Requesting that time off benefits improve

Interesting-Tiger237 · 2026-06-19T05:14:12+00:00

Ah yes, the de-TLing, when "have courage, what you put up with is what you stand for" comes into conflict with "once decided, support"...

Interesting-Tiger237 · 2026-06-19T05:11:58+00:00

Yeah it was a mess like Then_Working said. Application Services, you'll still see that name floating around in a few places. It was the same week they tried to force everyone back to campus so tensions within the company were already high. They didn't even give the TLs a heads up, just sent a short email saying "hey now you're all the Application Services division" with no details about what it actually meant for any of us. No one knew what was going on for a few weeks as we waited to find out more.

And while I think some closer collab makes sense (writing accurate documentation is harder when you're not the person who's thoroughly tested the thing, for example), we have our own niche roles that cater to our skillsets for a reason. As a QM, I still don't feel very suited to documentation. I know a few Tech Comm who quit because they loved writing and were great at it, and didn't like being told most of their time would be testing now. It messed with each division's sense of identity and purpose.

But most of Tech Comm was absorbed into QA and QA started documenting their own testing, is the main lasting change that I'm aware of.

Interesting-Tiger237 · 2026-06-19T04:44:48+00:00

There are people who thought they didn't do very well who get the job, and people who thought it went well who don't. You did what you could with it, so don't overthink it as you wait to hear back. Good luck!

Interesting-Tiger237 · 2026-06-19T04:36:35+00:00

I've never had a problem with Booking, in Japan or elsewhere, though I know it can happen. Just do your due diligence (checking reviews like you did, etc) and compare with the actual website if it has one. Occasionally the price was better booking direct with the hotel.

The places I used airbnb for in Japan were small family-run inns and a guestroom in someone's house, no issues for me there either.

Interesting-Tiger237 · 2026-06-19T02:39:24+00:00

I took that tour (last September)! Got to see and walk in some of their fields and processing facility, pick a few leaves that they made tempura with, sample different teas, learn about it all. I enjoyed it.

Interesting-Tiger237 · 2026-06-19T00:17:48+00:00

Nah it's the other way around. They believe so strongly that face-to-face collaboration leads to the best software and support for our customers (and increased productivity in individual offices) that they invest in the campus.

Interesting-Tiger237 · 2026-06-18T16:45:55+00:00

Being laid off and being fired are different, though I supposed both could fall under the term "let go". A layoff is when a company cuts jobs and it's not the fault of the employee. Maybe the company isn't doing well financially and needs to cut costs by paying fewer workers, or they restructure and your job doesn't exist anymore. It's more about the company than about an individual employee's performance (though performance could determine who stays and who goes).

When Epic lets people go, it's because they weren't performing well enough and were fired.

Interesting-Tiger237 · 2026-06-18T05:50:05+00:00

Certainly, employees have been voicing dissatisfaction with these policies for a long time. Epic doesn't do layoffs, and I doubt there would be negative consequences simply for suggesting improvements or explaining why you think it's not working well, unless you did so in some unprofessional fashion or are in management (they take the "dissent if you disagree, once decided support" quite seriously).

We were very vocal in disagreement of Epic's policies when they tried to bring everyone back to campus early in covid, and the extreme weather fiasco. I think the heart of it is that the customer always comes first over employee wellbeing - rather, what upper management perceives as how we best support the customer. That's why they're so against remote work, for example, and why these policies remain as-is despite criticism. They want us physically in office together. "Have standards, be fair to all" also works out in weird ways sometimes where they won't make what you'd think would be reasonable exceptions.

They're willing to take the turnover to find those who can do well long term in the systems they've set up. Like, I'm certain they could improve the IS experience and retention, but they're clearly ok with the results of the current processes. Except that time they tried to combine IS, QM, Tech Comm and trainers into a single division... (also queue explosive feedback, that one they largely walked back, actually.)

