I can't even express how relieved I am, aside from the whole unpleasantness of chemo etc..I am in no position to stop working ( and if it is like last time, I just wouldn't be able to, plus, it slows down your recovery)...I would lose my home and everything
Chemo: I've been there and done that (long ago). Congrats!
One of the fun parts of having it over with is when the hair comes back. When mine got to be just long enough (a quarter inch) to stop wearing scarves on my head, people sometimes looked at me and I could see them thinking "is she a tough-chick type?" Then they'd realize I am not. But that part only lasted a few more weeks.
Mine was a long time ago to, diagnosed in April 1995
I tired hats, wigs, scarfs, they all made me sweat and the sweat was brown because of the chemo and disgusting so, I just went bald, I actually don't think I looked that bad, I have some pictures...
Mine came back really curly, and I had straight as a poker hair, once it grew out enough the curls disappeared, it also came back thinner and a bit lighter
Hi everybody. I'm into my busy season at the store (peaking around Memorial Day) and have plenty to do on my days off also. So I'm not going to delve into what's what with the Dispatch improvements, or whatever else they may prove to be. And I don't really know where to look for any "official" explanation from The Dispatch. If there is one, can someone point me to it? That goes for any other bells and whistles they may have snuck in there silently.
But before collapsing on the couch after work yesterday, I tried out the new system with a comment , on Eeyore's latest. I managed to get logged in (wasn't difficult, and they didn't out my real name). The comments don't display right away and I'm not used to how the process works. Maybe eventually I'll know how many beats to wait before they appear. The layout of the comments is kind of odd, with too much white space to the right and the left, and a thin but visible line framing them. But, whatever.
The big surprise to me was the quantity of likes I got. I don't know whether it was because I just happened to land in the comments early and had something to say that many people could get behind, or some other factor. I noticed several other people got more comments than has been typical with the previous system.
In case you don't see it at the other site, TSAF is taking a break not because of management but just to give the new system time to settle down, for everyone. If it ever settles down.
So now, I managed to find your comment where you said something about how people may be agitated. I couldn't find it in the thread I thought it was in, so I used the mystery box, I think, and then had it take me to the discussion. I tried to reply, but even though I am logged in, it wouldn't let me type anything in the comment box. And when I could view the comment I thought I could copy it and paste it, but it won't paste, and I still don't remember what thread it was on.
What I was hoping to say was:
Agitated? Why would anyone be agitated when someone dumps a whole bowl of surprises on them, unexplained?
EDIT: Oh, now it worked. Grumble. I should start billing them my hourly rate.
I’ve assumed that the biggest justification for automatic faucets is cutting down on water being wasted, which is a very good idea to me. While I occasionally get frustrated by one that doesn’t work well, I consider that a minor annoyance in support of a bigger cause. If the reason for them is more a matter of saving money, that’s a result of us as consumers demanding the lowest possible price. I frequently read comments from people blasting “greedy corporations” for doing things like this just to make even more profits. That could be partly true, but I think it’s more a matter of them responding to consumer demand for the lowest possible price. Too many people seem to think all companies or government entities are overflowing with money and just squeezing us for more. Our decisions and demands as consumers have more impact than many people seem to understand.
Less sanitary, if they have no lids on them. Toilet lids are there for a reason: to prevent droplets of what's in the toilet from being sprayed in the air and getting on everything.
A Matthew Crawford reference is a great way to start the day.
I have noticed that there are fewer automatic paper towel dispensers, more of the ones that dispense by pulling from the center of the roll.
Once upon a time, billing consisted of receiving the bill in the mail, writing a check for the requested amount, mailing the check and filing the bill. It worked for the power bill and the credit cards and everything else.
Now, paperless billing means having to print everything myself (to PDF), individual passwords for each billing entity to get to the bill to print it, and website navigation specific to each company, subject to upgrades and news procedures as deemed necessary.
One procedure with four steps applicable for all bills became x procedures with y steps, where x is the number of billing entities and y varies from site to site.
My frustration is less with the time than the mental effort no longer available for MY priorities.
