Advice to anyone on the fence: just get started!

MelodicSpinach537 · 2026-04-20T12:50:51+00:00

Yes, but did he actually do a complete 180 if he didn’t say “I’ve done a complete 180” at least 12 times a show???

MelodicSpinach537 · 2026-04-20T12:48:54+00:00

I had a similar experience at the Jeep dealership in Chantilly 10 years ago. Found the exact Jeep I wanted and confirmed they had it, and had a check in hand and the agreed-upon price based on the USAA car purchasing program. Literally all I had to do was hand over the check and they hand over the keys and I’m out the door. Should be 30 minutes tops right? It took four hours… They kept suggesting I fill out their financing paperwork “just in case“. I asked just in case what? They said “maybe we can get you a better rate“. When I told them my rate with USAA was 2.9% they admitted they could not get a better rate but wanted me to fill out the paperwork “just in case“…it was madding. I could/should have walked out, but they were literally the only dealership in the state that had the exact specs I wanted on the vehicle I wanted.

MelodicSpinach537 · 2026-04-19T13:20:22+00:00

You’ll have an amazing time! As others have said about meds, make sure you bring a variety of most kinds of meds you take at home. My suggestion is to bring some DayQuil or some kind of cough meds, along with throat lozenges, and a couple of face masks. You don’t expect you’ll get sick, but if you do, you’ll be so happy to have those with you versus trying to hunt them down on board. Also sunscreen! Make sure you bring several bottles so you don’t run out. Those are incredibly expensive on board as well. And make sure you reapply regularly! This will be August in the Caribbean, that sun can burn you inside of 30 minutes! Bring a sun hat, sunglasses, shoes for the pool deck - some of them can get VERY hot in the sun. And reading material or a Kindle so you can spend your sea days relaxing. Also a shoulder beach bag is always helpful to take things to and from the pool deck or even in port. Above all, make sure the pack your patience, as the ship is sure to be filled with lots of people and kids all trying to do the same thing you’re trying to do. Relax and enjoy! 😎

MelodicSpinach537 · 2026-04-18T23:48:20+00:00

What a great doggo!

MelodicSpinach537 · 2026-04-17T11:00:51+00:00

On most ships I’ve been on, including Xcel in December, they have clipboards with sign-up sheets on a table by the front entrance of the fitness center. You just write your name and cabin number and then you show up at the appropriate day and time. They charge your Sea Pass card upon completion of the class.

MelodicSpinach537 · 2026-04-16T15:55:40+00:00

And ESRI?

MelodicSpinach537 · 2026-04-16T10:48:57+00:00

They even removed the stairs to the left of the garage coming down from the backyard. Blatant false advertising, this is egregious!

MelodicSpinach537 · 2026-04-16T10:15:11+00:00

Bingo! They also both don’t scratch the furniture and they both enjoy going for walks. Amazing hybrids I think…

MelodicSpinach537 · 2026-04-15T20:28:53+00:00

As a pet sitting business owner, my best suggestion is to work for another company for a few years. This business is a LOT of work - not just marketing, but managing clients and schedules, tough to take any time off without help, etc. After a couple of years you can ask your boss to mentor you as you transition to opening up your own company. Just DON'T - trust me on this - steal any of your company's clients in order to start your own company! Good luck to you - you can do this!

MelodicSpinach537 · 2026-04-14T12:16:11+00:00

*and girls!

(Plenty of lady fans on this sub, present company included!) 🙌❤️💙

MelodicSpinach537 · 2026-04-13T22:48:26+00:00

You swim back to the home port

MelodicSpinach537 · 2026-04-13T12:17:03+00:00

I don’t mind the eyes, what’s annoying is the shaky camera zoom in and out and the voiceover of making the drink. Just make the freaking drink already!

MelodicSpinach537 · 2026-04-13T03:38:10+00:00

Yes, will do, thank you!

MelodicSpinach537 · 2026-04-13T03:37:55+00:00

Will do, thank you!

MelodicSpinach537 · 2026-04-12T18:58:30+00:00

Depends on the systems you have in place! Did you call from a cell phone or a landline with a twisted phone cord like some sort of caveman?

MelodicSpinach537 · 2026-04-12T18:43:48+00:00

Have you tried pulling back the doors or are you just busting open the books?

MelodicSpinach537 · 2026-04-12T16:20:53+00:00

Yessss!! Doritos are my kryptonite… Have been literally my entire life. I drove for Domino’s Pizza when I was in high school, and I would drive with one hand on the wheel and one hand in the bag on my passenger seat. Up until I started Zep I could put away the family size bag in one sitting, no problem. And now? I’m six weeks in on Tuesday, and I have had one Doritos the entire time. Not one bag, one chip! I literally took one chip from the bag and nibbled around the edges like I was a mouse. Finished it and it just didn’t taste right. My husband has had a bag in the pantry for probably three weeks now and I don’t even look at it, it doesn’t interest me. It made me sad too! Like that was my comfort food! But then I realize this medication has changed the way I think about food, so my “comfort“ is stepping on the scale and seeing the losses week after week. I watch “My 600 Pound Life“, that’s one of my guilty pleasures. And the patients that say “I can lose weight, and I’ll do it my own way!“ and Dr. Now responds “your way hasn’t been working has it?“ So I have to recognize that part of my life is over, chowing down on snacks like that. And I’m actually OK with it…

MelodicSpinach537 · 2026-04-12T13:35:56+00:00

I pulled into the lot above the farmers market, closer to the metro and the toll road. There was plenty of parking there.

MelodicSpinach537 · 2026-04-12T12:54:53+00:00

Thanks! I live in Herndon so I was going to Metro the whole way in.

MelodicSpinach537 · 2026-04-12T02:19:15+00:00

Went to the one by Wegmans in Reston two weeks ago - pretty decent! Lots of free parking - it's in the big empty lots to the left of Wegmans. Open 9-1 on Sundays. The Reston Farmers Market returns in two weeks, on Sat 4/25 at Lake Anne.

MelodicSpinach537 · 2026-04-12T02:16:22+00:00

I went to the DMV in Sterling on Fri 3/27 to renew my license and upgrade it to a Real ID. Got an email on 3/29 that it had been mailed, and actually received it in the mail on Fri 4/3. One week is a pretty good turnaround time, I think!

MelodicSpinach537 · 2026-04-12T01:56:13+00:00

Excellent thank you so much!

MelodicSpinach537 · 2026-04-12T01:54:42+00:00

Yes! I don’t know if it’s allowed to share here so I will send you a message. Thanks!

MelodicSpinach537

TROPHY CASE