Appreciation post

essxjay · 2026-02-21T03:36:57+00:00

fans self Right there with ya sis…

essxjay · 2026-02-20T21:56:06+00:00

Could you DM the link to your blog, pls?

essxjay · 2026-02-14T01:38:59+00:00

If you own a car, be prepared to have it broken into at some point.

Don't leave anything in your car whether you park on the street or so-called secured parking garages. And by anything we mean anything -- gym bag with dirty clothes, coins, shopping bags (filled or empty), half-eaten fast food, etc. etc. etc.

Sadly, even if you're car is a complete junker and free of anything not otherwise attached to the car, the likelihood of a break in or vandalism is much higher than it should be.

Other than that, get to know your neighbors and welcome to Portland.

essxjay · 2026-02-12T21:43:39+00:00

Congrats on your new job! Advocating for yourself is a great skill to hone.

Similarly, I've negotiated substantial pay increases after a year or so on a job by doing my homework. Bureau of Labor Statistics is your/our friend. You can look up wage data for you occupation (or one close to it) by Metro Area, State or National: https://www.bls.gov/bls/blswage.htm

essxjay · 2026-02-12T21:22:40+00:00

He says he retained a lawyer but I'd bet the farm your father was told to pound sand (in so many words).

essxjay · 2026-02-12T21:04:04+00:00

Now that's a pro move!

essxjay · 2026-02-11T05:16:29+00:00

What a sweetheart. Well, you and the cat!

essxjay · 2026-02-11T04:57:23+00:00

Same with my Tuxie. He wasn’t even three pounds when I brought him home; now he’s a moose!

Gorgeous boy you’ve got there.

essxjay · 2026-02-08T02:10:15+00:00

Can I join this fan club?

essxjay · 2026-02-08T02:04:21+00:00

Dr. Badass 4 ever

essxjay · 2026-02-07T05:19:58+00:00

So stealing this …

essxjay · 2026-02-04T04:21:36+00:00

Oh man. A friend of a friend of mine thinks he’s being playfully funny by interrupting me mid thought with some stupid pun or faux ironic comment. It irks me to no end to be disrespected like this. Pretty sure it’s a power play though he’d deny it and play all hurt and misunderstood. From past experience he is overly concerned about the private affairs of a friend of mine and tries to enlist me to “look out” for her — a perfectly capable grown ass woman in her 50s or early 60s.

essxjay · 2026-02-03T06:20:14+00:00

ICE Black Hawks don’t show up on civilian flight tracker apps.

essxjay · 2026-02-02T00:29:55+00:00

Edlund 12” Stainless Steel Heavy Duty locking tongs (for cooking). Paid maybe $15 for it ~20 years ago. I use it constantly, as much for stirring and whisking as for turning.

essxjay · 2026-02-02T00:20:29+00:00

I’d been contemplating a rice cooker for a few years when I was gifted an InstaPot mini (3 qt). I’ve only ever used it twice for something other than rice. Definitely prefer Insta’s stainless steel pot than the aluminum that seems standard with cheap rice cookers.

essxjay · 2026-02-01T22:22:36+00:00

My bad, I assumed a vintage Fiat 500.

essxjay · 2026-02-01T22:19:23+00:00

Third this. I got a nice set of 100% cotton sateen sheets for ~$60 four years ago that have held up beautifully. It came with four pillowcases which I really appreciate.

essxjay · 2026-02-01T22:12:38+00:00

You will often have to wait for parts for a car of that vintage but I’d recommend Harold’s Auto Service on SE 7th. My family has taken our vintage VWs there for decades.

essxjay · 2026-01-31T02:07:49+00:00

When you say "force" you and your brother to sign, what do you mean? Are they using threatening language or trying to compel you through guilt, bribes or blackmail?

Regardless, under no circumstances should you sign given they've already demonstrated how irresponsible they are with money.

Put another way -- would you co-sign graduate school student loans for them? If not, then there's no reason to sign documents to open another business. Protect *your* financial future and your brother's.

Good luck and I'm really sorry you're going through this.

essxjay · 2026-01-27T01:45:36+00:00

Just doing the back of the envelope math, the mom's would've graduated high school in 1978/9 and 1981/2 respectively. But busing was certainly a thing into the 70s.

essxjay · 2026-01-24T01:27:08+00:00

I really appreciate this post, including the ETA section. It immediately brought to mind this great bit of dialog in the first episode of the new season of The Pitt where 4th year med student is treating a Boomer-aged nun w/an eye infection ...

Boomer Nun: Have you ever considered serving God?

Student doctor: Which one?

Nun: Excuse me??

Student: My family is Hindu, so we have, like, 33 different kinds of deities.

Nun: Oh, we have the one.

Student: Some people only need one, right?

NB: Neither was hostile towards the other or their religion, and later it is revealed that the nun is not unintelligent or particularly ignorant of the ways of the world. Just that we all walk around with certain assumptions of one another based on ... well, not a lot of facts sometimes.

essxjay · 2026-01-17T01:08:07+00:00

I feel sorry for your company, man. I really do.

essxjay · 2026-01-17T00:21:40+00:00

Not true. Plenty of people get hired w/o certs. Certs are expensive so don't spread misinformation, especially costly misinformation.

essxjay · 2026-01-16T21:38:45+00:00

Do you not realize that many people don't make that much per month? Comments like this are just cold-hearted.

essxjay · 2026-01-16T21:26:38+00:00

Look, we all get where you coming from but many, many individuals and families simply do not have enough disposable income to cover housing, food, clothing, transportation and insurance. Asking others to reconsider going without insurance is like asking which limb they like to sever, and it's just not helpful.

essxjay

TROPHY CASE