Quarantine and chill and kindness chatty clubhouse: Jump in and join the conversation! All is welcome!

[flyingdumbo127]

day out here with more heat coming.

Grateful that it sounds like we might get new air conditioners to go into new windows (that were installed earlier this year and old a/c's taken away) this week. Not sure how this will work but we shall see.

I am most grateful that last night's (it was just after midnight) earthquake, while certainly jolt-y enough, was not lasting. I pray no more to come!

Grateful also to have gotten to wish a friend who is going through health concerns and impending back surgery, a happy birthday and agree that when this is over and she is feeling better, we'll go to lunch and celebrate both our birthdays (my own is in May)

I directed and taught preschool for many years. I also did one summer of school age which I loved and looking back wish I had chosen to continue at that center. These days it is a Blessing to get to get to help coordinate my church's Summer day camps. I pray at least a few weeks get to happen this year.

 

[Meriweather]

We're retired and I have been stay at home since we moved here almost 10 years ago.
Before that I worked at the school district.

DH is retired for about 5 years......and that was an adjustment. I hear you about getting someone out of the house!!
He is usually of to a laser place or with his woodworking buds or meetings, but he is not going anywhere (bad lungs).
He is an electrical engineer. When we moved here he worked remotely for about 3 years. Then contracted with Taser for another 2 years.

Dinner tonight is Swiss steak with quinoa, green salad and using the strawberries that are left.
Tomorrow I venture out to the grocery store again. Have my list and DIL's also

 

[Kitty 34]

My last job (now retired) .....34 years of being a substitute teacher, mainly in JR HI.
DH's last job (now retired) ........40 some years as a machine operator.

I think I missed a few questions on this thread but the burger one......all I want is the biggest juiciest Quarter Pounder w/h Cheese from McDonalds. Maybe two.

 

[Pea-n-Me]

@lovemygoofy that was great work you did! I can imagine how stressful it was, though. Did you have to get away from it? Or did you leave it because Matt was retired from the service? My father was a WWII Army veteran who drove a Sherman tank and came home from Africa ill with a viral illness and severe PTSD. He was involved with the VA forever but there weren't many treatments and supports available back then or even later. It warms my heart to see some of today's veterans with service animals and taking part in Invictus games and such. But I know there are a lot of veterans still out there severely hurting. I worked at the VA myself and love the veterans. And DD had two clinicals there, working on their Psych and Hospice units. She liked it, too. I am an RN currrently working in a Covid ICU.

 

[hereyago]

I am on furlough right now. But my job is a Housekeeping Runner at a timeshare.
You want extra towels or more Palmolive, I bring it,lol.

I take care of guest complaints when the Housekeeping Department (a contracted company) has gone home.

I meet people from all over and for most part I enjoy it.

 

[monkeydawn]

I used to be a zookeeper and then we moved to an area without zoos and stayed for 14 years. We moved to our current location 5 years ago and there is a zoo but its about 45 minutes away with no traffic, during tourist season that could easily double.

 

[Breezy_Carol]

Sunny but cool and windy here today. I am ready for warm weather.

Dinner was an easy one. Hot dogs and beans, applesauce and biscuits.

I've been working on getting things ready for when DGD comes to stay while DD is giving birth. We are across state lines, Delaware/Maryland, both which have no travel orders. I don't think we'll have a problem though.

Last night, lying in bed, I thought of a great thing to be grateful for but can't remember today. It was important too.

Question of the day: 4/22: Current or last job? If interested in sharing more about yourself, what is your current job or last job?

I'm nosey about people and always interested in knowing what people did or do. I'm starting to tip my toe back out in the work force again and I'm trying to decide which was I want to turn next and always wanting to hear what others do. My last job with the Army was a Suicide Prevention Program Manager. Not easy and some long miserable hours or days but I worked with some great, great people who had the best hearts. I sometimes wish I could interview the staff before agreeing to new job.

Tina, God bless you for doing that work. I wondered what you did counseling people.

I was a physical therapist for 40+ years. Retired in the fall of 2018. Mostly I worked with older patients. The last 20 years were spent doing home care, which I enjoyed. DH was an optometrist. He retired about 2 weeks ago. COVID forced his hand. He planned to retire June 30 but no point in trying to go back after being closed since March 17.

I am an RN currrently working in a Covid ICU.

God bless you in your work also.

Gratitudes:
Spring is coming.
Plenty of food.
Financial security,

 

[NYCgrrl]

Question of the day: 4/21: Burgers? Do you like them and what do you eat on them?

