Art Nouveau. It looks so whimsical. I’d also like a Gothic/Gothic Revival.

I tried with muffins. I have been really into muffins, but it was $7 for a 4 pack. So I bought some mix, eggs, oil, etc., and made my own. I think it came out to a little less than $2 per muffin, which is pretty similar to the original, not to mention I don’t have any dishes.

That’s true very true, but some people don’t like being uncomfortable (I saw as a prior non water drinker lol).

Some people don’t like the taste? It’s like asking why people don’t like to exercise even though it’s good for them, or they complain about stiffness or what have you. I’m not a huge fan of the taste of water myself, but I drink it because it’s good for me and free (once I purchases a filter anyway).

I don’t think it’s wrong for you to want a relationship with your dad, but it is weird that you kind of brush over the cheating. Your father had an affair, does that not affect you? You don’t even look at him a little different? Do you not understand why your mom is lashing out or why she’s as hurt as she is? Again, I do not think her request is reasonable, but this woman, from what I’m getting from the post, was cheated on, publicly enough that it was a big scandal, lost her husband, her home, and her son. While everyone is having a great time with the mistress, she’s seemingly alone with no one in her corner telling her how what she went through was hurtful and offering her some comfort. You’re like, “he’s my best friend, so I don’t really care, him cheating on my mother didn’t change anything to me, it’s not like he cheated on me.”

Relationships are complicated. I don’t know what your relationship with your mom is, but if she wasn’t abusive and you do have some affection for her (even if she isn’t your best friend), I would talk to her. Both of you should explain how you’re feeling. Maybe she wants you with her because she thinks you like being around her as much as she likes being around you, maybe she thinks you two are closer than you actually are, or maybe she’s nuts and is making one final attempt to control. But your mom as seemingly lost everything important to her by putting her foot down against cheating while everyone is like, “finally, she’s gone. Just swap her out with a younger version.” I don’t know a lot of people who wouldn’t be hurt by that.

I’m just so clumsy, I need the protection. I personally like my phone naked (it’s a pretty green 💚), but clear covers are usually flimsy so it’s covered for safety. I can’t afford a new phone, and cracks irritate me too much. 😔

Someone already wrote a really good answer, but using the money to help fund programs would be a start. Maybe make a safe place where they can hang out that doesn’t offend you (not you specifically, just in general). If possible, I would even try and talk with them, become neighbors instead of enimies. While tackling homelessness would take a system wide change, I think sometimes just not adding to the problem and shame is the best we can do.

And I get it, I’ve had homeless people scream at me, see them urinate outside, not everything humans do is pleasant, and I also wouldn’t want all of that right in front of my business. But, at least in this example, there is a ton of empty space, the building itself is mostly empty. Come together and make the rest of the unused property a shelter. That parking lot behind them alone was gigantic and I don’t think I saw any cars there, why not let them have part of the parking lot? It just seems easier to be kind and try to work with them than set up a sound system to keep the entire neighborhood up.

“Are you going to help them? Use the money to help anyone, or maybe take this moment to highlight people in need?”

“The fuck? No, I’m going to make their lives worse for having the audacity to be poor and seeking shelter. How dare they ruin my view with their homelessness.”

Yes. Even with extra withdraws, I always owe. So it’s more of an annoyance. Not to mention I don’t like how my tax dollars are being used. If the US wasn’t such a dumpster fire, I might feel differently.

Daily.

I hate this time line. All the advancements just to make life worse. I saw an article yesterday of a European country looking to raise the retirement age since people live longer. Even at work I have a program that monitors me to the second, and can tell if I’m clicking, typing, or “just moving the mouse.” WFH can mean being on call 24/7. Any advice is always how to make do, or downsize. Which isn’t bad in itself, but it’s to “cope” with oligarchs wringing us dry for every second of time, and any money we happen to have. As things get “better”, they just manage to make it worse. It’s like the mere idea of a employee being treated like a human being and not their ID never is blasphemy. We have kids in factories and fast food jobs. This is ridiculous, and cruel. We should all be working less.

Apple products aren’t any better than anything else, it’s just marketing and branding. They’re like the Starbucks of computers.

And they called me a fool for having Hunger Games on my bingo card.

Beautiful.

CATS

Cats is not a complicated musical. All they had to do was animate it and get actual voice actors/singers. I’ve seen sketches for what I think was a Tim Burton sketch, and that would have been a million times better. I don’t know who looked at Cat’s and was like, “Yup, we need CGI.” It looks horrendous and sounds bad more often than not. The musical is already pretty out there, how much more fun would that movie had been if we had animators working on it. The creative visuals, colors, motifs. Not to mention a cat is a wonderfully complex animal to animate just because of how they move. That movie could have been a visual delight in part with the Spiderman movies if they let it, but noooooo. Let’s make a nightmare.

I love that we’re literally going back in time. They thought we’d have flying cars and end world hunger, but instead we have to watch our politicians swim in shit water.

Edit: HE TOOK HIS GRANDCHILDREN!?

I didn’t think of that. The name is pretty generic.

I’ll call when they reopen. Don’t ask me why I didn’t think of that.

Insurance:

For this “industry,” it varies wildly by department and position. The lower your are (entry level, etc.) the worse it’s going to be. People are always in accidents, so you’ll be working customer service on nightmare mode. No real meetings, maybe a “huddle,” and then back to work.

I’ve moved up slightly and it is night and day. I get work/claims, but I’m usually done by noon, and that’s with me fucking around (on my phone, messing with the cat, chores, etc.). The projects are PowerPoints and excel sheets in my area, which are simple. Since I’m at home, when I’m done, I usually just keep myself online and work on crafts. If I’m extra bold, I’ll take the laptop downstairs and play a game. The more specialized you get, the less work you have.

Didn’t have anything to add, just that this was a nice read.