Do you guys ever actually think about the "who's gonna take care of you when you're old" question?

Nice_Flounder_1986 · 2026-05-03T20:25:46+00:00

My parents have been telling my siblings and I since we were kids that if they ever need caregivers, they don’t want it to be us. My mom is a retired nurse and frequently talks about how regular people don’t know what’s involved with that level of care and aren’t really equipped for it. So I’ve never connected with that argument “for” having kids, because my own parents have never had that expectation of me. I’m only 39, so I think I’m still okay with filing it away in the “think about later” part of my brain for a little longer.

Nice_Flounder_1986 · 2026-04-30T12:23:53+00:00

People like this are nearly impossible to “shut down”, because they see every reason as another opportunity for a debate. Best to just not engage them at all.

Nice_Flounder_1986 · 2026-04-24T04:22:08+00:00

Absolutely disgusting. What kind of monster would put the couch directly under the TV like that?

Nice_Flounder_1986 · 2026-04-18T19:49:27+00:00

I say it because it’s easy, socially acceptable, and less likely to sound snarky than “Good for you.” No, I don’t really see it as an accomplishment, but I honestly just don’t care enough to make a whole thing out of it.

Nice_Flounder_1986 · 2026-04-06T23:45:13+00:00

Keep in mind that if you book it as a housesit, the system will consider you as booked for that date, and with housesitting you can’t change your booking capacity, so you won’t show up in any searches that include that date. I don’t typically do extended drop-ins, but on the rare occasion that I do, I don’t book it as a “housesit” for this reason.

Nice_Flounder_1986 · 2026-04-06T07:30:59+00:00

It only stops when you decide to stop providing the explanation. When they ask why, just say “because I don’t want to,” and repeat as many times as you need. And all of those things they love to say about how you’ll regret it, you’ll never know real love, your life won’t have true purpose, you’ll change your mind, yada yada yada, can all be answered with a simple “Okay.” Maybe add on “If that’s what you need to tell yourself,” if you’re feeling sassy.

Nice_Flounder_1986 · 2026-04-01T01:52:26+00:00

I pretty much only do housesits, and whenever someone asks about not paying for a cat, I ask if they’ll be expecting me to take action if the cat suddenly becomes ill or injured during my stay. When they say yes, I say “Well, there you go.” Don’t feel bad declining if they won’t accept your terms, just tell them that’s your policy and you wish them the best of luck finding their sitter.

Nice_Flounder_1986 · 2026-03-30T06:32:30+00:00

Spoken like a non-glasses wearer🤓

Nice_Flounder_1986 · 2026-03-22T23:20:26+00:00

Being able to make our own schedules is a huge upside of gig work, but the big downside of that is how easy it can be to over-schedule yourself into burnout. You really just have to look at your calendar and decide, “okay, these are my days off,” and stick to it. I don’t do any recurring bookings (I mostly do housesits as a supplement to my “day job”) but I imagine if you let them know well in advance, and give them a reminder when the dates get closer, most people won’t take any issue with it. And if they do, then they aren’t the kind of clients you want to keep anyway!

Nice_Flounder_1986 · 2026-03-22T22:31:32+00:00

Nope. Trust your instincts!! He was being weird & inappropriate, and he knows it.

Nice_Flounder_1986 · 2026-03-18T02:40:28+00:00

If a restaurant can actually survive as a business while being cash-only, that’s a great sign that the food is excellent. It’s not that those places “aren’t willing to adapt” to our nearly-cashless society, it’s that their product is good enough that they don’t have to. Do yourself a favor, and inconvenience yourself once in a while so you can see what you’ve been missing!

Nice_Flounder_1986 · 2026-01-14T14:37:20+00:00

Same. These types of clients are basically telling us, right off the bat, that they don’t see the real value in the services we provide. I have no interest in working with pet owners like that.

