weekend free-for-all — October 19-20, 2019

by Alison Green on October 19, 2019

This comment section is open for any non-work-related discussion you’d like to have with other readers, by popular demand. (This one is truly no work and no school.)

Book recommendation of the week: Lust & Wonder, by Augusten Burroughs. It’s either his third or his six memoir, depending on how you count them. The first covered his awful childhood, the second covered his alcoholism, and this one is about his path to his husband.

* I make a commission if you use that Amazon link.

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{ 1,101 comments }

{ 1,101 comments… read them below }

  2. Anónima*

    Hi all.
    Any kind scripts for my much beloved mum who isn’t getting on with my brother, that I can use to get her to stop offloading on me? Don’t want to hurt her more than she already is, but I get on with my brother and don’t want this to damage my relationship with him, plus I also want boundaries!

    1. Alex*

      “Mom, I love both you and Brother, so I really don’t want to get in the middle of this. I’m sorry you’re having a tough time with him but I’m not the right sounding board for it. Can I tell you about [something going on with you]?”

      Normally in polite conversation, I would suggest a topic change asking someone something about themselves, because it is nicer and people like talking about themselves, but because she’s your mother I think it is OK to assume that she is interested in topics about YOU, plus if you let her talk about herself when she is preoccupied with her problems with your brother, it could meander back to that subject.

      1. Anónima*

        Thanks, I like this a lot and think I will be able to use it, slightly adapted with a bit of what sequined histories wrote below.

    2. sequined histories*

      “That sounds really painful. I’m so sorry you guys aren’t getting along. I love both of you so much that it gets really painful for me after a while to even listen to these stories; it’s making me sad and stressing me out. I know I can’t fix these problems you two are having; is there someone who isn’t so close to Brother you could vent to? I want the two of us to be able to talk about other topics.”

      Also, maybe consider just setting a time limit? Like after 10 minutes about Brother, just gently shifting to something you’d actually like to talk to her about? Can be combined with the strategy above.

      If those two don’t work: “Hey, like I said before, I just can’t be your go-to sounding board for this, unfortunately. I’ve got some other things I’ve gotta do right now. You take care.”

      Based on my personal experiences with this: looking back on my life I wish I’d listened to less of it, not to mention realized earlier that it was not my job or responsibility to mend fences between these two people. In my case, my brother had legitimate issues with my mother and—as much as I genuinely love her—she had very little capacity to entertain or acknowledge her failings, much less grow or change. She’s sliding into dementia now, and wishes she had more contact with brother, and all this stuff seems too late to change or fix. As sad as that is, pretty much every minute I spent angsting about was wasted. I wasn’t the source of the problem and I couldn’t fix it.

      Accept that the situation for whatever it is and let yourself off the hook.

      1. Anónima*

        Thanks so much. I especially liked:
        I know I can’t fix these problems you two are having; is there someone who isn’t so close to Brother you could vent to? and I will be able to use this bit.
        I think I am beyond the time limit thing now – I’ve kind of used up all my available emotional bandwidth on it already.

        And you’re right, my mum has a way of making me feel guilty, and I don’t need to take that on board anymore. She does know that I don’t like what she is doing because she acknowledges it, but then ignore it.
        I have tried to set a boundary before, and I guess I am experiencing her extinction burst behaviour which means I need to be more consistent. Sigh, I hate this kind of conversation.

    3. Kathenus*

      Agree with both Alex and sequined histories. I was always in the peacemaker role in my family. My brothers never got along, and finally as an adult I told them both explicitly that I love them both but can and will no longer be in the middle. Whether that is venting or as a go-between. With my family at least, it had to be addressed clearly and head-on, hints and avoidance wouldn’t work. It might help with you to have a conversation outside of the venting with your mom (and brother if needed), letting her or them know that you can’t and won’t take that role. Good luck.

    4. C Average*

      Here’s what I told my mom when she started to vent to me about my sister, despite years of subject changes and hints: “Ma, I’m not a therapist. If you want to keep using me as a therapist, I’ll need some financial help going back to school for that, and it’s also going to take a long time. All joking aside, you clearly have a lot of feelings about Sibling and I think you’d benefit from actual therapy, where you could process this stuff with someone who isn’t me. Because I’ve got to be honest here: talking about Sibling like this with you makes me really uncomfortable, and uncomfortable people don’t give good advice and aren’t the best sounding boards.”

    5. Asenath*

      I was very brief. “I really don’t like listening to things about Sibling behind her back”. And then I refused to engage further.

      1. Anónima*

        Oh this is good, thank you. I could start with this and then escalate it to the above scripts if needed.

      2. You can call me Al*

        That’s my mantra. I use it so much my siblings all know it, and once when a sibling was trying to start a rumor that I’d said something really hurtful about another sibling, no one believed it because they KNOW I don’t discuss siblings with siblings.

    6. Anónima*

      Thank you to everyone who has shared their personal experiences, and been so kind. I really appreciate it. I am seeing my mum tomorrow; I will try my best to practice some scripts now in case I need them if the topic comes up again, but I am nervous about confrontation so I will also see how I feel tomorrow about it. I think I need some bravery.

    7. ShortT*

      My mom and her brother aren’t speaking to each other. I don’t know his side of the story, so, I feel uncomfortable hearing one of her tirades about him without that information. I flat-out told her that I am not her therapist and said that I’d hang up the phone if she were to broach the subject again. I did.

    8. Pyjamas*

      “That’s a conversation you and Eddie can have. Hey, do you think I should get a new winter coat or have this one mended?”

      Repeat as needed.

    9. Anónima*

      Ha I didn’t need the scripts today, it was all fine. Good to have them in case though. Thanks.

  3. PX*

    Weekend sports thread!

    How are your teams doing?

    I spent my morning watching the first of the quarter finals of the Rugby World Cup. Alas, none of my teams decided to show up, but wow, the All Blacks were certainly not having any of it with Ireland. That was a proper, clinical masterclass in rugby. So good to watch, but heartbreaking for Ireland. At certain points I felt tired just watching them run up against that black wall and get nowhere. Looking forward to Wales v France tomorrow! And ofcourse, hoping Japan can continue their amazing form and beat the Springboks :)

    1. LGC*

      I’m a dirty New York Yankees fan. So…I’m not that happy right now! Ah well.

      It sounds like the Rugby World Cup has been exciting! I’m not that into rugby, so I don’t quite understand it yet. (This is making me want to get into it, but I feel like I’m into too many niche (in the US) sports as it is! I spent my train ride home yesterday listening to Lance Armstrong recap the reveal of next year’s Tour de France course.)

      1. PX*

        Ooo baseball. I assume you lost? My sister is a Red Sox fan so I guess its good that you lost? :D

        (And this is how rivalries live on, even when people have no clue about sports)

        And do it, get into rugby. Its so much fun! And this World Cup has been pretty good! Standouts have obviously been Japan, who are not an established rugby country making it to the quarter-final. Next weeks semi between England and New Zealand should be goooood even if its not the matchup I wanted.

      2. Tort-ally HareBrained*

        Your Yankees are making me nervous, but hoping my Astros can hold on and end this tonight. It’s been a good series with some interesting dynamics.

    2. Middle School Teacher*

      The Oilers are killing it right now! It’s early in the season and I don’t want to jinx it, but for the first time in a few years, I feel something… it feels like hope…

      1. Nessun*

        Yes! I came here to say the same! I am so excited for the season right now. Going to see them next Sunday and looking forward to it even more than usual!

    3. HA2*

      I’m a big fan of Denis Shapovalov, and he’s through to his first career final! Pretty exciting! I also like Murray and he’s having a good comeback, battling out a tough semifinal right now, the first in his comeback!
      So overall, a good week for players I’m cheering for.

      1. PX*

        Super happy to see Andy playing well again! It was such a shame when he was talking about retiring, so glad that the surgery seems to have worked well. I’m always torn as to how much I really support him tennis wise (Federer fan here) but I love him as a person (man is a good feminist) and I think its great that he brings some personality to the tour.

    4. Parenthetically*

      It’s almost draft time for Australian Rules football — trade period’s just wrapped up and it was… pretty uneventful, except for one THRILLING return for Eddie Betts, one of the greatest players alive, going back to his former team as a veteran, to help them as they rebuild after a difficult but promising season. I don’t really follow the draft — no headspace to keep up with the under-18 players. But then once draft is over, it’s a long, dark offseason. *sadface*

      1. PX*

        As a sports junkie I have to say…AFL is a step too far – even for me :D But glad exciting things happened even if its now almost off-season!

  4. Lcsa99*

    So last weekend we put up our Halloween decorations, including window decals for the first time, and almost immediately one of our cats went a little batty. He was scratching and biting and meowing at the silly decals and managed to get several of them off the windows. He doesn’t seem to do anything once he gets them off, just goes after the next one. So what gives? Has anyone else had this issue? The first day he was so determined to kill them that he ignored the food we put out and even the shake of the treat container, which I would have considered impossible before. He’s gotten to the point that he isn’t ignoring food any longer, but every day we put them back up and the next day we come home to more on the floor.

    Our working theory is that he is a witch turned cat, who is insulted by the holiday (we’ve been watching reruns of Bewitched). Anyone have any other ideas or at least amusing stories of their cat attacking decorations?

    1. Aurora Leigh*

      I womder of they’re blocking his view out the window? Or casting a shadow in his favorite sunny spot?

      But I like your theory better!

      We don’t really decorate much for Halloween, but when the Christmas tree comes out . . . well my cats are totally obsessed!

      1. Lcsa99*

        The decorations aren’t that big! He goes after the webs the most so they don’t block anything. Our other theory is that he has an addiction to plastic since he loves eating plastic bags and scotch tape. But he doesn’t actually eat these, just attacks them.

        1. Venus*

          Be forewarned that some cats are allergic to plastic, and get chin acne, rash, red skin, or other problems as a result. In my experience they tend to want to eat or lick it. Hopefully he will be fine, but if you ever notice any immune-type reactions then you might want to hide your plastic and change to ceramic / metal dishes.

    2. Valancy Snaith*

      We have a fake “spooky cat” that sits in the window. Our cat is totally surprised by it every year, freaks out, knocks it down, and then remembers it’s fake and she doesn’t mind it the rest of the month.

      1. Lcsa99*

        That’s funny that reminds me of a Tinykittens video where one of the kitties bats at a toy cat and then goes flying.

        Cats are wonderfully weird.

    3. Angwyshaunce*

      You can never be sure of what’s going on in their crazy little heads, but they have their reasons.

      1. Lcsa99*

        I thought of that too but he hasn’t removed any bats or the raven, just a witch, a hanging silhouette and all the webs. Oh and the words – “happy halloween” and “boo”

        1. valentine*

          They think it’s a game and you’re playing right into their lovely paws.

          I would stop because it’s the cat’s castle and a resounding no from them. In future, on the second try, I would put it out of reach and, if they go for it, accept the veto.

    5. AnonyNurse*

      That’s how my cat acts when she sees a bug that she can’t get to — like a fly up near the ceiling. She absolutely loses her mind. Perhaps some of the decals appear to be critters she needs to kill.

  5. The Librarian (not the type from TNT)*

    Alison’s book recommendation from last week spurred a question: Has anyone ever put in a substantial amount of work toward a piece of writing, only to discover that… someone has already written substantially the same thing?

    I’ve been working for a year, on and off, on a novel whose premise is freakishly similar to Evvie Drake Starts Over by Linda Holmes… a book I never heard of, until I saw Alison’s recommendation. (What can I say, I live under a rock.) There are differences, for sure… the female character is markedly different… but I gotta be honest, I totally unintentionally wrote what is for all intents and purposes the same story: a Major League Baseball pitcher who has suffered a traumatic event in his life, and loses the ability to pitch, being “saved” by a romantic love interest who has also lost something dear to her.

    What is the correct response here? Do I need to trash my novel immediately and start over with a completely new premise? Can I continue writing if the “idea” is already taken, if what I’m writing is not intended to be fan-fiction? I’m enough of a realist to know that my work is unlikely to ever be published anyway, so it’s most likely a moot point, but this has been bothering me since last week’s open thread.

    1. C Average*

      Elizabeth Gilbert talks about this very phenomenon, among other things, in “Big Magic,” which is great and well worth reading.

      How far are you into your writing process? If you’re well underway and have good momentum, I’d keep going. Who knows? Your book may surprise you and turn out different enough to stand well apart from “Evvie Drake.” (Why does autocorrect want to turn her into Elvis Drake??!)

      1. valentine*

        Captain Awkward wrote that she gave up several projects, only for others to do the same type of thing and win awards. Also, keep in mind the template monarchs: Harlequin. (You might check whether your book would fit their formula.)

        Finish your book. You don’t even have to change the characters’ jobs.

          1. Princesa Zelda*

            Harlequin is a house that publishes romance novels, all of which are basically the same story.

    2. Anonymous Educator*

      I think ideas being original is overrated. Ideas are very often not original, but what makes a novel good is its execution.

      1. Falling Diphthong*

        One of the more interesting concepts I’ve seen developed through comment threads over the years. Ideas are often easy; execution is where the challenge lies.

    3. JustDesserts*

      I am a big romance novel reader and I can say that 90% of them have a similar formula. I wouldn’t worry too much about it if the main female character is markedly different. You can always add more specific details to make it more your own.

          1. Jean (just Jean)*

            Why hasn’t anyone else come here to say ‘I think you summarized it perfectly!’ ??
            Although one could have fun with word substitution:
            “Her stomach heaved. His headache throbbed. The curtains ripped. (Groan.)”

            No disrespect intended towards romance. Other genres could also be spoofed:
            The rocket throbbed. His anticipation heaved. The sound barrier ripped. (SF)
            The city heaved. Her sense of dread throbbed. The police siren ripped through the night. (Noir/detective)
            Anyone else want to play?

    4. MissGirl*

      I’m a writer and I know a lot of romance writers who’ve based entire series on baseball teams. One book about a pitcher, then the next about the catcher and so on. I guarantee that stories been done more than once. It’s what YOU bring to it that matters. How do you differentiate yourself?

    5. CAA*

      This idea was not original when Linda Holmes came up with it. Google “baseball romance” and you’ll find there are a couple hundred of them already published. I guarantee at least a few of them involve a pitcher who’s lost his mojo and a woman with her own crisis finding out that they can solve their problems together.

      Your story does not have to be different from every other story in order to be a good one.

    6. vanillacookies*

      I’m a PhD student and I was working on my first research paper for publication. I read all the related work I could find. Then a few months later someone emailed me a paper that did exactly what I had been trying to do.

      1. AcademiaNut*

        That’s the really painful one! You can have multiple fiction stories with similar premises and different execution, as long as the details aren’t freakishly similar. But if someone scoops your research, you either can’t publish and the work is wasted, or have a paper that’s not going to be referenced as much.

      2. I hear ya*

        That happened with my senior thesis – found a new book with the same general idea, tho not exactly the same content. My advisor told me that it was now unacceptable and I needed a new topic and another year in school. My old advisor pointed out to then advisor that the standards for his dissertation didn’t apply to my senior thesis for a BA, and arranged for me to graduate anyway! Phew.

        1. Deranged Cubicle Owl*

          That would have been extremely unfair if you had to do another year because of that reason. Heck, my advisor explained to me that, when writing my Master thesis, it just a way to prove you can do research, use a correct methodology, write academically, and draw good conclusions based on good arguments.

          The subject does matter, as is your intake on it. However, a Bachelor and/or a Master thesis is mostly a way for the student to prove that they have all those aforementioned skills and wrote it themselves.

          If it really gets published in a scientific magazine, all the more kudos (and points) for the student. But it isn’t mandatory, unlike writing a PhD or post-PhD and the likes.

    7. HA2*

      Every literature idea has been done already, and that’s ok. There’s countless of stories that are “Romeo and Juliet, but…” or, in a different genre, “Chosen one saves the world from a great evil” and so on and so forth.

      That’s perfectly fine, and normal, and not a reason to give up on a story. It may have a similar plot to something that’s been done, but this one is YOURS and will have differences and your own twist on it.

    8. MissBliss*

      Charles Darwin had been working on the manuscript for what would become The Origin of Species for about two decades when he got a very polite letter from a young Australian saying “Hear me out, I’ve got this whacky idea…” which was, essentially, Darwin’s own giant tome condensed into a few pages.

      1. NforKnowledge*

        Gotta nitpick here: the Origin of Species isn’t amazing because it was a brand new idea at the time, but because Darwin spent decades collecting and meticulously laying out the evidence for evolution.

        1. Falling Diphthong*

          Yes. And it was revolutionary because it had all those piles of evidence backing up the idea.

    9. Anono-me*

      Anothe vote for you to finish the book. It’s not the same story. It’s the same inspiration. As everyone else has already said, there are literally thousands of different stories out there with the same inspiration. There are even very successful authors out there that have made their entire career I’m writing different stories based on the same inspiration. I have found both Barbara Cartland and Danielle Steel stories to be wonderful reads but very similar in their bone structure if you will.

    10. Ranon*

      In romance I feel like similarities between books is a feature, not a bug! I sure like to read books that have similar tropes, there are certainly more regency romances where someone marries a duke than there every were dukes in history!

      Sarah Wendell over at Smart B*tches, Trashy Books has done a lot of good writing about the romance genre and why the familiar structure of romances is part of what people like about the genre, you might enjoy some of her stuff (she also talks a lot about the publishing side, I don’t write but the podcasts where she really gets into that stuff are great)

    11. knead me seymour*

      I personally think ideas are overrated in fiction. The execution is much more important. Your book doesn’t sound terribly high-concept, to the point where the novelty of the idea would be a major selling point for agents/publishers/readers. I would just go ahead with it–chances are, your book will probably end up pretty different from the other one, and if your editor has any concerns, they’ll probably just suggest some superficial changes.

      1. The Librarian (not the type from TNT)*

        Too late! I ordered a cheap used copy of it (there’s a holds list for it at my library 180 people deep).

        Who knows, maybe it will turn out that what I’m writing is much more different than it seems.

        Thanks to all for the responses. These are a lot more encouraging than I was honestly expecting!

        1. C Average*

          Whenever I hear about a book that sounds similar to a book I have plans to write, I go ahead and read it. Sometimes I’m reassured because it’s not much like mine at all. Sometimes I learn about pitfalls to avoid. Although it hasn’t happened yet, I fantasize about shutting the book with a satisfying thump and saying to myself, “Welp, I’m off the hook–someone else wrote my exact book. I guess I have to write a different one!” (Writing is often torture for me, so I look for excuses wherever I can find them.)

        2. Hitori*

          If the wait list is that long, there is a demand for books with this particular plot. I’d say keep going.

        3. That Girl from Quinn's House*

          I think ordering it is worthwhile, actually! If it’s found to be too similar, the publishing house will sue you for copyright infringement. By reading the competition, you can scratch out the arcs that are too similar and send your characters on a more distinct journey.

    13. PaperTowelBattle*

      It’s like a group of people painting the same sunset- no 2 paintings will be the same even though everyone worked from the same thing. Keep writing!

      1. Deranged Cubicle Owl*

        Some impressionists all got together to paint the same lake and sunset, and they all got a different end result.

        (Almost) everything is already done in the arts. What matters is: how you do it. (while at the same time respecting that others have done it before you as well).

        Finish your story, and then perhaps start rewriting it a bit. But only if it was advised by a publisher interested in your work. Because as others have said, it might not even be needed if your work is strong enough.

  6. C Average*

    Writing thread! How is it going?

    I’m 90% committed to NaNoWriMo and am prepping for that. Debating between rewriting a novel I wrote a very rough draft of a few years back versus attempting something entirely new.

    1. Lena Clare*

      Oh good idea.
      I basically lost all of the data on my hard drive (crying emoji here) this week, including soft copies of a couple of novels I’d written, and the edits I’d started to make.
      I have hard copies on paper, so I could use NaNoWriMo to write one of them back up again.

      1. C Average*

        Oh nooooo! I’m glad you have soft copies, anyway. These stories terrify me to the extent that I pretty regularly email my works in progress to my Gmail.

      2. Elizabeth West*

        Gah!
        I have three copies; one on the computer, one on my flash drive, and one on Google Drive. Which reminds me; I need to update two of those.

    2. Laura H.*

      My plot bunnies, they LIVE!!

      I’m of the belief that to an extent, fan fiction is borrowing upon borrowing upon borrowing ad infinitum to the point where I don’t know what little details are canon or fanon anymore and to a point don’t care. Reading a really good one and I love what the fic author was doing and well, want to emulate it. (Idk if there’s protocol or not, but as per mine-) I message them, gush more and tell em “x bit inspired me/ is gorgeous/ makes my fangirly and or shipper heart explode/ I love the concept here and wanna take a crack at it myself.” And I ask “May I?” And tell em (if they say yes- which usually is the case) like it or not, you’re getting credit and more gushing in my closing AN because my small amount of readers need to know how good your fic is!

      I owe my current very hoppy plot bunny to this.

    5. Queer Earthling*

      I’ve been having trouble writing again, but I have some products coming in on Monday that I have to review, which should help! (I review adult products and write saucy things for a living.) I find sometimes that if I *have* to write, it obviously gets me writing, and once i’m writing anyway, my creativity is unleashed. This is actually a phenomenon I first learned about in the NaNoWriMo official book, and it’s definitely true for me. When I’m writing regularly, not only do I get more ideas for what to write, but I end up finding a zillion other creative projects.

      Anyway, writing. Yes. It’ll happen.

      2. Elizabeth West*

        We read Annie Dillard’s book (I think it was The Writing Life) for a class and she said something about creativity being a well. The more you draw from it, the more bubbles up.

    7. Kalico*

      I had a good week – now at almost 10,000 words of my new novel. I haven’t done NaNo in some years, and am a “Nano rebel” (meaning I usually set my own goals when I do participate). I’ve found over the years that daily writing doesn’t work for me. I end up wasting a lot of time writing crap. My brain just needs time off to ferment ideas. But I do love NaNo and have participated off and on since its inception. I’m excited to be back to writing after some years of depression-related inability to write. I want to push myself but not too much. Maybe I can set a goal of writing 4-5 days a week and see if I can keep it up.

      1. OyHiOh*

        I’m a rebel too.

        Last year, I used NaNo to finish a script that had been idling in my tabs for close to two years.

        This year, I’m going to use NaNo to finish two scripts I started about this time last year. Each is about half done so . . . . piece of cake, right? (probably not!)

    8. HBJ*

      I’m considering doing NaNo. I’ve attempted a few times and won once. Last year, I had what I thought was a very good idea, and I certainly could have gotten 50k out of it, but I ran out of steam around 10k. This year, I’ve thought about redoing the same story, but I may not do it at all. I’m moving a plane flight away just a couple days into November and living in temporary housing for at least a week or two, so I’m not sure I’ll actually be able to write.

    9. Elizabeth West*

      Same here. I committed by posting on my blog, but I’m still undecided between doing Book 3 or writing something that currently is no more than a blurb. I need to make an outline for the blurb thing to see if it has legs. If it does, I might write that and then do Book 3 just to get it out of my head.

