The totally off-topic thread

Status
Not open for further replies.
Wasn't there a "Books you're reading thread" somewhere? I can't seem to find it.

Soooooo...

Currently reading the first book in Jack Campbell's* The Lost Fleet, Beyond the Frontier series. Set in the future and involves space travel and warfare between humans and humans, and humans and strange alien species. It's definitely more on the sciencey side of the science fiction I am used too. But The Lost Fleet series itself was very engaging, so figured I would carry on into the sequels.


*John G Hemry (LCDR, USN retired) - for some reason he is using Jack Campbell as a pen name.
 
Julesmac said:
Discussion about the cost of flu shots a few pages back. A friend has just developed shingles and is in a very bad way. I think I am in the highly likely to develop it category, as I have had chickenpox twice, once as a kid and again at 23. But the injection is $250......does anyone know if it is available anywhere except at the GP? At that price I'm not going to bother, And being a pensioner, do I get an OFD (old fart) discount??
Click to expand...

Have you investigated whether you can get money back on the prescription from your private health insurance. You'll need to get a special receipt from the pharmacist in order to make a claim. I got the chicken pox vaccine about 10 years ago and was able to get back some of the cost of it. I can't comment as to whether you get a pensioner discount.

I hope the vaccine works. I got a blood test done a few months after the injections and it turned out that I didn't have enough antibodies. I don't know if the vaccine is suitable for those who have already had chicken pox earlier in life.
 
I have just spent the last 2 weeks catching up on around 4 months worth of The totally off-topic thread. I read most posts in detail but just skimmed other posts. I did the best I could to keep track of everything.

Things got really crazy about half way through December last year. I kept up to date with most of the threads I have subscribed to but this one just slipped away from me. I thought I'd be able to catch up after the summer school holidays but it wasn't until the children went back to school for Term 2 that I was able to start on the backlog of posts. I carefully bookmarked the page I was up to so I wouldn't miss anything.

I found most of the backlog interesting and now I feel I am up to date on all the gossip. Thank you to everyone for sharing part of their life.
 
Featured offer: AMEX Qantas Ultimate Credit Card
Offer expires: 18 Mar 2025

- Earn up to 100,000 bonus Qantas Points*
- Enjoy an annual $450 Qantas travel credit
- Don't forget the two complimentary Qantas Club lounge invitations and two visits to the Amex Centurion Lounges in Melbourne and Sydney.

*Terms And Conditions Apply

AFF Supporters can remove this and all advertisements

rainbowgirl said:
I have just spent the last 2 weeks catching up on around 4 months worth of The totally off-topic thread. I read most posts in detail but just skimmed other posts. I did the best I could to keep track of everything.

Things got really crazy about half way through December last year. .......................

I found most of the backlog interesting and now I feel I am up to date on all the gossip. Thank you to everyone for sharing part of their life.
Click to expand...


Now I have got to go back to Decembers post and find out what I missed ! :shock:
 
Had the pneumonia booster (recommended every 5 years)and the new quad flu shot yesterday as we are travelling in the northern hemisphere in May.
I saw that one person didn't want to go for the shingles shot at $250 in Australia. I would not hold off if you are over 50 as we have friends who have not recovered fully and they say the ongoing pain is very nasty a year or two later.
 
I had the flu shot the weekend before I flew to Europe. ..spent the weekend feeing a bit "fluey" but a small price to pay. .. for some strange reason, my employer pays for it!!
 
Gee whatmeworry and straitman we took the olds down for their flu shots too. We crowded the nursing station as they only have 4 seats in the jab area.
Mrscove and myself have already moved to be honorary employees as we couldn't see the point of the highest personal tax rate plus about 5% payroll tax.
We will try to be in Perth in November for the AFFer #10.
 
mrs.dr.ron said:
Now I have got to go back to Decembers post and find out what I missed ! :shock:
Click to expand...

Sorry, I meant to say that my life got really crazy in December and I had to stop reading some of the threads that I really enjoyed following. I was running from one end of school year function to another and then got caught up will all the holiday and Christmas activities.

The December posts were interesting. Pushka had just shared some sad news but I didn't get to follow the details until two weeks ago when I started reading the thread again. Sorry I didn't get to share and help out during that time.
 
cove said:
Gee whatmeworry and straitman we took the olds down for their flu shots too. We crowded the nursing station as they only have 4 seats in the jab area.
Mrscove and myself have already moved to be honorary employees as we couldn't see the point of the highest personal tax rate plus about 5% payroll tax.
We will try to be in Perth in November for the AFFer #10.
Click to expand...
I already get mine free anyway as I've had cancer. Sue is getting hers in a 4 day window in late May which is between her birthday and us heading off to Oz Fest.

