Thursday’s Workwear Report: The Dream Pant

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Our daily workwear reports suggest one piece of work-appropriate attire in a range of prices.

The Everlane Dream Pant is a classic for a reason. It’s made of a soft, double-knit fabric that feels cozy, but looks polished. Plus, it has an elastic waist for days when buttons and zippers are just too much to handle. (We’ve all been there, right?)

The pants are $88 at Everlane and come in sizes XXS–4XL. They also come in five other colors, although not all of them have the full size range.

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Sales of note for 2/7/25:

  • Nordstrom – Winter Sale, up to 60% off! 7850 new markdowns for women
  • Ann Taylor – Extra 25% off your $175+ purchase — and $30 of full-price pants and denim
  • Banana Republic Factory – Up to 50% off everything + extra 15% off
  • Boden – 15% off new season styles
  • Eloquii – 60% off 100s of styles
  • J.Crew – Extra 50% off all sale styles
  • J.Crew Factory – 40% off everything including new arrivals + extra 20% off $125+
  • Rothy's – Final Few: Up to 40% off last-chance styles
  • Spanx – Lots of workwear on sale, some up to 70% off
  • Talbots – 40% off one item + free shipping on $150+

221 Comments

  1. What tops would you wear with the Everlane Dream Pant? They look very comfortable. But as a short (5’0″) apple-shaped person, I don’t think I could pull these off.

    1. I have pants like this from Athleta and I like them for work. I’m 5’1″ and more of a slight pear shape, and I haven’t had any trouble with pairing tops. Usually some sort of nice tee tucked in, or occasionally a shell, also tucked in.

      1. I have similar-ish pants from Uniqlo and do the same. 5’5″ with short legs, also slight pear. Untucked looks terrible on me. They’re not the most flattering pants on me and I have to pick shoes carefully to avoid looking too much like a hobbit, but they’re comfortable and work appropriate. I’m thinking they might “drape” (to the extent that they drape) better on an apple, even.

      2. I have the same Athleta ones and frequently wear them with the J Crew short sleeve sweater. Or the Athleta Breezy Wrap top. Tucked in looks terrible on me. I love the pants and wear them at least once a week.

  2. Any wins this week?
    I ran a residential writing retreat for academic moms/carers this week – which was smaller than I had hoped due to Covid/emergencies, but the attendees had a really positive, productive, and restful time and we all got along super well and had great chats over AMAZING meals.

    1. Hooray! That sounds lovely.

      My bright spot this week: I am job hunting and had a really great interview for a role I think I would love. Just found out I have made it to the final round!

    2. I am not an academic mom but I want to go to this retreat. It sounds amazing. Congrats to you!

    3. I just got to the end of a wild 3 weeks of travel, and get to chill for a couple of weeks. I am exhausted and so ready to clean my house, spend time with my fam, and get my inbox under control!

    4. Wow, that sounds wonderful, Cb!

      My wins this week are that I keep putting one foot in front of the other and ticking things off my rather daunting to-do list. Hopefully by this time next week I will be in a whole ‘nother place with lots of things in the rear-view mirror!

    5. Have not metaphorically killed anyone yet this week. I am thisclose to “reply-all with candor” though.

    6. A pair of ravens visited my yard one day this week. I put out some walnuts that the squirrels mostly ate but the ravens ate a few. Yesterday when I got up they were back. So I got their attention and put out some dried corn and slivered almonds, then went inside, and they immediately swooped down to eat it. Today I’m waiting for them to come back. If it was just a two time thing I’m also fine with that but I would love to have some new raven friends. They are majestic.

    7. Went out to a work event in which we played trivia and other games divided into teams and my team (myself, the big boss, and a few others) WON! I was happy for the opportunity to impress my big boss since I usually am terrible at all the other team style games (golf, bowling, etc) but trivia was my jam!

    8. This sounds awesome, Cb!
      I finally went to Target yesterday to get shorts that fit my larger postpartum post cancer mid pandemic body. It is nice to have clothes that fit. And I hung nice hooks to finally replace the command hooks in our closet.

    9. These are all fantastic! It is wonderful to hear about this stuff. Congratulations to you all!

      My win is that I got a call last Friday for an emergency show, and I got to perform on Saturday on the stage of a 1600 person theater! It was an amazing experience. To stand on that stage and look out on the room was something I’ll never forget.

    10. Went to a conference, gave a talk, attended good talks, and have an upcoming zoom call with someone I met here about new research!

    11. My bright spot was learning about the Asian vloggers that record videos going about their days. As others have remarked the videos are so peaceful and have inspired me to take pleasure in seemingly mundane tasks.

    12. I got a new job! And successfully negotiated more money and more vacation time! Never hurts to ask, and if it does, you don’t want to work there anyway!

  3. Are food cravings/aversions part of perimenopause? I’m late 30s, in perimenopause according to my OB and for the last couple of years I’ve increasingly found that I can only stomach sugary, carby foods. I’ve always eaten a not small amount of bread products and desserts, but I used to also really enjoy salads, roasted veggies and lean meats and I’ve just completely lost my taste for those things. Well, meats are still ok but only if covered in a heavy sauce or mixed in with a bread product. So like chicken mac and cheese or lobster rolls are ok, but plain sauteed meat makes me gag. It’s like the food aversions I had during pregnancy, but much more intense. The only foods other than bread and sweets that I really enjoy eating at this point are eggs, nuts and cheese. Has anyone experienced something like this? Any advice?

    1. Ever since I was pregnant (37), I am a heavy Tums user. At least my bones will be strong. No way I’m living without my Chicken Tikka.

      1. That’s me with Pepcid Complete (but I buy the CVS brand). My bones are going to be straight up steel.

    2. Do you have any other health issues? I also struggle with this a lot, but it seems pretty clear that it’s related to having chronic m*graine and frequently being nauseated- my food aversions get better when I’m less nauseated and worse as the nausea gets worse. Your food aversions also sound somewhat similar to mine, in that I have the most trouble with bitter things (coffee, alcohol, dark chocolate, lots of veggies, seltzer) or anything with a strong smell (coffee, cumin, lots of ripe fruit, cruciferous veggies, meat- though I’m a long time vegetarian and don’t even eat meat, now I find the smell revolting too).

      I’ve focused on overcoming aversions enough to eat a healthy diet, so mostly on finding ways to be okay with more fruits and vegetables, and otherwise I eat a diet heavy in whole grains and beans/nuts. For me, that means raw or roasted veggies instead of steaming and hefty use of acids- vinaigrettes and tomato sauces go a long way toward making vegetables palatable for me, and some fat helps too (I’m mostly vegan, so for me this is olive oil, nut sauces/butters, pestos, and avocado, but dairy is pretty good for this too). For fruits, I make sure they don’t get too ripe before I eat them, or just eat frozen fruit in baked goods or smoothies. The rest of my aversions I just let go and do my best to avoid them. It really is hard though and I think people who haven’t dealt with this have a hard time understanding. It’s quite different than just not liking a food, it’s that when I see or (more often) smell it, it just seems utterly revolting and my mind can’t even grasp that anyone would find this stuff appealing it seems so disgusting.

