Tuesday

ei34 · February 2023

How's everyone? Hope those of you who had long weekends enjoyed!

My sister and I brought our kids to the aquarium yesterday, I hadn't been to this particular aquarium in years (it's in Coney Island and was destroyed during Sandy but very thoughtfully rebuilt), it was a super fun day for all of us. Kids all just had good visits to the dentist and we're headed to our local theater for a production of Mo Willems' The Pigeon shortly...tried to plan the week off with lots of local fun mixed with down time (and a couple of home improvement projects for me). My baby-sitter/my parents had the kids for long days Sat and Sun and I got 95% of my grading/caseload stuff done so hoping for the week off from work to be truly work-free. Wishing everyone a good day!

banana468 · February 2023

Took the weekend and DH installed the new oven on Saturday. It's FANTASTIC. I'm loving the double ovens and the induction cook top and how it's not getting dirty so easily.

Sunday we had people over to watch the Daytona 500 and yesterday DH installed the fridge. He loaded a ton of stuff in and we now need to finish going through the balance of stuff in the old fridge to figure out what's a keep and what's a toss. He started to feel like he had a cold coming on and last night was disgusting while he slept. So today - positive for Covid.

I am doing my best to keep the kids away. Chiquita has a singing event in 10 days and I really hope she stays in the clear.

climbingsingle · February 2023

@ei34 you just reminded me that we got an email from the Mystic aquarium that they have a penguin experience where you can MEET a penguin. So of course I researched it.

$264 AMERICAN DOLLARS.
PER PERSON

New tires are being put on my car today and I'm very excited about it. SSDD here. We got a small dusting of snow overnight and now I guess it's going to rain all week. Meh.

charlotte989875 · February 2023

climbingsingle said:

@ei34 you just reminded me that we got an email from the Mystic aquarium that they have a penguin experience where you can MEET a penguin. So of course I researched it.

$264 AMERICAN DOLLARS.
PER PERSON

New tires are being put on my car today and I'm very excited about it. SSDD here. We got a small dusting of snow overnight and now I guess it's going to rain all week. Meh.

OnY my kid loves penguins but no way. I would pay a lot for him to meet a penguin. No way I would pay that much to meet a penguin.

banana468 · February 2023

charlotte989875 said:

climbingsingle said:

@ei34 you just reminded me that we got an email from the Mystic aquarium that they have a penguin experience where you can MEET a penguin. So of course I researched it.

$264 AMERICAN DOLLARS.
PER PERSON

New tires are being put on my car today and I'm very excited about it. SSDD here. We got a small dusting of snow overnight and now I guess it's going to rain all week. Meh.

OnY my kid loves penguins but no way. I would pay a lot for him to meet a penguin. No way I would pay that much to meet a penguin.

That Aquarium is about 20 minutes from here and a great trip but no, that $240 is NOT worth it. It's a great time and Mystic is absolutely a place worth visiting but just go see them.

@charlotte989875 there's an adorable beluga in the front of the aquarium and people LOVE to take their kids to just hang out outside that area. I'll say that Chiquita did a camp there a few years ago that she loved but they are definitely one of the more expensive ones.

MissKittyDanger · February 2023

climbingsingle said:

@ei34 you just reminded me that we got an email from the Mystic aquarium that they have a penguin experience where you can MEET a penguin. So of course I researched it.

$264 AMERICAN DOLLARS.
PER PERSON

New tires are being put on my car today and I'm very excited about it. SSDD here. We got a small dusting of snow overnight and now I guess it's going to rain all week. Meh.

I know it sounds really weird, but if it's one person meeting and it's like their fave animal - I would pay. {assuming we are in a spot we can financially able to}

We're considering paying the extra money when we do a local zoo kinda thing so we can meet a sloth because omfg I would love to!

MissKittyDanger · February 2023

Weekend was good.

BK went to my mum's place on Saturday night for a sleepover. I did a bungee class and damn I under estimated it! I was dying afterwards lol
I joked if I didn't need a shower before, I definitely needed one after.

