every idiot on the evening news, there were probably four or five people who had been on the fence and decided to stay home.
Anon
Why do you have to be rude? I already said I felt pretty dumb asking. I wouldn’t ask if it were obvious to me. I’m not from there and I’ve never been there. I’m just trying to understand.
Anonymous
Sorry! It’s just frustrating to me to see so much stewing in anxious circles constantly on here. I know it’s easy to miss things and didn’t mean to pick on you!
anon
Collapse thread if you don’t want to see it.
Anonymous
Maybe you need to examine why you are being so rude to this poster and the one above. You seem like you are in your own circles as well. Perhaps this is your way of managing your own anxieties? Regardless, it’s also not a good look.
AnonMPH
The UK locked down last month specifically so that they could slow the spread and be able to come out of lockdown for Christmas with cases at a lower rate. Therefore many people had made plans to see their families for Christmas. When the new, possibly/probably more virulent strain of the virus was detected circulating in London and causing the current surge there, the government announced that London would be going into the strictest tier of lockdown and would no longer be allowing travel. Many people decided to rush out of town right away rather than get stuck following the restrictions. Some of them will certainly spread the more virulent strain to the people they have gone to stay with, though we will probably never know who or exactly how many.
Anon
The restrictions coming into force in London and the surrounding areas are tighter than in the rest of the country (no household mixing at all v. three households allowed to mix on Christmas Day). Lots of people leave London anyway to visit family, but the fact the rules were going to be tighter in London was also a factor. Lots of people had already made plans before the latest tightening of the rules were made and really wanted to stick to those plans I assume.
Anonymous
I’m loving the SWEAT app — i’m on week 2 of Lifting at Home. I feel like my metabolism/heartrate is higher for like 16-24 hours after. Two problems: 1) I couldn’t sleep last night b/c my heart was racing (workout was at 2pm, still awake at 1:30 am) and 2) i’ve been Eating All the Carbs today. What are best practices here for intense workouts like this?
Anonymous
I am not sure what you are asking. What are you looking for advice about?
Curious
If you are like me, the answer is to eat small pre- and post-workout meals packed with protein (think tuna, hummus). It’ll help your body keep up the burn without going into panic mode.
PNW
HR question for those who might know. I have a new team member starting in January, and today our HR rep contacted me to say she needed this person’s W2 from 2019. Before I could think to ask why, the HR rep has left for the holidays.
I’ve never been asked to provide or to request a previous W2 – you don’t need it for your tax withholding at the new job. Is this a way to prove previous employment? If so, I’m wondering if there was a problem with the background check and they are not sure she actually had the job she said she had. Otherwise I see no reason to request this. Thoughts?
Aunt Jamesina
I have zero HR background, but I could see this being for verification of employment or of salary.
Anon
Although the HR person has left for the holidays, she reports in to someone who can answer this for you. I would get the answer from her manager. Furthermore, I’m a bit weirded out by the fact that you are supposed to ask your new employee, rather than HR doing it directly.
More reading:
https://www.shrm.org/resourcesandtools/legal-and-compliance/state-and-local-updates/pages/asking-job-applicants-for-w2-forms-is-risky-business.aspx
Anonymous
I was unclear. She didn’t ask me to get it, she just let me know that the process was on hold pending it, and that she had requested it from the candidate.
Anonymous
Thoughts are to stay out of it and definitely let this person give the info to HR directly & not through you as you don’t need to see it.
Anon
Probably for verification of the job she said she had.
Anon
Yes, but it’s verification of that person’s INCOME. I don’t think it’s appropriate to ask, and I wouldn’t ever divulge such information.
Anon
Ya, this is wonky. W2 reveals income from your employer. Surely your new employer doesn’t need to know (and can’t require) what you made at your old employer. Do not ask your new employee for this information without confirming with an HR rep. Find someone else than the person quo made the request. Our (big, global public company) has an employment verification phone number – you call and someone from HR presumably confirms dates of employment and that is it. I know not everyone has that but the point is that’s literally the maximum you’re obligated to provide when verifying prior employment.
Anon
Okay, yikes, I’m not the one asking for it so back off a little, will ya? Maybe she could black out the income? Who knows. OP should wait until she gets an answer from the HR person.
Anon
Any recommendations for Audible books that are easy to listen to? I’m a big reader, but I have been trying to add audio books into the rotation for the car. I have a lot of trouble paying attention to audiobooks though, and some have been real misses for me. So far I’ve liked Brene Brown and Glennon Doyle. I don’t usually read non-fiction, but have found these tolerable to listen to. White Fragility, I just hated the voice and couldn’t get past a couple of minutes of it. Any recs for good books with good narrators?
Anon
The Splendid and the Vile by Erik Larsen.
