Merry's recent activity

  1. Comment on Folks in those $100k+ jobs, corporate types, office workers... What would you say you actually do? in ~life

    Merry
    Link
    I'm an HRIS (HR Information Systems) manager for one of the largest retail companies in the US. This week: Met with my team and received project updates Followed up with other people in the...

    I'm an HRIS (HR Information Systems) manager for one of the largest retail companies in the US. This week:

    • Met with my team and received project updates
    • Followed up with other people in the business who need to provide my team with a deliverable so they can progress further in their projects
    • Updated security rules for one of the systems I support
    • Delivered performance reviews for my team
    • Triaged an issue one of my team members had with their review given (they expected a top review after being with the company for 6 months).
    • Worked on a project plan for new market entry business requirements for one of the systems I support
    • Met with a team who utilizes one of my systems and touched base on things that are working well, and things that are pain points.
    • Built a tool in Excel to address one of their pain points
    • Updated another Excel tool that has not been working as intended.
    • Worked through the project plan I mentioned earlier
    • Planned a virtual team meeting activity for end of week (mainly a social call since we are all remote)
    • Updated some scheduled python scripts
    • Handled some one off requests received via Microsoft Teams

    I make ~$150k a year if I receive my bonus. But to be honest, I hate being a manager. I would gladly step down to a Lead-level and make less money if it meant I didn't have to do as much meetings. My meetings take up roughly ~20-25 hours a week. My boss sucks (not as a person, just as a manager for a person like myself).

    I actually told my boss at my recent performance review that I make too much money. I know it sounds absurd to say things like that but the point I was trying to make was that my goal isn't to make more and more money, and progress further and further in my career. I want to work on interesting projects that make me think and work towards a certain goal. If I don't have that, you couldn't pay me double what I make and expect me to be happy.

    2 votes

  2. Comment on Marathon runner, 12, sets her sights on 2028 Olympics in ~sports

    Merry
    Link Parent
    Anecdotal experience, when I ran cross country in my youth and trained hard every day, I still got absolutely smoked by 12 and 13 year olds randomly. Part of it is a heavy training regime, but if...

    Anecdotal experience, when I ran cross country in my youth and trained hard every day, I still got absolutely smoked by 12 and 13 year olds randomly. Part of it is a heavy training regime, but if your body isn't built for it, you won't be able to match some people. Probably the most humbling experiences I had was running track for 6-7 years, only for some random kid to get on the track and just run laps around me.

    Yes, there is a chunk of training for them (especially for someone trying for an Olympic level) but also if they are a multisport kid and have a really active lifestyle, with great nutrition options at home, then I'm not surprised by how good some kids can just be without much targeted effort.

    4 votes

  4. Comment on Merry Christmas in ~talk

    Merry
    Link Parent
    I went hiking today in Muskegon! Going to the beach in Michigan on Christmas Day felt pretty much like Christmas in Monterey CA

    I went hiking today in Muskegon! Going to the beach in Michigan on Christmas Day felt pretty much like Christmas in Monterey CA

    1 vote

  5. Favorite smoothie recipes?

    ~food Ask (recommendations)
    I just bought a Ninja nutribullet-equivalent blender and will be on a smoothie kick for quite awhile. I bought it because I really need to incorporate more fruits and vegetables in my diet and...

    I just bought a Ninja nutribullet-equivalent blender and will be on a smoothie kick for quite awhile. I bought it because I really need to incorporate more fruits and vegetables in my diet and think it will be a good way to replace breakfast and sometimes dessert.

    So far, I have bought two huge bags of frozen fruit, one with strawberries, mango, pineapple, and peaches, and the other is a mixed berry with blueberries, blackberries, raspberries. I also got a bag of frozen kale and frozen spinach. I know there are many, many sites out there filled with smoothie recipes but was curious on your favorite go-to recipe.

    I'm open minded so share even your weird ones if you got them!

    8 votes

  7. Comment on Thoughts on friendships after marriage & setting appropriate expectations in ~life.men

    Merry
    Link Parent
    Well the thing is that Friend B just has a different life than me. I traveled all over the US and been around the world, have a high paying job, and I am married. Until recently he lived with his...

    Well the thing is that Friend B just has a different life than me. I traveled all over the US and been around the world, have a high paying job, and I am married. Until recently he lived with his parents, never been in a relationship, and is always working. Nothing inherently wrong with his lifestyle, but maybe he needs some space to grow, branch out, and do his own thing. If there is space for me in his life, I can make room in mine. Friend A, I'm not so interested in being his friend as he is right now. There is a bit of self centeredness that I can't look past from the past five or so years.

    To be honest, it also doesn't sting as much anyways because even my own family doesn't call or message me unless I make contact first. For example, I call my dad once a week usually but if I don't, he won't call me. One year, I only talked to my mom twice because again she never calls me. I can count the number of times I have had a phone conversation with one sister in my hand. The other sister I call more often because she has kids and we can chat whenever I am free.

    The biggest thing I can think of is just the way Americans engage with each other these days just isn't based on direct messaging and calls anymore. I am not on any social media site so maybe not being in that mindspace just doesn't translate to reaching out more.

