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Tuesday Kaffeeklatsch 2/1/2022
It was a delight to read this. Thank you. I use the new glucose meter system now to measure my glucose level four times a day. Every two weeks I have to glue the meter on an arm or stomach. Then in two weeks, it is alcohol, lot of soap to pull the meter off. When I was to start this, the agent warned me to glue the gadget (a little larger than a quarter) and then remove all the glue on my arm that was not holding the gadget on my arm. Well, the glue is colorless so I put on an amount about the size of a quarter, glue the gadget on and clean my arm carefully all around the gadget. I do this because he told me about his first time to do this; he put glue on his arm, installed the gadget/reader, and went about his life. That night, his shirt sleeve and other parts of his clothes were glued to his skin. His wife had to cut the shirt off of him. So -- I am very careful with this skin glue now. I learned glue is glue - not the stick stuff we had in first grade. I am glad you got the glue off - once I even took off a piece of my skin when I was removing the reader. Life! Always a new adventure. Hope your week is easy and that you get to retire soon. My only regret is that I did not retire a year or two earlier. So I could learn to put the glue in the right place. As a long time wearer of glasses - tape them together first with scotch tape - when they are balanced just right, use the duct tape. peace, janz
I have been waiting all day to share some things with you all.First, we all regret on a regular basis that we are not Hermione. So smart, and perky and precocious, and she can not just outsmart anyone and anything, she can fix and find things. Damn its not so easy any more and a good flick of a wand would be great.
So fascinating and scintillating about the legal drama unfolding before your eyes.
Things to share - first, we had the most amazing amazing book club discussion on Cloud Cuckoo Land. Really such an interesting group of women on a really fascinating imaginative, cleverly crafted book. I felt blessed by that whole evening - inspired by the gift of the book.
Got to get off - the next two things will come shortly after my next two appointments....
PJ - oy, glue! I should probably mention that though I am actually quite handy, I failed gluing and taping in kindergarten (back in 1960). I still have that report card to prove it! I tried scotch tape first on the glasses - didn't work. Then tried the clear packing tape - didn't work. That's when I resorted to superglue, as I could not find my duct tape or electrical tape which I have used in the past during my long history of wearing -- and breaking -- glasses. I've worn glasses since 4th grade - a lot of years. Finally got some new duct tape and voila! I was actually particularly inspired to use duct tape after reading The Martian where it plays a very important and frequent role.
As for retiring - not happening. I love being a lawyer and practicing law. I'm also extremely good at it. I have my own practice, decide what cases I take, and it's always challenging, interesting. I've spent nearly 40 years becoming an expert in a specific area of practice and there is absolutely no reason to stop doing it - it's easier now in truth. And, there are still cutting edge questions of law that cross my desk, which have me drawing on so much cumulative experience that few others have. I happen to be expert in a very narrow area of practice that has only evolved as a specialty in NYC since the mid 1980s - when I started practicing law, and there are comparatively few who practice it.
One of the things that always attracted me to the law, is that it was and is something you can do forever. You can shift the focus and extent of your practice, you can put a shingle out anywhere and do it.
With less than five minutes between appointments, I am spacing these things out - clearly. So for those of you who may have participated in MLB Challenge with honoring with exercise the runs of your favorite team..... When the challenge ended, Cindy and I were lagging extremely far behind, due to the incredible feats of the Red Sox and the Blue Jays, who made the challenge nearly impossible to finish. Anyway, with weeks/months or so away from my finishing, I sprained my ankle badly in November, and any good amount of exercise stopped. But i am pleased to say that as of yesterday, I finished my Red Sox Runs! Cindy's are about cut in half, and she is slowly knocking her runs off as well. As promised, I am going to join her and match her and help her finish them off. But just wanted to announce, that neither one of us has forgotten to finish. Heck, you guys know better than anyone, that PBT-ers know how to finish a challenge. There is a third thing, but its exactly 7. Gotta go.....
Amy wrote: "With less than five minutes between appointments, I am spacing these things out - clearly. So for those of you who may have participated in MLB Challenge with honoring with exercise the runs of you..."Congratulations!
Yay Amy!!! So great about getting your runs done for the MLB challenge!!! It's been a few weeks since I've posted here. I've been super busy at work on the team that I joined in November. But I love the work and the challenging work. Between work and the puppy I'm definitely kept busy. (As I write this she is nosing me to move so that she can crawl into my lap and explore/lick everything on my desk).
My dogs are great! My family is great, my husband, my mom, and I are all boosted and healthy.
