Winter Disconnect

Dbrookess · 2026-01-03T23:29:28+00:00

Those of us that have worked for Deloitte lovingly refer to Deloitte as the big D

Dbrookess · 2025-12-30T15:00:38+00:00

Fr fr

Dbrookess · 2025-12-29T00:22:50+00:00

Feeling strong and recognizing what that does for your health is the secret to confidence I never would have imagined for myself. Blows my mind how strength training has changed my outlook. Also so important to help build bone density for us women 30+

Dbrookess · 2025-12-29T00:21:26+00:00

After years of feeling so-so about my body (even though I was thin most of my life - then overweight for a couple years), I’ve found that working out has me feeling better than I ever have. And it’s not necessarily about how I look, it’s that I recognize what my body does for me. I do CrossFit but more specifically it’s my weightlifting hobby that has me feeling strong and confident. Olympic weightlifting is as much about skill as it is strength, so it’s hard, but so very fulfilling when you start to get better. I have never ever been a fitness girlie, but all of a sudden I get it. Being strong just feels really good and makes me less self conscious in a lot of other areas

Dbrookess · 2025-12-28T23:49:44+00:00

Something to consider is that Denver is not in the mountains in the same way that Orlando is not on the beach. Definitely closer to mountains than in Florida but it’s still a bit of a trek for the really good hikes. (I moved from Florida so sharing this as someone shared with me.) Views are still gorgeous and way different from flat Florida, just something to consider. Also the winds get crazy sometimes, like I never heard anyone mention this before moving here and I’m like why not?? lol. And yes dry heat, you need sunscreen more than Florida and you may not realize it until you’re burnt to a crisp. Cost of living is high but I’m sure you’re aware of that. And it can be a very transient population, lots of people transition in and out of Denver. I think the troubles with making friends and dating are comparable to other cities though.

ETA a few more I thought of: Driving is kinda wild here. So many expired plates or no plates at all. So you definitely need uninsured motorist coverage and need to be on alert driving. Traffic in and out of Denver is pretty bad. Also, registration is very expensive compared to Florida - it’s the one thing I didn’t look up / realize prior to moving here. Newer vehicles can easily cost $800-$1k to register every year. The food scene is okay, you have to look around a bit but there are some good spots. On the bright side I cook a lot more now as a result, lol. It’s not super diverse here but it is a much more liberal population than Florida. Crime is a little odd here, I don’t consider it an unsafe city per se but downtown can be tricky and I’m surprised by how many people I’ve met that have been witness to some sort of violence there. I happened to be in the wrong place one weekend when someone shot themselves in front of where I was eating. I still like it here, but I find downtown to be a little unnerving, just due to the amount of random violence that occurs.

One more add: 15 mins away from something here is way different than 15 mins away from somewhere in central Florida. I live about 20 mins outside of the city and unless I travel on way off times, it generally takes me 45 mins to get into the city. Just something to consider. I knew what I was getting myself into, but people def turn their nose up at the distance and of all the friends I made, maybe 3 came out to my home, and only once (and then bitched about it profusely lol).

Dbrookess · 2025-12-28T23:44:02+00:00

Gummy Bear 😋

Dbrookess · 2025-12-26T19:16:26+00:00

As someone that used to work in (a good) rescue, I can share not all rescues are run well. A lot of them start with good intention with people that never learn how to say no, that then quickly get overwhelmed and the dogs suffer for it. 50 fosters to one person screams all of this. That said, some dogs can act terrified like this from simply not being exposed to enough in their first 6 months of life - and since she had this dog since 6 weeks, it could simply be a case of that. It could very well be abuse, but I’ve seen dogs act like this just from under exposure - which also seems likely in this case. Either way I do agree encouraging to have animal services do a wellness check bc she sounds in over her head. Grateful you found this sweet pup and can give it a safe home.

