Earhart_Light's recent activity
-
Comment on What's something you're "in too deep" on? in ~talk
-
Comment on Tablet suggestions? in ~tech
Earhart_Light Link ParentI understand. What I do is to scroll down the list looking for the things I know I do want (or decide that I want once I see that it's an option). Like when I got my last cellphone, I didn't know...I understand. What I do is to scroll down the list looking for the things I know I do want (or decide that I want once I see that it's an option). Like when I got my last cellphone, I didn't know anything about the internals, but I knew that I wanted at least 6gb RAM, a headphone jack, ability to add a memory card, a smaller sized phone for my small-ish hands, etc. So I filtered by all the stuff that was important to me first - couldn't've cared less what type processor or how many mb the camera was.
Once I had it reduced, I started scrolling through the available features to see what features looked or sounded good: okay, yeah, a camera with some higher resolution would be nice so let's set a minimum for that, increased water resistance would be nice so let's add that, let's exclude anything with less than a 70% approval, etc.
Then I selected the top 3 (?4) recommendations and brought up their specs for comparison: oh this one's heavy, let's drop it and bring in the next one. Eventually you get it down to a handful of options that are pretty decently targeted to your needs, and then you can ask opinions about the models. Otherwise, I ended up with a bunch of "I'm happy with my apple/Google/Samsung" and "these other phones can run Lineage", which was nice but didn't tell me what other options I might've been happy/happier with
-
Comment on Tablet suggestions? in ~tech
Earhart_Light LinkI tend to use versus to help me decide some of my tech questions like this. I can scroll down the list of features (sometimes things I didn't even know were options), decide what's important and...I tend to use versus to help me decide some of my tech questions like this. I can scroll down the list of features (sometimes things I didn't even know were options), decide what's important and not, and filter down the list. Even if I end up doing other research, knowing some of the options I could choose to have, is good.
-
Comment on What are your predictions for 2026? in ~talk
Earhart_Light Link ParentNo, no, tell me more about this meteor --Some of these might be long-shots.
No, no, tell me more about this meteor --
-
Comment on Gift recommendations in ~life
Earhart_Light (edited )LinkI like to give, "Oh, wow, that's a thing?" or "Oh, wow, I can own one?" presents. All are about 20-25 USD. I've given 5000 year old Irish bog oak necklaces. I've given 100 million year old...I like to give, "Oh, wow, that's a thing?" or "Oh, wow, I can own one?" presents. All are about 20-25 USD.
I've given 5000 year old Irish bog oak necklaces.
I've given 100 million year old fossils.
I've given slices of meteorites from outer space. Own a piece of outer space!
If you want to spend like 15 USD more, you can get more interesting meteorites: like when a meteorite hits a planet, and that planet ejects rock into the solar system, and that rock eventually hits Earth - that's a thing! Meaning that you can get slices of meteorites that originated from the moon or Mars.
My final one is only available intermittently, but you can send your name to space. NASA has this thing with their exploratory spacecraft; it's kinda a way for them to show Congress the interest their missions have from the general public. About 18 months or so before a mission launch, they'll post a "send your name to space" notice. They collect (and presumably do some kind of sanitizing on the names to prevent "Hugh J Ackoff" from being included) the names and then they're either included on a USB drive (boo!) or micro-engraved on a plaque (yay!).
They then generate a 'boarding pass' with your name on it that you can download. I've done this for various friends and family, then printed off the boarding passes onto a nice cardstock, and given those as presents. The cost is a little time entering the names, laying out the boarding passes, and the cost of ink and cardstock.
Edit: if anyone knows or any other weird/wow stuff, I'd love to hear about it!
-
Comment on The San Francisco Bay Area shortage of dental hygienists in ~health
Earhart_Light LinkSince there's such a huge market demand, the "part time" status (for a significant percentage at least) is likely a deliberate policy by the dental office to avoid having to pay benefits. There...But many hygienists work part time and receive no benefits.
