Hump dayyyyyyyyyyyyyyyy

wink0erin

@jenjen047 Here's a pic of me in front of the house on the day my offer was accepted. I always imagined myself living in a brick house, and I knew I'd want a red front door, so it's wild to me that the house that just happened to have all my "must haves" also had that! I'll probably AW again when I close, and AW when I organize the inside to my liking.  

cu97tiger

@labro - you reminded me how thankful I am to be able to mail packages at work. It took me about two minutes to fill out the form and be done with it!

untouchablets

Oh here's an annoying story!

The other night my BFF asked if we were exchanging gifts this year and I said I had planned on getting her something (we haven't really been talking due to competitive bullshit having to do with our careers. She's a dog trainer too.) Anyway, she asked if I wanted anything training specific and I told her I wanted a 20ft long line because I had been putting it off and I didn't want to ask for anything expensive or hard to find because of the current status of our relationship. I asked what she wanted, and she told me she wanted a custom made harness for her dog with an engraved buckle, from an INSTAGRAM account based in Canada. I mean, the place doesn't even have a website. I emailed the contact person and they said the harness runs about 80-95 dollars for her dog's size and it doesn't include shipping. So I'm definitely not getting it but now I don't know what to do!

Do I tell her I can't afford it but get her something similar? I can't believe she asked.. she knows I took a pay cut to get into the field, and she knows I support myself and have lots of people to buy for. UGH!

wink0erin

@MissKittyDanger It's just the dentist. I had a great one when I was a kid, and then I had this awful dental hygienist when I was in high school, I think she was a sadist. She was so rough that I would bleed like crazy and my gums would hurt for days. She had the gall to say "you need to floss." I DID FLOSS BITCH. The dentist was cool though, but once he retired I didn't go seeking another because I was so scared of having a bad hygienist again. I think I went 6 years without going? Finally had some friends suggest a dentist locally and they are great, but I still panic about going. I think what gets me the most is the scraping and the sound from that, I have REALLY sensitive lower front teeth. That and the fear they will find cavities. I've only had one ever and it was in a molar that grew in sideways and is impossible to clean properly.

Swazzle

@wink0erin - I have terrible teeth despite doing everything in my power to take care of them. I have a cavity every single time I go, it's really disheartening and frustrating. I've also had about 10 appointments this year because of a front tooth issue over the summer (cracked tooth + infection + root canal). It sucksssssssssss

jenna8984

@labro yea it's the same as white elephant where you open a gift and then chose to keep it or steal someone else's.

@wink0erin Nice! Looks super similar to my first house!

jenjen047

@wink0erin - Beautiful! I love when things just work out like that! I can't wait to see the inside! Remind me what part of the country you are in?

@labro - Amen to that! My parents bought their first house in 1982 with a 16% rate (also with excellent credit) and 20% down was non-negotiable. Crazy! The post office is miserable this time of year so good luck with that! Also yes, Yankee Swap = White Elephant.

@untouchablets - If you are really good friends with this girl I would just be honest with her and say the harness is beautiful but a little out of your price range at the moment and ask if there is anything else she would like? I wouldn't just go out and buy something similar because if she really has her heart set on that harness then she might not want something else.

wink0erin

@untouchablets I'd just get her something else. That's more than I spent on my BF this year!

wink0erin

@jenjen047 I'm in West Virginia. 

untouchablets

@wink0erin I was born with dental issues and don't have any enamel on my teeth as a result. I dread going to the dentist even though it doesn't really SCARE me, simply because they always tell me I have cavities or need to floss more. I just don't have that protective layer on my teeth so it's always something. It sucks.

@jenjen047 Thanks, that's what I figured I should do. I hope she'll be understanding. Our relationship is REALLY weird right now.

lavenderfields13

@labro Holy crap 10%! 5 is DEFINITELY better than but of course I just want the lowest possible. We're going to be struggling as it is to pull off buying a house
And all the other MA people covered the Yankee Swap/White Elephant. Yankee Swap must be the Northern term? My family just calls it a "Grab" and we play a little different. Everyone picks twice and you're not allowed to open the gift until the very end. People will be shaking the gifts the whole time trying to figure out what it is and then at the end you find out what the heck you were fighting for lol. 

minskat30

@labro - WTF is up with those trucks!  I'm pissed for you.  I'm glad you are ok.  

@wink0erin - Beautiful house!  I love brick houses.

@untouchablets - I would just get her something similar.  $95 is a lot to spend on a dog harness and I love my dog.  

jenna8984

@swazzle that sucks and is so frustrating about your teeth! I wonder if fluoride could help at this point or if that only matters when you are younger and they are "forming".

speakeasy14

Cookies:

Guinness Chocolate Chocolate Chip Cookies

Ingredients

·         -1 cup butter, room temperature

·         -1 ½ cups sugar

·         -2 eggs

·         -½ cup Guinness

·         -2 cups flour

·         -1 cup dark cocoa (or regular cocoa)

·         -1 teaspoon kosher salt

·         -1 teaspoon baking soda

·         -11 ounces semi sweet chocolate chips

Instructions

1.    1. Preheat the oven to 350 degrees and prepare sheet pans with silpats or parchment paper.

2.    2. In the bowl of a standing mixer, cream together the butter and sugar until creamy.

3.    3. Add the eggs and beat until fluffy.

4.    4. Add the Guinness.

5.    5. Combine the dry ingredients and add to the batter. Add the chocolate chips and mix well.

6.    6. Scoop the batter onto the sheet pan, and bake the cookies for 10 minutes. Let the cookies cool on the sheet pan, and enjoy!

Preparation time: 10 minute(s)

AlPacina

@swazzle - Nice going on the weight loss! . . How is all that work stuff going? With a lawsuit, I think you said? (I know you can't give deets, I just just wondering how you're doing with all of it)

@jenjen047 - Your FFIL sounds like a gem. Or maybe I'm thinking of a fossilized turd.

