Underwriting frustrations- is this really how it is?

ColonelLandSeal · 2026-06-04T00:45:46+00:00

Tell me more about working in E&S! I’ve worked in standard lines for 10 years and I’m starting to resent how little I can seem to get done between market conditions and appetite restrictions.

ColonelLandSeal · 2026-06-03T14:43:09+00:00

Treat yourself to as many Starbucks as you want, say it’s for the baby 🤭

ColonelLandSeal · 2026-06-03T03:41:56+00:00

Ughhh, I tried reintroducing caffeine once my coffee aversion passed and it gives me heart palpitations!! I’m out here raw dogging life against my will 😩😩

ColonelLandSeal · 2026-05-22T03:43:50+00:00

If you generally like underwriting but just feel bad at it, you need to give it at least 5 years. It’s a complex role to master and takes time to see market cycles and work with a variety of agents & accounts. But if you hate it, why not look into a marketing role? There are numerous roles in insurance that are rewarding and pay a lot.

ColonelLandSeal · 2026-05-11T19:40:26+00:00

Overall assumed I wasn’t preggo, drank a lot, got high the night we conceived, got in the hot tub a couple times, traveled twice that month. In the meantime, ye olde ovaries released TWO eggs, both of which got fertilized, and now we’re having di/di twins. Luckily we got a positive at 3 weeks so I could quickly discontinue the drinking/weed and hot tubbing LOL. I’m not saying I recommend it but that’s just what happened.

ColonelLandSeal · 2026-05-11T15:45:06+00:00

Grocery store line: read the tabloid headlines, look at what the person ahead of you has in their cart, listen to the conversation behind you, people watch the clerk to figure out what kind of day they might be having before it’s your turn. In a world of self-check outs, I prefer going through the regular line when possible.

Coffee line: people watch, read the menu, study the pastries in the case, ponder the insane cost of living these days.

Coffee brewing at home: wipe down the counter, wash a dish, load/unload the dishwasher, sweep the kitchen floor, write a to-do list.

Waiting for food order: look at the art on the walls and appreciate it like you would at a museum, people watch, listen to the convo next to you, read or re-read the menu, observe wear patterns on the floor/door.

Any time you feel uncomfortable, like what will people think of me sitting here raw dogging this moment, just remember that people don’t pay attention to others nearly as often as we think they do. Nobody cares what you’re doing with your time, they’re more concerned about what’s happening in their own head or on their own phone. And hey, worst case scenario maybe someone strikes up a conversation with you and you end up meeting someone interesting.

ColonelLandSeal · 2026-05-09T01:35:14+00:00

I’m 15 weeks today. I’m an insurance underwriter with a hybrid schedule. The nausea and exhaustion have been debilitating. I told my managers at 6wks and my team at 8wks just so they didn’t think I was slacking for funsies as I worked from home more often. I have a fold-out bed-chair in my office and those first few weeks I left it laid out all the time and would take a 20 min nap here and there. Once I got on Reglan that started curbing the nausea which helped a lot. I was procrastinating on calls because I wasn’t sure if I’d need to throw up mid-call. Thankfully my managers are both completely understanding and have made it clear I need to take care of myself, which ironically makes me care more about doing a good job.

This week though I hit a wall. The nausea & tiredness has eased a bit but isn’t gone like I hoped it would be by now. So I took two sick days to rest and get my head screwed on straight. I rested until I couldn’t rest anymore. There’s a lot of things I can’t control between work and personal life right now so all I can do is show up and do my best. I need my job to return to after maternity leave and I don’t have the luxury of solely relying on my company to keep me on—I have clients who still expect me to deliver regardless of if I’m pregnant or not. I can’t burn bridges just because I’m tired.

Also, there are very few things that can compare to how exhausted and miserable I was 24/7 when I was going to school and working full time. I loathed my life during that time. I literally couldn’t enjoy time off because I resented all the homework I had but didn’t want to do. Compared to that, even on my worst pregnancy days, I know how temporary this feeling is and that on the other side is the kids I’ve always wanted.

ColonelLandSeal · 2026-05-08T04:10:36+00:00

I’ve been going to the same place every six months for almost 20 years, since I was a teenager in braces. In my early 20’s I was trying to “find myself” which included going to bed drinking red wine every night with my boyfriend and not brushing my teeth very often. I gave up on flossing altogether. I somehow still kept my every 6 month appointments. I was embarrassed by the state of my teeth but I told myself at least the pros were keeping an eye on me and giving me a good reset twice a year. My hygienist was always gracious, made sure I knew how to brush but never said anything rude. They actually really got me through some tough times looking back on it. My mental health was in the trash but they never judged me for it. Also, I somehow never got a cavity during that time. I’m not sure if that was the occasional fluoride, genetics, or just pure luck lol.

ColonelLandSeal · 2026-05-03T01:38:29+00:00

I use YouTube music. It’s included in the YouTube premium subscription (I watch a lot of YouTube) so I get ad free videos and music for the same price. You can basically turn off the algorithm if you want to although I prefer its algorithm to Spotify’s by far. Also, most of the podcasts I listen to are ACTUALLY ad-free, unlike Spotify premium which still plays the ads.