I end up still getting paper bills for most things (as reminders) but I also have those logins and generally login to get the amounts and the due dates, then go to my bank's billpaying site to pay the bills.
I could setup to allow my billers to debit my bank account directly, but I dislike allowing other entities to access my bank funds without controls on how much they can debit. That means I have to be "in the loop" to do it.
Pretty much what I do, though I keep paper copies and notate the confirmation dates after I pay it...I have a filing systme and I am fine with it, I like it this way, plus, it helps with memory issues
Yeah, I have had someone think because they have my bank info they are free to debit anytime and any amount they want...I refuse to do that, with the exception of streaming and news site subs etc...they have never done anything bad
That's pretty much what I do. I also have auto payments set up through the credit union in case I miss something. When I get the bill I edit the payment to reflect what's actually owed.
I agree 100% about allowing billers to debit directly!
Same here. Also, I want a paper trail that will prove I paid these things on time. If the grid goes down, the records will exist to confirm what my credit score should be.
Yes, after all the admonitions to “Go paperless!” It turns out to take more time, your own ink, paper, and the recurring search for a reliable printer—some of us still do paper record-keeping for tax purposes… But the utility or credit card issuer no longer charges you $1.99 to mail you a bill with a return envelope. Yay, progress!
Yeah, I tend towards completionist OCD, too. That’s why I can’t do Dispatch comments. I have the compulsion to read all 900 comments before I can say anything.
Ha, well, I will say things as I read at least...lol...though I will admit to if the first few posts are the mean and angry kind that often sets the tone and sometimes I will skip it
Normally, in most ways I am the exact opposite of OCD...I don't notice my surroundings a lot...I have two sisters who are though, and my current boss is is afflicted too...lol..my sister's is so bad she has a die kind, which I forget the name of, but she counts things, like if the copier is running she counts the number of pages or people walking down the hallway, she counts their steps etc...
It seems to work OK forme. My gripe is that I like to see all the comments, so I can scan for my name or maybe for a "worth Your Time II" but Disqus shows fewer comments at a time than the old site, so that's almost more trouble than its worth.
I tried to upvote a comment but was told I had to log in to Disqus. I clicked on My Account (Dispatch), didn’t change anything, went back to the page and commenting now worked.
I had that happen once yesterday after I closed a tab with TMD and reopened it later. I was logged into Disqus automatically again after a slight delay—and a fruitless search for a way to log in.
It's glitchy. Sometimes the comment section vanishes. Sometimes the link to the mystery box is there, and sometimes it isn't. I emailed Young Ryan, but I'm sure they already know.
The box you get if you click on the circle with the number by your name in the at the top of the comments. It shows the likes and replies. Or it doesn't.
Ah, thanks. The box appears after I click the red circle number. (And I notice it turns to black once I have clicked it.) I did see them. So that means I still have some way of checking for replies. Kind of.
But as for receiving e-mail notifications, is there still a possibility to turn those on? Didn't stumble on anything about that.
From the discussion yesterday, it appears that email notifications are not an option at this time. People reported trying various things in their Disqus accounts, but no dice.
Interesting point for those of us who are former TMD subscribers. I still get the email, and quickly peruse it, mostly for the Presented Without Comment stuff. Under their old system, non-subscribers got around 3-4 paragraphs of the lead story and then the admonition that, if we paid, we'd get the whole thing. Now, one gets only part of the first paragraph. But, at least the admonition is no longer in a big blue box (scarlet would be more appropriate) and is instead only in italic type of the same font size.
The new, improved mothership got around today to reporting on the deaths over the weekend of the Iranian president and foreign minister in a helicopter crash, and the resulting succession scramble.
Agree. I found myself waving my hands furiously in front of one of those faucets the other day (Do I put my hand in front? Under?). I went to another faucet, which worked. Then, someone else went to the faucet I had tried to use and it worked perfectly for him. Did the faucet not like me? Now, I need therapy. (Notice how I strung two days of themes together. You're welcome.)
The Charlotte Observer says that Trump is coming to Charlotte this weekend. I'm glad we don't have any plans to be in the city. I don't think government or ex-government people who cause traffic jams and airport closures should be allowed to go places.
