A day in the life of Jessica_k

[D'Amalie]

The gov't says inflation over the last 25 years averages out to 2-3%.

My math using the price of bread $1.50 then and $5.00 nowadays.  I'm no mathematician (although I have an MBA), yet that looks suspiciously like 30%.  CPI be damned.

We used to spend $215 or there about for a cart of groceries in 1997, similar cart today is $500-$600.  That looks like 30+ percent to me.  Just a thought.  I don't know if my median middle class class children will every be able to buy a house.  It takes two adults making about 65K each to afford a $300K house yet the average cost is $475K!

[REM.1126]

Part of the problem with CPI and other such inflation metrics is that they keep changing the basket of goods so the government looks better (inflation looks lower).  They no longer count fuel, power or food in the basket.  And, let's be honest, these are the things people have the least ability to stop buying. 

If you have a job, in many places, you need motorized transportation.  My (small) city doesn't have buses. You can drive, ride a mopped, or take Uber/Lift.  These are your choices.  So, fuel cost is hard to avoid.  It can be minimized, but not avoided.

And, power and food are basic necessities.  You can only cut back so far. 

Housing?  Even if you can't buy and decide to rent, higher home prices, higher construction costs (i.e. inflation) mean higher rent.  Wages aren't going up at the same rate.

When they say you will own nothing and be happy, what they really mean is most people won't be able to afford to own anything.  Whether they are "happy" is yet to be seen. I am glad I am getting old, because I don't like the way the whole world seems to be working towards no middle class; just lords and peasants. 

[Jessica_K]

Fuel in the UK is daylight robbery. Petrol (gas) is currently £1.36 a litre, £6.12 a Uk gallon or $5.8 a US gallon. and that is cheap it's been at one time over £2 a litre.

Average household income in UK £32,600 a year. Average house price is £310,000, average deposit is between 5 and 15% or £17500 to £52000. So buying a house is almost impossible. Unless you are the prime minister Rishi Sunak and wife's wealth is about £730m. He has no problems. I rest my case.

Hugs
Jessica

[D'Amalie]

Jessica,

I thought it was unfathomable when fuel in California and Utah caught up with the UK.  Growing up in Europe I was used to expensive fuel.  Yet please explain how come ours is back down to $3.40 or so and yours is still pushing $6? Plus tax or included?
 
Ours includes fed and state taxes, about  $.184 on every gallon of gas goes to federal tax, and 31.9 cents per gallon is state tax.  To be honest, I really don't mine the tax, 'cause I really like having access to the roads!

[D'Amalie]

Across the pond, most of our Senators, etc. are all millionaires too.  By the time Representatives get a couple of elections under belt, then they are wealth as well.

[davina61]

Cant remember the exact amount but a good percentage of fuel price is fuel tax and then they charge VAT (value added tax) so you pay tax on a tax , robbing<not allowed>

[Jessica_K]

A simple normal winter day.

I think I mentioned I had a blood test last Friday, well a few results have come back. FBC is normal on every test and the sugars test is normal so no diabetes type 2 so all good so far. Waiting for thyroid test.

Of course being NHS, they will not do hormones so all these tests will show is that I am a healthy something not a healthy woman. I have 4 months until my next endo appointment and before that I have to get my endo to request from my GP a hormone test, if they refuse then I have to get it done privately.

Today was fine, working from home I can take breaks etc so it is less stressing. K has been nice to me and even cooked dinner, something from the freezer of course but at least I did not have to cook and it was veggie for me.

A new series of silent witness started too, a drama of a forensic lab solving a crime with social life added. I fell asleep tucked up in my throw on a recliner, I did not stand a chance so I will have to watch again later.

It has been very cold, heating on all day and only just got to 19C indoors (-1C outside) and a slight flurry of snow. Nuffin much but was visible on the car.

Hugs
Jessica xxx

[Jessica_K]

Yet please explain how come ours is back down to $3.40 or so and yours is still pushing $6?

They can charge what they like as there is rarely competition. The supermarkets were the main drivers of completion Relisfic prices with low profit margins to entice people to shop. Now they have increased profit and are the same as all the others.

A story of some years ago the town close to where I lived at the time had two supermarket selling petrol. One shut down for a month for a referb. The other immediately put their prices up by 15p a litre to profiteer the situation. I never shopped again in that store for 5 years.

Hugs
Jessica xxx

[REM.1126]

In the U.S., Sam's Kroger and other groceries often sell gasoline below cost.  They literally pay more for it than you do, not considering the cost of delivery or overhead.  They do it to promote the idea that they offer low prices and to push people into the store where they have a higher markup. 

Sam's has been sued many times over this in Alabama (the state has a law against selling motor fuel below cost, because it is seen as "predatory" (done to drive competition out of business like Standard Oil did).  Sam's LOVES to get sued for selling gasoline cheap.  It is great advertising for them. 

[davina61]

When I got up it said 16C in my front room, 14.5 in the kitchen! and that was after the under floor heating had been on for an hour earlier. Builds up nicely in the front room after my panel heater has been on for a bit at21C .

[Jessica_K]

Someone has taken away the horrible K and given me the nice one.

There has been a distinct change in the weather, it has got very cold with clear skys brrr. However indoors the weather is changed to the good.

It's the little things. Trivial, like a few weeks ago if K cooked then she would have dished her own up and left me to do mine, same for dishing takeout. Now it's back to how she used to be with her dishing mine out first.

We talk, she shows me stuff from her phone etc. In a nutshell life is back.

I quite like this new norm life. I have my room where I do not have to hide anything to stop her having a huff. I can also have my work meetings there. She knows I change my top and put on my wig when I have a meeting but does not have that long face when I come back down again dressed as she likes. I had 3 meetings today so three changes of clothes.