      I’m just assuming that no one will choose me as a mentee for Pitch Wars. Should be fun trying to do all this at the same time as moving and job hunting in a completely new city! *hysterical laughter* D:

    10. Liane*

      I made progress on my goal of doing all my little game articles. Am through October and will be done with November once I finish this 2 part piece. It going slow because I am discussing some complex game mechanics (rules). But once I finish those I am just going to do character and creature stats for the rest of the year, which are (usually) quicker and more fun.

    11. Claire*

      Slogging, slogging, slogging through this draft for #pirates2. The due date is November 1st, but I might not make that deadline. We shall see.

      Once I hand that over, I expect a detailed editorial letter, but until that arrives, I will be 1) cleaning the house, and 2) plot doodling something completely different.

  7. Disco Janet*

    I need recommendations for professional (and hopefully not hideous) shoes that are for people with high arches – either that, or ones that are roomy enough I can add a bulky insole. I’ve been trying to get over a bad case of plantar fasciitis for quite a while and finally saw a podiatrist. So I’m doing the things he recommended for finally getting rid of the inflammation, but he said my high arches are the source of my problems, so I’ve got to figure out footwear to support them.

    I’m set on running/walking shoes (Brooks Adrenaline with insoles for high arches), and my boss is fine with me wearing those to work for a while, but eventually I’ll need to go back to professional shoes. Any suggestions?

    3. Teapot Translator*

      Hah, I have plantar fasciitis and I was told it’s because of my flat arches (they “collapse” when I walk). What gives podiatrists?
      I use insoles so I go to work wearing all black walking shoes, then I switch at work. I used to have Hush Puppies Mary Janes and now I have Josef Seibel kind of Mary Janes.
      I would suggest going to a shoe store (particularly one specialized in comfortable shoes) and just trying every pair that looks professional and wide enough for the insole.

      2. Amy Sly*

        As a comfort shoe salesperson, I hated when people came in talking about their “low arches” because it can describe two completely different types of feet. Some are folks like yourself: they used to have high arches, but those arches fell and have problems with plantar fasciitis. These feet love high arch support to put the feet back in their proper position.
        Then you have folks with actually low arches. Give them an arch support in their shoe, and they hate it, because for them it’s like having a rock pushing up on something that can’t give.
        This is why any quality shoe shop will not only measure your foot but also try to get a picture of what your arches are doing, whether with an ink pressure pad or a computer sensor.

    4. Deborah Hendrix*

      Revere shoes out of New Zealand. Extremely comfortable. There’s also a German brand that comes with their own custom insoles.

    5. Aurora Leigh*

      It’s not everyone’s style, but I love my Klogs! I’ve worn them 5 days a week for over a year and they are still holding up, so I think the price is worth it.

    6. Fikly*

      How do you feel about Mary Jane style shoes?

      I had very good luck fitting a bulky calf-high orthotic in shoes by Drew. Looking at their website, the style called Rose looks closest to what I had. They come in wide and the strap is velcro so you can adjust to any height you need for clearance.

    7. Mimosa Jones*

      The blog Barking DogShoes has good recommendations for all sorts of functional shoes. Sometimes the styles are a little more aging hippie than urban professional but it’s a good starting point for brands and styles.

    8. Anonydoglover*

      Have you tried going to the Walking Company Store? They have some cute shoes, and you can choose the types of insoles that are built in. They helped me when I had a bad case of plantar fasciitis. They aren’t cheap, but they occasionally have sales. They have a website too if you don’t have the store near you.

      1. Disco Janet*

        Looks like the closest one is about 45 minutes from me, but it would probably be worth the trip. Shoes are one of those things I have such a hard to me buying online and still getting a proper fit!

    9. Lillie Lane*

      I have high arches and have had plantar fasciitis symptoms in the past. The brand I swear by is FitFlop. They have some very professional styles that are great for work. I also wear their slippers (in the winter) and sandals (in the summer) as house shoes. I think I read somewhere that the mold of the sole is especially good for people with plantar fasciitis.

    10. The Librarian (not the type from TNT)*

      Same problem, but I’m a man. I wore running shoes to work for months; nobody cares at my library. The problem is that now I need shoes that are warmer than running shoes because my feet are always cold in cold weather…

      It’s especially tough this year because the shoes this season are particularly awful. I thought I got lucky with a pair of Skechers, but despite being super comfortable, I’ve worn them maybe ten times and the soles are already disintegrating. I really miss being able to wear Doc Martens, which are durable and cool looking, but are not the best shoes orthotically and I think may have triggered my plantar fasciitis in the first place.

      1. lisajulie*

        re:cold feet. I have a serious success rate with cold feet by wearing liner socks. Backstory is that I hate shoes with a burning hate. I also take public transit in a rainy climate. Bad mix, eh? If I wear really thin wool or silk socks under thin or medium weight wool socks my feet are toasty warm, even in Teva or Keen sandals.

      2. Disco Janet*

        Could you wear boots for your commute, then change when you get there? I have a little closet in my classroom that I store my boots and coat in – not sure if that’s an option for you.

        I wish I could just wear the sneakers year round and have no one care! But our principal is pretty big on setting examples of professional dress for the students, I temporarily have permission for the sneakers but don’t want to push my luck by wearing them for too long.

      3. Amy Sly*

        Do you like New Balance? If so, look into Dunham shoes: the same New Balance comfort and size selection, but in more professional styles.

    13. Alas alack*

      Same problem – I looooove American Munro shoes. Plenty of room for my customized Super Green orange insoles.

  8. The Other Dawn*

    Anyone have experience with barn cats?

    I’m taking on two cats from the rescue that will be barn cats. They were adopted out from the rescue as kittens last year and then returned to us a couple months ago as nearly-feral adults. It’s clear they’ve never been handled by the adopters nor socialized in any way after adoption. They definitely didn’t leave us in this condition; I met the cats a few times before the adoption and they were normal, social kittens. They’re now not adoptable and the woman who runs the rescue (a network of foster homes, no shelter) doesn’t have the space or resources to devote to these two cats. She doesn’t want to euthanize them so she asked if I’d take them on as barn cats. She said that there’s a chance they may become manageable given time, but that’s not a guarantee. I have a barn and I’m experienced with cats, so we decided to give it a shot.

    The person bringing them today is experienced and will tell me what I need to do to settle them into the barn and acclimate, as well as provide some supplies for me, but I’m wondering if anyone has real world experience from the owner side of this.

    (I’ll add that I can’t help but feel awful that they’ll be living outside, but I guess that’s what a barn cat does.)

    1. Aurora Leigh*

      I grew up in a rural area with lots of outdoor cats — their tameness went from basically tame to only showing up for meals to maybe seeing them ocassionally out of the corner of your eye.

      Cats really can be basically self sufficent. Make sure they have plenty of water available. For winter you might look for a heated bowl if the barn has electricity, that way you won’t have to change frozen water bowls multiple times.

      I would provide a small space inside the barn — like a plastic bareel or tote, lined with old towels or blankets to give them a place to hide that os easily defesible from other predators. Don’t leave food out overnight — racoons can be really vicious to cats and you don’t want to attract them.

      You can try to tempt them with smelly treats (tuna was always a big hit). But yeah, they might never warm up to humans.

      I have 3 indoor kitties now, but I have known cats that were never truly satisfied without a big outdoor space to roam as they pleased.

    2. Lady Jay*

      We had a bunch of barn cats when I was growing up! Barn cats are super adaptable. We made sure they had a cozy, safe space to sleep (my father set up one of those ‘dogloos’ for the dogs to hunker down in, with plenty of straw for warmth; but it would work well for a cat, as would a cardboard box with blankets). Many of our cats also liked a safe space up above the ground as well–a ladder stretched across the rafters with a box lashed to it; I think it gives them a feeling of safety.

      Do make sure food is closed up (in a trash can or something) and keep an eye for wild animals–skunks and the like. Once you have outdoor animals, wild animals are attracted by the promise of food.

    3. Courageous cat*

      As an indoor-cat only person, I would say: don’t feel awful. This is much much better than the alternative for them. We can’t always provide perfect, but providing good is… well… just as good.

      1. The Other Dawn*

        I’ve had indoor/outdoor cats my whole life. Same for my husband. About eight years ago we started keeping them indoors as the older ones died and new ones came along, mainly because I found my one-year old cat, who was my sister’s cat initially, dead at the end of my street as I was leaving for vacation. He’d been hit by a car. :( Prior to that another one-year old cat disappeared, and another went missing twice. I then decided that future kitties would be indoor-only. It’s not that I have strong feelings about it one way or the other–some people do, but I never entertain debates on that. It’s more that I got tired of my cats going missing or being attacked or whatever. To be honest, I had less behavioral problems when I had outdoor cats. But all my current ones were raised as indoor-only, so I won’t be letting them out.

        1. tangerineRose*

          Yeah, I grew up with outdoor cats, and most of them did not have long lives, so as an adult, my kitties are indoor only (except when I had a a cat who made it clear she wanted to go out, then I took her out on a leash sometimes). But in this case, it sounds like these kitties can’t be indoor cats, so I think you’re doing the right thing – you’re saving their lives. Also, since it sounds like they were social initially, they might warm up to you eventually.

        2. Courageous cat*

          It’s all tragic and I’m sorry, I keep my cats indoors for the same reasons – but I would still argue a free life cut short is better than euthanasia.

          1. Stormfeather*

            I’d also suspect that if they’re living in a barn they’re also probably not going to be as much at danger of being hit by cars, although I could be wrong, and the possibility is still there. There still might be dangerous, like wild animals but… yeah, I wouldn’t feel bad, living a life as a barn cat would be way better than being euthanized!

            1. The Other Dawn*

              I would say that cars aren’t as much of a danger since we have about 1.5 acres. I know cats roam; however, with a field and pond in back and it otherwise being fairly wooded, my guess is they would gravitate towards that instead. My one outdoor cat I had never went across the street. If they do cross the street, it’s not a main road so there’s not a ton of traffic. Wild animals, such as foxes and coyotes, are probably more of a danger.

    4. Kc*

      My mom got barn cats that never warmed up but she still enjoyed having them as she was done with having indoor cats when the last of the indoor cats passed and these 2 were not suited for indoor life.

      She had the barn cats for years and then started having trouble with raccoons. The raccoons ended up chasing away or killing the cats. We don’t know, it was hard on her. My take is the cats had good lives for years in the barn but I didn’t get attached. And trapping and killing the raccoons was the only viable solution we could come up with since it isn’t legal to relocate them in this state but things devolved first. Maybe feeding only during the day would work.

      On a more positive note, I also know someone who recently rehomed a barn cat because it decided it wanted to be an indoor cat.

    5. Wishing You Well*

      My grandparents lived on a farm. It were very clear that unless cats are socialized as kittens, barn cats are feral for life. There’s no harm in your efforts, but don’t expect the cats to change. If you get an exception, be very happy.
      P.S. Barn cats are fed in the morning so they’ll hunt mice at night. This will also leave no food for raccoons to eat.

      1. The Other Dawn*

        What’s sad is that these WERE socialized, friendly kittens before they were adopted. But they were returned to us a year later by the same people as semi-feral, unfriendly cats. I feel bad for them. The rescue works very hard to match cats with the right human, but they can’t always foresee something like this. Apparently the people have a baby on the way and said the cats are “vicious” so they can’t keep them. They didn’t leave us in that condition!

      2. Sc@rlettNZ*

        Not necessarily. I’m one of the founders of a cat rescue charity in my town – many of the cats and kittens we rescue were wild born or abandoned. Small kittens are easily habituated to humans but I can give dozens of examples of older cats that tamed up just fine, given enough time. It all depends on the cat’s personality.

        I’m in NZ so we don’t have to contend with raccoons (which sound like a nightmare – I never knew they would kill a cat). Good luck with your barn kitties (as they were socialised as kittens they may eventually come to trust you – although they may remain shy with strangers).

        1. Venus*

          I mentioned this further down but will add my experience again here too to add support:
          I know a lot of rescuers who rehabilitate fearful, sometimes human-aggressive cats from outdoor colonies. Some become friendly faster, and I suspect it is because they were friendly with humans from 4-12 weeks old. That seems to be valuable timing. So if these were friendly as kittens then I think they have a good chance.

          It also depends if they are male. They are more likely to become friendly faster.

    6. Ask a Manager* Post author

      You might also check out the work Tiny Kittens is doing with the colonies of feral cats they care for. They trap as they’re able for spaying/neutering and veterinary care — and, with the pregnant mothers, until they deliver and wean their kittens — and then they test to see if any of the cats they trap might be interested in becoming indoor cats. Some are, given enough time and exposure to kind humans. Some make it clear that they want to return to their colony and so they let them once they’ve recovered enough to be released back. But some of their cats who were extremely feral at one point over time do become socialized. (One of their cats was so feral that she could only be approached with a pizza box as a shield at one point, was released back into the colony’s forest once her kittens were weaned … and over a year later had become friendly enough that she’s now happily living with a human. See details on Sloaney here.)

      Some more stuff you might find interesting here.

    7. Lora*

      Have four barn cats that will happily shred your arm if you attempt to pat them.
      1. Set up a food dish with canned food as well as dry initially, then switch to dry. They will live where they are fed. I feed them in the morning.
      2. Heated water dish in winter. They’re big plastic things, if there’s a Tractor Supply near you, they carry different sizes.
      3. In really frigid weather I put out a heating pad for them to snuggle. Honestly they mostly ignore it and make a nest in the hay storage, but it makes me feel better that they can warm their toe beans if they need to.
      4. Hope you are OK with very, extremely dead chipmunks, sparrows, etc. Mine keep field mice under control for the most part.
      5. There is a rumor that you can get them in a havahart trap and take them to the vet, who will wear Kevlar gloves to give them shots. Mine have never gone in a trap no matter what it was baited with. The vet just comes over and I shut the door to the Food Room and then it’s all kinda shenanigans trying to grab them.

    8. The Other Dawn*

      Thanks, everyone.

      The cats have arrived and are settled in the barn. The woman brought two large dog cages with her, as well as their carriers, food, and other supplies. She grabbed one of my long, orange driveway markers and told me, “This is what you’ll use to close the carrier doors so you can go into the cage to clean and feed.” She then, very gingerly, reached in to open the carriers and then close the cage doors as fast as she could. One of the cats nearly got her, but she was OK. I’m thinking I won’t reach in there with bare hands when I reopen the carrier and close the cage. Oven mitts, I’m thinking.

      1. Meow*

        Thank you for taking these cats in! If you are a TinyKittens fan, have you continued to track Calvin of “Calvin’s Quartet and the Fire Kits” on the facebook? (TinyKittens Cat Pack on the facebook follows a lot of the TK alumni as well as current kits). She has nightly “story time” with the cats, which seems particularly helpful for the newbies at their house. I wonder if something similar might be helpful over time for your new cats – you’re present, they get used to your voice, and you’re otherwise innocuous. Sounds as if the cats have had a rough time, going from friendly and socialized to angry and semi-feral; thanks for giving them a chance.

        Ways to keep them warm in the winter include cat shelters to make yourself, eg at KittenLady on the facebook, soft reflective heating pads that are machine washable (and I use these myself in the winter now, too) though these no longer work when wet, and there is a lot of info at alleycat dot org slash community-cat-care. If you have electricity in the barn you could set up a heated food station to keep water and food from freezing.

      2. Anono-me*

        You might want to consider getting some welding gloves when you’re at Tractor Supply to get the heated water bowl. I think they’re more durable and more flexible than oven mitts.

        1. The Other Dawn*

          Yes, we went there tonight to check out the water bowl. I’ll be grabbing that probably tomorrow. It won’t be cold enough tonight for the water to freeze. We went to another store and grabbed several moving blankets, which I draped over the cages with only enough uncovered to get some air circulating, but also keep them a little warm. I felt so bad–I scared the hell out of the female (Tessa) when I put the blanket on the cage. Even though she was in the carrier she freaked out, ran around the cage. knocked over the water, and then got on top of the carrier; she looked terrified.

    9. Venus*

      I (and other rescuers) have worked with some really vicious ‘feral’ cats who were able to be friendly after a month or two of work. In all those cases it was very likely that they were initially in a home, then abandoned outdoors, and they built up a fear of humans. Many of them become friendly with some time and effort, so if you are willing to work with them then you can find suggestions online (I can also write up our method, but it’s long so my default is to refer to google) as it’s a typical problem for rescues. Although essentially it’s about feeding them kibble, yet enticing them to like you with really tasty food, and a looooooooooot of patience.

      I sometimes have to hold foster cats in large dog crates, and they are physically fine in there but they become aggressive toward me. Once in another foster home with more room they slowly warm up to humans. So part of their behavior may be a result of their current situation.

      They might also never lose their aggression toward humans, so I don’t want to sound too hopeful, but I would be surprised if they couldn’t be made friendlier again. Such a shame for your rescue that they didn’t contact you sooner. I have had a number of fosters where I thought “I know you probably didn’t give up your pet sooner because you kept hoping it would suddenly be okay, but why couldn’t you have made your decision to give them up to rescue 6 months ago when the problem would have been much easier for us, and better for the pet?”

      Thank you for taking them in. It’s not an ideal situation, but it’s the best the cats could ever hope for. Thank you for saving them!

    10. The Other Dawn*

      Toby (boy) and Tessa (girl) are settled in for the night. We got some moving blankets to cover the cages, which will hopefully keep them somewhat warm. I left just enough of them uncovered in order to let the air circulate a bit. Toby is cowering in the litter box, just as he was about three hours ago. Tessa freaked out and ran around in the cage, knocking over the water; she looks terrified. Ugh, these poor things. I really wish their former adopters had taken as good care of them as the rescue’s foster homes did before they got adopted. :(

  9. Teapot Translator*

    Taking care of aging parents.
    My brothers and I have reached that stage in our lives. My mom died a few years ago and now my dad may have something. The doctor ordered some tests, so we’re waiting (for the tests and the results).
    This is the kind of situation (health problems) that triggers one of my brothers’ anxiety so he overreacts to every thing. It’s exhausting because you never know if his urgency is warranted or if it’s caused by his anxiety.
    My anxiety is usually under control, but my brother’s reactions are testing that control.
    And we’re at the beginning! We don’t know if my dad has something. It may be something manageable. My dad is still autonomous.
    How did/do you cope?

    1. Deborah Hendrix*

      This is going to sound odd but see if your brother is willing to undergo hypnosis. My father went through a session of hypnosis when he received his cancer diagnosis. Basically, he wanted to receive and process information calmly. He learned to self-hypnotize himself and it worked beautifully.

      1. Teapot Translator*

        Unfortunately, my brother is in denial with his anxiety. He refuses to believe he might be overreacting; he thinks his reactions are warranted.
        But thank you for the suggestion.

        1. Not So NewReader*

          I don’t think you have to get him to admit his reactions are over the top in order to suggest that he may get something out of talking with a professional.

          You can talk a little bit about grief. Grief is not just for deaths. We can seriously grieve a person’s illness, sometimes even harder than their passing. There’s all kinds of things we grieve.

          So your inroad here might be, “Yeah, bro, this is rough stuff. I have been thinking about maybe talking things over with a professional to help me along. You might want to consider the same.” You don’t have to say the part about, “I might need a professional if YOU don’t calm down. I cannot take care of everyone.”

          When he says his reactions are warranted (or indicates a similar idea) you could say, “We could both get really hyper, Bro, but it won’t change anything. And in some ways it might make the situation even worse because we aren’t making careful logical choices and we aren’t being careful during our own activities.”

          1. Courageous cat*

            All of this is fair, but I can all but guarantee most people with chronic anxiety have heard the suggestion before. It’s not like they don’t know it’s an available option, it’s that they don’t want to/are too anxious to/don’t think it will help/etc.

            Ultimately suggestions like hypnosis tend to only help a person who’s asking for help.

        2. Sometimes Always Never*

          What if you can calmly point to older, non-dad-related anxiety problems he’s had that turned out fine? I have some anxiety, and I do this for myself if/when it seems warranted. I grew up with an self-medicating, mentally ill alcoholic father and my anxiety still has me scanning the horizon for potential problems (and potential solutions) and so many, many times, life deals out something I never anticipated, despite all of my efforts. It helps in some of my anxious moments to look back (and laugh) at how wrong I was, while acknowledging that the anxiety made me feel like I was “doing something proactive.” Also, it helps to be able to realize that no matter what happens, I can and will get through it because I always have. This helps dampen anxiety greatly. But it may be hard to lead someone else to this conclusion because anxiety, odd as it seems, can feel comfortable if that’s where you generally live your life. Good luck!

    2. Sue*

      There was a recent letter to AAM about a work situation where someone was having this issue. The answer and comments were good and there might be some helpful stuff in there for you on dealing with his overreactions.

    3. I'm A Little Teapot*

      You need to develop some mental calluses. Assume that your brother is overreacting, every single time, until it’s shown to be otherwise. That will help you retain your calm and sense of balance. Also, even if it is a huge emergency, you being calm will help immensely. If the doctor is trying to get medical information/history and your brother is running around with his head cut off and you’re calmly giving them the information you need, well, that’s a much better option.

      You could also consider point blank telling your brother that it doesn’t matter how terrible something is, he has to figure out how to be calm and rational when talking with or being around you or your parent. Period. No exceptions. Then when he’s NOT calm, call him on it. “Brother, I understand this x is happening, but I need you to be calm and rational, and you’re not. So figure it out or leave and I will text you updates.”

  10. Evergreen Watercolor*

    My family and I are split on an issue. I’m currently pregnant with baby #3 but it’s number 1 for the father. The father and I had been together for quite awhile and I have known him for half of my life. We had a miscarriage before this pregnancy. He was excited the first round and this time. However, shortly into this pregnancy we split. Around the time of the split I informed him I found out I was having some complications that resulted in weekly appointments. I let him know what was going on and I haven’t heard from him. As this has progressed, complications have changed from one issue to another. All is going to be well with baby but I found out that the child will have a lifelong issue. The baby will most likely be able to lead a normal life. My issue stems from whether or not to contact the father. He does not know the gender or what has become of the complications. We split several months back and he has not reached out at all. Granted, I have not contacted him. He knew there were complications and I figured he would be reaching out to see what’s going on with the baby but nope. Part of my family feels I need to try and reach out to let him know what’s going on. The other part who I’m leaning to agree with is that I should write him off and just inform him when baby is born. I get it may be he’s not feeling like a parent yet but he’s not someone I would have anticipated to ghost this whole thing. Just curious on everyone’s thoughts.

    1. KR*

      I would wait for him to reach out to you and just let him know when the baby is born. Sorry you’re going through this. I think if it were me I’d rather just accept he isn’t going to participate rather than keep giving him opportunities to and hoping he decides to reach out in return

      1. valentine*

        Reach out and see if he also wants, say, monthly updates. Your family doesn’t know this guy and extrapolating from guys they know or stereotyping isn’t helpful. Plus, imagine his family is in his ear with “Don’t bother her! She doesn’t need you under her feet. If there were news, you’d know by now.”

        Sit down with him and hash out his role and legalities. Presumably someone else is your emergency contact, but you need to know your state law so your medical proxy isn’t texting this guy who’s incommunicado on a hiking trip because the baby came early or you didn’t tell him and the hospital needs his permission for something. Hire a lawyer and put things in writing. Put his name on the birth certificate. He should go to court and be legally declared the father via DNA as well. With or without him, do you want his family to have contact with your baby? Does your state have grandparents’ rights? Everything is easier now than it will be post-birth or post-incident.