Since there's such a huge market demand, the "part time" status (for a significant percentage at least) is likely a deliberate policy by the dental office to avoid having to pay benefits. There are so many jobs that just ever so coincidentally work out to 34 hours per week :/
-
Comment on How do you plan out your meals for the week/meal prep? in ~food
Earhart_Light LinkI have a farm share so, during the growing season, I never explicitly know what kind or quantity of vegetables I'll be getting. I mean, I have an idea that it's tomato season, but there's always...I have a farm share so, during the growing season, I never explicitly know what kind or quantity of vegetables I'll be getting. I mean, I have an idea that it's tomato season, but there's always the question of whether it's a good or bad season, a good/bad week in a good/bad season, or a good/bad week for certain types of tomatoes. Three years ago was a banner year for canning tomatoes, this year was a great year for cherry and grape tomatoes but slicing tomatoes was a pretty thin harvest. And when they say "three turnips", sometimes it's little golf-ball-sized things, and sometimes each turnip weighs over a pound. And finally, we also get to do some PYO, which is set on the day of the visit. So I really don't have much information ahead of time.
I also shop the weekly sales for things that store well or are good bargains, but I usually know what those are ahead of time. Anyway, I get the produce from the farm and I spend the evening in front of the television, trimming, peeling, slicing, etc, and I think about dishes as I go.
I have some go-to recipes for the standard growing year, things I can make in any size batches and freeze at least part of - eggplant Parmesan, French onion soup, stuffed peppers/tomatoes, butternut squash bread, etc. And depending on what's on hand, I'll look up new recipes and make those.
I cook my main dishes Saturday morning, trying to use up most of the vegetables. Sunday evening I sit down and make a week's worth of salads, trying to use up whatever vegetables are left over from the main dishes. Anything still left over gets packaged for snacks (sometimes with an old pill bottle of dip) or stored in the freezer to be used as ingredients at a later date.
Over the winter and much of the spring, my goal is to eat through as much of the freezer as I can: I want to have it empty so it gets filled fresh with next year's harvest.
Anyway because of the unpredictability if the farm share, I can't do a lot of farsighted pre-planning; I have a vague idea beforehand, based on what's usually in season, and then I come up with my actual to-cook list when I'm sorting through the box of vegetables.
-
Comment on Supercritical CO2 is used to extract caffeine from coffee, but this strange phase of carbon dioxide is really weird in ~science
Earhart_Light LinkI haven't watched the video yet (at work), but I went on a tour of a coffee plantation in Costa Rica years ago. They said they shipped the beans to Germany to be decaffeinated, and the beans were...I haven't watched the video yet (at work), but I went on a tour of a coffee plantation in Costa Rica years ago. They said they shipped the beans to Germany to be decaffeinated, and the beans were placed in boiling water, then steam was injected into the water to extract the caffeine.
To me, the most interesting thing was that the purpose of this process was not to major decaffeinated coffee - The purpose was to remove the caffeine so that it could be added to Coca-Cola. Decaffeinated coffee was just a byproduct that they realized they could sell.
-
Comment on McDonald’s is losing its low-income customers in ~food
Earhart_Light LinkThe thing with fast food is that it was cheap and fast. It's no longer cheap, and it's also no longer fast. If I have to pay $20 and wait 20 minutes for a meal, I'll go to a fast casual place instead.The thing with fast food is that it was cheap and fast. It's no longer cheap, and it's also no longer fast. If I have to pay $20 and wait 20 minutes for a meal, I'll go to a fast casual place instead.
-
Comment on Cell phone advice in ~tech
Earhart_Light LinkIt doesn't cover every phone, but I'd suggest starting with versus to help narrow down your list.It doesn't cover every phone, but I'd suggest starting with versus to help narrow down your list.
-
Comment on Cataloging your home library in ~books
Earhart_Light LinkCalibre.Calibre.
-
Comment on Experiences with united healthcare in ~health
Earhart_Light (edited )LinkMy cousin had United in New Jersey. The good: she did find a PCP in her area, and the PCP did have appointments regularly available. The bad: she could never get a comprehensive appointment with...My cousin had United in New Jersey. The good: she did find a PCP in her area, and the PCP did have appointments regularly available.
The bad: she could never get a comprehensive appointment with him; each appointment dealt only with a single issue, with no real consideration of other factors. Like, she could see him about her allergies, but if she also wanted to go over her thyroid problem, that had to be a separate appointment, that kind of thing. It very much felt like the doctor was maximizing whatever they were paying him. He was decent about continuing to prescribe existing meds (not sure if she got put on any new meds) and giving referrals to specialists.
