Watcha Doin' - 2017.1 edition Showing 1,051-1,100 of 5,020

[Rusalka, Moderator]

I have "The Other Man" jar opener from Tupperware (apparently they don't call it that anymore). Grippy, sticky square sheet of rubber. Works a treat.

I also do the small taps on the bench top, and run under hot water, if my muscles or the other man fails me.

Sounds like you need a new can opener Sarah.

[Travis]

Turns out I always use my left hand. I never paid attention. They have a tool that is similar to an oil filter wrench. Instead of the metal band that grips a filter it's a thick piece of rubber. You put it over what you want to loosen pull the band snug then turn with the handle. I don't know what they call it officially though

[Rusalka, Moderator]

I've confused myself.

I said can opener before, and then was thinking. Do we call them tins, or cans. And really, we call them both, or tin cans. Tin opener or can opener are interchangeable. If it was on my shopping list, it would be tomatoes - cans or tomatoes - tins.

Where it is not interchangeable is it is always tinned tomatoes. Never canned tomatoes.

Isn't language funny?

[Rusalka, Moderator]

Also, happy International Women's Day.

[Sandra, Moderator]

I don't have problems opening cans, but my husband has, so we bought this some time ago:

http://www.tupperware.com/can-opener-...

It wasn't cheap, but the problem is finally solved.

[Sandra, Moderator]

Happy Women Day!

[Sarah]

Tin or can. Hmm. If food is in it, generally i call it a tin. But if it's a drink, it's a can. Always a tin opener.

[Margo]

Peggy That looks excellent! I have a rubber yokey to place over the lid to get a grip and a rubber mat to put under the jar to prevent it slipping. It works well on small lids but it's not great on jars.

Travis I have very little power in my right hand due to injury, so in my case he's right!

[Peggy]

We used to have a rubber thingie too, and just using a towel also helps sometimes, but the yellow thingie is really the best. There's not a lid I haven't been able to take off, and it takes absolutely no strength at all.

[Kristie, Moderator]

Yes, Peggy. It breaks the seal, which makes it so much easier. I've used a bottle opener on smaller lids for the same effect. That's a great tool you found.

[Pragya]

Happy Women's Day.

I thought after my long absence since ages, you all would be happy to know I will start dropping in more often. I finished my PhD today. Finally! Phew. :D

[Sandra, Moderator]

Congrats, Pragya! I'm so happy for you!!!!

[Peggy]

Congrats Pragya! That's awesome, well done!! And it would be great seeing you around more again :)

How does it work for you? Do you also have to do a public defense?

[Kristie, Moderator]

Congrats, Pragya!

Happy Women's Day!

[Janice, Moderator]

Peggy wrote: "Sounds great Sarah!

I'm trying to open a bottle of vinegar and it won't work. It probably has some kind of childlock on it. Makes me feel very incompetent."

I can empathize. I brought a bottle of white chocolate coffee flavoured tequila from Mexico. It has some crazy top on it that only dribbles the liquor out. I took a pair of pliers to it and removed the entire thing. Now I can't screw the lid back on. I guess I'd better just drink it.

[Janice, Moderator]

Pragya wrote: "Happy Women's Day.

I thought after my long absence since ages, you all would be happy to know I will start dropping in more often. I finished my PhD today. Finally! Phew. :D"

Congratulations Pragya! Just in time for Women's Day.

[Peggy]

Janice wrote: "Peggy wrote: "Sounds great Sarah!

I'm trying to open a bottle of vinegar and it won't work. It probably has some kind of childlock on it. Makes me feel very incompetent."

I can empathize. I broug..."

Yep, seems like the only good solution to me.

[Lisa]

Happy Women's Day!

Congratulations on finishing your PhD, Pragya!

[Margo]

Peggy wrote: "We used to have a rubber thingie too, and just using a towel also helps sometimes, but the yellow thingie is really the best. There's not a lid I haven't been able to take off, and it takes absolut..."

ooh, I'll have to get myself a yellow thingie ;-p

[KimeyDiann]

Congrats, Pragya!!

We don't call them tins at all in the US, at least not in my area. They are all cans, whether it has Coca-Cola or tomatoes inside. A can of Coke, a can of tomatoes.

Another thing I try when I can't get a lid off of a jar is to take a butter knife and sort of wedge it under the lip of the lid to break the seal.

[Pragya]

Thank you so much, Sandra, Peggy, Kristie, Janice, Lisa and KimeyDiann.

Yes, Janice, the time was so apt. Haha

Yes, Peggy, I had my public defense today.

[Peggy]

Oh wow, big day! I thought perhaps you finished the written part. Congrats again :D

[Travis]

Congrats Pragya.

Yeah Kimey, there's cans or bottles. And we also do the butter knife thing. Now if you're loading up recyclables then we may call it a tin can. The only time a tin can has tin in front is if it's empty like hey do have something to dump this bacon grease in, like a tin can maybe. For example.

[Cherie]

Janice wrote: "Now I can't screw the lid back on. I guess I'd better just drink it..."

Maybe that is their evil plan. If you have to drink it all, then you have to buy more.

The thing I do not miss any more is the little key thingie that you used to have to deal with to open canned hams and Spam containers. It wound up a thin, sharp metal strip around the side to separate the top from the rest of the can. The key used to be welded or glued onto the top of the can. I haven't seen one in a long time.

Pull tops are great, until the little ring part comes off. Then, you better have a pair of pliers to finish pulling the top off, or an old fashioned can opener.

[Kristie, Moderator]

Oh man, Cherie. I remember those keys. Those were awful. Lol. I haven't seen one in a long time either.

