2010-2019: The Best Office Shoes of the Decade

225 Comments

1. Has anyone found a good way to track movie and tv show recommendations? Whenever anyone mentions something I want to watch, I always forget the name before I get around to watching it. I love goodreads to track books I want to read, and wish there was something similar for movies. Has anyone found a good method?

   1. i use wudnerlist for list making and just have a tv/movie list there

      1. +1

   2. I use Evernote and keep notes for books, movies, etc.

      1. +1

   3. I just add them to my list in Netflix or whatever service they’re available on

   4. I tip 20% on the post-tax amt, regardless of service level. Assuming 10% tax, that’s only $10 more on a $500 bill. (Or more typically, $2.40 more on a $120 meal for my family of 4.). I figure that’s enough to cover the cost of messy kids or being annoying.
      Re: always 20% – I spent many years waitressing and bussing. Very rarely is the service level a direct result of your server (or the busser or the hostess or anyone else paid a share of the tips) so I don’t want to screw them doubly. I remember countless times where I was the only one who showed up to work (or management screwed up and didn’t schedule enough people), so I’d be swamped with tables and THEN get stiffed on tips because people had to wait longer for their refills.

2. I think the SW Poco has been replaced by the Tippi and the Cindy. They are about the same heel height, but with discernibly different heel looks.

3. Doesn’t the decade technically end on 12/31/20 and the new one start on 1/1/21?

   1. Yes, and this has been bugging me for two weeks, but I don’t suppose there’s any way to stem that tide.

      1. +1

         1. What’s been bugging me is the people who have been pedantically arguing about this for the last couple of weeks. Wrongly, I might add.

   2. Depends when you count from. A decade is any period of 10 years.

      1. this.

      2. +1

   3. Technically, but not psychologically.

   4. Per today’s xkcd, nope. :)
      https://xkcd.com/2249/

      1. Seems logical enough.
         Now can we please kill the FB meme going around about needing to write out 2020 in dates because if you just write x/y/20 in your “legal documents” everyone is going to defraud you and backdate them?

         1. Omg yes.

         2. Wait what? I don’t get it but am instantly glad I deleted Facebook last year.

         3. Okay, I kind of thought maybe that has validity, but I don’t really understand how changing a date on a check to a past date would hurt the drafter of the check. I mean, if you want to give a person $20 using a check and the date is different but the amount is the same, what happens? Do people think someone could somehow cash a check twice?

            I think I sound like a total moron about this, but I don’t use checks very often anymore, so am not up on the latest in check fraud.

            1. Don’t understand it, but I guess it’s convenient that I always use the YYYY format instead of YY

            2. I mean, presumably you could also change it to a future date (2021, etc.), which could get around if a check becomes invalid because you don’t cash it. Which seems important because ???

               It seems like if there is a legal doc where you typed the date as XX/XX/20 and then someone added two numbers after the year by hand to a printed copy, that would be obvious. And if someone is going to alter a legal doc electronically to be less obviously, they could do that regardless. So still ??

         4. Backdate to what? 1920?

            1. No, 2018, 2017, etc.

            2. Anything prior to 2020 (so something that originally was written 1/2/20 could be edited to say 1/2/2019 by adding the 19 behind the 20).

            3. DOH! (head smack)

         5. The specific example given was that March 3, 2020 being written as 3/3/20 could be modified to 3/3/2017 or 3/3/2018.
            Maybe people worried about 19 being written as 1999? I didn’t

         6. I do not understand this. If we want to wait until next year for the new decade to start, we will still be the same age, so I do NOT think it even matters! FOOEY on people who want to waste our time!

   5. Time is a social construct and so are decades and the ’20s definitely started yesterday and also, most importantly: Nobody likes a pedant. Seriously.

      1. +1

   6. Did the beginning of the year 2000 start a new millennium?

      1. I vaguely remember someone making the argument that no, it didn’t start until 2001. It may have been my mother who, while often correct, is also a pedant.

         1. Oh lots of the pretentious kids at my high school (I was 16) wouldn’t shut up about that. It annoyed me then and annoyed me now.

   7. Maybe from a mathematician’s perspective, but not a historian’s. When we talk about the ’60s, that includes the year 1960 and does not include the year 1970.

   8. This is so very pedantic, and I say this as someone who can really dig in her heels on the language of things.

      1. I can deal with pedantic people, but not ones who are pedantic and wrong. The definition of decade is just “a period of 10 years.” It’s not any more accurate to say that a decade is 1/1/21-12/31/30 than it is to say that a decade is 1/1/20-12/31/29.

         1. This is the sort of pedantry up with which we shall not put!

   9. I don’t know or care but I’m going to be 45 at the end of this decade and that makes me feel old AF.

      1. I didn’t think about that until now, but me too.

      2. Well, I turn 46 tomorrow, and I don’t feel old AT ALL. So I wish the same for you. But if you plan to be old then, you will be.

         1. I know mid-40s is not old, it’s more just that it’s so much older than I am now. I imagine I’d feel the same way if it were 25 vs 35 and I certainly don’t feel old now.

4. Does anyone have plantation shutters?

   Do you recommend wood or composite and why? Did you do your whole house or only select rooms?

   1. I had them in my old house. I believe they were wood, but they were already installed when we moved in, so I’m not positive. I loved them so much! We had them for almost every window downstairs. The only one that didn’t have the plantation shutters was the downstairs bedroom. Upstairs did not have them. I liked that arrangement because I liked having curtains in the bedrooms, as it feels much cozier to me, and I typically either want a lot of light in the bedroom or the curtains closed completely. I liked having the option in the living spaces of letting in some natural light, or opening them all the way to let it all in. That’s the biggest thing I miss about that old house!

   2. We have plantation shutters in our whole house and LOVE them. I think they are wood. I find curtains difficult – how many panels, what fabric weights and colors, taking them down to launder, etc. Our shutters are neutral and will always work even if we repaint/redecorate. My advice would be to make sure the shutters you are considering truly close all the way to block out light in bedrooms, etc.

      1. I just checked; ours are composite not wood.

   3. We’ve got composite throughout the house. You can install a thin roller shade behind them if you need extra light blocking like in a bedroom.
      I’m not into picking out window treatments so I was happy to not have to figure out drapes and such.

      1. We have composite in almost every window. I absolutely love them. I can’t stand fussy window treatments and anyway they are mega expensive.

   4. I have them and I’m honestly not a huge fan. I thought I was going to like them more. My problem is that I really like to open them all the way (I love natural lights) and that requires them swinging out and resting agains the wall. That means I can’t put any furniture, hanging shelves, etc. next to my windows. They’re also not great for my cats. I used to leave the bottom of my blinds open so my cats could sit on the sill and look out. The wills are blocked by the shutters when closed so it’s either all or nothing for the cats. I’m in a rental now and when I buy I will be putting in regular cordless blinds and curtains.