    2. Deborah Hendrix*

      Are you planning on underwriting the cost of the baby or hoping for financial participation from the father especially given the issues baby may face? Now might be the time to begin settings those expectations in place. Perhaps that would be better done upon consultation with your legal representative.

      1. Wishing You Well*

        Agreed.
        Get legal counseling first. Then decide how to keep him informed. Chances are very high he will have to financially support his child whether you demand it or the government does. Your communication with him can either help or hurt your case.
        I hope you have the best possible outcome.

    3. Alex*

      I don’t think you need to reach out to him out of obligation–you already did that once, and I assume he knows how to contact you, so it seems like the ball is in his court.

    4. Red Reader the Adulting Fairy*

      I’ve never so much as had a thought that I might be pregnant, so this is definitely a theoretical rather than experiential for me, but my thought is, would you like him to be involved in some way? If you don’t want him to have a role in the baby’s life, you don’t want to have to worry about whether he might show up and want parental rights, you don’t want child support (and you don’t anticipate needing social support from an agency that might get shirty about it; I hear that some of them do?), then don’t do anything that might encourage him to do any of those things. But if you do, and if you intend to list him as baby’s father on official paperwork, then at the very least give him a heads up on that – being told, hey, I am listing you as father, I will be seeking child support, and I don’t want this to be a blindside to you that will add stress to an already stressful situation, can we please get some plans sorted out so that we can decide what we both need in this situation and make it work as well as possible for all parties.

    5. fposte*

      I’m coming at this from a pragmatic standpoint. If he has or ever will have any pay or assets, child support is a must here; a child with lifelong issues needs the support of both parents, and if you ever seek financial aid for her the state may go after him whether you like it or not.

      So, given that, what do you think is likeliest to get him on board with supporting his child? Will he rise to the occasion better with advance notice or is it better just to file with the court once the baby is born and let them handle it?

      1. MatKnifeNinja*

        From someone who’s friends had a dog fight legal battle after a birth of a child, and didn’t let the dad know.

        I would send status updates. This way EVERYONE on his side of the family can’t say you left him out of the loop.

        This guy may walk after the birth, or may suddenly want to be involved. That is what happened with my friend. To get Medicaid in my state, you have to put down the father. Her child has spina bifida.

        When the father was hit up for child support (my state automatically goes after the father if you need any sort of public help), he suddenly wanted 50% custody and visitation. His family threw a ton of money at a lawyer, It turned ugly in family court. Dad got what he wanted, but does nothing with it. The judge was not happy mom left dad out of the pregnancy loop.

        Another friend would write once a month notes on her brother’s (lawyer) letter head and send them return receipt requested. It would be stuff like OB appointment 12/15 at 2 pm. Address blah blah blah.

        When that baby was born dad’s mom was “outraged” she was excluded from the pregnancy. My friend had 12 receipts that grandma signed for those letters. Can’t be helped he son frisbeed them all into the trash.

        At the end of the day, the law is the law, but it looks better on you that you tried to keep the father informed. You look reasonable, and the dad looks like Squirrel Nutkin screaming he didn’t now, and you have the correspondences.

        Does dad deserve it ? Not in my book, but you gain much from a 4 line letter than doing nothing.

        Good luck with your little one!

      2. That Girl from Quinn's House*

        Child support, in the US, is legally due to the child. So a parent can’t “decline” it on the child’s behalf.

        You can fly under the radar without it, but if the child’s health problems make them eligible for things like SSDI or CHIP, the state certainly will not hesitate to file for it on the child’s behalf.

    6. Observer*

      I agree with the others – talk to a lawyer about ongoing support. And keep dad posted in a form that you can document. Not about yourself so much, but the progress of the pregnancy and the baby. You don’t want to give anyone the opportunity to claim you excluded Dad or didn’t give him the information he needed.

    7. Book Lover*

      Inform him and talk to a lawyer. Child support is for the child and can include college cost support if I recall correctly. I don’t think as the mother you should make the decision for the child that support is not needed. But talk to a lawyer and go from there.

    8. Anon Librarian*

      *I am not a parent.*

      I agree with the other commenters that legal counsel should be the next step. Since you aren’t together, you need to sort out: 1) Custody and visitation 2) Financial Support 3) How you’ll communicate about the child 4) If/how you’ll make decisions together (when that’s necessary) 5) If he’s not going to be involved, what if family members of his want to be?

      A lot of people are saying to contact him first. Personally, I would get legal advice first. Because he isn’t communicating, so you already know there are issues on his end. A lawyer could advise you on when and how to communicate with him, taking into account the local laws and your specific situation.

      This sounds challenging. Sending you support and good wishes!

    9. Morning Reader*

      I would recommend an allisonian approach, that is, treat him as though you expect that, of course, he will want to be a good father, so therefore he would need/want to know about his child’s health. Keep him in the loop. Send him a copy of the birth certificate with his name on it when the child is born. Ask him how he’d like to arrange for insurance coverage for the child. Send these updates by certified mail as suggested elsewhere, so that there is no possibility of him not knowing unless he is willfully evading. The tone should be, “going forward, how can we best co-parent?” You May have to write him off but wait until after the birth to see if he steps up.

    10. The Ginger Ginger*

      I’m going to read this in the most forgiving light possible just to give you food for thought. Obviously read this through the lens of your knowledge of this person as I could be way off base. Is it possible he pulled way back because he was scared of another miscarriage? If he was genuinely excited for both pregnancies, maybe when he heard “complications” he panicked? It’s not fair to you, who didn’t have the luxury of getting space, but maybe it was purely emotional? I agree with everyone else saying to get legal counsel, but maybe reach back out to let him know what’s happening with the baby. Maybe he’ll realize what he’s done and want to be involved again. And if you feel at all like this guy would be a decent father, it’s worth it for your kid’s sake to try one more time. Just keep your expectations low so you will only be pleasantly surprised. Sorry this is going on for you.

    11. Sue*

      You don’t mention that you have any issue with him being involved with the child. If there are no problems with him that put you or the child at risk, I strongly urge you to reach out and let him know what is going on. The courts always favor open and cooperative communication (again, assuming no danger) so if you can show with an email/text thread or otherwise what efforts you’ve made, it will be to your benefit.
      It might also help you to have his involvement and support during challenging times. I sincerely hope he steps up and takes responsibility. Sometimes people can be in denial until made to feel the reality of it all.

      1. Quandong*

        I agree, Sue.

        Evergreen Watercolor, unless you have reasons to think he will be an appalling and unsafe father, please keep him in the loop for your benefit in the future.

        As well as being evidence if you need it, this may mean it’s more likely for the child’s father to be part of their life. If you there aren’t dangers to you, I think you’re doing your child a service to promote the possibility that they will have an ongoing relationship with their father.

    12. LilySparrow*

      You owe him nothing. If he couldn’t be bothered to check on the baby before, the news that his kid will have a lifelong issue isn’t going to make him suddenly turn into a responsible person.

      You are the one dealing with this, he should be reaching out to you.

      I certainly hope you pursue all child support your baby is entitled to. Especially if they will have a lot of medical bills, you’ll need it.

      I’m glad your little one will do okay in the long run, and wish you all the best for the difficulty in the short run.

    13. Dr. Anonymous*

      The baby will need his support and he may be off avoiding the thoughts. Send him an update since you didn’t think he was the kind to ghost and to remind him this is real and, in case he has it in him to step up and be a father, to let him know he needs to start making plans for a baby with complicated needs.

    14. Deranged Cubicle Owl*

      If you were living in my country, where the health-system, insurance and child support are really easy to get once the baby is born, I would say that you’ve done enough. You let him know that you are pregnant, had some complications. I would tell you to indeed inform him when the child is born. (I would tell and write all about the father in a notebook for the child later on, and try not to be very negative for the child’s sake when they are old enough to ask about the father if he did not take up his fatherly duties).

      However, I believe you are in the US. So for the child’s best interest, and so that the child gets all the support it needs, I would update him if I were you (after seeking legal counsel, that is). The better you communicate with him, the better you can get insurance and support for your little one.

      Best of luck to you, your family and the little one.

  11. Meh*

    Any online dating profile tips?

    I’m a late twenties woman trying to find a long-term relationship online and am struggling a bit with finding anyone in-person or online. I’ve had slightly better success online but definitely not the barrage of men contacting me that other women complain about. Any tips to improve my profile would be greatly appreciated!

    1. Lena Clare*

      I have some articles on my blog, lenaclare dot wordpress dot com, about dating and dating profiles if you wanted to have a look.

    2. PX*

      There have been a few threads about this recently if you have the time/patience to go back looking through recent weekend threads. Captain Awkward also has a good post about building an online dating profile up. But I think my summary is usually:
      – Be clear both in your mind and in your profile about what you want. Personally, I find bland generic or empty profiles the worst. It doesnt have to be much, but even a few sentences to give a sense of a who you are as a person super important (to me at least).
      – Dont be afraid to initiate.
      – Good pictures. You dont have to look perfect, but I find its important to have photos of you that actually look like you (and look like you now, not years ago).
      – Remember that its a numbers game as well – you will likely have to swipe a lot/date a lot to find someone compatible
      – Related to the above, dont be afraid to tell your friends/family that you are looking to date. Similarly this is where I also found any kind of social activity to be a boon. Essentially the more people you meet and the more open you are to just meeting people in general, the odds increase (slightly!) of finding someone!

      1. Meh*

        Thanks for the tips! Sorry I didn’t realize that there were other threads about this. I’ll take a look!

        1. Jackalope*

          Captain Awkward is great with this. 100% recommend finding some of her sample profiles. She also gives the good advice to go on lots of first dates, a few second dates, and very few third dates. Basically if you have any interest at all in the other person then try it out because chemistry is funny and you never know who you’ll have it with but don’t be afraid to nope out if it isn’t working, and nope out quickly.

    3. Aurora Leigh*

      The advice PA gave is all good! I just want to add, don’t be discouraged that you’re not getting a barrage of attention. While there is some truth to dating be a numbers game, you don’t need to attract everyone’s attention. You just want to attract the sort of people you would also be attracted too, and have a compatible time with. It’s okay if that takes time!

      1. Meh*

        That’s true. Just wanted to get ideas from others to see what I might be doing wrong. Thanks for the encouragement!

    5. Entry Level Marcus*

      I’m a mid-20s cishet man who has used online dating sites on and off for the past 5 years (mostly OkCupid, a little Tinder). YMMV, but I would say these are the tips I would give to many women whose profiles I’ve come across through the years:

      – Make your main photo a good headshot, and make sure you have one full-body picture that doesn’t have other people in it. They don’t have to be professional level, but they should be good.
      – Don’t be afraid to message first! Men looking for women are very rarely messaged first on online dating sites, and so taking the initiative to send a first message (that isn’t just “hi”) will get most men to give your profile a serious second look.
      – Really fill out your written profile, and make sure you show your personality in it. Don’t just list a bunch of identities/hobbies/traits and leave it at that.
      – Try to always frame things in a positive way whenever possible. What I mean is, talk about what you like, not what you don’t like, and talk about what kind of man your looking for rather than the kind of men you aren’t looking for.
      – It’s better to make a polarizing profile that is *really* appealing to the kind of man you’re looking for than to be bland but broadly appealing.
      – Remember to be open-minded when matching with other’s profiles. Some people don’t make amazing profiles or don’t express their personality well online. One of the best dates I had from online dating was with a person who I almost skipped over because they didn’t have a great profile. They seemed like my kind of person, though, so I messaged anyway, and it led to a fun date.

        1. Rainy*

          From my own experience, if you are well-endowed in any of the physical areas your preferred gender/s are typically attracted to, don’t ever put a full-body shot on an online dating profile.

        2. Jackalope*

          I read an article once that said that people who have professional pictures as their profile get more attention. Silly thing, but it worked. So I had a friend who does portraits of people do a photo shot with me and the pictures were SO much better than what I had previously. And it DID help. (Very well, actually; ymmv but I am now married to someone I met online a few weeks after I put up the new profile pic.) So I would encourage you to see if you can get a couple of quality pictures (they don’t have to be fancy expensive, but professional quality) to choose between for your main picture. Also, this seems like it should be obvious but never have a picture (esp as your main pic) of you and a member of the opposite sex alone as your main profile picture. I saw a lot of guys who did that, and while I figured out at one point that they were pics with a friend, or their sister, or whoever, I tended to have the knee jerk reaction of “looks like he’s already taken” and keep going unless I had a lot of time to burn.

    6. Parenthetically*

      Years ago I read that the most polarizing profiles actually got not just the most clicks but the most dates. I think the most important thing is to be genuinely yourself, without trying to be all things to all people — in fact, I think the main benefit of online dating is to be able to filter out people from the start who don’t mesh with you, rather than having to go on several dates to find out that your date hates tattoos and you have 30, or thinks women should stay home and raise babies and you are a feminist. Or whatever. So fill out the profile, be totally honest and don’t apologize, and let THAT be what intrigues potential dates.

    7. Auntie Social*

      My friend said a little about herself but an equal amount about stuff she didn’t care for—“you think I require mansplaining? Keep walking!” and it was written funny. And she actually got quite an uptick! So maybe make a list of your “don’t”s as well, and you’ll get rid of the ice chewers/hiking at dawn guys.

  12. A.N. O'Nyme*

    Writing thread! How’s everyone’s writing going?
    I’m sorta playing with an idea for a writing competition, but I still need to work out some of the kinks before I can actually begin writing it.

  13. A.N. O'Nyme*

    Gaming thread! What’s everyone been playing this week?
    I got started on Doki Doki Literature Club and…holy macaroni.
    Seriously, did NOT see that coming.

    2. Lyudie*

      Skyrim SE, mostly. Futzing a bit with Elder Scrolls Online though I’m usually not an MMO player (too flaky/busy, jumping from one game to another etc). I got the goose game on Switch but haven’t gotten into it yet, hearing good (and hilarious) things about it though.

    4. Liane*

      I have been watching my kids play Fire Emblem Three Houses. (Do they hire soap opera writers for these games?) Also listened to a friend grumbling about the difficulties of toddler-rearing in the newest The Sims. I suggested he see if it was possible to get baby gates in game. (Yes you can)

    5. Gingerblue*

      Not so much actually playing as contemplating what I’m going to do when I have time to play, but: Cities Skylines. I want to get back to the monorail system I was building circling my city’s main island.

    6. I'm A Little Teapot*

      I borrowed a friend’s ps3 and am playing Lord of the Rings Lego :) Having fun with it. My friend also gifted me the Star Wars lego games, so those are waiting in the wings when I’m done with LOTR.

    7. Urdnot Bakara*

      Playing a lot of Overwatch recently. Always love the holiday events, especially Halloween!

  14. Mrs. Carmen Sandiego JD*

    Moving to our house this weekend!!

    How do you stay physically/mentally/emotionally healthy during such life transitions?

    I’ve had a cold, sinusitis/TMJ, dry eye, uveitis in the past 3 months. Now, behind-the-leg pain for 3 days I’ve been putting heat/ice on. Possibly pain due to jogging?

    Staying sane by: Knitting, reading about pretty gardens, and possibly signing up for a yoga class for next weekend a bus ride away from the house.

    House-wise: We’ve taken smaller items there piecemeal and movers for larger items (eg. Bed) come tomorrow. Locksmith already changed locks. A piece of paint chipped in our bedroom which means potential repainting…and a kitchen light already burnt out last night O.o It’s a marginally longer commute (but all the affordable houses are further out from the city). One friend has a 1h45 commute, another has a 2h commute both *one way*. Ours will be 1h (instead of usual 45 min).

    What helped you most when moving to a house? How did you make it your own?

    1. Not So NewReader*

      Take time off from work. It’s too much to hunt down shoes, coffee cup and tonight’s dinner while working full time during the day and unpacking at night. Take time off so you can just focus on settling in. Have a set time that you quit working on the house each day. From that time on, declare it a rest period. The rest is just as important as doing the work.

      Making my house my own took years. My best thought is get things set up so you can function in ordinary life THEN think about personalizing it in a while. My household decorations stayed in boxes for a while. I got the bathroom and kitchen set up. (Have to be able to eat and to bathe.) Then I set up the closet and dressers in the bedrooms. (After I eat and bathe, fresh clothes would be a good thing.) Next I set up the laundry area so that was kind of workable.

      Because of complications in my life the rest of it came slower and took longer than I would have liked. After the laundry area, I started to try to make some sense out of the guest room because I had frequent company. They needed me to have the bed set up and perhaps a flat surface to set things on. (ha!) Since I had a table and chairs set up in the kitchen, the dinner room was the last thing I worked on. There’s no basement so we set up an extra room as you would a basement type space. This was handy for throwing empty boxes, bags of garbage etc. We had shelves so we just lined up tools on the shelves with the idea that we would organize them better later. (Which we actually did do.)

      One thing I wish I had understood better is that needs change periodically. I am sure the interval varies for people. My interval seemed to be about 7-8 years. So houses are never “finished”. We are constantly tweaking, adjusting, accommodating etc in how we configure stuff in our homes. What works well today may not work so well in years to come.
      A silly example would be when we added a pup to our mix. All of the sudden I had to put everything up high where the pup could not reach it. Then the pup grew and height was not that helpful any more. I had to tuck things away where the pup could not get at them.

      It’s good to look at the configuration of things and say, “This works for now. In a bit we may find that we need to change it.” Keeping this thought at the forefront of your thinking can be useful in preserving your sanity.

    2. Fikly*

      I moved this July. I’m autistic, and change is SUPER hard for me, and all my routines changed, my local food options changed, etc., etc.

      I went into it with the expectation and understanding that this was going to be hard, and I was going to have to be kind to myself. I also allowed for extra self-care. I did extra therapy.

      And I managed to roll with things. 3 weeks after moving in, I concussed myself on my freezer, and ceased being able to unpack. 3 months later, I’m still not unpacked. I’m not thrilled about that, but I’m managing not to blame myself for that either.

      Good luck with your move!

    3. Marcy*

      Congratulations!!!

      We have moved several times. What’s been helpful for me is to focus my energy on what is most important right now.

      For example, clean bathroom, clean kitchen and a clean place to sleep is first for me. When the kids came along, getting them settled made my life easier, so that was a priority.

      Once these areas are good to go, focus on the areas that will improve your life. Maybe organize your closet or put away books.

      And give yourself a break. Take time to clear your head. Eat good food. Get good sleep. You will make better choices when you are not tired, hungry or over stressed.

    4. Anono-me*

      It really helped me to clean everything. The house was already very clean but it did help me feel more at home.

      As far as repainting the bedroom right now . You can sometimes find a big enough paint sample under an outlet or light switch cover to take to your local paint store and have them color match it. You might also want to check the basement or garage for leftover cans of paint. Many people leave those behind.

    5. Ranon*

      Snacks, hydration, cleaning and rapid unpacking are my tricks, insofar as anything along those lines is a “trick”. I’m much happier with my stuff out of boxes and it’s relatively easy for me to decide where to put things, so my husband cleans and I get stuff out of boxes and settled (with input, of course, for shared stuff). If that decision making process is tough for you I think you just need to allow yourself time, and prioritize the spaces that are most important for your personal comfort. For me that’s a couch- I can manage just about anything if there’s a couch to collapse on when I need it.

    6. PaperTowelBattle*

      A friend of mine came by and told me funny stories of her crazy life during moving, which was a good distraction, but the best thing for me was accepting that moving was just gonna suck- that nothing we could do would make the transition not be hard, and that when it got hard it wasn’t our fault- just a feature of moving.
      I will say that getting to paint and organize the way that I wanted made a huge difference, and a year in I couldn’t be happier.

    7. PurpleMonster*

      Well, for the move itself it was getting the pictures up. Generally that’s close to the first thing I do, even if you know they aren’t in their permanent positions. Make it a priority to put the bed together and make it first, because after a long, long day of moving and unpacking you do not want to be putting sheets on the bed at 11pm.

      After a deep clean, to be honest, I just get on with living in the house. If it needs work, I’d really recommend putting off anything that doesn’t have to be done immediately for a good 6 months. That way, you’ll understand more about the house and its quirks, and how you live in it. You might find that something that really bugged you at first isn’t an issue, but you’ve discovered something else that you want to tackle.

      And don’t rush into choosing colours! That’s the fun part, so take your time. It might even pay to wait an entire year so you can see what the light does through the seasons.

  15. Jaid*

    Playing around with different tubers this week. Tried the eddoe, but my throat felt weird afterwards and I’m not sure why.
    Now I’m trying the Yellow Name (pronounced “nyah-may”). Salt water, a hefty slug of Southern Comfort (just had a feeling to try it), and cooking it on the soup function in the Instant Pot.

    1. fposte*

      Wow, I don’t know where I could get eddoe around here. I love tubers, so I’d be interested in trying that.

      A guess on the throat–it looks like eddoe is related to taro, and taro contains oxalic acid crystals that can irritate or numb if it’s not cooked long enough. Some people even get irritated skin from handling the raw stuff. Maybe that’s what’s going on?

      1. Wishing You Well*

        Or it was a mild allergic reaction that might get worse with repeated exposure. I wouldn’t eat eddoe again, just to be safe.
        Stay well!

      3. Jaid*

        My local ShopRite carries some of the exotic ones and I’m blessed with a couple of Asian markets near me. I heard that Giant might carry them.

        As for the eddoe, I’m not sure. It felt like my throat was closing up/very mild convulsions and the base of it was super cold to the touch. It could have been an allergic reaction, even though it was cooked long enough to mash and I had used paper towel to handle it. Or it could have been that it pretty dang cold at work and the cold air was bothering my neck. Either way, I tried it and don’t need to cook it again.

        The Name came out pretty good, I think. Too much salt, so I rinsed it. I had some more bites and it seems tasty. I’m not sure what next, so I’m letting it cool down. The Internet says I can mash them, form them into patties and then fry them. Or use a savory/hot sauce.

    2. Reba*

      Oh! igname! how interesting. I have eaten it in West Africa, A LOT. I like it fried, with spicy sauce. Fritters are nice too.

      Mashing it is the classic way to eat it in WA, but also a truly enormous amount of work to do by hand. So I’d only go that route if you are feeling adventurous and in need of some cardio :) But I imagine small portions could be made in a food processor. Googling for “pounded yam food processor” shows a lot of results, which seems promising!

      1. Jaid*

        Hmm. It’s in the fridge now. I wonder what the difference is between “pounded” and “mashed”.

    3. AcademiaNut*

      Japanese Mountain Potato is an interesting one to try (nagaimo). It’s the only species of yam that can be eaten raw. The flavour is mild, but the texture is really unique. In Japan they grate it to a pulp and eat it with noodles, or cut it into sticks and serve as a salad with sesame dressing, or cook it in stews.

  16. Juli G.*

    Looking for some parenting advice.

    My son is a 3rd grader. He’s a smart kid. I don’t want to put a lot of pressure on grades but truly, his bad grades are due to laziness and following instructions. He failed an assignment to create a poster for reading. The teacher gave a checklist for what it needed to include and he just bypassed two categories. He reads above grade level, he’s an amazing speller (he missed his first spelling word in three years last week because he wasn’t paying attention and he spelled the wrong word – correctly of course), he’s great at math. There is no reason that he should be getting C’s on his report card!

