u/homo_americanus_

I interviewed for a job last year that seemed pretty relaxed with good work-life balance, even though the pay was mediocre, but they didn't hire me. They recently follow up to interview me again and made me an offer. However, things sound different now.

The company is going through a large expansion. It sounded like some employees were taking on large tasks outside their usual scope (though within the very broad job description) and that this was the expected attitude for team members at the moment. I was also told that my team's offices were overly cramped, to the point that I may not have a desk, and that they were working on acquiring more office space. My interviewers also stepped out mid interview to take an emergency call, which they passed off as being part of an unusually hectic week. This all put me on alert, but given how the first interview went I decided to still see what the offer looked like.

When I received the offer though, my boss was listed as someone I have never met. I had been originally told one of my interviewers was my supervisor, but the person listed is neither of them. While its possible a new role was created, my last interview was only two weeks ago, so it's strange that they wouldn't have updated me if that's the case.

I was also told in my interview that the offer would include benefits information, but I had to ask for that information separately. HR then needed a full extra day to find the benefits information to send me (the benefits themselves are pretty fine). The offer letter / contract also has me agree to the rules of an employee handbook, but the handbook was not included, and again my request has sent HR on a scavenger hunt.

All of these things combined have me worried that this will be a really stressful place to work. Do these things seem like red flags to anyone else?

I had hours cut at my job recently, and I began freelancing to cover the gap. My contracting pays a $500 to $800 day rate, or $50 to $80 hourly. I don't have a lot of gigs yet, but there are a lot of opportunities in my city and I'm making great contacts. The more I do, the higher my rates are going also, and I've been considering making it my main job. That said, I am currently only covering bills because I still have some hours at my other role as well, and those are not guaranteed.

I now just received an offer for a full-time job that I applied and interviewed for before I started freelancing. The rate for that job is $30 an hour. I'm waiting for all the details, but I've read the company offers average benefits. From what I know, there is also no room for vertical growth at the company, so I would need to job hop to increase that wage, and as I live in a very HCOL city this will be necessary if I want to cover more than basic bills (currently that $30/hr wage does not cover even a studio apartment at the 1/3 rent/income ratio, for example). I also will not be learning any new skills at that company that could lead to better jobs than what I'm currently qualified for.

I am very wary of passing up a stable job with benefits. However, it seems like I can potentially earn a lot more if I continue to contract and build a client list, and the connections and experience that I build can also lead to much higher full-time opportunities down the road. I also prefer the style of work and being my own boss.

Thoughts? Is there an obvious choice to which is a better choice financially? Is a bird in hand always better than two in the bush? Or does it just come down to which style of work I prefer?

Hi, I've only recently switched from an hourly role to freelancing, so I'm new to requesting rates. A client has asked me to manage all AV needs for a large event (multiple bands, plus coordinating with other vendors who will be working on separate aspects of the event setup as well). The client has their own audio equipment, but I would be doing full setup and breakdown on my own, as well as mixing the bands live. Based on the length of the event itself, I'm predicting 7-8 hours of work. I'm thinking of asking for $400. Am I overshooting, or am I underselling myself? I mention Los Angeles since I know rates are location specific. Thanks for any advice you can provide to this fledgling freelancer!

Also, I did search for rate questions in the sub, but all of the threads were from a few years ago and obviously prices generally have gone up quite a lot in recent years. That's why I'm asking about current rates. Thanks again!

I flew internationally this month, and my tickets include a free meal. However, every single item in the meal has gluten, even the chicken. The gluten free meal is $40 extra. I tried explaining to the staff that I have celiac disease, and they said it doesn't matter. How is this legal? We have a disease. This is not a lifestyle choice. It seems like we would be protected by the ADA in the US or similar laws internationally, but apparently we're not.

End of rant. Please join me in venting about this or similar issues that you've encountered!

I'm in a foreign country and still learning the language. My friend got me bread from the store that they said was gluten free. I scanned the ingredients and didn't see wheat on the label. It looked very similar to Stenalderbrod which is gluten free and so I thought it was that. Later my friend got me crackers that they said were gluten free, but they had wheat clearly labeled on the back. It turned out the shopkeeper had told them the items were gluten free, but they hadn't read the label themselves. This made me worry. I went back to the store and read the label for the bread again. It turns out the main ingredient is rye, which is a word I had forgotten to learn when preparing to eat celiac disease safe here.

I ate the whole thing in a couple of days as it was only four slices, and it takes me 2-3 days to get my clearest symptoms, so I didn't get anything noticeable before finishing it. Now I'm suffering from horrible joint pain, especially in my low back and legs, and my abdomen feels like it's on fire. This is my first proper glutening in about three years. This is just a rant, but also maybe you can learn from me about how to properly check that you know the names of all gluten containing ingredients when you move or travel abroad.

I hooked up with someone one week ago. They told me they found pubic lice today. I read online that it's recommended anyone who hooked up with them in the past month should get treated. Is the recommendation overly cautious, or should I go grab treatment tomorrow? Never had crabs before and figure the gay bros here can give me a clear answer. Thanks!

Edit: Obviously, the title is supposed to say "crabs" not "grabs"

As per the title, any DAP's that don't have a bright LED or similar screen? Looking for something more akin to an old ipod or sandisk player with basic folder structures and m3u playback ability. Maybe one with an E-Ink screen? I'd like it to be able to play FLAC because my whole digital library is FLAC.