So I love a good hamburger. I don't mean the dollar one at McDonalds. I love a good real burger. I can be happy with Five Guys (love the fries!) We tend to make them at home now even before all this started. We make variety of them from turkey Greek burgers to Western style bacon burgers with bbq sauce and onion ring. My favorite tends to be loaded with a bleu cheese sauce we make and cooked mushrooms in pepper and butter. My Matt really likes when we make green chile cheeseburgers. They are acquired taste from our time in the Southwest and they are good! What about ya'll?

A burger every once in a while is a thing of beauty on my end: simple and easy to put together. Since it's a hand meal I like to pile everything on the burger when possible. My current fav burger has avocado, chopped tomatoes, a 'lil tomatillo and tomato salsa (easy guacamole) on top of it with a side of cole slaw and kosher pickle spear. Everyone else gets a toasted bun rubbed with a clove of raw garlic. I opt for a naked burger on a bed of cottage cheese.

Tonight's dinner was roasted fish tacos with a black bean + corn salsa plus avocado, sliced radishes, cukes, cole slaw and roasted broccoli. DGD is back so she and the man got the last creme caramel ramekins.

My current job is bossing the house occupants around; I'm very good at my position....

 

[MarkLT1]

Last job was doing portfolio risk assessment/portfolio management work for a higher-end wealth management firm. Started that in 2012, and was let go in 2017 because "risk management is not of value or necessary in a growing market like this." It was an incredibly toxic work environment, and I'm extremely glad I am no longer there. I bet they wish I was still on board now, and I sure am glad I'm not!

Current gig is my own software development consultancy, working with small to medium sized construction companies, developing field logistics apps (dispatch, timecards, equipment tracking, materials, etc..). It is a ton of fun- I get to spend my days coding, and going out into the field to work with the guys who are doing the work, to ensure the app is usable for them.

 

[apirateslifeforme]

My current job is Mom. At first it wasn't by choice. 2 weeks before DH and I were married, I lost my job, then found out a few days later that I needed to have major surgery (again). Knowing that nobody would hire me when I was facing a 6-week recovery, we decided that I wouldn't bother looking for the time being. Things happened and it took 6 months for me to get that surgery, following which we began our infertility battle. I did try looking for a job, but I never got calls for interviews, and after a while we decided that if I ever did finally get pregnant, I was going to stay home, so I gave up at that point. I get so tired of being asked, "What do you do all day?" though...on my FB profile, I finally put "Director of Activities & Entertainment, Teacher, Nurse/EMT, Photographer, Personal Chef, Sanitation Engineer, Sr. Buyer, Counselor, Chauffeur" as my job title.

My last permanent job was at a Marvin Windows distributor. I was there for 8 years, in the order entry department. I got laid off in February 2009, during the last recession. I went back to school and earned my accounting certificate. In early 2010, one of my classmates got me into her company, a medical device manufacturer, as a temp in the document control department. I was only supposed to be there for a few weeks, but it turned into 10 months. I was there mainly as document control, but I ended up assisting the human resources manager more often.

Then in early 2011, I got a temp job in the bookstore at the local community college before getting a part-time job as a teller at the bank where DH worked (we weren't married yet). That was the worst job ever. I think back to how it took them forever to decide to hire me - the lady with whom I'd interviewed called me a few weeks later to say that HR hadn't made a decision, as they were trying to decide if there was a policy regarding family members working together. We all think they used me as an example of why they would not hire family members in the future. I was written up on my first day, seriously, and it was a complete lie. The head teller told me flat out, "I'm going to get ahead and I don't care who I have to step on to get there." She got another teller fired and a month later I was out as well. I was given copies of all the write-ups and I couldn't believe the lies in them. I have a disability as well and they refused to accommodate it (hearing - the phone rang on the other side of the lobby and I couldn't hear it. All I needed was for our phone on the teller line to ring, but they said, "That's not going to happen"). So they fired me...

6 months later, I got a job in the data entry department at a plant distributor. I really liked that job; it was easy, a small company, and I got my own office. I enjoyed learning about the plants. 2 weeks into the job, I was running the entire department on my own while my coworker took vacation, and I was told that it was "impressive" that I'd picked it up so quickly. Unfortunately, I started to become extremely ill with my reproductive issues right then, but I hung in there and almost every single day, someone told me I was doing a great job, even on my 89th day. On the 90th day, which was 2 weeks before my wedding, I was called in to my boss's office and let go because I "didn't learn enough in 3 months." I was completely blindsided. To this day, I wonder if it was truly only a temp job - looking on Indeed.com, the job was listed every 3 months for over 2 years (I finally gave up checking). It was such a small company that I started to wonder if they hired people, then let them go after 3 months so they wouldn't have to pay benefits. It just seemed to be very odd that I'd run the entire department by myself so quickly, getting praised up and down by literally everyone for 89 days, but suddenly be let go the next day because I hadn't learned enough? It didn't make sense...Not to mention that when they interviewed me, they saw my engagement ring on my finger, asked when the wedding was going to take place, then said, "We assume you'll be starting a family right away as well, do you intend to continue working?" Now I know that was an illegal question, but I stupidly answered it at the time...