      1. The cat issue is real!

   5. We had wood in our last house and composite in our current house. Both times they had been installed by previous owners, but as someone with very small children – I LOVE them. Easy to clean, look beautiful, not fussy, and already child-proof (as opposed to corded blinds or curtains to play in).

      I have a very slight preference for the composite in our new house (again noting that I didn’t install either and have not idea what the price point difference is). They are lighter weight so not quite as heavy to open and slightly smoother (aka easier to dust/clean). We have them throughout our main floor and in our master bath which faces front. All of the rest of our upstairs windows face the rear.

   6. Thanks all. Super helpful! The space required to keep them open is something I keep kicking around as a con too but I’m leaning to going for it.

5. Is CrossFit good for strength training? I really need to find something that works for me this year.

   1. I did crossfit for 3 years, and I hadn’t lifted before It works great, but I think you’ll build strength quicker if you just lift. However, if you’ve never lifted before, I’d suggest Crossfit at a reputable box or getting a personal trainer to make sure your form is correct. I was unable to do a real pushup on my toes, pull up, could barely lift the empty 35# bar above my head, etc and can now easily do all of that and more.

   2. Oh yes. It incorporates plenty of regular and olympic style weightlifting.

      1. If you’re in the Arlington/DC area, I cannot recommend Bodymass Gym ENOUGH! I had 0 strength training experience (i started at the “lighter” bar and hadnt been to the gym in ages lol) when i joined and three months later, i feel SO much stronger and have muscle definition. It’s small group training (about 10 people/class), which allows the trainers to really get to know their clientele and their strengths/weaknesses. They are hyper-focused on correct form and are very attuned to how you improve over time. This results in lower risk of injury, which I have heard happens much more frequently with Crossfit. Bodymass really feels like you’re getting personal training, but for way less. And! You’ll probably get to know your fellow classmates if you go at the same times consistently. I only joined because of its proximity to my workplace, but man, best random decision ever.

6. If you went to a birthday dinner would you be happy with spinach lasagna, Caesar salad (maybe a kale Caesar because I’m scared of romaine) and garlic bread? Maybe some hummus and crackers and nuts/olives as an app? It’s my own birthday dinner and I’m trying not to bite off more than I can chew cooking-wise.

   I can and do cook more complicated things but I don’t want to be frazzled for my own party.

   1. Sounds good to me!

   2. Yes, with the caveat that if you have vegetarian/vegan (or just seafood averse) guests, make sure the caesar doesn’t have anchovies or maybe just offer an alternative dressing they can use instead of caesar.

   3. It sounds really good for a home meal, but if I were a dinner I’d probably want so (more obvious) protein to feel like I’d really had a meal. However, if I were coming to YOUR birthday dinner, I’d presumably know and like you and know that you’d serve a vegetarian meal and I’d be happy with that, because I’d be happy with you.

      1. *eye roll* lasagna has plenty of protein, you aren’t an elite athlete.

         1. I see “spinach lasagna” and assume there’s no meat involved?

            1. You don’t need meat to have adequate protein.

            2. Meat isn’t the only protein. In this case, there is lots of dairy, and dairy is loaded with protein.

   4. It sounds really good to me, but I eat a mostly vegetarian diet. Maybe include some charcuterie with the apps for people who think a meal isn’t complete without meat? (Unless all your friends are veg/veg-friendly). You should be able to purchase a pre-made board to make it easy.

      1. Disagree with the charcuterie recommendation. Nothing wrong with a vegetarian dinner if that’s what you want.

         1. Vegetarian is fine, but I agree that this feels low on protein

            1. Not with a bit of hummus and nuts for apps. Protein is a little overhyped.

            2. Even meat-eaters tend to like, or at least be neutral to, veggie crumbles in lasagna. Between those and the cheese, the dish has plenty of protein.

   5. That dinner sounds delish. Now about the cake…. ;) Happy Birthday!

   6. It would be pretty low on protein for me and I would have to eat when I got home but I wouldn’t complain and could easily cope.

      1. Curious, do you actually keep track of your macros? Because I bet that meal isn’t actually “low” protein.

   7. Sounds wonderful to me, and definitely not ACTUALLY low protein. (See comments here from actual professor of nutrition: https://www.nytimes.com/2019/12/31/dining/flexitarian-eating-less-meat.html)

   8. sounds lovely assuming everyone eats dairy and it is your own birthday so i think you should serve whatever YOU want! particularly, since what you are thinking of serving is not some odd/obscure thing that very few people eat. people at a restaurant order a salad + vegetarian pasta dish all the time.

   9. I think it sounds good. I, personally, might do a different salad instead of Caesar just because I think it would be weird to do a Caesar salad without romaine, but you do you.

      1. Yeah I would either do a different kale salad or do the Caesar with romaine.

   10. Hi thanks for the feedback. I think the lasagna has plenty of proteins in the cheeses (ricotta+egg, mozzarella) but if I baked some chicken Italian sausages in the oven and served them alongside, would that make you feel less deprived?

       We are not vegetarians but my daughter is. No vegans in my friend group. I just happen to like spinach lasagna!

       Any salad suggestions other than a Caesar? I really am wary of romaine lately.

       1. For salads, I like fruit (berries/apples/pears etc.) + greens (your choice) + nuts/granola/seeds + balsamic/oil/maple syrup/honey dressing. And maybe goat cheese, though the lasagna is prob cheesy enough.

       2. Smitten Kitchen (on the website) has a recipe for kale salad with pecorino and walnuts which is delicious and would be great with your meal.

       3. I thought the kale caesar sounded perfect–it seems to be a common offering at restaurants these days and satisfies my nutritionist’s (fussy) request for 3+ servings of cruciferous (sp? broccoli, cauli, kale, etc.) veggies per day.

          I’m also a meat eater and think the addition of chicken sausage sounds great but might be unnecessary. It’s your bday dinner and I think totally your call whether you want to include it or not!

       4. I’m a big fan of spinach with either goat cheese or blue cheese and some combination of dried cranberries, apples, pears, and walnuts with a balsamic vinaigrette. Maybe that’s too much spinach with spinach lasagna, but I think it would be fine. And as a meat eater, I agree adding meat isn’t necessary–lasagna is a meal by itself.

       5. To me, spinach lasagna is redundant of garlic bread plus salad. Personally, if entertaining, I would do a vegetable that is not a leafy green (e.g., sautéed mixed squash and cherry tomatoes with rosemary or basil) and probably skip the garlic bread. But I get that everyone thinks garlic bread goes with pasta and this is just a personal qualm and having the bread will make it seem more like a “feast”. Also, this menu would absolutely not affect whether I enjoyed sharing the birthday meal with you!

       6. For a simple salad, I like arugula with sliced little cucumbers (maybe they’re called persian cucumbers? they are the kind that are shorter without lots of seeds) and halved cherry tomatoes arranged on top. People can add their own vinaigrette or oil & vinegar.