    Advice on how to handle? I don’t want to put undue g

    1. Juli G.*

      Accidentally submitted! I don’t want to put undue grade pressure on an eight year old. If he didn’t know how to do it, this would be different. He admits he doesn’t always read the instructions or listen because “he knows how to do it.”

      1. Aurora Leigh*

        I am not a parent, but I was once a 3rd grader. It sounds like he needs more challenging work to keep his attention focused. Can you talk to his teacher about what kind of resources might be available so that he’s not bored at school?

        I was homeschooled, but that’s obviously not an option for every family. Can he skip a grade or is there any kind of track for “gifted” students? His teacher may have otger ideas to help engage him.

        1. Juli G.*

          Maybe you’re right. He hates to be told he’s wrong so that’s why I haven’t considered challenging him more.

          Skipping a grade isn’t a good option (he’s already the youngest in his class and it’s starting to show socially) and there isn’t a formal gifted track. It’s a private school that’s good about customizing though.

          1. Observer*

            Then he NEEDS to be challenged more. And he needs to correct his work EACH AND EVERY TIME he gets it wrong. Being able to deal with being told he’s wrong is an important skill. And, it doesn’t matter how smart he is if he doesn’t do the task he needs to do, or does it incorrectly. In some cases it’s not a big deal but sometimes it IS – life altering big. And it’s not always apparent which is which. Also, even if it’s just mundane stuff, not getting it right is going to be a problem.

            On the other hand, he also needs to learn to do the boring stuff correctly – that’s often a LARGE part of almost any job, profession or thing that you want to accomplish.

          2. just a random teacher*

            Honestly, I think the “hates to be wrong” thing is the part to work on with him rather than his grades. Elementary school grades are basically play money unless the school uses them for tracking kids into different classes or sports/activity eligibility, so as long as he gets the grades he needs to to not have to miss out on stuff it really doesn’t matter whether he gets C’s or A’s right now.

            However, he needs to get better at being wrong. It’s an important life skill, and it does not get easier to learn if you wait until you’re an adult.

            I work with gifted kids who are placed up in math quite a bit in my job, and the thing I always emphasize to them is that being wrong is an important part of learning, and it’s important that we find math hard enough that you don’t get it right all the time. (I spend a lot of time doing things like offering them fewer, harder problems if they insist they don’t need to learn algebra because they can solve things like 3x+8=29 in their heads. I just open up an Algebra 2 book, and we look through it until we find a problem they agree they couldn’t keep track of in their heads and we talk about building the skills they’ll need to do those kinds of problems.)

            You might also find some of the growth mindset stuff helpful to use with him. It’s very trendy right now, which means it’s being used in a variety of both appropriate ways and ridiculous ways, but the core idea of emphasizing to kids that they haven’t figured something out *yet* rather than that they just don’t know it can be pretty useful.

            1. Clever Name*

              I totally agree. Grades in elementary school mean squat, but always having to be right will negatively affect him for the rest of his life. I’d guess he’d rather fail because of not trying than try, be wrong, and fail anyway.

              1. Anon Librarian*

                Grades in elementary school actually CAN have an impact on things. It depends on the school, of course.

                I was a similar kind of kid – found school really boring and slacked because I wasn’t learning anything and I thought the only point was to make your parents happy.

                My grades weren’t terrible, but the school penalized me. I wasn’t allowed to audition for school plays, they wrote bad recommendations so I couldn’t transfer to a different school, and my options for what classes to take in middle school could have been affected by it. Those are just a few examples. It can be more of an issue than one would think (not fair, imo, but that’s how school is).

            2. Juli G.*

              Had never heard of growth mindset. I will take a look for some possible appropriate uses.

              I completely agree that learning to be wrong is the most important part and what I have the least patience for.

        2. Disco Janet*

          As a teacher though, it’s tough to justify giving a student harder work, or figure out what level is appropriate, when they haven’t shown you they can complete the grade-level work. The teacher may not know where he actually stands ability-wise if she hasn’t seen what it looks like when he actually puts in effort.

          1. Observer*

            As a teacher, it should be clear that it’s not that he is incapable of doing the work, though. So, a different approach it needed here.

            1. Disco Janet*

              I think that depends on the context. Why do you assume it would be clear he’s capable of doing the work if the teacher has never seen him demonstrate that work, or the skills necessary to complete the work?

              1. Observer*

                Well, if, as a teacher, you decide that anything a mother says must be made up, it’s a pretty big problem. Also, when you see some of the kinds of errors this kid is making, it’s a pretty strong indicator that this is not about a kid who can’t do the work.

                The one where he spells the wrong word correctly and gets marked down? That’s CLASSIC. I can’t blame the teacher entirely for handling it that way, but in my experience, any competent teacher recognizes it for what it is. And it is NOT an example of a kid who can’t do the work.

                1. EinJungerLudendorff*

                  I kinda disagree on discarding the parents opinion. Certain parents are notorious for overestimating their kids, or just refusing to acknowledge their problems at all and blaming the teacher instead.
                  If the teacher doesn’t think the child is at a certain kevel, why should they let the parent dictate otherwise? Unless OP can actually show the teacher that their kid is at that level, or they have a very good reputation with the teacher, it’s only reasonable to take their assessment with a grain of salt.

                2. Observer*

                  SOME parents are impossible. But starting from that assumption is simply stupid. It’s NOT fact based – most parents have a lot to tell a teacher about their kids. Now, if you see that the parent is actually speaking nonsense, that’s one thing. But more often than not, parents DO have a point.

              2. TexasRose*

                Because (at least in middle school and high school), it is clear from their work whether a student:
                * has no clue what to do, or no desire to do anything, and leaves everything blank
                * has no clue about the method to use to solve the problem, so puts in random numbers to fill the blank space
                * has a clue but some mistaken ideas about the method to use to solve the problem, so puts in the wrong number for a specific slot (switching vertical and horizontal coordinates, for example)
                * does the work according to the instructions from the last assignment (where you were to find the domain of an equation, rather than the actual equation, for example)
                * is missing some underlying skill (like basic multiplication skills, because in the classes where I volunteer the kids are not allowed to use calculators, so the larger method is correct but the answer is incorrect)
                Making mistakes is what school is *FOR*.

                1. Disco Janet*

                  Okay, let’s say you’ve got a student who has no desire to do the work and will just leave everything blank. How on earth do you have any idea what level he would be at if he actually tried?

                  With OP’s son, I can see that spelling the wrong word correctly could be a cue. But this idea that teachers should always know what all of their students are capable of, even if the student hasn’t shown them what they’re capable of, and go above and beyond to find special, interesting work for that student (and when you have 150 students, as high school teachers often do, you’ll have many of these students, all with different interests)…it’s just not that simple.

      2. sequined histories*

        Speaking as a teacher, I would recommend against a freak-out or crack-down. Mediocre grades but good core academic skills are not necessarily a crisis, if the core issues are temperament and immaturity. My father, for example, failed a bunch of classes during his freshman year college due to similar issues, yet went on to become a college professor and international expert in his field.
        The biggest issue academically is whether or not there is an underlying disability tripping him up. I’d ask his teacher her thoughts on that. Also, if he’s in a public school, you as a parent can probably get him evaluated for learning disabilities if you really push for it even if the teacher doesn’t think it’s necessary.
        If he actually likes school and is learning the basic academic skills, though, I would recommend avoiding anything that seems punitive or likely to make the fact that he’s gotten some C’s in 3rd grade some big emotional drama. The grades themselves are giving him some feedback that he needs to change something if he wants to make an A. Consider—assuming he doesn’t have a disability—letting him decide what, if anything, he wants to do about that.

        1. Juli G.*

          We did crackdown on his writing grade bc his lack of attention was racking him up a D and he would be unable to play on the school basketball team with a D. This is where the balance piece comes in because obviously, that would be a tangible consequence. At the same time, I feel like he’s really young (8!) to have to miss an entire sports’ season when his parents could help him learn responsibility. Am I wrong? Maybe he does need to learn those consequences?

          The help is that his teacher makes him bring the writing assignments home and we check them. This has been a huge failure as his reaction to being told he’s wrong is to whine and cry. (And I’m not a perfect parent but I put so much energy into being patient and pleasant into those moments!)

          His teacher doesn’t think there’s a learning disability. She (and I) think he’s in competition mode with his peers. His recap of the school day usually includes who finished math/science the fastest that day and if it wasn’t him or his BFF, clearly it was unfair. At our (private) school, third grade is when they make the jump to become more independent so the teacher doesn’t spend as much time spoon feeding the instructions and she said it is an adjustment for most kids.

          The most important part I left out is my son has had this issue before but not to this extent (see change in philosophy at this grade level). He is very prone to blame the teacher for his errors. So I worry that letting him face consequences will just destroy his interest in school because he’s the type to blame others and not look at his own actions. Does that seem normal at this age?

          1. Auto Generated Anon*

            Posted below first, following up here.

            Both of mine (one ADHD like me, the other not) are elementary aged. Given what you’ve written, about all areas of life, it may be really useful to reframe this as it’s not a choice, this is how his brain works. Missing basketball, if he loves it is not going to help and will only make things worse if you take always the things he’s good at.

            He’s not lazy. Kids this age aren’t lazy. So, what do you do:
            1) Rule out the easier stuff. When was his last optometrist eye exam, real hearing test, etc
            2) regardless of what the teacher says ask your pediatrician to do an ADD assessment – the most common tool here is just a couple page survey that you and teachers/coaches fill out, then the pediatrician scores them.

            Gotta run, but can provide more later. It sounds like you are really worried about him, and that he’s a great kid who is struggling. You’re doing the right thing by him by getting involved.

            1. Disco Janet*

              I’m baffled by the “kids at his age aren’t lazy” part of your comment. What makes you think this is true? While in generally younger children are more motivated about school work than teens, to say NONE of them are ever lazy seems like quite a sweeping generalization. My six year old can definitely be lazy.

            2. sequined histories*

              1. Yeah, given what you’d added I would have him tested for everything (sight, hearing, all possible learning disabilities, etcetera). There’s nothing worse than everyone involved struggling for years before discovering there’s a diagnosable problem. Get that done ASAP and before intervening further.
              2. Denying a 3rd grader participation in a sport based on a D seems pretty harsh to me. That sounds like something more appropriate to middle or high school. Honestly I’m not loving what I’m hearing about this private school, just on the basis of that. I’m a public school teacher so I’m biased, but your local public schools might have more to offer than you realize, even if they have low standardized test scores. They could have better access to screening, gifted programs, teachers more accustomed to accommodating learning disabilities, extra, highly qualified staff members who specialize in supporting students (even gifted students!) with learning disabilities, and they could free up your cash to pay for non-school-related basketball programs and so on.
              3. I’m all for setting kids up for success and not failure. However, consistently blaming others for our own failures and whining when we’re told we’re wrong is a whole other problem that preventing failures from ever occurring doesn’t begin to address.
              4. Maybe try to find opportunities to discuss the fact that doing something fastest doesn’t always mean doing it best or winning: gymnastics versus track, speed skating versus figure skating—there are many non-school examples of situations where quality and accuracy are more important than speed.
              5. You seem to be thinking that you should be preventing these failures by tutoring him one-on-one, but based on what you’ve added here, you’ve already tried that and it was miserable for both of you. I doubt more of the same is the answer.

              1. Juli G.*

                1. He passed hearing/vision tests with actual doctors last week. I have to admit I dread the idea of other testing because he’ll be so whiny about it but its probably time. I guess I’ve never suspected learning disabilities since my brother had several and he’s nothing like him. That’s a pretty naive view though.
                2. I can’t imagine making him change schools. He loves his school and has lied to me before about being sick to not miss (it was really embarrassing when his teacher called me – I felt like a crappy mom!). Forcing him to start over with all new friends seems like a nightmare. And honestly, I really like that our school has three daily recesses. Our local public schools are way too restrictive with free time. It is also a school district in an affluent neighborhood which means that everyone is gifted and they spend millions of dollars on sports stadiums. If he tests for a disability and our current school can’t support him, yes, I’d move him. (This is not an issue with teachers at the school – I know many of them that are awesome.)
                3. 4 years ago, I got advice here to never give into his whining. I have not since. We’re still waiting for him to grow out of it.
                4. One of his sports is bowling so this is a great idea.
                5. Probably also true.

                1. Observer*

                  You’ve taken a really good first step in never giving in to his whining. I hope you are equally clear with him when he tries to blame everyone else for his mistakes.

                  At this point, he may need to start feeling some real consequences for this kind of behavior. While it’s highly possible that he has some sort of diagnosable problem, whining and blaming others are two behaviors that are going to mean that he’s not going to make a whole lot of progress, regardless of what the problem is.

                2. TL -*

                  It’s great that you’re not giving into the whining but make sure you’re not making decisions primarily based on avoiding his whining/tantrums in the first place. (Every parent has to pick their battles, so it’s reasonable to avoid sometimes, just don’t let it be the biggest consideration in every decision.)

                  Also, if it’s been four years of this and you’re not seeing gradual improvement (can’t tell if you are or not), maybe it’s time to reach out for some expert support. That’s not a judgement on your parenting at all – sometimes kids are just wired differently than their parents’ default parenting style and having someone who is an expert neutral party give guidance can help make the trial-and-error of parenting go a lot easier.

                3. Juli G.*

                  @TL I am considering professional help. We really aren’t doing much to avoid whining (at this point, we have a second child who has his own opinions and is still at an age appropriate for some whining. No way to avoid it for both boys since they’re very different).

                  It’s hard to not feel like it’s my fault but I’m also not doing much different with kid 2 and he is way less whiny

                4. Juli G.*

                  @Observer I’m not good at not accepting the blame myself but I always stand up for his teachers, coaches, and dad. And my husband stands up for me.

          2. Observer*

            Get him evaluated. And if he won’t cooperate with you, then he probably does need to feel the concrete consequences. There could be a lot of issues going on here, but one thing he CAN do is cooperate in stuff like having his work checked. “I am NEVER wrong” is not ADD.

            His refusal to accept that he is ever wrong, or that he ever did not do the perfect thing is a problem and he needs to learn that there are consequences to that. In the world of work it’s kind of like the person who thinks that what their boss is asking is stupid or even incorrect, but does it anyway because you do what the boss says. He needs to learn that even when he thinks HE is right, he needs to do it your / the teacher’s / the boss’ way.

            As long as he gets away with refusing to do that, he’s going to keep on doing that.

      3. fhqwhgads*

        He’s bored and it’s going to be difficult to get him to pay closer attention as long as that’s true.

      4. Ann O.*

        I think the blame shifting and not reading/listening because “he knows how to do it” are the core issues from what you’ve said more than the grades. I wish I had good advice about the blame shifting because those are issues I struggle with to some extent with both my daughter and annoyingly, my spouse. However, the extent that you describe this for your child seems on the very extreme end.

        With the instructions/listening, however, you may be able to help by role modeling good techniques when you help with the homework. Try to do as much asking and as little telling, so he has to discover his errors and strategies on his own. (for example, with a math problem asking him to explain what the assignment is looking for.) The more indirectly you can lead him to spot his own errors, go back to his own work, IMHO, the more effective it is with this type of personality. Likewise even with the blame shifting, you can ask him to explain why he thinks things were unfair, which may get him to admit that something wasn’t. (Some people just need a vent/cool down period to deal with personal disappointment, though. I have a friend who is a champion blame shifter, but if she’s given space to cool down and process, she generally ends up admitting her responsibility.)

        I also wonder about incentivizing caring about good grades. I know there are mixed philosophies here about this, but your kid is already facing clear consequences for the blame shifting and skipping instructions. Those consequences aren’t enough motivation for him to try something new.

      5. Not enough coffee*

        For one of my kids, a simple bribe is always the best way to start changing a habit. She’s not super internally motivated, but it doesn’t take much.

        Example: when she was in 1st, we wanted her to stop blowing spit bubbles. Told her if she could go 3 days without doing it, we’d buy her a pack of gum so she could blow *real* bubbles. Took a week or so to earn the gum and once she did the habit was broken. In soccer, she just didn’t want to try. We told her if she did a certain thing her coach kept trying to get her to do twice, she’d get an ice cream after the game. She practiced hard all week and did it!

        For school, she actually does pay attention. But if she didn’t and she had your son’s problem, I’d say something like a week of perfectly completed (don’t need an A, but no careless mistakes) gets some small reward. Remind him of the reward daily (before school and before homework).

        My younger one is totally unmotivated by bribes and the only way to get her to do something is for her to want it. So we try hard to find ways to make her want to do things. It is exhausting!!

    2. PX*

      Not a parent, but this sounds a lot like many of my friends who were not challenged (in my case, this was in high school but…)

      To me, this is an age where report cards dont really matter so as long as he is passing I would probably let it go.

      But there is perhaps a bigger picture/thread about responsibility and attention to detail. I would be more inclined to look at other parts of his life and perhaps use examples from other things to demonstrate that if he rushes ahead/skips things – mistakes can happen which might be more serious. In my head, this would be great with putting together some kind of complicated toy (or even kids programming games perhaps) which show the relationship between instructions, attention to detail and results :D

      The key thing here is it needs to be something he cares about – not just you.

    3. Elder Dog*

      Sit down with him when he feels he’s done with his assignment and check it over with him. Ask him if this or that requirement is covered, don’t tell him. Let him discover his mistakes with your guidance before he turns his assignments in, and when he stops making mistakes the two of you discover (for more than a couple weeks please) start cutting back on the checking and see how he does on his own, and be prepared to have to go back once or twice. You want him to learn to handle this on his own, so don’t get all disappointed or critical when it doesn’t “stick” the first time or he’s making a lot of mistakes and not catching them till you point them out.

    4. Fikly*

      I have a cousin sort of like this. Very bright, refused to do anything in classes where the teacher annoyed him or he wasn’t interested. He’s now a successful pediatric neurosurgeon.

      1. Auto Generated Anon*

        There are so many things that could be going on, my thoughts as a parent of two very differently abled and super smart kids is- Start with, is it this sudden and only at school or does he miss instructions/forget at home and other activities too?

        One implies it’s classroom bases, the other that it’s brain based. Then the easy stuff – is he having trouble at school in other ways, what does his teacher think? what does last year’s teacher think? Vision and hearing?

        Could write a great deal more, if helpful, but don’t want to drown post. Let me know if you’d like more along these lines.

        Also, a really simple possibly. his school work has probably gotten more complicated and required longer time at work. He may not have skills to deal with that, like breaking a big project into pieces.

        1. Auto Generated Anon*

          I cross posted with your additions above – then saw them when I refreshed to make sure mine took. I’m going to re-read to make sure I understand.

        2. Juli G.*

          Well, he does with chores but I think that’s because he doesn’t want to do chores. He absorbs everything he can about the two sports he plays and takes good direction from coaches, YouTube videos on his sports, etc. as well as video games. He remembers every promise I’ve ever made and is a classic eavesdropper.

          Ha, the vision test is funny. He failed his health department vision test at school 2 years ago which seemed crazy because he can spot things so far away. They called me non-stop to go get a follow up. I finally went and his vision was perfect – eye doctor was baffled . He admitted that he was the last one tested and that it cut into the start of recess so he just yelled out some letters and left. We now opt out of health department vision testing.

          I just worry that I’m going to raise a kid that doesn’t care about achieving BUT blames everyone for the fact that he doesn’t. I can be comfortable with the first part but it’s the second part that I can’t let happen!

          1. Disco Janet*

            I wish I had more advice (I’m better at this stuff with teens, since that’s the age level I teach), but just wanted to commend you on recognizing what’s the important part here. I agree that focusing on the blame shifting Is the right move here – because it’s likely the underlying attitude that’s driving all of this.

          2. Auto Generated Anon*

            Me again. In accordance with Allison’s rules, we don’t diagnose over the internet. :). I’m my experience, lot of the things you describe could fit into several subtypes or ADD. Asking your pediatrician to do a ADD screen is an easy place to start, a good thing to rule out.

            Also check out understood dot org and chadd dot org. There’s a lot of great advice for all parenting there

            1. EinJungerLudendorff*

              Seconded. I also have a disorder in that area, and ADD often seems to manifest as being unable to do things you don’t care about while hyperfocusing on the things you do.

              Which leads to a lot of parents, teachers and kids looking at how they approach the interesting subjects, and wondering why they can’t just apply themselves to the boring/unwanted tasks. It’s clearly not above their level after all.
              And in my case, lead to a lot of ingrained assumptions that I was the problem, and that I was just too stupid/lazy/incompetent/selfish to do the tasks, which caused a host of behavioural and mental health issues that took more than a decade to work out. And I had good, loving parents and teachers.

              I’m not saying that this is the case with your kids, and the blame-shifting and competitiveness definitely needs to be worked on, but I would encourage you to look a bit closer than just dismissing their behaviour as “lazy” or “whiny” and trying to find out what their underlying behaviour and thoughts are.

              Sorry for the textwall, I let myself go a bit.

          3. knead me seymour*

            I’m not a parent or teacher, but based on your descriptions, I’m wondering if it might come down to a confidence issue–like, maybe he’s afraid to give his all in case he falls short. Does he have other issues with perfectionism or fear of failure? If so, I wonder if there may be avenues for him to develop the ability to overcome obstacles and make mistakes in an environment that feels lower pressure. I actually understand video games can be quite good for this, or maybe a hobby or craft that he likes. As a bonus, I feel like that this is a skill pretty much everyone can benefit from working on.

          4. Taylor Swift*

            What if you set a timer? So like, we’re doing work for an hour and if you finish in ten minutes we’re still sitting here for an hour? Maybe that would help teach him to take his time a little bit more.

    5. Not So NewReader*

      Another non-parent. Sorry. I was that kid in grammar school who got Cs. The only time my parents said anything is when I dipped down to a D in something. And the most they said was, “See what you can do to pull that up a bit.” That was the worst thing they ever said about my grades. I never was afraid to show them my report card.

      This was so wise of them. Not kidding. I was not happy in school. I felt bullied for one thing. But mostly I was bored out of my mind. A typical example, we spent 6 weeks going over 4 quarts equals a gallon. Class after class we watched the teacher pour four quarts of water into a gallon jug. At the end of six weeks one person said they still did not understand and so we went back over it again. Everyone in the room sighed. I remember I used to get what I call boredom headaches. I never told anyone about these headaches from boredom.

      Another major piece for me was that if I did not see the relevance of what we were learning this would definitely cause me to have a low grade. I remember in kindergarten they drilled us on the letters of the alphabet and I had NO idea why. (No one really explained to me that I would need to read, nor did they really explain what reading was.) So I did not really learn much about letters until the next year. Years later this issue of relevance came up again when I took calculus. I did not understand where a person would use all those flippin’ formulas and I just could not get oriented to the course work.

      Grammar school was the worst of it. In high school I started to come alive. I could pick my courses! I could manipulate the schedule so I had the teachers I wanted! I could drop courses if the teacher called us stupid or anything else. I still did not get great grades. I think I was in the top 50% in a class of over 300. Then came college and I got that cum laude.

      My father was very much the same in school. Solid Cs and Ds. He went on to get many, many US patents. He said to me that grades do not always reflect what a person has learned. I married a man who had the same pattern. At work they called him the professor (think along the lines the professor of Gilligan’s Island). My husband was not a prof but he was able to retain scary high levels of information. He never got great grades in school, either.

