<p>Ok this is going to sound like a stupid question, but I haven’t had really any financial planning in my life with regards to 401ks. What do you mean to “max out” the contribution? What is the “max”? My employer matches up to 3% but unfortunately I don’t think any of that will stay as I need to be an employee there for the equivalent of x amount of full time years and I won’t be as a student employee… unless I work for the state after I graduate (which is definitely a distinct possibility).</p>
<p>That’s not a stupid question at all. You have a choice how much of your income you want to fund your 401k with. There should be a benefits person at your work (or sometimes HR) who you can talk to about it. They’ll give you the scoop and give you the forms if you need to change your contribution. And yes, you often have to work a certain amount of years to be fully “vested” in your retirement plan. That person can also tell you about that.</p>
<p>I love my work, but i have worked fulltime for my entire career as an RN, even
supplementing with other jobs to earn extra money. I am so looking forward to getting off the treadmill. I will never stop work but would like a lot of flexibility and very partime work because I want to and not because I have to. I, have a lot of interests, cooking, reading, movies and a very small jewelry design business that I started when my D went off to college. I could easily concentrate on growing that and doing my adjunct clinical instruction 1 or 2 days a week. I always envied other mothers who were able to not work when their kids were young. But I do know they had difficulty re-entering thr workforce. The one good thing about my profession is that there is flexibility, but the flip side is that I did have to work Many Christmases, holidays and weekends. I do have a great appreciation for my time off and I do get to do a lot of me stuff and things with mybhubby. We are both looking forward to winding down.</p>
<p>If I struck it rich, I wouldn’t have a traditional job but I would work. I’d likely open a horse rescue and work like a dog but love every minute of it. </p>
<p>I hate housework so I’d have no problem hiring others to do everything for me in the house while I’m out mucking stalls, throwing around bales of hay and grooming. </p>
<p>I’m sure I’d keep a barn cleaner than my house. </p>
<p>I stayed at home for 2 months after D was born but I was not cut out to be a SAHM and really didn’t see much advantage to being around full time when she was a baby. The important time in my mind to be around is when they hit middle school. I had my own business at home by then so I was home for middle and high school.</p>
<p>That was one of the biggest surprises of parenthood for me! I always thought that being home during infancy was the most important time, but to my amazement, I found that they needed me even more when they hit middle school. Could be different for other families, but I felt very lucky to have the option to scale back and be home during that time.</p>
<p>Actually, I agree with cartera. As some of you know, I have a huge passion for pit bulls. If I struck it rich, I’d quit my job and open a bully shelter and campaign against BSL and for much more strict punishments for animal abusers.</p>
<p>Nrdsb4—YES!! I would not have been a good SAHM when my kids were little (though I felt so guilty about it, and felt like I was made to feel guilty about it), and it became clear that being around for the kids in middle school and hs was very important, and fun, to boot.</p>
<p>If I didn’t have to work, I would have my beagle (which I do not have) groomed weekly, we would have playdates, visit parks, eat bonbons together.</p>
<p>Lol zoose, at first, I missed the “which I do not have” and read the rest. I was confused because I thought you had the demon dog and wondered why you’d want to spend more time with him/her :p</p>
<p>I already have my soul mate dog. On my list of other dogs to get are: newfie, boxer, and a giant mastiff. My boyfriend wants a corgi. I have a feeling our house will be a zoo in the future. We also will only adopt shelter/rescue dogs so it’ll be interesting to see if we ever get our “dream” dogs.</p>
<p>"Miami, have you simply asked for your thyroid levels to be tested? I don’t <em>believe</em> it’s something that comes back on routine blood tests. "</p>
<p>-Are there symptoms or we just ask for any test randomly? I do not do routine blood tests. I had couple done few years ago - for free. Everything was fine, they gave me 100 points out of possible 100 and told me that my “test” age is 20 below than my actual age.</p>
<p>zoos,
I think I have most. My weight gain is always very well explained - simple overeating over couple weeks, cannot get up easily from the table after each meal, that probably will do it for anybody, I asume. No extreme sensitivy to cold, I love to be cold, but extreme sensitivity to warm/hot for sure.
Then, the next question, the reason for test, I assume to take some drugs. But if one does not want to take any meds, is it fatal?</p>
<p>Yes, thyroid problems CAN be fatal if untreated and severe. However, most of the time they’re just a PITA. My mother has Grave’s disease, which is an extremely overactive thyroid (I believe the first Mrs. Bush has this disease as well). It has caused major complications including multiple eye surgeries, major autoimmune problems, etc. My mom didn’t have severe complications until she was in her mid-late 40s although she had hyperthyroidism her whole life. Because she never treated it, it became much worse and she’s been sick much of the last 8 or so years of her life. </p>
<p>Miami, it doesn’t sound like you have severe enough hypo or hyperthyroidism for it to be a problem, but you really should get a blood test in general with your yearly physical. Maybe I’m just too health-conscious because of the probability of me developing Grave’s disease (it has a very strong genetic link), but I’ve always done routine blood tests once a year and they’re covered as part of my typical physical.</p>
<p>Speaking of dogs…I have been thinking about getting another one. We have a biggish mix now and i was thinking that adding another adult dog would not be that big of a deal. There is already a regular bunch of shedded fur that always needs to be swept or vacuumed, so how much worse can another dog make that?</p>
<p>Our dog now seems like she wants more play time and another dog would make that better i am guessing. I work at home, so it isn’t a big issue in that respect. I am thinking that they will play together.</p>
<p>I have always wanted a great Pyrenees mix, because i met one once that i just loved. Has to be a mix though because a pure-blood would undoubtedly have hip issues. There are always adult dogs that need to be adopted, so never a shortage to choose from.</p>
<p>I did have a beagle once-for the beagle soul mate fan- that dog was an absolute escape artist. He would be outside just for a short visit and be gone. My huge lab mix would always follow him too. They became a regular site roaming the neighborhood withe me looking for them. THAT is something to do during your spare time!</p>
<p>If miami has no intention of treating a disease if one is diagnosed, will not have a mammogram or a colonoscopy and is convinced she can self diagnose and self treat then there is nothing more to be said on the matter, so it would seem. Non compliant patients are difficult for doctors to successfully manage.</p>