u/DowntownFresnoBiking

I went to a T20 undergrad and a T15 MSW program and when I tell you the 'status' and reputation and the ranking of the program you choose does not literally matter even in a 0.1% consideration I seriously mean it does not matter. At all. Not even a little bit. Not at all.

The only reason I went to these schools is because both offered scholarships (and because I was chasing status, of course. I abandoned amazing friendships to chase status). The material I learned was identical to what my friends at ASU Online were studying. Identical. The networking and connections I made were the same exact ones my friends at CSU Long Beach would make, because the field of social work is the field of social work. It's literally just social work, it's not Big Law or Medicine.

When I applied to jobs, I thought my university name would help me. But I ended up at a job right alongside people from CSU Northridge, or even online programs. And I say 'even online programs' because the stigma in academia against online programs is real. Want me to be completely honest with you? Some of these social workers from these online programs were more competent and knowledgeable than me. Not because they were smarter or because they went to a 'better' program, just because they were. That's the only reason.

Please, please, do not make a decision based on tier list. Even my mom got over my university 'prestige' once I graduated and realized nobody in the real world cares. The colleagues I work alongside from all different types of universities are all the same level of competent, and anybody who has been in the professional field knows this. So when they are looking at your resume, the name of your university means quite literally nothing to them. Zip. Nada.

The ONLY time I've seen the university degree have a WEE-BIT of pull, I'm talking MAYBE helped get the person an interview MAYBE, was at these very strange macro-social work jobs that hire people on contract or part-time and use their university name to get grant funding. These jobs pay by the grant fund, so you only get paid for every grant you secured. Sometimes i noticed they like to put a big flashy name on the grant application. HOWEVER, this is also not even that true because the company was, also, full of 'regular' university names.

Never one single time in my career thus far have I either 1.) Talked about the name of the university anybody went to (the only way it gets brought up is in casual conversation ie "Oh yeah when I lived in x city for college..." etc) and 2.) Never had an employer favor me because of my university. You might think oh im bullshitting and how would I know if I was favored over another candidate. The answer is because I've literally lost jobs to people with a 'lesser' university name than myself because they were more qualified, or just interviewed better, or simply fit the job better. Not one single time did my university prestige / name come up in an interview, in a promotion, nothing.

The only thing I can think of that 'prestige' would help is if you want to teach at a university. Then going to a prestige school could be helpful, but at that point you're going to need to get a PhD AND go to a prestigious school. Most of my MSW professors didnt even have their university alumni named in their bio, let alone if they were PhD and MSW.

Go to the program you like, is going to get you licensed in the state you want to practice at, and is at a price you can afford. Also, I would even reccomend paying extra money for a program you really like that fits your schedule and idea of what will make you successful in an MSW. If you need to go to an online school to balance life, fucking do it. Nobody. Gives. A. Shit. They only care about your license number.

Went to a highly rated vet and was quoted around $1700 for a spaying for our 6yo English Bulldog. We got our bulldog last year and thought she was spayed as the previous owner told us she was, turns out she was not. She went through heat and had blood coming from the vulva, and about a week later (during the heat) a small dog snuck in our backyard and mated her up to 3 times.

It appears our dog's nipples / udders are swollen and pink, although I wonder if this could be from the heat. We chased off the small dog but are unsure if he visited again, which he likely did when we didn't notice.

The vet hospital didn't run a pregnancy test for some reason.. I think their logic was that it's too early to tell as this happened about 5-6 days ago now.

We are worried because she is obese (previous owner fed her way too much, she is down around 30lbs since we got her) and older, as well as has breathing problems.

We are unsure what to do and the vet hospital has us scheduled for a friday surgery.

The cost of $1700 is total and includes the prelab testing, anesthesia, and from what i can all related charges to the surgery.

Curious if any LE officers or adjacent have read the book called The Last Centurions. I know its a bit dated, but I have to be honest I felt it was very captivating especially for someone who doesn't read much, as well as honestly turned me off to law enforcement in the last half, whereas the first half actually made me excited about law enforcement. It has an interesting way of following hopeful rookies in to their angsty and jaded careers as the years go on.

Curious if you've read it and find it accurate / good?

Anyone staying in those new high rise apartments in downtown, you know the ones with the huuuge windows and nice balconies. It's pretty, like $4000 for a 2bdr, but boy is it beautiful. For anyone living in them or did a tour or been to them, how is it in them?

I was surprised as for the first time in the year or two I've been going to Heirloom it didn't have a line out the door. In fact there were only like 5 people in line, which if you know you know that is next to impossible for Heirloom. Usually the line is around the block. But I just thought I got lucky and ordered some food.