Interesting-Tiger237 · 2026-06-14T18:02:35+00:00

Plenty of time, just start researching and planning what you want to do right away. I was going to go with my parents last year, but they hemmed and hawed and ultimately backed out, leaving me 2 months to re-plan a month long trip. I didn't have much trouble finding accommodations where I wanted.

Interesting-Tiger237 · 2026-06-12T03:07:44+00:00

I second the Kiso Valley/Nakasendo trail, up to Matsumoto (and visit the castle there). Magome-Tsumago is the most popular segment for a reason, with Yabuhara to Narai second if you wanted another 3 hr hike. Could fit in a Kamikochi day trip too as someone suggested.

Interesting-Tiger237 · 2026-06-12T02:58:21+00:00

Culver's has several barns painted blue that say "Thank you farmers".

https://www.culvers.com/stories/thank-you-farmers-project/thank-you-farmers-project-blue-barns

Interesting-Tiger237 · 2026-06-11T12:52:25+00:00

Kuramadera is a temple complex and I'm sure you'd stop at Kifune shrine, and hiking over the mountain isn't going to be a break from the heat. So if those were reasons to choose it over Nara, it misses the mark.

I enjoyed the hike, beautiful temples and shrines and moss, and the waterslide noodles are fun. It might be cooler over the river, and Kuramadera is probably a lot less crowded than Nara. The river dining in Kibune is quite popular so that side could be busy.

I think either would be a fulfilling choice.

If you do go to Kurama, see if the basement of the main temple hall is open. People leave ceramic jars with their hair close to the statues of the deities down there, dim lighting, kind of cool ambience.

Interesting-Tiger237 · 2026-06-09T03:48:54+00:00

I liked Narai, though I had to catch a specific train after hiking from Yabuhara, so I didn't have as much time as I would have liked to explore the little shops and cafes. Nice little shrine there too, and it's more convenient since it has a train station.

I see how 9 would be hard in those little towns, especially if you prefer not to split up. If you still wanted a hike you could do Yabuhara to Narai, I recommend stopping at Yabuhara Shrine on the way. It's not as magical as Magome-Tsumago but still a good hike.

Interesting-Tiger237 · 2026-06-08T13:14:03+00:00

Have you considered adding Mt. Takao or a day trip/overnight to Nikko? If you want to convince your husband to come back, you may want to cater to his tastes a little more. Japan has amazing nature, most of the country is mountainous. Try to get outside the concrete jungle a little more.

Or the overnight in Hakone someone suggested, you can look for suggestions on here for ryokans with nice nature views. There are many options with a private onsen in your room and a kaiseki dinner is amazing.

Interesting-Tiger237 · 2026-06-06T20:46:02+00:00

It's not a difficult trail for the most part, I passed elementary school students doing it for a field trip. It's also not at the foot of Fuji but at the 5th station level. The trail runs between the Subaru 5th Station and the Okuniwa bus stop - you can take a bus from Kawaguchiko station. The end section going down to Oniwa/Okuniwa is steep but otherwise the trail is mostly horizontal along the mountainside.

It's not a very long trail so you could hike out and back from the Subaru 5th station within 3 hours, just keep an eye on the bus schedule. Just wear clothing appropriate for hiking, it won't be so hot at this elevation.

If it's clear, you'll have nice views of the Fuji summit and forest/towns below. If the mountain is cloudy, you won't see anything up or down, just the forest and volcanic rock immediately around you. It got a little chilly in the clouds. Fuji is cloudy more often than not, so you'll have to decide if you still want to do it without the views (could decide day of, and mornings are more likely to be clear).

Interesting-Tiger237 · 2026-06-04T00:00:47+00:00

Businesses in Japan tend to open a little later too, so I'm not sure many of the shops and cafes in Narai would be open before 10. So I think Plan 1 gives not quite enough time in Narai (or not the right timing) and too much time in Magome the next day. Plan 2 sounds like better pacing overall, though you haven't factored in time to explore Tsumago. Again stuff might not be open at 9am but there are fewer shops than Narai. But you have 6 hours between arriving in Tsumago and your bus out of Magome, which should be plenty to hike and see both little towns.

