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Happy New Year! My luger, Kendall, returned home a few days before Christmas from a 2 week training camp and race in Utah, and just left yesterday for another 2 week training camp in Lake Placid, culminating in another race on Saturday, January 18. In the Utah race, she placed 4th, after being edged out by just 0.025 seconds. Not the result we wanted, and she was pretty upset to be edged out of the medals again, especially since she was 3rd after her first run, but the athlete who edged her out is also 2 years older than her, and has spent much more time on that track, where this was only Kendall's second training camp there. These athletes will meet again next weekend, on what is Kendall's home track, and we are hoping for a better outcome for her. Looking forward to being there to watch her race this time. We bring her home on the 19th, and she will spend about a month home before heading back to Utah for the final training camp of the season, where she will compete in 2 levels of National Championships in that time. In the meantime, she had an awesome article written about her that appeared on the front page of our local newspaper, and will have a third article written for our local area weekly Merchandiser in the next week or two. Today's photos include the pic from the front page of the newspaper article, and a pic from race day.

Happy New Year! We are digging out after the weekend weather. I've heard 16 inches here.

Wittenlover thank you so much!!! You absolutely spoiled me and I loved everything!! The picture is missing a bag of chocolate because my son and husband snatched it I hope you have a very merry Christmas!

The Christmas tree will remain up for a while longer. The queen has decreed it...

Nope. I get excited when I see them go up too.

Merry Christmas, GDers

HR hat: Working hybrid is a privilege and not an entitlement. It can be revoked at any time, whether due to leadership discretion, poor performance or the position has evolved to require additional presence. Providing hybrid work arrangements is a benefit that may help attract and retain employees, especially to support commute times and help with affordability for those who may live further away from the office. (massive issue here in CA.) Some positions are not conducive to remote work. I remind employees that while you may have worked fully remote during the pandemic - so did many of your colleagues and teammates. We had no option but to make it work. As return to office has normalized and stabilized, the expectation set out by your organization should reflect the needs of your organization. Some roles require in person connections for productivity, brainstorming; others require employees to be in person due to the nature of the work - we cannot feed residents remotely, support their maintenance, conduct research experiments with ridiculously expensive equipment that costs millions, teach classes, or even in non-academic examples (as I work in academia) interview employees during an investigation (I do not like doing this remotely due to security concerns and the conversations are VERY different when I hold them in person) If your company is fully remote, it's different - the expectations are different. If it is not, I advise any employee to be open and flexible when you are asked to return to the office, or add occasional additional days per week as needed. I work two days a week in person, and often add a third day due to meetings, events etc. I also advise employees to maximize in person days - I purposely schedule in person meetings, 1:1s with my team, etc - so that I don't have to hear "but I come in and sit on zoom meetings." Some meetings are better held over zoom - the meeting I had with finance as we reviewed data is better when you have a screen to look at salaries right in front of you. Some conversations need to be in person. Some work is done much better in person; some work can ONLY be done in person. I tell people all the time who say they don't want to come in: then do not be surprised if you no longer have a role to work hybrid from as we are not required to allow you to work hybrid. Employees have been terminated for deliberately not coming in on their assigned days. And because I have to say it OFTEN - working hybrid or remotely is NOT a substitute for child care. We understand emergencies happen, and you may need to pick up a child due to illness, issues at school, etc. That has happened in the before times and will continue to happen. You cannot be inflexible on hybrid days because you only have child care two days a week, for example. There is no way you can be productive with a 2 year old roaming around, and the time has passed for children to pop up behind you in meetings. Non HR Hat: I live close to work, I don't mind coming in. Don't abuse that by having me come in for you either, because that's rude. But if you're going to complain you have to come in one extra day ONCE a month because your manager wants everyone there on the same day for team meetings or company wide events, I am not going to have sympathy. If you want to work fully remote, find a fully remote position. You cannot expect a company to bend to your preference to be fully remote if it does not meet operational needs, is not consistent with other members of the team, or meets the vision of leadership. You need to make it work in order to continue making it work. I've heard too many examples of one person effing it up for an entire team because they were refusing to come in, or disappearing for three hours a day, not being responsive, and hybrid privileges were revoked for an entire team. Don't be that person.

Happy Epiphany/Three Kings Day/Little Christmas

I closed out 2024 finishing a project I wanted to get done by the end of the year, but little hopes of actually doing. Maybe that's the motivation to get more projects done in 2025. Most or 2024 seemed like I was procrastinating, but December I actually did a couple projects I didn't expect, so here's to a bright 2025 to everyone. No matter how meaningless the projects may seem, just knocking out a couple can get the ball rolling.