    3. Do you have GI issues? What you are describing is a lot like the low residue diet I’ve had to be on occasionally. Maybe this is your body’s way of saying it’s having a hard time with fiber?

    4. Sure sounds like hormones if it’s similar to food aversions and happening in conjunction with perimenopause!

      I’ve had issues before from low stomach acid that made me feel weird about foods that require more digestion (like vegetables and meats). But eggs/nuts/cheese bothered me a bit too (I guess because of low level nausea like someone else mentioned).

    5. I don’t know about perimenapause, but I lately have alot of cravings for sourkraut, which I typically eat on hot dogs and hamburgers. But now that I don’t eat alot of meat, I just eat sourkraut by itself cold, with a little mustard. Does anyone else in the hive have this fetish?

  4. I, like many people, gained 25 lbs during the pandemic. I’m only 5’4 so that means I went from a 2 to an 8 and that I’m now overweight (I know an 8 is not overweight for many people but it is for me). I’ve been intermittently half*ss trying to lose weight, but this past week I think I’ve finally hit a breaking point as I feel so uncomfortable in my own body. I don’t know what to do differently this time so it sticks but I need to lose the weight.

    My blood tests are fine and I was meeting with a nutritionist for a bit but that was not helpful (she wasn’t telling me anything I didn’t already know).

    I hate how I look, I hate how clothes don’t fit, I hate that I can’t do what I used to do athletically (not trying to get back to my D1 glory days, but would like to be able to go for 5ish mile runs again, do push-ups, be fit).

    I worked in local public health so basically spent the pandemic in survival mode. I have a new job, a new apartment (first time no roommates!) and just turned 29 so I want to right the ship before I turn 30.

    I was a college athlete so I hypothetically know what to do to get it together but I’ve never successfully lost weight post college (I maintained or slightly crept up pre pandemic). Looking for all advice, motivation, success stories from those who have lost 20-30 pounds.

      1. + to this. I wanted to chime in when WW was brought up yesterday but my office has a firewall and I can’t read here until I get home. (Which is terrible, BTW.)

        I resisted WW for a long time as I didn’t want to put any money in Oprah’s pocket*, but I finally gave in and am doing well. It’s very easy and I’m not hungry. The cost is practically nothing. I was on a previous program years ago (lost 20 pregnancy pounds) and until now hadn’t heard of another program that appealed to me. This one is very flexible. And if it matters to you (it does to me) it’s easy to hide — you can date, socialize, and eat at the office without the whole world knowing you’re “on a diet.”

        *Before any fans @ me, I do a lot of shop-my-conscience and avoid enriching celebrities, so she is just one of many.

        1. I will look into it! Looks like they have levels of plans – did you find the app to be sufficient or did you do an option with virtual meetings?

          1. The app is sufficient so far. Haven’t tried meetings but I’m at a point where I’ve considered a coach (I *think* that’s an option). I need a boost for the next (final?) 10 lbs but honestly I know what to do: add a day or two of exercise and quit abusing the zero-point air-popped popcorn quantity.

            (I just checked. There’s a 24/7 live coach.)

        2. I’m the person who just rejoined from the other post. I really hate a lot about WW. I rage quit when they did the kids app and generally feel like counting points/calories and all that is evil. The brand has evolved over the years, but it absolutely fueled diet culture in the 80s/90s and beyond. But, and I speak for me, it’s also a necessary evil. I’m insulin resistant PCOS – If I’m not actively trying to lose, I’m gaining. I do well with logging and points, idea recipes, etc. I won’t be on WW forever, but it’s really and truly helping me reset. I’m down 10 lbs in 4 weeks. I haven’t lost a pound in 5 years – seriously. I’d rather begrudgingly use WW and have a love/hate relationship, lose weight and get healthy than be stubborn, not use it and also waste away in poor health, which is what I’ve been doing.

          That said, I’ve used the program three times over the years, three different plans and I think this one is very, very much creating good habits, is flexible, is discrete, less processed foods, encouraging more movement, better sleep, increase water, etc. It’s far less about me gaming the system to eat lost of processed foods. I need to lose the weight and then when I’m well on my way I intend to seek true medical support – nutritionist or otherwise – to provide regular accountability.

    1. I lost 25. It took a full year because I wasn’t willing to go full on Diet Mode. Your body didn’t gain the weight overnight. 25 pounds in 2 years is just one pound a month, or about a measly extra 100-150 calories per day that you didn’t need.

      So, to reverse, you just need to cut a little more than that out. For me, it was going to black coffee rather than my heavy splash of creamer (70 cals), one miniature chocolate after lunch rather than 2-3 (100 cals), and no pre-dinner snackies (80-100 cals).

      1. Same. It isn’t s*xy, but habits changes are the only thing that works long-term (I think).

      2. oh, and I added a few longer walks a week to my routine. I live in a city and so walk almost everywhere anyway, but going for a 45 minute walk along the river a few evenings a week was not only relaxing, but extra activity.

        1. +1 – leaving the car and doing all my commute and errands by foot or bike helped me trim up and also took care of the “no time to work out” excuse, since it was all stuff I needed to get done anyway. It really doesn’t take much longer, in most cases, for me to ride than it does to drive, once I work out good routes.
          I know they say it’s impossible to lose weight with exercise alone, but it sure does make it a lot easier.

          1. I live downtown so I already walk everywhere! Including a 3.5 mile round trip commute to the office. I was definitely disappointed when I added that commute in with the new job and there was no change for me…

          2. For what its worth, when I start back to a higher level of fit/trim after a layoff, I always get a little more solid with no change of weight before the scale starts moving. It’s hard for me to keep motivation to stay consistent.

    2. I love to play tennis but can never find people to play with me. Rather than a trainer, I hired a coach for a weekly lesson. I’m doing what I love and even if I stay my size, I will be better at this size and happier.

      1. I acknowledged in my post that it’s not overweight for everyone but it’s overweight for me – and is something my doctor and I have discussed as being not good for my long term health. Health and size concerns aside – I feel uncomfortable in my body as it is. Im also held back in some of my hobbies by my size.

      2. It depends on your height, obviously. I’m 5’11” and was pretty slender when I was a size 8 but for a 5’4″ person it could definitely put you at overweight by BMI.

      3. Not OP, but I’ve always thought it’s ridiculous that people can’t see that arguments about height, muscle mass, and frame size work both ways. If you’re tall, very muscular, and big boned, your healthy weight will be higher than what might be determined by BMI. But as a short, not especially muscular, and very fine boned person, I can definitely attest to the fact that the reverse is also very clearly true, especially because I tend to put on most of the weight around my stomach, which is widely acknowledged to be less healthy. I gain 10 pounds and go up two pants sizes. It’s not unreasonable to want to maintain a healthy weight for me, and it’s definitely not unreasonable to want to avoid replacing my entire wardrobe!