My hometown was where Clinton's mama lived. It was bottle-necked all over the place with national park and a couple of lakes. He could screw things up royally when he visited.
I doubt he ever looked up from whatever briefing he was reading.
Until the Trump era, we had those traffic jams every fours years in the fall, before a Presidential election, when the candidates came. Because Ohio was a “battleground state”. I put up with that, because it meant my vote counted. Now, my likely (and extremely reluctant) vote for Biden will likely be drowned out by the Trumpians in this state.
I just cast my presidential primary vote for Haley last week to see that her share here was only 11 percent. Eventually, you get used to the discouraging indications that they absolutely take your state’s support for granted.
I have a fuzzy memory from early childhood of JFK riding through my small town sitting on the back of a convertible. Hard to imagine that was once common.
Not wanting any harm to anyone, but I'd be fine with never having another presidential motorcade. Our employees should be in the office doing something useful.
Good morning. I'm sure we could give other examples of spurious upgrades, sigh.
Nice morning here, so far. On the calendar today, Daughter D has a riding lesson - rescheduled from a thunderstorm day last week - and Son F has a debate class at the library. Brenda, our science team coordinator, is always recommending more public speaking experience for the high schoolers, but I can't commit to a realsies debate program. The one that meets nearby, at the Baptist school, meets on Thursday nights, and that's when Daughter D has Scouts, and one's husband will not be relied upon to get Child X to Activity Y each week.
Therefore, this monthly thing at the library may prove helpful. Also, I've signed F up for Driver's Ed through the county school system. The "classroom" part is online/asynchronous. There will be a Zoom meeting for parents next Tuesday to explain how it works. The good news is that it's only $65. We spent a lot more for D and E to go to a commercial driving school during Covid; the school system was taking a couple of years off.
I have decreed as of today (I think it was on KDW's piece) that "debates" is to be in scare quotes whenever it refers to presidential "debates."
However, I like your "realsies debate" idea, and endorse the use of the phrase realsies debate whenever one is referring to debates that are not of the merely so-called kind.
Thank goodness there’s often more than one auto faucet because I’m usually undetectable to the first one I put my hands under. I bet the month of May is hectic for you. I’m playing pickleball then going to visit my grandson today.
GOOD NEWS! ( For change)
They didn't find anything with the follow up to the mammogram, didn't need to do the ultrasound, and I am good for now...YES! One thing off my mind
Very happy for you!
Thanks Lucy
Excellent news. I'm very pleased for you.
Thank you Cynthia, I am so relieved
Very glad for you, Angie! May it brighten your days!
I can't even express how relieved I am, aside from the whole unpleasantness of chemo etc..I am in no position to stop working ( and if it is like last time, I just wouldn't be able to, plus, it slows down your recovery)...I would lose my home and everything
Chemo: I've been there and done that (long ago). Congrats!
One of the fun parts of having it over with is when the hair comes back. When mine got to be just long enough (a quarter inch) to stop wearing scarves on my head, people sometimes looked at me and I could see them thinking "is she a tough-chick type?" Then they'd realize I am not. But that part only lasted a few more weeks.
Mine was a long time ago to, diagnosed in April 1995
I tired hats, wigs, scarfs, they all made me sweat and the sweat was brown because of the chemo and disgusting so, I just went bald, I actually don't think I looked that bad, I have some pictures...
Mine came back really curly, and I had straight as a poker hair, once it grew out enough the curls disappeared, it also came back thinner and a bit lighter
That's how I have my hair all the time!
Hi everybody. I'm into my busy season at the store (peaking around Memorial Day) and have plenty to do on my days off also. So I'm not going to delve into what's what with the Dispatch improvements, or whatever else they may prove to be. And I don't really know where to look for any "official" explanation from The Dispatch. If there is one, can someone point me to it? That goes for any other bells and whistles they may have snuck in there silently.
But before collapsing on the couch after work yesterday, I tried out the new system with a comment , on Eeyore's latest. I managed to get logged in (wasn't difficult, and they didn't out my real name). The comments don't display right away and I'm not used to how the process works. Maybe eventually I'll know how many beats to wait before they appear. The layout of the comments is kind of odd, with too much white space to the right and the left, and a thin but visible line framing them. But, whatever.