The only exciting (?) news is that I now have a prescription for progressive lenses... yay. I've also broken my favorite pair of glasses but am hoping they are under warranty and can be fixed. I've purchased a couple of extra glasses from the cheap sites (they don't look great on my but they work) so I always have multiple extra pair. I've worn glasses since Kindergarten and have had to wear a broken pair to school that were taped together. I think it scarred me because now I'm deathly scared of not having a backup. I'll even bring a backup on long trips, just in case.
Hello, PBT fam- it's been a while!!!I've been slightly MIA for a while, but still reading, and trying to keep up with reviews. If anyone remembers, I changed companies and jobs last July. Well, I worked that for about 2 months, and then got promoted to another higher up position. The new company has great culture, but I no longer commute, and have less bandwith with my position now. Great things- moving on up in the world, but definitely less audiobooks than before.
I'm still trying to pop in to read some reviews, but wanted to come in and say HI HELLO!
Interesting, we are talking together about glasses, glue, jobs tonight.... And a little bit about Dogs. That was my final entry of the night - here we go.So some of you know I/we lost our precious Dandy Dog recently. Others of you might know that I fancy myself as a writer, I think we all do. I write these essays usually on a topic that I hope will be funny and tender, but will have a spiritual value woven through. Anyway, I wrote my essay for Dandy the Forever Dog, and I published it to friends today. My friend Gwen helped me figure it out, that it shouldn't be heartbreaking, and that it shouldn't leave anyone in tears. And I felt, extrapolating from that, that maybe the moments of the actual passing, or the messages that we got from the animal communicator/psychic, that this wasn't about that. Maybe the essay had to really be about how having a dog, or beloved furry friend changes you. How our lives are forever changed by these creatures, and what it means to live life with those lessons we gain and particular unique relationships. So.... With absolutely no pressure, if anyone wants to read my essay, feel free to PM me with your email address, and I will send you my three pager. Its not maudlin, I sort of hope its warm and funny and tender and that its a lift and not a downer. I am getting the message from my friends who have read it today, that they love it and can relate. So if the interest is there... Let me know, and I will happily send you a copy of Dandy the Forever Dog.
My lens prescription for glasses is very expensive, and as I mostly wear contacts, at least pre-pandemic, I just have one pair. If I replace my glasses before the frame breaks, then I have a spare pair. Unfortunately, the last couple of pairs the earpiece hinge broke. But I have 2 pairs of contacts and an extra backup pair too!
I decided this is a message that I should go back to wearing my contacts daily, as I had done since getting my first pair in college. I see so much better with them. Except for reading. I just wear cheaters to read which I buy practically in bulk.
Theresa wrote: "I had an 'accident':..."Theresa, I'm sorry you got glued, but the story did make me laugh! Also sorry about your glasses. :-(
Amy wrote: "But i am pleased to say that as of yesterday, I finished my Red Sox Runs!..."YAY! Congrats to you, Amy! (And thank you so much for being my support with this!). And I would love to simply blame the Jays, but it's not easy to make myself exercise, either! LOL!
(At this point, I'm hoping I can finish before the next season starts up again!)
Joi wrote: "Hello, PBT fam- it's been a while!!!0..."Hi, Joi! Good to "see" you back!
Our furnace stopped working today and I feel like we were incredibly lucky this happened today. (1) it was in the '40's today, first day that warm in weeks and last because it will turn very cold again tomorrow - and (2) We already had someone coming out to work on a minor plumbing issue, that was set up last week. The company we use handles HVAC, electricity and plumbing but they usually have different people for each specialty. But when I called today about the furnace, they said they could just add it to our order and have someone do both. It turned out a breaker got tripped so it was easy to fix and we got everything done for one visit charge.
Theresa wrote: "I had an 'accident':..."Haha, you made me laugh, Theresa. I can related as I have done the same, although I tried to superglue something on my bike. Ended up gluing my jeans instead (drops were falling down), and it almost burned through my skin - got my pants off just fast enough. I then decided to use duck tape instead, why oh why didn't I just do that from the beginning, then I would still have my jeans intact ;) Never gonna superglue anything again, it's clearly dangerous, haha
Snow day here in Michigan-everything is closed, or closing early and because of the forecast staying closed through Thursday. I had a donation day set up at the library, that is not going to happen, and so I will go from nighttime jammies to day time jammies finish some books and begin a few. I glued my pinky and thumb together once. I can relate to others having similar experiences.