Only 331 days to go The threads for this year have been archived so if anyone wants to start a new "never-ending BF story" thread (or any other thread), feel free to post it in this forum.

Happy New Year! It's a beautiful night out tonight, and there so many stars out. Also Mars and Jupiter are showing out.

Thank you Coastiwife and my OE partner. I loved everything.

Pre/post unwrapping pics Thanks so much, ytmomof4!!! Such fun stuff! Lotions are already coming in handy and I will get great use out of the pot holder/oven mitt/towel set. Those Andes mints won’t last long, either… The NKOTB sticker was a great add-on, too - now to find it a good home on display somewhere… Merry Christmas! (Cats very much enjoying chasing the balled up wrapping paper as well )

And...

All Secret Santa gifts AND ornament exchanges have been received! Thank you all so much, I hope you had as much fun this year as I did. I'm going to go ahead and post the lists now, in case I don't have time to get back in here on Christmas day. I hope you all have a very Happy Holiday season! A HUGE thank you to Gatorburg and BFAddict716!

Pam, my eyes were drawn to the meyer lemon/blueberry one. I'm always trying to strike a happy medium with palates, which is why I worry something very chocolatey might be too much if you're trying to win. My absolute no is coconut, since it's a flavor/topping that has opinions (like mine, which is don't have that anywhere near my cake unless it's haupia.)

I agree, But they all look good!

4 snow days and I'm ready for school!

I just put my phone on "Night Mode". I wish I knew how to do all the extra manual fancy settings, but I don't. With Night mode, it does take a few seconds to take the picture (about 5), so you do have to be still. Mine are still a little smeary. I imagine I could put it on a tripod, but that would take some setup, and I'm too lazy for that!

Lets go 2025. I pray that we all have a fantastic year

Dang... Lost 10 already... That's a shame. December does tend to get away from us quickly, though. That said, Happy New Year, GD fam! Rang in the new year with a bunch of the church family at our annual NYE party (that I host). Good times were had by all and, if anyone left hungry, it was ABSOLUTELY their own fault. We had a huge spread of snacks and treats to enjoy and the largest group since pre-covid days. Yay! Christmas was enjoyed with my dad at a local Chinese buffet. He got a kick out of the fact that I bought him exactly what he said he wanted (an electric staple gun) - guess he wasn't sure his daughter was paying attention when he mentioned it was something he could really use. LOL Winter will be returning with a vengeance in the next week or so, so I am very glad my outdoor decorations come down even more quickly than they go up. That will all come down early next week. Tree will be down by end of next week, most likely. The winter/holiday painting that my grandmother made years ago will remain on my wall till spring when it'll get switched out for one of her other paintings more reflective of warmer weather. (It was one of her many hobbies and I am blessed to have several of her canvases to enjoy and remind me of her. ) Officially back to work today, though we are WFH today and tomorrow with a return to our normal hybrid work schedule next week. Allows us to ease back in a bit before we jump back in to the full regular routine and all of us are appreciating that.

Sorry for the late post. Things have been crazy thanks so much I love everything

Next the dedicated forum will go away

Am I the only one that gets a bit sad to see the holiday lights disappear from the GottaDeal banner every year?

I just wanna say thanks to my SS I have enjoyed the lego sets and the soap i have sitting on my desk. It has been a very crazy month trying to support my mother while she cant work and keep up with my own little family.

I hope everyone had a great Christmas! I'm enjoying the "what day is it again" time of year.

Thank you jesusluvu!!!! I love my gifts! My daughter got very excited and tried to take the cup as soon as she saw it, as if it was her gift

For the holiday season. Symphony North - The Bell Ringer. I listen on YouTube. Recorded during lockdown, there are two versions: Full band playthrough: or the version I prefer… Full band play through with story narration between songs to tell the full concept: While not flashy like Trans-Siberian Orchestra’s live shows, the approach is the same. A Christmas-themed tale with rock music, including both original rock songs and classic Christmas carols done in a rock style. While a rock album, like T-SO it is very musical theater in approach. I definitely enjoy it at Christmas.

