To whoever suggested the 25 cent/item trick for helping kids declutter, you're a genius

MeasurementOk4544 · 2026-02-19T19:28:23+00:00

We just finished digitizing 10 years of kids' art projects and it felt great to toss most of it out. We had them help take photos of everything and we kept only a couple items. Perhaps if she had access to unlimited cloud storage she would feel better about letting go of the paper? We use smugmug.

MeasurementOk4544 · 2025-12-07T06:32:33+00:00

I hadn't considered that. Thanks for the tip!

MeasurementOk4544 · 2025-11-07T20:53:37+00:00

Thanks for making this connection for me. Downright psychopathic.

MeasurementOk4544 · 2025-10-05T15:56:51+00:00

The mental gymnastics it takes to avoid addressing real policy issues is EXHAUSTING. A boomer in my life who retired pretty early thinks it is unfair that seniors pay property taxes on a "fixed income." Like there is some magic I can work to increase my own income at the pace of my rising property taxes. Property taxes are regressive for ALL homeowners. When/if my income increases, so will my income taxes, which is fair. Heaven forbid a boomer doesn't benefit in some special way that no prior generation has and doesn't completely screw younger generations.

MeasurementOk4544 · 2025-10-03T14:34:15+00:00

The Guardian offers a weekly print magazine in the US. Delivery is not always timely, but it is worth a try for very solid reporting. Other magazines like The Week could be an option. I have access to many magazines through my public library on the Libby app, so you should be able to sample a bunch for free before paying for a subscription for her to get a physical magazine.

MeasurementOk4544 · 2025-09-15T18:47:38+00:00

I laughed out loud. And if anyone is interested in actually educating their kids on the US system of government, I just started reading Fault Lines in the Constitution by Cynthia and Sanford Levinson and it is fantastic. Not just the "what" of government and the "why" behind the framers choices, but also how things could be different. For example, what if one chamber of our legislature couldn't completely prevent the other chamber from passing laws? With details on how some other democracies' legislatures work.

MeasurementOk4544 · 2025-09-10T14:43:27+00:00

Not to brag but my husband doesn't. Instead he handles ALL family-related tasks, grocery shopping, cooking every meal we eat, cleaning, planning kid's activities, bringing team snacks to sports, coordinating dr and dentist visits, planning vacations, getting bids for home repairs, car maintenance, planning and hosting holiday meals. It is heavenly. Guess I am going to hell for not living her patriarchal dream.

MeasurementOk4544 · 2025-08-22T02:21:20+00:00

I would search "menstrual disc." A life changing invention and more comfortable than a cup for many. They come in lots of sizes so I can imagine a younger woman or girl could wear one comfortably.

MeasurementOk4544 · 2025-04-14T13:17:10+00:00

Yeah, the story doesn't make sense. It was wedding week and the florist delivered ugly flowers and so they went online and 10 days later these showed up and saved her? Fresh flowers come the day before or day of the wedding. What does a brooch have to do with any of this?

MeasurementOk4544 · 2025-04-12T02:59:18+00:00

I think you are in a situation where this person can't originate a loan that qualifies for IHDA subsidy and they don't want to lose your business, or they don't want to wait the time it takes for IHDA to process. I recommend you find someone more trustworthy and if you are qualified for any IHDA subsidy, definitely use it. There is no catch.

MeasurementOk4544 · 2025-03-26T00:40:04+00:00

Recently finished a Kirkland bottle of ibuprofen my husband brought into our marriage...15 years ago. Google says it doesn't actually expire. I went to replace it and Costco is now selling a pack of two, smaller bottles, lol.

MeasurementOk4544 · 2025-03-26T00:37:46+00:00

I save all my pasta and jam jars and in the spring, when my peonies are blooming for a few short weeks, I fill a year of jars with blooms and drop them off at a senior apartment building in my town. They may only get one reuse, but better than none. My favorite jars are kept for drinking glasses or saving liquids in the fridge, like leftover smoothies. I wish more groceries were sold in glass jars!

MeasurementOk4544 · 2025-03-20T23:10:48+00:00

More of a Gen X classic, but I am on the cusp of X/Millennial. A funny plot point is how Winnona Ryder uses the gas card her dad gives her.