Glasses - I can't wear contacts, so I always buy two pair. In the past I also bought a pair of prescription sunglasses, but a couple of years ago I got a pair of those cheap "fit-over-your-glasses" sunglasses at Walgreen's for my car, so I wouldn't have to fumble with getting my sunglasses out of the case and changing them, etc. Well, I liked them so well, I decided to forego the Rx sunglasses and just keep the cheap ones. So, now what to do ... a third pair of Rx? (I'm used to spending $$$ every other year for glasses, can't just stop with two pair, can I?) Decided to get a third pair that are JUST readers. Why? Because when I read in bed with my progressives I'm always having to twist my head or hold my book at an odd angle to get that perfect reading spot. Not any more! I just love these readers. Of course, when I wake up in the night and want to see the clock, I need the regular glasses not the readers. Oh, well, no system is perfect, I guess.
As for superglue .... At least it wasn't HOT glue!
MLB exercise - Congrats, Amy on finishing 2021! I was just thinking about Spring training this morning as I was taking stuff down to the basement ... after two trips I thought "I should have recorded all those flights of stairs when I was putting up / taking down the Xmas trees and banked them for the MLB challenge!"
A big snowstorm is also predicted to begin here tonight. My Dad's phone's ringer is turned off (again) today and so, I'll be going there soon to turn it back on for him. (He's 98 years old and lives in assisted living. It's important that I'm able to call him.) This week, I've discovered WORDLE. It's so much fun to play. Here's a question to all of you. Are you playing it too?
The storm will miss us completely. We haven't had any big storms this year, 5-6 inches one time was the most and it was very lightweight snow. I never wore glasses in my youth (only one in my family who didn't) but after age 40, I couldn't read in bed because the book was too close. I actually went to an optometrist and got a prescription but when I went to the eyeglass place, they said, "you don't need to pay for prescription lenses, just get the drugstore ones". They were right, I only needed 1.25 or something like that, but I'm amazed they said that instead of taking my money. Over time I have progressed up to 2.75 and I need them for reading more things, like recipes, maps, my phone, etc.
I have reading glasses in every room and most of them have chains so I can put them around my neck. I still find myself searching for them at times. I rarely recommend companies but readers.com has an amazing selection of reading glasses at very good prices, where you can choose the style, the exact size down to the millimeter, color, etc. and their customer service is excellent.
I can never get truly inexpensive glasses ... and forget about 24-hours. I have severe astigmatism and the axis that has to be added differs from one eye to the other. Not to mention that the actual prescription is quite different from Left eye vs Right eye.By, the way Theresa ... I've worn glasses since I was in kindergarten and I've broken exactly ONE pair. They were loose on my face and when I bent over to pick something up in the garage they fell off and cracked in two on the cement floor. Now, when they start feeling a little loose I go to the optician and have them adjusted.
My insurance changed this year and is covering glasses every year now, instead of of every 2 years! So I will be getting a pair of readers too. I hate my progressives while reading, having the same issues as you Tessa. I had a pair of prescription sunglasses that were 9 years old and finally last year splurged and got a new pair when my RX changed radically enough to acknowledge it was probably time. LoL. In recent years have had many an accident with my glasses, and learned it always good to have a spare on hand. One time I melted a pair in the oven. One time Adam ran over them. I have a really bad habit of taking them off and setting them down in the worst places. I don't need to wear them if I am just hanging around the house, so misplace them constantly. You would think after wearing them since I was 9-10 years old that I would be a better care-taker.....🙄
I also always have 2-3 pairs (not new, but the last 2-3 old ones). For me the glasses are a part of the outfit.
Congratulations, Joi, good to "see" you! It is currently snowing here, and has been since 9am, and it will continue to do so for the next 12 hours. We are all speculating about going home early, but I am in manufacturing so that is highly unlikely. Maybe tomorrow? I want to curl up and read a book!
We are just slated for rain tomorrow and Friday, here in NYC.My glasses break usually at the hinge which is a common break. Can't be fixed. I have always thought it was a built in natural obsolence by manufacturerer. I am not careless or hard on glasses. My vision is so bad I can't be without either contacts or glasses.
I also have never had insurance that covered glasses but then I have never worked for a big company. I do think my new supplemental policy now that I am on Medicare may provide something towards glasses. Have to look.
I can well imagine any mishaps with glue. I would be right there with you and have several items which I should superglue back together but they remain broken for that very reason with thoughts of "someday."I have never been able to wear contacts. I have trifocals which I am not in love with, but look nice and wear them away from home, but at home I find that reading glasses work well for me. I used to laugh at my mother who had reading glasses in every room of her house, but I am about at that point now.
Amy, I love that you are writing about your beloved dog with the help of your friend Gwen. I just finished a book about a beloved cat, Homer's Odyssey by Gwen Cooper. It made me think, how I would love to tell the stories of my past beloveds.