[Janice, Moderator]

Cherie wrote: "Janice wrote: "The thing I do not miss any more is the little key thingie that you used to have to deal with to open canned hams and Spam containers. It wound up a thin, sharp metal strip around the side to separate the top from the rest of the can. The key used to be welded or glued onto the top of the can. I haven't seen one in a long time. .."

Oh yeah. You were hooped if the danged thing broke, and they seemed to break all the time.

[Rusalka, Moderator]

I always wondered how those things worked.

[Travis]

Those things were the worst. Are you sure spam still doesn't use one?

[Rusalka, Moderator]

Travis sivarT wrote: "Those things were the worst. Are you sure spam still doesn't use one?"

In Aus it has a ring pull now.

[Travis]

Probably ours does too then. Haven't gotten any in a long while

[Rusalka, Moderator]

Travis sivarT wrote: "Probably ours does too then. Haven't gotten any in a long while"

We had an emergency tin in our share house. We all knew that when we were debating opening it, it was dire. It was our emergency warning system.

[Sarah]

When i was a venture scout we had a tin of spam as our mascot. We used to take it away on camp with us and take a picture of it there. Butlins, Mt Snowden... You get the picture.

[Cherie]

Travis sivarT wrote: "Those things were the worst. Are you sure spam still doesn't use one?"

No, Spam has the pull top things now. No one in my family will eat it, but I still buy a can occasionally. I cube it and use it in a noodle dish, with cream of chicken or cream of mushroom soup. I get to eat it all week, or I freeze it and take it for lunch off and on.

[Cherie]

Sarah wrote: "When i was a venture scout we had a tin of spam as our mascot. We used to take it away on camp with us and take a picture of it there. Butlins, Mt Snowden... You get the picture."

That is too funny, Sarah!

[Peggy]

I feel a bit stressed. 2 months ago I submitted a grant proposal (which is worth € 250.000 and would allow me to work at my university for at least 3 more years - perhaps even getting a permanent contract). Chances of getting it are very small, there are usually over a 1000 proposals and only about 150 can get a grant. There are several rounds, and people would be informed whether they made it through the first round in the last two weeks of March. But yesterday, this man from uni who helps with grants and keeps track of them sent an email that some people in our subgroup had already received a decision, and that we should let him know if we heard something. Man, he gave me and some other colleagues who submitted almost a heart attack! And since then, my heart skips a beat every time an email comes in.

I don't even know why it's having this effect. I'm not even sure whether I want to continue working at a university.

[Sarah]

It's understandable feeling a bit apprehensive/anxious about something like that. It's important, whether you want to stay there or not. Perhaps it's the fact that others have heard which makes it feel more imminent and raising the stress levels because it will be any day that you'll hear. Plus once you do hear there is the potential that you have to make a decision. If you're anything like me, I hate making decisions, especially big ones. Keeping fingers crossed for you Peggy.

I went to the cinema last night and we went for pizza beforehand. On a school night ;-) It was really nice. I had a pizza with NO cheese for the first time and it was really good. I love cheese but it doesn't love me all that much, giving me sinus headaches and can irritate my asthma. I always like the idea of pizza more than the reality of it. So when I saw that one of the tasty pizzas at the place we went had no cheese on it, I thought I'd give it a go. I was half expecting to be disappointed but I was pleasantly surprised.

[Peggy]

I think part of me is also okay with not getting it, because then I'll know for sure I won't be able to stay at the university and will have to look for something else. If I do pass this round, it's again waiting for two months to see if I pass the next one, and looking for jobs in between but wondering what I should do if I find something else.

Which movie did you see?
I remember when I was young we were on holiday with friends of the family and we went for pizza. It was the first time I had pizza, it was not something we ate at home as my parents didn't like it. Or had never had it. Different times. But as a young girl I didn't like cheese and I didn't like any vegetable except for peas, so eating a pizza with veggies and cheese on it sounded horrible. I think in the end I had only tomato sauce on it. That wasn't so good ;-)

[Sarah]

We went to see Logan. It was really good. Your plain tomato sauce pizza does not sound appetizing. And as a first experience! I'm surprised you tried it ever again.

[Peggy]

I think it was 15 years later that I had pizza again ;-)

I haven't heard of Logan.

[Peggy]

It looks like spring outside! We're supposed to have a nice few days until Wednesday or so, with temperatures between 10-15 degrees, some sun, and not much rain.

I feel like throwing open the doors, but right now it's actually only 8 degrees, so a bit chilly still. I hope I can sit outside for a few hours on Sunday though :)

[Sarah]

Peggy wrote: "I haven't heard of Logan."

It's the latest X-men film.

[Rusalka, Moderator]

Oh Peggy! Fingers crossed for you. Our research office would have had their butts kicked for sending an email like that!

[Peggy]

Haha, I think the guy who sent it knows now that he shouldn't do that anymore ;-) He said he hadn't realized what the impact would be.. Think dude, think!

[Margo]

I aggree with rusalka - that was a bit ill advised of them to say the least! It was bound to increase your stress levels, it's your future. It's always un
settled not to feel in control of your destiny - that sounds a bit dramatic but you know what I mean.

We are having a beautiful spell of weather here in ireland too. It's a welcome break from all that rain :-)

[Margo]

Does anyone else have a problem with GR freezing intermittently or is it just my tablet?

[Peggy]

I had problems with the website and the app yesterday (couldn't log in to website and app didn't work), but today it seems to be working fine.

[Lisa]

Margo wrote: "Does anyone else have a problem with GR freezing intermittently or is it just my tablet?"

Mine froze a couple of times yesterday but it appears to be okay now.

[Sandra, Moderator]

I haven't used the app in more than a week, Margo, so I can't tell. At least the website is working normally for me.

[Sarah]

The app keeps coming up with an error when i click on a thread but when i click retry it seems to work. It's been like it all week for me.

[Travis]

There was a stretch when site wouldn't load the other day