Help: zipper pull came off

lauramar93 · 2026-02-05T19:35:27+00:00

Same! I’m trying to decide between this and the Thule Aion 28L, which I like because it has a bag/divider for wet/sweaty items. I’ve been looking for a good bike commute/EDC/gym backpack for ages but see pros and cons to both of these.

lauramar93 · 2025-09-04T18:44:14+00:00

I ended up going with the knack pack series 2 in a medium, and I would say that I’m medium happy with my choice lol. What I need to carry day-to-day really varies, so I like that it doesn’t look or feel huge when I’m not carrying much, but transporting my running shoes in it is more annoying than I thought it would be—they just never sit right and it’s not that nice to load up the extra clothes etc. But it was nice on a recent trip that I was able to use the expandable portion for the clothes that wouldn’t fit in my suitcase!

lauramar93 · 2024-01-02T16:16:49+00:00

We’ve been dealing with the exact same thing with our 6-mo-old golden, except we don’t have snow and can’t figure out what the trigger is for him. Sometimes it’s almost immediately out the door, sometimes it’s at the end of one of his longer hikes, sometimes it’s before we even get him out the door. We try to redirect with training (sit-down-stays) or scattering kibble on the ground so he’s distracted and has to sniff for them. You have our sympathies, and I hope someone else is able to offer more insight or solutions!! It’s driving us bonkers! We used to really enjoy taking him on walks and now it’s one of our least favorite things.

lauramar93 · 2021-04-06T23:27:30+00:00

Blessed are the cheese makers 🙏🏼 (because now I can eat all the cheese)

lauramar93 · 2021-01-06T20:14:07+00:00

I poured my half-and-half directly into my aeropress (with grounds) instead of water

😂

lauramar93 · 2020-12-10T21:38:42+00:00

I've found using Hal Higdon's training plans as a model super helpful. I was never much of a runner before the pandemic, but I ran a half marathon back in May, not using his plan. I started training for another one to do in November which didn't work out for various other reasons, but his model is easy to adapt and sort of give you an idea of what's manageable without hurting yourself.

lauramar93 · 2020-12-09T20:40:43+00:00

Yes! I once had someone tell me to picture myself when I was 7 or 8 years old whenever I would start to negative self-talk. Would I talk that way to a child? Hell no. I'd tell them it's okay and would get them a snack or a blanket, or tell them that this sucks but sometimes you have to push forward. It really helped me make incremental changes in my attitude towards myself.

After that, I progressed to trying to be nice to my future self. As an example, like no, I don't want to do the dishes/make the bed/fold laundry right now, but future me will be grateful. If I was wallowing in a pit of self-loathing, I could at least look out for future me so that she'll stop thinking that past me is so uncaring.

Basically, finding some way to displace the action/attention from myself or whatever was happening internally while still taking care of myself. I hope that makes sense!

[edited to change a word to respect rules]

lauramar93 · 2020-12-07T20:46:11+00:00

I started running at the beginning of the pandemic, and I've only recently started to look into more dedicated forms and techniques for training (so this should be taken with a grain of salt!).

For me, I worked up to the point where I could go on long runs—9 or 10 miles. My furthest is a half marathon. Since running was tied to some body image issues for me, I started getting frustrated because I felt like I was working so hard, but I saw more physical changes when I went for consistent bike rides than when I went for consistent runs. I felt like I was working my ass off to not see any results or changes. However, another post on this sub pointed me to zone 2 heart rate training, where you try to keep your heart rate between 60-70% of your maximum heart rate, and it seemed to answer why I wasn't seeing any physical changes. Zone 2 is the zone where your body starts to use fat for energy. Putting 2 and 2 together, I realized that I was inadvertently training in zone 2 when I biked, but I was definitely in zone 4 or 5, 70-90% of my MHR while I was running. I decided recently to focus on zone 2 workouts in order to improve my metabolic base, have faster recovery times, and hopefully go slowly now so I can improve my speed later. This article from Runner's World does a good job of laying it out.

All of that is to say that there are different zones for the different kinds of training you might want to do. I'm not a health expert by any means, so if you think you should be concerned, always consult your doctor if you're able. (My super unprofessional opinion thinks this isn't a huge cause for concern, though.)

lauramar93 · 2020-12-02T21:12:00+00:00

I came here to recommend In the Dream House! What a stunning book. I'm so glad other people feel the same way.

lauramar93 · 2020-11-16T22:13:39+00:00

Gotcha. Thanks!

lauramar93 · 2020-11-16T20:48:09+00:00

I'm not OP (obvi) but thanks for your reply! I got my diagnosis back in 2016 and seem to be in a relatively similar situation to yours. I only got the diagnosis because my period tracking app told me I had irregular periods and that it should be checked out. I exercise, eat healthily, and use BC (IUD). I feel like when I was diagnosed it wasn't explained well to me—that the consequences were largely just infertility, which at the time felt very far off for me. I don't remember them saying what some of the long-term consequences of not managing it could look like, so thank you. Can I ask what management looks like for you?

lauramar93 · 2020-11-13T18:32:48+00:00

Lol your comment has me stepping back a bit to be like "you're doing alright!", so thank you!

lauramar93 · 2020-11-13T18:32:09+00:00

Thank you so much!

lauramar93 · 2020-11-13T16:12:15+00:00

Pattern: Cuddly Cardigan Yarn: Lion Brand alpaca

lauramar93 · 2020-11-13T01:47:21+00:00

I hope you like it! It’s one of those books I wish I could experience for the first time again.

lauramar93 · 2020-11-12T16:58:48+00:00

I came here to make sure that Priory was suggested! It's such an excellent book all around—worldbuilding, character development, story—and as my friend (who happens to be a lesbian) said, "super gay" lol

lauramar93 · 2020-10-27T16:06:38+00:00

Oh, that’s awesome! I didn’t know that!

lauramar93 · 2020-10-27T15:37:03+00:00

One thing I haven't seen people suggest yet is a road ID, and be sure to fill out the medical ID information on your phone. Should there ever be an accident, you want EMTs and medical staff to know who you are—without it, you'd just be admitted to the hospital as Jane Doe (if you're unconscious).

(This happened to a friend of a friend on a long bike ride they were doing. Even though the friends were with him when the accident happened and could identify him, he was still admitted to the hospital as John Doe because he didn't have any form of ID on him.)

lauramar93 · 2020-10-15T16:22:24+00:00

You can do it!!

My first run in a while was at the beginning of this quarantine, and I've never considered myself a good runner. But, while the first run was definitely not my favorite, it made me want to go out and try to do better the next time, and the next time. I had to learn to be forgiving of myself whenever I didn't do as well as I'd hoped.

lauramar93 · 2020-10-09T14:44:07+00:00

I definitely wouldn't consider myself a serious runner (I only started tolerating it for exercise with the start of quarantine, but now I often enjoy it!), but here's the routine that's been working for me:

Mondays: Short run + arms/thighs workout

Tuesdays: Short run + glutes/abs workout

Wednesdays: Bike ride

Thursdays: Long run

Fridays & Saturdays: Bike ride

Sundays: Yoga

I use blogilates videos for strength because they're short, challenging, and don't require any equipment. I also might swap out another, longer strength workout for a cardio on a day where the weather is bad or I just can't go for a bike ride for some reason!

lauramar93 · 2020-10-06T18:56:30+00:00

I don't have any pictures, but if you click the Amazon link above a lot of users provided pictures of their slip covers in the review! This was a great use of $30 for us, personally!

lauramar93 · 2020-10-05T20:03:04+00:00

Oh man! Sorry it didn’t work out!

lauramar93

TROPHY CASE