M & I went for dinner, then we started Last of Us - well I started it. He's been wanting me to watch. It's not bad but I can't handle 2 things - mouth things from infected and the weird mushroom heads sometimes creep me out.

Sunday M went to the gym and I picked up BK - I wasn't in a rush so got to have tea with my mum

Monday was day off for us too, so I made cinnamon buns and we went to a trampoline park.
So much fun lmao but so much effort. I was so sweaty afterwards!

climbingsingle · February 2023

MissKittyDanger said:

climbingsingle said:

@ei34 you just reminded me that we got an email from the Mystic aquarium that they have a penguin experience where you can MEET a penguin. So of course I researched it.

$264 AMERICAN DOLLARS.
PER PERSON

New tires are being put on my car today and I'm very excited about it. SSDD here. We got a small dusting of snow overnight and now I guess it's going to rain all week. Meh.

I know it sounds really weird, but if it's one person meeting and it's like their fave animal - I would pay. {assuming we are in a spot we can financially able to}

We're considering paying the extra money when we do a local zoo kinda thing so we can meet a sloth because omfg I would love to!

I still can't even imagine paying that much to meet an animal. And that's just for that experience, nothing else.

Meanwhile in real life, there's no way for someone to go to do that, and not bring their husband and kids. You're talking $1300 to bring N and the kids.

banana468 · February 2023

climbingsingle said:

MissKittyDanger said:

climbingsingle said:

@ei34 you just reminded me that we got an email from the Mystic aquarium that they have a penguin experience where you can MEET a penguin. So of course I researched it.

$264 AMERICAN DOLLARS.
PER PERSON

New tires are being put on my car today and I'm very excited about it. SSDD here. We got a small dusting of snow overnight and now I guess it's going to rain all week. Meh.

I know it sounds really weird, but if it's one person meeting and it's like their fave animal - I would pay. {assuming we are in a spot we can financially able to}

We're considering paying the extra money when we do a local zoo kinda thing so we can meet a sloth because omfg I would love to!

I still can't even imagine paying that much to meet an animal. And that's just for that experience, nothing else.

Meanwhile in real life, there's no way for someone to go to do that, and not bring their husband and kids. You're talking $1300 to bring N and the kids.

And you need to still pay the aquarium admission. It isn't just the encounter cost.

FWIW, having lived her my entire life and now having kids and seeing friends on social media, I have not seen ONE person I know do this.

That said, I think the aquarium is well worth it and go when it's warmer weather because that's when the local area shops and restaurants are open and with longer hours. There's a "village" next to the aquarium filled with shops that close at 6 this time of year but that is extended in the summer for tourist season.

And while I'm at it take kids to the seaport to see the old ship building from hundreds of years ago.

MissKittyDanger · February 2023

climbingsingle said:

MissKittyDanger said:

climbingsingle said:

@ei34 you just reminded me that we got an email from the Mystic aquarium that they have a penguin experience where you can MEET a penguin. So of course I researched it.

$264 AMERICAN DOLLARS.
PER PERSON

New tires are being put on my car today and I'm very excited about it. SSDD here. We got a small dusting of snow overnight and now I guess it's going to rain all week. Meh.

I know it sounds really weird, but if it's one person meeting and it's like their fave animal - I would pay. {assuming we are in a spot we can financially able to}

We're considering paying the extra money when we do a local zoo kinda thing so we can meet a sloth because omfg I would love to!

I still can't even imagine paying that much to meet an animal. And that's just for that experience, nothing else.

Meanwhile in real life, there's no way for someone to go to do that, and not bring their husband and kids. You're talking $1300 to bring N and the kids.

Hard to say. When I was older, my parents would have spent the money for just me to meet a dolphin {I was OBSESSED!} because they had zero interest, BUT I was older.

banana468 · February 2023

MissKittyDanger said:

climbingsingle said:

MissKittyDanger said:

climbingsingle said:

@ei34 you just reminded me that we got an email from the Mystic aquarium that they have a penguin experience where you can MEET a penguin. So of course I researched it.