        1. And regardless of if they’re over weight or not – anyone who has put on 25 pounds probably wants to take it off. Anyone who gained 25 pounds from their starting weight is probably now overweight (unless they were previously underweight). Assuming you’re starting at a healthy weight you’re probably healthier at your original weight and not 25 pounds heavier

      4. I’m 5’3″ and a size 8 and officially in the “overweight” category according to my doctor.

      5. I am short. When I was a size 8, many years ago, I was miserable and had no energy. I feel so much better in my body as a 4. I actually want to move more, because living in my version of a fit body is so nice. My mom had my build and she also remained a 4 until her 70s. She loved food.

        OP was an elite athlete, I totally get where she is coming from.

    3. This was my situation, went from 4 to 8 and just needed to get it off. I used Noom for 3 months and it worked for me. I knew I had a serious cheese problem (like eating it all the time, multiple times a day) but the whole system worked for me. I lost about 15 and have kept it off without Noom for 6 months now.

      1. I have heard really mixed reviews of noom. Could you elaborate a little more on why you liked it?

        1. I had never tracked my eating before, so even though I thought I was eating Ok if not great (see above cheese problem!), the “if you bite it, write it” really helped me. The Noom categories helped too, and I started eating lots of vegetables and dips for breakfast and between meals. Overall I just feel better too, so there could have been some kind of dairy aversion or overload going on I didn’t really sense before cutting back. Anyway, it shifted my thinking about eating in a way that I didn’t expect, and having NEVER dieted in any way before the COVID 15, it helped me. Not saying it’s for everyone but it worked for me.

        2. I wasn’t the commentor above but I tried noom about a year ago and I really hated it. I have successfully lost weight by counting calories and macros with My Fitness Pal in the past (and important to note I am VERY analytical by nature) and I found noom too ‘dumbed down’. The big focus of noom is calorie density, which is fine. But it was consistently characterizing foods like my breakfast protein powder in the ‘red’ or bad category because the powder had a high calorie density. Because it was not factoring in the water it would be mixed with. I just found that too simplistic to be helpful for me personally.

        3. I’m not the commentator above, but I find a daily weighing to be an instant deal breaker for me in a program — it’s not relevant or mentally healthy. WW does weekly weighing which seems much more reasonable.

    4. I successfully lost 40 or so pounds in law school (that I also gained in law school, yeesh) through calorie counting and reintroducing regular exercise. For me, that was the couch to 5k program and 2 days of strength training using online workouts. I also liked Jillian Michaels’ DVDs (clearly this was years ago lol). Personally, I stay motivated by seeing lots of progress at the beginning of a new project, so I kickstarted things with a week of low carb. I dropped a few pounds and even though it was almost all water weight, it really helped me keep going. It took about 6 months in total, so not super fast but not an unhealthy pace.

      10 years later, I need to lose weight again, and I’m embarking on a similar plan. A week of low carb to jumpstart things and then calorie/macro tracking, plus regular cardio + strength training. I walk a lot already, but not at fat burning speeds.

      1. I like the idea of kickstarting it with a low carb week – I also get discouraged if I don’t see progress early on, even if it is just water weight

    5. FWIW, I got really out of shape during the pandemic, and also gained weight. I felt horrible – just alien in my own body. I decided to focus on fitness over the last 18 months, and I feel a million times better. I am back to running 12-15 miles a week, I can do pull-ups again, am benching over 100 lbs, etc etc. It’s been wonderful. I haven’t lost any weight, though, which I found upsetting at first but I shifted my thinking – I know I’m healthy and I feel fantastic, so what difference does it make if I’m heavier?

      1. Thanks! I’m starting half marathon training soon (did 3 of them pre-weight gain) so I’m hoping that at least improves how I feel about my body. I’d be totally okay if the number on the scale doesn’t change if I feel/look better (more muscle/less fat)

    6. “I was a college athlete so I hypothetically know what to do to get it together but I’ve never successfully lost weight post college” –> I think being a college athlete actually makes it harder to “know how to get it together” (I say this as a former college athlete). For years and years, you’ve probably eaten enormous amounts of food that your body needed to perform. Also, you’ve had coaches telling you what to do; you haven’t had to come up with workouts or eating habits that work for you, the now-non-athlete. You now have to learn how to each and exercise like a “civilian”. All that to say, don’t beat yourself up that you aren’t “getting it together”.
      FWIW, it took a long time for me to stop eating like an athlete. But, once I adjusted my calorie intake way, way down, I lost and have been able to maintain a healthy-for-me weight; I’m now 40.

      1. Yes, like I know what it takes to be healthy but I don’t know how to implement it because someone was always telling me what workout to do, how to eat, etc. No willpower or planning required – just show up at practice and do what you’re told. I’m great at that – but bad at knowing how to put together a workout plan or an eating plan!

        I think I stopped eating like an athlete in terms of amount a while ago – I just need to get back to working out like one and eating more balanced meals like one!

        1. Best advice I have: find a training plan and stick to it. If you run, I cannot recommend Dr. Jack Daniel’s book enough, and he has workouts for everyone from beginners to D1 athletes. He is also a huge believer in training under your ability (avoid injury, helps your heart get stronger, maximum ratio of results to effort). The benefit of that is that you feel like you’re “winning” at his training plans, because doing them is not murderously hard.

    7. I am in the same position… yet I refuse to follow any “diet” which requires counting of calories, points etc. Those kind of plans are terrible for my mental health.

      I have recently started working through “Lean Habits” by Georgie Fear. Highly recommend checking it out.

    8. I was in your shoes and finally got fed up. I found a registered dietician and she has been amazing – helped me get more activity in my life, and just be intentional about my meals. I actually don’t track macros but she uses an app where I submit pics of my meals, and she gives me coaching. With her help and my Peloton, I’ve lost 20 pounds, but I also feel better. Yoga transitions are easier and I’m not feeling winded walking up a flight of stairs.

    9. Keto worked for me to lose 40 pounds post pregnancy. IF has worked in the last 2 months for me to lose 15 lbs (and counting).

      1. Can we dispense with this myth? While you cannot out-exercise a bad diet, building muscle will change your metabolism. Furthermore, to lose weight without exercise requires a very strict diet – maybe 1,100 or 1,200 calories a day.

      2. There is truth to this, but you can’t turn fat into muscle without exercising, and exercising will also drive different food choices. So for most, and definitely for me, exercise.is an essential part if any attempt to trim down.

