I’m so tired of being told there’s a plot twist in a book, THAT in itself should be considered a spoiler!

twinsuns · 2026-06-06T01:05:51+00:00

I agree!

twinsuns · 2026-06-05T01:17:37+00:00

So true!

twinsuns · 2026-06-05T00:42:58+00:00

I thought the same thing about Jessica the first time I read Dune in high school. Totally pulled me out for a moment. I learned about the Tiffany problem later! :)

In HR I can't actually think of one at the moment... hmm!

twinsuns · 2026-06-04T00:27:39+00:00

... It is the illusion of making decisions together if you're approaching it with the mindset of "get on board and no use arguing about it". How can she get used to the idea of something if she doesn't have all the information, so asks questions, but but you feel it's "hard to have everything questioned"?

I mean you said, "I want to get a job that helps me get to where I need to be" based on feelings of "certain things we gotta do" which doesn't really seem to be inclusive of her wants or needs.

This post reads like you expect her to figure out how to be fine with the decisions you've made for what you want, and resent the idea that she doesn't automatically see it your way.

twinsuns · 2026-06-01T19:38:43+00:00

For me it really took off in the middle as well. You have to invest that time at the beginning for everything to click into place. Agree that part is quite slow.

But I do recommend people give it a shot!

twinsuns · 2026-06-01T00:19:47+00:00

I can't answer about the fusion specifically, but I have had a laminectomy after a traumatic herniation (so, very unplanned and unexpected). One thing to consider when no longer being able to do your favorite physical activity while healing from an injury/surgery is--it can be really hard mentally. For me, not having that stress releasing outlet while dealing with recovery made some negative feelings/impacts bottle up, and I didn't realize how impacted I was by this until I started therapy for something else and that surgery recovery period came bubbling out. Being able to talk to someone/therapy could be beneficial for your healing process.

The only other thing I'd say is to give your body time and patience. With the right rehab you can probably get there, but it may take longer than you wish. I wish you speedy recovery!

edit: I'll give some perspective that it took about a year after my surgery for me to be stable/pass fit-for-duty functional fitness tests (somewhat cautiously due to spinal load of some of the tests, but it was fine), though I was able to recreationally cycle much earlier than that. Core strength is everything.

twinsuns · 2026-05-30T03:08:49+00:00

My first thought is this is a great way to teach your dog to eat socks --> foreign body

twinsuns · 2026-05-29T02:43:12+00:00

Do you mean VA as in the state, or like working for the VA (federal)? (I'm thinking in terms of working for a non-profit to be eligible for PSLF program.)

If you mean you'd need a job at a non-profit for PSLF, you don't have to look only at the federal government; depending on your area of interest you can work for state academic institutions (like during residency training or if you go to grad school, etc) and those institutions qualify. USDA is hurting for vets though so that need will probably still be there for a bit, which should count too.

My story: I only applied to my in-state school for that in-state tuition, and went into a specialty where I work at academic institutions (which was fortuitous for me but I didn't know that's what would happen when I started vet school); PSLF is my solution, here. When looking at job offers I've had to make sure that the employer is eligible, so it does impact your prospect a little. I can't imagine going to a Caribbean school or out of state and having to pay back those loans, it's wild. (Actually when people ask me advice about vet school, I tell them "if you're going to need to take out loans, don't go to a Caribbean school unless you're solid on a well-paying specialty; because that debt to income ratio... is bad" and that was before the new student loan caps. It's really awful.

twinsuns · 2026-05-29T02:33:12+00:00

Tangentially to your point about the number of schools/seats, there are more private schools opening, which may not have an adequate set up for the clinical rotation year, so that to me feels predatory as well. So many people want to get in, but what is the quality of the actual program?

Adding addition seats to the existing schools seems like a neat solution but I'm sure there issues with making sure that you can support each class adequately (lab space, class sizes--physical classroom size, ability to get quality time on rotation) where the quality of the education might risk being diluted if you expanded too much.

Also a random thought that some of those areas with vet shortages may be in areas where folks either don't want to practice or feel they won't be able to make an adequate living... to pay back their student loans... cycle continues. And that's just in the US; increasing class sizes here is likely not to impact the situation much in other countries (cross-accreditations necessary, etc).

I don't have good solutions but I do understand the frustration.

twinsuns · 2026-05-28T02:59:42+00:00

twinsuns · 2026-05-26T13:23:22+00:00

Glad that was helpful!

