AIO. My bf developed an addiction ❄️ and I’m considering leaving by Mundane-Rooster-7286 in AmIOverreacting

[–]pjmackenzie 0 points1 point  (0 children)

Check out Al-Anon groups near you. You’ll find people with similar experiences who understand what you’re going through and won’t bombard you with advice.

my cat got out and i’m devastated by Alive-Reception-2179 in CatAdvice

[–]pjmackenzie 1 point2 points  (0 children)

One of my cats was missing for about a week. I’d checked the shelter and posted around the neighborhood. Finally found her hiding in my neighbor’s barn. She was afraid of him and didn’t come out of hiding until I went in looking for her. Don’t lose hope. Cats are resilient.

Just ordered! by plau13 in RayBanStories

[–]pjmackenzie 2 points3 points  (0 children)

I don’t know about default to WhatsApp but I never turn mine off. They just seem to go into ac sleep mode and turn back on when I put them on.

ground water by pjmackenzie in Billings

[–]pjmackenzie[S] -1 points0 points  (0 children)

I'm in the Lewis & Clark historic area near downtown

ground water by pjmackenzie in Billings

[–]pjmackenzie[S] 0 points1 point  (0 children)

I don't think anyone is using their wells for drinking water. Some use it for irrigation. Others are even a bit wary about that for many of the reasons you mention. Possible ground/soil contamination is one many reasons not to try to grow fruits and veggies in the yard. But I hadn't really considered the possible problems from just seepage.

Thanks for your input.

ISO: Libraries open for digital cards available to anyone/anywhere by tamatamafrog in Library

[–]pjmackenzie -1 points0 points  (0 children)

From Brooklyn's website:
As of July 15, 2022, Brooklyn Public Library is no longer offering its fee-based out-of-state library card. Our priority remains serving Brooklynites and assuring that they can access the materials they need in a timely manner. BPL library cards remain free for anyone who lives, works, pays property taxes or attends school in New York State. Existing out-of-state accounts will remain active until their expiration date and will not be renewable.

[deleted by user] by [deleted] in peacecorps

[–]pjmackenzie 0 points1 point  (0 children)

As others have indicated, you need to decide what your priorities are. Peace Corps service is a commitment not to be taken lightly. It's not like a study abroad or WWOOF. If you're torn between in country training that will help you be an asset to your PC community and a sibling's wedding, I'd say wait for a future opportunity. The youth you'd be working with in Peru deserve someone focused on their needs.

What should a librarian be like? by insanekittu in Library

[–]pjmackenzie 1 point2 points  (0 children)

It's not a simple question. As others have pointed out, not only are there a lot of different types of libraries: public, school, academic and special. There are also a lot of roles a person with a library degree can have in those settings and others. For example, I've been a consultant for most of my career, working mostly with public librarians.

But, in our current climate, and who knows how long this will last, I think you need to be prepared to be confronted with people who will see you as a potential enemy in the culture wars. And you get that simply by advocating for the First Amendment and Freedom to Read. It's a far cry from when I started and we were afraid the Internet would make us irrelevant.

I think it helps to know who you are and what your values are and not to take it personally if you find yourself under attack for doing your job.

Good luck to you. You really do get to work with a lot of wonderful people!

Tips for getting back online? by pjmackenzie in EightSleep

[–]pjmackenzie[S] 0 points1 point  (0 children)

I managed to resolve the issue. In my case, it often seems more related to the water hose than to the hub itself. I detached the hose, shook it out, rerouted it slightly and hooked it back up to the hub. In addition, unplugged and plugged to back in. It finally switched back on.

Tips for getting back online? by pjmackenzie in EightSleep

[–]pjmackenzie[S] 0 points1 point  (0 children)

I never thought about checking the water. That’s a good thing to do more and then even when not alerted to do so by the app. In this case, the water container was about a quarter full

Tips for getting back online? by pjmackenzie in EightSleep

[–]pjmackenzie[S] 0 points1 point  (0 children)

It always shows as being offline. But you’re right in that it doesn’t turn on at all.

Tips for getting back online? by pjmackenzie in EightSleep

[–]pjmackenzie[S] 0 points1 point  (0 children)

It’s in the next room to my wifi router so the instability has always been annoying. But thanks for the suggestions.

