General Chit Chat

It's been raining here all weekend. Major downpour. Very weird for July in SoCal! Much needed though.

Excited to be going on a road trip next week to visit family. Shame I have to miss the beginning of BIP though :P

Kashathediva wrote:I hope everyone is having a wonderful summer! :Nod:
It's nice to get OT and away from reality tv occasionally,  so I thought about bringing this thread forward.
I live in northern New Jersey and today is our second day of 90 degree weather. We don't get 90's too often, but where I am originally from (the St. Louis area), we had a hot, humid summer.
What's new with everyone else?

Our temps are in the 100s again, this has been that way for the last month. Hardest summer yet here in GA/SC. Moving to TN next Monday, hubby says the weather has been better there.

We've had some hot days, low 90's but they only last for a couple of days, then back down to high 70's.

Has anyone had lazer eye surgery? I'm really thinking about it. I've worn glasses since the 5th grade, then contacts since I was 16. A couple of friends have had great success and I only hear good things about it.

No I haven't. I've worn glasses since I was 2 1/2 and every doctor's appointment they ask about contacts or the surgery but I always say no because I'm too nervous and so used to the glasses. I have heard good things about the surgery as well.

By 16 yrs old, I couldn't stand the glasses any more. That's when I changed to contacts. I love contacts, but it just scares me that I'm doing more harm by wearing them for so many years.

Plus I've had scratched cornea a couple of times, it's horrible.

I have heard good things about it if you are not over 40's. I think as we get older the surgery does not last as long.

Who wants to give me advice? LOL.

I'm from SoCal.. I grew up here, went to school elsewhere, but came back upon graduation as I did not have a job. I didnt get a job for a full year mainly because I was burnt out from school + previous job that left me emotionally traumatized. I ended up saying 'yes' to a first job, but that job also left me traumatized as well (long hours, underpaid, never appreciated, etc.). I currently do contract work that I LOVE, but they cannot bring me on fulltime. It will end soon and I'm sad about it. Although I feel better, I'm scared of finding a job that will not treat me like poop. I thought about moving, but I'm terrified and I really don't know where else I'd move to. I'd stay here, but there are limited jobs and they don't pay as well.

I've contemplated on going back to school. I don't want to move to LA. The bay area is expensive, so I dont know where in CA I will like. I could move elsewhere in the U.S. but fear that I'll hate it and I still want to get moving in my career. I already feel so behind. So its clear that I have issues with the unknown and I dont know "whats next" as far as jobs/career goes or where I can look. Anyone ever been through this?

Can you talk to a guidance counselor? If you are thinking of a school it would be a good way to see what your options are and what the job market may be like. Have you tried talking to someone at your old school? Do you have anyone in your current job that you look to as a mentor that could give you some advice and maybe help you with networking? If there is a company you are thinking of working for, maybe see if you can find someone to talk to who already works there about the conditions. Is there a professional association for your field? If so, there might be people there who could help you with advice and direction.

Hope this helps. Good luck.

California, I just turned 44 on Sunday and will defend my PhD on September 10th. You are never too old! Each experience just makes us better prepared for what we are supposed to be eventually.

As for the glasses/contacts/laser eye surgery. I am almost legally blind, had glasses since 5 when teacher figured out I was not dumb, just couldn't see the board. Wore contacts from 14 until 26 everyday and on weekends from 26 to 33, then all my years of working with chemicals caught up and I can only wear contacts short term without my eyes hurting.

The Opthamologists here have told me I would require multiple surgeries and never be contact or glasses free, so no go.

Do you have a medical school nearby GA? I think they are more likely to be honest with you than someone who just sees you as another paycheck. Or is laser eye surgery covered under Universal Health Care in Canada?

Now the six friends who had it done with less extreme prescriptions love it and wish they had done it sooner and a couple were mid 40s when they had it done.

California -- My opthalmologist is dead set against laser surgery. He is very nearsighted and won't even do it for himself. I was very nearsighted all my life; after cataract surgery I have almost perfect distance vision. I wear progressive lenses so I will be able to make corrections for "middle vision" (i.e. using the computer).

Going to a university teaching hospital for another opinion is an excellent suggestion. Good luck to you!!

Thanks everyone for the lazer surgery info!

Happy Civic Holiday to all Canadians in the provinces that get a long weekend! Safe travels!

Tonight we will have a blue moon!
Yay!
We will not have another until 2018. interesting facts