Specialist referral was where everything went wrong. UHC had a massive book of all the doctors "in their network". Her PCP would give her a referral for something - let's say an annual obgyn exam. If he recommended a specific doctor, she'd call them, only to find out that they no longer accepted her coverage, so she'd start calling the doctors listed in the book, only to find that almost none of the "in network" doctors accepted her plan. The very small handful that did still accept it weren't accepting new patients.
She called UHC customer service to find more doctors who were in-network and accepting patients; absolutely the only thing they did was read her names and addresses from their book, despite her repeatedly telling them that those doctors no longer accepted her plan or weren't accepting new patients. UHC just told her to keep calling the doctors listed in the book.
She called literally every obgyn listed in the book for New Jersey, trying to get an appointment. It took her hours and hours, over a period of days. There were only two obgyns that were still in-network and still accepting new patients - and they were literally three hours away at the other end of the state - like she lives in Cape May county and the doctors were in Sussex county. Plus they wanted her to make two separate visits to the office, at least a week apart, and they insisted that any bloodwork or mammograms be done locally to them. And I think one of them didn't have appointments available anytime in the next six months?
Every referral was like that: no one took her insurance (despite being listed the The Book and despite customer service saying that they were) or they weren't accepting new patients. She had to do everything herself, manually. It took a lot of time and a lot of effort, day after day spent on the phone. She moved off UHC as soon as she could.
I dunno, dude. Maybe it's different in Pennsy, maybe things have changed, maybe it's a different kind of plan. But you might try calling up some of those doctors listed in the book and see if they're actually accepting whatever your insurance will be - and also accepting new patients, and when y'all might be able to get an appointment with them. My cousin was in tears with me because she kept bleeding and couldn't find an obgyn to take her for months, and it was literally at the other end of the state.
She's with Horizon BC/BS now, and much much happier.
-
Comment on Travel essentials: eight items to pack for your next trip – and what to leave at home in ~travel
Earhart_Light Link ParentI bring my own water bottle because it fits perfectly into my fanny-pack carrier slot. I pack it with my medications so the space isn't wasted during the travel portion. Sometimes I bring books,...I bring my own water bottle because it fits perfectly into my fanny-pack carrier slot. I pack it with my medications so the space isn't wasted during the travel portion.
Sometimes I bring books, mostly I bring magazines. I usually have a stack of magazines that I want to read, and I'll discard them in waiting rooms and lobbies as I finish them, for other travelers to read while they're waiting. The books are never ones I really want to keep, and a lot of the hotels I stay at have a little book of left-behind books where you can drop off the one you've just finished or pick up a new one if you've run short and want something to read
-
Comment on Travel essentials: eight items to pack for your next trip – and what to leave at home in ~travel
Earhart_Light Link ParentLaundry depends on how long and varied my trip will be, and what I plan on doing. I've been known to just head out with a spare shirt and pair of socks, quick-washing everything at night; and I've...Laundry depends on how long and varied my trip will be, and what I plan on doing. I've been known to just head out with a spare shirt and pair of socks, quick-washing everything at night; and I've also been known to pack a full suitcase, and mail my dirty clothes home to make way for books I've found.
-
Comment on Grape glut: Too much wine across the world leaves tons of US grapes rotting this crush season in ~food
Earhart_Light Link ParentSo, growing the vines takes time, and wine grapes aren't eating grapes. But could you graft eating grapes onto wine grape rootstock and convert that way?So, growing the vines takes time, and wine grapes aren't eating grapes. But could you graft eating grapes onto wine grape rootstock and convert that way?
-
Comment on New Jersey theme park puts animatronic dinosaurs on Facebook Marketplace as it shuts down in ~tech
Earhart_Light LinkThey should sell them to Edelman.They should sell them to Edelman.
-
Comment on Looking for some cat advice in ~life.pets
Earhart_Light Link ParentNo, I understand. And thank you for taking the time for this conversation, and for all the care you're giving your cats.No, I understand. And thank you for taking the time for this conversation, and for all the care you're giving your cats.
