Evocative.

Okay, sinuses, you win. I surrender. Back to bed.

Hivemind question. If one were to fly into Philly, is there effective enough public transit to get by without renting a car?

It has been awhile, but when I lived in Philly in the early 70s I didn't even bother to get a driver's license. Could get everywhere I needed. Amy would know better for current life.

I know a Philadelphian without a car, FWIW.

I've been to Philly many many times and never rented a car -- but note that that's mostly staying in/around center city, which is very compact and walkable (and has plenty of transit options if you choose not to). Further-out places in the city are often more residential, and won't have quite as frequent transit. But overall, I wouldn't bother renting unless I knew I was going to have to be traveling around the region/outside the city altogether.

I didn't have a car in Philly, and like amych says, you won't need one in Center City for sure. Transit to/from the actual airport is quite good.

In other news, I just bought chia pudding, and it is as disgusting as I assumed! I mean, the flavor is delicious, but the texture is wigging me right out. I will continue to eat it, because they are giving me lunch in a meeting at 1 and I'm hungry now, but there's an experiment I never have to re-try.

I spent some time in the university district some years ago, and I was fine without a car. Decent public transportation will get you to most places where visitors like to go within the city.

In other news, I just called my financial guy to ask where I should put the money I got from my grandmother, and I'm going to put some in my retirement account and hold on to some, and just as I was trying not say I was going to spend it on hookers and blow, he told me to spend it on hookers and blow! This is why he's my financial guy.

huh ... I'm dealing with a financial mess. My mother left me an annuity fund when she died (in 2014). My sister, as executor, sent me the benefits package and necessary paperwork. I sent in the official death certificate and a notarized form giving them my address, my information, asking that all information be sent to me and choosing not to do anything with it for five years. A few months ago, my sister (who's not speaking to me) sent me a letter from the financial company saying that there's a required minimum distribution - if I don't take it, the IRS takes half that sum. I sent them another letter asking to have all information sent to me ... but they seem to be operating on the assumption that my mother is still alive and receiving mail at her old address (where she lived, when she was - y'know - alive). Luckily, my current employer has a financial advisor and I contacted her to ask about transferring the funds into an account with my name on it (and, hopefully receive statements and so on at my address). Even more luckily, she has some other clients who are enmeshed with this company, so she's exerting herself with them. Seemingly, no one knows anything about anything - she spent something like two hours on the phone Friday trying to find someone who knew anything. So ... I have hopes that before the end of the year (when the required minimum has to be distributed) I'll be able to pry the money from their incompetent hands and put it someplace useful.

Jesse's financial guys rules.

Toddson, that sounds complicated. I hope your boss can help get it untangled.

Gud, I know next to nothing about Philly transit (unfortunately)! I live out here past where the Main Line ends, and I rarely (read: never) get into Philly proper. Sox knows the city very well, though, and I know what others have said about the airport is true. If you're not going to be venturing much past the center of the city, no need for a rental car (and honestly, driving in Philly scares me in a way driving in NYC never did).