The big surprise to me was the quantity of likes I got. I don't know whether it was because I just happened to land in the comments early and had something to say that many people could get behind, or some other factor. I noticed several other people got more comments than has been typical with the previous system.
In case you don't see it at the other site, TSAF is taking a break not because of management but just to give the new system time to settle down, for everyone. If it ever settles down.
So now, I managed to find your comment where you said something about how people may be agitated. I couldn't find it in the thread I thought it was in, so I used the mystery box, I think, and then had it take me to the discussion. I tried to reply, but even though I am logged in, it wouldn't let me type anything in the comment box. And when I could view the comment I thought I could copy it and paste it, but it won't paste, and I still don't remember what thread it was on.
What I was hoping to say was:
Agitated? Why would anyone be agitated when someone dumps a whole bowl of surprises on them, unexplained?
EDIT: Oh, now it worked. Grumble. I should start billing them my hourly rate.
But instead, we're paying them.
Reminds me of the CTA (Chicago Transit Authority). They have my money, so it doesn't matter to them if I have no bus.
Thanks for the hand-holding. I'll try not to keep on taking advantage.
You're welcome. I like to feel useful.
I did catch that. Not a bad idea.
I’ve assumed that the biggest justification for automatic faucets is cutting down on water being wasted, which is a very good idea to me. While I occasionally get frustrated by one that doesn’t work well, I consider that a minor annoyance in support of a bigger cause. If the reason for them is more a matter of saving money, that’s a result of us as consumers demanding the lowest possible price. I frequently read comments from people blasting “greedy corporations” for doing things like this just to make even more profits. That could be partly true, but I think it’s more a matter of them responding to consumer demand for the lowest possible price. Too many people seem to think all companies or government entities are overflowing with money and just squeezing us for more. Our decisions and demands as consumers have more impact than many people seem to understand.
Automatically flushing toilets use more water, though.
But are they more sanitary?
Less sanitary, if they have no lids on them. Toilet lids are there for a reason: to prevent droplets of what's in the toilet from being sprayed in the air and getting on everything.
I do remember that Myth Busters episode.
But how does that compare to the biological load released while unclogging a backed up toilet? Exposure to custodial staff?
My theory is that fewer people flush because they expect it to happen on its own, even when there's an obvious handle one needs to manipulate.
A Matthew Crawford reference is a great way to start the day.
I have noticed that there are fewer automatic paper towel dispensers, more of the ones that dispense by pulling from the center of the roll.
Once upon a time, billing consisted of receiving the bill in the mail, writing a check for the requested amount, mailing the check and filing the bill. It worked for the power bill and the credit cards and everything else.
Now, paperless billing means having to print everything myself (to PDF), individual passwords for each billing entity to get to the bill to print it, and website navigation specific to each company, subject to upgrades and news procedures as deemed necessary.
One procedure with four steps applicable for all bills became x procedures with y steps, where x is the number of billing entities and y varies from site to site.
My frustration is less with the time than the mental effort no longer available for MY priorities.
On the bright side, the sin is out!
I hated those auto ones, just like I hated the blow dryers, prefer paper for various reasons
I keep refusing to accept paperless billing, and so far they haven't forced me...lol
I end up still getting paper bills for most things (as reminders) but I also have those logins and generally login to get the amounts and the due dates, then go to my bank's billpaying site to pay the bills.
I could setup to allow my billers to debit my bank account directly, but I dislike allowing other entities to access my bank funds without controls on how much they can debit. That means I have to be "in the loop" to do it.
Pretty much what I do, though I keep paper copies and notate the confirmation dates after I pay it...I have a filing systme and I am fine with it, I like it this way, plus, it helps with memory issues
Yeah, I have had someone think because they have my bank info they are free to debit anytime and any amount they want...I refuse to do that, with the exception of streaming and news site subs etc...they have never done anything bad
That's pretty much what I do. I also have auto payments set up through the credit union in case I miss something. When I get the bill I edit the payment to reflect what's actually owed.