 

[fla4fun]

I won’t go into what I do now, other than it is an office job in an accounting department. I have had this job (varying positions and titles) for 24 years this coming June.

Before that, I worked for the corporate office of a stock brokerage firm headquartered in Florida. I worked in the Purchase and Sales department where all the trades from the Order Room were entered in the computer system to generate receipts mailed out to the customers. The department was divided into three sections and I was the supervisor of one section. I was working there in October 1987 when the market took a big correction, and I am glad I am not working there in 2020 for the same reason. I also learned that I prefer not to be the one in charge. I want to be responsible for my performance only. It’s really frustrating when you have people who just don’t want to do what they are supposed to, whether it’s the work itself, or showing up on a regular basis (or letting you know if they aren’t showing up), or bullying coworkers (that was awful) . . . I am much more content being a worker bee. I also learned the valuable lesson to watch your popcorn while it’s in the microwave. One of my co workers didn’t, and when he brought the bag back to the office area, it was kind of smoky . . .and then burst into flames! Fortunately we had metal trash cans, and he dropped it in an empty can and put the fire out. I have never seen a bag burn like that before or since!

 

[MetalMasterC]

I know it's been another long hiatus since I post here regularly, but I have been on Furlough for the past couple of weeks. (I work at WDW, jsyk.) Even the few weeks before it, I've been home just chilling online, posting in forums I haven't in a while (including this one), catching up on some games I haven't played in a while, and the list goes on.

My most recent prior job was working at Walgreens the couple of months before I got rehired at WDW in 2018. I absolutely hated it. I was at Home Depot for 5 years before that only to leave for a phone operator job at the Hilton for 2 weeks that did not work out. Hence, why I went to Walgreens to plan out what my next course of action was going to be.

There's more before getting the Home Depot job, but it's a sordid story.

 

[AuntieMe3]

The weather was BEAUTIFUL today!! I loved it. Had the front door open, the dogs enjoyed coming in and out, laying in the shade outside. I would've enjoyed sitting outside but our yard is such a mess, I hate looking at it right now. LOL We have someone coming out this weekend to clean it up so I'll be able to enjoy it next week. Hopefully we don't end up getting chilly again....I'm over it. I made three meals tonight and that's annoying....lol I got one of those Bertolli meals(shrimp scampi with linguine) for dinner for my daughter and hubby and even though it was supposed to be for 2, it was barely enough for my hubby. I ended up making spaghetti for my daughter and I made chicken tacos for myself. I could've eaten the spaghetti but I prefer tacos...lol

Question of the day: 4/22: Current or last job? If interested in sharing more about yourself, what is your current job or last job?

I work in childcare. I work in a home based childcare/preschool, not my home. LOL I've been there FOR-EVER.... I started in 1995...left for a few years after I got married and my husband was in the Marines. When we moved back, my boss asked if I wanted to come back, my daughter was a toddler at the that time and was welcome to come with me to work....and I'm still there.

Even though our county has allowed home based daycares to remain open during this time, the attendance has been so low, I haven't worked since mid March. I think parents are getting tired of having their kids home so they are slowly coming back. I worked three hours this week and looks like I'll be back with more hours soon. I'm conflicted with that... The owner wants to retire in a couple years and I'm looking forward to that...lol

Oh I'm also a partial caregiver for my mom, who had a brain aneurysm years ago and is partially paralyzed. My dad just recently retired but before he did he was an over the road truck driver so I would have to stay with my mom while he was on the road. Now that he is retired, I regularly give him breaks so he can get out of the house and have some time to himself...my mom is a little difficult so the time away is much needed for his mental health.

 

[sasywtch]

Now retired. Retired early at the advice of a counselor that my work sent me to. He told me to get away from them or it would kill me.
Now I am busy as our house is on a 7 day escrow and closing next Monday. Lots to do with this isolation. Getting the master bathroom as a roll in shower and some minor repairs. In two months (if the lockdown lifts), I will be caregiver for my daughter.
I made my son an I tacos tonight.

