OT: THE OT Thread: Grass mowing szn is here

[Dirty Dog]

I adore and miss Buffalo. I'm actually here now for a week and make it up here from NC at least three times a year. Had my wedding here last year and was excited for people to see what Buffalo was all about - and we made sure to serve lots of Buffalo favorites including sponge candy for each guest, beef on Weck for the buffet, and then three hours later had Duff's bring in boxes of wings. I also represent Buffalo and when people ask me where I'm from I say well I live in NC, but I'm FROM Buffalo.

I still can't move back until they do something about the taxes and the politics. Just disgraceful. So many of my family and friends have left and so many more want to leave once their kids are grown or they retire. And it is all due to the taxes and the politicians. It's tragic.

I come up about once a year and im here as well! Been stuffing myself with great food. Fortunately, some good corn is just coming in up here

 

[Dingo44]

I come up about once a year and im here as well! Been stuffing myself with great food. Fortunately, some good corn is just coming in up here

Went to see the Strictly Hip in downtown Kenmore tonight after eating at North End. It was Amherst Ale House last night. Pool party in Kenmore tomorrow and then a family reunion in Akron Sunday after Mass. Monday is The Brickyard in Lewiston and Tuesday is Duff's Orchard Park followed by the Bisons game.

Wednesday we leave for Detroit for the 6:40 Tigers game.

 

[TheMistyStranger]

The publishing industry is such a shitshow. Melon Husk's destruction of the most centralized source for publishing information has only made things worse.

 

[joshjull]

In as much as higher average temperatures tend to cause ground fuels to dry out faster and provide easier tinder to wildfire, yeah, it's because we're on a heating upswing. Add in that the Canadian pine beetle ran rampant through the boreal forests of Canada (and the southern pine beetle has worked its way up north of Albany), there is a lot of standing snags ("dead trees") and a lot of fuel on the ground. So... hot and dry, lots of fuel, things are going to burn. And that's causing your air quality issue.

It's wild how much carnage insects can cause to various things. I have a beautiful ash tree in my back yard I get treated to protect it from the from the emerald ash borer. Something I knew nothing about until after I got the tree.

 

[Djp]

How open are you guys with your SOs regarding experiences you had in the past? I had a WILD run in my early 20s. I was as crazy as you could get, though I didn't dabble in any of the heavier drugs, only alcohol and marijuana. I would go HARD, though. I felt a bit ashamed about some of my actions when I was younger. I never hurt anyone. I would just self-sabotage when I'd get blackout drunk, and only felt a bit of remorse during that phase of life and would quickly move on from that guilt.

I never really opened up to my wife about some of the situations I put myself in, but last night we were talking about guilt/anxiety/etc...and I opened up regarding a few crazy things I had done in my younger days. I thought she may look at me differently, but she was surprisingly accepting. Not even a hint of judgement. I still have some demons in my past that are only for me to know. She doesn't care to know everything. She believes I'm wildly different than I was in my early 20s, which is true. She didn't marry the 20-year-old me.

It relieved a bit of stress. It's weird because as a boy it was normalized not to share my feelings or ever cry. My dad actually yelled at me in a church when I was around 1 to stop being a baby (according to my mom). So, opening up about stuff is foreign to me. It feels good, though.

never happened personally for me.

I have had a long time group of friends from when I was a teen. Me and my brother have a large group of friends. Most still live in WNY. Me and my brother don’t.

I know stories of my brother I have not shared with my nephews. Lucky cell phones didn’t exist then.

because of medication I’ve been on my whole life I rarely drink alcohol. If I do it’s in small amounts. With a special dinner I’ll have a glass of wine. Champagne at a wedding. when I go with the guys to some microbrewery they know I don’t drink much but I will have a glass and if one gets something I’ll ask thrm to pour a little, like an inch depth and have some.

I’ve seen the guys get sh-faced drunk and passed out.

I’ll just say this…if I wanted pot I could easily get it. I knew of sources.

my sis had a med pot card

i have no issue with pot. About 20 years ago I had brain surgery to treat one form of epilepsy. If I could not have surgery I might have to turn to CBD. I still have a second form controlled easily with meds. The drug interacts with alcohol.

many have pastthings they did teens/ early 20s they wouldn’t want their kids to do.

thr not opening up stuff is what was taught. My dad was like that. My mom was not. My dad was like you are out of the house at 18 and mom would basically say STFU

 

[Djp]

I come up about once a year and im here as well! Been stuffing myself with great food. Fortunately, some good corn is just coming in up here

Went to see the Strictly Hip in downtown Kenmore tonight after eating at North End. It was Amherst Ale House last night. Pool party in Kenmore tomorrow and then a family reunion in Akron Sunday after Mass. Monday is The Brickyard in Lewiston and Tuesday is Duff's Orchard Park followed by the Bisons game.

