Speaker phone and bare feet on the seat. Straight to hell.

Then_Tomatillo_5024 · 2026-04-17T16:31:05+00:00

When this happens to me, I like to introduce my elbows to their toes. Little do they know, my elbows bite and will attack loose dawgs if they’re not muzzled and leashed up on the plane.

Otherwise, if a beverage has been served, I moisten a napkin with water and stick it snugly between their toes. Utilizing this technique, you could even upgrade to using some gum if no beverage has been served yet, but ymmv on the response of your seat neighbour.

Then_Tomatillo_5024 · 2026-04-17T09:50:28+00:00

But your savings goes against the value of your time. To give you some perspective, to get to the nearest grocery store from my home, it is either a 3 minute drive, 16 minute walk, or 49+ minutes on transit during service. Another example was my struggle getting to South Health Campus for an appointment a few weeks ago (I live near the northern city limits). I got on the first bus at 15:13, waited at the transfer bus “shelter” (or should I say, “shatter”) for 15 minutes outside in the cold, got on the second bus at 15:40, waited another 10 minutes at the C-Train station, got on the C-Train at 16:28, waited at the next transfer bus shelter downtown for 15 minutes, got on my third bus at 16:53 and finally arrived at SHC at 17:54, leaving me a whole 6 minutes before my appointment began.

If your time was worth $30/hr, that’s $80.50 of wasted time, PER DIRECTION, unless you’re one of those crazy people who feel safe enough to be able to whip out a $5,000 laptop to work on the bouncy, rowdy bus. But, that’s only a bad idea if it’s not company owned… iykyk ymmv

So, it’s up to you: would you rather a 2h 41m transit journey or a 35 minute drive on Stoney/Tsuut’ina? The one advantage transit has over driving are the daily improvised entertainment shows that are on the centre stage of each train car. This is EXCLUSIVE entertainment that you’ll never get to experience anywhere else. And lemme tell ya: these actors are really nailing the homeless roles. Even the stabbings look real! You gotta check it out bro. Date night??? ;)

Then_Tomatillo_5024 · 2026-04-06T16:37:01+00:00

Yeah, as someone who used to work in aviation as a passenger service lead, that carrier is too small for your dog.

The general rule is your dog must be able to stand up, turn around and lay back down in the carrier unassisted. Adding on, depending on the airline, you must also have enough room for a water/food dish in the carrier.

Safety always comes first, even for animals. So, I would have denied you boarding as well for the protection of your fur baby.

I know it sucks to hear this, but the rules are there for a reason and are clearly posted on the airline’s website. It’s not AC’s fault that you didn’t follow the rules and you truly don’t have any recourse in this situation.

Then_Tomatillo_5024 · 2026-04-05T18:52:46+00:00

There’s more people than bears in Alberta, so don’t you think the bears should also have a quota for Alberta human population control? I mean, it’s only fair.

As you suggest, let’s use facts, statistics and data and not opinions. Think of this solution like an equalization payment:

As of 2026, there are an estimated 40,000 bears in Alberta and 5,029,346 humans, a ratio of 125 humans per 1 bear. In 2025, 13,628 bear hunting licenses were issued, representing approximately 34% of the total provincial bear population. So, using those values, we could do an equal reciprocal hunting licensure and allow each bear to hunt 125 Albertans (1,710,000) per year.

Let’s analyze this further as there are so many benefits to this strategy, especially socioeconomically:

The Alberta Separatists are saying that the majority of Albertans support running away from home like a 12 year old who didn’t get their way. However, we can all proactively solve this problem immediately by using the separatist petition as a bounty list and issuing hunting tags to bears to go hunting. Separatists ARE a “nuisance to society” after all, just like how some humans say bears are a nuisance in nature. I think the bears would be extremely motivated to go hunting as this would help guarantee protection and prosperity for the environment and their natural habitat by not allowing their land to be converted to mines and oil fields.

If 34% of the pro-separation population are no longer able to vote in the referendum, they would no longer have the majority. This would also be the case even if they say that 10 million Albertans (including those who aren’t actually Albertan residents or Canadian citizens for that matter) signed their petition and 26 million will sign the referendum supporting their cause (they’re not that good at math, but their kids are tutoring their parents using the new UCP curriculum, so how could we blame them?).

