Can I interest you in an old (dated), charming, and extremely cheap house? [link]

My vacation has started. So far I've done some work even though I'm technically not there and then I've moved on to cleaning and being criticized.

In re podcasts: I don't like 'em. Don't get me wrong. I listen to certain ones, but I resent having to listen to a podcast or watch a video, rather than read a thing. I like to read a thing.

Me too! I don't know why, but I just like to Read The Things.

Put on some headphones. Ijs. Is everyone else cleaning also?

Hi, Fiona and Cindy! Good to see you both!

I can't stand podcasts and I wish I liked them. Listening to someone read when I can't see their face bothers me. I have to concentrate hard to hear the words and put them together into meaning, and my mind drifts away mid-sentence. Also I can read faster than anyone can talk and I feel like it slows my brain down. Plus the sheer annoyance of someone "umm"ing and stumbling, and laughing and chatter in the background making it hard to hear.

So, yeah... I'm not sure why you see me as a centrist (and I'm not arguing that you're wrong, so much as wondering why you see me that way). I'd just like to know what led you to that conclusion.

It's funny, but a lot of your stated positions are very Hillary! (Outside of the war thing, where I believe she gets painted as a lot more hawkish than she actually is, given that even her support of the resolution that got us into the mess was worded very strongly in favor of the whole "only as a last resort should diplomatic solutions fail us") Who also gets painted as a centrist!

Possibly because she's about pragmatic, sustainable change? Like losing 1-2lbs a week vs. a crash diet?

Also,

I abandoned that position (in favor of full marriage equality) probably 5 or more years ago, because I realized (and admitted to myself) that my own biases were informing my understanding of marriage, but I knew same-sex couples who fully embodied the best of what marriage can be. I'm ashamed of my past self, now. Love is love, dang it.

This is pretty similar to her path.

I only listen to podcasts when I'm walking and/or on public transit. I almost never watch online video.

In case you were all wondering where I stood on this important issues to our time!

ION, I just interviewed someone who currently works at a consulting firm making about what I do, with way (WAY) less experience. So maybe I'm going to check that out. Her role, at least, sounded like a ton of driving, so that would be a problem, but still.

That sounds potentially exciting, Jesse!

I hardly ever listen to podcasts. I think because I can't concentrate on them while working, and I'm rarely in the car long enough to listen to a full one?

I don't even know if I would want to work for a consulting firm like that, but it is an option that had kind of fallen off my radar. I have GOT to figure out my next move!

Also I can read faster than anyone can talk and I feel like it slows my brain down. Plus the sheer annoyance of someone "umm"ing and stumbling, and laughing and chatter in the background making it hard to hear

This! I realized I read by some sort of gestalt method, recognizing the entire word rather than interpreting the collection of letters. Waiting for someone to sound out a word and matching it to my verbal database in order to follow a story is endlessly frustrating. When I'm talking to someone in a conversation, I can generally predict the pattern of their thoughts and am tracking the words to provide confirmation.

It would be catastrophic to try to listen to a podcast or audio book while I drive, it would take far too much concentration.