Jules
I think Stephen King is perfect for car-listening because the stories are involving but it’s also okay if you don’t pay complete attention. The “Mr. Mercedes” trilogy is good. Most thrillers and mysteries also are good for driving. I have trouble listening to more serioius literature while driving (Elena Ferrante, for example). Anything by Lisa Jewell or Ruth Ware would be excelIent; I also really loved “The House in the Cerulean Sea.” I did find “Say Nothing”very absorbing, if you are interested in non-fiction.
pnw anon
The Coddling of the American Mind, read by one of the co-authors, Jonathan Haidt.
For fiction, I love listening to the CB Strike novels on audiobook. The narrator has an awesome voice. The first one is Cuckoo’s Calling, by Robert Gailbreth.
Jules
I also loved the Cormoran Strike stories, and agree the narrator is excellent. Galbraith is J.K. Rowling, if that’s an issue for you.
Anonymous
These are great recommendations!
Anonymous
The Dutch House, narrated by Tom Hanks
anon
+1 I loved this book and the narration.
Sloan Sabbith
Check back later and I’ll post a list of my favorites!
Anon
Thanks, all!! I’m going to check these out and will check back for your picks too, Sloan!
Senior Attorney
It’s technically a children’s book, but I loved Neil Gaiman’s The Graveyard Book. There’s a version with a whole cast of voice actors and it’s almost like a radio play.
Sloan Sabbith
Sorry, meant to post this earlier.
Memoirs narrated by the author can be hit or miss, but here are a few I’ve liked:
Trevor Noah, Born a Crime
Michelle Obama, Becoming
Barack Obama, A Promised Land
Melinda Gates, The Moment of Lift
Other nonfiction I’ve liked on audio:
Dead Wake, Erik Larson. I like it on audio because it’s very narrowly focused on one event rather than a broader scope like some of his books.
Prairie Fires, Caroline Fraser. About Laura Ingalls Wilder. I found it very well done and fascinating
Talking to Strangers, Malcolm Gladwell. What I loved about this audiobook is that he added bits of audio from his interviews for the book, recordings he used to illustrate his points, etc.
The Outpost, Jake Tapper. This is fast paced and reads like fiction. Very well done and I was on the edge of my seat during some of the scenes.
Fiction:
The House in the Cerulean Sea, TJ Kline. Probably my favorite narration of the year! I adored every bit of this book but the narration was my favorite part. The author saying “Oh, DEAR” is perfect, as is how he voices some of the kids.
Americanah, Chimamanda Ngozie Adichie. I had a hard time getting into this one on Kindle but loved it on audio. Same for Half of a Yellow Sun.
Heart’s Invisible Furies, John Boyne. I loved the narration on this, I thought it was just perfect.
The Winds of War, Herman Wouk. This is a COMMITMENT but the almost-100 hours between the two books on this series was 100% worth it. I loved it so much I may re-listen next year.
Burial Rites, Hannah Kent. The narration made this book. It’s set in Iceland and hearing the names and farms pronounced took this from a good book to a GREAT book.
This Tender Land, William Kent. I thought the narration on this was spot on. The narrator really captured the essence of being a teenage boy without it seeming forced.
The Good House, Anne Leary. The narration on this seems to be hit or miss for people but I thought it was perfect for the character. One of my favorite reads this year.
Anne of Green Gables narrated by Rachel McAdams. Fabulous narration.
Pride and Prejudice narrated by Rosamunde Pike. Her Mr. Collins voice is incredible.
Harry Potter by Jim Dale (or Stephen Fry). Totally different experience than reading it- highly recommend!!!
Shadow of the Wind, Carlos Ruiz Zafron. The narration on this really highlights how atmospheric this book is and the strong sense of place.
HW
If you like Jonathan Van Ness, he narrates his autobiography.
Sloan Sabbith
My peloton arrived today! Took the first class in the basic cycling class with Alex T. Other than that I am already sore, loved it.
The delivery was super smooth and COVID safe- both delivery guys were in KN95 masks and wore gloves they put on just before entering. And it arrived within 3 weeks of ordering on the scheduled day!
What’s your favorite type of class? Teacher? Recommend me all the things, please!
Anonymous
The holiday classes right now are super fun. Upbeat music and spirit.
CHL
Welcome! I think it’s good to try different things instructors and see what you like. I personally am in to 90s music and have enjoyed Jess Simms and Emma Lovewell’s as well as Rebecca Kennedy. I can only take Cody in small doses but many people love. If you have weights (or I guess there were some bodyweight ones), I thought it was good to do some of the bike bootcamps when I started to get used to cycling (it’s like 10 min on, 10 off doing weights, etc). I like yoga with Chelsea too! The outdoor runs were good when it wasn’t 30 degrees here:)
Sunshine
I suggest trying a lot of instructors in the beginning. My regulars are Sam Yo, Ben Aldis, Ally Love, and Emma Lovewell. Depending on my mood and what the recent offerings are, I’ll take Alex T, Leanne Hainsby, Denis Morton, and Jenn Sherman. Although they’re very popular, Cody and Robin aren’t my type. I haven’t completely taken my own advice as there are still a few instructors I haven’t tried yet. Enjoy your bike. I’ve had mine for seven months, ride 3 times per week, and think it’s fantastic.