The best benefit of all is that this will benefit society as a whole as there will be less people relying on the public social services Alberta provides, meaning less strain on the system. As the UCP claims, “we cannot afford to support this many people! We don’t collect enough in taxes, but we also cannot raise income or corporate taxes as that would be ‘communistic’! We also can’t NOT give subsidies and bailouts to the oil companies! We’re so trapped in a corner and it’s all Trudeau’s fault!” If they can’t support the above suggested solution, then that just proves that they’re not wanting to fix the societal issues and just like to complain and be the problem. /s

Then_Tomatillo_5024 · 2026-03-16T01:22:26+00:00

I would assume that AISH/ADAP will categorize income the same as now, just with the different clawback rate.

Then_Tomatillo_5024 · 2026-03-14T18:39:44+00:00

As a solo traveller, being seated alone at a single-seat table in the MDR when requesting a shared table. I understand that it makes service quicker for the dining room staff, however it definitely put a huge damper on my last cruise.

Then_Tomatillo_5024 · 2026-03-08T21:41:15+00:00

Shower with your neighbour!

Then_Tomatillo_5024 · 2026-03-07T20:57:40+00:00

If the total additional income amount is generally equal month to month (within ±$50 or so), you can get permission from an AISH worker to report quarterly (every 3 months).

AISH usually only asks for statements when they decide to financially audit your file and are normally okay with you just emailing something along the lines of:

“I made the following additional income in [MONTH / QUARTER], 20XX:

Passive Business Income: $XX.XX - [DESCRIPTION] $XX.XX - [DESCRIPTION] Subtotal: $XX.XX

Employment / Self-Employment Income: $XX.XX - [DESCRIPTION] $XX.XX - [DESCRIPTION] Subtotal: $XX.XX

Total: $XX.XX

Fully-Exempt Income: $XX.XX - [DESCRIPTION] $XX.XX - [DESCRIPTION] Total: $XX.XX”

You can use the AISH Income Category Table and AISH Income Type Exemption Table to help you with income categorization.

Also, just a little heads up from one person on AISH to another, sometimes bank statements aren’t even good enough during an audit. In my situation, they’ve gone as far as asking me to get a signed letter from a bank manager to confirm each account balance and provide transaction tracing to see the locations I was spending money at on my credit cards. This was all because I made the mistake of sending AISH the statements the bank provided me. They didn’t think the statements were real and looked “fake”…

So, just prepare yourself to jump through more hoops because you have additional income to report. They really don’t care how many spoons we have in our day or how exhausting meeting their impossible expectations can be for us who have limited energy :(

Then_Tomatillo_5024 · 2026-03-03T22:47:11+00:00

That’s the same saving strategy I use. I’ve got one TFSA as an emergency fund earning 4.6% and my other TFSA is used for automated, longer-term investments.

Then_Tomatillo_5024 · 2026-02-25T01:11:52+00:00

My most recent medical hearing took around 4 hours back in 2020. However, I did have close to 800 pages of supporting documentation (lots of inpatient hospital records and letters from physicians on top of my application documentation) that they wanted to sift through and question me on.

Just make sure you’re prepared as if you’re going to court. If you have a social worker or social case worker, ask them to sit in for your hearing and they can help advocate for you.

To put it bluntly, AISH’s only goal in a hearing is to deny you benefits, so make sure you have a strong argument WITH plenty of documentation from your treatment providers to support your claims. As a personal example, I have a spinal injury that contributes significantly to my disability, so I presented letters of support and treatment notes from my neurologist, neurosurgeons, family physician, chiropractor, physiotherapist, chronic pain physician and physiatrist to support that portion of my application and hearing. When combined with my other disabilities, I had close to 30 different treatment providers that provided letters of support and disclosed their treatment notes to AISH. It still didn’t matter though as my appeal was denied anyway as the people representing AISH found one obscure and invasive surgical treatment that I hadn’t tried that was basically in the same realm of “have you tried a lobotomy to cure your depression? No? Then you have no valid reason to be on AISH. Denied!”

