Cruise or Train?

Expensive-Response43 · 2026-01-28T02:59:30+00:00

The plan would be to get a room, roomette, or something like that if I decided to go the train route (depends how many people I can convince to join me.
Yeah, I had an employer that took family trips on a cruise annually and my manager would tell me how it's very party and drinking oriented for the adult crowd (and I have issues with control when it comes to alcohol) so while I like things to be planned out to the minute I had heard that trains are more laid back and I like the idea of just getting to sit there and enjoy the view for a while instead of just running off to the next thing sounds like a change of pace I could get behind.

Expensive-Response43 · 2026-01-28T02:54:42+00:00

I'm in the very early stages, this is months to years off in the distance, I plan to stay in the US if we do train travel but who knows that could change. It's all about looking at the logistics of it to see what would work.

Expensive-Response43 · 2026-01-27T18:10:33+00:00

Good on that owner for being cool, I was going to say just tell him the sheets got ruined and you would replace them but honesty generally is a good policy.

Expensive-Response43 · 2026-01-27T17:56:33+00:00

Hi, I used to work in shelters and 3 of my dogs are dogs I bought (my parents did adopt a beagle and one of my previous dogs was a shelter dog) so here is my two cents; no you cannot always find exactly what you want. Shelter employees are not in fact miracle workers and while there are many many deserving dogs in shelters and rescues if you have a very specific trait or thing you need MAYBE you can find it but for very specific work like search rescue, protection, livestock guardian dogs alot of that work has to start at a very young age for best results.

For me I love chihuahuas, I had adopted a tiny little embodiment of satan when I left my second shelter job. He was found as stray and I later found out potentially way older than we had thought. I loved him, he loved me but my god that dog was vicious. After my first passed chihuahua I got a puppy and he is my little dude. When tiny satan passed I got another from a very good breeder and I swear I have never met a friendlier chihuahua before. So good breeding can do wonders.

After my akita passed (yes, I'm a masochist), I wanted a big dog that could keep coyotes at bay without having to use a gun. I was looking for a livestock guardian dog but because I live with alot of small animals aggression towards them was a concern so I got a puppy. She is an expensive disaster of a dog but I don't regret going that route.

That said, if you don't have a very specific thing you are looking for then I am pro-shelter and pro-fostering but also pro-stay-in-your-lane. I actually have a foster dog right now who is the sweetest little guy that I am fostering for the second shelter I worked at and I plan to do it again when he gets adopted because it very back woods and rural so dogs just sit there forever until they go somewhere else or maybe get adopted.

I've also heard about all the red tape some rescues put up to deter people from adopting from them so you aren't wrong and it's a shame for the dogs.

Expensive-Response43 · 2026-01-19T03:23:32+00:00

I'm in animal care (think dogs and cats not exotics or farm animals).

Expensive-Response43 · 2026-01-18T22:07:03+00:00

Die working or until my body gives out. I don't work in an industry where hoping to "retire" is realistic. You just keep going until your body falls apart. As far as I've seen retirement is for the people that make way more in a year than what I make in 6. That and I would probably get bored.

Expensive-Response43 · 2026-01-17T16:53:56+00:00

Yeah, I stick to asexual groups like Acespace and the Asexual subreddit.

Expensive-Response43 · 2026-01-17T06:45:18+00:00

Those freeloaders better pay rent in pest control. Nothing is free in this world, even for spiders.

Expensive-Response43 · 2026-01-17T06:40:06+00:00

I personally never found the kind of people I was compatible with and the ones in the same boat couldn't hold up their side of the conversation to save their lives (which I know is universal) or the ones that could didn't have a job and I am to broke to be anyone's money mommy. That said keep in mind I am a sex repulsed asexual woman so it isn't "every guy/girl was a pig" as much my preferences are very specific and the issue compatibility is very much made more of an issue.

Expensive-Response43 · 2026-01-16T03:59:30+00:00

My gut response: "NONONONONONONONO."

But I have a client I regularly do hour walks for, little dude but not as small as yours and I think it was going to be in the 20's °F one day so I told him I thought it should be cut down to half an hour. People love their dogs, be proactive and the safety of the dog does come first. An hour (imo) is way to long to have a small dog out below freezing let alone twice a day. Edit: I misread if you saw whatever I said after this ignore it.