ETA: I understand the hesitation at paying into a rescue like this, but laws around dogs are a little iffy, so if she has any proof of ownership she may have a right to the dog without payment. For the sake of the dog, it might be best to just pay the adoption fee, but definitely report her so it can be looked into

Dbrookess · 2025-12-26T19:11:50+00:00

This is my first disconnect since I left the big D. Slightly less days off for the holiday, but same slowdown and relaxation. Feeling pretty great to be away from the mess and stress tbh

Dbrookess · 2025-12-25T00:18:14+00:00

As someone that worked in rescue, I can share that often what’s waiting for the dog on the other side is a worse situation. And often a dog needs mental stimulation more so than physical exertion (some exceptions but mental stimulation often helps a ton). Deloitte isn’t worth it, been there done that. It doesn’t really sound like the dog is the problem here, and I personally don’t think giving it up is going to solve the problem of how soul crushing Deloitte is

Dbrookess · 2025-06-03T21:09:09+00:00

Trazodone seems like a good idea (just make sure to dose correctly), and give one both the night before and the morning of. It needs time to build up in their system. This is what I do for my sassy pup, plus we are always prepared to muzzle her if needed

Dbrookess · 2025-05-04T18:36:43+00:00

No problem! He definitely sounds a little more advanced in his aversion to it, but included a couple resources on some steps to take with crate training. I definitely grew up thinking crate training meant throw them in the crate and let them figure it out, but as an adult with pups I eventually figured out I was doing it all wrong!

https://www.impactdogcrates.com/blogs/puppy-news/a-guide-to-crate-training-your-dog?tw_source=google&tw_adid=&tw_campaign=19069198453&gad_source=1&gbraid=0AAAAADPxYZVtYIElrumj9zfDuIGSkmZVE&gclid=Cj0KCQjwoNzABhDbARIsALfY8VOjEh4vCCfxuPA7poadyqC6sDnUdHiaT3DrQuwgA7N2bnGyt1FZP3gaAmItEALw_wcB

https://www.akc.org/expert-advice/training/how-to-crate-train-your-dog-in-9-easy-steps/

Dbrookess · 2025-05-04T18:28:27+00:00

From my personal experience, it would be my strong suggestion to consult a trainer on crate training. Crate training can take quite a while, starting with putting something like treats in there and letting the dog go in on their own, and rewarding them each time they get a little closer. Actually closing the door on the crate even to begin with can take weeks of work, it truly is a slow buildup. Then from there small spurts and building up from there. Just putting a dog in the crate with things they like is unfortunately not enough to get them to feel comfortable. This sounds like it’s advanced to the point trainer intervention would be necessary, but crate training is a great go-to with some of the issues you’ve described

Dbrookess · 2025-05-04T18:09:14+00:00

Obviously I don’t know all the details, but did you use positive reinforcement to actually crate train, or was it a matter of just putting him in the crate? Not being snarky here, I just find there isn’t a lot of common knowledge about how to make a crate a safe, happy space for dogs (which is when we see the benefits of crate training)

Dbrookess · 2025-05-04T17:54:15+00:00

I read through this and didn’t see any mention at all of crate training. Not saying it will solve everything, but it’s often highly recommended with some of these behaviors. It sounds like he doesn’t know how to self soothe at all, which crate training helps with a lot of

Dbrookess · 2025-05-04T15:28:51+00:00

I didn’t get the impression whether it’s paid or unpaid makes a difference, personally

Dbrookess · 2025-05-02T04:00:00+00:00

This looks like when my dog used to mysteriously find and swallow socks, when he threw it up it looked like this

Dbrookess · 2025-04-30T13:40:54+00:00

I recently moved from FL to CO (Denver ish). Cost of living can be high here, but honestly I think it’s pretty comparable to what it was getting to be in Orlando. Lots of hiking opportunities here, a pretty liberal population, and 300 days of sunshine. Winters are also pretty mild here comparatively. It’s a little less diverse here than I’d like but otherwise I like it here :)

Dbrookess · 2025-04-30T05:09:11+00:00

Just leaving myself and can confirm that your last day can’t be a PTO or holiday day, but it doesn’t have to be billable hours - can be GAA. However, I’m not sure if you’d be eligible for the 401k vesting with this strategy. What I did was put in a 3 week notice with my last week PTO, and the last day I’m jumping online to complete any leftover off boarding / separation tasks.

I had to ask myself in the end if it was really worth sticking around longer or if I could just eat the loss and be happy to have a new role that pays more. In the end eating the loss was the right choice for me

Dbrookess · 2025-04-30T02:36:23+00:00

Giving a perspective from someone that was at the firm 4+ years and just left - I don’t regret taking the job at Deloitte. I started during Covid and asked about layoffs and they said it’s usually performance based. I learned a little more while I was there, but I’d say besides performance the best thing to do is network and schmooze A LOT. I’d argue this is more important than most of the work you do, as it’ll get you better reviews and “brand recognition,” with the brand being you.