$264 AMERICAN DOLLARS.
PER PERSON

New tires are being put on my car today and I'm very excited about it. SSDD here. We got a small dusting of snow overnight and now I guess it's going to rain all week. Meh.

I know it sounds really weird, but if it's one person meeting and it's like their fave animal - I would pay. {assuming we are in a spot we can financially able to}

We're considering paying the extra money when we do a local zoo kinda thing so we can meet a sloth because omfg I would love to!

I still can't even imagine paying that much to meet an animal. And that's just for that experience, nothing else.

Meanwhile in real life, there's no way for someone to go to do that, and not bring their husband and kids. You're talking $1300 to bring N and the kids.

Hard to say. When I was older, my parents would have spent the money for just me to meet a dolphin {I was OBSESSED!} because they had zero interest, BUT I was older.

And the experience is 60 minutes. You'd still be at the aquarium for the day but the one experience is that cost PP for 60 min.

climbingsingle · February 2023

I've always heard such good things about that aquarium and have always wanted to go. N used to take the kids when they were little all the time.

But even just general admission is $34 pp. So let's say parents were going to take their kid to meet the penguin. It's $102 just for the 3 of you to get in. $264 for the kid to meet the penguin for one hour. So you've just spent $366 for one single person to go meet a penguin. For an hour.

banana468 · February 2023

climbingsingle said:

I've always heard such good things about that aquarium and have always wanted to go. N used to take the kids when they were little all the time.

But even just general admission is $34 pp. So let's say parents were going to take their kid to meet the penguin. It's $102 just for the 3 of you to get in. $264 for the kid to meet the penguin for one hour. So you've just spent $366 for one single person to go meet a penguin. For an hour.

And depending on the age the kid needs an adult with them. So that's an additional $264.

Now if you were thinking of doing and it's less expensive than a cruise to South America sure. But that's still super costly.

And as a CT shoreline lover, I can recommend plenty of ways for you to spend $1000 that will last longer than 60 minutes.

STARMOON44 · February 2023

banana468 said:

climbingsingle said:

MissKittyDanger said:

climbingsingle said:

@ei34 you just reminded me that we got an email from the Mystic aquarium that they have a penguin experience where you can MEET a penguin. So of course I researched it.

$264 AMERICAN DOLLARS.
PER PERSON

New tires are being put on my car today and I'm very excited about it. SSDD here. We got a small dusting of snow overnight and now I guess it's going to rain all week. Meh.

I know it sounds really weird, but if it's one person meeting and it's like their fave animal - I would pay. {assuming we are in a spot we can financially able to}

We're considering paying the extra money when we do a local zoo kinda thing so we can meet a sloth because omfg I would love to!

I still can't even imagine paying that much to meet an animal. And that's just for that experience, nothing else.

Meanwhile in real life, there's no way for someone to go to do that, and not bring their husband and kids. You're talking $1300 to bring N and the kids.

And you need to still pay the aquarium admission. It isn't just the encounter cost.

FWIW, having lived her my entire life and now having kids and seeing friends on social media, I have not seen ONE person I know do this.

That said, I think the aquarium is well worth it and go when it's warmer weather because that's when the local area shops and restaurants are open and with longer hours. There's a "village" next to the aquarium filled with shops that close at 6 this time of year but that is extended in the summer for tourist season.

And while I'm at it take kids to the seaport to see the old ship building from hundreds of years ago.

I love Mystic. Such a fun day out with kids or with none. My friends got married at a vineyard near there so sometimes we will do an aquarium wine weekend.

mrsconn23 · February 2023

Afternoon!!

I'm impatiently waiting on HR to get back to me on my new hire so I can make the offer. In the meantime, I've been productive with setting up meetings for the next month and a half with guest speakers and working on my training plan. I need to work on my monthly reporting so I can be ahead of it.

FIL is going through one of his 'extra' phases and he's wearing DH out. Ugh.

We've logged more than 10 miles walking/hiking in the last week. Woohoo. Our next goal is 15 miles in a week + a longer hike this coming weekend.