 

[easyas123]

When my kids were young, I was a SAHM until they began Kindergarten, I'm in water & wastewater construction, have been for pretty much my entire adult life.

 

[ronandannette]

I used to be a zookeeper and then we moved to an area without zoos and stayed for 14 years. We moved to our current location 5 years ago and there is a zoo but its about 45 minutes away with no traffic, during tourist season that could easily double.

You win this thread today for “most coolest job”! Yes, it it a distinction I just made up.

 

[Breezy_Carol]

apirateslifeforme, sounds like you experienced a lot of discrimination in your jobs.

 

[NYCgrrl]

Ohhhhh a new thingie for the shutdown period of my life which is so non fascinating that this became a "Big Deal", LOL.

When the covid 19 problems with meat processing facilities came to the fore I decided to order from a trusted source that uses a local slaughterhouse. As I've ordered specialty cuts from them for several years it was an easy decision. My order coincided with a freezer sale they were having which made the idea that much sweeter ( I so love a good sale, LOL) Good thing too as many items were unavailable so guess others had the same thought.

Well the order came in yesterday. All the meats were defrosted.
Got on the phone, customer service rep pulled up the order, and immediately offered a serious discount off the entire order! I put in a counter offer since the meats were still cold and my only concern was the veal sweetbreads which I didn't want to refreeze. We settled on the discount only being applied to the sweetbreads. Now don't think I was being altruistic; I want the company to remain in business for many years to come.

Of course now my week's menu is changed all over the place. I was saving the sweetbreads for a day when DGD wasn't around but she's backkkk. So instead of a "fancy schmancy dish" of braised sweetbreads cooked in a wine sauce, it'll be a pan fried version instead. Haven't found any fried dish DGD won't eat, LOL. Cut one of the pork roasts in half while it was still soft and now it'll be filler for carnitas. The other half was retied and will become a small porchetta roast that's big enough for the three of us with no leftovers.

 

[PollyannaMom]

Hamburgers: Love them, but don’t have them often, as we (especially DH, per doctor's orders) limit red meat.

When I do get them, I love lots of different ones - mushroom & blue cheese, onion & BBQ...veggie burgers, too!

At home, I tend to skip the cheese and either do lettuce, tomato, & mayo, or mustard & onion.

I do like Five Guys, or sometimes crave a good old-fashioned Big Mac. (When they came out with the little version, I was really happy!)

Glad this thread is here.....you are right the community board is very hard to wade through now

Agreed!

Question of the day: 4/22: Current or last job? If interested in sharing more about yourself, what is your current job or last job?

Pre-quarantine, I was a part-time substitute teacher, and during the past couple of years, also watched my little niece and nephew some days. Before that, I was a SAHM for several years, and before DS was born, I worked in mutual funds for a big bank.

My last job (now retired) .....34 years of being a substitute teacher, mainly in JR HI.

Bless you for taking middle school! I mostly stick to the little ones.

I get so tired of being asked, "What do you do all day?" though...on my FB profile, I finally put "Director of Activities & Entertainment, Teacher, Nurse/EMT, Photographer, Personal Chef, Sanitation Engineer, Sr. Buyer, Counselor, Chauffeur" as my job title.

I love that!

 

[FlightlessDuck]

Question of the day 4/22: Current or last job? Want to tell us about it!

I am a senior software developer for a company that makes school administrative software (registration, gradebook, LMS, HR, etc.). I work on the product that allows school districts to create online forms for parents. I've been in the K-12 administrative software industry for 21 years, and with my current company a little over 3 (technically I've been with the same company the whole 21 years, but it's been bought a few times). I am able to work from home, and have done so since the middle of March. As of right now, we aren't going back into the office until at least June 1.


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The other thing that keeps me busy right now during the shutdown is a complete redesign of my church's website, along with creating a instragram, twitter, and YouTube for the church. Another church member has been putting the worship service together by asking members to record an invocation or scripture reading or song and with the Pastor's sermon. We've also started recording various church members reading children's Bible stories.

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Wheel O' Movies recently gave us Coco and the Emma Watson version of Beauty and the Beast.

Coco was amazing. It was beautifully animated and such a wonderful story. I don't want to get into spoilers too much (I know it's a few years old), but I wanted to mention that our adult daughter is a hospice music therapist, and a lot of her patients have dementia. Well, if you've seen the movie, I think you can understand.

Beauty and the Beast was better than I expected. I am a fan of all of the actors, but I didn't need a remake was necessary. It was still pretty good. I had heard horror stories about Emma Watson's singing, but it was fine. I mean, it's not like Russell Crowe in Les Mis...