Hi everyone. We are having an emergency. We are getting married in less than one week-- next Saturday, and we suddenly dont have a photographer.

Our photographer that we locked in last year just told us that they cant shoot the wedding. They have very good reasons for it and we are understanding, but obviously it's not great for us.

The photographer has procured a backup photographer to shoot the wedding, but we are looking for other options that better match the style we hoped for.

We picked our photographer for their in-the-moment, documentary style and beautiful portrait shots. There was a real artistry to their photos.

We arent doing a ceremony, so the focus is on the celebration.

We are frantic. PLEASE recommend anyone you know is available. Photographers, if have it in you to save our day on such short notice and you think you style matches our description, please share your work.

Budget: up to 8k

Location: South/central Brooklyn

Reposting to meet forum requirements.

This job market is beyond brutal. Don't even know what to do anymore. I'm lucky to be in a decent role, but I've been trying to leave for THREE YEARS. I've had so many final rounds. Interviewed at startups and FAANGs. Hell, I even interviewed with Netflix.

I cannot get a new job. Today I got another rejection, after 2 interviews, that made me really feel deep in my soul that maybe I'm never going to leave my job unless I'm laid off and then that will be the end.

Ive been lucky enough to avoid 5 layoffs in the time Ive been at my job, but I hate my company passionately and dream of leaving every day.

Is ANYONE getting jobs? I feel crazy.

True mixed methods, 6 YoE, PhD. I even got a career coach last year to improve my interviewing skills and referral rate. I get feedback that my resume is great, my interviews are great, but none of it seems to be enough!! I tried to hire a resume writer and they DECLINED their service because they said there is literally nothing to improve on my resume.

I feel like Im doing everything I possibly can yet somehow I'm still getting something wrong!!!

I don't know shit about shit in terms of investing; a lot of what I've learned is from lurking on forums like these. I would like some advice on if this strategy is logical:

I have 2 goals:

(1) Save for a down payment in my HCOL area (can't leave it before of my job)

(2) Save for retirement and hopefully financial independence

Right now I have:

135k in a HYSA @ 3% (emergency fund + part of down payment savings)

147k in a money market fund (down payment)

90k in a 401k in a target date fund (making these out + 3% match every year, but started late because of a career switch)

7.6k in a Roth IRA, invested in FXAIX

12.3k in a combo of VASIX and VSCGX (Vanguard life strategy funds, mostly bonds)

It roughly breaks down like this:

97.6k in retirement

70k emergency savings

Approx 225k down payment savings

Unfortunately we need to get to around 300k for the house and then wait until our salaries can support that kind of mortgage--probably another 3-4 years. I know it's crazy money but such is life in NYC.

We're mid to late 30s and my concern is that now is the time to be building our investment portfolio and we're not really because we're focused on the short term house goal.

Should I be more aggressive with the Vanguard investment and treat that as the beginning of a long term portfolio?

Should I take a chunk of the cash and take a risk and invest it somewhere low risk so it's growing a bit faster?

Thanks for any and all advice!

I am looking for a solid android that is under 6.2 or 6.1 in and would like some suggestions.

The Samsung s10e was the perfect phone for me size wise, but that was a long time ago. Right now I have a pixel 7a, which is ok in terms of size, but I absolutely fucking hate the battery life and how slow it can be.

I've tried doing independent research but the options are still overwhelming. Would love some suggestions

Things I value:

1. Size: must be under 6.2, ideally 6.1 in. I have small hands and big phone are very uncomfortable in my hand.

2. Takes at least one physical sim and is dual sim compatible (I travel internationally frequently. Can be flexible on the physical sim)

3. Very good battery life that doesn't deterioriate quickly

4. Good camera. I am going on my honeymoon in a few months and in general travel a lot and value being able to take quality photos without carrying an extra camera.

5. Good software experience. Easy to use, well thought out, easily compatible with other devices like headphones or sending stuff to my TV or printer.

Nice to have:

1. Strong screen. I always have a screen protector but gotta admit I am clumsy and drop my phone a lot. This post brought to you by finally busting my pixel screen this afternoon.

2. Decent screen brightness. I am often on the go outside under the sun.

I am looking for a solid android that is under 6.2 or 6.1 in and would like some suggestions.

The Samsung s10e was the perfect phone for me size wise, but that was a long time ago. Right now I have a pixel 7a, which is ok in terms of size, but I absolutely fucking hate the battery life and how slow it can be.

