The "What's on your mind?" Thread -2016

[tarasgirl06]

 *glad you took that in the spirit it was posted*  

 

[Alicia88]

And now I feel like crying.  My future mother in law doesn't have a lot of extra money either, but when she heard about the layoff, she went out and bought us a bunch of frozen dinners.  She said, "I know it's not much, but I hope it helps."  Actually, it's a lot.  Frozen dinners are a lot more filling than air.  Just in case anyone was wondering.

 

[segelkatt]

 
Thanks for all the info -very helpful to know.  I have an unemployment question for a completely different reason - do you have to have the job for a certain amount of time to be eligible for unemployment?  I swear, we're cursed or something.  John just got laid off.  He worked there for just under 3 months and they just laid off a bunch of people because the new side of the factory isn't up and running yet, due in large part to dumb butt (I REALLY want to use stronger language) shooting his wife in the head in front of the people who were in town to set up the new machinery).  So, now he's on the hunt for another job.  They're being incredibly generous.  They're paying him for today and tomorrow without him working.  Yay!  They just decided they didn't want to keep having them come in for a few hours and having to go home because there's no more work and they have this policy that if someone is scheduled for the holiday but the plant is closed on said holiday (the schedules are made up without holidays taken into account; it's kinda weird), that person gets paid time and a half for the hours that would be worked if the plant was open.  So, John was scheduled for Christmas and New Year's.  He wouldn't have had to go in but he would have received 12 hours of holiday pay regardless.  They decided they didn't want to do that so they laid people off instead.

Poor Chula!  What about imitation peppermint?  Is that safe for kitties?

I never delete any of my work e-mails and every interaction occurs through e-mail, so keeping everything documented is effortless.  Yay me.

There is something called the "base period" in which someone must have worked for wages no matter for how many different employers or for how long (not self employed or as an independent contractor). This base period starts 5 calendar quarters from before  the day you apply for benefits and then goes forward 4 calendar quarters. Thus, the very last quarter in which one has worked does not count because it is AFTER the base period.The quarter in which one has the highest combined wages from all employers in the same quarter  will determine the amount of your benefit. Any wages before or after this base period are not counted once you have applied and have thus locked in your benefits. If you happen to run into a state representative who is kind and who has noticed that the quarter after the last one in your base period has a whole lot more wages in it than the other quarters and thus would increase your benefit, the rep may advise you to wait until that next quarter becomes available for you and cancel the claim you had just opened. Depending on where you are in that quarter calendarwise it may behoove you to do so, particularly if the amount is quite a bit more. However, if you are really broke you may not be able to wait. You can ask the rep how long you would have to wait to get the higher benefit. At this time of year when the quarters just end the next quarter would be  just a few weeks away,  a good time to delay if necessary. Any more questions? Please PM me. 

 

[Primula]

Thanks for all the info -very helpful to know.  I have an unemployment question for a completely different reason - do you have to have the job for a certain amount of time to be eligible for unemployment?  I swear, we're cursed or something.  John just got laid off.  He worked there for just under 3 months and they just laid off a bunch of people because the new side of the factory isn't up and running yet, due in large part to dumb butt (I REALLY want to use stronger language) shooting his wife in the head in front of the people who were in town to set up the new machinery).  So, now he's on the hunt for another job.  They're being incredibly generous.  They're paying him for today and tomorrow without him working.  Yay!  They just decided they didn't want to keep having them come in for a few hours and having to go home because there's no more work and they have this policy that if someone is scheduled for the holiday but the plant is closed on said holiday (the schedules are made up without holidays taken into account; it's kinda weird), that person gets paid time and a half for the hours that would be worked if the plant was open.  So, John was scheduled for Christmas and New Year's.  He wouldn't have had to go in but he would have received 12 hours of holiday pay regardless.  They decided they didn't want to do that so they laid people off instead.
Poor Chula!  What about imitation peppermint?  Is that safe for kitties?
I never delete any of my work e-mails and every interaction occurs through e-mail, so keeping everything documented is effortless.  Yay me.

Alicia, so sorry for the bad news. That really stinks. Segalkatt has come up with some good info for you.

Just had a wonderful visit with my daughter.  It was the first time I'd seen her in years so I wasn't sure what to expect but we just had the nicest time.  Paul and Chula were thrilled at the company and to show it, Chula barfed up a big pile of freshly eaten food right at my daughter's feet.  :jaw:   She managed to do this on my best carpet, of course.    One of the things I hoped to do was get a nice photo of my daughter on my fancy new camera.   Note to self:  always check battery level before planning a photo shoot.  :doh3:      Anyway, I have that warm peaceful feeling of a successful visit with a loved one and a freshly cleaned house.  :catguy:

Glad you had a good time with your daughter.

 

[segelkatt]

Alicia, so sorry for the bad news. That really stinks. Segalkatt has come up with some good info for you.
Glad you had a good time with your daughter.

I have answered Alicia 88 via PM.

 

[Alicia88]

 
I have answered Alicia 88 via PM.

And you have more than helpful.  You've decreased by at least half.  Yay!!!