  8. Comment on Thoughts on friendships after marriage & setting appropriate expectations in ~life.men

    Merry
    Link
    Yeah, this is something that I empathize with a lot. I have two friends that have been in my life since I was kid (also in my thirties now). We went to school, played sports, all went to separate...

    Yeah, this is something that I empathize with a lot. I have two friends that have been in my life since I was kid (also in my thirties now). We went to school, played sports, all went to separate colleges but still played video games online over the weekend, and got together once a year for occasions. But things started fracturing for us after we all wrapped up with university.

    Friend A - very similar to your friend. I was there for him during times of need and we life advice between each other for years. We stayed up many nights playing video games until like 2-3 AM. But he started a job and got a new friend group, and then things started changing. He eventually married someone from that friend group and had a kid. I didn't know he got married until two months after when he finally told me for whatever reason. I couldn't make it to his baby shower, so instead of buying airline tickets and hotel, I bought the most expensive thing on his list. Not even a thank you was sent for that. Just last year I put together one last friend group meeting on his birthday and paid for his flight and a lot of the activities. Not even a thank you again. Sometimes he will text us and say he misses us, but when talks to us he doesn't even ask about us or out lives. He doesn't even know I am married now. After his birthday, I just decided to pull back everything and stop putting effort into the relationship.

    Friend B - probably my longest and best friend. Doesn't call, doesn't text, and won't initiate any conversation. He has never travelled to any of the places I have lived or taken me up on any offers to come and visit with all travel expenses coming from me. He works six days a week so I don't really hold it against him. I was planning to buy a house near where he was living but ultimately, I just felt I should do what is best for me and do my own thing.

    My dad said something that resonated with me prior to deciding to pull back, "It sounds like they don't love you the way that you love them."

    And that is true. I put a lot of work into the relationships and did my best to keep them glued together. If they want to talk to me, I will always be available. I'm a phone call away with an open door for them and their family anytime. I just have to move on and forge my own path, making it what I want instead of lamenting what it could have been.

    2 votes

  9. Comment on Introducing Beeper Mini - get blue bubbles on Android in ~tech

    Merry
    Link
    I don't know how much I necessarily trust Beeper. I heard about them years ago (on Tildes) and was on the waitlist for years. When I finally got in, I went to sign up and put everything into the...

    I don't know how much I necessarily trust Beeper. I heard about them years ago (on Tildes) and was on the waitlist for years. When I finally got in, I went to sign up and put everything into the app. One of my apps notified me that the server requesting access to my account was based out of Iran and I immediately stopped everything and deleted my account. They said it was an error on their part and they would work to fix but I didn't reengage with them or the app.

    3 votes

  10. Comment on What spices will you only buy from specific regions? in ~food

    Merry
    Link Parent
    I live in Michigan in the US but I am willing to travel or pay for certain flavors to be shipped to where I live. I actually haven't tried the bay leaves that aren't grown in the US so I don't...

    I live in Michigan in the US but I am willing to travel or pay for certain flavors to be shipped to where I live. I actually haven't tried the bay leaves that aren't grown in the US so I don't know how big a difference it would have in my dish.

    But last year I spent two weeks in Spain in an AirBnB. I cooked half of my meals there and was just blown away by how much better everything tasted compared to standard produce/selection in the US.

    Right now I am planning out my garden for the upcoming year and if there is a chance I grow a unique cultivar of something like bay leaves, thyme, parsley, then I will!

    2 votes

  11. Comment on What spices will you only buy from specific regions? in ~food

    Merry
    Link Parent
    That is probably right. What I found was that French bay leaves come from the Laurus nobilis plant (bay laurel or sweet bay), native to the Mediterranean. American bay leaves, on the other hand,...

    That is probably right. What I found was that French bay leaves come from the Laurus nobilis plant (bay laurel or sweet bay), native to the Mediterranean. American bay leaves, on the other hand, are often from the Umbellularia californica plant, also known as California bay laurel or California bay. French bay leaves tend to have a more subtle, slightly sweet flavor almost like a floral and delicate quality. American bay leaves, especially those from the California bay laurel, are generally stronger and more pungent. Some people find them to have a slightly minty or eucalyptus-like flavor, which can be overpowering in delicate dishes.

    6 votes

  12. What spices will you only buy from specific regions?

    ~food Ask (survey)
    I am preparing to make beef bourguignon for my Thanksgiving dinner tomorrow (Kyiv cake for dessert) so I am watching Julia Child's take on it. She mentioned that if you want the dish to be really...

    I am preparing to make beef bourguignon for my Thanksgiving dinner tomorrow (Kyiv cake for dessert) so I am watching Julia Child's take on it.

    She mentioned that if you want the dish to be really French than you could buy imported bay leaves from France because they have a different flavor than American bay leaves. It made me start thinking about where my spices were grown and if all of them have specific regional variances that can take specific dishes to the next level. I knew honey can taste wildly different based on the region's flora that was available to make the honey, but never thought too much about spices.