I've tried doing independent research but the options are still overwhelming. Would love some suggestions

Things I value:

1. Size: must be under 6.2, ideally 6.1 in. I have small hands and big phone are very uncomfortable in my hand.

2. Takes at least one physical sim and is dual sim compatible (I travel internationally frequently. Can be flexible on the physical sim)

3. Very good battery life that doesn't deterioriate quickly

4. Good camera. I am going on my honeymoon in a few months and in general travel a lot and value being able to take quality photos without carrying an extra camera.

5. Good software experience. Easy to use, well thought out, easily compatible with other devices like headphones or sending stuff to my TV or printer.

Nice to have:

1. Strong screen. I always have a screen protector but gotta admit I am clumsy and drop my phone a lot. This post brought to you by finally busting my pixel screen this afternoon.

2. Decent screen brightness. I am often on the go outside under the sun.

I'm trying to figure out what kind of bag I need for my trip, and am working backwards from what I want to plan to carry every day to determine the size. Would love some feedback on whether anything is unnecessary or missing.

I am going end of October through Mid November. Will be in Tokyo end of October and ending the trip in Kyoto and Kanazawa by mid November.

Carry list:

- small water bottle

- small umbrella

- wallet

- phone

- small hand towel

- Extremely lightweight jacket

- idk probably some bandaids and Tylenol just in case

- not sure if I want to bring a small camera??

ETA:

• Passport

• Small power bank

This list makes me feel like I need a backpack, but I also super don't want to be carrying around a bulky bag on my back. Ideal scenario is a small crossbody bag or sling bag.

I see a lot of people talking about just having a tiny fanny pack or crossbody bag even late in the year but how do you get away withiut carrying a jacket at minimum?

I am planning a trip where we will spent 5 days in Kyoto. Right now I have 2 days in Kyoto, 1 day trip to Himeji, 1 day trip to Hiroshima, and 1 day trip to Nara. I am torn, however, on whether or not to take back the Nara day and allocate it to experiencing Kyoto.

If it matters, I have 3 days (2 nights) planned in Kanazawa immediately after, with a 1 night stop over in Yamanaka for some onsen relaxation.

The deer in Nara park sound really fun, and I love wildlife, but I am worried that 2 days to see Kyoto is simply not enough and may the trade off isn't worth it.

I am planning a trip where we will spent 5 days in Kyoto. Right now I have 2 days in Kyoto, 1 day trip to Himeji, 1 day trip to Hiroshima, and 1 day trip to Nara. I am torn, however, on whether or not to take back the Nara day and allocate it to exploring to Kyoto.

If it matters, I have 3 days (2 nights) planned in Kanazawa immediately after, with a 1 night stop over in Yamanaka for some onsen relaxation.

The deer in Nara park sound really fun, and I love wildlife, but I am worried that 2 days to see Kyoto is simply not enough and may the trade off isn't worth it.

I'm trying to determine what cocktails to serve at my wedding and I'm stumped because candidly I don't know much about cocktails... I just know when I like 'em and when I don't!

We have somebody who will bartend but we need to provide the alcohol and the menu. We have 80-90 people coming and no wet bar, so I need to come up with options that are easy to make or can be batch made ahead.

I really love whiskey sours (in general love a sour profile) and my partner loves margaritas. I would like to throw in a vodka drink because that's popular with most people. Something also on my mind is that it would be nice to serve a fizzy, lighter cock as an option (I hate aperol spirtzes though, I've had them suggested.) Can I have my bartender batch a whiskey sour and just skip the eggwhite? Is there a close flavor profile alternative? Do I give up because whiskey isn't as popular and just do a marg and a vodka drink? Help!

I'm shooting for 2-3 cocktails for the menu.

It's a fall, indoor wedding and we'll also be serving wine, but not beer, fwiw. Would love some advice!

I do research for industry and have been slowly expanding my survey toolkit, including enrolling in a part time survey science program. I come from a social science background and am very strong in questionnaire design but not analysis. The thing I keep running up against is my limits in stats. I have learned basic concepts for analysis like t tests, chi-square, etc. but right now they are just tests I run that aren't anchored to a deeper understanding of what underpins them. I learn concepts that are sometimes simple and sometimes advanced but I have no context for anything, and I know that's a recipe for making dumb mistakes.

I'm somebody who wants to understand what and why I'm doing something, not just plug in formulas mindlessly and then use it in the wrong way without knowing. I really want to ground myself in an understanding of the field, the basic concepts, the notation, etc. Some concrete goals include being able to confidently model my data, and also be prepared for the imputation course I want to take next semester.