I agree 100% about allowing billers to debit directly!
Same here. Also, I want a paper trail that will prove I paid these things on time. If the grid goes down, the records will exist to confirm what my credit score should be.
The sin is out here, too.
Oops. Argh. It's everywhere! For all fall short...
The portents for Trump’s visit are strong today.
Yes, after all the admonitions to “Go paperless!” It turns out to take more time, your own ink, paper, and the recurring search for a reliable printer—some of us still do paper record-keeping for tax purposes… But the utility or credit card issuer no longer charges you $1.99 to mail you a bill with a return envelope. Yay, progress!
Some are threatening me they are going to start charging and if they try to make me, I will insist I have a way to print the bill anywyay.
I need to go to Walmart today. I'm out of lemonade mix.
Bananas for me. Always the bananas.
Any conclusions about the new Disqus commenting foo at The Dispatch? Skimming vaguely earlier, it looked to have been reasonably well received.
I like it, though having been on Disqus for quite a few years I was familiar with a lot , made it easier
Yeah, I tend towards completionist OCD, too. That’s why I can’t do Dispatch comments. I have the compulsion to read all 900 comments before I can say anything.
Ha, well, I will say things as I read at least...lol...though I will admit to if the first few posts are the mean and angry kind that often sets the tone and sometimes I will skip it
Normally, in most ways I am the exact opposite of OCD...I don't notice my surroundings a lot...I have two sisters who are though, and my current boss is is afflicted too...lol..my sister's is so bad she has a die kind, which I forget the name of, but she counts things, like if the copier is running she counts the number of pages or people walking down the hallway, she counts their steps etc...
It seems to work OK forme. My gripe is that I like to see all the comments, so I can scan for my name or maybe for a "worth Your Time II" but Disqus shows fewer comments at a time than the old site, so that's almost more trouble than its worth.
The old site duplicated a lot of them though and I don't think this one will, plus I find it easier to read
I am one of those crazy people that read every comment on most threads...lol
I tried to upvote a comment but was told I had to log in to Disqus. I clicked on My Account (Dispatch), didn’t change anything, went back to the page and commenting now worked.
Same. I went to a different article, and then it worked.
I had that happen once yesterday after I closed a tab with TMD and reopened it later. I was logged into Disqus automatically again after a slight delay—and a fruitless search for a way to log in.
It's glitchy. Sometimes the comment section vanishes. Sometimes the link to the mystery box is there, and sometimes it isn't. I emailed Young Ryan, but I'm sure they already know.
Mystery box?
The box you get if you click on the circle with the number by your name in the at the top of the comments. It shows the likes and replies. Or it doesn't.
Ah, thanks. The box appears after I click the red circle number. (And I notice it turns to black once I have clicked it.) I did see them. So that means I still have some way of checking for replies. Kind of.
But as for receiving e-mail notifications, is there still a possibility to turn those on? Didn't stumble on anything about that.
From the discussion yesterday, it appears that email notifications are not an option at this time. People reported trying various things in their Disqus accounts, but no dice.
I used to play that game! I liked the guy in the white sport coat best. ...
Oh, wait. That was Mystery DATE. My bad.
Giggle
On my list of errands, too. Milk and a new shower curtain liner.
In case of spilled milk? ;)
Interesting point for those of us who are former TMD subscribers. I still get the email, and quickly peruse it, mostly for the Presented Without Comment stuff. Under their old system, non-subscribers got around 3-4 paragraphs of the lead story and then the admonition that, if we paid, we'd get the whole thing. Now, one gets only part of the first paragraph. But, at least the admonition is no longer in a big blue box (scarlet would be more appropriate) and is instead only in italic type of the same font size.
Good morning. Hot day yesterday, hot day today.
The new, improved mothership got around today to reporting on the deaths over the weekend of the Iranian president and foreign minister in a helicopter crash, and the resulting succession scramble.
Those faucets drive me crazy as well.
Agree. I found myself waving my hands furiously in front of one of those faucets the other day (Do I put my hand in front? Under?). I went to another faucet, which worked. Then, someone else went to the faucet I had tried to use and it worked perfectly for him. Did the faucet not like me? Now, I need therapy. (Notice how I strung two days of themes together. You're welcome.)
