I’m not arguing whether it’s true. I was pointing out that using iPhones as shorthand for wanted, unnecessary items doesn’t detract from the ridiculous nature of the statement.

The point still stands, even just thinking of it as generic luxury items. The people who need this the most are not spending thousands of dollars on luxury items they can just forgo in order to buy healthcare.

I love my clothes, and try to take good care of my stuff so that it lasts. Over the years I’ve noticed the same thing. After a while you start to get a feel for which fabrics really need special attention and which don’t. In many cases, the delicate cycle on the washer is a great alternative.

And as a former receptionist, I can promise that you were not the dumbest person they dealt with that day. It’s sound life advice all-around.

A lot of this is good advice for life. Just ask if you don’t know. You will usually end up looking worse if you pretend, and most people would rather answer some polite questions than puzzle out bizarre requests.

Yeah, that’s definitely becoming the thing in DC right now.

I used to have a roommate that did this. It took about three times for me to see him load the dishwasher and realize what was going on. The soap and water absolutely covered our kitchen floor. It was a huge mess.

In defense of hostels, they do vary by country and/or season. If you’re going to a party destination, it will be a very young, boisterous crowd. When I traveled in Morocco during the off season I was frequently the only woman, so had a room to myself. There were more men, but they were usually a calmer sort who were…

College admissions has gotten to the point where what kids do outside of school is as important, probably more than, what happens in school. Sure, a job doesn’t look bad on a kid’s application, but activities that show more commitment that a movie theater job look better. Most of the college-bound kids are going to be…

I actually find that comforting. No matter how rough life is, it won’t last forever. There will eventually be nothingness and I don’t have to deal with it anymore. It’s probably a good thing I’m an atheist, because the idea of an afterlife just sounds exhausting.

You’ve got this right. I consolidated my loans with the Feds for this exact reason.

It’s not just motorcycles. I got a driver’s license in the US without actually having driven a car before. Yay, freedom?

I wish I had someone in Congress to contact. DC’s situation goes against the founding principles of the country. Eleanor Holmes Norton is great, but no one pays much attention to her because she can’t vote.

I can confirm all of this. Also, try not to rant and rave. Lots of crazies call, and staffers just brush them off. If you need time to calm down, take it. You will be taken far more seriously. Also, be polite. Chances are the person answering the phone is a 23 year old kid and nothing is their fault.

I do love Ting. I have the cheapest phone bill of anyone I know and their customer service is good, too.

You can call your doctor and ask. Mine has priced out procedures for me before, and they generally understand that stuff is expensive and where you’re coming from in asking. They’ll probably have to talk to your insurance company and get back to you, but can give you an idea.

Thank you for doing this research so I don’t have to.

This is a really good idea. I had a friend get her first credit card when she started grad school, right after college. With zero history she had a $300 limit. She couldn’t even use it to buy textbooks online. If she had needed an auto loan or something bigger she would have had a hard time.

Some schools will also let alumni use their facilities. My alma mater sells gym memberships to graduates for a bit cheaper than the going rate in the area for the quality of the facility.

Class level and performance have nothing to do with each other. Pretty much everyone gets dumped in honors classes because their parents insist or the school wants to claim it’s “good” because they have lots of kids in AP classes. As a result, nothing much happens academically. So why put in the effort for a…