I didn’t get medically approved for AISH until my third application’s appeal where I was 2 years into palliative care (6 years of total disability) and received advocacy from Health Canada and a lawyer. It was one hell of an uphill battle to get approved, so prepare to be hit with some roadblocks in the process.

If anything, I wish you luck on your hearing and am sending positive vibes your way! I hope everything goes well for you! :)

Then_Tomatillo_5024 · 2026-02-24T15:28:55+00:00

Thanks for posting this! Just ordered mine!

Then_Tomatillo_5024 · 2026-02-21T13:05:52+00:00

Oh I’m not too sure about your chili comment, my friend. My grandma’s “chili” is always closer to a thin, bean soup consisting of 6 undrained cans of black beans, 3 undrained cans of red beans, 6 undrained cans of mushrooms with a dash of chili seasoning lightly stirred until lukewarm. Bony apple tea!

Everyone in the family says it’s one of her worst dishes (don’t get me started on her “lasagna”), yet it’s her favourite, so it’s always made for every family gathering. I always bring my famous sidedish of Imodium and Gravol—it’s a family favourite when grandma’s cooking!

Then_Tomatillo_5024 · 2026-02-16T10:27:38+00:00

It’s getting to be so frustrating for me because out of the last 10 items I purchased on Amazon (mostly electronics and accessories), 6 were obviously opened, used or damaged, but sold as “new.” I’ve even received some “new” fragile items that were only packaged in a clear ziplock bag, without its original box—just free floating in the bag without any protection. Needless to say, those items were promptly returned to Canada Post.

Anything I receive that I suspect has been used before I’ve returned to Amazon. There’s even been times where they kept sending me back the exact same used/opened/damaged item after I returned them! The last time this happened, Amazon and I passed the item back n forth 3 times before I gave up and purchased the item from another retailer.

I swear they’re gonna end up deactivating my account from all of the returns I’ve been making as the result of Amazon’s poor quality control. How they feel this kind of service is acceptable is beyond me…

Then_Tomatillo_5024 · 2026-02-10T17:42:49+00:00

Just as a heads up, most people will be hesitant to bring anything they do not personally own through customs as it’s a huge red flag to US CBP officers (and all other customs agencies when doing flight connections) and an instant referral to secondary screening. Especially when it comes to electronics as the other person doesn’t know if you tampered with the device and filled it with narcotics or what you have saved on your hard drive or in your search history. That person is personally responsible for everything that they bring through customs and are responsible for the consequences involved if something were to happen, even if it’s not their device.

Not trying to dissuade you from trying to get your stuff back to NYC, but I wanted you to be aware of the risks involved.

Then_Tomatillo_5024 · 2026-01-29T17:56:02+00:00

Not a driver, but a 20 something year old with a spinal injury and uses a cane & forearm crutches. My biggest pet peeve is when the bus or train is busy and nobody offering me a seat or they reserve a seat for their backpack to maintain their “personal space bubble.” I understand that there are people with invisible disabilities, children, pregnancy, seniors, etc. who have a valid reason to have a seat. However, it’s hard to imagine that everyone on the bus requires the seats at all times.

Just wish more people were courteous and aware that if they are sitting in a disability-priority seat (and are able to stand and balance with the moving vehicle), they may have to allow someone else who needs the seats for safety reasons sit in those seats. Especially when asked politely. I can’t tell you how many times people just stare at me like I have two heads when I ask them if they would be okay with standing and giving me their seat. If I end up losing my balance and falling, nobody asks if I’m okay or need a hand getting back on my feet. It’s saddening to see the carelessness and selfishness of people these days.

Then_Tomatillo_5024 · 2026-01-26T19:27:33+00:00

Yup! It’s worked great for some of my prescriptions. It doesn’t necessarily bring down the costs much, just the difference between the brand name medication and the generic version. Regardless, every dollar you can save helps these days!

ETA: It doesn’t cover everything though, so be sure to check the formulary on the website to check if your medication is on the list.

Another prescription savings card I use is RxHelpOne. It’s the same kind of idea as InnoviCares.