-
Comment on Looking for some cat advice in ~life.pets
Earhart_Light Link ParentNo, that's all understandable, this is all so overwhelming and I completely understand - I went through all of this as well (except the dry food thing). Last question, I guess: does she like...No, that's all understandable, this is all so overwhelming and I completely understand - I went through all of this as well (except the dry food thing). Last question, I guess: does she like Churu's? I don't know if they'd be at all useful, either in getting her to eat wet food, as a way to disguise pills or other meds, or simply as a higher fat thing to maybe help check her appetite?
Also, I want to say that I think you're admirable for trying to handle all this - it *is overwhelming, even with none of the other major issues in your life.
-
Comment on Looking for some cat advice in ~life.pets
Earhart_Light (edited )Link ParentI used an intermediate-duration insulin that's no longer on the market, so my experience isn't going to be applicable to anyone using long-duration insulins like Lantus or Levemir (or whatever...I don't know when to test her compared to food and insulin
I used an intermediate-duration insulin that's no longer on the market, so my experience isn't going to be applicable to anyone using long-duration insulins like Lantus or Levemir (or whatever their generic names are - glargine and sitting else?). I think the L&L folks were testing six hours before giving the shots, but I may be misremembering. The idea was to see what that number was, and calculate how much you needed to give. People would post their bg test numbers to the forums and would get advice on how much insulin to give.
haven't figured out how I'm getting her to tolerate that on top of the shots
Have you tried a rice sock? It's a small sock with a bit of rice in it, warmed a little in the microwave. It gives you something to press against, the warmth helps the blood move easier. Also, massage the ear a little bit before you prick: again, it helps get the blood moving, and it may help relax the cat They may have newer tricks now as well.
Oh! When I was there, there was also a little list for things to gather together for an emergency kit in case of a hypoglycemia incident. Ours was just a small box; I forget most of what was in it, except it had a small jar of honey (or corn syrup), to quickly raise BG levels if needed, a couple syringes, spare test strips and prickers. There was some other stuff as well - I can see the box in my mind, I just can't remember what was in it. Edit: oh, I had a little kitty blinder mask in there too. She never fought me but I was afraid if she hypo'd and was confused, I'd spend time struggling with her instead of fighting the hypo.
I also sat through several vigils, where members came in because their cat was hypo, and we talked them through initial treatment. About 2/3's of the time they managed to avoid going to the middle-of-the-night emergency vet.
Is there any way to switch her to canned food, or at least supplement with canned? Especially if she's this hungry. Some of the Fancy Feast canned foods are surprisingly diabetic friendly.
-
Comment on Looking for some cat advice in ~life.pets
Earhart_Light (edited )LinkI had a diabetic cat for five years. A fair number of cats can eventually get off the juice (no shots) with dietary changes. My suggestions are to sign up to the forums at the feline diabetes...I had a diabetic cat for five years. A fair number of cats can eventually get off the juice (no shots) with dietary changes. My suggestions are to sign up to the forums at the feline diabetes message board, where you'll find lots of people who have been in your situation and who can help you while you get your cat stabilized and on the lowest possible insulin dose (which ideally is 'none').
And head over to Tanya's feline chronic kidney disease page to look at her food charts. There's also Dr Lisa Pierson's charts. [With much love to Janet and Binky, who started the charts.] I think Tanya's charts are more recent, but Dr Lisa's charts may have information for other foods. [If you're not in the US, the FDMB has links to charts for other countries.]
Your ideal food is something that's less than 10% carbs (or as close to that as possible), that accommodates any other health issues your cats may have, that your cat will eat, that's available in your area, and that's cheap enough for you to afford. There are a lot of options, including things like cans of Fancy Feast.
You'll want to switch their food at a point where you're comfortable getting BG readings, so you don't accidentally send her into a hypo.
I don't know your situation; did your vet check with you about either Bexacat and Senvelgo? They're pills that were approved to treat feline diabetes, but I'm not sure under what situations their use is recommended for or against.
What food is she getting now? You want something low carb, and if she's constantly fighting hunger, you'll probably want something with a higher fat content as well.
There's probably more information I should mention, but it's late and my brain wants to sleep.
Honestly, I'd pull the trigger on sending your kid to public school. S/he's going to have a lot of adjustments moving into "public life", whenever that hits. High school is hell for many people (it's specifically why Buffy was set in high school), but s/he can make their adjustments during a period where they're already adjusting anyway, and put them into a better footing for going to college or getting a job.