    Have you found that using spices from their region of origin significantly enhances a dish?

    17 votes

  13. Comment on Nothing’s iMessage app was a security catastrophe, taken down in 24 hours in ~tech

    Merry
    Link Parent
    The last time I used Beeper, my messages and data were being routed through servers in Iran. I immediately removed all connections and deleted the app.

    The last time I used Beeper, my messages and data were being routed through servers in Iran. I immediately removed all connections and deleted the app.

    6 votes

  14. Comment on Trip suggestions for a week in New York? in ~travel

    Merry
    Link
    My wife and I rented bicycles to ride around Central Park and also went up and down the Hudson River. It was a really fun ride and probably one of the highlights of my trip. Would also recommend...

    My wife and I rented bicycles to ride around Central Park and also went up and down the Hudson River. It was a really fun ride and probably one of the highlights of my trip. Would also recommend walking the High Line

    1 vote

  15. Comment on Smart home automation - tip, tricks, advice? in ~life.home_improvement

    Merry
    Link Parent
    The closest thing I can think of may be a wildlife camera with rechargeable batteries. I don't think they will record continuously and maintain battery but it will at least record when movement is...

    The closest thing I can think of may be a wildlife camera with rechargeable batteries. I don't think they will record continuously and maintain battery but it will at least record when movement is detected. The one I bought my father even allowed you to sync via Bluetooth if you wanted.

    3 votes

  16. Smart home automation - tip, tricks, advice?

    ~life.home_improvement Ask (advice)
    Next week, I will be closing on my first ever home (hello Michigan tilderinos!). One of the projects I want to tackle and work on after I move in is setting up a smart home ecosystem that is...

    Next week, I will be closing on my first ever home (hello Michigan tilderinos!). One of the projects I want to tackle and work on after I move in is setting up a smart home ecosystem that is sustainable long-term. I saw the open-source Home Assistant but I think I need to do more research on it and find compatible products. For now, my wishlist of projects are:

    • Controllable lighting from my phone or computer
    • Carbon Monoxide/Natural Gas detection
    • Water leak and usage monitoring
    • Thermostat

    Are there any other use cases that you use home automation for? If you use Home Assistant (or used it in the past), what are some things I should consider? Any products that you bought in the past and regret now?

    28 votes

  17. Comment on Meeting bloat has taken over corporate America. Can it be stopped? in ~life

    Merry
    Link
    The absolute bane of my existence these days. Useless, entirely too long meetings, filled with people asking dead-end questions just to seemingly hear the sound of their own voice. Lately I have...

    The absolute bane of my existence these days. Useless, entirely too long meetings, filled with people asking dead-end questions just to seemingly hear the sound of their own voice. Lately I have been struggling at work and just having difficulty doing stuff or getting into my tasks because I will often get pinged on Teams to join a meeting or be interrupted by a meeting reminder. Getting my momentum back somedays is just impossible.

    Today I was in a scheduled meeting that was supposed to be 30 minutes but ended up being 75 minutes because the people on the call kept asking questions that would be answered by simply checking for the information themselves.

    The worst are the people who completely derail a meeting by bringing up something tangentially related, wasting everyone's time.

    I have done two things lately to try to rein it in as much as possible:

    1. Book empty blocks of time on my calendar every day
    2. Stay off camera and just record the meeting audio with my phone.
    18 votes

  18. Comment on America is using up its groundwater like there’s no tomorrow: Overuse is draining and damaging aquifers nationwide in ~enviro

    Merry
    Link Parent
    Greetings fellow former SWVA kid 👋 I too spent many afternoons and days making small dams with sticks and rocks. Never caught too many crawdads but when I did it felt great! We had several streams...

    Greetings fellow former SWVA kid 👋

    I too spent many afternoons and days making small dams with sticks and rocks. Never caught too many crawdads but when I did it felt great! We had several streams in the forest behind my home that fed into a pond on our property. So much fun as a kid but I don't know if I could live life out there again 😅

    4 votes

  19. Comment on There seem to be two major popular processors. Which do you like? in ~comp

    Merry
    Link Parent
    The only times that it has really made a difference for me is when emulating more modern systems. I have always opted for the less expensive AMD but always struggled to get similar systemnl...

    The only times that it has really made a difference for me is when emulating more modern systems. I have always opted for the less expensive AMD but always struggled to get similar systemnl performance for things like RPCS3.

    3 votes

  20. Comment on Are you currently learning a new language? Are there any languages that are on your wishlist to learn? in ~humanities.languages

    Merry
    Link Parent
    Sorry, been a busy work day for me. The free version is not worth paying for. The value that I have with LingQ is that I can create as many vocabulary and phrases that I need, so I am not just...

    Sorry, been a busy work day for me.

    The free version is not worth paying for. The value that I have with LingQ is that I can create as many vocabulary and phrases that I need, so I am not just learning words or just phrases, but both. I would hit the free limit in probably 10 minutes everyday. Plus I import a lot of my own material and without that, I just wouldn't see the point in using free except as a demo.

    1 vote