       7. This is a little fussy but it’s beautiful and delicious:

          Figs, creme fresh, arugula and mint

          1 cup creme fresh
          kosher salt
          small handful of mint leaves
          12 black Mission figs
          12 Adriatic figs
          3 cups arugula
          1 Tbsp red wine vinaigrette
          1 6-oz piece honeycomb
          olive oil
          crunchy sea salt
          ground black pepper, preferably Tasmanian

          Whisk the creme fresh with a pinch of salt in a medium bowl until the consistency of whipped cream. Put the mint leaves in a bowl of ice water to crisp, then drain on a paper towel. Cut the figs into round, wedges, or other shapes as you like. Spoon some creme fresh onto each serving plate and drag the bottom of the spoon through it to form an elongated teardrop. Toss the arugula with just enough vinaigrette to coat and stack some leaves on each plate. Arrange the figs, mint leaves, and honeycomb on the plate. Drizzle a few drops of olive oil over each fig and sprinkle with crunchy sea salt and pepper.

          1. Here’s a pic from the cookbook: https://books.google.com/books?id=nmeoDAAAQBAJ&pg=PA156&lpg=PA156&dq=figs,+creme+fraiche,+arugula+and+mint+mourad&source=bl&ots=szIVWoLmv8&sig=ACfU3U3G8BBlxzNCs5xpZIQX0b9o05T-KA&hl=en&sa=X&ved=2ahUKEwiwzsvK3uXmAhVQIjQIHW15BmUQ6AEwAHoECAoQAQ#v=onepage&q=figs%2C%20creme%20fraiche%2C%20arugula%20and%20mint%20mourad&f=false

   11. Assuming your guests know you & your preferences, this sounds ok. I hope you know your guests potential food allergies, maybe give them heads-up on the menu. For example, I could not eat your lasagna due to lactose intolerance, hummus bc of chickpeas and I don’t eat bread either. I would leave hungry. I like to cook simple recipes from 101cookbooks, you may find some interesting salad recipes there. Happy birthday!

       1. Thanks. I’m familiar with 101 recipes but all 8 guests have indicated that they have no dietary restrictions.

       2. EM84, I hope you are not the dinner guest who expects everyone to accommodate your myriad food “intolerances” and avoidances when you go to their house?

          1. Anon at 3:00, I hope you are not the dinner guest who thinks allergies are “all in your head.”

             1. Nope, I’m celiac and it bothers the heck out of me when some princess who has latched on to the food fad du jour (today I’m not eating bread! Tomorrow it will be something else I don’t eat, depending on who’s guesting on The View!) shows up to a party and makes a whole huge thing about how she jussst caahhhhn’t eat ANNNYTHING that’s there and she’ll just drink wine and pretend to be happy while outwardly pouting that the host couldn’t accommodate her vegan paleo/keto 2.0 nut-free no-canola-oil diet. It makes it that much harder for those of us who have medical diagnoses and really, truly cannot eat what’s on offer, when someone who wants attention decides to make her diet the central focus of attention at a party. I have a real issue, as do other celiacs, people with legit lactose intolerance (not just people who don’t eat dairy because it’s fashionable this week), people with shellfish allergies, etc. I was subjected to food princesses/closet orthorexics performing for crowds more than once over the holidays and I’m tired of it. If your diet is that high maintenance – and I say that as someone who cannot eat gluten, ever – maybe just stay home, or bring your own food to parties. That’s what I do.

          2. +1. You would not leave my house hungry because you would not be invited.

7. Wise hive, I’m taking a poll.

   1) When you go to restaurant, do you tip on the final amount, or the pretax amount?
   2) Do you, as an adult, ask you parents to take you to the airport if they are local?

   1. 1. Final Amount
      2. Yes – my parents offer every time they know we’re going out of town, and I return the favor. We live ~40 minutes from the airport, but my parents are frugal and would rather spend the time than us spend $ on parking or uber.

   2. 1) Full amount
      2) If I were super local, yes – when I lived about a half hour away, no, and now that I’m an hour away, no (exception for a super long trip where the parking fees would be really high).

   3. 1. Final amount.
      2. My parents aren’t local, but if they were I wouldn’t ask, though I suspect my mom would frequently offer.

   4. 1. Pre-tax, 20-25%. But we have a messy toddler, I was a little less generous pre-kid.
      2. No, but mostly because the airport is 1.5 hours away so asking someone to make two round trips there is quite a burden. If it was closer, I might, although they’re 70 and no longer super comfortable driving in the dark and we usually take early morning flights. They usually watch our dog when we travel.

      1. Oops I meant post-tax! I typed the wrong thing.

   5. 1) always tip post tax/the final amount

      2) I don’t, because I live way closer to the airport than my parents do. I’m probably a 10 minute/$10 Uber ride, or I can easily enough take the train. My parents are about 30-40 mins away, and would have to go a bit out of their way to pick me up. Every time I travel, they ask how I’m getting to the airport and my response is always “Uber/train, duh”. I’ve dropped them off on occasion, but my dad honestly likes driving there and having the car there.

      1. I’d also say though- as an adult, I rarely ask my parents to do things for me. They offer a lot, but I hate asking them to do things. I take them up on their offers about half of the time or less.

         My Dad recently got my car inspected for me. I was out of town and tend to leave my car at their house (I street park it in my neighborhood). The mechanic is about 3 mins from their house and about 40 from mine.

   6. 1) Full amount
      2) No. I honestly think it can be kind of rude. They’ll often feel obligated to say yes to avoid looking like a jerk and few people actually want to do that, especially for pick-ups. However, if it were offered because the person was driving to the airport or near the airport anyway, I would take the offer. I just wouldn’t ask.

      1. Wouldn’t be remotely rude with my parents. They’d be happy to do it, and I’d be happy to do it for them.

   7. I tip 25% on the pre-tax amount. My area has 10% tax on restaurants so it probably works out slightly better than 20% on post-tax.

      I wouldn’t think twice about asking for an airport ride but wouldn’t be upset if they couldn’t.

   8. 1. We tip 20% on the post-tax amount.
      2. My parents used to be “local” but they lived 45 minutes away from us, or about an hour and 15 minutes from the airport. So no, I never asked them to take me to the airport; even though they are retired, a 2 1/2 hour round-trip seemed like a massive inconvenience to them and a big chunk out of their day. They probably would have done it but I never wanted to ask. I actually rarely ask my husband to take me to the airport for work trips unless I know he won’t have to leave work or rearrange child pickup to drop me off and pick me up. Airport parking (or Ubering to the airport) is expenseable and I’d rather not inconvenience my family; my company can afford it. For personal trips we have a cheap go-to off-airport parking lot we use and we build the expense for parking into our trip budget rather than ask someone to take us.