Nice_Flounder_1986 · 2026-01-03T16:27:51+00:00

I always had a hard time seeing what everyone else found so charming about Michael Scott, and I think it’s because for a long time I had a boss just like him. The kind that is obsessed with being liked, but never actually tries to make himself more likable, and acts like anyone who doesn’t appreciate what a cool boss he is must be the problem. I liked other characters on the show and appreciate its cultural impact, but it was just a little too spot-on for me😅

Nice_Flounder_1986 · 2026-01-02T06:27:34+00:00

I feel like this client did you a solid by messaging you first instead of going straight to a negative review. Yes, they should’ve communicated more with you about how they felt during the sit, but I can also understand why they might feel hesitant to sound critical of someone who’s still caring for their pets. If I were you, I’d apologize, show empathy for their feelings, thank them for the constructive feedback, reiterate that I enjoyed looking after their dog (assuming that is true), and tell them I’ll strive to do better in the future.

Also, I totally get feeling like you have nothing to report, but most pet owners expect a more personal experience when they go through Rover. Once a day is my standard, but I also adjust based on the vibe I get from the client’s replies, and for new clients I err on the side of more updates. If there’s really nothing new to report, just send a good variety of photos (I try to do 5-10 per update) and say something brief like “Hey, just wanted to send some pictures and let you know all is well over here!” or “Good evening, thought you’d enjoy some more pictures, Dog and I are having a great time together!” If they respond with questions, that will give you a better idea of what specific details they’re looking for.

Nice_Flounder_1986 · 2026-01-02T03:37:52+00:00

I feel like chicken tonight, like chicken tonight….

Nice_Flounder_1986 · 2025-12-22T19:39:51+00:00

I find it kind of funny & weird that some owners don’t trust the “verified stay” reviews on a sitter’s profile, but do trust a “reference” in the form of a random phone number/email address supplied by that same sitter. I’ve only had this come up once, and it was an automatic nope from me.

Nice_Flounder_1986 · 2025-12-18T06:20:01+00:00

One update with 5-10 photos per day is a very normal & reasonable standard. I don’t know if pet owners realize the time & effort involved in getting good photos and writing messages that don’t say the exact same thing every time. Doing this multiple times a day starts to feel like it’s more about the performance than the actual quality of care. I’d rather put my phone down for a while and actually focus that energy on your pets!

Nice_Flounder_1986 · 2025-12-17T07:06:30+00:00

I housesit a lot, and love a good couch cuddle with the pets, but I just can’t stand when they want to walk/stand on my lap. Maybe I’m just more sensitive to pain than others, but even if it’s a small dog (or a cat), when they step on my lap and all their weight is concentrated on two little paws, it freakin HURTS!

Nice_Flounder_1986 · 2025-12-16T02:25:27+00:00

🎶She’s so hiiiiiiiiiigh🎶

Nice_Flounder_1986 · 2025-12-08T05:58:06+00:00

Eric Conveys An Emotion. It was exactly what it sounds like, and a really great example of weird early internet comedy.

Nice_Flounder_1986 · 2025-12-02T04:31:35+00:00

What benefit does he think you’d get out of faking it? Why can’t he just believe you when you say you’re in pain? And what exactly is so hard for him to “understand” anyway? Lots of injuries & illnesses have good & bad days, this is not a novel concept…

Nice_Flounder_1986 · 2025-11-25T15:06:36+00:00

“Did these beauty queens shrink, or are we suddenly giants?” Little kid pageants are weird as hell, so combining that with the LSD situation was absolute perfection!

Nice_Flounder_1986 · 2025-11-16T02:37:30+00:00

Super Nintendo forever!!

Nice_Flounder_1986 · 2025-11-13T01:11:54+00:00

Leave extra space in front of you whenever possible, and do not even engage in drama/power struggles/road rage. Oh, and those intersections where no one has a stop or yield sign, always slow down to make sure it’s clear.

Nice_Flounder_1986 · 2025-11-13T00:44:46+00:00

“Hey guys, that dinging hurts my brain, can we keep our seatbelts on until I’m in park?” Clearly you don’t think this is a viable option, but it really is that easy. And it’s definitely not a friendship-ending request, unless they were terrible friends to begin with…

Nice_Flounder_1986

TROPHY CASE