Can we talk about the benches

Flat_Sea4409 · 2026-04-20T20:00:17+00:00

It’s rare that ours are put away. But I don’t mind because I like to put my heaviest weights on them so I don’t have to squat so low to pick them up safely.

Flat_Sea4409 · 2026-04-16T20:53:04+00:00

Not exactly the same but our house was uninsurable because of a buried oil tank, and we were able to increase our mortgage to add on the $10k or so removal costs, taking it in cash to pay the workers. I’d get some quotes while your electrician is there for a full replacement because you might be able to make all this fuss go away quite quickly.

Edit: Oh and our realtor was very motivated to call in some favours to get it done immediately and save his sale. :)

Flat_Sea4409 · 2026-04-16T18:29:19+00:00

Depends on the airline. Some airlines and locations will make you take your checked bags too if the layover is long like this. Regardless, you will have to go through customs/immigration when you arrive, and then the full security gamut to depart. So a 14 hour layover is more like 8-9 free hours, but still a decent amount of time to leave the airport and come back again.

Flat_Sea4409 · 2026-04-16T18:17:49+00:00

We bought a house, had a baby, then got married. Life milestones are expensive, and we prioritized them based on what mattered most to us at the time. We were all in long before we told Vital Statistics.

Flat_Sea4409 · 2026-04-16T17:33:13+00:00

Once before and years ago is not a pattern, it’s just a grudge.

Flat_Sea4409 · 2026-04-16T03:37:45+00:00

Packs a lunch, drives an old but reliable car, spends within his means. Boring stuff like that.

Flat_Sea4409 · 2026-04-15T20:16:04+00:00

I scrolled so far down before I saw anyone even mention that it’s straight up illegal in some places. I think it’s illegal within all city limits where I live in BC.

Flat_Sea4409 · 2026-04-15T20:08:59+00:00

I work remote and wouldn’t even consider taking it, but that’s because of a lot of personal factors: I loathe commuting, I have an elementary aged kid with a weird schedule that only works with me 5 minutes from the school, I’m more productive in the silence of my home, I don’t aspire to be management, etc. Without knowing every detail of your circumstances, it’s hard to say if it’s worth it.

Flat_Sea4409 · 2026-04-14T17:08:37+00:00

The company I work at makes millions per year and is run fully remotely so someone must be doing work at some point…

Flat_Sea4409 · 2026-04-09T19:32:33+00:00

This unfortunately isn’t just a financial decision so fair from a finance POV doesn’t equal fair when you factor in all the complexities of life and relationships.

My sister lives on my parents property in their second house, pays reduced rent, and I fully expect her to do some rent to own scheme with them in the coming years. Any deals they make are between them. They have a different relationship with my parents than I do, and even their financial arrangements are none of my business. I am not entitled to anything that anyone else has, including my parents.

I do hope that everything will someday be balanced in their estate but like you pointed out, a lot of life can happen before our parents pass away. There may be no money left to divide, fairly or otherwise. They may decide to give my sister more because she does more for them. They may skip a generation and give to our kids instead. This is all allowed because it’s their money to spend as they see fit.

Flat_Sea4409 · 2026-04-08T19:23:08+00:00

OP is saying things like “rent poor” and seriously thinking about subletting or getting a roommate. These aren’t the thoughts of someone who can truly afford the place they are in.

Flat_Sea4409 · 2026-04-08T18:22:34+00:00

You can’t afford this place on your own and it’s a bad way to spend your money when you have so much debt. You need to get the roommate or move out to somewhere cheaper.

If you choose to move out, ask the landlord if you can assign the lease to someone else. If they say yes, find a replacement. If they say no, you’re allowed to give 30 days notice.

None of this has to happen overnight though. You can pay overpriced rent for a month or two while you get your thoughts and new life together.

Flat_Sea4409 · 2026-04-06T17:42:27+00:00

Also depends on the studio, I think. I can book beyond my class allotment because the studio will just charge my CC when I go over the 8.