The trouble is that there are very few intro stats classes available for continuing education and the few ones I find require calculus, which I never took in high school! Am I screwed? Do I need to go back and spend the next year of my life learning calc before I can even start on stats?

If anyone has (1) thoughts on what approach to take to catching up to speed and (2) any great resources for self study or online courses (I admittedly learn best synchronously), I would be super grateful.

Where do we go in NYC to get a fantastic short hair cut when our hair doesn't want to hold shape?

I've been beyond struggling with my hair for YEARS. I have a short, boy-ish cut, (above the ears) bone straight, very fine hair and a LOT of it. The straightness, fineness, and density combine into my hair being a limp mop on my head.

I've been to like 6 mid-range bk stylists in the last 5 years who can't give my hair life. I just want it to have some movement and texture and life to my hair.

I need somebody who can really cut shape into dense hair and can do short hair scissor cuts. Please recommend any stylists you know of who you think would be a good fit! Help me get the gay prince haircut of my dreams. Don't even care about price anymore.

I have shaggy short hair (above the ear) and I'm looking for a good stylist. I want somebody who can give my hair movement and texture, pay attention to how it frames my face and goes with my head shape, all the stuff. As a queer person, I've been to all the queer hair salons in NYC over the years and I feel like I get "meh" hair cuts. I just feel like I walk out with a glorified bowl no matter what I ask for. I'm ready to branch out!!

I'm getting married in 4.5 months and I just want to find that great haircut before then and I feel like I only have 2-3 shots to find it. At this point price is not a barrier; I'll pay for a good cut. My only requirement is that they're queer friendly and willing to do cuts that aren't traditionally feminine.

I'm getting married in a few months and want to incorporate something Armenian into my wedding. For all the typical diaspora reasons, I don't know a lot about Armenian wedding culture (missed my cousin's wedding 15 years ago!).

Is there anything that would be easy to incorporate specifically for the ceremony/party part for our guests? We're having a fairly non traditional wedding; I'm not religious and my partner and I are not having an officiant for the ceremony. Maybe my mom can do the lavash and honey at the end of the ceremony, but that feels a bit silly out of the context of coming into the home

My partner is Persian and there are a lot of Persian traditions that are beautiful and easy to incorporate but my research hasn't turned up anything for Armenians weddings.

Forecast says rain the entire weekend and following week

I'm supposed to go to Bermuda next weekend (Friday May 29) but the forecast has rain the whole weekend and the whole following week, which tells me it's just the weather system and not a random rain cloud that might not happen or pass quickly. And it's only going to be low to mid 70s. I really just want to lie on the beach and this is not the right weather. :( I'm really bummed, to be honest. I cleaned out a year of credit card points to book a NICE resort.

Seriously considering trying to move the trip to later in June; does anyone have any more experienced insights into typical weather in June?

My fiance and I are planning our honeymoon in Japan, most likely in mid to late October. My fiance has never been to Japan, whereas I went once 20 years ago, so trying to balance seeing the major things while also fitting in some new sights that aren't on the classic Japan trip route. I would love some feedback on the contours of the trip. Does the sequencing make sense? Are we spending too much or too little time anywhere? Are we missing any obviously awesome things in any of these places?

Trip desires:

Non-negotiables:

-Hiroshima (partner's one big ask)
-Koya-san (I went as a teen and it was magical and I am committed to going back)
-Stay at a NICE onsen ryokan (I fit in Kaga/Yamanaka but am not sure if this is the best choice. Hakone just doesn't seem to fit as well.

What we like:

Exploring places and getting the "feel" of a city, good food, cultural sites but not museums unless there's something truly iconic. Our fave thing is to get lost in a city somewhere off the beaten path. We also prefer to pace ourselves and not to plan frenetic days of seeing 30 things. We are from NYC so don't need to over-emphasize the big city aspects of Japan other than what makes Tokyo unique as a big city.

Also, I really like hand-made ceramics and am a potter myself. My partner is really interested in contemporary history, hence Hiroshima.

Hub 1, Tokyo

Day 1: Morning recovery from flight → Shibuya crossing → wander around Nakameguro + Daikanyama → Shibuya Sky at night.

Day 2: Meiji Shrine → Harajuku/Omotesando (lunch here) → Shimokitazawa for thrifting and exploring → Rooftop bar in Shinjuku.