      What me, my father and my husband all shared was that even though the school grades were not good we could find things of interest to us and learn about it. I had a collection of sea shells and I knew the names of every single type I had. I had a stamp collection and I could tell you where any country in the world was. I was ten. My father learned how to build things. My husband took apart clocks, motors etc to figure out how they worked. Our parents could not pick out what we were going to chose to learn, but we did keep learning. I think that is something to consider as you mull this over.

    6. C Average*

      Is everything okay for him socially? Does he have good relationships with his peers, does he feel safe and accepted at school, etc.? Do you ever see him struggling to fit in?

      I was a smart-on-paper kid who aced standardized tests but got meh grades. Looking back, I realize a lot of that was due to the ever-present distraction of trying to fit in socially when I frankly just didn’t. When I was in class, rather than focusing on what the teacher was saying, I was angsting about not having anyone to play with at recess, or getting iced out by someone I thought was my friend, wishing the teachers would do something about the boy bullying me, or trying to convince my mom to let me dress like the cool kids so I’d feel like less of a weirdo. Honestly, existing socially occupied so much of my headspace that it’s frankly amazing I learned anything at school.

      1. Juli G.*

        I don’t think that’s the problem. We tried to pull him out of school 40 minutes early one Friday and he threw a fit because his class had earned extra recess time that week and he and his friends had an epic ball tag game planned. He goes to a small school and when we show up for family events, a flock of kids run up to meet him. The only kid I’ve ever saw act like a bully moved last year and my kid and others in the class expressed how it was relief he was gone.

        I’m sorry that was your experience! I had similar problems.

    7. Thankful for AAM*

      I think it helps to ask your son what he wants. I have done that with my son over the years, adapting the question to the situation and his age.

      Tell him his grades don’t show what he knows. Ask him if he is ready to be more organized so his grades will show what he knows.

      I think that gives him a voice and a role in the solution, keeps the pressure off the grades (they just are not reflecting reality), and models for him what to do when you are bored (find another skill to work on).

      And it does sound like he is bored. The teacher might have insight into this, into what else to do, and in how urgent they feel this is.

      Really, 3rd grade is much lower stakes than 9th grade (or whatever other grade level is key these days) and I think it is worth the time to work through this to build skills that will help him later.

      Good luck!

    8. Book Lover*

      My son would rush things and not even read questions before answering, but he has adhd. He also wanted to do well, but just wasn’t able to control the rushing. He would get angry about homework but he wouldn’t whine or blame others for his results. It doesn’t hurt to get an assessment (and it sounds like you have already done a lot) but I think some kids are just not people pleasers or anxious to do well, so they have to be internally motivated, which is really hard.
      Sorry, it sounds frustrating. I am trying really hard not to fuss about grades, but as someone who always did extremely well in school I have a difficult time knowing my son is smarter than I am but not getting the grades because he won’t slow down. He is in a program where he is able to be a couple of years ahead in math and so on, and enjoys it – definitely worth seeing if your son is just bored (I didn’t see if you addressed that, sorry if I missed it).

    9. BRR*

      This question has really made me think. I think I’m reasonably smart but did terrible in school and it only got worse later on. I don’t know if I have advice for you now but I will say because I was “smart” I never learned how to study and that came back to bite me really hard. I feel kind of wrong saying this and don’t know if it’s bad parenting but maybe don’t let his intelligence be an excuse. I 100% agree that people can be bored because they’re not challenged and I don’t love testing overall as a measure of smarts, I would just hate to see him suffer in the future like how I did.

      1. Disco Janet*

        I think this is a really important point. He’s just a kid, but at some point “they’re bored and need more of a challenge” is kind of a cop out. When you’re in the work world, it’s likely that you’ll start off on a lower rung job that may not have as much challenge or responsibility as you want. But you have to prove that you can do that job well to get the challenge and responsibility.

      2. Juli G.*

        THIS WAS ME! And it’s why I stress about this so much. I was lazy. Truly. I’m not sure if I ever finished a high school assignment more than five minutes before class started. The valedictorian of my class took his ACT a second time because he was so mad that I got a better score than him (I’m an excellent standardized tester). I coasted easily to a 3.0

        My parents let me get away with it because my brother did have a learning disability and hated school. I wish they had pushed me. It would have made a difference in my life. My husband feels the same way but about athletics – his parents ignored his raw athletic ability and had he been supported, he probably could have had a scholarship to at least a junior college.

        But my son is different from both of us in a lot of ways and similar in others. It feels like every decision you make his life or death.

    10. PaperTowelBattle*

      Honestly, this sounds like me before I got my ADHD diagnosis- the refrain from my teachers was “smart but careless”. Answering the wrong question correctly and forgetting to do homework were a huge indicators.

    11. Michaela*

      Juli, from everything you’ve written (including the responses to other posters) I second the recommendation to pursue more testing for your son.

      While you’re waiting for the results, I think your son would benefit from sessions with a trained counsellor or an educational psychologist to address his reaction to being told he’s wrong, and his feelings about achievement and competition. In the scheme of things, he’s likely to have issues (both in outcomes of learning & socially) because of this, and it is much harder to address in teenagers.

      Also, it sounds to me like you could really benefit from some concrete suggestions from a professional around how to support your son while he works through these issues. I hope there are lots of resources available to you online and in person. Where I live there are several evidence-based programs for parents that are usually run for 8 weeks at a time (as well as dedicated counsellors etc).

      You might also consider going to some family therapy sessions to help you all draw together in problem solving, and creating a less fraught dynamic, well before your son starts puberty.

      2. Juli G.*

        Thank you. This is good advice. At the risk of making my son sound terrible (we truly had a fun carefree Saturday together!), he has a lot of resentment around his younger brother and they are such opposites. Support therapy couldn’t possibly hurt.

    12. AcademiaNut*

      As a former very bright but careless kid –

      Treat the carelessness as a weakness that needs to be worked on the same way you would difficulty with reading or math. Just because someone is really intelligent doesn’t mean that they have good attention to detail, or good study habits, or the maturity to go with their intelligence. Making sure he’s challenged academically is very important, but it’s not necessarily going to improve his ability to pay attention and follow instructions.

      It sounds like he might need more oversight when it comes to doing work – more than is typically for a kid that age. Maybe a check in at night when he’s doing homework to make sure he’s read and is following instructions. Talk to the teacher for strategies – maybe having him redo stuff that he’s been careless on would help, or some sort of reward system that’s not about marks, but about remembering stuff.

      And it’s easy to make it not about grades! Make it about the fact that reading and following instructions is an important part of school. If your kid were struggling with reading, you’d be working with him and the school on it, and I’m sure you wouldn’t be emphasizing that it’s all about the grades.

    13. TurtleIScream*

      Wow, I coûld have written this last year. My son was in third grade at a private school, super smart and socially well-adjusted, but was putting in bare minimum effort. Turned in half-completed assignments, late. Wrote down the wrong spelling words. Read books below his reading level to quickly get through them. My son said he was sooooo bored, but never ever put in extra work when he was challenged. We tried so many of the stratgies named above, but very little worked. You know what ultimately helped? He got a male teacher this year.

      It is good be be an involved, concerned parent, but I think too many of us think our children are a perfect reflection of us and our parenting abilities. Your son may be smart and capable, and just not care. You or he might stumble across something that will make him start caring, but there’s not a perfect formula to raising high-achieving children. And believe me, I understand the defensive feeling, sitting in parent-teacher conferences, wondering how much the teacher is judging you for letting your kid turn crap in. At some point, give you and your kid some grace, and don’t let the pressure get to you.

      The only thing I would suggest that did help us a little – we created a schedule that included 1/2 hour of free play time right after school, and put a hard stop time of 6:30 on all schoolwork. After that was family dinner and downtime. Any homework that didn’t get done, didn’t. He could earn extra playtime if he showed me properly completed work before time was up, but he was never punished by taking away his scheduled free time.

    14. Nicki Name*

      I was a super-smart 8-year-old with terrible grades. Teachers would tell me I was smart, and since I was smart, I shouldn’t get bad grades. My reaction was to tell myself that in that case, since I had bad grades, I obviously wasn’t that smart, and to tune school out more and more.

      As an adult, I’ve read a lot the last few years that framing intelligence as a fixed quantity leads kids to put less effort into schoolwork and be more afraid of showing weakness than when it’s framed as something like a muscle which takes work to train.

      So… if you’re telling him he’s smart, try refocusing away from that.

    15. Fikly*

      I’ve been thinking about this a lot, and I’m concerned that you used the word lazy to describe your third grader. The vast majority of kids having school work problems aren’t doing it due to laziness. That’s a shorthand word used by adults that means, well, kid must be at fault, there couldn’t possible be a reason for it that’s not the kid’s fault.

      Even “smart” kids can have problems with schoolwork. I was a smart kid who had problems with schoolwork. And you know what? I was told I shouldn’t, because I was smart, and I took it to heart, and hated myself for decades because it must be my fault, right?

      1. TL -*

        Eh, my middle brother was lazy growing up. He grew out of it but as a kid he just didn’t want to put effort into things a lot of time – he wasn’t frustrated, he wasn’t struggling once he decided to do them, and there wasn’t an underlying issue. My parents made it clear what standards he needed to meet and he met them but that was the extent of his effort.

        I mean, all of kids had lazy moments and the occasional lazy tendencies, but his was more of a character trait than a tenancy. As an adult he’s a little lower energy than the rest of us, but he doesn’t default to doing things at bare minimum acceptable anymore.

      2. Juli G.*

        I take your point but I was lazy as hell at that age. And older. So it’s probably some projection.

    16. J.B.*

      I have an extremely bright child with an anxiety diagnosis, and was that child myself. (She has been evaluated.) Organization is not our thing. For us, missing stuff was not a matter of laziness, it was a matter of not seeing something on the paper. My strategy right now is to emphasize that I know the organization thing is hard. She must do the work but I will support her in any way I can. With organization the best thing is to come up with strategies, checklists, review steps etc.

      Start with the school counselor and teacher and ask about the evaluation process. Now if your kid is more or less meeting grade level they may put you off – especially if the school has a tiered policy. But D’s might be enough to catch their attention. If you need a private evaluation expect it to be $1,000 plus with limited insurance coverage.

    17. JC Books*

      The book Five Love Languages of Children by Gary Chapman would be a great book for you to read. Once you know the child’s love language, motivation increases.

  17. Valancy Snaith*

    I just returned from a week-long visit to my parents, since my mom had landed in hospital. We are really struggling, here. She has Stage 4 neuroendocrine cancer that’s spread to her liver, lungs, and spine, and consequently is in a lot of pain. Her team recommended she do some radiation to reduce the tumor in her spine and relieve some pain, but she is reluctant because being on the rad table hurts her. They suggested upping her pain, she doesn’t want to because she’s afraid she’ll be hooked or they’ll give her too much and off her. (Her brother died of an opioid overdose about 15 years ago.) So she’s just in the hospital, in pain, refusing treatment, hoping it’ll get better on its own. She’s reluctant to talk to anyone–my dad, the doctor, anyone–but she did talk briefly to a social worker and only said she’s afraid.

    We are really, really struggling hard. It’s her body, her life, her choice, but it is unfathomably difficult to watch her suffer like this and refuse treatment or relief. I’m not sure she’ll see Christmas at this point.

    1. Teapot Translator*

      I’m sorry. It’s an incredibly hard situation to be in.
      Is there any way to get her to palliative care? Maybe someone from palliative care can explain to her how it works and how they are careful with the pain medication and they’re just there to get her comfortable, nothing more.

    2. patricia*

      I have no direct experience with any of this, so first I offer you my sympathy. I can’t imagine how hard this must be for you.

      I re-read a wonderful, thought-provoking article by Atul Gawande (love his work so much!) recently called Letting Go. It’s about managing end of life outcomes better than our medical system does currently. I’ll post a link in a follow up comment (though it’s also easily google-able) that may give you some food for thought. It’s lengthy but I think worth the time.

      All my good thoughts to you at this time.

        1. Not So NewReader*

          Thank you for this link. I am really happy to see people starting to think this way and starting to talk about this.

      2. C Average*

        Second this recommendation, and really anything by Atul Gawande. Wonderful human, wonderful writer.

      3. Valancy Snaith*

        It’s a beautiful piece that really resonated with me personally, but my mom has said over and over again that she’s afraid, doesn’t want to die, is afraid that we’re trying to “get rid of her,” and similar things. But since she’s so resistant to talking with me and my dad this way, we’re at a loss on where to go from here.

        1. 1LFTW*

          Oh, this is hard. It must hurt so much to see her suffering, and then to hear her say those things.

          I’m thinking the only thing you can do is tell her you love her, you support her, and you will do whatever you can to ensure her wishes are respected. She’s feeling so powerless right now. Maybe if she sees that you’re willing to respect her wishes, however baffling they may be to you, she’ll be able to trust you a bit more. It’s so, so difficult, though, to be in a situation where this most you can do feels like nothing.

          I’m sorry your family is going through this. Jedi hugs to all of you, if you want them, from an internet stranger.

        2. patricia*

          I’m so sorry. It sounds like her fear is so overwhelming to her, and my heart goes out to all of you. If she spoke with the social worker, perhaps the social worker would persuade her to meet with hospice? Again, no direct experience here. My heart just goes out to you and your whole family.

    3. Asenath*

      It’s incredibly difficult when you have a relative who won’t take what seems to you to be obvious and simple measures to reduce pain or make life a bit easier. I don’t have any solutions other than to try to be patient and not nag her. My late relative would sometimes take suggestions from a nurse or doctor that she’d refuse from us, but it sounds like you’ve tried that.

    4. tab*

      So sorry that you’re dealing with this. We lost my dad in January, and my brother in April. It’s not easy, but I was lucky to have my family to support me. Sending you encouragement and internet hugs.

    5. fposte*

      I’m so sorry, Valancy. That’s hard to be a bystander to.

      Sometimes in stress and pain is like being at the edge of a cliff–it feels like any movement will send you tipping over the edge and holding very still is the only safe thing. And sometimes also what we hang on to as the important things about ourselves are our handholds, and we fear that if we let go of those things we’ll fall. I hope you and your family can find some peace with her path.

    6. Not So NewReader*

      The grief from watching a loved one suffer can be as hard or harder than losing a loved one. Our thoughts can run all over the place from our own mortality to “how do I cope in life without my person?” to “make that pain go away, do something/anything!”

      Try to hang on to the fact that the sum total of one’s life is NOT in their final illness and suffering. There is more to their lives than that. It’s really hard to remember this as you think about standing next to that hospital bed, these are some of the most intense moments life has to offer.

      I did not agree with my husband’s choices when he faced his final illness. But I was his wife, not his dictator. It felt like, “Do I love him enough to let him make choices I know are bad ones?” In the end, I realized it was his to process and my role was merely to serve. This can be a really hard pill to swallow. I did find some relief with this thought however. I ran him to the 67 doctor appointments over a 13 week period. (Yes, those are real numbers.) I was able to do it because I decided to just be of service. Ironically, if my heart/brain had been screaming NO all the way, I probably would have collapsed and landed in the ER half way through.

      See, some things are way bigger than us. Picture a tornado. We cannot stop that tornado. We can only serve the victims of the tornado. And each victim has different needs and different settings. I could not stop his tornado. I could only be the person who helped him to implement the activities and choices he thought would be best for him. Even if those choices were not always the best for him.

      This goes into the next step. Redefining our definition of love. What do we think love is vs. how do we show love in real life? “Do I love you enough to let you do what you think is best and set aside my own thoughts?” I got to thinking about some time MANY YEARS from now, I will ask people to respect my own wishes. And they may have a hard time doing that. I will lay there and I will hope that they do as I have asked. I hope they serve ME.
      I will never understand some of his choices but maybe understanding is not the point.

        1. NoLongerYoung*

          Agreed. NSNR, this so resonated with me (1 year, 2 months, but who is counting how long I’ve been a widow?). This is so true.

          Thank you for sharing. Really needed this today.

    7. Jack Russell Terrier*

      Oh my heart goes out to you. Have you read Atul Gowande’s ‘Being Mortal’. Would your mom consider hospice? It sounds like she’s in ‘quality of life’ frame of mind and they are stellar at that. I know hospice can sound like your loved one is on the brink, but that’s really not necessarily the case – it’s about mapping out how to make your life the most enjoyable you can. That might not be where she is of course, but the hospice nurses I know are really good at looking at things more from quality of life perspective than hospitals do. Please do forgive me if I have read this all wrong – I am so sorry for what you are going through.

      1. Valancy Snaith*

        She would not. She is actively afraid that we’re trying to “get rid of her” or “push her out,” so she is absolutely not in the frame of mind where she would even not panic at the idea of hospice.

        1. ..Kat..*

          Does her hospital have a pain specialist team? Such a team could help allay her fears about pain medications and help her be more comfortable.

          Is there a support group for people with (basically) untreatable Stage 4 cancer near her? (And a support group for loved ones of people with such cancer – for your dad)? Support group for you?

          Condolences for what you and your family are going through.

    8. PaperTowelBattle*

      That’s awful, and i’m so sorry that your family is going through this.
      If she has stage 4 neuroendocrine cancer, palliative care, therapists, and possibly hospice workers should be actively involved in her care: does she have these specialists in her care team? Have you spoken to them about whether being in the hospital is appropriate in the first place?

      1. Valancy Snaith*

        They are. I live in a different country from my mom so I’m not exactly her primary caregiver–that would be my dad. It’s his role, not mine, to question that.

    9. Quandong*

      I’m so, so sorry. My suggestion is to seek counselling and support for yourself, since your mother is going to do this her own way, and you need help to cope with that.

      It can be traumatizing to see loved ones suffering so intensely, apart from the grief of knowing they are dying.

      Sending internet hugs if you’d like them.

    10. The Gollux, Not a Mere Device*

      That’s hard.

      Does the hospital offer patient-controlled pain dosing? That might help her accept that “they” won’t give her too much and off her, because she can give herself a little extra *now* without someone else deciding that means her next dose should be increased. The social worker might be able to put this in terms of “I understand you’re afraid of an overdose, here’s how we’ll keep you safe from that.”

    11. Tea and Sympathy*

      Can you ask her doctor if they can give her something for her anxiety? When my BIL had stage 4 pancreatic cancer he was also treated for anxiety, and I think it really helped him cope with everything.

  18. Punctuation puzzler*

    I have a writing etiquette question for you. I’ve seen people online saying that it’s rude (condescending/patronising/passive aggressive) to use ellipses when writing. I’d never heard this before, so I wanted to ask: is this a widely-known etiquette rule for written communication in general, or more of an online convention? I’m curious because I use this form a lot in informal communication (never in formal writing), as do my friends, and colleagues in our work WhatsApp group, and never thought anything of it. We tend to use the ellipses for incomplete thoughts or things which need doing (“I wonder where that book is… I’ll look later…”) or as an alternative to a comma.

    Help much appreciated, as I’d prefer not to cause offence.

    (If it matters, I’m in Italy and tend to use the ellipses in the same way in Italian and English.)

    1. Teapot Translator*

      My Filipino sister-in-law uses ellipsis (none of us are native English speakers). I do not understand what they mean for her. To me, they come across as passive aggressive? Like, if you write “Thank you…”, I’m going to wonder if you’re saying only thank you or “Thank you, I guess. You weren’t much help.” I should probably ask her at some point what she means with those ellipsis since she’s not a passive aggressive person.

      1. NaoNao*

        I lived in the Philippines for three years and I saw this frequently. From my (could be mistaken!) understanding, they are a kind of visual “softening” that acts as “tone” where text cannot. They also are literally just “decoration” because again from my could be mistaken understanding, Filipinos really love making text messages “cute” or “pretty” :)

    2. Amethyst*

      I’ve run across people who overly use them, & I take it as a type of tic, not anything PA. (But it also depends on the person’s personality.) My dad tends to use the space bar when he’s thinking, so a lot of his emails look like this. (I hope the multiple spaces show up after this posts, lol.) It’s like people who “um” or something when speaking.

      I’m also basing the above off the assumption that they’re not dragging out the ellipsis in their sentence, so………..

      But ellipsis on their own isn’t rude, & it’s odd that someone would presume that it’s rude.

    3. PX*

      I think this is a super cultural thing and I think is more an online convention. Online culture tends to skew pretty North American centric (I think) and there are some parts where the ellipsis is a kind of shorthand for sarcasm I guess?

      I personally tend to use it like you do (for incomplete thoughts) quite often. But as someone who has grown up in a non-English speaking country, and has many international friends – I’m used to just running with whatever weird quirks people have when writing. And if they want to be rude/passive aggressive, I would much rather they use their actual words! I take great pleasure in being deliberately obtuse sometimes ;)

    4. FriendlyPassingDragon*

      Personally, I’ve never heard/seen someone say that ellipses were considered rude… (Right here I mean it as hmmm, I’m still trying to think of examples of people talking about ellipses.)
      It puts me in mind of “awkward” characters or moments, such as in a game or anime when a character responds only with “…”, which can range in meaning from “I don’t understand what you just said” to “I DO understand what you just said and either I can’t believe you said it or I’m in super awkward mode and cannot reply”…
      In the end I think it really depends heavily on the context. I suppose there I was using it as you do (incomplete thought trails off).
      I have seen it used somewhat “rudely” on occasion, mostly when the “empty space” in someone’s discourse implies an extremely sarcastic tone. It can be hard to tell of course, because someone MAY be saying something like “And you thought that was a good idea…?” or “You thought that was a good idea because…” in a neutral, I’m-your-friend-listening-to-your-story tone, or it could be a sarcastic or even outright meant-to-be-insulting what-were-you-possibly-thinking-this-was-so-dumb tone.
      Context seems more responsible than the ellipsis itself though.

    5. fposte*

      The other thing I’d mention is that there are people who use ellipses, sometimes in atypical numbers, as their only punctuation, and that can get hard to read. But it doesn’t sound like that’s you, since you’re capably wielding periods and commas up there.

      But it’s very hard to read sentences…..when they go like this……and you never know what they’re building up to…….and it makes the noise of static in my brain……

      1. Traffic_Spiral*

        Yup. It’s… really annoying… when… people…. won’t type out a simple gotdamn sentence… and just… leave… things… trailing…

        Use actual punctuation.

    6. Courageous cat*

      I find people around my parents’ age tend to use ellipses more online, and they’re fine in the middle of the sentence, but almost never at the end. It leaves the thought so incomplete and sometimes seems really… not happy.

      1. Thankful for AAM*

        I use them exactly like courageous cat. To show a pause that I might use in speech. He said this and I was . . . confused.

        I’ve never considered them rude but using them instead of punctuation is, as others said, poor form, bad writing. I use them in formal writing to show a gap in a quote.

      2. Elspeth Mcgillicuddy*

        Yeah, I agree, it’s the ending ellipses. It sounds like you’re dubious. Or you don’t really mean it.

        “Okay…” sounds in my head sort of like, “Ooookay,” when you draw out your word to signify disbelief.

        But don’t actually spend a lot of time on the internet, so maybe I’m wrong.

    7. MMB*

      I’m so glad someone asked this question! I’ve always used ellipses to indicate a pause, hesitancy, or a sort of ….. trailing off. Therefore, I’ve always perceived them that way when others use them. Grammatically, they’re used to indicate that a word or words have been left out. I had no idea that some people see them as rude, sarcastic or condescending.