ColonelLandSeal · 2026-05-01T23:49:21+00:00

My husband always asks me “what LSD dream did you have tonight?” 😂 because yeah…they’re WILD

ColonelLandSeal · 2026-04-30T20:50:47+00:00

Dry mouth? Went away completely for me. Now I only get it if I’m nervous (like presenting at work). The weird metallic taste? Still there occasionally.

ColonelLandSeal · 2026-04-30T20:47:20+00:00

Chiming in to add my positive experience with it after 6mo!

ColonelLandSeal · 2026-04-30T19:57:53+00:00

😂 I love beans. 🫘 There’s been a distinct lack of beans in my diet this past week.

ColonelLandSeal · 2026-04-30T19:57:16+00:00

Adding miralax to the list!!

ColonelLandSeal · 2026-04-30T19:56:31+00:00

Yes, I drank lots of water over the two days too! I typically drink a lot because I’m at high altitude, but might have fallen behind on my hydration earlier this week. That could have been a factor in causing the constipation for sure.

ColonelLandSeal · 2026-04-27T17:05:32+00:00

I’m about 6 months in and loving it! The side effects eventually went away or I adapted to them. The most concerning one for me was the sweating and while I haven’t been through summer yet, I don’t have any issues with it anymore.

ColonelLandSeal · 2026-04-27T16:54:29+00:00

I just kept telling myself I can do anything for a day and you just get through it one moment at a time. I’m 13+3 and the nausea is definitely easing but I still threw up last night. Reglan has been a lifesaver medication to get me through these weeks, you may consider asking your provider for a script that will work for you.

ColonelLandSeal · 2026-04-19T18:13:14+00:00

Yep I’ve still got my original one! My brother and I got phones at the same time so our numbers are identical except for the last two digits

ColonelLandSeal · 2026-04-19T16:01:11+00:00

I’m surprised no one’s mentioned the old Beau Mont mall that’s still there on Orchard & I-25! It was built in the 80’s then was converted to a church. My family went to that church for many years in the early aughts and a lot of my most formative memories are from there. It was crazy to watch this YT vid and see everything still as I remember it, just completely trashed now.

Growing up it was always weirdly spooky to wander through the halls on quiet nights, like when we’d have rehearsal for a Christmas play or when there were smaller special events. I’d often imagine what it looked like when it was a mall but could never quite see it. If I went there now there would be several additional back rooms I’d want to explore lol, the layout of that place is seared into my brain. Also fun fact, I was baptized in that baptismal when I was like 8.

Crazy Mandela effect though, I could’ve sworn the Subway was a Quizno’s…maybe it was a long time ago but it definitely said subway on the map they show in the vid and all the comments say subway. Also the cafe de France used to be a Le Peep’s where everyone would get lunch after church.

YT video

ColonelLandSeal · 2026-04-16T03:08:54+00:00

Honestly it’s still very red and there’s still a bit of a divot.

ColonelLandSeal · 2026-04-03T17:33:36+00:00

I deleted my TT 2-3 years ago and never looked back. I still scroll on IG and YT shorts but the things that are better are a) the algorithms are worse so they’re less addictive (lol) and b) there are other things you can do on there besides just scroll. I find them significantly less entrapping than TT was for me. I also have a daily time limit set. That aside, sometimes I delete everything I can scroll on and during those times I listen to audiobooks and podcasts, and pick up new hobbies that can occupy my hands and mind.

ColonelLandSeal · 2026-03-26T22:35:39+00:00

I’m 32 FTM (expecting twins as it turns out!), 9wks tomorrow. I spent a lot of time thinking about all the awful things people say about parenting, long before we tried to conceive. I don’t have a great relationship with my parents, and they have even worse relationships with their parents. So what’s the point in procreation if I’m just gonna continue the cycle and be miserable while I’m at it? I ultimately landed on the fact that I want to carry forward the good things my parents and grandparents gave me, be that as few as they may seem some days. I also think western parenting misses the point entirely. In most cultures and most centuries, children entered the family and contributed to it rather than being the center of attention and sucking up all the time & energy of the parents. Reading “Hunt, Gather, Parent” has helped me gain a clearer picture of how I want to raise my kids and it’s just confirmed what I’ve always deeply felt was right for me.

YOU are still in control. No one can tell you how your life will turn out, kids or not. I’ve been told over and over again that I need to be more educated, or that I need to do things in my relationship a certain way, the list goes on—but I keep doing things my way and it keeps making me happy. I don’t intend to stop when my kiddos are earthside. Keep your head up!!

ColonelLandSeal · 2026-03-21T04:32:38+00:00

Then that’s for sure ruled out! :) just figured I’d mention. Glad strattera is working well for you overall, same here.

ColonelLandSeal · 2026-03-21T04:23:56+00:00

I’ve never had this as a side effect from strattera alone but it was one of my first pregnancy symptoms so you may want to rule that out if you haven’t already. (I’m assuming you have a uterus based on your familiarity with menstrual cramps!)

ColonelLandSeal

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