HBE4

I'll let you know....later. 😉 My New Year Resolution was to stop making New Years Resolutions, which I guess I broke right away. I wonder if that'll get me into the Guinness Book of World Records for fastest breaking of NY Resolutions.

I probably have the most typo's & grammar errors of anyone. No excuse, just lazy, don't proofread & sometimes don't even pay attention if I have the TV on or get interrupted mid-post. Sometimes I'm embarrassed when I see my own mistakes long after it's too late to correct. Then again, sometimes it's fun to see if people can figure out what I meant. I subscribe to the "It was hard to write so it should be hard to read" theory. 😃

When I was real little, there were a few years where my parents didn't put up the tree until Dec 24th. Us kids would help, then go to bed only to be woken up in the middle of the night to find presents under the tree & we "just missed" seeing Santa. I was told this was an old German tradition (Mom was from Germany) but I'm pretty sure Dad just procrastinated & didn't buy the tree until the 23rd. Probably looking for a deal.😆 However, It was fun staying up all night opening presents & playing until we crashed just before sunrise. Going to church the next day was not fun. Little did my parents realize they were creating a family of procrastinators & night owls. Or maybe they did. 😀

I bought my Maytag washer & dryer in 2016. Basic models, with large dials to twist for various settings & temperatures. I only use 3 of the 12 settings & still trying to figure out the difference between the "Cold" and "Tap Cold" temp settings. But I really had no need for the more advanced models with push buttons & menus to scroll thru. But I digress, the salesman told me that if they last longer than 10 years, I'm ahead of the game. I asked if I buy one of the higher end units, would they last longer? He was honest & answered nope. All you are doing is buying extra features, not extra longevity. We are 8 years in. I'll let you know in 2-3 years if the are sill running. 🙂

Boo to you! 🙂 I'm slow to embrace the holiday season but slow to let it go. LOL. Often times, I don't put my trees up until 2 weeks before Christmas but will keep it up thru mid- or even end of January. Helps with the post-holiday blues, plus the house seems so empty & cold after undecorating. The way I see it, I'd rather have the tree up 4 weeks after the holidays than 4 weeks before. There is plenty of cheer before Christmas but need something afterwards during the dark gloomy days of Jan. I know, its weird & I'm pretty sure I'm in the extreme minority. Plus, I procrastinate. 🙂

I didn't post it here at the time but I had a mild bout with Covid right before Christmas. Nothing major, runny nose, sinus congestion, extreme tiredness. Normally I would have written it off as a head cold but because I was around several others that later tested positive, I checked & sure enough I tested positive as well. Self-isolated for 5 days and on the 6th day (Christmas Eve) I tested negative. Still, that was cutting it close & several member of my family are in the vulnerable high risk group so I cancelled my Christmas Eve & Day plans. I'm perfectly fine now but trying to catch up with all those I missed, mostly on an individual basis since everyone has their own plans. Basically, I'm having a bunch of mini-Christmas right up thru MLK weekend, which is the next time my niece from PA will be up here. I'll keep the outside lights on thru Jan 6th and the inside fully decorated at least thru MLK weekend, maybe longer.

Found on FB. Typical helpful New York advice.😄

Also, the there is a massive construction project going on in front of MSG. I think they are trying to rebuild a skyscraper without tearing it down. Anyways, be prepared for road and sidewalk closures and masses of people trying to navigate the narrow "temporary" walkways around the construction. I've been there 6 times in the past 3 months and the walkways are always reconfigured differently. Adding to the mayhem will be commuters trying to catch NJ Transit & Amtrak trains at rush hour. You might need to channel your inner "Buffalo Bills Linebacker" and push your way thru the crowd otherwise you may find yourself stuck on a street corner for the rest of your life. It's okay to be rude. It's NYC. It's expected. However much time your GPS tells you need to get there, triple it. That way you can relax and enjoy all the, uh, "energy" the city has to offer. INSIDER TIP: When approaching the glass doors where security is on the other side, head to the center doors. For some reason these are the least busy so security on the other side is less crowded. Look for the "No Bag" lines if your wife does not have a handbag & you'll zip right thru. For @maggieq to

Sort of. The tree & gift shops will be gone but the ice slating rink & pop-up bar & restaurant are there until early March. Still worth the visit & honestly,with maybe one or two exceptions, there was nothing unique about the gift shops that you couldn't find in any gift shop in any other touristy destination or shopping mall. I'm always hesitant about giving dining recommendations as people tastes & expectations vary, plus when I'm at MSG, it's for a Ranger game so most places I go to are sports bars/Irish pubs. Having said that, here are a few non-fine dining options: Stout is huge, 3 levels & can handle large crowds quickly and efficiently. Located 1 block from The Garden. https://www.stoutnyc.com/location/stout-nyc-penn-station/ The Keg Room is about 3 blocks away, smaller but less crowded. With 45 TV's, you'll be able to see any game, anywhere in the world from where ever you sit. At anytime. Feel free to cheer on your favorite Rugby or Cricket team. http://www.thekegroom.nyc/#snippet Mustang Harry's somehow became one of the "go-to" bars when visiting MSG and as such, will probably be the most crowded. But I never had a bad meal there either. https://www.mustangharrys.com/ Of the three, I tend to favor The Keg room, mostly for convenience. It's about half-way on the walk from Grand Central to MSG.