Yesterday, hubby, with me accompanying him, went to the Oncologist and were given the good news that he doesn't need more treatment, just continual monitoring.
Holly, I am a wordle fan. I love that it is just once a day, so you cannot get completely obsessed.
I have also discovered Globle, which is just as much fun.
https://globle-game.com/?fbclid=IwAR1...
Oh! that is great news on the Hubby BnB!
Fran, I'm glad that your husband is doing well!I tried playing Globle just now. I'm pretty bad at geography, but enjoyed it. I'll pass it along to my friends.
I have to cheat a little because< I don't know all of the country names, but I hope this is going to refresh my memory. It is a matter of narrowing it down.
Booknblues wrote: "I have to cheat a little because< I don't know all of the country names, but I hope this is going to refresh my memory. It is a matter of narrowing it down."Took me 14 turns-but really that was not so bad because the continent was Africa-after about 7 turns I pulled up a darn map! Lol
I am always looking for games like this to test my brain power-so thanks again!
Joanne wrote: "Booknblues wrote: "I have to cheat a little becauseTook me 14 turns-but really that was not so bad because the continent was Africa-after about 7 turns I pulled up a darn map! Lol
I am always loo..."
I had to use the map today as well. I had Uganda and Kenya, but didn't know what country touched them both. Now I do.
Fran ... great news for you and your Hubby!
Book Concierge wrote: "Fran ... great news for you and your Hubby!"Yes, thanks we were worried that he would have to get chemo. So it really is great news.
Robin P wrote: "Our furnace stopped working today and I feel like we were incredibly lucky this happened today. (1) it was in the '40's today, first day that warm in weeks and last because it will turn very cold a..."Oh, that's lucky! I'm glad you were able to get everything done quickly!
Robin P wrote:I never wore glasses in my youth (only one in my fam..."Like you, my mom was in her 40s, I believe, when she needed glasses. I think she said she had them briefly when she was younger, but her eyes actually got better and she didn't need them again - until I was grown up and gone from home.
Now that you mention it, I do remember seeing your glasses with a chain. :-)
Booknblues wrote: "Yesterday, hubby, with me accompanying him, went to the Oncologist and were given the good news that he doesn't need more treatment, just continual monitoring. ..."That's good to hear! Congrats to your husband.
BnB - that's so great to hear! Fabulous news!
BooknBubbles - may you and your husband be bubbling away with relief and joy at that great news!I am totally ignoring wordle and globle...too much distracting me as it is with my current work demands!
I am NOT trying that link....nope, not me...
Theresa, you made me smile. ;0) Wordle takes
I'm just 1 day old at playing Globle, but that too seemed to play quickly.
Holly R W wrote: "Theresa, you made me smile. ;0) Wordle takes 10 minutes max per day. Try it, you might like it!
I'm just 1 day old at playing Globle, but that too seemed to play quickly."
Less! I got today's word on the second try and was so sad that it was done for the day.
OK, you guys know me. Wordsmith with addictive tendencies. It is absolutely amazing that I have gone this long. Literally everyone in the world is doing Wordle. It’s so me! Like to a T it’s classic me. I already have a number of running obsessions and addictions including Goodreads if you haven’t noticed. I’m not sure I can afford to add this, because I’m already hooked and I haven’t even started. Literally my friends are making bets on when I am going to give in. Three of my patients have said to me offhand that they see this as a ‘me’ thing. I commit to streaks. I have no idea how long I can hold out - lol. Anyone want to place a bet?
@Jen - It's fun, isn't it? I'm going to play now. @Amy - I was a Wordle holdout too. I think your curiousity will get the better of you, like it did me. I think today will be the day you start.
Amy wrote: "OK, you guys know me. Wordsmith with addictive tendencies. It is absolutely amazing that I have gone this long. Literally everyone in the world is doing Wordle. It’s so me! Like to a T it’s classic..."I haven't succumbed and am not likely to. I spend enough time doing puzzles every day already - jigsaws, math puzzles, etc.
Can't remember if I posted this here or in another group, but we played a game called Jotto in college (literally 50 years ago), which was exactly the same as Wordle. I think each person had a word, and you took turns guessing and would see who could guess the other person's word quickest. It's not new. There was also the game Mastermind with colored pegs, same idea. I think the secret of Wordle is that they give you 6 guesses and almost anybody can get it by then. Also, at the moment, it's not monetized and you don't pay for extra guesses, it doesn't have annoying sound effects, etc. My husband and I are addicted to the NY Times Spelling Bee. I love crosswords, double acrostics (where there are clues and a quote), other word games like "Word Rummy" and "Split Decisions". My husband and I have played thousands of games of Scrabble over the years. We are very evenly matched, and thanks to FaceTime, we can play against our son 250 miles away. In the early pandemic, some people took up workouts or baking, I started doing the cryptogram which appears in the NY Times twice a week. I used to think I couldn't do them, but now I almost always figure it out.