   9. (1) Full amount.
      (2) Sometimes. They live 2 blocks from us and I have asked them or our in-laws, who live 7 minutes from us, if it is a long trip (such that parking fees would be high) and if the flight is at a reasonable time (so not 5:30 am). When we have had shorter trips we usually just pay to park.

   10. 1. Final amount.
       2. No. Caveat: if I were in a very low-paying job, or a grad student or similar, I might it if I had traveled to see them in particular. Same if it were emergency travel and no uber/other transport available for some reason.
       Otherwise, the ride to/from the airport is just part of the cost of travel and I would not want to inconvenience them just to save a few dollars. I would be particularly reluctant to ask them to take me if I were off on an expensive vacation, like going skiing or headed off to Paris, which means I’d be asking for them to spend their gas/time on saving me a few bucks so I could spend more on a fancy meal.

   11. 1) final amount
       2) Yes, and they also frequently ask for rides or to borrow my car. I actually get to park at my local airport for free, so it’s only when they want to use my car while I’m gone that they need to drop me off/pick me up.

   12. 1) I tip 20% on the post-tax amount.
       2) Yes. We live 10 minutes from my in-laws and about 10-15 minutes from the airport. We used to exchange rides to the airport all the time. Now that we have a kid, logistics make it harder to accept or give rides to the airport, at least when we travel as a family. We need a car seat to take Kiddo home when we ldand, and if in-laws were unable to pick us up (like, our flight is delayed to a time they’re not available, or something comes up in their schedule), one of us would have to take a cab/Uber/Lyft home and then drive back to the airport with the car to pick up the other parent and kid. It just doesn’t seem worth the risk usually. Also, returning the favor has gotten difficult because my in-laws always seem to need rides to and from the airport between 6 and 8 am while we’re getting Kiddo ready for daycare or doing drop-off, or between 6 and 8 pm when we’re eating dinner and putting the Kiddo to bed.

   13. 1) depends, but usually pre-tax
       2) i 100% expect they will take us to the airport when we visit them (we have toddler twins and travel with so much stuff), though i also expected it when i didn’t have kids either. the reason i expect it is likely because my parents always offered/insisted and i’ve never actually had to ask. with my in-laws, it involves a bit more asking/reminding, and there have been a few times (pre kids) when they were too lazy to take us to the airport so sent a car service instead. yet, when they visit us, they would never expect for us to pick them up or take them to the airport, though we have a few times. we also only live a $20 uber ride from the airport. i realize this is a double standard but it works for now.

   14. 1) Pre-tax. 10% tax area, so I typically double the tax and then adjust up or down as needed based on complexity, service, dining companions (toddler…).

       2) Not in that situation but I wouldn’t if I were.

   15. 1. Total amount
       2. No, to be honest, I’d rather pay the Uber and have more flexibility, and not be worried that I’m inconveniencing anyone if there’s a delay in getting home. (I’m assuming you’re referring to the situation where you live near your parents and are traveling without them, vs. the situation where you’ve flown in to visit your parents and are asking them to help with airport transportation — in the latter case, I expect them to pick us up and drop us off after our visit, and they are actually happy to have the extra time with us.)

       1. Can anyone explain to me why this went to m0d?

   16. I tip 20% on the final, post-tax amount.

       I don’t live local to my parents or any family. When I’m staying with family or they are staying with me, I also ask or offer a ride to and from the airport. I don’t ask friends for rides to the airport and don’t think I would ask family even if they were closer given that I’m only a $15 uber ride to the airport. I could see this changing with young kids, where you would have to worry about car seats and stuff.

       1. I realized that wasn’t clear. I ask for rides from the family I’m staying with when I’m visiting family and offer rides to any family staying with me (but, it’s such an assumption it’s not even really an ask or offer situation). But I wouldn’t ask friends or family to give me a ride to the airport if I wasn’t staying with them.

   17. -Final amount
       -I’m about 30 min from an airport (more during rush hours). Wouldn’t dream of asking for a ride–even my spouse and I don’t usually do that for each other. Maybe 15-20% of the time when someone’s trip happens to fall on a lazy weekend. Saving a few bucks on Uber isn’t worth inconveniencing someone else. I look at it as any other chore that adults need to figure out for themselves. Only exception I’d have is if I knew someone close like family or dear friend who wasn’t as close to the airport and they were going on a trip abroad or something where using a car service or parking might be crazy expensive.

       1. So much this. Ground transportation is part of the cost of your trip and shifting that cost to your family or friends is not okay in my book.

   18. 1. Final amount
       2. Sometimes, yes. Not sure what the genesis of the question is but my judgment call on whether to ask them or not has nothing to do with the fact they are my parents (time of flight, relative annoyance/disruption to their day, convenience). Way more likely to ask for right to and not from as arriving flights can often be delayed. I also would never make the assumption that parents/family/friend at destination that we are visiting are willing or want to pick us up.

   19. 1. Pre-tax amount, 20% and then rounded up to the nearest dollar. I used to tip on post-tax, but the taxes have gone from 5% (back in the day, Massachusetts) to almost 10% (South).

       2. No, but I have friends who give airport rides.

   20. Final amount, decimal moved left, rounded up, and doubled version of the math (so rounded up but landing around 20%). If service was bad but not horrid, I’ll use a calculator on the final amount to hit 15% rounded down to the nearest 50 cent or dollar amount. If service was horrid, I do an exact 10% on the final amount.

       No, I feel like I “aged out” of giving airport rides a few years ago (I’m 37). I have done it and would do it/help with cars/whatever when car seats are problematic or there aren’t other good options. And, if I’m not willing to give rides then I’m not going to ask for them either! Flights tend to be cheap early in the morning anyways and I wouldn’t dream of asking someone for a ride at 4 or 5 am.

   21. 1) final amount.

       2) my parents live halfway between me and the airport and also dogsit for me, so I usually drive to their house with the dog and they drive me the rest of the way and then pick me up. I am kind of spoiled by them.

   22. 1. Pre-tax amount. I live in a city with notoriously high restaurant taxes, I think this it the norm here but I am not sure.
       2. No, and was expected to take taxi/public transportation as a minor too (parents paid). DH’s parents are very big on airport rides though, which are appreciated.

   23. 1/ approximately 20% post tax. Example: $4 to $5 for an $18.23 bill if paying bill with credit card but tip in cash, $4.77 if paying both on credit card so that I’m signing a rounded $25.00, or $24 to $25 if paying both in cash, depending on the bills I have.
       2/ yes, if they’re available. I also give them rides to the airport when I can.

   24. 1) Pre-tax, but it’s usually generous based on that.
       2) No. I get a generous corporate discount on 3rd-party airport parking on our end and they encourage us to use it for personal trips to maintain the discount/give the parking company business. DH’s parents do pick us up/drop us off when we go to visit them.

