Anyone Think This Shutdown Could Go Through October? (sales, rent)

[JustinCaseIII]

Originally Posted by mikecart1

If it does, I think that will make it the record for shutdown days. While it sounds cool on paper when we are stuck in the office wishing for a long break from work, I found myself today bored and kind of missing work. Am I nuts? I would have liked to go just a couple of hours haha. Today I spent most of the day catching up with emails, organizing, laundry, and cleaning up the place. This is after I got up to go to the gym at 5am when it opened.

What am I going to do tomorrow?

Anyone else wish they could go to work?

The record was set in 1995/1996, 21 work days, over a month. Previous Federal Government Shutdowns - The Bull Elephant

You may need to consider cleaning and organizing the garage and attic!

[JustinCaseIII]

Glad to hear that the President has cancelled his trip.

Sorry about the politics. I thought the shutdown was all about politics. My mistake.

[Caladium]

...

Getting back to the subject of how this affects northern VA, I'm a little curious what people have been doing with their time. Yesterday I felt like I saw half the county out jogging or riding bikes.

[mdcrim]

Cleaning out the garage, cutting down a dead tree, bike rides and stressing about money...

[OrangeFish]

Originally Posted by Caladium

I think that was just coincidence. He wrote the comment after having to delete several posts that seemed more appropriate for POC forum. You just happened to post at about the same time.

Getting back to the subject of how this affects northern VA, I'm a little curious what people have been doing with their time. Yesterday I felt like I saw half the county out jogging or riding bikes.

My spouse was in lockdown for a short period of time yesterday. The rest of the time has been spent working. Reportedly many of the lunch spots were on reduced hours since so many people have been furloughed.

[OrangeFish]

Originally Posted by sullyguy

It should be noted that Reid outright said there was absolutely no "grand bargain": Watch whole 2nd video or about the 2+ minute mark of it

[editorial commentary - I think it's a grand statement about The Me-Too Media how the "reporter" - and I use that term totally under protest - quickly changes the subject when it's pointed out to her that no such discussion (as she related in her question) took place - it was all made up by the Republicans from which she got the idea]

I believe that most people that live in the metro DC area that have been federal employees for any significant span of time understand that politics is filled with rhetoric, including statements made to reporters/the press/journalists/the media.

And with that, I exit this thread.

[austindoxie1972]

I think it will go 17 to 20 days. What's different now (as compared to the 26 day shut down in the 90s) is that many people are really living on the financial edge. Mortgages make up a larger percentage of take home pay, and people are financially stretched.

Several friends commented on Facebook that they are REALLY worried and getting scared. And these are people with two incomes. One is a friend whose husband makes $200K+ at Booz Allen, and she's probably in the $150K range. They have no kids. Another person said to me he can go one month and then will have to draw from his 401K. This guy has a military retirement, management consulting job pay of about $145K, a second job as a hockey ref, AND a wife who works. OMG.

[Caladium]

Thank you to the people who answered my question about what northern VA people are doing during this. These answers seem a little more believable than some of the silly things I hear from people who do not live in Nova. I talk with people I know in Arkansas, and it's eye opening to hear what they think you guys are doing during this.

Can you believe some people think northern Virginians are using this time to jet off to parties in Manhattan or take little trips to Europe? There's a lot of misinformation out there--people who actually do think federal employees are all fabulously wealthy, never do any work, never worry about bills, the streets in nova are paved with gold, etc. I wish the news would interview a few of you guys instead of acting like the only thing that happened is the panda cam shut down and tourists can't drive through Joshua Tree.

[mdcrim]

I've seen a few fluff pieces in some of the local papers who are playing up the furlough parties and get togethers and showing furloughed Feds out trying to enjoy their days so it looks like everyone is just having a fabulous time.

My next door neighbors are both furloughed Feds, as are a couple living across the street. Double whammy.

We decided to do a neighborhood potluck. Only families directly affected by the furlough can participate. The goal is to make the cheapest meal possible. The winner will get a six pack of the cheapest beer money can buy but if there is an impasse in the vote the voters get to drink the beer and the winners get nothing...

[Caladium]

Exactly. People in this area tend to be proud of an ability to take things in stride and make the best of bad situations. So hiking I can believe. Bike riding, spending time with kids, a neighborhood block party where the biggest expense is buying beer--those are things I can believe. I don't think anyone is jetting off to Capri during this.