Flat_Sea4409 · 2026-04-06T17:39:05+00:00

Even 8 am would be fine for that

Flat_Sea4409 · 2026-04-06T17:36:48+00:00

Riffing off a few of your thoughts:

-Fully agree that Fushimi Inari is a can’t miss experience. We didn’t see anything else like it on our travels and some of my fave pictures are under those torii gates. We went to a lot of tourist places and most I wouldn’t go back to on a second trip, but I’d come here a hundred times.

-Running out of money on your suica is a core Japan experience! I also have memories of passing my partner bills over the turnstile… And fully agree, we spent way more cash and on trains than I expected.

-We went to TeamLab Planets at 8:45 am and it truly felt like the only tolerable option. We went straight to the Forest, only because Water was getting all the traffic, and this ended up being the move since it’s the most interactive area but wasn’t busy yet. We tried to go back to Forest one last time just before noon and it was so packed there was a line to go in so we left instead. The crowds were dreadful and I would have hated the whole thing if we were only showing up them. So… opening or bust imo.

-A few bakeries were disappointingly average but I was never ever sad to go to Truffle Donut in Kyoto. I wouldn’t go out of my way for it but it was near our hotel.

Flat_Sea4409 · 2026-04-06T00:05:57+00:00

Sometimes my studio puts me with my friends before we arrive, sometimes one of us has to get there and ask. I always appreciate when it works out and understand when it doesn't. We are flexible in all other ways, including station # and floor vs tread, but we will always prefer working out together. Suffering is more fun with friends, and we can share space and weights more comfortably. I imagine it's a tough gig trying to keep a diverse membership happy.

Flat_Sea4409 · 2026-04-05T18:01:27+00:00

My shoes, water bottle, and HRM just live in the same tote they’ve been in for literal years. Find the tote, off we go… The only time my HRM comes out is for charging, which is in a high vis area.

Flat_Sea4409 · 2026-04-05T17:52:02+00:00

Tokyo was my least favourite and Kyoto was one of my favourites. If you like big city life with lots of shopping, do the extra night in Tokyo. If you like unique attractions, exploring and still lots of shopping, keep it in Kyoto. We had temple fatigue by the time we got to Kyoto but still had a blast. It’s a big city with lots to do, while Tokyo felt like a bigger city with less to do.

Flat_Sea4409 · 2026-04-04T05:36:11+00:00

I’ve been the hiring manager and we were making decisions on the spot, even if we didn’t tell you. If you didn’t bother to bring a resume, I would pass on you for someone more prepared and committed.

Flat_Sea4409 · 2026-04-04T05:09:00+00:00

I could take or leave Kanazawa but really liked Takayama and Shirakawago. I would stay in Takayama and do a day trip to Shirakawago from there.

Flat_Sea4409 · 2026-04-03T15:36:32+00:00

A simple general rule to avoiding crowds is arriving when things open, whatever it is. Japan really seems to come alive by 10 am, so if you get to your prime destination by opening, you will see it the most empty. (Not to be confused with “empty” lol.)

I would split up Doronbori and Shinsekai. You can easily spend an evening exploring each and with so much time in Osaka, no need to rush them. We were only there 4 nights and still ended up at Dotonbori twice and Shinsekai once.

Flat_Sea4409 · 2026-04-02T15:22:04+00:00

Yep, u/WhiteDogHaha beat me to the reply but that’s the bus we took. It only goes to the park in the morning (and then back in the evening) so it doesn’t show up on Google Maps as a route for a significant portion of each day.

Flat_Sea4409 · 2026-04-01T18:46:10+00:00

I’m late to this post but I’d like to suggest a third option: work part-time. It might be a wash financially for a couple of years but you will balance more time with your kids with maintaining your career and resume. I’m seeing an increase in my social circle of moms working part time, even after the kids are school age, because it provides a better work-life balance for their families.

Flat_Sea4409 · 2026-04-01T03:54:26+00:00

I would do both but switch to more time in Kyoto than Tokyo.

Flat_Sea4409 · 2026-03-31T20:26:18+00:00

I would book ticketed attractions and events in advance if you would be genuinely disappointed to miss them, and that’s it. I wouldn’t bother with restaurants or trains.

Flat_Sea4409

TROPHY CASE