8. Recommendations for vegan recipe blogs/sites?

   My goal for the new year is to get as close as I can to the 80% plant food diet for environmentalist reasons. I’ve never been a meat eater, but reducing dairy consumption is going to be a challenge for me.

   1. I love anything Miyoko Schinner and Isa Chandra. I’ve been plant based over half my life, it’s such a great way to live.

   2. I love 101cookbooks and so far everything I have tries out, I loved. Her recipes are not vegan, however, she provides suggestions on how to veganize them.

   3. I love the website budget bytes for recipes – affordable, easy, and tasty. You can filter for vegan recipes.

   4. I use the Oh She Glows, Cookie and Kate (might be vegetarian but has lots of vegan options) websites, and the Thug Kitchen cook books.

   5. Hey there! I am on the same journey right now! Love cheese but want to cut down and have been browsing the web over this winter break for some inspiration. Over the last year, I’ve made progress just upping the legumes (Indian lentil soup is now a staple in my meal plan), and I want to do this further. I’ve also succeeded in preparing tofu in a way that we’re happy to have again (pressed, marinated like I would marinate grilling meat, with a few drops of liquid smoke, pan-fried). I want to do tofu about once a month, and want to experiment with baking it and also with silken tofu for creamy mushroom sauce. The next new recipe I want to try is butter chickpeas (riff on butter chicken). Other things I will give a try are nutritional yeast, pureed cashews for creaminess and possibly miso. Falafel is on my shopping list, to go on salads. I want to try out more dips and sauces/salad dressings to bring dishes together.
      I am not sure how to proceed with breakfast. We tend to have fruit, yoghurt and granola/nuts twice a week, and I have yet to find a non-dairy yoghurt that will satisfy. Oatmeal gets boring fast, so I have it once a week.

      1. There are a bunch of cashew-based “cream” sauces in “Isa Does It” that are incredibly good. Highly recommend (and I think she has a website with recipes so you could try them without actually buying the book….).

         1. +1 to “Isa Does It.” Those recipes are great.

      2. For baked tofu, look for a recipe that uses cornstarch (I use the one on gimme some oven), it’s been a game changer.

         1. awesome, thank you! I bookmarked that one as well as the Ina mac n cheese recipe. This is why I love this community!

   6. Someone here recommended Cookie and Kate website and it’s been fabulous, as we navigating cooking for our newly-vegetarian daughter. She includes notes about how to make the recipe vegan, if you want to.

   7. Oh she glows and Love & Lemons. Also check out your local library – mine has actual thousands of cookbooks!

   8. theppk.com – The Post Punk Kitchen blog by Isa Chandra Moskowitz. Her cookbooks are awesome too. Recipes are well-tested and tasty.

   9. I just ran across https://familyplan.substack.com/ which has free weekly meal-plans – it looks like their recipes all have options to make them vegetarian/vegan, and it’s a good mix of stuff.

   10. The Vegan 8 cookbook and website. Her red lentil salsa soup is very fast and delicious, it’s in regular rotation for me.

   11. thefirstmess.com; vegansaurus.com; rabbitandwolves.com; easy cheesy vegetarian, who has more and more vegan content

       I tend to search whatever i want to cook + vegan on pinterest, and compare a few recipes, then synthesize them.

   12. Warmandrosy.com, I particularly like her soup recipes

9. Tips for getting through the first trimester fear? I’m newly pregnant with what I hope will be my second child. Because I had a miscarriage before my first child was born, I’m paranoid that I will miscarry this pregnancy or that something else will be wrong with it. I know my fear isn’t logical, but I just can’t stop worrying. I suspect I’ll feel better after a strong heartbeat shows up on an ultrasound, but until then, I feel like I’m on the edge of my seat. Tips?

   1. OK, I am not saying this makes financial or any other kind of sense, but I was in the exact same situation, and I coped with the fear by buying multiple pregnancy tests and peeing on another stick every time I felt worried.

      1. This is totally illogical – if you’re not actively miscarrying (ie., bleeding, so you would know what’s happening) a pregnancy test will likely be positive even if the baby has died, because hCG remains elevated for some time. The women I know who’ve had missed miscarriages had all the symptoms like nausea and fatigue for weeks after the missed miscarriage. Those symptoms are caused by hCG, which will turn a test positive.

         1. This. I also tested daily for weeks because I was so nervous and it actually made the miscarriage even more devastating because i had felt so much (false) reassurance from the positive pregnancy tests.

            Your body can sometimes take up to two months to start expelling the no longer viable embryo, during which time you will be testing positive on pregnancy tests.

            As someone who has dealt with multiple losses, my heart goes out to you. The tremendous amount of uncertainty about every step of this process makes it all so much harder.

      2. Also, if you wait too long into pregnancy the HPT can sometimes give a false negative. So this may not work as intended!

   2. “Today you are pregnant.” Rinse and repeat. There’s not much you can do and reading into symptoms (or lack thereof — totally normal!) can just produce more stress. Congrats!

   3. Hi friend! I’m 5ish weeks right now, so same boat. Just counting the days til my first ultrasound, basically. I read some statistic that after the heartbeat is confirmed the risk drops to less than 10% so the numbers really are on your side at that point.

      Also don’t know if this makes you feel better or worse, so feel free to disregard, but I was talking to a friend about her pregnancy (high-risk pregnancy with a birth defect found at 20w) and all the tests she went through, and no matter what you do, there’s never a 100% guarantee until baby is actually born, and then once that happens, you start worrying about them gaining enough weight, jaundice, etc. So in some ways parenthood is constantly never being “out of the woods”.

      I do hate not being able to tell anyone. Even if I didn’t personally care about people knowing I was pregnant and then had a miscarriage, I can’t imagine telling anyone and them being like, congrats how far along! and I’m like, 5 weeks. No one tells until 12 weeks, minimum (at work or in my social circles).

   4. I have been pregnant after a miscarriage, and the mental/emotional piece is no joke. Honestly, I would lean into a bit and not beat yourself up for feeling on edge. Another thing I tried was having a few go-to mantras: “At this moment, I am still pregnant.” “While something bad *could* happen, I trust that things are OK unless I get evidence that they really aren’t.”

      It’s OK to feel crummy, though. I don’t think I fully relaxed into that pregnancy until after the 20-week anatomy scan. My friends who have miscarried felt the same way, so you’re not alone.

      1. I just discovered a podcast that I believe was recommended here called Un(four letter word that beings with f) Your Brain. In one episode she teaches this trick that I have been using with great success during a period of high anxiety. Take a step back and say, “This is the part where…” and name whatever feeling it is that you are feeling in that moment. It has helped me realize that yes, this is the part where I feel bad/sad/mad/whatever but I will get through it. I highly recommend listening to that episode- it’s short – and trying it. Virtual hugs to you.