From input I’ve received in various places, I’m going to go with the lemon blueberry. I’ve made it before and have more confidence than with going with completely new flavors. I’ll do a practice one in the next two weeks; someone suggested I swirl blueberry into the batter. I have a decent homemade blueberry pie filling I can leave the uncooked blueberries out of which I think will swirl nicely, and then I can use it in addition to the lemon curd for decorating. The practice one will test how the swirl works out, how it tastes and then to practice my decoration ideas. Ah… You probably would not care for mine then. I’m completely the opposite. I much prefer the style and texture of the cheesecakes made in Brooklyn, the Bronx, and Manhattan in the mid 20th century; Cheesecake Factory’s are tasty, but they’re too light and fluffy for me. Mine are the denser, heavier Jewish delicatessen-style cheesecake. The competition is on February 8th, so I have time to hone it in.

Oh ya it is definitely my favorite. Sooooooo good.

woo-HOO!!! https://www.whitehouse.gov/briefing-room/statements-releases/2025/01/17/statement-from-president-joe-biden-on-the-equal-rights-amendment/

Gator Pam, all of those cheesecakes look so delicious and amazing!!! The Meyer lemon was the one that seemed to stand out to me. My family would love all of those, especially the peanut butter cup one.

Maybe I'm stuck in the past but it's scary what these places charge as regular price for decoration/ splurge/ unnecessary things. Even at 75% off, I couldn't justify buying Halloween clearance at Joann's (Michael's was worse). Big Lots was a huge time waster trying to figure out what to spend my $20 gift card on. Wound up just buying Christmas Nightmare lights and spending more since 1 set wouldn't do much but I couldn't find $20 worth of other stuff to buy after walking around for like an hour. Everyone was walking around saying the same thing, Where's the sale? The shelves were pretty bare, lots of damaged stuff and one offs or loads of the same unwanted things, a handful of suitcases with zippers struggling to open.

You should try to make one that Cheesecake Factory makes. It’s called Adam’s Peanut butter cup fudge ripple. It’s cheesecake with swirls of peanut butter, caramel, butter fingers and peanut butter cups in it. Thing is insanely good.

Good lord have mercy! I can’t choose but if i had an opportunity to pick a slice to eat my tastebuds would lead me to the peanut butter one or the cookies and cream. However I do love a good lemon dessert too.

So, if one were to be considering entering a local amateur baking contest with a cheesecake, what flavor cheesecake would best appeal to a variety of judges one knows nothing about? Stick to the basics and do a plain New York with a homemade fruit topping? Freshen it up a little with a Meyer Lemon Cheesecake served with homemade lemon curd? Go indulgent with a white and milk chocolate peanut butter cup cheesecake? Maybe add a touch of coconut with a Samoan cheesecake? A childhood classic of a Cookies and Cream cheesecake? (no photo at this time) A Pumpkin cheesecake? Chocolate cheesecake with fresh strawberries? Possibly a savory Smoked Salmon Cheesecake? Or maybe a flavor I haven’t considered that would earn the judges accolades? (all of these were made by me in the past)

Sigh these are the HR people ruining it for the rest of us that do the right thing... I do admit I don't always answer the phone (I have way too many people calling trying to sell me crap) but I will call you back. And I always respond to an email or slack message.

Checking in for January from California. Crazy wildfires going on all over. Fires are over 100 miles from us, but they shut off power in a bunch of different areas. My sister's power was off for 2 days.

Finally on the backend of Snowpocalypse 2025 here in Tennessee. We ended up with about 7 inches of it yesterday. Beautiful while it lasted though.

My HR rep lives in a different state from where I work. She has never been to the facility, has never responded to an email from me, and has never answered her phone when I have called during business hours. There is something to be said for being able to darken an enemy's door from time to time.

Wishing everyone safe from the weather across the country. Here for January. I'm pretty sure I've never made it to January before.

Hi Folks, we got Snow and I am happy. Put out bird seed and suet and peanuts and water and watch the birds come and go. We have lots of woodpeckers and various song birds and a few squirrels, who cannot get into the suet feeder, Had tons of snow growing up, so it brings back fun times even though I’m not sledding. Feel awful for the California fires though. CANNOT imagine that. Happy New Year to all here

<insert very long series of thoughts on hybrid vs fully remote here> I work in HR, I see a lot.

No. 80% of my job is administrative. I can do that in the office or remotely. 20% of my job has to be executed in a designated space. If I do those things outside the space, it's a felony. While the specifics of the infraction are above my paygrade, I manage to be compliant.

Happy new year!!

חנוכה שמח! Happy Hanukkah!

Thread moved to 2025 subforum

I love that sweater paper!