    10. I have a similar body type to you, and lost the weight you’re trying to lose. I gained it having kids, but about a year post partum, it wasn’t going anywhere. It’s not the “right” way to do it, but – I stopped eating breakfast, and I started paying more attention to not finishing my plate for the sake of it at the other meals. It was HARD to not eat in the morning at first, but it is not anymore. Also, I don’t think skipping breakfast is what made me lose weight, it’s more than I was simply eating less over the course of the day and waiting until noon to eat made that a lot easier. It didn’t all come off right away, but it did eventually, and I find this to be a pretty easy and sustainable thing to do to maintain my weight. I work out at night, btw. I wouldn’t do this if I exercised in the morning.

    11. Your body has been under enormous stress. Make sure that you feel well rested and get enough sleep when you start making your changes, otherwise your body might just resist, thinking panic mode is still on – so make your exercise fun and keep being nice to yourself!
      Congrats on the job and the

      1. Thank you! It’s been about 5 months and I thought my body might self regulate again but no dice!

    12. I lost about twenty pounds right at the beginning of the pandemic by doing three things: (1) tracking my food on mynetdiary, which is a free app. It’s a bit more work to put in the information, but it was a good reminder to me of my portions and how much I needed to aim for based on my daily activity (2) more trips to the gym – mostly running about 3-4x a week and (3) stopping my hormonal BC. I lost about 1 lb a week until I reached my goal.

      1. I’ve been intermittently using lose it for track, but I’m sure I need to be more consistent! I’ve been curious about my hormonal bc too …

    13. I would focus on adding things, not taking things away. Meaning I would add some sort of structured exercise to your life – training for a half marathon is good. So is a weekly class you pay for or a meet up with a friend so you can’t bail. Likewise with food, if you say you need to eat a fruit or vegetable with every meal and snack, it’s going to end up taking up way more of your diet than high calorie things. My husband has had a lot of success with tracking food on my fitness pal, but for me it creates anxiety and does not lead to healthy patterns. You are at the age where what you do now could set a good tone for the rest of your adult life. I would not engage in any sort of quick fix – whole thirty, etc.

      1. I think it’s harder to lose weight just by adding exercise. I added 3 miles of walking every day and my pandemic weight hasn’t budged (though I do feel better and have more energy).

    14. I lost 25 lbs in 2019 and kept it off. I did this predominately by CICO (calories in/calories out calorie counting) as my main framework, but within that working on 1) strength training to increase my muscle mass and therefore my TDEE 2) walking (aiming for 10k per day, usually walking more to/from work and adding in an evening walk) to increase my NEAT/what my body expects to burn on a daily basis and 3) nutrition density and balancing my hunger and blood sugar by adding protein at every meal and snack. I think track how you’re doing for a few months and see what is working and what is not working, there are principles but people and bodies are different. If you don’t see any progress in 3 months then think about what might need to change.

      I found using the food/nutrition/weight/exercise tracker Cronometer really helpful (it’s like myfitnesspal but I like it better) and joined the reddit community LoseIt. Unfortunately I will add that I basically had to stop drinking – alcohol leads to snacking for me, I didn’t have the calorie budget for the calories, and it was my sense that my body simply didn’t get into ‘weight loss’ mode while drinking. Once I reached my goal/stable weight I was able to bring occasional drinking back in.

    15. I have a similar body type to yours, and I lost 15 pounds in about 9 weeks. Come at me, but I started with a three day juice fast, then started weightlifting, walking, and counting macros for a cut. About 5 pounds from where I want to be, but I’ll just be maintaining through the rest of July and August.

  5. Here’s a weird one – recently I have been burping a lot more than usual. This doesn’t seem like an issue I would go to the doctor for, so I’m turning to you, wise hive! I was on vacation a couple of weeks ago where my diet changed a bit, but I have been back to my regular foods and schedule for the last two weeks. I have back-to-back little burps that sort of stay in my throat/mouth (sorry, gross!) and they occur throughout the day, especially after eating and while sitting. My stomach also feels bubbly during those times. Not sure what’s going on.

    1. This can just be stress or anxiety. It also can be a symptom of GERD or other stomach issues, but a lot of times it will just go away on its own. Give it a few weeks and then see a doctor if it’s still disruptive or if you have other GI symptoms.

  6. I laughed so hard this morning! I am a somewhat frumpy middle-aged size 14 pear whose every outfit includes at least one piece that is 10 years old and for whom comfort is king. Today, one of our young interns complemented my sweater blazer and then blurted out that the whole intern team agrees I am the most fashionable person in our department.

    Ladies, I work with people who look like models with mad styling skills. This intern may be totally off the wall but they sure did make my day!

    1. I once worked with someone (in 2002?) who used to go on about how frumpy Talbot’s was and how could anyone shop there. Then she’d look me over and compliment me on my outfit, especially my shoes. Of course, you know where I bought ’em…

  7. I missed yesterday’s threads but saw the question about where to get a 1.75% savings rate. I’m the OP of that reply who said they’re getting it — the answer is Citizens Access. It’s an online platform, affiliate of Citizens Bank but still separate portals/log ins.

    Rates are UP, and they’re going to continue to climb. It takes banks some window of time to react and increase your savings interest rate but if they’re not up above 1% by now (or damn soon) your bank is slow and you might consider moving. Citizens Access has been increasing quickly and consistently through all of this chop the last few months, probably as a strategy to retain / steal deposits from slower-to-react banks. Been with them for years and it’s a very simple interface. Would highly recommend!

    1. Thank you so much! I’m the one who posted the question yesterday. I did realize I’d deleted an email from Ally and I’m at 1.25, as others mentioned – but good to keep an eye on!

  8. Hey ladies – after 2.5 years I finally caught covid and while I’m starting to feel better, I lost my sense of taste and smell and need some help with food ideas. I was dieting pretty strictly before the plague and trying to do low-calorie and low-carb, so I’m not looking to eat a lot of sugary or carby things at the moment, though I’m struggling to eat the textures of veggies and meat. Doing pretty well with broth, shakes and peanut butter, but wondering if anyone else has any suggestions on what to eat until my senses (hopefully) return.

    1. Google this topic and you’ll find a ton of advice. Many will suggest trying very spicy foods or very sour foods, since they may be the first areas of your brain to rewire. Try things with hot sauce, try things with pineapple, etc. You may not get the taste of “before” for some time, but these are likely the areas where taste will first start to come through.

    2. Hot Cheetos and Tajin on everything. Textures you enjoy like sorbet or pudding or crunchy stuff.

      1. Lol I am currently fighting covid for the first time as well and I am munching my way through a bag of sweet chili heat doritos :)

    3. This happened to me due to sinus surgery a few years ago. I found foods I already knew would be bland were best, like yogurt and eggs. Otherwise I’d sometimes get just part of a string flavor and that was really unpleasant. Also, wine is absolutely disgusting if you have no sense of smell.

    4. If you can do smooth liquids, maybe soups? Both hot and cold, like gazpacho, to get some veggies in. I like kale, spinach and pea soup with soft boiled eggs.

      Maybe you could handle thin buckwheat pancakes? Add butter, banana and peanut butter, or berries, maybe cream cheese and strawberries.