Well I didn't even finish my plate. It just tasted lower quality than usual, and the flavoring just wasn't what I've come to know Heirloom to be. We dropped $65 for two people which we don't usually mind for the quality of Heirloom, but the chicken I got was dry and bland, and my partner's sandwich was just kind of mid.

The worst part is how crummy we feel now after eating. Usually we feel great after eating at Heirloom, that's why we don't mind spending the extra $$ for the high quality food. But this time both of us had severe stomach aches and I actually felt like throwing up for about an hour, not from food poisoning, but just because, well you know how when you eat at Arby's in the first time in forever and your bathroom hates you for it? Like that..

Did Heirloom switch to Sysco? Is that why there's no line anymore? Sad if true. Heirloom used to be my automatic answer when people asked me a good spot to eat in Fresno, now I'm not so sure...

Great news! Fresno is getting more bike paths!!

tl;dr the very same programs that have improved the quality of our air by over 26% in the past 5 years are now being rolled back

Excerpt:

"Of the 25 most ozone-polluted cities, Visalia ranked second, Bakersfield-Delano was third, and Fresno-Hanford-Corcoran was fifth.

However, there is some good news. While the three metro areas still rank among the most polluted, Bakersfield-Delano, Visalia, and Fresno-Hanford-Corcoran each posted their best-ever numbers for short-term and year-round particle pollution.

But those recent gains are now under threat.

“The unprecedented federal attacks on California's environmental protection efforts over the last year threatened the state's ability to meet federal air quality standards, putting public health at risk for millions of Californians, especially those in the most polluted communities,” said Steven S. Cliff, executive officer of the California Air Resources Board.

As a result of federal rollbacks of state and federal regulations, emissions from motorized vehicles will increase by 42% by 2037. That increase in pollution will result in more than 14,500 deaths, 5,000 additional hospitalizations, 6,700 additional emergency room visits, and $145 billion in health care costs, said Austin Hicks, air pollution specialist at the California Air Resources Board.

While federal regulations prohibit states from enacting emission standards for new motor vehicles, California can request a waiver from the Environmental Protection Agency before the state can enact its own standards under the Clean Air Act."

This is especially scary because I've started riding in downtown with my fiance and friends trying to support development there, but people just don't seem to care...

Wishful thinking I know, but cloud seeding has seen success in places like Saudi Arabia which has increased precipitation by 20%. I doubt anything like this would ever be used here, but one can dream of 85 degree summers in Fresno?

A client recently told me he never understood the point of therapy until he got a massage. He said the massage made him feel like a weight had been lifted from his physical body, the aches and pains in his muscles and bones were gone, even if just temporary or for a few days, and that was worth the money and going each week. He told me that's when he made the connection to therapy, and decided to start attending.

He said he now feels the same way about therapy as massage, and says he'll leave my office with the same lifted, light feeling, just for his mind instead of his body he said.

I thought it was actually quite a profound comparison and it's got me thinking for the rest of the night. I get massage a few times a month, and I can definitely relate to the physically benefits massage gives me.

Would you say therapy is a kind of mental massage?

I can understand not wanting to ride a bicycle, it's a lot of physical exertion, it can get hot in the summers, and long commutes (especially in Fresno where it's common to work across the city). But those of you who have wrote off using a bicycle to commute, why haven't you considered an e-bike?

There is endless ways to get around in Fresno with a bicycle, and even easier and quicker with an E Bike. I can probably get to North Fresno / Clovis from South-East fresno in under 30 minutes on an e-bike. There's no registration fees, no gas cost, no insurnace, no car payments, no registration. Seems like a great way to save money, to save the environment (did you know just ONE person choosing to bike over driving prevents 15,000 TONS of carbon emissions in just a 4 mile ride?!? and hundreds of thousands of microplastics from car tires. Just ONE person can have that big of an impact).

Would you consider riding an e-bike in Fresno to commute?

Plants and trees are great for the environment. They fight pollution, give wildlife homes even in urban environments like Fresno, and reduce heat and temps from the sun on your house during summer.

I've planted over 35 trees on my property and well over 100 plants and bushes.

As a way to spread the word and encourage more Fresno residents to do the same to their property, ill plant whatever the top comment is to this post.

The ONLY thing I ask is its something that does well or at least can survive in our growing zone. I will say just about anything can grow here, from banana and avocado and mango trees to even gooseberries and stuff you wouldn't think could survive. So, really just have at it!

Ill post evidence once its done too

I switched to not weighing myself and instead focusing on living an active lifestyle, eating healthy, and exercising daily and I definitely look slimmer, better cardio, feel healthier, and have lost 2 inches on my waistline according to my pants, but I am too scared to weight myself because if the number isn't what I want it will deadass traumatize me again.

has anyone here just casually lost weight without using a scale at all?