 

[margd]

 
And now I feel like crying.  My future mother in law doesn't have a lot of extra money either, but when she heard about the layoff, she went out and bought us a bunch of frozen dinners.  She said, "I know it's not much, but I hope it helps."  Actually, it's a lot.  Frozen dinners are a lot more filling than air.  Just in case anyone was wondering.

Your future mother-in-law sounds like a peach.  She certainly knew what you needed right now.  It's not just the food itself; it's also the immediate display of practical concern letting you know you are not alone.  

There is another resource that might be available in your state, and that is 211. It's like 411, except it serves both as a hot line and as  a source of information on state and local resources that are available. Here is their website:  http://www.211.org/  and another site, http://helplinecenter.org/2-1-1-community-resources/what-is-211/ that might be helpful. 

 

 

[kittylove14]

i wish i was done. i have to send my estranged brothers gifts in the mail and the large gift i got the baby i never met will have to be returned. ''tis the season

 

[Alicia88]

Thanks, @Margd.  It's the little things that make the biggest difference.  I will check out that website.  We're ok for the moment, but it would be nice to what resources are available so I'll freak out less if and when I end up needing them.

Instead of returning the gift entirely, could you maybe return it and then buy it online and have it shipped to him?

Thanks to all the 1 thing after another issues, I'm not gonna be able to get my nieces and nephews presents and that makes me wanna bawl.

 

[Alicia88]

And now I just learned another lesson.  I should stop getting upset and trying to hide it from John because for 1, he always notices and for 2, he often has solutions that never crossed my mind.  As in, he's a pirate.  And a pretty good one.  And he just so happens to have blank dvds.  Which he is going to fill up with the Harry Potter movies for my nephews and random movies my nieces will like.  I'm SO keeping him.

 

[bootse]

My younger sister was sending a Juniors 5lb cake from NewYork to the office where her husband works so they could nibble on it and get it out of her fridge to make room for Christmas so I said give it to me which she did she let her husband bring it to me 2 days later when he was in the City anyway my husband and I have type 2 Diabetes and pretty much have it under control w/Our Metfomin 500
So we figure we would cheat a little with the Holiday and all anyway me my husband and my brother in law devoured that 5 lb cake in 3 days. My blood sugar count went to 300 and over and my head was killing me for a week so as good as it was I paid the price and really haven't desire Dog at these last 3 weeks oh but my husband and I did bake Christmas Bonadeles which called for 2 cups of Sugar so we figured we weren't gone through tha again and found out 24 packs of equal is one cup of Sugar so I put 48 packets of Equal instead of 2 cups of sugar in my Christmas in my Great Grandmas Recipe and baked them same amount of time watching they wouldn't burn and hey they came out great mmmm were they good. We ata them all and no sugar headache and 2 hrs after eating checked my blood which was 125 so hey we have a winner ! ! !

 

[bootse]

IMG_2917.JPG

• bootse
• Dec 22, 2016

. MeoweeKisdamouse Everyone from myself Husband Cat Mia and Dog Kira. Ho Ho Ho

 

[segelkatt]

My younger sister was sending a Juniors 5lb cake from NewYork to the office where her husband works so they could nibble on it and get it out of her fridge to make room for Christmas so I said give it to me which she did she let her husband bring it to me 2 days later when he was in the City anyway my husband and I have type 2 Diabetes and pretty much have it under control w/Our Metfomin 500
So we figure we would cheat a little with the Holiday and all anyway me my husband and my brother in law devoured that 5 lb cake in 3 days. My blood sugar count went to 300 and over and my head was killing me for a week so as good as it was I paid the price and really haven't desire Dog at these last 3 weeks oh but my husband and I did bake Christmas Bonadeles which called for 2 cups of Sugar so we figured we weren't gone through tha again and found out 24 packs of equal is one cup of Sugar so I put 48 packets of Equal instead of 2 cups of sugar in my Christmas in my Great Grandmas Recipe and baked them same amount of time watching they wouldn't burn and hey they came out great mmmm were they good. We ata them all and no sugar headache and 2 hrs after eating checked my blood which was 125 so hey we have a winner ! ! !

did you know you can buy Splenda in boxes and bags like sugar and use it the same?It is also made from sugar with one of the molecules taken away so that it tastes like sugar but isn't?  It works wonderfully well for baking and you don't have to rip open all those little envelopes which is a hassle and you don't have all that wasted paper. 

My younger sister was sending a Juniors 5lb cake from NewYork to the office where her husband works so they could nibble on it and get it out of her fridge to make room for Christmas so I said give it to me which she did she let her husband bring it to me 2 days later when he was in the City anyway my husband and I have type 2 Diabetes and pretty much have it under control w/Our Metfomin 500
So we figure we would cheat a little with the Holiday and all anyway me my husband and my brother in law devoured that 5 lb cake in 3 days. My blood sugar count went to 300 and over and my head was killing me for a week so as good as it was I paid the price and really haven't desire Dog at these last 3 weeks oh but my husband and I did bake Christmas Bonadeles which called for 2 cups of Sugar so we figured we weren't gone through tha again and found out 24 packs of equal is one cup of Sugar so I put 48 packets of Equal instead of 2 cups of sugar in my Christmas in my Great Grandmas Recipe and baked them same amount of time watching they wouldn't burn and hey they came out great mmmm were they good. We ata them all and no sugar headache and 2 hrs after eating checked my blood which was 125 so hey we have a winner ! ! !