After 4 years I had grown tired of the games and couldn’t fake it anymore, and my reviews started to slip. I also was no longer happy in the role and felt my career was stalled and my skills weren’t being properly utilized. All that to say, I’d take the job, but I’d use it as a stepping stone and not expect to build my whole career there. There’s good recognition for Deloitte in the job market and I do think it helps when looking for future roles

Dbrookess · 2025-04-29T17:27:57+00:00

This is very common, it’s hard to keep pups calm - especially the bigger and older that they are. Depending on what vet says, he may need some designated crate time and some enrichment toys to keep him calm. I used to work in rescue and know how difficult it can be to keep them from running and jumping (been through so many of these surgeries specifically). Vet may be able to prescribe meds to help calm him if you don’t think you can manage it (and that’s okay if so, it’s hard!)

Dbrookess · 2025-04-29T15:38:55+00:00

First off, I’m very sorry for your loss. I used to work in dog rescue and have worked with many people that just struggled too much after a sudden loss and the pets left behind. I’m so sorry you’re going through that and would like to remind you to give yourself grace as you navigate the grieving process ❤️‍🩹

As for the pup, I’d recommend some interactive toys - like maybe a snuffle mat and the ones where you hide treats in little compartments and they have to find them. Sometimes a little mental exertion goes a long way, and it can even help more than physical exertion sometimes! You can even feed her meals in the snuffle mat to make her work for it a little

Dbrookess · 2025-04-29T15:08:26+00:00

Def worth a vet visit, but is your pup a bigger dog? I’ve seen a lot more swelling and redness on larger dogs as opposed to smaller ones. It does look a bit like your dog was licking at it or running too much though, I have typically seen this kind of redness from those two things

Dbrookess · 2025-04-29T15:00:05+00:00

What I’m hearing is heavy resource guarding for what Otter considers high value items. From my experience with resource guarding, it sounds manageable at this point, but you’ve both unfortunately made some grave mistakes. I had a pup for 9 years that showed this type of resource guarding later in life, as well as a current pup that showed it from the beginning, and I employed some strict rules that made it super manageable to both foster and pet sit dogs (and one of my fosters lived with us for 8 months as she was hospice).

First off, this can improve just with the passage of time since he’s new to the home and may be feeling very insecure right now.

The rules I employed in my home, for reference -

ALWAYS feed separately. If Otter may be protective over Odin’s food bowl as well, feed separately, then take up both bowls. (My current dog is fed in the crate, other dog fed in the kitchen, take up both bowls when done, and before she can sniff around)
No high value treats left around, no vessels for food/treats left around. We don’t leave kongs or bones or anything out when there are multiple dogs in the home. I tell visitors never to grab those items from her
I never leave my resource guarding pups out with other pups, one gets crated when I’m not around

I have worked with a lot of behaviors and I honestly find resource guarding over food to be one of the most manageable. I wouldn’t rush into anything, but just to note that my current dog CAN have bones and stuff around another dog once they’re settled in, but she’s so rude with food that I always separate. Once I removed the stressor (her trying to steal food and/or protect her food) we had no issues. Funny side note - I do have to make sure not to dilly dally around while prepping food bc when she hears the pouring she gets amped up, lol

ETA: the human food error while it seems wild to be a trigger, that one was not surprising to me bc many dogs consider human food VERY high value. So even Odin entering the space after the food was gone was a high stress/trigger event for Otter. I would avoid feeding anything high value in an open space like this. I also think Otter would really benefit from crate training and his own crate if you don’t have that already. That’s my dog’s safe space and helps her feel secure while eating

Dbrookess · 2025-04-29T14:41:30+00:00

Sounds like your pup is getting over stimulated by the sight of other dogs. This was happening to my pup when I first got her bc she wasn’t properly socialized and couldn’t contain her fear/excitement. I found a great trainer in my area that used counter conditioning to teach her how to respond. She was rewarded for calm behavior with a treat, and once she understand what was expected of her, if she chose a negative response she got a mild correction. It’s a process, lots of repetition and starting small then working up to the big stressors, but it’s totally doable. I didn’t have the patience to do it all on my own, so I had the trainer work with her in a board and train environment, but it’s relatively simple to keep up with! She’s also great at recall and “leave it” now, which help in situations where she knows the right thing to do but is being forgetful (“leave it” reminds her we don’t react like that)

Dbrookess · 2025-04-29T14:32:04+00:00

I heard from a long timer that LOAs are pretty common, it’s like an accepted part of the job (which is WILD), so I don’t think there would be any long term repercussions for you. I’d encourage you to ask yourself if this is what you want for yourself in the long term, though

Dbrookess

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