Other news, I have been taking progesterone for 4 months now and the effects have been super. As per my ticker I have been taking the usual HRT for some time and have had a good result but not perfect. I had reached T4 and a reasonable cup size. But now I am moving closer to T5, filling out nicely and a good cleavage. A little way to go but definite improvement.

Ok and now something strange or funny.
I have been getting cravings, it not happened before and I can only put it down to the progesterone, ether that or I am turning into a Japanese Mouse.
I have to have cheese, strong cheddar. I am always going to the fridge and grabbing a big chunk. And the other thing is Tamari soy sauce, the good stuff from Japan I am taking swigs each time I enter the kitchen, just a little bit but must have it. Weird. The thing in common apart from good taste on on my part is salt.  They are both high in salt.

Hugs
Jessica xxx

[TXSara]

It's the little things. Trivial, like a few weeks ago if K cooked then she would have dished her own up and left me to do mine, same for dishing takeout. Now it's back to how she used to be with her dishing mine out first.

We talk, she shows me stuff from her phone etc. In a nutshell life is back.

I quite like this new norm life. I have my room where I do not have to hide anything to stop her having a huff.

This sounds like a fantastically positive development, Jessica!  I'm really happy for you, and I really hope that this newfound acceptance and freedom lasts a while!

~Sara

[Jessica_K]

Posted on here a couple of days ago and been AWOL for that time as I had to spend a lot of time supporting another forum.

There was trouble at mill at a forum of a passion and hobby of mine.

My tag says "I do like a big valve (vacuum tube) is the hint. I love music and love the HIFI that reproduces it in my home. And love all valve technology. I am lucky in that I have the skills to design and build audio valve amps to a reference standard.

So the forum. One of the largest HIFI enthusiasts forums "the WAM" has had a schism all the mods and IT have left along with hundreds of members and a new forum was set up in 2 days. A massive undertaking. I support this break away as the WAM owner has just ignored its members, refused to back the WAM show and threatened the mods with legal action if they attempted to put on a replacement even though the owner has never participated in the show and in the forum.

So a new forum was made Maverick hifi to keep alive the spirit of the WAM and to allow the show to go ahead.

So why maverick? Because for years the person that did the most organising of the WAM shows, handle Maverick died last year and the forum and show is dedicated in his memory.

What is the show? One of the most important parts of the WAM was its meet ups. All over the UK members would meet in a members home, a social event, listening to their system, and bringing kit to either make up a adhoc system or replace bits in the hosts. It was a great way to meet enthusiasts and to hear all sorts of antique or exotic hifi. One guy has invested nearly £500k in his. Anyway, the show, this is where the forum organises a hifi show, the same as the big commercial shows, taking over a whole hotel for the weekend and members bring their entire systems and set them up in the hotel rooms for paying public to hear them. It is the pride and pinnacle of the forum. Hence no show no forum.

Ok enough, a story about my couple of days apart from the forum. I will make you all laugh.

I am away and in a hotel for a 3 days. So in my room I decide to make a cuppa. I then reclined on the bed getting comfortable to do a bit online. I picked up my cup to see in slow motion it slip out of my hand, full. It did not go on the bed phew but instead filled my boot that was beside the bed. I had to pour it out and attempt to dry it for morning. I had pair of shoes in the car but would need to wear the boots to get them. Luckily they dried.

Back home tomorrow..

Hugs
Jessica xxx

[REM.1126]

I would like to learn how to build tube (valve) guitar amplifiers, but don't know where to start.  I know nothing about electronics.  I would be proud to build a good sounding amp though. 

I don't own a Vox, but I like the AC 15 twin.  I have a boutique amp made by Sam Timberlake (a local legend).  He made mine "Dumble-esc") which really doesn't mean anything since Dumble made each amp tweaked for the musician that would be playing it to complement their style, and that is what Sam tried to do for me.  Anyway, Sam doesn't teach Amp building, and works alone. 

I have a few amps.  I still have the cabinet from my first amp.  It was solid state and no longer works.  I'd love to build a good tube amp inside it, and blow people away with how good my old Peavy Special sounds, or to smile when they say solid state isn't as good as tubes (not knowing it is a tube amp). 

[REM.1126]

Is the boot none the worse?

[Jessica_K]

Is the boot none the worse?

The boot is fine, quality from M&S lol. It's the only pair of boots I have and love them. 2" block heel too makes me a bit taller and longer looking in the leg.

Hugs
Jessica xxx

[Jessica_K]

I forgot to mention my system is only a record player though I have added a streamer the DAC visible as the little blue box. It was not connected in this picture

I call it the dansette



Hugs
Jessica xxx

[REM.1126]

The blue box looks like a Presonus Audiobox DAI.

[Jessica_K]

The blue box looks like a Presonus Audiobox DAI.

Well done Rachel, yes it is. I use it as a USB DAC it's reasonable but as I only use it for background and search for new music it is not there to be as good as the record playing.

I use a raspberrypi as a streamer and to provide the USB.

HUGS
XXX

[Jessica_K]

So this morning I am in my JimJams with the Dansette on streaming Capital Dance a 24/7 whole day dance music. Brill

It's 12:40pm and I have done nuffin. But I have at some point pull everything out of the spare room. For a while now there has been a smell in there and need to find out where it is coming from. But I am lazy lol

This evening we are going to Shirls and Steve's to help move a huge glass dining table. It's a 3 girl, 1 boy lift lol

Later it will be down to Waterlooville for a Chinese meal out. This is my new norm and I am liking it, if only I could be myself, but cannot have everything.

Tomorrow Kay is going to Maidstone all day, I am not invited. So I am look around my local friends should I find someone to invite over or visit.

Hugs
Jessica xxx