SSDD otherwise.

banana468 · February 2023

STARMOON44 said:

banana468 said:

climbingsingle said:

MissKittyDanger said:

climbingsingle said:

@ei34 you just reminded me that we got an email from the Mystic aquarium that they have a penguin experience where you can MEET a penguin. So of course I researched it.

$264 AMERICAN DOLLARS.
PER PERSON

New tires are being put on my car today and I'm very excited about it. SSDD here. We got a small dusting of snow overnight and now I guess it's going to rain all week. Meh.

I know it sounds really weird, but if it's one person meeting and it's like their fave animal - I would pay. {assuming we are in a spot we can financially able to}

We're considering paying the extra money when we do a local zoo kinda thing so we can meet a sloth because omfg I would love to!

I still can't even imagine paying that much to meet an animal. And that's just for that experience, nothing else.

Meanwhile in real life, there's no way for someone to go to do that, and not bring their husband and kids. You're talking $1300 to bring N and the kids.

And you need to still pay the aquarium admission. It isn't just the encounter cost.

FWIW, having lived her my entire life and now having kids and seeing friends on social media, I have not seen ONE person I know do this.

That said, I think the aquarium is well worth it and go when it's warmer weather because that's when the local area shops and restaurants are open and with longer hours. There's a "village" next to the aquarium filled with shops that close at 6 this time of year but that is extended in the summer for tourist season.

And while I'm at it take kids to the seaport to see the old ship building from hundreds of years ago.

I love Mystic. Such a fun day out with kids or with none. My friends got married at a vineyard near there so sometimes we will do an aquarium wine weekend.

There are a few vineyards in the area and some have spring and autumn festivals. Was the wedding at Jonathan Edwards or Salt Water Farm? They're GORGEOUS!

Dining in the area is also fun. Last year we took the boat to a place and entered from the water which was a bougie first for us.

ei34 · February 2023

@banana468 I'm actually toying with a couple of days in Mystic over spring break! Inn at Mystic is reasonable, and I was thinking between the seaport, aquarium, Olde Village, possible boat ride (though I really want Argia and they won't be sailing yet), maybe train or boat ride at Essex...we'd have fun and it'd still be a lot less than two nights at Great Wolf Lodge in the Poconos who think they're Disney with their pricing.

Yeah hard no on the pp cost of meeting a penguin. If anyone ever finds themselves living in or near NYC for a year the WCS membership is worth every penny. All four city zoos (crown jewel being the Bronx Zoo but they're all great and the Central Park Zoo's included penguin experience is phenomenal) plus the aquarium plus parking all for less than the meeting a penguin experience. It's actually even less bc my sister and I share it. You're allowed to put two adults on the account and they don't have a household rule so it's a great price. And every museum visit we do is thanks to our library's free museum pass program. Thank goodness for libraries and memberships bc there are a lot of people who want their kids to see/do stuff and also wanna, like, pay their bills

banana468 · February 2023

ei34 said:

@banana468 I'm actually toying with a couple of days in Mystic over spring break! Inn at Mystic is reasonable, and I was thinking between the seaport, aquarium, Olde Village, possible boat ride (though I really want Argia and they won't be sailing yet), maybe train or boat ride at Essex...we'd have fun and it'd still be a lot less than two nights at Great Wolf Lodge in the Poconos who think they're Disney with their pricing.

Yeah hard no on the pp cost of meeting a penguin. If anyone ever finds themselves living in or near NYC for a year the WCS membership is worth every penny. All four city zoos (crown jewel being the Bronx Zoo but they're all great and the Central Park Zoo's included penguin experience is phenomenal) plus the aquarium plus parking all for less than the meeting a penguin experience. It's actually even less bc my sister and I share it. You're allowed to put two adults on the account and they don't have a household rule so it's a great price. And every museum visit we do is thanks to our library's free museum pass program. Thank goodness for libraries and memberships bc there are a lot of people who want their kids to see/do stuff and also wanna, like, pay their bills

ALSO, GWL is coming to Foxwoods in the next 18 mo I think. So that could be a fun one or two nighter with kids!

Spring break is a great time to see SE CT but know some restaurants like Abbott's and Costello's (yes, they're next to each other) do not open until May. It's all a question of what you feel like doing. Abbott's is where we went with the kids via boat for lunch.

