Couch 231: Live Long and Prosper!

I want to say I don't think so, I'm perfectly okay with that part, but there may be some truth in that because it just puts in my face that this is a professional relationship. But after I told her I got the raise, I was just about to also say that she should charge her new normal rate, but we both started talking at the same time so I stopped and let her talk. I would feel guilty only paying $100 after my raise kicks in next month. She hasn't raised my fee in a really long time. I wonder if it would help if I do end up calling her, if I offer to pay the additional $25 for Friday as well. I mean I know i won't see the raise on my paycheck til October but $25 won't kill me right now, either. I do hate money, but honestly I want to pay what I should be paying, especially now that h is back to working full time.

I dunno. I think I'd be better off to just leave it alone and journal my way through this and hope that after 2 months I don't even want to go back. This whole thing is just so weird!

Not weird to me, Art.

She said 1-2 months though, right? So you could go back after 1 if you wanted? (Well, I imagine if you call her tomorrow, you could likely go Friday.)

Maybe see how you feel tomorrow in terms of calling her. If it's still bothering you, I think it's OK to talk it out.

Thanks QM and LT.


I've said it before and I'll say it again this therapeutic relationship is so convoluted!!!

Artie - Can you ask for a closure session? Simply say you felt rushed and confused and want to "pause" things on a good note? Just ask for what you need. You don't have to suffer through this.

L and I made an agreement that we would never end or pause therapy in just one session. That it's important to have good solid closure and understanding.

Thanks Scarlet. Maybe I will call her tomorrow.

Last night I dreamed that I was inside my head with a younger, male version of myself and we were pulling down these huge glass partitions.

No offense to your “dream maker” but I think it’s a bit too on the nose, as they say in writing classes.

I am somewhat annoyed. My building is half own, half rent. I own, but there’s an additional agreement that any improvements made to the building as a whole are made to all the flats. So they decided to make every flat smart home capable, which they’re installing next week (workmen underfoot everywhere). Then there will be a fee for that starting next year.

I do not want a smart home. There’s too much tech in my life already. I like my old dumb home. But I can’t opt out of installation or the later fees (the amount of which they won’t reveal except to say they’ll be “reasonable”).

I am trying to tell myself it increases the resale value.

I do like my smart home - I like being able to check or change the temp from away, turn on lights, etc. And my life became about 1000 times better when I got a push code door lock rather than keeping up with keys which I kept forgetting when I was gathering up the dogs to walk.
But isn't possible to get the capability without using it? If not - it would piss me off too because I want a choice not a command to use it

No choice on fees or installation, no choice on the smart home provider (has to be a certain app).

It’s certainly possible not to use it, but then I’m still paying for it.

I had an Echo awhile ago and got rid of it—the only thing I ever used it for was telling it to sound like a cat to see new cat’s reaction.

I have a couple of amazon devices, sonos, smart doorbell, thermostats (my heat is a boiler and my a/c electric so more than one thermostat is needed), smart lights and plugs, and probably other things I am not remembering. I can sit in the chair and have it turn on or off lights, talk to the doorbell, etc. and we also have a couple of vulnerable friends set up with amazon devices so that they could easily call me or another friend if they fell or something. My doors are not smart as such - I have to punch buttons rather than using wifi because I didn't want to have trouble if wifi dropped or something. But it was my choice and I like techy gadget stuff.
A lack of choice would be galling.

No offense taken. I think it's rather obnoxious sometimes myself.

And I would be annoyed too at the lack of choice regarding the smart home thing! Especially making you pay for something you don't even want.

Well, I will give it a shot, except maybe the door thing.

But I am someone who will actually get up and walk over to the TV rather than use a remote.

I guess it does come with internet service, though I’m bound to that contract until next spring.

We have one of those Ring doorbells on our new house, but I can't figure out how to use it. I hope the previous owner of the house isn't using it to spy on us somehow. I don't know why I just now thought of that. Hmm. Maybe I better figure out how to disable the thing....

I just went off on L in an email. Everyone wants me to continue this fee reduction conversation, and I've had enough. I'm actually losing touch with the reality of my relationship with L: the facts and history. They feel so out of reach, like a dream. I don't feel connected to her right now. I feel like I'm screaming for help and no one is listening. Everyone is just focused on their wants and needs (money) and forgetting what I want and need. Saving $30 a month is of no help when therapy sessions are $150 each.

I'm wondering how she's going to respond. Defensive? Disappointed? Frustrated? Overly logical? Normally I'd apologize or try to soften things. I kind of just want to blow things up and see where s*** flies.

Hugs, Scarlet. You do what feels right for you.... I hope you're able to figure things out with L.

The only smart thing in my home (besides a couple mouths, heh) is the thermostat. I couldn't figure out why it was changing constantly. Guys denied touching it, and they are certainly pranksters but of the mind that a good joke isn't funny unless the prankee knows they've been pranked. I thought maybe it was broken or something. Then I realized it was "smart" and connected to an app...on the kids' dad's phone. I don't really make accusations without proof, but funny how the temp stays constant now that it's connected to my phone instead.

As long as you changed your internet service and are not still using the same ip address as your seller - you should be fine - it works by attaching to your wifi and mine don't work as soon as the internet goes out (which happens a lot with crappy att service we have around here). I seriously doubt you are in any peril. Plus it only points outside so all anyone who hacked into it would only see out of your house - not into it.
Does Ring Doorbell Work without Internet? | Smart Home Starter

If you want to use it -https://support.ring.com/hc/en-us/articles/360038010351-I-Would-Like-to-Take-Over-Change-Ownership-of-Ring-Devices

I Would Like to Take Over/Change Ownership of Ring Devices – Ring Help

I have discovered there is a science and technology catergory on twitch. I am over the moon. I think i am set for the rest of my life.

Hugs, Scarlet. I hope she responds well to your email.

What is twitch? Never heard of it.

thanks I've been trying to figure out how to get into the thing to get the security key or whatever. i'll read through this stuff and see if it has any suggestions. thank you!

Well I read a bunch of stuff on there and determined that i needed to order the spare parts kit to have the thingamabob i need to open the dern thing up haha so i just ordered it.