      1. Forrest Rhodes*

        Completely agree with everything you said, MMB—about the grammatical use, and about ellipses indicating a pause, or a shrug, or definitely a trailing off … I like them! Am horrified to think that all these years, people who’ve seen me use them might have thought I was intentionally rude or condescending. (Feedback indicates my readers have received my intended meaning, but … dang. Now I have to worry about this in addition to unintentional personal pronoun usage. Sigh.)

    8. Not So NewReader*

      I think it’s weak writing if overused.
      There are rare occasions where ellipses can make sense.

      To me overuse looks like this…. not up to crafting complete sentences today… I need you to fill in my blanks… and surely you will do that….because I am not really giving you a choice…..if you want to find out what I am saying… you have to keep going….

      Grr. I will give up and just go read something else.

    9. Xavier89*

      This is just anecdotal of course but I often see it as an age difference kind of thing

      For example a slack conversation with an older co worker might go

      Me- good morning!
      Older co worker-morning…
      Me- how are you doing?
      Older co worker- I’m okay…
      Me- okay well have a good day
      Older co worker-thanks…

      To me those “…” look passive aggressive but typically I know them well enough to know they don’t actually mean anything about it

      Another example is I’ve seen lots of older people who think younger people sound weird and over excited in text messages whereas younger people might find that the older person sounds uninterested

      For example

      Younger person-okay I got our tickets!!!
      Older person-ok. thanks..
      Younger person-you still want to go right?
      Older person-sure..
      Younger person-okay yay!

      Hope I’m not offending anyone obviously this is very generalized. It’s just a pattern I’ve noticed

    10. knead me seymour*

      The farther you get into the Anne of Green Gables series, the longer each book takes to read because the author … develops a somewhat … annoying habit of sticking … ellipses everywhere in her sentences for no apparent reason. In my opinion, ellipses are best … in moderation.

      For casual written communication, I think the passive aggressive interpretation comes in particularly when they’re added to the end of brief messages. If I ask my friend to do me a favour and she replies “Okay…” that sounds like the written equivalent of a heavy sigh. Or if I give my coworker a piece of information and she says “Thanks…” But apparently this isn’t always intentional on the writer’s part.

    11. LJay*

      Yeah, if I read “I wonder where that book is… I’ll look later…” I would feel as though I were being accused of taking or moving the book. Especially in a text usage like that does read as rude or passive aggressive to me.

      Those both are complete thoughts and can be punctuated appropriately as “I wonder where that book is? I’ll look later.” so as the reader if you choose to punctuate it differently I read a different intention into it. I do try to keep in mind that it may not be intended rudely and to not jump to conclusions, but my initial reaction to it is that it us rude and I need to bring myself back down from there.

      1. Nita*

        Huh. Interesting. To me “I wonder where that book is…” reads as trailing off to think about where the book might be, while “I wonder where that book is?” reads vaguely accusatory, like I’m asking the person I’m talking to (with the implication that I think they know the answer). So, a completely opposite reaction. I guess that’s exactly why it’s so tricky to convey tone in texts… (this is a thoughtful ellipsis, not a sarcastic or accusatory one!)

    12. Loopy*

      More often than not I intensely dislike them because they confuse me in casual written conversation (via text). It makes a perfectly mundane response seem vague and loaded with unsaid meaning. I usually don’t read into it but rarely do I feel like it was needed or even just made sense when used!

    13. Iron Chef Boyardee*

      I use ellipses as… dramatic… pauses… and sometimes in places where… here, for example – I’d use a dash. Also, sometimes, just to end a post… like here…

    14. Anon Librarian*

      I think the comment about them being condescending / passive-aggressive must refer to times when they are. Meaning when they are used inappropriately.

      Good morning . . .

      That sounds passive-aggressive. But if you’re trying to convey a pause or a thought trailing off, as is standard, I say keep using them.

      I can’t imagine . . . I mean, I have no idea . . . .

    15. LilySparrow*

      They can be used to convey a snarky attidude, such as

      “Well, if you really think that….I guess you do you, bro.”

      Which would indicate that you think the other person is really stupid for their opinion.

      But they can also be used in perfectly normal ways. Punctuation is neutral.

    16. Morning Reader*

      I heard or read somewhere recently that this is a generational thing. (Might have been on NPR?) iirc, older texters use them for a pause or trailing off, while the younger tend to see them as sarcasm or rude. There were other generational differences noted. I think my own use follows the patterns they described. Another difference was that younger texters are more conversational, with shorter, back and forth texts, while older ones go longer and include all the info in one blast, more like an email. (I might have that backwards.)

  19. Aurora Leigh*

    Organic food–

    Since we’ve combined housholds, we have a little more flexibility in the grocery budget.

    Anyome have any good resources on how to decide which foods are best to make the switch to organic? So much of the stuff online seems to be fear based and I’m skeptical they just want to scare people into spending more money.

    Like organic quinoa isn’t that much more expensive than the normal kind, but it’s a seed, so how much could it really absorb?

    I wonder the same thing about chicken feed — would buying the organic version actually make a difference as to what gets in the eggs?

    Thanks in advance!

    1. Teapot Translator*

      I don’t know how reliable it is, but the EWG does a list of the food with the most pesticide (link in reply).
      Besides the effect of pesticide in our own health, from consuming food with pesticide on it, there’s also the effect of pesticide on the environment or on the producers themselves. So, the choices you make depend on why you would want to eat organic.

      1. Teapot Translator*

        EWG’s 2019 Shopper’s Guide to Pesticides in Produce: EWG’s 2019 Shopper’s Guide to Pesticides in Produce

    2. PX*

      I’m not sure about resources but my personal experience/taste test definitely says meat (if you eat it) and eggs are worth the switch. In my case, it helps that organic usually comes combined with free range (so better animal welfare) – so I cant definitively say which one makes the difference, but it definitely does. Overall, I’d say any animal product is better off organic (I’ve noticed differences in dairy as well).

      I try to do vegetables as well usually but the cost factor there sometimes gets me, and I’ve yet to find a super clear cut difference in taste.

    3. tab*

      My rule is that if I peel it before I eat it, then it doesn’t need to be organic. If I eat the skin (berries, apples, potatoes, tomatoes, etc) I definitely want it to be organic.

      1. Loopy*

        This is a guideline I heard that made sense to me. I don’t splurge for organic but in this sense I can see why people do.

      2. Elizabeth West*

        That’s a good guideline.

        I go for organic products when I shop at Aldi — mostly the pasta sauce, ketchup, and applesauce — because they don’t add so damn much sugar. The applesauce has no added sugar. I’m trying to cut down but then of course they put Ding Dongs right there where I can see them.

        1. Aurora Leigh*

          I shop at Aldi all the time and never thought about comparing the sugars on those things! Other than the applesauce, because I grew up eating unsweetened and like it better that way. Thanks for the tip!

        2. Jdc*

          I feel victim to the ding dongs al Aldi the other day. On the up side I eat very little sugar in general so not the end of the world. On the downside, calories.

    4. university minion*

      My personal hierarchy for food buying is organic local > conventional local > organic shipped in > conventional shipped in, and I try to eat what’s in season whenever possible. My local co-op’s produce purchases generally follow this as well.
      For meat, I generally minimize consumption, but when I buy meat, I purchased from producers who practice regenerative agriculture. The factory farm/CAFO model is absolutely done organically and that’s something I prefer to stay away from.
      I don’t care as much about potential pesticide/chemical residue as I do about the overall footprint to produce and that it’s done in a humane manner (for both workers and animals in the case of meat).
      YMMV of course.

    5. fposte*

      So there are two ways to ask this question: which foods make the most difference, and which foods make a difference worth the price difference? I make that point because you can have the 10 foods most likely to contain *anything* (like, many foods have trace amounts of arsenic) but that doesn’t tell you how big those amounts are or how different they are from the 10 least likely.

      It’s also worth noting that organic farming doesn’t usually mean no pesticides, and while they’re restricted to a shorter list, they can use as much as they want, so often there’s a greater amount of pesticides used because the approved pesticides are not as effective. There’s an interesting Scientific American article that I’ll link in followup about what organic does and doesn’t mean, and how mostly we buy it for myths. (You’re probably closer to goals buying from a local small farm without organic certification than commercially farmed organic supermarket produce, for instance.)

      I’m definitely in favor of more planet- and human-friendly farming, but organic isn’t, IMHO, as useful a way of dividing as one might hope.

        1. Aurora Leigh*

          Thanks, fposte! That is really great article. Reaffirms my skepticism about what is marketed as organic.

          And yes, buying local or raising ourselves is our first choice, regardless. Frustrating that labels can mean so little though.

          1. fposte*

            Yeah, I like university minion’s flow chart. Ultimately I’ll take some trouble to buy local but not take trouble to buy organic.

          2. Natalie*

            You might look for a CSA (community supported agriculture) share near you. Typically you get a box every week or every other week during the growing season with all kinds of stuff in it, depending on (duh) what’s in season. A share usually comes with one or two events at the farm so you can literally see it yourself.

      2. AcademiaNut*

        Thanks fposte, that’s a good summary. Organic does not mean pesticide free or even less pesticides, so you’re going to still need to wash everything!

        Money wise, I’d personally lean towards going for better meat, dairy and eggs, in farming practices and animal treatment (and hormones and antibiotics), and with vegetables go for in season and local as much as possible.

        Health wise, I figure eating lots of well washed vegetables is going to be so much of an improvement over not eating vegetables that the organic/non organic effect is minimal if it exists at all.

    6. 00ff00Claire*

      You might want to try Googling “dirty dozen foods”. It’s a list updated every year on the 12 foods that are most affected by pesticides. The counterpart, “clean fifteen” are supposed to be least in pesticides. It’s short and sweet and since it really can be quiet confusing about what is better / best / etc, I just try to go with that in general. Maybe only applies to US though.

    7. Seeking Second Childhood*

      I heard part of an NPR article this week (grr commutes that take me between stations) on a French study showing benefit to honeybees with organic farming and a chance to give beehives time away from modern agricultural products. As a once & future beekeeper I’m reminded to go look this up!

      1. LilySparrow*

        Yes, I think most of the advantage to buying organic is that it promotes some better farming practices, not so much a direct health benefit to consumers.

        Not that all organic farms are ideal, but it doesn’t lend itself to massive industrial monocropping, for example.

    8. The Gollux, Not a Mere Device*

      Also, what are you trying to improve? Your health, or the environment more broadly, and does the latter include the health of farmers and farm workers?

      For the latter, you probably want to reduce shipping distance, so you aren’t paying for the possibly healthier meal with more polluted air.

      Organic/conventional doesn’t tell you whether the farm workers are getting adequate drinking water or bathroom breaks–and if they aren’t, that increases the risk of E. coli in your vegetables. (I’m not sure how to check on this; it’s mostly a heads-up that neither organic nor conventional farming is necessarily safer than the other.)

  20. Amethyst*

    I’ve been decluttering during my three day weekend. Yesterday was spent shredding 4″ of paper I’d kept on a DV situation I’d left 6.5 years ago. (My paternal grandmother was my abuser.) It’s freeing not to have all that paper around as I’d been holding onto them just in case she or someone from that side tried to sue me (for what, IDK, but they’re that unhinged).

    I’ve also gotten rid of 2 bags & a medium box full of things I no longer use. They’re going into my town’s Buy Nothing event today where people can sift through everyone’s unwanted items for things they can use, so that feels good.

    I’m also the commenter from last week whose dad broke his finger on the circular saw. Thank you for your comments & reassurance. I reread them all throughout the week. I had 5 sleepless nights before I finally crashed hard. My father has chosen not to have the tendons in his finger repaired. As he put it, “I’m 59, I’m old, I don’t use that finger much, & the only thing I can’t do once it heals is bend it all the way to my palm. So I’m not getting it fixed.” I haven’t yet 100% committed to it, but I’ve started thinking in terms of “what I need to do next to repair the dresser”, so I guess I’m keeping it.

    1. Not So NewReader*

      Am smiling about the dresser. Good for you.
      And good for you on your decluttering, that’s some heavy lifting right there.

  21. Smello Vision*

    Has anyone found they have a more sensitive sense of smell in their early 30s than in their 20s?

    Am early 30s, Aunt Flo visited last week so am definitely not preggers. Is it hormone fluctuations?

    Case in point: sensitive to car air freshener do have to have window cracked open; gave up coffee 2 years ago and walking into a Starbucks today makes my stomach churn bc of all the burnt coffee smell

    1. Elf*

      Take a pregnancy test anyway. It is totally possible to have something that looks like a period while pregnant (especially if it was somewhat lighter than normal.

    3. Not So NewReader*

      Yeah, I got into my thirties and I had to eliminate all fragrances from the house. The doc said it was a cumulative effect- over time the stuff got to me. On the plus side, fragrances bother me a lot less when I go out.

    4. Venus*

      I find this in part because I’m not used to some really strong smells. I didn’t mind perfume when I was younger, but now I work in a scent-free place and being around someone wearing perfume is really irritating to my nose (and eyes, if it’s strong). You are mentioning smells which can be very strong – perfumes and coffee – and I have had similar reactions.

    5. Llama Face!*

      I’m older than you by a few years but have definitely noticed my sense of smell (as well as potential for nausea) cranking up over the last little while. And fwiw it would be physically impossible for me to be pregnant unless I somehow got transformed into an aphid* in my sleep without realising it. ;)

      For myself I figured it may be part of an early perimenopause thing, though that’s probably not the case for someone in their early 30s.

      *Can you tell that I find it inordinately fascinating that female aphids can singlehandedly have their own clone babies who can be born already pregnant with the clone granddaughter? Not that I actually want to do that!

    6. Corky's Wife Bonnie*

      Definitely happened to me at your age, and it’s still with me. Can’t wear or even get near perfume anymore, fragrance free everything all the way. My doctor said that happens often.

    8. Weegie*

      I suddenly became very sensitive to anything perfumed when I developed a severe intolerance of rapeseed/Canola oil. I couldn’t be in a room with pot pourri in it, and the washing powder aisle at the supermarket made me feel so ill I had to leave. Once I discovered what the intolerance was and stopped eating anything with the oil in it, the sensitivity to scents diminished considerably, although not completely.

      Some years later, when I equally suddenly became gluten-intolerant (after a bout of flu, would you believe), all food smelled like toast while it was cooking – not unpleasant, but very odd! Again, as soon as the intolerance was identified and gluten eliminated from my diet, food smells returned to normal.

      So, in my case, scent sensitivity seems to be related to food intolerances.

    10. Jdc*

      Me me! I can smell everything. It’s actually annoying. I’ve been to my OBGYN twice thinking something was up but apparently I’m just nuts. Not pregnant, can’t be, wish I was.

    11. Bluebell*

      Count me in as “the older I get, the more sensitive my sense of smell is.” In my early 30s, suddenly I hated the scent of lilies. And nowadays I have to be very careful about scented candles, and I’m extremely sensitive to cigarette smoke (and I’m asthmatic too.). I’m past getting my period, so definitely unrelated to possible pregnancy!

    12. Jane of all Trades*

      Yes!! Early 30’s and I just came to the same realization a few days ago… I think the people on the subway definitely don’t smell worse than they did a few years ago, but all of a sudden I’m so much more aware of it (and I’m 100% not pregnant). I thought it was just me!

  22. Aurora Leigh*

    I know there are several of us on here planning 2020 weddings, so I thought I’d share — my Maid of Honor and I just found the perfect dresses for the bridal party! At . . . wait for it . . . Amazon!

    I’ll comment with the links below.

    The wedding is in mid-May, so I will probably need to find wraps for everyone since the dresses are sleeveless.

    I scored my invitations from Zola on a 40% sale (which they seem to do a lot!). They came with the addresses printed on the envelopes, plus I can use the same theme for my wedding website.

    Feel free to share your own wedding planning sucesses (or fails)!

      3. Kuododi*

        I love the grape color dress!!! That color is actually one of my personal favorites. I have a cocktail dress in teal lace that’s almost a carbon copy of your bridesmaids dresses. (Mine has a traditional hem rather than Hi-Lo or handkerchief style). I originally bought my dress for a Make-a-Wish foundation gala. I’ve thoroughly enjoyed having my teal dress and have worn it to other occasions. (Parties where I needed to glam up a bit, special occasions with DH…you get the idea!). I say all this to say I am confident your bridesmaids will get good use out of that style without problems. I’ve found it to be a style that can be dressed up or down depending on the choice of accessories. A belated but no less heartfelt “Mazel Tov” regarding the pending wedding. May you and your partner enjoy a long and happy life together. Blessings

      1. Aurora Leigh*

        Aw, thanks! Rewaerable is the gold standard lol. I’m not positive on that count, but if they do end up only being able to wear them once, the under $35 price point makes me feel better about it.

    3. Anonyme*

      Vistaprint has frequent sales also. We are at $100 for all STD, Invites, RSVP cards and envelopes.

      I think our key money saver was getting a restaurant as a venue. They have a minimum spend (which we’ll hit no matter what) but no rental fee. It is also already a pretty location.

      Also bought a dress online and did minor alterations myself so $175 for that.

      Goal is $5000 or under for 75 people.

      1. Aurora Leigh*

        Go you! We are doing a state park for our venue, and also hoping to keep a $5000 budget for about 100 people (mostly family, and a handful of close friends).

        So far we are at $125 for my Modcloth dress ( haven’t decide if I want to attempt alterations myself yet or not) and $60 for invites/envelopes. We decided to just ask everyone to RSVP on the website (and ask the older people to call if the prefer). We also skipped Save the Dates, and just told people. But so many people are asking multiple times that I’m wondering if that might have been a mis-step.

        The photographer is our big spend so far — $1700. But that does include our engagement pictures too.

    4. Red Reader the Adulting Fairy*

      I got my wedding dress on Amazon :) (though I went nontrad, mine was a blue dress with a peacock pattern.)

          2. Anono-me*

            It’s absolutely beautiful. And it would work for an upcoming function for me . Unfortunately, Amazon is saying horrible things to me about the dress. “Currently Unavailable. We don’t know when or if this item will be back in stock again.”

    5. LizB*

      GORGEOUS dresses! I love those.

      My recent success is that we got the finished design for our save-the-dates from my lettering artist friend, and all four of our parents love the design! Even if they hadn’t we’d still be going for it, but it’s so nice to have them be excited about it. We were all together a few weeks ago (me, FianceB, and both sets of parents) and I asked the parents, is there some aspect of our wedding that you feel really strongly about or something you really hope we include? And they all just went, no, we’re happy with whatever you want. (Well, my dad said “Chocolate fountain!” as a joke.) After a not-necessarily-fabulous childhood, it’s weird and very refreshing to have my parents be 100% on my side and supportive of whatever I want.

      1. Aurora Leigh*

        Oh that’s so nice!

        We’re having the meeting of the families next weekend and I am dreading it . . . my mom has been super critical of all my choices since I moved out of the parental home. She will be “nice” to everyone to their faces, but I know she’ll find something to give me crap about later. She was really good at being a mom when I was little, but she has majorly struggled to see me as an adult (and I’m 28!).

        She has been getting weirdly fixiated on things like if the bridesmaids will wear pantyhose . . . But she’s not paying for anything, so she doesn’t get to be the boss.

    6. Anono-me*

      If the person you’re marrying wants to wear a suit, purchasing may wind up costing about the same as renting. Plus you don’t have the hassle of the return or damage fees. Also nice suits are usually easy to hit that gold standard of rewearable in.

      1. Aurora Leigh*

        Ooh, thanks!

        We’ve been talking about this. He was thinking renting would be easier, but after renting for his friends wedding and ending up with an ill fitting shirt, plus the returning early the next day, I think he’s been swayed. We’re planning to have the guys wear navy blue, and find them ties to match the dresses.

        1. Belle*

          We bought ours through Mens Warehouse and it was actually cheaper than renting in the end — and he was able to wear it to multiple functions. But we kept his classic colors – so it would be easy to reuse.

    7. I'm A Little Teapot*

      Ok, so I’m saving those because I’m a sucker for lace and at that price, I may get one for me.

      Anyone think it might be ok for office wear with a professional jacket?

      1. Aurora Leigh*

        Cool! I would think the traditional hem would be okay for the office, depending on how short it looks on you, and your office norms.

  23. Amy*

    Thanks to everyone who gave me suggestions for foster kitten names last week! I ended up naming them after characters from The Good Place: Chidi, Trevor, Bambadjan, Mindy, and Ellie (Eleanor).

    After not much weight gain or eating in the first few days I switched them to a higher quality kitten food than what the shelter provided and they are OBSESSED with it. They swarm the bowl as soon as I set it down and several have now broken 400 grams! It’s so satisfying to see them fill their tummies. They’re still quite underweight for their age so they’ll be with me a while and it’s going to be so hard to let them go.

    I really, really don’t want to foster fail – my only cat recently passed away at age 18, so technically I could keep one or two, but I’m headed into a very busy period of life for the next two years and I don’t think adding more pets is a great idea. Plus I don’t know if I would continue fostering other litters if I had two cats of my own to look after as well. But at the same time, I’ve had friends inquire about adopting them and I feel a little pang of sadness that it would mean I couldn’t keep them!

    I think the best solution is to try to find them awesome homes where I know they’ll be loved instead of just dropping them back at the shelter to be adopted by strangers. But oh man, I’ve gotten so soft… I’ve fostered hundreds of kittens over the years and I’ve never felt so attached as I do to these guys! It doesn’t help that my preschooler is obsessed with them too.

    1. Disco Janet*

      Gosh darn it, now I want Good Place kittens! We’ve been holding off on getting a pet because our kids are young – I miss having furry friends around the house! I think your plan is a good one.

    2. Venus*

      I have fostered many kittens over the years, and sometimes I get really emotionally attached to some litters. Then again, the last bunch I was really keen to adopt one of them but after a few weeks I realized that it was just a stressful time and I got more attached than usual. Now they have gone to good homes, and I’m happy!

      It’s up to you to decide, but personally I love to foster and force myself to give them up for the same reasons that you mention. Although I have since found a foster-based rescue so I get to meet and approve all the adopters!

    4. AnonyNurse*

      My foster fail is presently kneading my shoulder and chewing on my hair. Which she did on day one, in April 2004. Good luck. :)

  24. Paralegal Part Deux*

    I’m thinking of buying an Apple Watch and can’t quite make up my mind. Anyone have any pros/cons to owning one? Things they wished they knew before they bought one? I’m looking for the good, the bad, and the ugly. :)

    1. FuzzFrogs*

      I’ve owned both an Apple Watch and a Fossil Venture Q (smartwatch for android phones) now.

      I think one of the biggest advantages is that having it actually lets you untether from your phone. With your notifications coming to your watch, it’s so, so much easier to respond to people in a timely fashion, ignore unimportant notifications, and just keep track of what’s coming in without having to check your phone itself every ten minutes. And it’s got a decent range, so it makes unplugging when you’re at home a little easier–just leave the phone in another room and only go get it if something important comes in on your watch. And I have the same process for that place we don’t talk about on this thread.