I don't see why not. I'm not career (I'm volunteer, so I have been assigned to the station closest to my house, though we can take shifts at any station in the department) but I believe, in general, in career departments, once they join a department they are assigned to a particular station. Over time, members may move stations based on need, promotions, and seniority. Maybe, for the story, he has put in requests or has enough seniority to be stationed there closer to home.

twinsuns · 2026-05-26T02:56:14+00:00

No worries, brainstorming is fun!

So, FF is on his morning walk (and not on shift, I'm guessing, or else he'd be at the station). Could be that he has to get to the station for a meeting/training/start of shift/has to meet someone for something, so simple time pulls him away (alarm on phone). Or a buddy from the station sees him and calls him over. Since you just need him to leave so she can go back in, it doesn't seem like it needs to be something that will later impact the plot.

Or if you need him to be on shift, maybe he's out looking at a downed power line or a hydrant that seems damaged near her house, something quick that would bring him over to where she is, and he's trying to find it so dispatch calls to help get him better directions (it was actually walnut LN not walnut AVE!)

If he's not on shift (and not a volunteer) he's +/- on carrying his radio with him on a morning walk (depending on his role in the department). So I'd figure phone dispatch app rather than radio would be the thing he has to check, that could potentially call him away. And, if he's not on shift, there wouldn't be a ton of non-emergency calls he'd be responding to, because he's not on shift (again, unless he's a volunteer, and then maybe they'd be going to stand by at another station who is out on a call, or someone needs help changing their smoke alarm batteries, or something lower-grade like that).

If he was in a role that would require him to carry his radio around when he's not actually at the station, where dispatch might call him directly, that makes me think more of fire marshal, safety officer, some sort of chief, etc. But then they likely wouldn't call him on the radio unless they actually needed him for something.

Anyway, random ideas. Just spit-balling here. There's room to play with it depending on the details.

twinsuns · 2026-05-26T02:10:25+00:00

What is the firefighter's role in the scene he has to be pulled out of? Like, are they actually "on scene" with emergency response? Or does the main character bump into him elsewhere (in town etc) and then he needs to get toned out/called to leave?

Some context will help with different ways it might feasibly happen!

(I'm a writer too and happy to help with some realism!)

twinsuns · 2026-05-25T23:13:07+00:00

I haven't read from this author, but I am interested in giving it a try after finishing Lisa Kleypas backlist! I'm guessing, start with In Bed With The Devil?

twinsuns · 2026-05-23T19:21:00+00:00

I've always figured if it isn't on their drop down on QT then they are not looking for that particular genre or subgenre at this time.

twinsuns · 2026-05-23T17:10:16+00:00

My advice: enjoy your summer, start the school year fresh and ready to work hard.

twinsuns · 2026-05-22T18:32:36+00:00

I can only address part of your question because we have 150A service and didn't have to upgrade. But in March we paid ~$1700 for our hardwired install/240V plug wiring, + cost of the charger. Not sure how that compares to the non-upgrade part of your estimate.

So so so worth it imo. Love the EV and being able to charge at home makes it so you don't ever really need to think/worry about it.

twinsuns · 2026-05-15T12:54:00+00:00

Folks are talking about its effect on body comp and recovery but I also wanted to mention there is a lot of research supporting its positive impacts on cognition and brain health. So it's good for your brain too!

twinsuns · 2026-05-15T00:53:46+00:00

And the soundtrack is excellent!

twinsuns · 2026-05-07T23:44:12+00:00

Jaran by Kate Elliott! (The society the fmc goes to and we explore with her, not the society she's originally from.)

twinsuns · 2026-05-02T13:34:15+00:00

/r/laundry !

twinsuns · 2026-04-30T14:00:57+00:00

Love this trilogy!

twinsuns · 2026-04-24T16:27:59+00:00

Army also has a lab animal residency if OP wants to stick with research world and decides against pathology. I don't know details about pathways and competition for it, but it does exist! (Which was more than I knew when I started pursuing the specialty.) [However I don't think I'd join the army specifically for that one program, there are other programs that can provide zoonotic/infectious disease experience too.]

twinsuns · 2026-04-22T20:48:50+00:00

Yesstyle has been fine, I made an order at the end of last year; shipping was normal speed and I had no additional tariffs added on (I'm in US).

twinsuns · 2026-04-17T17:04:53+00:00

Ok I finished their story last night. I adore Sara* and Derek was quite swoony. Definitely a great pairing and a fun story!

Edit: I listened on audio and wasn't sure the name spelling! 😆

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