If you're into Thomas the Train, Essex will have a Day out With Thomas at the end of April for the last two weekends.

CharmedPam · February 2023

Is this the Mystic from Mystic Pizza?

glad it was such a fun day @ei34!

i love taking vacations but coming back to work. Ugh. I feel like the people who should have taken over for me put stuff back on my plate. Finally getting a breather now. I was slammed when I came in. I was multi tasking and talking and doing everything all at once, that instead of forwarding my semi-snippy email to two internal employees I replied to the customer and just put 1 employee on it. It turned out to be nbd, but I probably would have been less snippy if it was really meant for the customer. Haha.

Also, I regret doing something and I wish I had a faster reaction time to things. Someone at work found out about the photobooth we had at the conference. And my other coworker said “show her the one of us”.
i gave her my phone, she took it from me. Started to scroll through them. So of course she reached personal pics next to the work pics. I had a convo between my exsil that I took a screen shot of, to show my bff the convo - so I hope she didn’t make it all the way there.
that’s not all. She then ASKED for the photobooth ones And I stupidly gave them to her. After I sent them, I felt immediate regret. Like, why do you want pictures of your coworkers and you’re not even in them? Some were goofy (we were drinking), some were fine. It’s just weird to want them. This is the coworker who’s nose has to be in EVERY thing (obviously given this anecdote). I know our executive admin gets a copy of them all, none are inappropriate… I just need to be better on my toes “sorry I’m too busy to hand over my phone to you”. Or “why do you want pictures you’re not in?”. Something besides “sure”.

banana468 · February 2023

CharmedPam said:

Is this the Mystic from Mystic Pizza?
glad it was such a fun day @ei34!

Yes!

Mystic Pizza is past the seaport and by the water but I'll be honest - as a New Haven pizza lover it is NOT the best way to eat. I think I've had it once? Just NMS for pizza but it's still open so it must be enjoyed by plenty.

CharmedPam · February 2023

Regarding the penguin thing, when @short+sassy invited me to the cruise, the only thing I had my heart set on was hugging a sloth. I can’t remember what we paid because it was 3 things in one - but it wasn’t $264. Not sure I’d pay that. You’d be underestimating my photoshopping skills if you said it would be a missed opportunity on my part.

I just purchased paint shop pro and I know how to use it!

ILoveBeachMusic · February 2023

H and I went to Mystic when DD was in graduate school. It was in the early spring so a lot wasn't open. We did the old village and the seaport. We were on our way from New Haven to Boston. I wish we had known there were vineyards in the area. We were there on my spring break from school but DD still had classes. We spent the weekends on either side of my break with her and the weekdays in Boston and surrounding area.

STARMOON44 · February 2023

banana468 said:

STARMOON44 said:

banana468 said:

climbingsingle said:

MissKittyDanger said:

climbingsingle said:

@ei34 you just reminded me that we got an email from the Mystic aquarium that they have a penguin experience where you can MEET a penguin. So of course I researched it.

$264 AMERICAN DOLLARS.
PER PERSON

New tires are being put on my car today and I'm very excited about it. SSDD here. We got a small dusting of snow overnight and now I guess it's going to rain all week. Meh.

I know it sounds really weird, but if it's one person meeting and it's like their fave animal - I would pay. {assuming we are in a spot we can financially able to}

We're considering paying the extra money when we do a local zoo kinda thing so we can meet a sloth because omfg I would love to!

I still can't even imagine paying that much to meet an animal. And that's just for that experience, nothing else.

Meanwhile in real life, there's no way for someone to go to do that, and not bring their husband and kids. You're talking $1300 to bring N and the kids.

And you need to still pay the aquarium admission. It isn't just the encounter cost.

FWIW, having lived her my entire life and now having kids and seeing friends on social media, I have not seen ONE person I know do this.

That said, I think the aquarium is well worth it and go when it's warmer weather because that's when the local area shops and restaurants are open and with longer hours. There's a "village" next to the aquarium filled with shops that close at 6 this time of year but that is extended in the summer for tourist season.