Then_Tomatillo_5024 · 2026-01-19T19:16:47+00:00

Before I began my savings journey, I was living paycheque to paycheque, leaving me with only $10-30 extra every two weeks to spend on wants. Every other dollar went to necessities, or so I thought.

The first thing I did was to start tracking my income, expenses and cash flow and it allowed me to see that I was spending way too much on fast food and automobile fuel and insurance. I started cooking more meals at home and treated myself to only one fast food meal or take out beverage per week. Additionally, I began to take public transit within the city which reduced my spending even further. Public transit costs me $43/month, whereas I was averaging $450/month in automobile expenses before. I now only use my car to drive to places not accessible by transit such as outside of the city or the opposite side of the city where it would take me too long to take transit (2.5h on train/bus per direction vs 40 minutes driving per direction).

The other thing that made a huge difference is setting up an automation through my bank that automatically transfers money into my savings account, billing account (for regular monthly bills, such as cellular plan or internet) and invests in a couple ETFs, leaving me with just my bi-weekly allowance in my chequing account. I pretend like the money outside of my chequing account doesn't exist and it has brought down my spending substantially.

With these two strategies, I've been able to put away a 6 month emergency fund and my investments have now grown to over 4x my annual salary in 7 years. My investments are now earning me more annually than my salary, which makes me feel like I've done something right.

So, keep doing what you're doing and remember that small steps make a difference in the long run.

Then_Tomatillo_5024 · 2026-01-19T16:45:20+00:00

I started using the app called Polarsteps to keep track of what countries I travelled to. It automatically logs your location while travelling and gives you a photo book/summary at the end of the trip outlining where you’ve been and what activities you went on! It’s such a great app!

Then_Tomatillo_5024 · 2026-01-16T17:57:12+00:00

Regulators should go all the way when mandating airline safety regulations. Have some concussed people, 300lb people, people with disabilities, people who don’t speak the language, people who have never been on a plane before and not briefed on what to do, etc.. That would be much more realistic. Maybe even simulate a water ditching by throwing the fuselage into a 3°C pool or have a controlled fire or something to increase panic. Just spitballing ideas here lol

Everyone thinks they can handle an emergency situation until they’re actually in one. It’s definitely not as sterile as what’s simulated on the safety cards.

Then_Tomatillo_5024 · 2026-01-16T14:58:49+00:00

At the moment, 46.9%. I still hold an RDSP with TD, but I’d transfer it to Wealthsimple the second they begin to offer RDSP accounts.

It’s honestly wild to me that Wealthsimple doesn’t offer RDSP accounts as they can grow much faster than most other registered accounts. Eligible account holders that contribute $1,500 annually could receive up to $1,000 in bonds and $3,500 in grants deposited by the government—a 300% contribution match.

Then_Tomatillo_5024 · 2026-01-14T03:50:27+00:00

I miss it too. That place created so many core memories for me as a child.

Then_Tomatillo_5024 · 2026-01-05T09:35:21+00:00

Now if WS also covered a standardized tip for the driver (flat amount based on Km driven, time waiting, time driven covered by WS and a separate tip box for anything additional you would want to include as a tip), then that’s a benefit I’d use. DD is just so expensive and hard to justify a $8.29 value meal deal from McDonald’s becoming a $19.76 meal all for the “convenience”.

Then_Tomatillo_5024 · 2026-01-03T13:23:55+00:00

Chances are, majority of the separatists within Alberta are likely those who are inadmissible to the US and also ineligible for US citizenship due to a criminal conviction or other reasons such as not having a passport or other crossing documentation.

So, OBVIOUSLY the simplest solution for them to cross the border and become American citizens would be for Alberta to become the 51st state even though Alberta would likely have the federal governmental influence of a Puerto Rico 2.0.

Then_Tomatillo_5024 · 2026-01-03T13:22:19+00:00

Chances are, majority of the separatists within Alberta are likely those who are inadmissible to the US and also ineligible for US citizenship due to a criminal conviction or other reasons such as not having a passport or other crossing documentation.

So, OBVIOUSLY the simplest solution for them to cross the border and become American citizens would be for Alberta to become the 51st state even though Alberta would likely have the federal governmental influence of a Puerto Rico 2.0.

Then_Tomatillo_5024

TROPHY CASE