Wednesday we leave for Detroit for the 6:40 Tigers game.

historically I come into town this weekend….the last weekend of canal fest. My brother would come into town as well with his family.

instead I came in over the weekend before the 4th. I stay at my sisters in NT.

my younger nephew graduated from HS in May and he got a scholarship at Union College in Schenectady so my brother and his wife are going to take him up before Labor Day weekend to bring him to college and then thry are headed to nyc. Thry got day passes to the us oprn.

we went down for his graduation In May. In late April, I didn’t go, but my SIL niece got married in Florida. Thry live between UB and NF blvd but he is from panhandle of Florida so they were down there for a week.her nephew gets married I think in late 2024. I’ve known those kids since they were born. I look at them as niece and nephew as well. When in toen my brother stays with his wife’s brother in tonawanda.

 

[MarkusKetterer]

So I was just hanging outside of my apartment having a good time. A neighbour who lives in the building next to me started calling my name and running over. Apparently the lady (who only has one leg) above her went ass over tea kettle, but made a loud enough noise doing that. So I had to climb the balconies to the second floor to check it out and try to help her if I could before the ambulance came.

This lady was laying out on her cement balcony with a massive goose egg on her head, and if she doesn’t have a concussion I will be surprised. I helped her roll over, and then just helped so she didn’t burn her place down (turning off her BBQ and stove). By the time the ambulance showed up she had gone in to shock and came out of it.

It was a rather interesting way to meet someone.

 

[Willgamesh]

So I was just hanging outside of my apartment having a good time. A neighbour who lives in the building next to me started calling my name and running over. Apparently the lady (who only has one leg) above her went ass over tea kettle, but made a loud enough noise doing that. So I had to climb the balconies to the second floor to check it out and try to help her if I could before the ambulance came.

This lady was laying out on her cement balcony with a massive goose egg on her head, and if she doesn’t have a concussion I will be surprised. I helped her roll over, and then just helped so she didn’t burn her place down (turning off her BBQ and stove). By the time the ambulance showed up she had gone in to shock and came out of it.

It was a rather interesting way to meet someone.

Gj Brody. Head injuries are no joke.

 

[MarkusKetterer]

Gj Brody. Head injuries are no joke.

I felt useless, but without that the medics wouldn’t have got into her apartment. For some weird reason they have a master key to get into the building, but not one for each apartment.

She’s back home now, as I saw her today. But she’s sore because she tried to brace herself when she flipped. She also had to get a ride in an ambulance back home because they didn’t take her wheelchair with her. No concussion thankfully.

 

[EichHart]

Around 5 weeks into being laid off. The tech job market is rough. Not 'start of COVID' bad, but pretty close. I'm getting around a 3% interview rate, which is silly considering during the heavy hiring times I had recruiters (actual recruiters, not 3rd party stooges) reaching out to me directly every week without me applying. I remember once COVID hiring picking up and my apply/interview rate was much higher (I checked my old spreadsheet and it was close to 10%). I've got a few irons in the fire, but nothing substantive yet. Thank god my wife has a good job, I got a severance package, and we have savings. This would be a very stressful experience if I just had the "standard" UI.

I had 3 friends in tech get laid off the last year. Its rough out there, 1 was able to get a job recently after being laid off 6 months. The other 2 are going on 8 months and 3 months.

 

[Jim Bob]

This is the last week of my summer semester. As I get closer to the end, the past couple of semesters have included some of the less fun classes I've taken.

But, this summer semester has been really good for me. But, I also am looking forward to getting the one big paper I have left done and the smaller amount of final work I have left for my other class.

I am looking forward to this Saturday and the birthday party for the young daughter of friends that I have been too busy lately to visit with and meet their newborn son. And then I need to do not fun stuff on Sunday afternoon as the yard needs to be mowed and the gutters need to be cleaned out.

And we just finished Season 1 of The Diplomat.



This is one of the recent shows that we have watched that did a really good job of ending the first season at a really solid point in the story arc. Now to wait for season two...

 

[brian_griffin]

Two comments:

1. Re: the recent comments by numerous posters returning to WNY in July/Aug...
We could start a thread next year in May/June to potentially coordinate a couple meet-ups (I'm sure not everyone will be in WNY simultaneously), perhaps aligned with other events, e.g.,
Sabres development camp
Italian Festival / Taste of Buffalo
Canal Fest

If I remember next May '24, I'll start a thread.

EDIT: Forgot to include Sabres Stanley Cup victory parade. Keep June 17-18 2024 open on your calendars.

2. It is July 24th. My backyard weather station has recorded over 23 inches of rain so far this month; essentially an average of an inch a day...

 

[Jim Bob]

That is awesome.

 

[HOOats]

At 2pm on ESPN+, UB's alumni basketball team, Blue Collar U, kicks off it's defense of last year's million dollar championship.

I know the hockey/basketball crossover fan isn't big in WNY. Still it's a fun product and the team is made up of the guys who produced the best moments in WNY sports the past decade.