      Almond flour and eggwhites make great almond crisp crackers, add salt and maybe a spice like rosemary or chili if you want.

    5. I got covid for the first time last month and also lost my sense of taste. It came back after 2 weeks. During the time I couldn’t taste anything, I actually lost about 3 pounds because I only ate as much food as I needed not to be hungry and then quit because I didn’t care anymore. But I also didn’t develop any aversions to food other than coffee. My best suggestion is to eat whatever seems reasonably healthful and that doesn’t disgust you and only eat as much as your body needs for fuel.I don’t think now is the time to go all in on ice cream; what a waste!

  9. I am taking a family vacation from the US to Greece in a couple weeks, and I’m becoming more and more nervous about getting Covid while out of the country. DH (vaxxed and boosted, and overall healthy/athletic) recently got one of the latest variants on a trip to Florida and it knocked him down for several days. He’s 100% recovered after about 10 days. Kids also are vaxxed and had gotten Omicron in the late fall. I am in my early 40s, healthy and have gotten Moderna vaccine series plus Moderna booster most recently in December. I’m the only family member who has not gotten Covid yet. I’m debating whether to try to get another booster before our trip (although technically not eligible since I’m under 50 and have no underlying conditions). On the one hand, I’m a rule follower to the letter so I’m hesitant to get a 2nd booster before it is approved for my age group, plus I’m not sure the old formulation even has any benefits against the current variants and perhaps I should wait until the fall to get the new omicron specific booster that is being developed. On the other hand, I don’t want to get sick as a dog while abroad and ruin our trip. For what it’s worth, we’ve been Covid cautious throughout and plan to continue masking with KF94s on the flights and indoors, will do outdoor dining to maximum extent possible, etc. So far, those precautions have worked for me, but maybe the new variants are a new ballgame. WWYD?

    1. There’s really not a good answer to this. It would clearly be best to get a booster against the new variants, but it will be a few months until those are available. The concern about recommending a 4th shot now is that then you won’t be able to get an updated booster when they’re available- some evidence suggests it won’t work as well if you’ve recently been vaccinated. If you’re relatively low risk, it seems like that might tip the balance toward waiting, but there’s definitely not a clear right decision.

    2. I also haven’t had covid yet, even though my immediate family members all have. I went ahead with the second booster in mid-June on the thinking that even if an updated booster comes out in the fall, it is likely still months away. If it comes out in September, then I’ll just need to wait three months to get the new one. Who knows if this is the right call, but it did make me feel a little less anxious about travel. (But I also have resumed masking in grocery stores and while traveling, just to ride out this wave.)

      1. Oh, I forgot to add that I got the second booster even though it’s technically not approved for me yet. I had no qualms, since there’s no supply shortage this time around.

    3. I got a second booster in late May for this reason. It’s really easy, you just check the box that you’re immunocompromised, no proof needed. I would certainly not have done this if I was taking a dose away from a person who needed it more, but doses are going to waste every day in the US at this point. Just get the booster.

      1. Although I will say I know some quad vaxxed people who’ve had a really rough go of it with BA5. So I don’t think it’s a silver bullet by any means. But more protection can’t hurt.

      2. +1 – I did the same in late May for travel reasons. It kept me healthy pre BA5, I got Covid recently but it was a very mild case. No idea if that was because of the fourth shot or mere luck, but the shot can’t hurt. Paxlovid has downsides, but perhaps you could get a Rx to take with you in case.

    4. I am concerned about this same issue for a potential trip to Germany in late fall (so not much outdoor dining). If we go, I plan to get a booster before leaving. I also really wish there were some way to get a Paxlovid prescription so we could bring the pills with us in case we get sick over there. I’m not interested in trying to navigate the German health system while potentially sick. I’m leaning against going because the logistics of getting sick abroad are making me anxious.

      1. I haven’t spent much time in Germany but in general healthcare systems in Europe are sooo much easier to navigate than healthcare systems in the US. On a recent trip to Spain we needed a medicine for my daughter that is prescription at home, and in Spain we just walked into a pharmacy and bought it for 4 euros over the counter. And we don’t speak Spanish at all. I googled the generic name of the medicine and showed it to the pharmacist and it was totally fine. I’m sure they would take really good care of you if you got Covid while traveling there.

      2. This is so wild to me. You’ll feel sick a few days you’ll rest. Covid isn’t a big deal.

          1. Who are either unvaccinated or very elderly. The odds of a vaccinated 40 year old dying are so ridiculously low it’s not something to worry about. And if she does need the hospital, they have good hospitals in Germany. It’s not like she’s going to a part of the world without good medical care.

        1. If it wasn’t a big deal for you, great. I had a different experience, as did many of my friends who have had it recently. I was mostly out of commission for a full 10 days and symptoms did not fully resolve for more than 3 weeks. I am still trying to catch up at work. My many symptoms were across my entire body. Friends are experiencing the same.

        2. you can’t possibly still think this is true. But fine, though you’re a troll I will bite:

          For me – a healthy 42 yo with no pre-existing conditions – COVID knocked me out for 4+ weeks. The acute infection wasn’t too awful and was gone in a week but the post-viral fatigue had me literally bed-ridden.

          For my sister, arguably someone with more pre-existing health conditions, it was a 2 day minor cold.

          There is literally NO WAY OF KNOWING how covid will affect you until it does.

          It is perfectly reasonable to not want to take the gamble while on vacation in another country and if you don’t see that you are either really stupid or trying to prove a political point (and failing miserably).

        3. I think with Covid it’s a little different though. It’s not traditional sensing of smell that’s impaired. It’s the perception of smell. There’s a component there of retraining.

        4. And the 1 out of 4 with lingering symptoms? NBD.

          I mean, sure, it will be less getting chronic fatigue, blood clots, diabetes, organ inflammation or the like. But it’s so wild to me anyone would mind that anyway, amirite?

      3. As someone with anxiety and who’s struggled with health anxiety in the past, this sounds more like an anxiety problem than a covid problem. Yes, cases are up, but if you’re vaccinated and boosted the chances of getting gravely ill are miniscule. Additionally the German healthcare system is superior to the US in many ways, not to mention that many (most?) people in Germany speak English. The chances of you getting seriously ill and not being able to navigate the German healthcare system are basically 0. If you’re so anxious about covid you’re considering cancelling the trip, I’d honestly consider treatment for anxiety. Lexapro and therapy has made a world of difference for me.

        1. Isn’t part of the concern though about getting covid abroad and then having to either remain there or travel while sick? That seems like a valid worry to me, that doesn’t necessarily give evidence to an anxiety disorder.

          1. And I realize she didn’t mention that, but she did mention worrying about getting sick enough to ruin the trip, and again, that sounds like a valid, non-mentally-ill, concern.

        2. +1 million. I honestly that when I do inevitably get Covid it’s on a trip to Europe. Their healthcare is so much better than ours.