 

[DreamerRose]

I did not find Splenda to work in baking. Many recipes call for creaming butter and sugar together, but Splenda won't cream. Sugar is also a liquid when heated, but Splenda is not, so if you add it to fruit for a pie or a salad, it will not melt. If you sprinkle sugar on strawberries, the sugar will draw the moisture out of the berries and make a nice syrup. Splenda won't do that - it just sits there on the surface of the berries. It's impossible to make a confectioner's sugar frosting with Splenda. If you have noticed, Splenda commercials no longer feature frosted cupcakes.

So I've given up on baking with Splenda. I am also a diabetic, I just don't ice cakes or cookies and don't make things like pecan pies, which are nothing but sugar, butter, and corn syrup. The amount of sugar in three cookies or a small piece of fruit pie is not that high, so that's what I have. Portion control is what it's all about.

 

[Winchester]

While I do keep it around, I haven't gotten Splenda to work the way I want it to in baking either; maybe I'm doing something wrong. I can use it in place of sugar in many salad dressings, bbq sauces and the like, but not in baking. I don't like the results of the baked goods.

I will use it in hot tea. And in many sauces. But that's it. (Even that will save some calories for us, though.)

 

[Winchester]

My younger sister was sending a Juniors 5lb cake from NewYork to the office where her husband works so they could nibble on it and get it out of her fridge to make room for Christmas so I said give it to me which she did she let her husband bring it to me 2 days later when he was in the City anyway my husband and I have type 2 Diabetes and pretty much have it under control w/Our Metfomin 500
So we figure we would cheat a little with the Holiday and all anyway me my husband and my brother in law devoured that 5 lb cake in 3 days. My blood sugar count went to 300 and over and my head was killing me for a week so as good as it was I paid the price and really haven't desire Dog at these last 3 weeks oh but my husband and I did bake Christmas Bonadeles which called for 2 cups of Sugar so we figured we weren't gone through tha again and found out 24 packs of equal is one cup of Sugar so I put 48 packets of Equal instead of 2 cups of sugar in my Christmas in my Great Grandmas Recipe and baked them same amount of time watching they wouldn't burn and hey they came out great mmmm were they good. We ata them all and no sugar headache and 2 hrs after eating checked my blood which was 125 so hey we have a winner ! ! !

I hear those Junior's cheesecakes are Da Bomb! I have two Junior's cookbooks and use those recipes for cheesecakes.....the recipes are wonderful; I can't begin to imagine how decadent the real thing is! 

 

[LTS3]

Different types of sugars and sweetners don't always work the same was as the sugar called for in a recipie. There's an explantion of how different sugars are processed and how they work (or don't) if they are substituted in a recipie here in the first few pages. Unless a recipie lists an alternative sugar to use and how to adjust the recipe for it, it's best to not use something different.

There are baking cookbooks out there with low and alternative sugar recipies. The America's Test Kitchen Naturally Sweet cookbook (linked above) is a good one. Baking With Less Sugar by Joanne Change is another one. There are many more recipes you can find just from searching the Internet if you don't want to buy a cookbook or the local library doesn't have any.

 

[bootse]

Thank You Everyone on your input of baking with Splenda and the Books I can find on low sugar Baking I will certainly look into it.

 

[Mamanyt1953]

Rats.  I've forgotten to take anything out of the freezer for my supper.  However, I do have cans of tuna, so tuna salad it shall be.  Hekitty know what the cans look like, and as soon as I get one out, she's right there waiting for her "tuna soup." 

 

[Alicia88]

 
Rats.  I've forgotten to take anything out of the freezer for my supper.  However, I do have cans of tuna, so tuna salad it shall be.  Hekitty know what the cans look like, and as soon as I get one out, she's right there waiting for her "tuna soup." 

I do the same thing with tuna.  Since I have 3 of them, I always have to use at least 2 cans of tuna so they can all get some "soup."  And, then I have leftovers for another sandwich later.

It's a really good thing I'm not diabetic.  I'd (unintentionally) kill myself in the first week.  I love sugar too much.  And I hate splenda.  I've used it in tea in restaurants when they didn't have real sugar for some reason and the aftertaste made me want to vomit.  I've been known to eat an entire cheesecake by myself in one sitting.  If I was diabetic, I'd probably end up in a diabetic coma or something before I was diagnosed.

John is such a dork.  He just brought me a sandwich and said, "No one can ever accuse me of being sexist because I just made you a sandwich."

He might have another job.  He worked at a donut place last summer until they closed - I was horribly disappointed cuz I was using the heck out of his employee discount.  Anyway, a friend of his bought it a few months ago and offered him a job, but he turned it down because he had the factory job.  Well, he went in this morning as soon as they opened and talked to his friend.  He said to call right after Christmas.  Not a solid job offer, but it's something.  It would be part time and not pay nearly as much as the factory, but anything is better than nothing.