   5. it is hard! i did an IUI to get pregnant after miscarrying and felt pretty nauseous and then one day I didn’t feel nauseous and I recall messaging the nurse to say that i was worried bc i was starving and not throwing up and ate 5 pieces of pizza. what worked best for me was to try to distract myself and remind myself that there is nothing i could do to make it stick. if i were to miscarry again it was totally outside of my control (i repeated this to myself daily). as a type A control freak, this was out of character for me, but really helped me get through those first few months

   6. Hugs. I miscarried before my first viable pregnancy, and it was hard to stop being anxious for the first trimester. I don’t think there are any magic formulas except time – just do whatever helps you to be present (meditate, swim, be in nature, color, whatever). If you haven’t shared the news, consider if that would help. I decided I wanted close friends and family to know so they could support me and be there if anything went wrong.

   7. There is a website called miscarriage odds reassurer (easily searchable) that has a calculator of the risk and helped me a lot! Best wishes to you!

   8. It’s so hard! Hugs.

   9. I’m about 9 weeks now, but I had my first confirmation around 6 weeks and heard the heatbeat which made me feel very relieved for all of 3 days. Now I have what feels like an extremely long stretch before my next appointment at 12 weeks, which has caused me to spiral into this super negative “everything is wrong” thinking pattern.
      What people have suggested on here already has helped me a lot.
      I review those miscarriage risk factor charts/graphs and tell myself over and over that I’m already past what is statistically the most dangerous time.
      Each day that passes without any bleeding reassures me that everything probably is fine. Yes I realize there are missed miscarriages which scares the heck out of me, but I remind myself there’s nothing I can do about it if that happens.
      Finally, I also have to remind myself that worrying about a miscarriage is the first in many many many things I will worry about as a parent, so I need to get a handle on it now. Once I’m “in the clear” it will be worrying about various developmental issues. Then worrying about the birth. Then worrying about a newborn and screwing them up and on and on and on. It’s not going to get any easier, so I just need to hope for the best and do my best to stay sane and healthy.
      FWIW, in my area there are a lot of private ultrasound clinics and offices that you can pay out of pocket to just see the baby. Doesn’t help much at 5 weeks, but in a week or two they could very likely find the little bean and a heartbeat.
      Best wishes for a healthy and happy pregnancy!!

      1. “Finally, I also have to remind myself that worrying about a miscarriage is the first in many many many things I will worry about as a parent, so I need to get a handle on it now. Once I’m “in the clear” it will be worrying about various developmental issues. Then worrying about the birth. Then worrying about a newborn and screwing them up and on and on and on. It’s not going to get any easier, so I just need to hope for the best and do my best to stay sane and healthy.”
         THIS.

         1. So much THIS. Currently 39 weeks. Still plenty of things I’m terrified about well past the risk of miscarriage.

   10. A lot of people find these calculators to be helpful: https://datayze.com/miscarriage-chart.php?mode=table

   11. Thanks all!

       1. Congratulations, and sending you all the best for a healthy and fulfilling pregnancy.

   12. Don’t be afraid to ask your OB for a therapist referral/recommendation for someone who specializes in reproductive psychology. I’ve had multiple miscarriages, and the only way to get through this time is to take it one day at a time.

       1. +1

10. Since we’re talking shoes of the decade, can we have a moment of silence for when Nike stopped being behind Cole Haan’s Air Talia? I used to own a pair in about a dozen colors. They saw me through so many airports and many a miserable conference. Somehow post-Nike, the fit changed and they stopped feeling so great. My job no longer has me attending so many conferences. So I recently purged all of mine as they had become a mix of wornout oldies and tight, unsupportive newies.

    But man, for a time, we were magic together!

    1. YES! They were the best.

    2. I loved mine too. RIP Talias!

    3. Hear hear!

    4. You owned a dozen pairs of the same shoes at one time?!? How wasteful.

11. Tell me your best strategy for dealing with cynics, very negative people that seek to drag others down and argue that anyone with optimism and confidence is somehow crazy…what has recently worked for me is to back out of the conversation cordially and respectfully, acknowledging that my input/comments/statements may be creating confusion or anxiety, and that is not my intention. Then I move on….lesson learned, don’t seek conversation with that cynic. My strategy is rather passive though…what works for you?

    1. “Dealing with cynics” to what end? I’d give you different strategies for different goals. If your goal is to CHANGE the cynic into a non-cynic, then no, your strategy won’t work. (Good luck on finding one that would, because people rarely change when they don’t want to.)

       If your goal is to keep the peace and not get sucked into the person’s craziness, then you’re fine.

       If your goal is to create a different atmosphere in the room for the other people there, then you’d need a different. Etc.

       1. OP here….great, thank you – I have no illusions and know that I can’t change them. Yeesh, this one is exhausting.
          Keeping the peace and avoiding getting sucked into their drama is exactly what I’ve been doing, so thanks for validation on that strategy. Is there a strategy that helps to o create a different atmosphere for others in the room or in the conversation?

          1. What you’d do for people in the room depends on what the room is and where the “power” lives. Does the cynic has the “power” in the room because of position or force of personality — e.g., the head of the family holding forth at a holiday dinner, or a very dynamic and loud and determined person holding forth in a workplace? In these cases, you’re going to have a hard time counteracting what that person is dumping in the room.

             If YOU hold some of the power — whether by your position or force of personality, you can wrest the conversation away from the person and turn the attention to something or someone else. But if you’re a shy and quiet person facing off against a passionate and dramatic cynic, it’s going to be hard.

             The sad truth is that one toxic person can poison a room of otherwise decently happy people, and it usually takes a bunch of those people working together to bring a happier, calmer atmosphere back into play.

             1. OP here…thank you….I hold some of the power, and more power than the colleague. This is a work situation and I have just started working with this colleague. Observing the team dynamics, the cynic has influenced the other team members. agree with your points and thank you for this wise advice…Happy New Year!!

    2. I think it depends not only on the desired outcome but the situation. Is this a work scenario, and is the cynic a supervisor, peer, or subordinate? If it is a personal scenario, I just go with overwhelming sunny optimism to wait them out, but the work dynamics (particularly if you report to that person) would shift my tactics significantly. If it were my boss, I would keep doing what you are doing, but if it is a peer (of roughly similar work influence) or a subordinate, I would be much more direct in outlining why I think the cynicism is unhelpful/stifling to the group’s goals.

       1. OP here….and work situation where I have more power than this peer. I have just started working with this group and was maybe caught a little off guard by the negativity. I think I need to be a bit more direct and find the right opportunity to raise why the cynicism is not helpful.