@untouchablets - I'm filling in the gaps on my list with movies and books (generic ones that most people will like). I try not to do gift cards if I can help it. . . . The gift you asked your friend for is, like, 10 dollars. I can't believe she asked for something so expensive! I agree that I wouldn't necessarily get her a different harness. You definitely know her better than we would though to choose alternate gift. If she likes to read I found a memoir that I totally want to buy/read soon called Dogfella, about a legit mobster who changed his ways and started rescuing dogs, because he fell in love with a little shih Tzu.

@wink0erin - I love all the trees behind your house! I'm also glad I got the lower interest rates. I hadn't saved up the full 20% down yet, but it was worth it to just bite the bullet because I knew the rates wouldn't stay low forever!

@speakeasy14 - I just haven't been able to convince myself to go to one of those trampoline places, even though I'm dying to. I'm accident prone enough. I feel like that place would kill me, haha!

-----------------------

Today is our Christmas party at work. We do an entire holiday feast, with a ham, a turkey, and all of the fixings. Plus, about 10 people bring desserts, typically.

Instead of a traditional white elephant/yankee swap, our admin was super into the idea of a "crappy" gift exchange this year, so we were all supposed to find something random in our house that we've been meaning to get rid of anyway and wrap it up. A friend of mine sent me a book all about Cats as a joke gift one year, and I've held onto it but never read it (and probably won't own a cat), so someone is going home with a cat book today.

There is also an ugly sweater competition, but I wore the same sweater the last two years, so I bought this hat at Dollar Tree yesterday to wear instead:

untouchablets

@minskat30 yeah they're pretty ugly too. I know of a company that sells really cool stuff like hiking harnesses and stuff that I think she'd like but I don't want her to feel like I was being lazy or something. I sent her a text asking if she wanted anything else and explained that I would love to get her what she wanted but had to lower my Christmas budget this year. She's usually very understanding and aware of my financial situation but lately things have been awkward.

untouchablets

@alpacina what a great book idea! If she doesn't respond to me or says whatever I think she will like I'll probably go with something like that.

wink0erin

@speakeasy14 I HAVE ALL OF THOSE THINGS AT HOME. Looks like I'm making cookies tonight.

speakeasy14

@AlPacina that's exactly why I just bounced up and down. I wanted to do jumps and flips but as soon as I felt my ankle buckle I decided it was not the night for a hospital visit.  I'm proud to say that I did not get hurt at all!

KeptInStitches

@swazzle, congrats on the weight loss!

@jenjen047, so close!

@wink0erin, congrats on closing soon!

@speakeasy14, thanks for the cookie recipe!

---
Final tonight. We got 3" or so of snow yesterday with more expected today. Mockingjay 2 was good. Otherwise I'm mostly looking forward to Star Wars tomorrow night, which I promise not to spoil for anyone beyond a generic good/bad review.

MissKittyDanger

@wink0erin @untouchablets  I feel like dentists know they're terrifying I'm getting better and my dentist knows body language for me. Idk what they did last night, but the vibrations were AWFUL!

@swazzle  is or could it be a fluoride issue? I have that and have to get special mouth wash to help.

@labro random question, the large ribbon for cards is that just a normal ribbon or should it be thicker? I'm considering doing something like that as we have received a few so far.

labro

@AlPacina Crappy random gift from home wrapped up and given in exchange = White Elephant to me....so now I'm really wondering what Yankee Swap is. It must mean you buy a nice item/new item/not a tacky piece of shit and then do an exchange like everyone else described.

I have this horrible glass etched frame I received as a wedding gift that I definitely plan on giving as a White Elephant at the next gift exchange I'm invited to.

Swazzle

@AlPacina - I haven't heard anything since the other day. It's likely that I'll have to sit down with our lawyers again but I don't know when. Hopefully I'm not needed past that point though. 

jenna8984

@labro oh yea, no. Yankee Swap is not crappy, gag gifts. Our work has a $20 limit and typical items are scratch tickets, booze, holiday décor, chocolate gift basket, movie gift cards, etc. Everyone picks a number out of a hat and then it goes in order for choosing your gift. When it's your turn, you open one from under the tree and have the option of keeping it or stealing someone else's that already went before you. So basically if there's one favorite item it will get stolen like 10 times before the final person gets to keep it.

wink0erin

@jenna8984 I was just at a party that did that, except they put a 3 steal limit and some gifts were good while others were gag gifts. I didn't participate because BF forgot to tell me about it until the day of the party, but it was so fun to watch. 

labro

@jenjen047 I forgot to comment earlier on the absolute insanity of your FFIL. Like, I for real think he must have some sort of mental illness. Who actually reacts to an engagement announcement by punching holes in the fucking wall???

I think we should put him and @jenna8984's parents in a locked room together and see what happens.

labro

We can video tape it and call it "Dysfunctional Parent Rumble Show Down". Your FFIL has an Irish accent right? I bet that will attract TONS of viewers.

We could be rich!!!!!!

[Deleted User]

I think you're on to something, @labro.

lavenderfields13

Just got the OK to leave at 2:30 so I need to try to get as many things as possible done when I get out! There seriously is not enough time in the day. 

jenjen047

@labro - Pure genius...it would be like Jerry Springer with accents. Yeah at first when I heard I was like we must be missing something here, maybe FBIL left out part of the story that explains the reaction. But then we got FFIL's side of the story and it was the same. He really doesn't like not feeling like the most important person in the world at all times. When FI and I first got engaged and we told him that we were not inviting children to our wedding, he threw a similar fit and actually threatened not to come if we didn't include his 1 year old grandson. We stood our ground and he caved.