And while I'm at it take kids to the seaport to see the old ship building from hundreds of years ago.

I love Mystic. Such a fun day out with kids or with none. My friends got married at a vineyard near there so sometimes we will do an aquarium wine weekend.

There are a few vineyards in the area and some have spring and autumn festivals. Was the wedding at Jonathan Edwards or Salt Water Farm? They're GORGEOUS!

Dining in the area is also fun. Last year we took the boat to a place and entered from the water which was a bougie first for us.

Salt Water Farm!

MissKittyDanger · February 2023

CharmedPam said:

Regarding the penguin thing, when @short+sassy invited me to the cruise, the only thing I had my heart set on was hugging a sloth. I can’t remember what we paid because it was 3 things in one - but it wasn’t $264. Not sure I’d pay that. You’d be underestimating my photoshopping skills if you said it would be a missed opportunity on my part. I just purchased paint shop pro and I know how to use it!

we're waiting until next year because we've got a lot happening but we're doing a sloth encounter next year lmao
Not super cheap but I really love sloths lol

CharmedPam · February 2023

MissKittyDanger said:

CharmedPam said:

Regarding the penguin thing, when @short+sassy invited me to the cruise, the only thing I had my heart set on was hugging a sloth. I can’t remember what we paid because it was 3 things in one - but it wasn’t $264. Not sure I’d pay that. You’d be underestimating my photoshopping skills if you said it would be a missed opportunity on my part. I just purchased paint shop pro and I know how to use it!

we're waiting until next year because we've got a lot happening but we're doing a sloth encounter next year lmao
Not super cheap but I really love sloths lol

Want me to photoshop one in until you do? Lol

short+sassy · February 2023

MissKittyDanger said:

CharmedPam said:

Regarding the penguin thing, when @short+sassy invited me to the cruise, the only thing I had my heart set on was hugging a sloth. I can’t remember what we paid because it was 3 things in one - but it wasn’t $264. Not sure I’d pay that. You’d be underestimating my photoshopping skills if you said it would be a missed opportunity on my part. I just purchased paint shop pro and I know how to use it!

we're waiting until next year because we've got a lot happening but we're doing a sloth encounter next year lmao
Not super cheap but I really love sloths lol

It was the BEST! Sloths are so sweet and adorable. It was such a neat experience to be able to hold one.

The excursion was $179/person. But that also included the bus ride to the nature preserve. Then dune-buggying at a different location. Then stopping at a beach for 90 minutes before heading back to the ship. It was in Roatan, Honduras.

There's a neat wildlife encounter park about two hours from New Orleans. They have a monthly "Sippin' with Sloths" events It's $50/person and includes six wine tastings. You can't pet the sloths, but you can be right next to them.

They also have otter encounters where you can go swimming with otters. That's $285/person, but the encounter is 3 hours and the price also includes admission to the park.

This same organization...Barn HIll Preserve...also has a facility in Delaware. The Delaware location has yoga classes with kangaroos, plus the other things I mentioned.

MissKittyDanger · February 2023

CharmedPam said:

MissKittyDanger said:

CharmedPam said:

Regarding the penguin thing, when @short+sassy invited me to the cruise, the only thing I had my heart set on was hugging a sloth. I can’t remember what we paid because it was 3 things in one - but it wasn’t $264. Not sure I’d pay that. You’d be underestimating my photoshopping skills if you said it would be a missed opportunity on my part. I just purchased paint shop pro and I know how to use it!

we're waiting until next year because we've got a lot happening but we're doing a sloth encounter next year lmao
Not super cheap but I really love sloths lol

Want me to photoshop one in until you do? Lol

Absolutely lmao!

ei34 · February 2023

That all sounds awesome @short+sassy
Thanks @banana468 DS was absolutely obsessed with Thomas (who for over a year he called "Da-diss" *insert the heart eye or big teary-eyed emoji*) but we did the Day out w/ Thomas at the North Conway RR which the New Hampshire house isn't too far from, it was very sweet and I recommend the tour frequently to parents with Thomas-loving kids

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