Day 3: Explore Monzen-Nakacho → Ginza + Okuino Building → TeamLAB

Day 4: Day trip to Kamakura: Explore around, check out Hase-dera, Kotoku-in, walk down the beach

Day 5: Yanaka → Ueno → evening Golden Gai + Omoide Yokocho

Hub 2, Koya-san

Day 6: (Send luggage ahead to Kyoto) Travel to Koya-san → late lunch → Check out Okunoin cemetery daytime→ Stay at temple

Day 7: Temple breakfast and meditation → Explore Koya-san → Danjo Garan Temple → Nighttime Okunoin tour

Hub 3, Kyoto

Day 8: Gran Tenku Sightseeing train to Kyoto by way of Osaka @ 10am → Arrive in Kyoto around 1 pm, check in + refresh → Nijo Castle → Explore central Kyoto walking toward Pontocho → Pontocho Alley for dinner

Day 9: Fushimi Inari → Kiyumizu-dera → Walk around Sannenzaka + Ninnenzaka (lunch) → rest break → Explore Gion if we have energy → Kiyamachi-dori for dinner

Day 10: Daitoku-ji early morning → Arashiyama + Tenryu-ji → Lunch + rest break → Dinner & walk around Gion

Day 11: Day trip to Himeji Castle (new to me) →return to Kyoto, rest + refresh + lunch → Fushimi sake district

Day 12: Day trip to Hiroshima (Maybe fit in Miyajima Island? This feels like a lot.)

Day 13: Day trip to Nara park → return to Kyoto, rest + refresh + lunch → Philosopher's Path + (Nanzen-ji maybe?) → dinner

Hub 4, Kaga/Yamanaka & Kanazawa

Day 14: Train to Kaga/Yamanaka Onsen → spend the day soaking & relaxing at a ryokan

Day 15: Early morning train to Kanazawa → check in + refresh → Higashi Chaya District (check out Kutani-yaki pottery)

Day 16: Ninjadera → Kenroku-en → Explore

Day 17: Return to Tokyo, fly home.

Some specific questions:

1. Is Kaga/Yamanaka a good way to fit in a nice onsen ryokan experience?
2. Are the Kyoto days too packed? I'm worried we're trying to do too much. Day 10 and Day 8 feel especially packed.
3. What are other things we can do in Kyoto to experience the city itself rather than the shrines and cultural sites? I'm talking cute shops, cafes, little alleys.
4. Is there any place where we can shorten the trip? I've already cut it back by one, but looking for other opportunities to cut without making the pace frenetic. I'd prefer not to shorten Kanazawa to a day trip because I don't want the last few days to feel crazed.
5. Is there anywhere we are spending too much or too little time?
6. Is there anyone obviously amazing that we are missing on our route?

My partner and I have a substantial nest egg for a down payment. Approximately 210k, and growing. Separately, we have 9 months of household expenses set aside as emergency + a little extra for life's surprises.

All of it is in HYSA at around 3.3%.

However, the house just isn't happening right now. Between the insane real estate market and our extreme HCOL area, we can't afford the monthly payments on a home, so we're waiting and/or trying to figure out our next move.

Meanwhile that down payment is just sitting there at that 3.3%. Is there a good way to invest it that will bring in a better return but that is relatively low risk? I don't want to do a CD because I don't know if we'll buy in 9 months or 3 years.

(Please note: I'm not asking for home buying advice! It's bad out there and we can't relocate for job reasons.)

I have some money invested in one of Vanguard's life strategy mutual funds. I want to move to a slightly more aggressive investment, just trading up for a different mutual fund. (From 80/20 bonds/stocks to 60/40). But since the exchange counts as a sale there's a tax burden involved, which is where I would like some advice.

I'm sure the answer will be "it depends" but I can't figure out if it's worth it to move to a different mutual fund at all given the taxes, and more importantly I don't know how to figure it out.

I opened the fund 2 years ago but have continued to contribute to it, so some of it will be subject to capital gains as far as I understand. Vanguard has a "MinTax" option when selling to minimize tax burden but I barely understand it.

Does anyone have any advice on how I can better understand my situation and make the best decision?

Anyone else feeling the job search pain especially lately? It's been bad since 2022, but even in 2023/2024 I had maybe 5-6% response rate, down to nothing in over 6 months. I'm a senior level UXR and am lucky enough to be employed but have been trying to leave for ages.

Reached out to a resume writer and they told me that I didn't need their service because my resume was already solid, so I don't think it's the resume!