 

[Burgmania]

It has been a truly horrible month.

I can't get into it, but the last time I felt this low was when I was told I was moving to Texas in middle school.

 

[Butt Ox]

It has been a truly horrible month.

I can't get into it, but the last time I felt this low was when I was told I was moving to Texas in middle school.

Sorry, my brother. Lifting you and your situation up.

 

[Chainshot]

It has been a truly horrible month.

I can't get into it, but the last time I felt this low was when I was told I was moving to Texas in middle school.

Sorry to hear that Burg. Anything I can do to help?

 

[brian_griffin]

It has been a truly horrible month.

I can't get into it, but the last time I felt this low was when I was told I was moving to Texas in middle school.

Hang in there Ryan. (from the George Harrison tribute / memorial concert) All Things Must Pass. A couple dozen musical illuminati joining in...

 

[yahhockey]

Last weekend turned out quite social by my standards. Friday was a CFL game with my dad and uncle. It was the uncle's first trip to Tim Horton's Field after numerous games at Ivor Wynne Stadium including the last game. He was happy with the pre-game food and drinks at the local dive bar, the sightlines at the stadium and the whole evening, especially since his Argos happened to beat our Tiger-Cats. On Saturday cousins, well our grandparents were cousins so whatever that makes us, from the outskirts of Niagara Falls, NY came to visit. We used to visit most years at a Bills game but hadn't seen each other since 2019. They're great people and we already booked a gathering at one of their homes for the Bills home opener since tickets to the game have become cost prohibitive for some that would otherwise attend. One of them reminisced with my real cousin about a gathering maybe 40 years ago where the two of them argued about which one had an accent. It was too much for two 7-10 year olds to process, lol, however the American definitely had the accent, lol.

 

[TheMistyStranger]

It has been a truly horrible month.

I can't get into it, but the last time I felt this low was when I was told I was moving to Texas in middle school.

Sending good vibes, my man

 

[Old Navy Goat]

Man I just tripled my usual grocery spend as it was a happy snack day. The one high end supermarket I go to has an International section but it's generally Aussie and Brit stuff but today it was Americanized. Stocked up on Velveeta shells, bags of candy ie Baby Ruth, Milky Way, 3 Musketeers that you never see here. They even had grape Gatorade which is never seen as it's hardly carried in the country.

 

[KiwiGriff]

I had 3 friends in tech get laid off the last year. Its rough out there, 1 was able to get a job recently after being laid off 6 months. The other 2 are going on 8 months and 3 months.

Ouch. Much the same over here. I advertised an SDM role last September - 8 shortlisted applicants. Had another vacancy come up in May for the same role - 33 shortlisted applicants.

 

[TehDoak]

I had 3 friends in tech get laid off the last year. Its rough out there, 1 was able to get a job recently after being laid off 6 months. The other 2 are going on 8 months and 3 months.

Ouch. Much the same over here. I advertised an SDM role last September - 8 shortlisted applicants. Had another vacancy come up in May for the same role - 33 shortlisted applicants.

Things seem to be picking up-ish.

Had 4 calls today, two of which are actual interviews. 1 was a 3rd party recruiter who thought I should take a 30% paycut AND be contract to hire, AND drive 80 miles each way a few times a week. So that was a fun short call.

I'm 6 weeks into this, 149 applications, 13 phone screens, and ACTUAL interviews with 7 different companies. Haven't gone too far down the process yet with anyone, but felt like things picked up a little this week. I've got 2 (probably 3) interviews next week.

Seems to be a concerted effort on tech companies to roll back salaries a little bit. I got a promotion and around a 20% raise or so in my 2 years with my previous company. My salary was pretty average for a Sr version of my role last year...feel since the tech layoffs it's near the top 10% now. If i was willing to settle back to 80% of what I made previous, this would probably be a much easier search...but hoping to not go backwards too much, if at all.

 

[Dubi Doo]

Lazy week for me working out wise. Oye....

 

[Old Navy Goat]

Up at 5am going over the books for the last week and it's amazing how much business has fluctuated. It's been torrential rain up until Weds so my bars have only been making about $20 to $40 each on average, but Weds and Thurs they jumped to their usual $100 to $250. The disparity is due to some are single stall shotgun bars, while the bigger earners are well bigger so have more girls.
Now I did have one outlier that outperformed all the other bars but its one that I stocked with ex-agency Agogo girls so it's became a 'destination' stop on the street. It's former owner who was positive I was doing everything wrong was surprised when his only girl left was the cashier as I let his entire staff go as they made no money. He was sure I was losing money until the cashier told him, the bar made more Fri and Sat alone than his last month in business. The agency girls are great, they're happy to wear clothes at work and sit around talking when not busy instead of standing outside holding promo signs. They've also been good recruiters as supposedly I have about a dozen new ones starting on the 1st