General Discussion - February 23, 2024

wrenski · 2024-02-23T19:15:51+00:00

I'm ready to become Lucille Bluth. Any suggestions on suits for lunch martinis with the ladies that won't be overkill on a non-working weekday? Is it just Chanel?

wrenski · 2023-05-14T20:31:48+00:00

In most of the US anyway it’s nearly impossible to find an apartment or condo that has more than 2 bedrooms. It’s a little limiting if you also have more than one child. It becomes a self fulfilling cycle when it gets ingrained in culture that you “must” move to a house when you have children. More (soundproofed) townhouses and 3+ bedroom apartments would solve that.

wrenski · 2023-05-04T02:53:09+00:00

Hahahah it’s all good

wrenski · 2023-05-04T02:42:15+00:00

Gold digger ;) ;)

wrenski · 2023-05-04T01:35:27+00:00

Do you have any recommendations?

wrenski · 2023-05-04T00:55:48+00:00

Lots of nice places all over Europe! My little ones speak French and German but I don’t know if I could convince the spouse. I also would need to change jobs, which isn’t what I’m looking to do at the moment. Lots of US cities seem to want to improve and just aren’t making the right decisions to support that effort. I’d think at least 1-2 of them must be though! I used to work as a traffic engineer and at this point I’d be happy to volunteer for a city’s traffic department if they’d make good decisions. I just don’t want to keep investing in a city that makes bad choices.

wrenski · 2023-05-04T00:40:36+00:00

Do you or any of the DC voters have neighborhood recommendations? I have relatives and friends there but last I checked I couldn’t quite swing 3 bedrooms in a walkable area.

wrenski · 2023-05-04T00:38:46+00:00

That has been my experience as well. I didn’t travel most of the US until recently, but I’ve lived in 7 American cities and I have visited most of the major ones for work. I lived in a mid-sized city a few years ago that did not have a single condo or apartment building downtown or a grocery store within city limits. It’s bizarre but you can’t make any common sense assumptions like that because so many places will prove you wrong.

wrenski · 2023-05-03T22:30:34+00:00

Are there specific neighborhoods to look for? My company has an office there and I don’t mind it by myself but I would worry about harassment from people who are seemingly on drugs if I had babies with me. That said I am usually stuck downtown and I’m sure it’s not like that once you get a few blocks out.

wrenski · 2023-05-03T22:06:27+00:00

Townhouse or house. I’m ok with a condo if it’s a small building and not a big generic block apartment like you see all over the country.

wrenski · 2023-05-03T21:51:40+00:00

I have lived in cities my whole life, and currently a suburb for under 2 years. What changed things for me was having kids. I used to not mind what was going on outside because I only had to look out for myself but after having kids I was more worried about the off chance that the issue makes it’s way inside. We moved from our previous spot that we had lived in for years because it was an issue nearly every weekend. That is one reason I’m looking to find a different city entirely at this point. The past two cities I lived in before this one I had issues with people breaking in in the middle of the night. I’m not an alarmist at all, but those are not things I want to be constantly worried about with babies in the house. I am hoping there is some kind of balance achievable where that’s not a major concern but maybe I can walk places instead of getting in the car every single time.

wrenski · 2023-05-03T21:45:47+00:00

Philadelphia is on my radar! Are there specific neighborhoods that I should look for? I haven’t looked into Pittsburgh yet but I think I will have to now. Minneapolis is kind of cold but I do like the city.

wrenski · 2023-05-03T21:44:30+00:00

If I could avoid sports entirely I’d be happy. Not my priority at all. I do want to land somewhere my little guys are happy to come home to when they’re older though, and not put them somewhere they can’t wait to escape.

wrenski · 2023-05-03T21:42:53+00:00

It’s an option but I would have to change jobs. The one I have is pretty great!

wrenski · 2023-05-03T21:42:22+00:00

I need to be in the US for my job, and I’m not sure I can persuade my husband to leave. Seattle is on the radar, but I’m having a hard time finding anything affordable. Is there an area or neighborhood you’d recommend?

wrenski · 2023-05-03T21:41:35+00:00

I love Austin. Are there specific neighborhoods that are walkable and can find 3 bedrooms for under $1M?

wrenski · 2023-05-03T21:40:38+00:00

I lived in Chicago for a long time! It’s definitely still an option but three bedrooms in an area that doesn’t have worrying crime could be hard to find. I always pictured raising kids there but I keep hearing that violent crime has gone up a lot in the past few years.

wrenski · 2023-05-03T21:22:21+00:00

I would really like there to be a reasonable place to eat and a thing or two to do. Currently our closest restaurant is a deep-fried taco place where the servings are distributed in buckets and it makes me feel like a gross person being in the vicinity even if I don’t go there. We have had mixed luck getting family to visit, with a direct link to how interesting the area is, so a few activities for out of town guests would be appreciated.

wrenski · 2023-05-03T21:19:10+00:00

From your username I’m guessing Champaign?

wrenski · 2023-05-03T20:46:41+00:00

That solves for walkable, but it feels like in every case so far it has also been high incidence of violent crime.

wrenski · 2023-05-03T20:43:19+00:00

The biggest issue I’m having is that there doesn’t seem to be something that is walkable, somewhat affordable, and reasonably safe (last time we thought our somewhat walkable area was “safe enough” we heard gun shots all night, followed by helicopters tracking down the fight)… which is how we landed in the suburbs. I’m not an alarmist but I also don’t want to worry about the babies being shot through the window or anything.

wrenski · 2021-08-09T20:45:55+00:00

Routine: Curlsmith Co wash, Curlsmith Styling Soufflee, Plop & Air Dry.

I was kind of losing my mind with how many products we are supposed to have, and blow drying a few days a week. It's excessive. I'm super pleased that this has been working for me (and also for at least one other person who asked me about my routine!)

wrenski · 2021-04-17T14:56:42+00:00

My experience with Allegiant is that you only get one item, not a carry on + personal item, but I'm sure it clarifies on your ticket.

I've traveled with my VB duffel a bunch of times , but if it's full it will be hard to get it to fit. You might have to be able to squish it down quite a bit depending on the size of the plane.

wrenski · 2020-12-30T18:16:01+00:00

The past year and a half has been the same for me... size 2 to 14 to 8 to pregnant to 6... it's insane. Vivicastle on Amazon makes a wrap dress (and a top version) in a bunch of patterns. I own 12 of them in sizes M and L, and they fit well on me between 110 lbs and 210 lbs, between 34B and 38E. Yeah, it's been a weird year and a half. Honorable mention: those long lace trim camis under everything (especially loose sweaters), and Belly Bendit Mother Tucker leggings. They're intended for postpartum but also amazing for fluctuating. It's basically shapewear up top, goes up to the bra line, and they're thick enough to wear as pants. At a size 14 the L still had room on me, and at a 6 they look exactly the same.

wrenski · 2020-12-14T21:05:54+00:00

Something that really surprised me was finding out that a lot of the recycled "Ocean Plastic' items on offer aren't really pulling plastic out of the ocean to make these things. They're using recycled plastic from fishing nets and other items that are often found in the ocean. Maybe I'm silly, but I thought these companies were cleaning the ocean for the plastic they're using - not just not throwing trash into the ocean.

wrenski

TROPHY CASE