Fred: The size and depth of the wound indicate a female vampire. Harmony: Or gay! Fred: Um…it doesn't really work like that.

'Harm's Way'


Natter 78: I might need to watch some Buffy for inspiration

Off-topic discussion. Wanna talk about corsets, duct tape, butt kicking, or physics? This is the place. Detailed discussion of any current-season TV must be whitefonted.


DavidS - May 01, 2024 2:46:24 pm PDT #45 of 3615
"Look, son, if it's good enough for Shirley Bassey, it's good enough for you."

I can’t believe they’d cancel senior night because of grades (at this point in the year??) that sucks so bad for poor M.

Senior Night is just part of a regularly scheduled game, where they honor graduating seniors. It's a fairly low-key celebration where the underclassmen say thanks to their graduating teammates.

It's not canceled as such, it's just the scheduled game where they were going to do that is cancelled.

They can do something at school and possibly will. Though there are only two seniors and Matilda is one of them, I'm afraid it'll just got lost in the shuffle.

Anyway, she's shifted her focused and was psyched that her prom shoes arrived.

Also, Emmett was going to the store so I had him grab some Wasp Spray for me and we sprayed the nascent nest with wasp in it. She's dead. (video on FB - not of the killingating. Just the industrious wasp and her Japanese influenced paper lantern technique.)


DavidS - May 01, 2024 3:28:11 pm PDT #46 of 3615
"Look, son, if it's good enough for Shirley Bassey, it's good enough for you."

OMG, I've finally set up Autopay on my mortgage and my insurance policies. And I set them up to an account that won't be affected by the Joint Account changeover I'm finessing with the credit union.

Now I just need to cut one manual check and get it in the mail for today and I can go have a drink at Alembic.


Calli - May 01, 2024 3:39:13 pm PDT #47 of 3615
I must obey the inscrutable exhortations of my soul—Calvin and Hobbs

That is hard and worrisome, PM. With the bulk of Boomers getting ready to retire and eventually need care, I hope population forces will make the US come up with a reasonably humane solution by the time we need it.


P.M. Marc - May 01, 2024 4:03:37 pm PDT #48 of 3615
So come, my friends, be not afraid/We are so lightly here/It is in love that we are made; In love we disappear

That is hard and worrisome, PM. With the bulk of Boomers getting ready to retire and eventually need care, I hope population forces will make the US come up with a reasonably humane solution by the time we need it.

The bulk of Boomers are already at or past retirement age! Sadly, I don't expect to see a solution in the near future. Or even by the time Gen X is ready for the retirement home.


Steph L. - May 01, 2024 4:37:21 pm PDT #49 of 3615
the hardest to learn / was the least complicated

As she had a decent nest egg and a good financial services dude to manage things, I'm currently despairing over a: ever retiring; b: the issues around my parents and siblings WRT money and everything else

My mom and stepdad are in great shape financially (they're leaving for Scotland in 2 weeks, because they are by god going to travel until they're unable to) (which I totally support!), so I don't worry about them. My dad is a hot goddamn mess who I honestly thought would have been dead by now. I didn't think he'd make it to 72 and the old man is 82 and going strong. He has zero retirement plan, and zero funds to make a retirement plan. Best-case scenario, he can move in with my aunt, if she doesn't die first.


askye - May 01, 2024 5:16:18 pm PDT #50 of 3615
Thrive to spite them

My parents are doing ok. I'm not worried about my dad financially. A little more about Mom in terms of what they will need for long term care, they are both retired.

I'm at the point where I don't think retirement is something I would be able to do. I'll be working full time in my 70s because ....not much in savings, I only have a solid work history for the last decade and my 6 years at Belk was my longest time working at any one place. I have to figure out what is going on with my 401K situation. I've been taking a kind of Don't Think About It Too Hard approach because otherwise I tend to start spiraling.


dcp - May 01, 2024 5:48:42 pm PDT #51 of 3615
The more I learn, the more I realize how little I know.

Just got the first hummingbird of the season!


P.M. Marc - May 01, 2024 5:56:40 pm PDT #52 of 3615
So come, my friends, be not afraid/We are so lightly here/It is in love that we are made; In love we disappear

My mom and stepdad are in great shape financially (they're leaving for Scotland in 2 weeks, because they are by god going to travel until they're unable to) (which I totally support!), so I don't worry about them.

Not to freak you out, but P's grandmother was in great shape financially! The nest egg, it was a large one, and she's very frugal. Then she outlived her finances (hastened by the kind of health expenses that pile up after 95--recovering from breaking her hip last year cost a lot out of pocket, recent dental emergencies took their toll, etc.). That said, independent living retirement care here is $$$$$.

(Assisted living, obviously, is even worse. When I ran the numbers, if we were able to get my parents into assisted living, it would be about $132,000 a year for both of them. I try very hard not to think about this, though I guess that the silver lining to both my crazy siblings living in my childhood home with them is that there are so many obstacles to it that getting them into it is a complete pipe dream.)


DavidS - May 01, 2024 6:37:40 pm PDT #53 of 3615
"Look, son, if it's good enough for Shirley Bassey, it's good enough for you."

Just got the first hummingbird of the season!

A great good sign!

I've always felt fortunate that I didn't have to care for a parent in dementia, nor have to worry about assisted living situations. On the other hand, my mom died when she was 50 and my dad died in his 70s, so no parents left, and now my sister is gone too.

So my family is my kids and my niece and nephew and their kids. And to a lesser extent Jacqueline's sibs, kids and mom. EM too. Jacqueline's brothers are already taking over care of JZ's mother, so that won't fall to me.

My niece has finished her Death Doula certification (she's already a RN), and setting up her practice. We joked that if her business card was accurate it would read "Crusty Old Swamp Witch Will Help You Die."


msbelle - May 02, 2024 5:13:57 am PDT #54 of 3615
I remember the crazy days. 500 posts an hour. Nubmer! Natgbsb

Then she outlived her finances to

This is why I’m looking at a continuous care retirement place with a buy in. If my finances run out they will still keep me. The issue will be having enough to qualify. I actually spoke with the guy with my IRAs and we’re going to meet about that soon and figure out 1) can I do it 2) how much I need to start saving if so.

I know I can’t afford the place my parents are in in CA as things stand now, but I bet the places in MD are a bit cheaper and honestly if I have to move to a location with lower cost of living I will absolutely do it.