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Joined 2 years ago
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Cake day: June 28th, 2023

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  • She’s almost an adult. Almost.

    I understand your discomfort, but also she’s going to be making decisions for herself for the rest of her life. Offer supportive guidance. Ask clarifying questions without judgement.

    Is she simply dating multiple people, or is she in multiple committed relationships? Do the guys know that she is seeing both, and do either of them expect her to pick one (or neither) eventually? Are they sexually active? As a parent, that last question can be extremely uncomfortable, but it’s a big clue to the nature of the situation.

    I would advise that these relationships are dicey. It’s an unbalanced equation. What are they sharing? Her time? Her affection? Her body? Who decides how she is divided up? Does she have the power in the relationship or is she a thing they are passing around? Why are they OK with having half a relationship? Jealousy is a sneaky demon, and the things people say often don’t match the things people feel.

    Polyamory can work in adult relationships if everyone is honest about what they want. Teens in relationships can sometimes struggle to advocate for themselves and might tolerate a lot more abuse before they speak up. If she feels like you are judging her for her choices, she may go even further to hide or suppress her feelings from you.

    Make sure she understands that you are in her corner, and no topic is off limits. It might be equally uncomfortable for her to discuss it with you, but this is a situation worth monitoring closely. Her relationships should make her feel good about herself, and learning to be in a relationship is learning to balance your needs with the needs of another person. Is she being selfish or callous towards their feelings? Is she creating drama or seeking attention? Does the tension stoke her ego? Those would all be perfectly normal childish traits, and unhealthy attitudes to carry into adulthood.

    This can be an important life lesson for her, but check in to make sure she’s learning something that will help her in the long run.


  • Conservativism, in all forms, is not a real ideology. It’s narcissism. A conservative will redefine conservative values based on their own identity.

    So the “socially liberal, fiscally conservative” idiot is lying to themselves about who they are. They want fiscal policies that benefit themselves, and they don’t want to be labelled a bigot, but they are fine with bigots in office as long as they get the fiscal policies that benefit themselves.

    Ask them what they mean by “fiscal conservative,” and they will probably vaguely gesture and say “lower taxes.” What they mean is “lower taxes for me.” Fiscal conservatives still want to spend government money on programs they like. They want boondoggles in their backyard, earmarks and pork barrel projects, and social safety nets as long as they are the recipient (Medicare, Social Security, Veteran benefits, etc.)

    They want to frame it as responsible restraint. Pull funding from programs they don’t understand, like scientific research, or don’t like, like foreign aid (except of course if strong ties to their home country).

    And when they say lower taxes, when pressed, they will describe how their property tax or income tax or capital gains tax or death tax is really bad “for the economy.” They want good schools and roads and infrastructure, but they want someone else to pay for it.

    Calling themselves conservative gives them license to be as selfish as they want to be without having to admit that they don’t actually have any values.







  • Are you using superglue to close cuts on your fingertips? Or are you trying to create a thick pad of glue to act as a protective layer? Do you already have a blister or cut? Or are you trying to prevent one?

    To close a cut or cover a blister, superglue works in a pinch.

    As padding to avoid blisters or cuts, it doesn’t really work. If you’re playing enough to cause a new blister, it just cracks and flakes off anyway. It might get you through a song if you’re desperate. Long term, you’re better off getting your fingers calliused and learning to play with different fingerings to take the pressure off an injury.

    Pros have to go on stage and play. If you’re playing for yourself, for fun, you can take a few days off and let your fingertips heal.


  • First, you can always decline. It’s your time, and they aren’t paying you to work at a bowling alley, so you don’t have to be there.

    Second, remote team meetups are a really good time to bond with your coworkers without a business agenda. I would recommend to anyone to try to make an appearance, even if you don’t stay out as late as everyone else. Plus, if everyone is hung over the next day at work, and you show up bright eyed and bushy tailed, you look like the smart one, although your coworkers might give you the side eye if you rub it in. Being compassionate goes a long way towards that bonding bit.

    It’s also easier to communicate when you have personal relationships with your remote coworkers. When you write a curt slack message, or a status update email, people will read it in your voice. That might also work against you if you tend to be sarcastic or belligerent. If they don’t know you, they will read it in their own voice, and that can go sideways.

    You don’t have to bowl. You don’t need to claim an old injury. Just say you don’t enjoy it (because that’s true).

    All that said, it doesn’t sound like you did anything wrong. It doesn’t sound like your coworkers did anything wrong, either, and you were definitely “invited” anytime there is an announcement like that.










  • Did your son ever play a sport or an instrument? When he went up to the plate at bat, or stand up to play a solo, did he make a mistake? Did you rush out onto the field or stage or whatever to fix that mistake? Did you disown him or berate him or make him feel stupid?

    You’ve already told him that you don’t approve of him dating an older guy, and presumably you’ve spent the last 21 years teaching him how to be an adult and make good decisions. If you want to protect your son, be there for him. Get to know his boyfriend, and make sure they both know you’re watching out for your kid.

    Dating an older guy might be a mistake. Your son might get hurt, or feel used, or feel unworthy of love. All of those can happen whether you avoid his boyfriend or not, but all of them will be easier to survive if he knows he has a dad in his corner.