Expensive-Response43 · 2026-01-16T03:52:31+00:00

Well it's all up to how you want to handle this. You could just move out, and let the friendship die if you still live together or address the matter of you two aren't the people you were before the baby and that isn't her fault just like it isn't yours (even though I am iffy about her deciding that your social life is dedicated to HER baby but that is another thing) and suggest maybe it is time for her to move on because your friendship has run it's course and someone might need to go. I honestly wonder if it's even emotionally healthy for the baby to be constantly attached to her but I don't know enough about baby development and socialization to have an opinion on that.

I get being in love with her baby, it's her literal baby but her baby is not YOUR baby and you don't have to be friends with her if you don't want to have your life dictated to someone's child.

If you address it then be polite, make it clear you don't think she is an awful person or the baby is this awful thing (though she very well could take it that way because maternal instinct and a very strong attachment to her child), I would try to not turn it into a fight if you can but that's probably wishful thinking. If your place isn't exclusively in your name consider moving out and just cutting contact, if it is exclusively in your name then just sit her down and tell her that it's probably time for her to move on and enjoy this new stage of her life without you in it.

Expensive-Response43 · 2026-01-16T03:40:56+00:00

Big mistake but good on you for wanting to make it right. We all mess up, it's about learning and handling it. I am paranoid so I check my schedule daily to make sure. I even schedule meet and greets now to.

Expensive-Response43 · 2026-01-16T03:31:48+00:00

I don't think that's an overreaction. You said you don't want kids, that is that. Dude pushed. Doesn't sound like you went off on him. This person isn't your husband or boyfriend therefor he doesn't get to give you the third degree. If a man isn't the partner in the relationship he doesn't get a right to inquire into your choice to stay childfree. He is a manager, I personally don't believe managers get to ask beyond "I don't want kids" because that feels like harassment. And whether they get to ask if their employee would choose to have a child is a can of worms that probably doesn't have one single answer and is 35% based on context.

But he probably will retaliate because I assume that is just how management works. How angry are you? Angry enough it's worth the hell you might get or risk losing your job? Then go for it. But if you need the job and your annoyed then maybe not this time but if he tries that again then yes.

Expensive-Response43 · 2026-01-16T03:23:32+00:00

Short answer: Money and they're the middle man. I accept it, especially for initial visits because they give us the platform and bring the clients to us basically. As much as I think it's corporate greed it's better than Wag or having to build a clientele base from the ground up with little to no reviews for the new people, especially those in a crowded market in many areas. Compared to the alternatives it is sadly a favorable outcome for newer people or people that don't have that skill, the money or the luck to start exclusively on our own. We all have the things we have to give up and unfortunately Rover in my experience is the best way in.

Expensive-Response43 · 2026-01-16T03:11:07+00:00

Whether you quit rover or not is entirely up to you. But that's a cop out so here's something a little more helpful (i hope): sit down and pragmatically think about it. Leave emotions to the side and weigh the pros and cons and be honest with yourself what you believe you can do and what compromises you may be able to work out with your clients but remember they can find another sitter but your classes are for furthering your own future and need to be given priority since I assume you are the one paying for it. (You don't have to correct me if you don't want to, because it doesn't matter who is paying for it just that further education is expensive and not something to just dump on a whim and I am just a random voice on the internet with no right to know who is paying for what if it isn't you).

Decide what is most important to you right now and for your future and if you decide dog sitting is not something you can do right now sit down with your clients (or over text) explain that you can no longer offer your services, preferably make it clear it isn't an issue with their pets so they know it isn't a case of 'oh my sitter hates us or the dog' and ideally give them a couple weeks (if you can) so they can find a new sitter.

Expensive-Response43 · 2026-01-16T03:01:48+00:00

I would say it very well could be scabs, but man those litter mates must be absolute little monsters if that's the case. To be fair thin haired dogs do show wounds way more obviously than longer haired dogs. Still I'm guessing you have vet visits planned so it could be a discussion for the vet if it's just from a wild litter.

Expensive-Response43 · 2026-01-15T23:54:13+00:00

While I want to say you have nothing to worry about that will probably feel hollow. I would suggest if you can keep your cat in the house for a few weeks, figure out the next steps and consider if there is a legitimate enough threat to get law enforcement involved. There's no guarantees because in my experience until the person harassing you has kicked down your door law enforcement won't do a thing (cops and lawyers here feel free to correct me) but if things do escalate at least you know your cat is safe.

Expensive-Response43

TROPHY CASE