On the other hand, any game about math seems like homework to me. I tried the Global game and was not surprised to find my knowledge of world geography is quite weak!
Holly, Could be…. It’s sure tempting. But I had a cautionary tale this morning. On Facebook, my friend now tells me there’s a Jewish version of Wordle called Jewdle or something. This thing isn’t a one shot deal. It has variants. One of you, was talking about a geography version? This is about to explode, and I’m a little worried.
Amy, I just had to try Jewdle and was excited that in my first word, Matzoh, I found 3 letters. But, then I got really stuck. I tried using Yiddish and Hebrew words that the game kept telling me were spelled wrong. I will pass this along to a couple of friends who will like it!
The advantage of both wordle and globle is that they only take afew minutes and you can only do them once a day.That said today's globle was fun and a bit tricky. Globle is done in a your getting hotter or colder way, so you are eventually going to solve it. Another advantage is that it teaches you the countries and their locations.
Robin P wrote: "Can't remember if I posted this here or in another group, but we played a game called Jotto in college (literally 50 years ago), which was exactly the same as Wordle. I think each person had a word..."I'm another Spelling Bee addict. I've also begun to play Wordle and Crossword puzzles are cutting into my reading time. I've been trying to improve my geographical knowledge ever since my son joined the navy so I'm going to enjoy Globle. Thanks for that one BnB
Amy wrote: "OK, you guys know me. Wordsmith with addictive tendencies. It is absolutely amazing that I have gone this long. Literally everyone in the world is doing Wordle. It’s so me! Like to a T it’s classic..."Shall we hold out together? Fair warning, I am really strong about holding out.
Robin P wrote: "Can't remember if I posted this here or in another group, but we played a game called Jotto in college (literally 50 years ago), which was exactly the same as Wordle. I think each person had a word..."I remember Mastermind! The travel size kept an office of people amused during slow periods of zero work (travel industry job in late 70s selling Eurail passes and such. Dead in winter). It was a realky cool game.
@Robin - check out the New Yorker online puzzles - crosswords and more. I believe it is still free. They also have a different crossword published in the print magazine each werk. Puzzles are crafted by the top constructors nationally, including my friend Elizabeth C. Gorski.
Play Book Tag
Books mentioned in this topic
Homer's Odyssey (other topics)The Martian (other topics)
Sorry about missing last week. Said work was taking up all of my mental capacity. This week is momentarily better but will deteriorate starting tomorrow, no doubt, as I and one of the litigation teams I'm working with scramble to get papers drafted, signed and filed.
Did have an interesting work experience today: I got to watch the live stream of the Appellate Division argument by litigation counsel on a case of mine. Unfortunately it did not go well but who knows? Judges were pretty hot with both my client's counsel and the opposition. We'll see. But it was really cool to virtually watch the entire calendar of appeals heard today while waiting to hear ours. Unlike in the courtroom where observers would be sitting at some distance from the 'action', you heard and saw every single word.
We barely had any snow here in Manhattan over the weekend and in fact it is mostly already fully gone as we had some rain. More rain due at end of week.
How's everyone's health etc. doing? Hubbys, kids, parents, self, and pets of course.
I had an 'accident': I broke my glasses and don't have time to schlep to get new ones -- plan is to get new glasses and contacts in spring/early summer. It's a clean break of the plastic nose piece connecting the glasses. Since Hermione Granger is not around to mend them even temporarily, I resorted to Gorilla superglue. I set it all up so that I would not get it all over my hands, body, table, clothes, etc. Figured it should work to bind the 2 pieces together then I'd wrap duct tape around just to be extra sturdy. Well, not only did the glue not work at all to bind the 2 pieces together, regardless of my precautions and careful efforts, I got superglue all over my under forearm. Fortunately I did not glue myself to anything! I had just rested my entire forearm on the table - right in a large puddle of the glue on the papertowel I'd put down to keep it all contained and remind me to stay off it. That latter part did not work. Plus I am still not sure why such a huge puddle of the stuff was there.
After giving up on gluing the glasses, but managing to duct tape them just fine so I can wear them until I can get new ones, I fetched my bottle of acetone nail polish remover and soaked off the superglue dried on my arm, bit by bit. Ruined a brand new manicure in the process, though only on my left hand.
But no more glue on my arm and no irritation!
Lesson: I'm no longer as handy at these DIY efforts as I once was.