          1. A lot of time the cynic just needs to be heard. If I’m moderating a conversation and have a negative nellie, I like to call it out early and then shift. “OK, here’s the premise….. Any considerations we should acknowledge?” Then repeat back what the person says. Then say “Now that we’ve acknowledged some of these dynamics, let’s focus on what it would take to do X.” If they start chiming in again, point out that “we know it’s a consideration, we’ll parking lot that for now” and then repeat some of the positives going on…. A lot of time the cynic feels like they are helping–so this is a way of getting them out of the loop of feeling like they need to help make others aware of a problem and move that energy on the positives of “fixing.” It might also help to say things like “We know that will be a dynamic to consider. If we were to move forward regardless or under the assumption we can fix that, what might we do?” Weirdly, I love these people one on one–I tend to be a strategic thinker and benefit from insights of those who think through more details or barriers (usually getting their input AFTER I’ve done some initial brainstorming). I end up with better solutions as a result. But, man, they can be a drag when decisions need to be made by committee or when you’re trying to get a whole room to brainstorm together. Not easy.

    3. Ignore ignore ignore.

       You; positive thing
       Complainer: that won’t work
       You: pause… “ok moving on!”

       1. OP here…. I love it! Thank you!

12. I’ve accepted a job in NOVA, specifically Tysons. Talk to me about the best neighborhoods in this area. I’ve got two kids (one elementary, one middle school) who both swim year round. We’d like to spend under 800K on a house (so no McLean for us) with a real neighborhood feel and good schools. We’ve been looking at the Ashburn Farms area, but would love some boots on the ground recommendations.

    1. Take a look at Burke.

       1. Ashburn is great, but if you can stomach a bit of a commute, Purcellville is lovely.

    2. Agree on Burke. 800K would go farther than in McLean. Still Ffx County, though rush hour commuting from Tysons to Burke will be 45 mins each way via Beltway. But that’s just this area. Tysons is a crowded area (not just the mall) even on weekends. Look at Fairfax Station too.

    3. Asburn is very family friendly and there are lots neighborhoods that will give you a real neighborhood feel and good schools. It’s been a while since I did year-round swimming (20+ years), but unless things have drastically changed, you’re going to be in for some driving unless you live near Oakmarr or Burke.

       I have no skin in the game, but I strongly suggest talking to a real estate agent who lives in the area. I can give you several personal recommendations if you are interested and want to drop a burner email!

    4. Vienna is the most obvious choice — great schools, great community feel, and SOME options in the $800K range. It depends on what you’re looking for housing wise, but I think you could find something nice in that price range. Access to pools can be competitive and strange there, but lots of swim leagues, I think. Alternatively, Reston is also a great option and not too far of a commute.

13. Readers: How are you reading new releases? Do you buy the physical copy, a Kindle copy, or wait for the library to have it in stock? Not sure if this is a function of my city’s library system, but it is darn near impossible to get my hands on a new release (digital or print) until it’s been out 6+ months. There is just that much demand. (For example, I still haven’t read the second and third books in the Crazy Rich Asians series because they’re forever checked out, and I’ve been on the waiting list since last summer.) I look at books as a form of escapism and don’t necessarily want to buy the physical copy of most fiction books unless I really love the author. But I still want to read new releases in a reasonable time frame! Is the Kindle really the best way to scratch this itch? I’m primarily using mine to download library copies.

    I have tried getting into audiobooks. Aside from a few memoirs, I just don’t enjoy the format very much.

    1. I read e-books borrowed from the library. I definitely don’t get new mega bestsellers immediately, but I can usually get any book I want within a couple months. I’m constantly adding books to my hold list so I always have something to read, even if it’s not the most current.
       Is there another library you can use? I have access to both a city library and county library.

    2. Physical copy from an independent bookstore. I don’t read a ton of new releases, so 75% of my books are usually from used bookstores. But the few new releases I can’t find used, I’ll buy. The library usually won’t have them available and I prefer having my own copy. I also massively prefer paper to e-copy unless I’m travelling. You can always sell it back to a used bookstore. I don’t think it’s a huge money outlay especially since it’s one of my main forms of leisure activity.

    3. I signed up for emails from GoodReads and Early Bird Books, which offer a selection of e-books for about $2-3 every day. Usually I don’t find anything, but it’s a good way to access books that sound fun, but that you don’t want to spend a lot on. They don’t have a lot of new releases, but sometimes books that were hot a few years ago show up.

       I’m surprised to hear it’s hard for you to get Crazy Rich Asians. I was able to immediately check out the e-book of the second one from my library system last month (still a bit of a wait for the third book). Maybe also check if your library is part of a larger library system, especially for e-books (I think I have statewide access for those).

    4. I would just use my Kindle for “fun” books that I don’t need a physical copy of. For popular/mass market books that aren’t brand new releases, I would also check out local used book stores, if available, and befriend the owners so I can let them know what I’m looking for. Another less expensive option is used books from Amazon sellers. (For example, I just did a quick check, and the second and third books in the Crazy Rich Asians series are available for about $5.50 each.)

       1. +1 for Amazon used booksellers or a used bookstore.

          I generally don’t buy new releases but Hilary Mantel is FINALLY going to wrap up the Wolf Hall trilogy this year, so I’ll shell out for the Kindle version once it’s out.

    5. I use the library (print and ebooks) for most of my reading, but if it’s a popular new release that I really want to read, I usually purchase it. Otherwise the wait is just too long. I probably purchase about 10-15 books per year (but I’m a teacher and I mostly read YA fiction, so I pass the majority of the books into my classroom library when I’m done).

    6. If you want to read new releases, it’s hard to just rely on the library system. I can normally get a new release within about 6 months in my very larger city. But some changes that publishers are making will make the waiting lists even longer – I don’t remember the details, but they are basically drastically cutting the number of e-book copies that a library can buy in the first 6 months (1 year?) after a book is released.

       I figure that my choices are between reading new releases by buying the book vs. getting slightly older books from the library for free. I’ve decided to come down on the free library side, because I read over 30 books a year, have a long list of books I still want to read, and just don’t care that much about reading a book right after it comes out.

    7. I usually do ebooks, but if I buy physical books I usually order from Thriftbooks. I’m not sure where you live but in many places you can join neighboring library systems, which may help if your library typically has low inventory. I’m a member of 3 county library systems and rarely wait long for a book.

       1. I am all Kindle, all the time. I love the option of downloading a free sample. If I am taken in by the sample, I can buy the rest of the book right on my Kindle.

    8. P.S. keep up your efforts to read the second and third Crazy Rich Asians books. I loved them, and that is where I learned to reheat pizza in a pan on the stovetop. Life-changing.

    9. This is partially why. Contact MacMillan and protest.

       https://www.npr.org/2019/11/01/775150979/you-may-have-to-wait-to-borrow-a-new-e-book-from-the-library

       1. Ugh that’s awful! I mean, I understand encouraging people to buy books, but they need to take into account the number of library users – makes no sense that the libraries of NYC and some small town with 2,000 people can buy the same number of copies of a book.