    5. This is not exactly your question, but don’t assume your kids are now immune. Lots of people I know are getting 2d and 3d rounds of Covid now after being sick in the fall/winter. Some swear it is easier. Some swear it is harder.

    6. A friend of mine was a hermit for the last two years. She went to Greece a month ago and caught covid from a gaggle of cruise ship people who were coughing all over everyone. She was stranded in her hotel room for 10 days. The bureaucracy was hellish.

      1. This is so snobby. If she was traveling, there are a million places she could have caught Covid, and people cough for a million reasons that aren’t Covid. She has no way of knowing it was from those yucky “cruise ships people” as you put it.

        1. Agreed. I WAS on a Mediterranean cruise in June with my family and we all managed to not get covid. We did have our reservations about going on the cruise and to Europe itself but in the end decided to go for it. Were there people on the ship that probably had covid, sure but there were probably people at all the ports that also had covid just as there are plenty of people walking around my neighborhood that probably have covid. The calculation is tricky and you do what you can. And although my husband and I were/are eligible for the second booster we decided to wait and see what comes out this fall. There is no guarantee or one right answer.

  10. There was a really bad bike crash yesterday morning on my commute to the office. A dump truck driver hit a bicyclist. I feel lucky that it wasn’t me under the truck.
    Just a friendly reminder to anyone who drives: please slow down and let everyone go home to their family.

    1. +1. I’ve been hit by inattentive drivers twice, both times while in a bike lane.
      Slow down and pay attention, or better yet, park your car and take transit, walk or ride a bike.
      If you hurt of kill someone with your car, as long as you’re sober, the cops are unlikely to do anything, so the only consequences you’ll probably face is having to live with yourself. Please look out for people who are more vulnerable than you are.
      Wishing all the cyclists, pedestrians and transit users on here safe, uneventful travel (and for funding, infrastructure and laws to help make it so).

      1. Cops aren’t doing nothing; they are doing what they can. In my state, death by auto (like if you are sober but texting) is a misdemeanor. For a first offender, it’s a few days off work worst case scenario.

        The tort lawyers, however . . . I’m glad they are out there for these situations.

        1. In my city they’re doing nothing. Even with witnesses, they don’t do crap. If you want to get away with murder, kill someone with your car. If the victim is poor, unhoused or otherwise unsympathetic, the tort lawyers don’t give a damn either.

      2. What? Is that true, only DUI drivers get punished in the US?
        I live in Norway and here the driver of the car is automatically at fault in an accident with a bicycle, because of the relative power to to do damage. The cyclist would have to have been extremely negligent to change that. A lethal accident would mean prison.

    2. I used to bike all the time and now will put my bike on a rack and drive to greenways and paths vs ever going on roads. People are busy multitasking and texting, so no thank you to share a road with them.

    3. +1. Just chill. My wife used to bike to work and once a driver pulled over and got out of his car to yell at her that she shouldn’t be on the road. Like what the hell would possess you do to that?

    4. My husband used to have a motorcycle. I made him get rid of it when the kids were little. He kept insisting he was a good driver and maybe it was, but if the dump truck driver is a bad driver, guess who loses? I am so sorry to hear about the cyclist. That must have been hard to see.

    5. This is horrible. My husband works a couple blocks from here and rides in often, but only as far as the mall because he doesn’t feel comfortable on downtown streets on a bike. And just this morning on a run with friends, a woman texting while rolling up to a stop sign (through the crosswalk portion) almost hit me and my friends, who were on a run. Everyone please slow down and keep your eyes on the road.

    6. I am only a semi-regular cyclist but have had a minor accident in the last year (like, a car turned right into my lane and I veered off to the side, crashing on the curb but not with the car and only had minor scrapes and bruises). I always wear a helmet but only this year learned that bike helmets are NOT crash-tested for car collisions, only for static collisions (like with the ground).

    7. An acquaintance’s family member was killed while riding a bicycle in Brooklyn. In general, streets are not safe for cyclists. I don’t own a bike and would never bike on road with heavy traffic. I understand that it is a cheap convenient method of transportation but the US is not like Copenhagen. Riding a bike is dangerous in large cities and people should do so at their own risk until things drastically change.

      1. Oh, gross. People who drive cars need to understand they are piloting something that could kill people. The onus is not on me to make sure you don’t point that thing at me and press go.

      2. So people who can’t drive or can’t afford a car should just stay home and not participate in society? We’re not all riding for recreation, and regardless of the reason someone is riding, they deserve safety.

  11. Several years ago you all gave me fantastic recommendations for my trip to Oahu and Maui. Next month, I’m going to the Big Island for the first time for 8 days. However, I’ve been swamped with work and haven’t had much time to plan beyond the big things (flights, place to stay, car). What are must-do things on the Big Island? Places to eat, places to go, etc. We are staying on the Kona side, but plan to go to Volcano National Park for an entire day and then spend the night somewhere over on that side so we can explore the next day. We’re interested in snorkeling, exploring, hiking, drinking coffee, and eating good food. Any and all recommendations appreciated! Thank you!

    1. Ancient Temple of Pu’ukohola Heiau, north of Kona, where King Kamehameha I had a battle.

      North end of Island – Laupahoehoe Point and Waipi’o Valley – little restaurants and waterfalls.

      Hawai’ian tropical botanical garden

      Panaewa Rainforest Zoo – only tropical rainforest in the US.

      Nāhuku (Thurston Lava Tube)

      Black sands beach at south end of island – Punaluʻu Beach

      Parker Ranch in Waimea – though Google says it’s temporarily closed.

      Enjoy- I wish I could go!

      1. I misread King Kamehameha I as “King Kamehameha and I had a battle” and thought you must have time-traveled!?

    2. Kahalu’u Beach Park in Kona has amazing snorkeling – we see turtles every time.

      Also HIGHLY recommend the night snorkeling or diving with manta rays; I’ve snorkeled all over the world and that’s a top 3 snorkeling experience for me. We went with Big Island Divers but I’m sure lots of companies are great.

    3. Just got back! Here are some things we loved:

      – Snorkeling in Kealalekua Bay – its a protected area, only a few companies have permits to enter. Well worth it.
      – We hired a guide for Vol Nat’l Park for my 70 year old inlaws and it was one of the best things we did the whole trip – Kilauea EcoGuides
      – For the white sand beach experience with easy parking, A Bay or Hapuna Beach. If you want to hike a bit and treat yourself to a beautiful beach at the end, Kekaha Kai State Park, and hike in to Makalawena Beach.
      -Umekes for dinner or fresh fish to make yourself
      – Makuala O’ima Trail for an accessible rain forest (“cloud forest”) hike
      – Magic / Disappearing Sands for body boarding (or turtle watching – we saw so many at this beach!)

  12. Help! I’m stuck having to do a webinar with two mansplainers I work with. And even though I’ve tried to push back, but company leadership insists the format be a panel discussion where we all chat and add our commentary as we see fit. I used to do a ton of public speaking (national speaking tour at my old company), and I really don’t want something circulating on the web where I barely get a sentence or two and am cut off or am talked over explaining what I already know. I have no way to get out of doing this. Any tips?

