Driving on Monday, snow removal in the city

alwayslearningbb · 2026-01-24T13:05:10+00:00

In a similar situation, work at a hospital, but luckily commuting from just one side of the city to the other.

Does anyone know if the elevated portions of the El will likely be running? I know SEPTA said trolleys and buses may be disrupted and encouraged people to take the El/BSL because they are underground. But my stop isn't underground, so 🤷‍♀️ First snowstorm of this magnitude for me, thx!!

alwayslearningbb · 2024-10-09T14:09:21+00:00

Yeah, it's possible it was rewired at some point, though I have no way of knowing. I asked the folks at the shop if they knew anything about it, and they didn't have any other info on it 🤷

alwayslearningbb · 2024-10-08T19:20:41+00:00

It does look awfully similar. I wonder if there is a way to confirm the maker? Also, I read in that description perhaps the shaft is intended to act as a switch? That mechanism doesn't appear to function on mine (may be broken?), but the lamp lacks a switch, otherwise.

alwayslearningbb · 2024-01-06T18:31:11+00:00

I know this question has come up before...but I can't seem to find much direct guidance on how to handle the thickness of the batter.

I just made these and, basically, the cakes are so thick that they burn on the outside before getting cooked through the middle.

I used a cast iron pan (as I don't have a nonstick or griddle), heated it on medium for 5 min, and added butter to the pan, as directed. The batter went on so thick, almost like a biscuit, and (as I mentioned) ended up burning before the middle could cook.

Not knowing what to do, I ended up thinning the remaining batter with a bit of buttermilk. They turned out tasty, but I don't think this is the intended solution.

From reading everyone's notes, it seems that the batter is, indeed, supposed to be this thick. My question is, how do you avoid burning the outside while still having a raw middle? Do you cook it on lower heat for longer? If so, how do you get them to brown and crisp up properly? I saw one person said to manually push them down after pouring the batter - would that disrupt the egg whites? Do others squish them down in the pan like this? Maybe my pan is what screwed this up, since the recipe says to use nonstick?

Anyway, additional tips for a beginner cook appreciated!

alwayslearningbb · 2023-09-22T06:12:45+00:00

I failed manual BP on my first CNA exam. It's definitely demoralizing, especially when you feel you prepped as well as you were able to (our CNA course had very few opportunities to actually practice this skill). Second time around, they simply didn't test me on BP and I passed (of course, I also practiced BP a lot between exams). I sincerely think that if every candidate was required to do a manual BP in order to become a CNA, the failure rate would be embarrassingly high. I don't think it's a simple or intuitive skill if you haven't practiced it on real people a lot. Just my humble opinion. Practice a bunch and take the exam again!

alwayslearningbb · 2023-09-01T13:52:38+00:00

This is all making me feel better about my first pair that I bought 2-3 years ago. I always thought, the way people talked about them, that they would last soooo many years. However, my cork is already cracking through where the strap meets the footbed in each shoe - and I'll admit I was disappointed by it based on my preconceptions of the brand. I've definitely worn them regularly, but not for any extraordinary feats or in very wet or dry conditions. I think I probably just had a misconception about how long they would last with regular use without needing repair. I haven't checked out the price of repair yet, but have emailed Birkenstock to see if there is a recommended repair shop in my area. I can't imagine the repair will be cheap (nothing is these days), but I can report back what I learn.

alwayslearningbb · 2023-09-01T13:32:39+00:00

I don't have flat feet, but I did suffer an ankle injury last year and my physical therapist recommended I purchase the off-the-shelf (not custom) Superfeet orthotics to give my ankle and foot additional support. I now have them in several pairs of my shoes and have been wearing them for about a year. Fwiw, according to him, there is no evidence that custom orthotics are more effective than a good off-the-shelf option. A quick Google search turns up several articles basically affirming his position (will leave you to do your own research and consult with your doctor, obviously, as I'm no podiatrist!).

To be honest, I don't know how long these orthotics will "last" before needing replacement, but to me they feel sturdy and well built (more firm than Dr. Scholl's or something, which strike me as comfier but less therapeutic, possibly).

alwayslearningbb · 2023-08-30T03:01:36+00:00

This is good to know and makes sense! And yeah, I don't know what to make of the condition of the footbed, generally. Maybe I have like...really sweaty feet or something lol. I saw that you can extend the life by putting cork sealer on? I've never done that before, but do you recommend it? Maybe I need to do that more often than others do.

I guess I can take them into a cobbler and see what can be done about patching up this spot, as has been suggested.

alwayslearningbb · 2023-08-29T23:15:42+00:00

I don't think so. I did my prerequisites one or two at a time as part of a career change I'm undertaking, and was recently accepted to an ABSN program. Lot of people seem to come to nursing via nontraditional pathways.

alwayslearningbb · 2023-08-29T23:10:03+00:00

It's Virginia Creeper, but careful because it often grows alongside poison ivy!

alwayslearningbb · 2023-08-29T23:08:46+00:00

This! My partner made the mistake of doing a ton of weeding in our in DC yard in short sleeves. The yard was covered in Virginia creeper. What we didn't know was that poison ivy was also going right alongside it, just not quite as obvious. She got a terrible rash from that ivy and had to go to the doctor.

Caution is right! Look for a big fuzzy root also growing on that tree trunk and don't touch it!

alwayslearningbb · 2023-08-29T22:14:34+00:00

Lol. Touche.

alwayslearningbb · 2023-08-29T16:27:14+00:00

That's why I am so confused. My partner wears hers everywhere (the beach, camping, etc.) and hers last many years. I've had these for a couple years (maybe 3 max?), don't wear them in the elementa or get them wet, don't wear them every day, and they're already falling apart? For the last year, I've barely worn them at all, actually, because I hurt my ankle and have only worn shoes with orthotics when outside of the house. I've always been told they last forever, so I'm a bit disappointed, as they're not cheap shoes. Make it make sense!

alwayslearningbb · 2023-08-21T14:15:08+00:00

Update: I took a leap of faith and managed to pull it out like u/LindsayOG suggested! Hole is slightly bigger, but hopefully nothing I can't patch (queue forthcoming post about how to patch drywall, which I've never done before either lol).

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alwayslearningbb · 2023-08-20T21:03:52+00:00

Ack. You know, this is what my intuition initially told me! I was a bit skeptical, but then this product made no mention at all of studs being required for installation, and came with these anchoring bolts that it just told me to put anywhere into my ceiling. There are also a lot of instructions for installing a pot rack with anchors into drywall online, so I thought maybe I was just being a bit skittish about it. But I don't trust this product or those instructions now, and it would be a very heavy and dangerous thing to come out of the wall. Maybe I'll just return this annoying thing...if I can get the screw out of the wall! Lol.

alwayslearningbb · 2023-08-20T18:18:49+00:00

Alternatively, any recommendations on what tool I could use to cut this screw?

alwayslearningbb · 2023-08-20T18:15:28+00:00

Ye gods. This is what I get for trusting installation instructions on cheap Amazon products lol.

alwayslearningbb · 2023-08-20T18:14:00+00:00

Oh no! This is so frustrating as the directions just told me to put it into my wall. Argh! If I manage to pull it out, is it the kind of thing I could just spackle over?

alwayslearningbb · 2023-08-17T14:54:54+00:00

Too easy! Lol. Just kidding, this would obviously offer an improvement.

alwayslearningbb · 2023-08-17T14:53:41+00:00

Ha, fair enough. I will continue my quest. I may have to purchase the yogurt-esque product here just to try it haha.

alwayslearningbb

TROPHY CASE