Hope you can make the AFF #10 as it would be good to say hello again.
 
cove said:
Gee whatmeworry and straitman we took the olds down for their flu shots too. We crowded the nursing station as they only have 4 seats in the jab area.
Mrscove and myself have already moved to be honorary employees as we couldn't see the point of the highest personal tax rate plus about 5% payroll tax.
We will try to be in Perth in November for the AFFer #10.
Click to expand...

Already took my parents for shots.

cove said:
Had the pneumonia booster (recommended every 5 years)and the new quad flu shot yesterday as we are travelling in the northern hemisphere in May.
I saw that one person didn't want to go for the shingles shot at $250 in Australia. I would not hold off if you are over 50 as we have friends who have not recovered fully and they say the ongoing pain is very nasty a year or two later.
Click to expand...

My mum had some 2 tumours in her Colon removed about 6 years ago. After the first op she got get the Flu and was moved to intensive care. I waited for her in the waiting area way past till past midnight, nurses in the ward didn't know anything, so went home. Found out next day they moved her to intensive care as she developed the Flu. They stuffed up her colon resection, so she had to get another op in 7 days later. Op goes well but gets pneumonia. Here is the kicker, no intensive beds left in the whole of Melbourne, so they drive her to Geelong Hospital. 3 months in Hospital because of the Surgeon.

She got out but got shingles after her release, "as mum called hospital prison".

Still alive and still averse to Hospitals. Didn’t want to go to her last major checkup last year. Convinced her to go, as her unborn grandson was due. My nephew is now growing well and my Mother is happy whenever he pops around.
 
Beating adversity is possible whatmeworry.
I do hate to think that missing shots can result in poor outcomes.
Mostly folks go Yeah,Yeah,Yeah I'll do it later.
I go with the olds to the cardiologist and that is good to do. Heart health is a winner.
 
cove said:
Had the pneumonia booster (recommended every 5 years)and the new quad flu shot yesterday as we are travelling in the northern hemisphere in May.
I saw that one person didn't want to go for the shingles shot at $250 in Australia. I would not hold off if you are over 50 as we have friends who have not recovered fully and they say the ongoing pain is very nasty a year or two later.
Click to expand...

I see the Department of Health recommends the shingles shot for people 65 or older. Also see that from November it will be free for people 70-79.
 
Foreigner said:
500 year German laws stipulate what ingredients go into making of beer:

Prost! Germany celebrates 500 years of beer purity law
Click to expand...

Slow news day?

GarrettM said:
They take this stuff very seriously in Germany. Of course they take almost everything very seriously in Germany, but in this case it's a good thing.
Click to expand...

Indeed, had a rather interesting night in a Munich beer hall once. I my recollection of the night includes singing (poorly). Leaving the beer hall. Getting off the tram (not sure how I got onto the tram). Waking up, naked, in bed (yes it was my designated sleeping location). But absolutely no hangover. Purity Laws FTW!

Of course, it is interesting that, when I visited last year, the Belgiums were lamenting the way the Germans destroyed their beer making industry during the early 1940s.

cove said:
Had the pneumonia booster (recommended every 5 years)and the new quad flu shot yesterday as we are travelling in the northern hemisphere in May.
I saw that one person didn't want to go for the shingles shot at $250 in Australia. I would not hold off if you are over 50 as we have friends who have not recovered fully and they say the ongoing pain is very nasty a year or two later.
Click to expand...

got it from work this week. I was interested that the strains covered included Brisbane. I can't remember the other strains, maybe Bali. But google says it was Switzerland, coughet and California with Brisbane added later.
 
Status
Not open for further replies.

Become an AFF member!

Join Australian Frequent Flyer (AFF) for free and unlock insider tips, exclusive deals, and global meetups with 65,000+ frequent flyers.

AFF members can also access our Frequent Flyer Training courses, and upgrade to Fast-track your way to expert traveller status and unlock even more exclusive discounts!

AFF forum abbreviations

Wondering about Y, J or any of the other abbreviations used on our forum?

Check out our guide to common AFF acronyms & abbreviations.

Recent Posts

Currently Active Users

Total: 318 (members: 39, guests: 279)
Back
Top