Yes, you’re right, my mistake!

I was a little lost until the iPod and the t9 showed up, then it was almost scary how normal it all felt. I didn’t even realize I still remembered t9 but I didn’t even have to think.

If you’ve had covid, it’s done a number on some young people’s cardiovascular systems. I know a person in their 20s who was very healthy, got covid, and was shortly after diagnosed with POTS. I’ve heard of several other people being diagnosed with POTS after getting covid.

I worked at [generic big-name eyeglass store/optometrist] for a few months and we weren’t allowed to adjust any eyeglasses that weren’t purchased at our store because if they broke while we were trying to bend them we couldn’t just get another frame and replace them, but also it was 2022 and they only paid me $12/hr so if someone came in and seemed chill I’d always be like hey, I’m obviously going to try really hard to not break your glasses, but sometimes shit happens and if it does you are on your own because you didn’t get them here and I’m not allowed to do this, and would just adjust them.

Ooh, can I share a sweet story instead, because this made it pop into my head and it’s a memory of a wonderful person that I wish everyone could have known?

I used to work at this small business when I was younger, and one of the employees was an older guy in his 80s who had retired and worked a few hours a week just to keep busy. He loved us teens and twenty somethings and we adored and respected him.

As time went on, the assistant manager left and I ended up being promoted to assistant manager. And eventually daylight savings happened and the clock changed. This employee came in for his first shift after the time change and looked half dejected and half embarrassed and he quietly explained to me that he didn’t know how to change the time on his watch, that the previous assistant manager had always done it for him, so now he was trying to deal with his watch being an hour off. I happily changed the time for him, and after that I changed it for him every time change. Even after he retired for good he would come in during my shift and give me his watch and I’d set it forward or back the hour so it could be right and he’d be thrilled every time.

Medieval combat. I’d love to learn how to sword fight, like genuinely sword fight.

Do YouTube series count? If so, the boys from Adventures in Azerum are on their way to go get the Horn of Jurgen Windcaller for the Greybeards.

I know you’re talking alcoholic cider, but you just brought back one of the few happy memories of my childhood. There used to be a small (nonalcoholic) apple cider making business relatively close to where I grew up. Every fall we’d compile a whole bunch of empty gallon jugs and make the drive over there. They had a giant keg of apple cider that they’d fill all the jugs from, and since I was just a kid the employees used to let me help them fill up the jugs. The smell of that place was absolute heaven. We’d leave with about 10 or 15 gallons of apple cider that we’d freeze for the rest of the year and a small jar of apple butter.

I want to be able to live in a small place with a backyard facing woods, hills, or water. I want to be able to pay my bills with enough left over for some savings, some fun stuff, and maybe a short vacation once every year or two. I want to go hiking on the weekend and I want to sit on my back porch at night and drink tea while wrapped in a blanket and I want a gaming room with a big window so I can play games late at night looking up at the sky. Why are my dreams so unattainable?

“We must stop eating!” cried Toad, as he ate another. “Yes,” said Frog, reaching for a cookie, “we need will power.” (Frog and Toad Together)

That’s me when I have good cookies.

You sound like a good person. I hope you get out of the motel and into stable housing soon!

Hes been depressed for years. Kept saying its not me, and I kept asking how I could help and he kept telling me nothing. He’s been working with changing his meds around and just hit a new combo less than 2 months ago that he admitted has made him completely numb and because of that/on top of that he’s been drinking more after almost stopping alcohol. Won’t talk about maybe that being an issue, nope, it’s me, I gotto go. (He literally wont talk to me at all. We’ve had one text conversation since all this happened where he basically told me to fuck off and that his mind is made up). He was supposed to go to therapy recently for his depression but he changed his mind. I’m laughing because there’s that sexist joke “men will literally do anything but go to therapy” yeah well he literally just fucked up my life rather than go to therapy and have to deal with his feelings. He claims this isn’t my fault and there’s nothing I could have done differently but also that “I should have known” that he was depressed and of course going to leave me like this. I’ve been depressed my entire life and I’d never do this, so stop lying and just tell me the truth.

Thank you for your kind words. I’m still completely in shock and just trying to process the entire thing. I’ve cried more in the last week than I have in my entire life. Up until a week ago I would have said he was literally the best husband I ever could have dreamed of.

That’s why I’d only go there if money wasn’t an issue :) otherwise I’d rather be in a Nordic country. It’s a shame to see countries look at the US and think we’re something to emulate.

About a month ago I was at the gas station filling up my 24 year old clunker when a homeless guy came up and asked if I would give him enough money for a coffee. I was going to lie and say I didn’t have cash on me, but it occurred to me that I’m one bad day from being in his shoes every moment, so I checked the emergency stash I kept in my car and on impulse just gave him the whole pile of it. Idk how much it was, not a ton, but a handful of ones and maybe a $5 or a $10. And yeah, a week ago, that bad day happened. My husband dumped me via text message, and now I’m very, very close to homelessness in the next few weeks or months if I can’t find a place to go soon. It’s not always drugs, or addiction, or laziness. Sometimes it’s making what look like good decisions and just getting fucked over.

I dream of being in New Zealand or a Nordic country, but I’m a broke American loser who’s too poor to even go visit those countries, and so they don’t even want me there in the first place. I will keep dreaming, and die with my dreams unfulfilled. Maybe next life.

Same. Grew up very sheltered, under-educated, and brainwashed. Got out into the real world, started learning, started seeing how things actually worked. Realized that it wasn’t just “sluts” having abortions for convenience. Realized that even though I was super careful and in a committed relationship, getting pregnant would ruin my life and I’d probably seriously consider an abortion and I’d better re-think my stance or have to accept I was a genuine hypocrite. Got into EMS, started going out into people’s houses… the poverty I’ve seen… the way we allow people to live in this country… it’s appalling. Not only am I incredibly pro-choice, I’ve gone from conservative/libertarian to so far left/pro social services. I think anyone who wants to sit on their couch and talk about how people don’t deserve abortions or don’t deserve social services should be forced to go talk to these people because I met so many people who were unfortunate enough to be chronically ill and unable to work or who worked harder than me but in low-paid jobs and who had no hope of ever getting out of the hole they were in.

This is adulthood…

Married 8 years. Worked my butt off when we were dating/engaged and never managed to go to college, but he did. I’ve always wanted to go. We finally got somewhat stable the last few years, so I enrolled. A little over a year of FT in, I’m busting my ass again, not working at all since I started, because he told me “don’t work, just focus on studying and getting good grades, and finish as soon as you can.” I’m a fucking idiot. He left me last week with literally no warning. I have no job, no money, no friends, and the only 2 family members I have are 1000 miles away. Been going to classes because I have no idea what else to do but fuck.

Im a broke woman with chronic health problems in a red state who may be homeless soon and who sure as hell can’t afford to leave and go somewhere better. I guess I’ll just keep trudging along and hope that somehow we’re all being hysterical and things won’t actually get that bad but if they do and if I lose what little social assistance I have I guess I’ll just tap out and call it a life, ya know?

Crying and trying to work on school