AC?
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After spending about 15k the past two years on replacing both aging sets of HVAC units with high efficiency replacements, I am saving about $75 a month on average. I would have had a $400-450 bill last month and it came in under $300.
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Grow lamps, crypto, or LLM? 
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It’s been a hot summer, so this is a part of it, but also our supplier has hiked rates twice recently and just announced record profits, so I think it’s more that…
In 16 years you will break even.
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I was actually surprised that I could get the full installed cost back over the expected life of units. +/- some discounting and inflation.
I do have a “a guy” that I know for this sort of thing…probably going to retire any day now though, so that played into it. Basically, flat rate for the install on top of the equipment costs, and the difference in price between a direct replacement (84% efficiency furnace) and 98% was a few hundred bucks. Same for the AC. The big HVAC guys are up charging all of that when the labor is effectively the same.
“Even for video interviews, you should still dress like you would if you were doing an in-office interview.”
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Ayfkm. It’s 2025, we’re in the 6th year of remote work being a real thing. I guarantee if you hit me up on Teams, I’m not going to be dressed in my office space in the bedroom like I’m sitting in the office.
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I know, I’m in the distinct minority here. Let’s please get rid of this “dress way up to superficially impress” thing once and for all. Evaluate people on their skill set, knowledge and interest, not on how good they look. Yes, there are limits here - I don’t want someone coming in for an interview smelling and looking like raw sewage. No, I don’t give a shit whether someone’s dressed in a 3-piece French tuxedo or a T-shirt and a pair of jeans; I want the person who can do the job and demonstrate they can get along with others, and doesn’t come across like they’re entitled to the position and more.
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Amen…but I do change from my usual t-shirt in summer / hoodie in winter WFH dress code to a button-down shirt when presenting or meeting with senior folks.
If someone insisted, I dress up, however, I would likely either rent a tux, or file my retirement paperwork.
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Go hi klass and 
OOOOOH!!! OOOOOOH!! GET A CAPE TOOOOOO!!!
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If anyone complains about my tshirt and shorts working from home (not that anyone can see the shorts), I’ll just start keeping my camera off. Yeah, I have started wfh before 6 before, since <7am is sometimes the only time to get anything done, going straight into a continuous series of meetings from there. Oops, the one meeting with the senior crew where it may have mattered and I haven’t stepped away for three hours? Guess I dont have time to run up two flights of stairs to grab a polo.
Now, I can appreciate a nice button down and dressing nicely. I’ll do that when the heat index isn’t a bazillion outside. Wearing a faded and wrinkled polo shirt from a decade ago isn’t really changing anything.
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My annoyed thought for today is around faux leadership. Leadership is hard, it takes time, it takes putting something out there that has a chance at failing, but owning it through to success. Leadership is not simply delegating tasks to a team, or inserting directionless opinions in meetings, or constantly proclaiming how your time should be used (or not used).
Drives me insane.
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6am and 7am meetings are not uncommon for me (I’m the only American on my team). For the 6am meetings especially, my team is extremely tolerant and understanding of my being in a t-shirt and wearing a ballcap.
Perks of being a woman: wearing a light sweater works in the summer, in the winter, for casual, and for formal… up to but not including a job interview, where a jacket might be warranted.
It is also not, among other things:
- Telling everyone how you’re trying to avoid doing work
- Asking others to do work so you don’t have to
- Asking subordinates what you should do re: decisions affecting the department
- Admitting you generally make decisions based on who will like you more afterwards
- Admitting you don’t like telling people no if you think they won’t like you afterwards
- Complaining about how you have to oversee some unit you don’t care about and have no knowledge of
- Excluding people in that unit from discussions that involve everyone else you oversee
- Basing assignments on perceived friendship with others in the department
- Talking about the meeting you have to go to and you don’t want to, but that gets you to after-hours meals and drinks that everyone else doesn’t get to be part of
- Encouraging people to quit working early so they can go with you to the weekly work-sponsored social time where you can drink beer
- Openly admitting “I’m not very good, I rely on others to do great work and then I take credit for it.”
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I feel you, but I think that last comment, if it really happens, is meant to be a backhanded jokey compliment to their team.
Oh. That reminds me of an annoyance. The high ups by us have dictated that we’re supposed to keep our cameras on.
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Raccoon rave @1:45 a.m.!!! 
I think this could be good or bad depending on the decision?
I am pretty flexible on the camera on/off. The higher ups all tend to have theirs on nearly 100% of the time and having them on during open discussions is a good thing, but during working meetings and presentations completely pointless. I think having it off 100% of the time is going to be bad for career progression though.
Depends if I am an active participant or mostly an observer
My work clothes are tee and shorts. Will wear hat if haven’t showered yet.
I don’t change for management
I neaten my hair and put on a Polo or button down for clients