      I found the fitness capabilities only so-so–it seems like this wildly varies by customer but I never found that it accurately measured how active I was; my current Android smartwatch is much better at this. The heartrate function worked well, but mostly useless for most people; I set it up to notify me when my heartrate went above 110 only to find out it only does that when I’m watching really exciting movies. :P I also found that scratches and dents are pretty inevitable, which is annoying, because the only way Apple Watches can be repaired is to replace the entire thing. It’s much more resistant to breakage than iPhones themselves, but if you’re wanting to keep it pristine without the bulky cases/screen protectors I’d invest in the insurance plan.

      I personally think having a smartwatch is worth it just because it’s allowed me to restructure my life where my phone is less of a disruption to my life.

    2. Red Reader the Adulting Fairy*

      I’ve had Apple Watches (one at a time, but I’ve upgraded) since the first release day, and had Pebble smart watches for a couple years before that. I like the convenience of being able to curate my notifications while I’m doing other things (messages from some people ping my watch, other people don’t, this email address does and that one doesn’t, etc). I like being able to set timers and alarms while baking without having my phone in the splash zone. I like being able to listen to music while working out without taking my phone with me. I like the options for activity tracking. Basically, I like being able to leave my phone on the table next to my chair and still have access to almost all the information and communication options on it from anywhere in my house.

    3. C Average*

      I bought mine a year ago and gave it to a friend just the other day. It just wasn’t a good fit for me, for the following reasons:

      –I’m eczema-prone and it made my wrists break out something fierce. I tried multiple bands and I tried it in both wrists, and nothing really worked.
      –it seemed like it needed to be updated a lot, and the updates took freaking forever.
      –I found the screen too small to be very useful; most notifications made me reach for my phone, which I always carry anyway, so it became just an annoying extraneous gadget.

      It might be a better option for someone who’s already accustomed to wearing a wristwatch. I haven’t worn one for decades, and this experiment made me realize I don’t really like wearing one.

      1. LGC*

        Random point about breaking out – I’m the same way, and I find it happens more often if I put my watch on too tight. (Or in hot weather. This summer was FUN.)

        So it might not just be you with that!

    4. Courageous cat*

      Ultimately, mine wasn’t useful. If you can use your phone freely throughout the day, and you don’t want it for exercise, then I probably wouldn’t recommend it. I liked the timer feature and being able to see who’s calling me without pulling out my phone, but none of that was worth $200+.

    5. Book Lover*

      I have eczema and haven’t had issues with the watch or band, so sorry someone else has! I love my watch and will get another when it dies. I have had mine for 2.5 years without issues.
      I mostly like it so that I don’t look at my watch for things. It tells me the time :). Mostly it is the message notifications, reminders, so on that are helpful.

    6. Clarissa*

      I love my Apple Watch. I got it because I live alone and it has a button on it that will call 911. I can even wear it in the shower because it’s waterproof.
      Then I discovered more features that I like:
      1. It pings my iPhone in case I lose the iPhone.
      2. It has the weather and forecast for a week.
      3. It gives my heart rate.
      4. It’s a (small) flashlight.
      5. You can get your email and text on it.
      6. It’s a PHONE! I pay my cell carrier more each month. But it’s worth it. I don’t have a landline
      but now I have 2 phones on the same number. If I forget my iPhone I can use the watch as a phone.
      — There are other things too.

    7. Cambridge Comma*

      I thought about it but bought a Fitbit Versa 2 on sale for a fraction of the price, very happy with it.

  25. Grandma Mazur*

    Hoping that this isn’t technically a „work“ topic…

    I can’t remember which new story prompted this but I was reminded this week that I find it amusing when people have surnames relevant to their jobs. My favourite is Frances Crook, CEO of the Howard League for Penal Reform. I believe there’s also someone named Tennant at the UK National Residents Association. Anyone got any others?

      1. Aurora Leigh*

        And the company I work work for sells products to schools — I’ve encountered school librarians named Ms. Book and Mr. Read!

    2. Amy*

      I’ve met several veterinarians with very appropriate names: Dr. McVety (seriously) and Dr. Gentle (which is kind of sweet, though she’s a cow vet, which is not an especially gentle side of veterinary medicine).

    3. WellRed*

      A coworker and I do this all the time. A couple off-hand, David Kitchen, real estate, defense atty Arthur Crooks who works on Old JailHouse Lane, a cab driver with the last name Fares. Former press secretary larry speaks.

      1. Shiny Flygon*

        Oh and I had Physical Education teachers at school called Miss Stretch and Miss Twist. FWIW my mum didn’t believe me. Can’t make this stuff up!

    6. LNLN*

      Danielle Outlaw is the chief of police in Portland, Oregon. Whenever I read about her in the local paper I kind of giggle.

    7. Daphne*

      Had a gym teacher with the surname “Float”. Of course she taught the swim lessons.

      A former colleague kept horses – “Saddler”.

      My last name is associated with a profession which I have no interest in, makes me a little sad really!

      1. The Kerosene Kid*

        Had an eye doc by the name of Pier. And for a while, I used to go to a dental clinic that employed a Dr. Hurt!

    9. Red Sky*

      There’s an urologist in Austin who specializes in vasectomies whose name is… Dr Dick Chop. He gives out t-shirts to his patients that say “I was chopped at the Urology Team”

    11. A.N. O'Nyme*

      There’s also a legal practice specialising in divorce consisting of three lawyers. Their names? “Ditcher, Quick & Hyde”

      1. MOAS*

        OK i had to google it, it’s Marion Nestle, Author of Food Politics and Professor of Food studies at NYU. If I were to see that name in any other context, I’d pronounce it “nessel.” But… nestle + food = chocolate.

    13. MOAS*

      Not sure if this counts but a few years ago, when I had a TV< I would see weight loss ads for certain medicines with "doctors" endorsing them. One "doctor" was Dr. Synamoun….. to me, synamoun was a fancy way of spelling/saying CINNAMON. just thot that was an interesting ocnnection

      1. Related to devine*

        I am related to Father Devine. I always thought that side of the family should have named a child Grace. Roll call would have been good.

      1. Boots from CA*

        I kid you not, my OB-GYN for my first childbirth experience was Dr. Payne
        A few years later, I had Laser eye surgery to improve my vision by Dr. Byrne.
        Both were excellent

  26. Amy*

    So here’s a question about parenting, specifically girls. I have a three-year-old daughter who is obsessed with face painting. If there’s any event where a face painter is present she begs and pleads to get it done. She will wait in line for as long as we will tolerate standing with her (which is some cases has been up to an hour). At home and at preschool, one of her favorite games is “face painter” where she pretends to paint the faces of anyone who is willing to sit still for her.

    I’ve always been happy to let her get her face painted, and I recently ordered a professional grade face painting palette online so I can do some face paint for her for Halloween, and just for fun (I’m not a professional, obviously, but I have some artistic skill and her standards are not very high). However, I’m kind of second guessing how much we should be leaning into this… particularly as it relates to her self esteem being tied up in physical appearance.

    I think she likes having her face painted because of the transformation, and once it’s done she will spend a long time just staring at herself in the mirror taking it in. But I think she also likes the attention and compliments. I try to tell her she looks “cool” or “fancy” instead of “beautiful” or “pretty” but of course, she hears all kind of things. I just don’t want her to feel like she has to change herself to be considered beautiful or get attention, or that the way she looks is more important than who she is as a person. A complicating factor is that she sees me put on my makeup every morning (nothing elaborate, just undereye concealer, mascara, and a little lipstick).

    What say you? Is it a harmless fun thing I should chill out about, or should I be doing something different?

    1. Mimosa Jones*

      I think this is probably a phase and you won’t create a mindset if you honor or humor it. She might be wired to enjoy the change in her appearance and the compliments and attention. But either way it seems a shame to limit something small that brings her so much joy. You can balance it out in other areas of her life. You could also take the focus completely off how she looks and notice the art. “ I see you chose a butterfly this time. What made you choose that one?” “I see you waiting very patiently for your turn.” You could also ask her how the art makes her feel.You might find out she feels like a butterfly, which would be awesome.

    2. Pony tailed wonder*

      Maybe you can use this to do small jumps into learning about the creatures that she wants to be? If she is a tiger one day, perhaps you can go to the library to find a book about tigers, etc.

    3. Not A Manager*

      This is both harmless fun and serious, important work that she’s doing. At age three, kids really are figuring out self-identity. The staring into the mirror probably isn’t vanity as much as it is a delight in the idea of transformation. I don’t think you need to indulge her every face-painting whim, but I wouldn’t worry at all about her gender expectations or sense of self-worth.

      You don’t say what she paints her face as – does she insist on being a Disney princess every time, or is she willing to be an animal or to get abstract designs on her face? I wouldn’t worry either way, just curious.

      One thing you might consider is some other outlet for exploring “who people are” like the Richard Scarry “what do people do all day” book, or some of the Mr. Rogers episodes about people in his neighborhood, or some age-appropriate bios about trailblazing women. What about a costume box? In my house that consisted of a bunch of hats and accessories.

    4. sequined histories*

      This sounds harmless to me, and also it sounds like it’s a natural part of who she is.
      Embracing a child’s natural inclinations when they seem in some way to conform to traditional gender role expectations is very different from imposing traditional gender role expectations on a resistant child.
      There’s nothing wrong with enjoying make-up!

    5. Courageous cat*

      I bet if you wrote this into Care and Feeding they would say: She’s 3. Let her have fun doing what she wants. She will move on from this, so relax.

    6. Disco Janet*

      What kind of face painting does she usually choose? If it’s makeup style, I could see your concern a bit more – but if, for example, she likes getting her face painted like a tiger, or something like that, it just seems like an enhanced version of pretend play.

    7. Anonymato*

      Oh, I hear how you worry about this, and my heart goes out to you. I would take it easy – it sounds like a phase & perhaps she is trying to copy you a bit. From what I’ve seen: If she senses your slightest discomfort, she’ll keep pushing the button and keep doing that…

      I would just tell her each time you wash that off the paint that it was fun, really fun, but I am so glad to have her own face back, I love that one the most.

      I would also paint masks with her to drive the point of pretending to be somebody else (vs sort of being somebody else). And I might do puppets with her if you worry about her judging by appearance, and have the ugly/uncool/scary puppets be the nice/good guys. I think you could use some phone apps if you choose so at this age to see how people can pretend to be somebody else and how it’s not real — and again, make the point of loving her own face.

    8. Ann O.*

      I would say let it be a harmless fun thing. A love for facepaint is very age typical and is more likely to lead her down the path of gothness or equivalent high aesthetic subculture. Or possibly to become a makeup artist or other kind of artist.

      It seems from her play that she is as interested in the artistry as the compliments, so it may be fun for her (and you if you’re into this sort of thing) to get some stencils so she can actually play face painter. With stencils she can do simple face paint on you and still have it turn out nice.

    9. You can call me Al*

      Had a kid like this, and they are about to graduate with a degree in theater. Still loves to transform and role play!

    10. Anon Librarian*

      I think that face paint is different from makeup! And that there is a difference between makeup for creative expression and applying makeup to feel less insecure.

      This sounds more artistic, since it’s face paint. As you probably know, face painting is a whole art form and there are a number of career paths people can follow within that genre if they choose to.

      I’m just a stranger on the internet, but this sounds like an artistic interest to me. It sounds fun, and like something that could lead to other positive things if encouraged.

      Does she want to paint? Does she want to paint faces? Could you get her some face paint to play with? Watch videos or read books about face painting with her (like something on how to make the designs she likes using simple shapes and colors)? It could easily segue to other artistic interests and skills. I think it’s cool.

    11. not today.*

      That sounds like my daughter, when she was 3. She loved all the facepainting/costumes/transformational things – she really explored that hard. As a teenager, I’d say she has a lot of ability to see things from all sorts of points of view. Her transformational play/ role play allowed her to explore all the characters, all the motivations, etc. It helped develop empathy. She still loves make-up, but not in the conventional “pretty” way – she does awesome spiderweb eyeshadow.

      tl;dr ; it’s normal, and has good sides.

    12. Meepmeep*

      My three year old daughter is like that. I treat it like any other interest. There’s nothing that precludes a girl from liking makeup AND liking science, or sports, or whatever else she decides to like. I give her plenty of exposure to lots of different interests and ideas and activities, and don’t discourage the appearance-based interests.

      I’m a lesbian mom, neither of us is all that girly, and we ended up with a very stereotypically girly daughter whose favorite color is pink. I never wear makeup myself. Our daughter loves to pretend to put on makeup. Children are who they are, and all we can do as parents is give them the confidence to be happy about who they are.

    13. LilySparrow*

      Chill out. This is a game, and is more about playing with identity like playing dress-up. Not about self-worth in the way you mean it.

      I have two daughters, and had to learn to police myself from weight/diet talk and negative self-talk. I talked about putting on makeup that it’s a way of dressing up that’s appropriate for certain events, just like we have dressy shoes and play shoes.

      1. LilySparrow*

        Oh, and the way to make sure she doesn’t feel like she needs makeup to get positive attention isn’t to squash her joy in facepainting.

        It’s to give her lots of positive attention in many different contexts, like when she is kind or figures out how to do something by herself, or jumps really high, or is funny, etc.

        Self esteem isn’t either-or. It’s additive.

    14. Ermintrude*

      Super harmless and lovely Just make sure you aren’t the parent who doesn’t let their child have a particular type of facepaint because it for example isn’t girly. I’m sure you aren’t but some people are so it seemed a valid point to be aware of She sounds lovely!

    15. Not enough coffee*

      What do you paint? A rainbow or a full on cat mask?

      Do you think it could be the fun of pretending to be something else? If so, lean way in and fill up a dress up closet. I have 3 girls and while they are lukewarm on face paint (oldest likes it because she likes unicorns and rainbows, middle likes the idea but then hates actually having the paint on, youngest hates it), they are bananas for dress up. The more in character the better. Masks, hairdos, the works.

      Try spinning it as “instead of just making your face look like a cat, what if you **were** a cat?”

      FWIW my middle one is 4 and will spend a good 15 minutes pretending to put on makeup/paint her face/do her nails. She uses invisible makeup. (FWIW she also has imaginary glasses and occasionally swaps them for imaginary contacts but sometimes she can’t find her imaginary contact case or saline so…). You could give that a try too. Imagination is amazing at this age!

    16. Patty Mayonnaise*

      If my kid were really interested in face painting, I would highlight the creative and artistic aspects. I bet she would LOVE those videos of people getting their makeup done with prosethics/etc!

  27. FuzzFrogs*

    Finally got some time to sew yesterday and it was…so, so nice. I’m sewing the Mary Quant Georgie dress pattern from the Victoria and Albert museum (look it up cause it’s free!) and I just finished getting the neck ruffle and lining on and understitched, and I’m so pleased with how it looks. Doubly pleasing because we had an independent fabric store open recently in town and the fabric is a lovely grey cotton chambray that I got from there. There’s something so soothing about finally getting a glimpse of what the make will look like finished and realizing it WILL be as snazzy as you saw it inside your head. It’s going to be soft and subtle and luxe and I will wear it every week and be happy.

    Anyone else got anything they’re making this weekend? I’m also in a no-carve pumpkin decorating contest this week, I could use ideas.

    1. TimeTravlR*

      I recently got back to sewing! It’s been years. I used my SIL’s wedding dress to make a christening gown for her newest grandchild. It was so good to get back to it… I worked all day without a break. I really need to make time to sew more often. It is so relaxing!

    2. Wishing You Well*

      I knit a hat that looks like a pumpkin topped with leaves. It came out well.
      Sewing never worked out for me, but I’m glad you are doing well with it and that sewing is still something people do! Sew on!

    3. CastIrony*

      My sister has won one or two pumpkin contests in grad school by decopauging (sp?) galaxy pictures from the Internet, and then decorating the top with fake flowers from Dollar Tree. I wish I could upload a picture!

    4. Dr. Anonymous*

      Finished altering a ballgown for a friend, and now mending a kilt and making a tentative foray into French darning a tiny frayed spot in the kilt.

    5. NoLongerYoungButLotsWiser*

      I just downloaded the dress pattern for Georgie, and the minidress pattern (and instructions) So pretty!! Thanks for the info. And yes, being able to visualize the fabric and the pattern in the best combo is a gift!

      1. FuzzFrogs*

        Just a head’s up–the pattern is meant to be assembled, essentially, as one giant poster, and then the pieces cut out. I’d only used digital patterns that are meant to be assembled piece by piece before so I didn’t realize until I had a series of small bits that I then had to puzzle piece into my pattern pieces. Probably much easier to do it the way they intended. :P

        I’ve got an Alice in Wonderland-inspired teapots fabric set aside for the minidress; I’m very excited to tackle those pockets.

    6. Too personally identifiable*

      I am doing some handsewing. A friend’s Lab chewed her comforter. I’ve cut off the shreds and I’m turning it into a smaller version for my kid. I’m halfway through the new seam. Then it’s a little repair of a small hole, and my daughter’s going to try a little embroidery to hide it. I think the shredded edge can be turned into dog beds for the local animal shelter, but for that part I’m going to use a sewing machine!

    7. LilySparrow*

      Costumes!
      Younger daughter wanted to be Felicity from American Girls. I’m not replicating the doll exactly, but I self-drafted an 18th c chemise, petticoat, and simplified open gown. Got the sleeves & skirt onto the gown yesterday, so now it’s just the stomacher & some finishing.

      Older daughter is a Ravenclaw, so the fabric for her Hogwarts robe & lining is in the wash.

      If I get Hogwarts done with time to spare, I’ll make Felicity a set of wearable pockets so she doesn’t have to carry a candy bag.

  28. Fikly*

    I had an amazing doctor appointment yesterday, and it was just such a relief.

    I have a number of chronic health conditions, many of them rare and complicated, and complex. Seeing a brand new doctor is always such a gamble. Are they good? Will they listen? Will they invalidate me? Will I have to wait another three months and try someone else?

    I saw a new allergist. She spent TWO hours with me. She listened to everything, knew about the super rare things I have. Agreed with me when I said, I suspect I may have x condition that is comorbid with two other conditions I have, but is incredibly difficult to diagnosis (expensive, has to be tested for at the exact right moment, and even then testing positive is a crap shoot) and that I felt the right thing to do was treat, not seek testing.

    She said the magic words of “I don’t know enough about this specific condition to feel comfortable treating you, let me refer you.” She explained why she wanted to order certain tests. She did some basic testing in office, then came back and said my results were all good, but that she understood that my specific subtype of my condition means that I will often get results that look good when I’m not doing well. Do you have any idea of how many doctors have told me I’m fine based on these results despite me telling them otherwise???

    I feel like I won the doctor lottery.

    1. Bob*

      Congratulations!

      I’ve been thinking I should go get a checkup as I’ve had a bit of a weird year healthwise, but honestly – the fact that none of the doctors in the practice I’ve been to seem to take anything I say seriously means I just keep putting it off.

      1. Fikly*

        Doctor invalidation is SUCH a huge problem. More for women, but that doesn’t mean it doesn’t happen to men too. It’s exhausting to have to keep trying.

        And finding a new practice is so much work. I moved in July, and I see a million specialists, and I’m still replacing all of them.

    2. Wishing You Well*

      YAY! You DID win the doctor lottery.
      Too many of us have had the “you’re fine”/shrug experience when something was definitely wrong. I wish we could all find the right doctor and diagnosis!

    3. MsChanandlerBong*

      I am so happy for you! It’s so frustrating when your labs are normal but you just know something is wrong. And then people start to think you are overly invested in having something wrong with you. No, it’s just that you feel so terrible, you want to know what’s wrong with you so you can try to fix it. I spent 13 years being blown off by rheumatologists, and then I FINALLY managed to get an appointment right when I felt my absolute worst. My anti-SSA and anti-SSB antibodies were extremely high; the rheumatologist himself called me to tell me (I think he felt bad because he didn’t think anything was wrong with me for the first three years I was seeing him). Part of the problem is that every time I had a bad flare, I couldn’t get an appt. for a month or six weeks, so by the time I got to the doctor and had tests done, the flare was over.

    4. Jules the First*

      I love my GP so much that for years her practice’s catchment area defined the boundaries of my house hunt. Thankfully they’ve now changed the rules and I can stay with her no matter what, but it made moving house incredibly stressful. She knows me so well by now that she can practically see the future – I got a lecture from her at the end of August about playing with fire in the carefree way I was managing my autoimmune condition and that if I wasn’t careful, I’d end up not in remission…and here we are in October, no longer in remission, having ignored her warning. The funny part is that I panicked and called her when I started getting sick and freaked out over the phone and she laughed and gently reminded me that this is just what my life is like when I’m not in remission, and isn’t it worth it to do all the hard work to stay in remission?

  29. Queer Earthling*

    Vampire hunting kit update–I’m about halfway through. Most things are aged really well (the stakes look amazing), so we need to fill and seal the bottles of holy water, finish aging the elaborate cross, and then fit straps into the case so we can put things in securely. Might age the case a little more, too, but might leave it.

      1. Queer Earthling*

        When it’s done I’m going to! I’d hoped to have it done this weekend to share, but life got in the way. Hopefully no vampires will need to be dispatched in the meantime!

  30. Fikly*

    Second question, pardon for hogging the open thread.

    I use KT tape to stabilize my joints and as a big part of my pain management strategy. Braces are not an adequate substitute, unfortunately. I wear the KT tape 24/7, not just while doing an activity.

    I’m beginning to develop some hives/skin reaction to it. This is really bumming me out. Any suggestions for off brand alternatives, or something I could put down in between my skin and the KT tape as a barrier (but wouldn’t make it not stick)?

    1. Veruca*

      Have you tried Signa Spray? It’s a barrier spray and I find it actually helps the tape stick better while lessening the irritation.

    3. Jules the First*

      The KT tape is unlikely to work with a barrier (and I say this as someone who feels your pain in a very literal sense!).

      However, as long as latex is not a problem, get yourself a couple of rolls of VetRap – you’ll use more of it, but it is adhesive-free and, in my experience, every bit as supportive as KT tape. (And yes, it is intended for animals but humans are animals, and almost every vet I know uses it on themselves as well). You won’t be able to tape it in exactly the same pattern as the KT tape, but it should at least give you options for giving your skin a break from the adhesive. If you have latex issues, 3M does make a latex-free version as well, but it’s noticeably more expensive and harder to source.

      1. Fikly*

        Interesting! I’ll ask my PT if she’s familiar with using it, as she’s the one who tapes me. I got nothing against using something used on animals!

        So far I don’t think I’m reacting to latex, but I did just start reacting to a bandaid (not sure what brand, got it at a doctor’s office) the other day, so this is clearly getting worse.

  31. WellRed*

    Since everyone was so helpful with my iPhone questions about data. My phone has no volume if I am playing a video unless I use headphones. I don’t see anything for speakers under settings, just for ringtones and alerts.

    1. fposte*

      If you swipe up from the bottom, do you get a control screen? There should be a vertical volume bar on the right side. Can you increase the volume there?

    2. Mimosa Jones*

      The phone can differentiate between Bluetooth devices, something plugged-in like headphones, and the built-in speakers and will remember the last volume setting for each type.

    3. Clarissa*

      You can call Apple help at 1(800)MYIPHONE for free. I’ve called them many times and they will do everything possible to help you.

  32. Rebecca*

    I received third party validation that my mother is truly difficult, and it’s not just me being impatient.