It’s like a whole new chapter!
Well played. The towel things also result in a lot of eldritch gesturing and spells that feature four-letter words.
Four letter words, from a church lady? I’m shocked! - SHOCKED! 😀
I didn't say that I personally was using the four-letter words. I like spells that are polysyllabic: sounds more impressive.
Dang-a-lang-a-bing-dang-it.
Very strong juju.
Very powerful.
Right?
The Charlotte Observer says that Trump is coming to Charlotte this weekend. I'm glad we don't have any plans to be in the city. I don't think government or ex-government people who cause traffic jams and airport closures should be allowed to go places.
My hometown was where Clinton's mama lived. It was bottle-necked all over the place with national park and a couple of lakes. He could screw things up royally when he visited.
I doubt he ever looked up from whatever briefing he was reading.
Oh, for a president who reads the briefings.
Without the help of sock puppets or drool buckets.
I welcome the future when we have (expendable) AI stand-ins for our important elected leaders for public engagements…
Except you know it wouldn't stop there.
That would be good.
Until the Trump era, we had those traffic jams every fours years in the fall, before a Presidential election, when the candidates came. Because Ohio was a “battleground state”. I put up with that, because it meant my vote counted. Now, my likely (and extremely reluctant) vote for Biden will likely be drowned out by the Trumpians in this state.
Yeah, mine won't count either...I wish we could at least go back to being swingy...
I worry about Sherrod, hope he makes it
I just cast my presidential primary vote for Haley last week to see that her share here was only 11 percent. Eventually, you get used to the discouraging indications that they absolutely take your state’s support for granted.
I recall a time when an elected official could go to a place without the equivalent of an armored regiment driving up the highway.
I understand they used to go by train. That probably made it easier to provide security.
Is NC now considered a battleground state?
Guess so. I'm in a red county, too.
Yes. I am in such a red county I hadn't given it much thought and had to look it up. Articles date back as far as January.
I have a fuzzy memory from early childhood of JFK riding through my small town sitting on the back of a convertible. Hard to imagine that was once common.
The practice of Presidential motorcades using convertibles came to an end in Dallas on November 22, 1963. Thank you Lee Harvey Oswald.
Not wanting any harm to anyone, but I'd be fine with never having another presidential motorcade. Our employees should be in the office doing something useful.
Good morning. I'm sure we could give other examples of spurious upgrades, sigh.
Nice morning here, so far. On the calendar today, Daughter D has a riding lesson - rescheduled from a thunderstorm day last week - and Son F has a debate class at the library. Brenda, our science team coordinator, is always recommending more public speaking experience for the high schoolers, but I can't commit to a realsies debate program. The one that meets nearby, at the Baptist school, meets on Thursday nights, and that's when Daughter D has Scouts, and one's husband will not be relied upon to get Child X to Activity Y each week.
Therefore, this monthly thing at the library may prove helpful. Also, I've signed F up for Driver's Ed through the county school system. The "classroom" part is online/asynchronous. There will be a Zoom meeting for parents next Tuesday to explain how it works. The good news is that it's only $65. We spent a lot more for D and E to go to a commercial driving school during Covid; the school system was taking a couple of years off.
I have decreed as of today (I think it was on KDW's piece) that "debates" is to be in scare quotes whenever it refers to presidential "debates."
However, I like your "realsies debate" idea, and endorse the use of the phrase realsies debate whenever one is referring to debates that are not of the merely so-called kind.
I appreciate the endorsement!
Thank goodness there’s often more than one auto faucet because I’m usually undetectable to the first one I put my hands under. I bet the month of May is hectic for you. I’m playing pickleball then going to visit my grandson today.
March/April is worse, because of Lent/Easter coinciding with Envirothon. The summer is filling up, starting with Drivers Ed for Son F.
"...one's husband will not be relied upon to get Child X to Activity Y each week." Just as he planned! Well done, husband!
It's just one of the tradeoffs one makes over 35 years of marriage. He pays for it in the form of auto insurance for the driving teenbros.