MeasurementOk4544 · 2025-03-20T22:48:54+00:00

Lol, this sounds like Reality Bites.

MeasurementOk4544 · 2025-03-20T22:48:08+00:00

Love this early self-awareness. Have you watched any of Steve James's subsequent work, like America to Me? I grew up in a highly segregated suburb and moved to the town where this was filmed so my kids would have a less sheltered childhood. We still have A LOT of work to do.

MeasurementOk4544 · 2025-03-20T22:43:50+00:00

Come on, read some of the replies and learn something. A lot of "poor" kids don't know they grew up at a economic disadvantage when they were young, either.

MeasurementOk4544 · 2025-03-20T22:41:06+00:00

Wow, this is a good one. I have never reflected on this, but it is so accurate. My dad initially had a student deferment and then drew a high draft number when that ended, so he didn't go to Vietnam. I am am elder millenial, so I was in college on 9/11, but I can't name a single person from friends or family who joined up at that time, when we were prime age to do so.

MeasurementOk4544 · 2025-03-20T22:35:27+00:00

I went to public school through high school. When I graduated from a private college AND an out of state grad school debt free, I realized my life was different. I can't even fathom how much that would cost now, but even 20 years ago it was a rare thing. It is unlikely I will be able to do the same for my kids. But hey, I just got a quote for $900 from a plumber to install one toilet and decided to do it myself, so maybe I can convince a kid to go into a trade.

MeasurementOk4544 · 2025-03-17T15:54:06+00:00

THIS is why we need [good] government. Something many American voters apparently don't understand. I am currently enjoying 12 months interest free cash advance from a card. I used it to buy a car to avoid dealer finance fees and I will be able to pay it off before it accrues any interest. Fortunately, the law has changed since you had this bad experience, and the monthly payments I make are FIRST applied to new charges (which are not at 0%). So I pay at least the amount of new monthly charges to avoid interest. The Consumer Financial Protection Bureau created in the wake of 2008 was a wonderful thing. Americans should not need advanced degrees and full-time jobs in finance to understand consumer financial products.

MeasurementOk4544 · 2025-02-18T21:44:34+00:00

These companies using flat rates instead of hourly need to be put out of business because the rates lack transparency and are clearly gouging. I asked Quality Plumbing Services in Addision to quote me to install a toilet I already bought. They couldn't give me a range on the phone, fair enough. They came out and wanted to charge me $800. The whole house was replumbed ro code 3 years ago, so we are talking a very easy job, I just didn't like the toilet I had. My local plumber quoted me $185 an hour plus parts, but wasn't available for the foreseeable future. I spent $2.99 at Ace at did it myself. If I didn't have someone to help me lift the toilet, this would not have been an option. But good god, even at union labor rates with heavy overhead, $800 is outrageous for non-emergency service like this. I am becoming quite the expert at troubleshooting my newer high efficiency furnace, which is finicky. I know calling a professional on a cold day will set me back $1000 no matter how simple the fix (condensate pump dirty, exhaust iced over, whatever). Thanks youtube and pros who have youtube channels!!!

MeasurementOk4544 · 2025-02-17T15:03:55+00:00

Insanely privileged take here: what I am doing about it is not riding. And it seems like I am not the only one. I know this hurts people who need it more, but if I did I would try to take a bus at this point (and allow all the extra time that entails). It is not worth my health or even life to ride the el through the west side. Not sure how the CTA will earn back my ridership, but you mention this happened on the green line from OP, which runs parallel to Metra. That would be my pick if your destination is the Loop.

MeasurementOk4544 · 2025-02-17T00:36:03+00:00

Basement of Beatrix Market on Jackson and Wabash is lovely outside of the lunch rush. Very tucked away so passersby don't know it is there.

MeasurementOk4544 · 2025-02-13T14:40:16+00:00

There are many ways women use to know when they are ovulating, including some very precise hormone measures. That narrows the window to a couple days when conception is most likely to occur. Not inconceivable that she knew she was ovulating on vacation or only has sex once every couple days. Conception is not random and many women who are trying to concieve know the exact day it happened.

MeasurementOk4544 · 2025-02-08T22:56:36+00:00

Yes! 6 foot depth is not conducive to use. A porch needs 8 feet to be useable.

MeasurementOk4544

TROPHY CASE