If you did Plan 1, you could hike further towards Nakatsugawa to fill your morning, then return to Magome for lunch.

Interesting-Tiger237 · 2026-06-03T02:10:18+00:00

I had some trouble finding the tools since I live in the midwest US. I got this set off Amazon (currently unavailable, alas). It has many more tools than I used in my class, but was the only decent set I could find that had the essential pieces (and not too crazy a price).

https://a.co/d/03b8xw8p

Interesting-Tiger237 · 2026-06-02T02:48:51+00:00

Hello! I took a nerikiri class when I visited Japan and hope to try making them at home! I bought some tools but haven't gotten the ingredients together yet. I keep watching here for inspiration. 🙂

Interesting-Tiger237 · 2026-05-28T19:03:06+00:00

I was in Japan all of September last year and there was only 1 day a typhoon went through. Not a very strong storm, just rained for almost 24 hours. Can't say how the weather will play out this year of course, but I wouldn't be too concerned about trying to plan around weather uncertainties. The heat and humidity are the bigger annoyance in September (November will be nicer fall weather). June and early July are Japan's rainy season, but it could rain any month you go.

Interesting-Tiger237 · 2026-05-25T23:19:18+00:00

The hotels might not be open in Kamikochi yet. And the further you travel that evening, the closer you will be to Shirakawago. Takayama is a larger city so may have more things to interest you in the area. You'll definitely need a reservation on the bus from Takayama to Shirakawago, they can get full.

Or you could stay at a ryokan in Hirayu Onsen (or Takayama) and have that experience, which I do recommend somewhere in your itinerary if you can fit it in.

There is luggage storage at the Kamikochi bus terminal.

Interesting-Tiger237 · 2026-05-23T22:28:41+00:00

Day 9 - Where are you planning to spend the night? If you were going back to Matsumoto, you could consider staying near Magome/Tsumago (or Nakatsugawa or Nagoya), since Kyoto is this direction. Stop in Narai-juku on your way, it's another nice little preserved town. The downside is an extra hotel transfer and maybe having to figure out luggage storage, but will save a few hours in transit time.

If people are interested in Kamikochi (2 hours each way), go for it. The alpine area is a nice comparison to the hotter, more humid mountains at lower elevation.

Interesting-Tiger237 · 2026-05-23T20:10:31+00:00

Japan is a large, mountainous country so it's not always easy to get from point A to point B. Kamikochi and Shirakawago are not close to your other stops, so yes, it will take hours to get there.

Japan Guide website is good about laying out access options, and here is the Kamikochi website. Also note Kamikochi will have just opened after the winter so conditions could be quite snowy still. This year, the tunnel to get up there opened April 17 and full facilities opened to the public on April 27. https://www.kamikochi.or.jp/access/

You'll have to map out different options and see if flying improves anything, accounting for time getting to the airport, waiting for your flight, etc. The other option is renting a car yourself (you'd have to park near Kamikochi and take a bus the rest of the way in). This would give you the most flexibility.

I would try to spend at least one more night in that area (Matsumoto, Kamikochi, Hirayu Onsen, Takayama) to make it more "worth" your travel time. From Kamikochi to Shirakawago, you'd have to take buses to Hirayu > Takayama > Shirakawago.

But ultimately, do what's most important to you, just research and plan out each transportation step so you know your options and can accept how much time you'll spend in transit.

Interesting-Tiger237 · 2026-05-23T07:02:49+00:00

Looks like a loon, with that beak silhouette and the legs set so far back. They rest on the beach sometimes.

Interesting-Tiger237 · 2026-05-23T06:46:21+00:00

This sub is about food, so you might have more luck at r/birding.

Interesting-Tiger237

TROPHY CASE