    It’s hard enough being in meetings with these two bozos from time to time where they do this (and yes, they even do this with one of the female owners of the company). Having it publicized and memorialized just feels so unfair.

    1. I have a few suggestions of varying helpfulness:
      1- Befriend the sound tech and ask them to selectively have issues with the mansplainers’ microphones when you’re not done speaking.
      2- Approach the female owner(s), tell them what you’ve written here, and play the sisterhood card to see if they can help (either by convincing the rest of leadership to change the format, or giving the mansplainers a serious warning, or getting someone to be a moderator who will go to bat for you).
      3- “Mr. Vice President, I am speaking” their asses.
      4- Pull out altogether.

    2. I think you should try to establish ground rules with them in advance: “Since this will be recorded, it won’t work to have more than one person talking at a time. Can we agree not to interrupt any one who is speaking, but to provide an opportunity for everyone to add their comments when the speaker has finished?” Then, when one of them interrupts, interrupt back, “Bob, if I may finish what I was saying, I’ll circle back to you for your comments when I am done.” Do this every time one of them interrupts. After each segment: “I am going to pause here for my co-presenters to add any comments.” And after their segments, your should add your comments demonstrating your knowledge, as well.

      1. Have a trial run with them where you go over your topics and content. I have had a phone trial run in advance of a previous panel presentation, with a moderator. In this trial run, establish topics and content e.g. lets talk about Issue 1, everyone does 2 minutes each, then we’ll talk about Issue 2 and we’ll go round robin again, this time in the opposite sequence of speakers.

      2. This, yes to ground rules, but I would be even firmer. Define areas of responsibility – “I will take the questions about garden hoses and if we need to discuss sprinklers, I will ask you to take that one”. One of you should be the captain or moderator…you should not be competing with each other for the floor during the webinar. If there are slides, put names to each slide.

    3. “Oh, Dan, you just stole the point I was going to make! I’d like to add…” Also divide topics in advance that you’ll each cover, so there are designated “lanes” for everyone to stay in (though they may not).

      Also, your listeners will hear them cutting you off and jumping in and think they’re the jerks and will recognize you as being a polite professional. It won’t reflect on you as much as it will them.

      Also, my firm (the granddaddy in our field) does webinars all the time and hardly anyone listens to the playback, even if they signed up and said they couldn’t make the live version but wanted the playback.

    4. You need a strong moderator, preferably a female you can confide in about this issue ahead of time. There should be no panel discussions without moderators.

    5. Just wanted to say thanks so much for the good advice (some of this I will be trying to implement in meetings as well). But it does help to reframe it a bit as an opportunity to set ground rules in a way that’s harder to do in the meeting setting. Alas, they don’t want a moderator. The other two “didn’t feel it was necessary and would allow more time to speak.”

      I see hot mess express coming a mile away. I just hope no future employer runs across this. Thank you all, again!

      1. Good luck. I agree with others who said that practically no one will watch the replay. Future employers won’t view it. In the end it helps you because the fact that you’re listed as a presenter gives you credibility…and no one will watch the recording.

  13. If you live in an older home but get a brand new AC unit, should there still be a differential in what you set the temp at and what the temp is in your home? Old unit died last week and in the past, it did struggle at high heat times but it was 20+ years old. But at least I could hear it working hard, even if it couldn’t keep up. New unit installed days ago, didn’t even work at first and thermostat was broken and they said fan wasnt turned up enough on the unit. Now temp is at least 5-7 degrees above what it’s set except for like between midnight and 7am. Outside temps are high 80s, maybe 90. It doesn’t seem like it’s even cranking air to try to keep up? Is there such a thing as a lemon unit? Is this new efficiency standards or something? I’m dreading calling them again after having to deal with them 4 days out of the past week but this doesn’t sound right.

    1. Generally, a/c units cannot keep the house more than 20 degrees cooler than the outside temperature. Assuming you’re not setting it more than 20 degrees below outside, it should be able to keep up, and shouldn’t stay 5-7 degrees above what it’s set. In an older home and replacing an older unit, it could be that the intake area isn’t big enough for the new type of fans. I just went through something similar replacing our old unit in a very hot area (temps have been over 100 some days, and our unit is keeping it right at where we set it in the high 60s/low 70s).

    2. A new unit that’s installed correctly should be able to keep up, though it may struggle on really hot days (90+). Humidity will matter too – do you know if it’s a single stage unit or variable? Variable will run have some slower/quieter settings but should be pulling humidity out of the air which will help it feel cooler.

      Start by taking an instant-read thermometer and measure the temp of the air at your vents and then the temp at the return. There should be at least a 15-20-degree differential (if it’s 78 in your house the air coming out should be at 63 degrees or cooler). If the air coming out isn’t cool enough, that’s definitely worth a service call. But if it is cool, it’s still worth monitoring how much it’s running. These units are expensive, even though it’s a pain I’d be all over the company to make it work correctly. It’s easy for a tech to install it in a way that doesn’t maximize the equipment.

    3. I’d start by actually measuring temperatures in various parts of the house to see how that compares to the temperature at the thermostat. It sounds like something is off, but it would be good to know how much.

    4. Calculate the delta between the supply and the hot air return. If should be around 20 degrees F, give or take a little. If it’s not, call the installer – something isn’t right. If that checks out, then look at how your vents are set in the various rooms (ie, is all the air getting dumped into one place?).

    5. Not normal and it should be able to keep up. I’m SEUS with a west- facing, red brick, unshaded house and the HVAC keeps up just fine no matter where the thermostat is set. Is your house old enough to be lacking in insulation? I’m wondering if the house itself is taking on too much heat. In really old houses, from the 1800’s to early 20th century, insulation can be nonexistent, and in houses up through the 1970’s it can be insufficient by modern standards. That’s one possible answer. The other, given the problems you have had is that you got a dud. I’d probably first ask them to justify the size of the unit relative to the house, and if that seems correct I’d be lobbying for a replacement.

    6. There is some “swing” programmed into some thermostats so it doesn’t kick on until temps are 1-3 degrees away from what’s programmed. Make sure swing is set to zero. Is the new unit properly sized? You may need a bigger unit than your previous one if it couldn’t keep up – age is not the only factor in poor performance. Is your house well insulated or is it like mine, old and poorly insulated?

    7. Nah, call them, something’s wrong. We went through this last summer with a new unit. There was something wrong with like every layer of installation, but it took 4 separate service calls, and 4 separate techs to spy the mistakes made by each previous guy.

      I disagree that AC units can’t keep up. It’s 93 here right now with a heat index of 109 and my house is a cool 68. (Hot flashes. Yay.)