Love this picture!

Is "Love Actually" a Christmas movie? If so, I'm still watching Christmas movies. I guess it is since it is set at Christmas time and features a somewhat unique Christmas song. Pretty good for a Rom-Com. I can't believe it was made 20 years ago & I've never seen it. Unfortunately, last night was it's last night on Netflix. Needing to regain my manliness, I then watch "Ford vs Ferrari". True story & great acting by Matt Damon and Christian Bale. Yeah Ford & go America! ** fist pump** Unfortunately, yesterday was also it's last day on Hulu. Not sure if either movie will end up on another streaming service. And that's how I spent my New Years Eve!

*sigh* Another nice guy illusion shattered. 😉😇

I haven't been to the Chart House in decades....ions...forever. I need to get back there. Love that view. Best place to see NYC skyline is from NJ. EDIT: Just call me Captain Obvious. Can't really see the NYC skyline while in NYC. 😜

Your heart is in the right place. No doubt about that. But most of those cruise ship employees know what they are signing up for. They are making far more money then they would back in the home country & they decide its' worth the sacrifice. And once the contract is up, most will resign to stay on. For years. Some are supporting family back home, some are saving to buy a house and others are just stock piling money so they can live a comfortable life once they quit the cruise ship industry. Remember, they also have minimal expenses during that 8 months contact. And that's' their choice. To be clear, i could never do it, even in my young and careless days. But that's my choice.

Do you buy your employees clothing to wear to work and pay for laundry? 😉 I'm kidding of course. I'm on the same page as you. The only thing I can think of is that cruising - more than any other vacation destination - the crew members treat the passengers like BFF's and family. And most passengers respond in kind. You see it all the time here on CC. "Say hi to my favorite bartender/server/cabin attendant Tell them that <*insert name here *> misses them". Or "I can't wait to get back on my favorite ship & give my cabin attendant toys to give to their children". And all that is wonderful and nice and the world needs more niceness. And I'm sure much of it is sincere. But let's be clear - they are being paid to be nice. I doubt I will be invited to their kids wedding & I doubt they will be attending my kids wedding. BFF's we are not. Once I'm off the ship, there is another BFF taking my place. I know it sounds cynical and I'm sure someone that cruises 36+ weeks a year is going to tell me how wrong I am. But that's the only logical explanation I can come with as to why so many take a vested interest in the employer-employee relationship on cruise ships. My mailman, deli clerk and local highway department has more of an impact on my life & I don't go asking them about their pay & benefits. I doubt many do. JMHO, YMMV, etc, etc, etc.

Is it any good? I've seen advertisements for Ghost UK. Probably imported the show to fill the gap due to the writers strike. Seems to have pushed a lot of shows back 6-12 months.

Sadly, yes it did. But I think you got all of your valid points across. 👍

This has to be the most useful piece of advice I have seen on Cruise Critic in the history of Cruise Critic! Thank you.

Of course! Some one had to make it! 😀

No towel animal? However, chocolate is better. Can't eat a towel animal. 😉

Give yourself some credit. That is a pretty aggressive list, not for the faint-of-heart. Not to brag, but I love to drink, especially when on vacation. And I might need 2-5 or more cruises to complete that list.

Reply has been posted. Let the countdown begin to the fairy dust sprinkle, thread lock or monopoly.

Considering the overall price of a vacation, the bag fee is really negligible. Nickles & dimes actually. Two less drinks during the entire cruise more than makes up for it. Another non-issue. The wait at the luggage carousel is only a matter of minutes. & by the time I have my luggage, the lines for taxi/car rental/hotel shuttle have died down so it's really a wash. Lost luggage has never been an issue. My biggest suitcase fits nicely under the bad. No clutter. I'm an over-packer but I end up using everything I pack. Sometimes I sweat so much, I need to change my shirt. Or I spilled food or drinks or both on my lap. Dirtied or muddied my footwear while on excursions. Or any other unforeseen circumstances where if you just "pack enough", it's not enough. Same. Except I pull the suitcase out from under the bed. But you might have me on this one as it does require some extra effort to pull the bag out, unzip, re-zip and push it back under the bed. But that's my version of working out. 😀 I'm last off the ship. Always. To recap, the Tips/Tricks/Hacks that people share are just that. Tips that work for them and people are free to choose what works for them. There is no right or wrong. It's not a competition. 🙂

When I have more time, maybe I post a reply. I wasn't kidding when I said Renee wrote exactly I was thinking. I won't be able to duplicate Renee's style but maybe the spirit of her gone-to-soon post.

Someone is extremely proud & very passionate about packing lightly and smartly fitting everything they need in life in a small carry-on. 😉 Too bad they are not as economical in the amount of words they use in a post as they are with the amount of clothing they pack.😄 Sadly, fairy dust has been sprinkled & posts have poofed.