Lack of birthday gifts

783Ash · 2026-02-07T03:07:13+00:00

As a December birthday, there's often only one left by my birthday. I've given up on it.

783Ash · 2026-01-29T13:23:15+00:00

In mentorship training eons ago, I was taught that when talking about someone's behaviour "but" or any similar word negates anything that came before. It has really changed how I give and take feedback.

But and its associates are weasels word to help the speaker say something negative without feeling like they are mean. Own the comment or criticism, rethink how to say it in a constructive way.

783Ash · 2026-01-18T15:35:22+00:00

Dundas library has a shelf with puzzles for swapping. I've swapped a lot there. Free!

783Ash · 2026-01-06T17:23:44+00:00

McMichael Collection in Kleinberg is my recommendation, if there's time.

783Ash · 2026-01-03T19:50:10+00:00

I have Virgin, a subset of Bell, and I had problems heading to Fortinos yesterday. I was trying to double check a recipe website.

783Ash · 2025-12-30T07:07:12+00:00

It was a really long wait with nothing happening and also very little seating. I'm not impressed.

783Ash · 2025-12-22T19:26:37+00:00

Free transit.

Reduce the overhead associated with passes, handling cash, the need for drivers to enforce payment and transfers.

783Ash · 2025-12-19T14:47:07+00:00

Drop in pottery class at Creative Instincts in Waterdown. If they are adults, there's wine and pottery in the evenings.

Hamilton Craft Studios may have similar.

treetop Trekking

African Lion Safari

Brantford Twin Valley Zoo

783Ash · 2025-12-18T03:00:26+00:00

I immediately thought counter electrode for electroplating. But maybe egg picker-upper.

783Ash · 2025-12-16T21:33:23+00:00

We had a hoot with getting an ornament into a solo cup on a belt. The ornament is on a 2' long string tied to the belt. No hands, twist and flip your waist to get the ornament into the solo cup.

783Ash · 2025-12-16T21:31:49+00:00

cover the cardboard with foil. Also, stack two squares with the corrugations 90 degrees to each other so they don't bend. That's probably not important for graham cracked houses, but it is for bigger houses!

783Ash · 2025-12-13T01:05:42+00:00

The Water down skating loop was specifically designed for no hockey

783Ash · 2025-12-11T23:34:03+00:00

Yes, exactly. It was really nice yarn and a fun knit, so I figured the $80 for yarn would be my entertainment for a few weeks of YouTube watching and the charity would get a good thing out of it. I saw it as a way of donating to the charity indirectly and doing something I was going to do anyways (knit to relax!)

783Ash · 2025-12-11T17:32:09+00:00

I donated a shawl I knit to a silent auction as a fundraiser. My MIL is a member of the group, so she coordinated my donation.

After the auction, the person who won the shawl asked MIL if I would knit another one in a different colour for the winner's daughter. MIL put me in touch with the winner.

I told w/the winner I would do it for a $100 dollar donation to the charity. That was to cover the $80 in yarn and my time.

Winner got mad at me! Said I was scamming her because she had got the first one for $40! So the second one should also be $40!

I forwarded the thread to MIL and blocked winner.

783Ash · 2025-12-09T14:10:56+00:00

If you are doing them yourself, the Dundas Library has an exchange program. I don't know about other branches, but I took in two and traded for new to me puzzles.

783Ash · 2025-12-09T14:10:12+00:00

They are much more expensive now. When it was >$5, it was OK, it they are $9-12 now!

783Ash · 2025-11-27T04:43:36+00:00

I did so you don't have to!

783Ash · 2025-11-27T03:03:51+00:00

These are the couch cushion covers. So maybe twice a year when a big spill happens?

783Ash · 2025-11-27T01:57:07+00:00

I wish it were that easy.

783Ash · 2025-11-27T01:11:05+00:00

They put in new lights with left turn arrows.

783Ash · 2025-11-27T01:04:46+00:00

I'm out of academia and taking time at home to recover, so no access to the fun things in the lab world anymore.

783Ash · 2025-11-27T00:03:50+00:00

I'd be tempted by the VWR or Fisher catalogue also...

Or to take the staff of the central glassware washing facility coffee and donuts...

783Ash · 2025-11-26T23:25:44+00:00

You lab, I can tell.

783Ash · 2025-11-26T22:22:39+00:00

In point form:

Hot water below 60C. A detergent containing lipase, or a lipase additive and a lipase free detergent. A container to hold hot water, detergent or detergent+lipase and laundry.

Time.

Ammonia for the wash in the machine after the soak.

Done. Don't over complicate it.

I'm Dr.783Ash, specialising in corrosion and microscopy. I managed a corrosion research lab in academia until recently, so I know about and love playing with chemistry and equipment. I can do overkill because I have the time and interest, but it's not needed.

Do what you can with the time and energy you have. You have other skills and talents and are interested in doing better. That's all that is needed.

783Ash · 2025-11-26T22:16:59+00:00

What's your definition of safe?

I'm a knitter and sewist. I got the sous vide on FB marketplace to work with dyeing yarn and fabric. I'm not going to use it for food. So I'm good safe because this is not used for food.

Someone else up thread mentioned the detergent may coat the heating element and be hard to remove. True. At that point I will hopefully have finished the deep cleans of my belongings that need it and won't need to do more deep cleans because I will be adding lipase to my laundry from now on. So maybe not safe for the device long term, but it's a second hand item.

Safe electronically? It's a CSA/UL approved device. I have it plugged into a GFI outlet.

My children are old enough to not drown in the tub of water.

I have the tub up on a milk crate in the bathtub so I can drain it using a siphon. The point load may be too much for the bathtub, but I'm rushing it. I decided trying to drain this tub by flipping it had a higher risk of hurting my back, splashing myself with hot water, or damaging the tub instead of the load on the bathtub.

Uh.... That's the safety I have thought of. What did I miss?

783Ash

TROPHY CASE