  14. I’m so disappointed in President Biden that he has tested positive for Covid. Obviously, I prefer him to 45 in every single way, but I still remember the fury I felt at 45 when he tested positive. For Biden to be so reckless and selfish during an ongoing pandemic just makes my stomach ache… I’ve been waiting for him to follow the science and end this pandemic, and instead, he’s out there putting himself and others at risk!

    1. TF? You’re a troll, right? How on earth has he been “reckless and selfish?” The entire world has moved on and he’s 4x vaxxed.

    2. Omg like 80% of the country has tested positive at this point. Biden is quadruple vaccinated and is frequently photographed in masks, I’m not sure what more precautions you expect him to take. He’s the president of the US, he can’t just stay home forever. Trump’s behavior with Covid was reckless not because he got it himself but because he lied about having negative tests and exposed a bunch of people at the debates. I wish the pandemic were over too, but it’s not Biden’s fault that it’s not. He can’t control the behavior of 300+ million people. To say nothing of the fact that the US isn’t an island and isn’t going to keep its borders closed forever, so it’s affected by the behavior of the rest of the world.

      1. USA could be doing a lot better than it is (a lot of countries are). Biden’s administration has chosen a “vaccines only” approach, and “masks for those who want them,” instead of clean air interventions that would make masking less crucial and help curb transmission. Thanks to that choice, even vaccinated people are seeing worse and worse outcomes.

        Also, where is our operation warp speed for vaccines updated for new variants, or our operation warp speed for nasal vaccines? Why are people trying to curb transmission waiting around for bureaucratic wheels to turn as if there’s no urgency?

        1. I think it’s a stretch to blame Biden personally for the fact that we don’t have warp speed nasal vaccines for new variants. He’s not a scientist or an official who can approve vaccines. Could his administration, collectively, have done and be doing better? Yes. But to put that all on the shoulders of one man, even a very powerful one, seems like a leap. I also don’t blame him for the fact that no one wears masks anymore. Biden could be going on live TV every day and saying “Wear a mask!” and no one would wear one. People are just over it and unwilling to minimally inconvenience themselves anymore. Which is really sad, but is also not Biden’s fault.

        2. Also what other countries are doing dramatically better at this point? Covid is rampant pretty much everywhere now. Some countries may have lower death rates due to higher vaccine uptake in their population, but again not Biden’s fault (and also doesn’t really affect those who were responsible and got vaccinated).

    3. I know, he’s been so selfish, going to all those hookah bars and nightclubs and mosh pits and summit meetings …

    4. wth? People who are behaving cautiously are still catching Covid. Why are you acting like it’s a moral failure?

    5. I’m no fan of either Biden or Trump but if you are going to be angry every time someone gets COVID, you’re going to be–really angry . Maybe dial it down for the sake of your mental health. Besides, I figure he doesn’t even really have COVID and that it is an excuse for him not to be seen in public for a while so he doesn’t keep saying stuff like, “I have cancer from the oil refinery.”

    6. Are you trying to pot-stir? It’s so much easier to catch Covid now than it was in October 2020. Also, he’s the president. Man’s got things to do. You know he’d get ripped a new one if he were perceived to be shirking due to fear of catching it.

    7. My mouth is open agog at this comment. Is he supposed to have no human interaction while President? How would that work, exactly?

    8. What on earth do you mean by “listen to the science and end the pandemic”? Is there science out there that gives instructions for eradicating covid? If so I haven’t heard of any. Maybe I missed the news about a virus exterminator. Gee, you’re right! Why hasn’t Biden used that yet??

      1. It’s called ventilation, sterilization, and filtration of indoor air. If COVID19 had as much trouble spreading indoors as outdoors, we’d be in a much different position.

        But with this administration, we’re struggling to get adequate PPE for healthcare workers… STILL. (My local hospital wears surgical masks, like they still don’t know COVID19 is airborne… pretty sure hospital admin still believes in droplet theory!)

        1. Like… you know the President isn’t the king, right? He can’t just force all buildings to have updated ventilation. And he is subject to an extremely obstructionist body called Congress. Do you live in the real world?

          1. I’m aware, and I’m asking for leadership and for better choices among things fully within the administration’s control.

            I also think the filibuster is an excuse.

          2. I just honestly thought he’d do better than his predecessor. He promised his appointees would follow the science. That’s not what we’ve seen.

          3. The filibuster is an excuse? How do you pass legislation without the Senate agreeing to vote on it? And did you miss the recent SCOTUS ruling severely curtailing agency powers? I’m not sure how “the Biden Administration” is supposed to do anything against the current backdrop.

          4. I’m not actually a Biden apologist, but I just don’t understand this line of thinking at all. You want him to “follow the science,” while you appear incapable of accepting the realities of our governmental and societal framework.

        2. Considering most buildings are privately owned, it seems just as plausible for us all to move everything entirely outside.

          1. That was true of all variants. Maybe not OG Covid, but certainly Delta and all Omicron variants have been fairly transmissible even outside. I know a bunch of people who got Delta at an entirely outdoor wedding in summer 2021. It’s not actually clear this variant is more infectious, it could just be better at evading immunity from vaccines and/or previous infections.

        3. This is rich considering the PPE confiscation scandals under Trump. I remember when the Maryland Governor had to deploy the national guard to meet a plane of supplies from South Korea so it wouldn’t be nabbed.

    9. Wait what context am I missing here? Was he with people without a mask pretending to be fine after testing positive? Getting sick is not an immoral act.

    10. You are being ridiculous. He is president of the United States – he cannot live in a bunker and see nobody, including his family. Given the timing, I suspect he caught in on his recent trip to the Middle East, although he could have just have easily gotten it from his grandchildren. I do not care if you wear a mask – if you spend 12 hours on an airplane with staff and press, you are going to be exposed.

      I am recovering from my first bout of Covid. I caught it despite masking while shopping and no indoor dining. It is not a thing to be ashamed of.

    11. There’s really no need to have an emotional reaction to every bit of news. You are definitely only harming yourself.

    12. I’ve been reasonably careful (and vaxed and boosted) throughout but I’m convinced that I haven’t tested positive for COVID because I just don’t get tested on a regular basis. I’ve probably been asymptomatic and/or got a false negative when I had COVID with mild symptoms. I’ve started to think of getting COVID like being in a fender-bender, every so often your number comes up and someone taps your car at a stoplight.

      1. I don’t think getting Covid is a moral failing by any means (especially not at this point), but I really doubt you had it without knowing. I only know one person who had zero symptoms with Covid and he was a super fit 22 year old. Most of my friends (mid-late 30s and otherwise healthy) were hit pretty hard by it. Not like go-to-the-hospital hard, but definitely stay-in-bed for a week and they had a lot of weird symptoms you don’t have with other viruses (like brain fog and loss of smell). I’ve never tested positive and I’m sure I haven’t had it.

        1. You could be right. I did test on the rare occasion that I had a cold symptom (I’m forever playing allergies-or-COVID in spring), but I’m the person in my house/office/friend group who will stay well when everyone else gets the same cold.

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