       2. OP here, and I’ve been reading up on this. I get that publishing is struggling as an industry, but this is really crappy. :(

       3. Book pirating is an issue already, and this is just going to make it worse. It’s a really near-sighted move by McMillan.

    10. I think you just have a really bad library system. I have access to two library systems and I just checked both of them: all three Crazy Rich Asians books are available with no wait. I get my books as ebooks from the library almost exclusively. One of the library systems has longer waits that the other, but there are enough things that I want to read that I always have stuff in the queue and I’m never lacking in reading material (I read 100-200 books per year, mostly new releases, so buying would really add up). It certainly helps to check regularly and get on the lists right after books are released.

        1. I don’t know if it’s bad, so much as it’s a system that’s at (or over) capacity. It’s a city library system, but essentially the whole county uses it because the majority of the population base lives here. The surrounding communities are villages of 500 or less, so no other library systems to speak of. :(

    11. So many books, so little time. Since I have bad eyes, I only read kindle books (except for a few cookbooks and decorating books where I want to buy a hard copy). I stalk new releases online and as soon as they are getting close, I’ll go online to my two libraries and check back often until they are input into the library’s system. Some of the titles I want (Grisham, Liane Moriarty, Turow, Baldacci, Daniel Silva, Reichs) have waiting lists of 300-900 people, like for Grisham’s latest. I signed up early and was only #50.

        If I really want a book (Daniel Silva’s, for example) I’ll buy the Kindle edition but most of my reading is borrowed or Kindle unlimited.

        Like others, I maintain a list of upcoming releases and new releases and always have 5-10 books for which I’m on the waiting list.

        And I just found out that I can get library cards at two nearby cities as a resident of my county, so I’ll have two more sources.

    12. Better World Books, then I donate the books when I’m done with them. (They have all three of the CRA books in stock for $4.48 and shipping is free. And you’re saving trees.)

        1. I will look into this. Thank you!

    13. I can recommend books I want my library to purchase if I use the computer (vs mobile) version of Libby, my library’s ebook app. If I recommend and the library buys it, I automatically get put on the wait list. This cuts the amount of time I have to wait drastically. But it also means I need to know which authors I like and follow announcements of publication dates. Usually when the river site begins preorders, I will recommend it to the library so I’m high on the wait list.

14. Are there any meditation or mindfulness apps similar to Headspace that I could use while on a lunchtime walk? My days are often frantically paced, and I need to schedule ten minutes to step away from my computer and clear my head. Regular walks are just an exercise in anxiety until I get back to the office, not an exercise in relaxation. I hope some guided mindfulness might help.

    1. I use the Calm app, which has some walking meditations of different lengths.

       1. Does the Calm app require a subscription?

          1. yes

          2. Check out insight timer if you’re looking for something that doesn’t require a subscription.

    2. Follow up, do these mindfulness apps work for people with zero experience? I don’t exactly have zero experience but I am REALLY bad at mindfulness meditation, and I know there is this building body of evidence supporting how great it is. I have seriously considered dropping $500 on an intensive workshop. Do I just need to keep trying?

       1. Yes, you just keep trying. Everyone is bad at it. A buddhist monk once told me it took him ten years of mediation before he could count to 10 without an intrusive thought. You don’t need to spend money. If you really want a class, try listening to Tara Brach’s free class streaming Wednesday nights at 7 pm.

    3. I highly recommend Buddhify. There are a ton of categories to choose from & there are various lengths available.

15. Any suggestions for a gift for a seven year old?

    1. Games are good for that age – Trouble, Blink, Go nuts for donuts, etc. My 7 year old girl is also into arts and crafts projects. Got an amazing pop up paper dollhouse for her bday. I think it was called the Victorian paper dollhouse. There’s also an Usborne paper doll book.

    2. My 7 year old son loves LEGOS, Dav Pilkey books, Diary of a Wimpy Kid books, Magic Treehouse books, origami, paper airplanes, activity projects like Kiwi Crate, sports equipment, Pokemon, UNO, Sorry… He would also love tickets to a sporting event (even something inexpensive and low-key like minor league baseball or a mundane college sport).

       1. Omg the Dav Pilkey books, yes. My son was obsessed with them at that age. My daughter liked Junie B Jones and Ivy and the Bean books around the same age.

    3. Thanks! These are super helpful.

    4. My soon-to-be 7 year old daughter and her friends are obsessed with:
       – Legos
       – Books (Owl Diaries, Isadora Moon, DogMan, Heidi Heckleberg, Magic Treehouse, and Mia Mayhem)
       – LOL dolls (ugh, but a very popular bday gift around here is a few of these spheres with surprise dolls inside)
       – Disney Descendants stuff – a Descendants 3 sweatshirt from Target is in heavy rotation in my house
       – perler beads and those “rainbow loom” rubber band bracelets
       – purses and backpacks
       – diaries, esp if they have a lock and key
       – anything unicorn or mermaid
       And those who have older sisters/cousins are getting into vsco girl stuff – lots of requests for Hydroflask-type water bottles with lots of stickers, scrunchies, checkered Vans, and lots of lip balms.

       Basically think of Claires as their heaven and you’ll be fine.

16. Does anyone have experience with the Peloton Tread or NordicTrack Commercial 2950 Treadmill? I’m trying to decide on the best option to get back into running after a lengthy break after the birth of my son. I’d love to hear from those who have one or the other.

    1. I am a huge fan of the Peloton bike and have used the Peloton tread a few times (do not own it). It is a wonderful machine and runs on it are great.If there is a Peloton showroom near you, you can call them and set up a trial workout at the store. However, even if you don’t buy the Peloton tread, you can use the Peloton running app on your tablet/tv/phone, and I love love love having the running coaching which, unlike the bike, is really usable with any treadmill because it’s just a question of speed + incline.

17. This is a serious question – can someone suggest places to buy a christmas sweater on sale or used (for next year I and the kidlet both need sweaters). We live in a smaller location and selection is very limited at the one second hand store. I know it is a bad industry from an environmental standpoint so would prefer to buy used if possible.

    1. Ebay?

    2. Poshmark perhaps?

    3. eBay has a million

18. Wise Hive,

    Sorry if this is a dumb question, I am far out from grad school days… My sweet baby sister was a public defender her last few years of practice, where some colleagues did the student loan forgiveness program, apparently with success. She decided to quit and take out loans to do a music performance graduate degree thinking she would teach as a fallback. Now she is wondering if she returned to being a public defender, could she do loan forgiveness for her music degree? I don’t see how it would be possible, but I have no real idea…

19. Our co-op has that NordicTrack treadmill in the gym. I use it fairly regularly in the winter and have no issues with it. Caveat that I am not a treadmill expert and usually run for about 25 minutes maximum. I also never use any of the iFit workouts, so have no idea how they compare to the Peloton workouts.

    1. Oops sorry, this was for the treadmill question above obviously.

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