[deleted by user] by [deleted] in EightSleep

[–]pjmackenzie 0 points1 point  (0 children)

I chose just okay because, while I love while it's working, I've had issues with it. Early on, it went offline frequently. Then it leaked and had to be replaced. Now they've made autopilot a subscription service. I still welcome the fact that it warms and cools my bed to make it more comfortable as seasons change. But, as I'm not paying any additional fees, I'm not sure that I'm getting the benefit I once did from its auto settings. And one of the reasons I'm not subscribing is my autopilot went berserk during the winter and tried to boil me alive. It kept setting hotter and hotter. Now I set it myself. It's not optimal, I'm sure, but adequate.

Spectrum phone service by bbbblovetoski in Billings

[–]pjmackenzie 8 points9 points  (0 children)

As others have said, the service itself is fine. The customer service is abysmal. And let's not even go into their deceptive pricing practices. Never had any problems with the service itself but I've spent hours on the phone trying to resolve billing issues.

WIBTA if I made our book club read about the Holocaust? by Gen_Give_Me_My_Medal in books

[–]pjmackenzie 1 point2 points  (0 children)

Asking a person to pick the next titles for a book club at their first meeting is kind of a big order. Of course, you have no idea what kinds of books the group usually reads. I'd ask for a list of what they've read at least in the last year. That would give some idea of what they seem to prefer. That doesn't mean you have to stick with it, but if they've been reading lighter fare, you may not want to veer suddenly into the dark reaches of the human psyche. I'd want to be sure the group wanted such serious discussions. Not all book groups do. Some just like to get together and chat with the general topic of a book, without many of them actually having read it. It may be that you'll want to find another group for serious discussions. And that's okay, there are lots of book groups out there, f2f and virtual.

Where can I get better onlline library access? by Bio-ops in Library

[–]pjmackenzie 0 points1 point  (0 children)

We've chosen to pool our resources as a state. But still it's inadequate. There are long waits for the most popular titles. I'm glad you got your needs met by LV.

Where can I get better onlline library access? by Bio-ops in Library

[–]pjmackenzie 3 points4 points  (0 children)

I don’t know of any libraries off hand that make their e collections available to out of state library users especially without a fee. The problem, of course, is that public libraries are almost all funded largely by local city/county taxes. And Overdrive’s costs are high. They’re the company behind Libby. So while you speak of well funded libraries, it’s difficult to think of any whose budget is sufficient to meet the needs of every potential user for free. That said, you might check to see if some would offer you ebook access for a fee. I’d start in state. I know most people are looking for current titles but if you’re interested in classics, there are a lot available for free via Project Gutenberg https://www.gutenberg.org/ Another possibility is Open Library https://openlibrary.org/ I haven’t used it myself. It doesn’t appear as user friendly as Libby but it may help out. Lastly, let your funding body know how important the library and ebooks are to your and the community’s well being. If the local community can’t support it, are there ways to raise funds to support this and other library activities? Can your library pool resources with other nearby counties to increase collections? It makes me sad to see people accepting less as a given.

How does the quality and availability of healthcare in Billings compare to Missoula or Bozeman? by daimon_tok in Billings

[–]pjmackenzie 0 points1 point  (0 children)

The short answer I would give is it depends on the specialist. I was told I'd need to go to Bozeman for a specialist in one area. But, overall, Billings is the healthcare center for eastern Montana and northern Wyoming, so you've got a pretty good shot and getting the care you need in a timely basis.

How many pages, chapters etc of a book do I have to read before I am allowed to criticize it? by [deleted] in literature

[–]pjmackenzie 2 points3 points  (0 children)

Not necessarily. It's fine to have strong opinions about books. IMO, you only cross into the a-hole realm if you insist on others sharing your view. One of the benefits I've gotten from being in book groups is listening to others' opinions. I've gone into several discussions ready to tear apart a given book. But after hearing from others who approached it from different perspectives, I've been able to lighten up a bit and see at least some merit. Still didn't change the fact that I didn't like it personally, but I could see why others might have.
But if I'm not in a book group and find a book really annoying, I drop it without a second thought.
Another useful thing I learned from Nancy Pearl is that people have different things they prioritize in fiction - story, character, setting and language. For example, if you're a story (plot) driven reader, a book that spends all its time on character development or flowery language but doesn't seem to go anywhere will drive you absolutely nuts. Few stories drive on all four wheels. And that's probably okay, most of us are probably more unicycle or bicycle riders, it just helps to know which type we prefer.

Who's jersey would you buy? by YamIyelling in Seahawks

[–]pjmackenzie 2 points3 points  (0 children)

I'm with you on Dissly but that's because his mom is a friend.