    Backstory – 2 months ago, I arranged for a visit to another personal care home, because mom wasn’t happy where she was. I had heard nothing but complaints, so one of her friends knew the person who was in charge at the other home, gave me the phone#, I arranged the visit, and took time off from work to take mom to visit and see if she would like it. While we were there, mom was her typical “nothing suits Her Royal Highness” self, but all in all, I didn’t think she was too bad, until a few days ago.

    Friend who referred mom needs to have surgery, and her husband isn’t able to be alone, they have no children, so she and her husband went to the PCH to sign paperwork, etc. for a 1-2 month stay for both of them while she recovers. Mom’s friend called me after the visit. While they were filling out papers, friend mentioned to PCH person that she had given her friend “Jane”‘s daughter the phone# and that we had come for a visit, and oh my. She said the woman’s face just changed, and she said “oh, my, I feel so sorry for her daughter Rebecca”. She went on to say that she thought I had my hands full, and mom seemed a bit challenging, and finally said that I was really patient. Mom’s friend asked me, what did she do?? I said, well, nothing really, and I thought she was on better behavior than normal!

    At least I know other people have the same impression I do, it’s sort of validating. Still frustrating, but validating. And, the fact that she remembered my name, two months later, and that Mom’s behavior stood out, is in and of itself telling.

    I haven’t made any progress finding someone to pay to take mom to town for groceries or to the bank during the week. She’s complaining about riding the senior transportation van – the driver plays rock music (I need to suggest she wear pearls so she can clutch them), they take too long, she has to ride for an hour and she has to pee a lot, she fell asleep and didn’t hear the driver outside, so they called her on the phone, but didn’t give her enough time to get to the door, etc etc. I talked to a few people, explained the situation, told them where we live, and then nothing…they don’t even show up to discuss payment or anything. They would be driving Mom’s car, using her gas, and getting cash. I suspect they figure out who she is and don’t want to deal with her. Unfortunately, she’s been standoffish and grumpy for years, so I think her reputation proceeds her. She can’t understand why people aren’t just willing to take off during the day for several hours and chauffeur her around, and I said there aren’t a lot of dependable and trustworthy people just sitting around waiting to be asked to do these things – they have their own stuff to do, or they’re working. We have a small local cab company, and I’m not sure about Uber, so those are still options for me to explore.

    In happier news, we finally had a frost last night, so I’m hoping that lawn mowing is done for the year. Laundry is done, hanging on the line, I ate lunch, and I’m going for a walk. I was going to hike on an old forest road nearby but remembered that it’s archery season now, so I’ll wait until tomorrow as to not disturb any hunters. I’m really liking Walmart’s grocery pickup option, it saves time, I don’t have to go into the store, they load the groceries into my car for me, and I drive away. It takes a few minutes! Weekend time is precious to me, and the less time I need to spend doing mundane things, the better. I scheduled pickup for 6 PM, it’s getting dark by then, still gives me plenty of time to get everything put away before football, win win!

    2. Disco Janet*

      You might have heard this before (I don’t always get around to checking the weeks threads), but does Shipt work in her area? We use them to get our groceries delivered sometimes.

      1. Rebecca*

        I’ve never heard of Shipt, but I checked, and apparently Weis Markets might be an option. Just a caveat, if it costs anything extra, she won’t pay, even though she can afford to. She is very entitled and feels like everything should be done just for her, at no cost, because, well, she’s special. It’s exhausting.

        Just today, I told her I was ordering stuff from Walmart to pick up. She had been working on a list for days. I placed the order. 2 hours ago, right before I left for my walk, she said, oh, I guess I should have ordered [4 more things]. Told her, either wait until next week or pay what Weis wants, because I’m not going into Walmart on a Saturday evening! I still need to go into Weis, as HRH wants 2 things from there, but it should only take a few minutes.

        I do appreciate this!

    3. NoLongerYoung*

      Sending hug. Interesting, how your mom obviously left quite an impression!
      Validated. You are patient, and a good daughter. Enjoy the day and the hike!

      1. Rebecca*

        And the impression wasn’t good, which concerns me, as in if she does need to go to a PCH, and spaces are limited, they will take someone else over her because they know how “difficult” and impossible to please she is.

    4. Observer*

      That is validating indeed.

      I also think you are very wise to do whatever you can to save yourself time and work. I hope you find some good options for the driving.

    5. Elizabeth West*

      I need to suggest she wear pearls so she can clutch them

      I’m so sorry but I laughed out loud at this! Hang in there, Rebecca. *HUG*

      1. Rebecca*

        I had a hard time keeping a straight face!! “The driver played that awful rock music, and it was too loud. I covered my ear as best I could, but it was terrible. They should be told about that. They shouldn’t play that terrible music with people in the van.” I’m thinking, they probably do that to drown out the complaining old person carrying on about every little thing just to keep their sanity.

    6. Suggestion?*

      Hi, Rebecca! I’ve been following your posts for a while now and have always been impressed by how firmly you took control of your life’s changes. Even when things were so tough.

      I think about that sometimes and think, if Rebecca could handle X, I can handle Y.

      I had a thought one day about your mother’s situation and wanted to suggest it next open thread.

      Obviously I don’t know all the details and you’re the one on the ground dealing with her but is it possible that she never makes decisions about her future bc she simply can’t make higher level decisions anymore?

      The kind referred to as executive function.

      Like she can do the Consumer Reports research but not make the final decision? She could count out money to pay a lunch bill but couldn’t balance a checkbook?

      So she could want something and be coherent enough to argue with you about it but not be able to make the actual decision.

      If you’ve already thought of that, never mind and enjoy the football!!

      1. Rebecca*

        Thank you, this is pretty much it. She simply cannot make decisions, but it’s not a recent thing, it’s been going on for over 30 years. The bathroom next to my bedroom upstairs is gutted to the studs (I have a working toilet and sink) but nothing else. The tub is sitting on its side in the hallway, and has been for about 20 years now. Reason? She wanted to update the bathroom, insisted that Dad tear everything out (I added the sink and vanity myself), and she was going to decide what she wanted to do. She couldn’t decide. Ditto carpet in the family room, same as since the 1970’s, couldn’t decide. And when decisions are made outside of her jurisdiction, like when I went with Dad to just buy another TV for the family room (she was dithering for 6 months over the brand, features, etc. and Dad was tired of not having a TV to watch), she was seriously angry for days that we had the audacity to just buy something without her input. So, she can’t decide what to do, if others take the bull by the horns and do what needs to be done, she’s angry about that too.

        And you make a good point about the arguing – yes, she can argue. That’s what she does best – argue, cast blame, everything is always the result of what others have done, never what she has failed to do or has done, and her default position is to be nasty, argumentative, and just plain difficult. False apologies (I’m sorry I’m such a bother!!) and “I’m sorry you think that way”. Guilt trips and fake apologies, all manipulations, not apologies. I deal with this by not really listening. I’m there in case of a physical problem, like she’s actually sick or she falls and hurts herself, and I do the laundry, get groceries, etc. but there’s no emotional attachment past there’s an elderly human who is struggling.

    7. Pony tailed wonder*

      I can commiserate with you. My father has been banned from several area stores and restaurants. He is in his 80’s and the possibility of him changing is long past.

  33. CatCat*

    I would love to hear stories of success with getting kitties to get along especially when one has been hostile!

    We adopted an older kitten (she’s 7 months right now) and then a few weeks later, a younger kitten (3.5 months) and they are well matched in terms of energy level, but the older one is being very unfriendly! It’s been a little over two weeks and the big one is feeling really hostile/territorial about the little one. We are successfully eating a few feet apart with a baby gate in between, but we aren’t anywhere near being able to be in a room together unsupervised.

    Playing apart in the same room is a challenge (like my spouse play with one and I play with the other) because the younger one gets distracted really easily. She clearly really wants to play with the older one and will gear up for a pounce, but the older one is Not Having That. So we’ve got the little one playfully try and stalking the big one and the big one hostilely stalking the little one. So it is definitely taking a lot of time and effort to integrate. Definitely not what we thought would happen since we thought being so young, they would get along, and I feel defeated at times.

    So any tales of successful cat integration stories where one was initially hostile, and how long it took (even if a really long time) would be most welcome and encouraging!!

    1. Ask a Manager* Post author

      Honestly, two weeks is nothing! Don’t feel defeated!

      We went through something similar with Eve and Wallace (although Wallace was just plain afraid of her) and it took months. They have just now really become friends and it’s been 11 months (but we started to see real progress after about 5-6 months). Our cat Lucy used to take 3-4 months to stop despising any new cat, and then she’d be fine. Some cats adjust really quickly and others just take time. Your older one sounds like she’s just in that latter group. I’d say mentally decide it’ll take a few months, and then you won’t be as anxious about why it hasn’t happened yet.

      What’s good is that the little one isn’t feeling cowed or scared of the older one — I think that’s a point in your favor! (When Eve had calmed down and was ready to be friends, at that point Wallace was so weirded out by her that it took longer for them to become friends than it would have otherwise.)

      1. CatCat*

        We are trying really hard for the little one not to be fearful because she was pretty skittish at first even around us and she’s really been blossoming, becoming really bold and confident.

        We’ve had a couple Incidents in the past few days where the big one has angrily charged the little one and while the little one ran away in the moment, she was pretty much unphased after the moment passed.

        Spouse and I will have a conversation about how we need to re-set our expectations on timeline and make a plan for it possibly taking months. The little one has been occupying our second bedroom, but we need it for guests soon in Oct, Nov, and Dec so maybe she needs to move into our master suite (feeling guilty about that since the big one currently sleeps in our bed! She’s really wonderful with us, just not yet with the little one).

        Glad to hear successful integration can happen. The guidance from the shelter had a timeline of a few weeks, but I get that that’s just generic so I’m heartened that it’s not wrong or doomed to failure if it doesn’t happen in that time frame.

        1. Ask a Manager* Post author

          One other thing — are you absolutely positive the older cat isn’t playing, just a bit too aggressively? When we first adopted Eve, we were concerned about Olive being aggressive with her — but Olive really just wanted to play with her and we were misreading it as hostility. It could also just be territoriality (not play) but if that’s the case, she’ll likely chill out once she has more time to get used to the new one (and especially to the new smell — which, again, I think can take a few months for some of them).

          [I think if I ever stop doing AAM, I will instead need to have a blog about integrating cats. I know firsthand the anxiety you’re probably feeling right now — every time we’ve added a new cat, I’ve had moments of “crap, was this a huge mistake for the other cat(s)?” — but it has always ended up working out.]

          1. CatCat*

            I think it’s hostility and not play, but I’m not sure I guess since I don’t know what it’s supposed to look like. The internet tells me hissing and growling is “normal,” but not if it’s normal with play.

            The little one doesn’t hiss or growl or otherwise seem prickly when she’s gone into “stalk/pounce mode,” but rather does an intense stare and butt wiggle.

            The big one growls and hisses, and when she has charged she makes like a “rrreeeeOOWWWWW!” noise that sounds angry and I’ve heard cats make when they fight. Her fur doesn’t get bristly/puffed out, but she just “sounds angry.” Not sure if I’m improperly anthropomorphizing there though.

            1. Ask a Manager* Post author

              Hissing and growling while playing is normal for some cats at this stage. It took Olive months to stop doing that while playing with Wallace and Sophie (our most recent additions), even though she liked them and was enjoying them. So those two things wouldn’t worry me.

              The angry meow sound you described does seem more like legit hostility to me. I would take that as more of an indicator that she’s not happy about the interaction. Are you breaking them up when it happens? If so, there might be value in letting them work it out (within reason). But also, I think you might just have to wait this period out and it will get better. (Lucy made that angry meow noise for several months when any new cat got too close, and then after 3-4 months she would always adjust and be fine.)

              1. Ask a Manager* Post author

                As additional data: My sister has two cats who she adopted when they were kittens — litter-mates, in fact. And they just didn’t like each other that much. The cats on their own divided up the house so they each had their own territory, and peacefully coexisted that way for years. Now, many years later, they’ve started snuggling together. So cats are weird!

                And there are some cat pairings that just never quite resolve themselves, but I think those are very much the exception to the rule. It’s much more common for it to just take some time (which can be months, not weeks). During that time, it’s completely normal for their humans to start worrying it’ll never resolve (I have panicked at some point during every cat integration) — but most of the time it does end up being okay.

                1. Pam*

                  We have two male dog siblings- Jack Russel Terriers. They get along fine, untim they don’t, and can ring up some pretty expensive vet bills. They now have to be kept separated.

              2. CatCat*

                Oh yes, we absolutely put a stop to it when it happens. The big one chills out pretty quickly after we pick the little one up. She outweighs the little one by a lot so we’re quick to intervene and have not had any full on fighting though the little one got smacked once.

                The little one puts her paws under the door of the room she’s in and we’re allowing that though it irritates the big one (or seems to, again growling and hissing, charging the paws though without the “angry rrreeeeowww!”) when she notices. Seemed like a low stakes way to intoduce some contact.

                1. Ask a Manager* Post author

                  Yeah, I think your older cat is just one who will need more time. I wouldn’t start worrying until it’s been a few months, and then only if you haven’t seen any progress at all.

                  I also wouldn’t worry about the little one getting smacked — that’s how she’ll learn the older one’s boundaries and even mother cats will do that to teach their kittens. (I agree on intervening with full-on fighting though.)

                2. Venus*

                  I realize that your cat’s smack is probably a more confrontational one, but my funny story on this one:
                  My cat enjoys playing with the foster kittens. She sits higher up, and swishes her tail so that they run over and try to catch it. At which point she smacks them upside the head not too gently. I worried about it, but the kittens kept trying to catch the tail, and weren’t at all bothered by the head smacks. She does it with different foster kittens, and they all enjoy it, and I don’t understand why the game is so fun, yet they clearly love it as they can play it until too tired. Kittens surprise me with their resilience.

                  Hopefully things improve soon! Play time together might be your best bet. If the younger kitten is easily distracted then you might try different toys?

                3. 1LFTW*

                  You’d have to be really, really quick about this, but could you feed/treat the bigger kitty before she starts hissing and growling? If you could set up positive associations, like Little Kitty = Treats, that might help.

            2. Old Biddy*

              My older cat Lucy was 2 years old when I got the younger one (Molly). I knew Lucy was a social, playful cat that got along well with others, so I assumed the transition would be easy. Lucy would follow Molly around and do a weird pseudo growl (literally just ‘grrrrrrrrrr’) but her body language did not show that she was mad (ears were in their normal position, no raised fur on tail or back, body position was normal. She never threatened Molly and I was able to let Molly have free reign of the house after one day. Sometimes she would do an exasperated sigh that sounded like a person. Molly is a goofball Maine Coon mix and didn’t seem phased by all this, and Lucy seemed happy overall. When Molly was six months they became best buddies and started play wrestling. I’m not really sure what happened, but I think Lucy just didn’t know how to play with kittens and was more comfortable once Molly was a teenager.
              Lucy is a tortie so that probably added an extra layer of strangeness.

              1. Lison*

                Oh this makes sense, I have experience with both cats and dogs (more with dogs) but with young ones there is a thing about vengeance somehow arriving if they interact with babies, like Mom is going to arrive and kick their ass for being a threat to the baby. Once they are older not so much, they are interacting one on one and get to know each other. Baby just wants to be friends but older one worries, unless they already know it will be okay from previous experience.

          2. C Average*

            Can I slightly hijack this thread with a cat question of my own?

            I have a ten-year-old female indoor cat, Mitzy, who was declawed by her previous owner. My partner has a four-year-old male indoor/outdoor cat, Theo. Both are fixed.

            Mitzy HATES Theo. When I moved in more than a year ago, she would ambush him when he came in the cat door, place herself between him and his food bowl, attack him when he tried to get up on our bed (they both like to sleep with us), etc. He never struck back; he just gave her a wide berth.

            She started peeing on the bed and the couch and other places he likes to go, so we’ve sequestered her in the basement with a gate. She’s relatively content there. It’s big, and I do my writing and sewing down there, so she gets plenty of time with me.

            When we were trying to integrate them, she had her food and water and litter box far from his food and water–like on a separate floor. He never ventured into her area.

            We tried Rescue Remedy and calming collars and CBD and even Prozac. She still lost her mind anytime he even entered the same room as her. Even now, if she sees him pass the basement window while he’s outside, she runs to the window and hisses and yowls at him.

            The status quo works okay, but is there anything else we should have tried in our efforts to integrate them? Or is my cat just a hard case?

            1. 1LFTW*

              I’ve heard of this with declawed cats. They don’t have their first line of defense, and they know it, so they act with more aggression than they otherwise might.

              Have you tried Feliway diffusers? I’ve had brilliant results with it (though occasionally I’ve heard of it actually increasing aggression, so be aware that’s a risk). In my experience, which includes incredibly terrified shelter cats, it can really calm everything down. It also comes in a spray, that I use on bedding, etc., which has really helped with moves, new cat integrations, and vet visits.

            2. Ask a Manager* Post author

              Yes, try Feliway! Works great for some cats. But yeah, you may just have a hard case, especially since she’s a bit older and may be very used to being a single cat. Even so, I wouldn’t be surprised if she mellows in a year or two.

    2. Aurora Leigh*

      It took close to year after moving in with my boyfriend for my 2 cats and his 1 cat to really settle down. They were 3, 2, and 1 year olds all fixed females, but there were definitely some LOUD fights the first few months (usually right after we went to bed). I think around the 6 month mark they settled down to just hissing and leaving the room when they encountered each other. They’re still not the greatest friends, but after the 1 year mark they could all be in the same room at the same time.

    3. Dancing Otter*

      Have you tried rubbing them both with a towel with (a) the other cat’s scent or (b) your scent? Or brush them both with the same brush, which also carries scent?
      My two still aren’t great friends after several years, but they both love being brushed.

    4. I'm A Little Teapot*

      I have an 11 yo female and am fostering a 13 yo male. Male was fully separated (closed door) for 2.5 weeks, then I allowed visual contact from a distance with me supervising for a week before I was convinced that no one was going to get murdered. And that was freakishly fast. We’re 3 months in and while they coexist, they don’t interact.

      and honestly – at 7 months and 3.5 months, that’s a MASSIVE age difference for them. It’s like a teenager and a young elementary schooler. So as the young one grows up, that will help because it won’t be the little kid annoying the cooler older kid.

  34. Call me G*

    I’m writing the second draft of my (nonfiction) book and I realize I need to be realistic about the need for it. I’m not a celebrity… is there any chance of being published? I don’t know. I wonder if it’s a waste of time. I looked into ghost writing, and to be attached to an agency you have to have an extensive resume already. I’m trying to think of any scenario where finishing this book provides any value in the slightest and I honestly don’t know. Even as just a “writing sample” it’s be too long!

    1. Fikly*

      What kind of nonfiction?

      Also, there are a lot of niche publishers out there. I’d look at one that is specifically focused on the genre/area you’re writing in, rather than one of the big ones.

      Also, as an aside, is your goal to be published, or is your goal to write the book? Those are two separate goals, and either can be worthy.

      1. Call me G*

        Well I feel like I did write it because I did write a first draft. Now I’m thinking ok — if I focus on the *publish* goal, is there literally any avenue I can take to do that? Do I literally have to just take my clothes off on Instagram and get x amount of followers before I can publish a book?

        It’s in the self-help genre, organizing your life.

          1. Call me G*

            Yes — maybe 50-60. The feedback I got was that the content doesn’t matter, only that I have a following.

            One exception from an agent was that my work was too close to a client they already have. Most of the rejections were non-responses or were generic rejection letters, so they didn’t say why.

            My plan was to finish the whole book first (instead of a proposal with a few finished chapters as I’d been advised), but if content really doesn’t matter then it looks like I should focus my efforts on getting famous instead.

            1. Ask a Manager* Post author

              Reputable agents are telling you the content doesn’t matter? Or some agents mentioned that you’d need to have a following (a platform) to sell this specific type of book? The former doesn’t sound right at all, but the latter could make sense. Platform does matter a lot with certain types of nonfiction.

              I’m pretty sure “focusing my efforts on getting famous” isn’t a thing that works most of the time unless you’re willing to take on a lifestyle that most people really wouldn’t want (and still leaves you with slim odds), so I would not advise that route!

              1. Call me G*

                They didn’t *explicitly* say content doesn’t matter, but rather no one really mentioned it. This is one actual letter I got, with the name of the book redacted:

                Good to hear from you and thank you for your interest in our agency. I was very interested in reading about [your book], and appreciate you sending it on to me.

                To get the not fun news out of the way, I’ve unfortunately decided to step aside on representation. My primary reason relates to your platform. Publishers expect authors to have well-developed platforms prior to seeking publication so that they have a built in audience when the book comes out. If a publisher doesn’t believe that the author can sell many thousands of copies on their own, they are averse to taking a project on. This is particularly true of the major NY publishers, whom we pitch to. While I can tell you are doing good work in developing your platform, it still feels a bit early to me to approach NY publishers. I sense I would struggle to find your book a home and for that reason, I’ve decided to pass.

                1. Ask a Manager* Post author

                  That’s one person saying you needed more of a platform, not agents plural telling you content doesn’t matter :)

                  I get why that was your takeaway (she was stating it as absolute fact, as opposed to “I don’t think I can sell this particular book without you having more of a platform,” which probably would have been more accurate), but I think you’re letting yourself be too influenced by a single letter from a single agent. That said, it’s possible that with the specific type of book you’re writing, platform will really matter. You’d probably get good data by looking at similar books that have been published and see what the authors’ platforms were like pre-publication.

                2. Call me G*

                  I can’t comment directly to yours because I guess this thread has reached the max, but I want to say, I really appreciate your audience and your comments. I feel a lot more encouraged to try again.

                  You’re right… I was seeing that way.

        2. King Friday XIII*

          Incidentally, as someone who loves organization, planner videos, decluttering, clean with me videos, housekeeping books, the whole nine yards… I have bought lots of books from people I found on social media. Some were traditionally published and some were courses or self-published books. I followed those people and bought their books because I liked their content, and none of them took their clothes off. ;) If you want to take risque photos of bare SHELVES while you organize your pantry, though, I think you could find a following.

      2. Call me G*

        I’d be willing to write almost any book if I felt like it could get published… I just like writing.

        1. Ask a Manager* Post author

          I would dig into this more! If it’s just that you like writing, you could just write. But you specifically want to be published — can you figure out specifically why? That might help you refine the right next steps. (For example, if it’s reaching a wide audience, there might be other ways to do that, like with a website instead of a book. Etc.)

    2. Wishing You Well*

      Can you seek someone else’s opinion about your book? You need objective advice.
      Some people self-publish. Some publish online. I hope there’s an option out there that will fit your needs.

      1. Call me G*

        Yes, I got feedback that people really liked that and it made them happy. Those were just like beta readers.

    3. Agnodike*

      What are your goals for the book? Is it a story that you want to tell to as wide an audience as possible? Do you want to make money? Is seeing your name on a published book your dream? Do you want to push yourself and see if you can finish a substantial piece of writing work? It’s hard to say if the book is “a waste of time” without knowing what you want to accomplish with it.

      1. Call me G*

        Well I did want to publish it. I wanted to do *something* with it. Ideally make money and have people read it! I’ve just been told by a lot of people that writing has nothing to do with the industry and all publishers look for is fame/following.

        1. fposte*

          That’s not true, in my experience. A lot of things go into publishing. It is a business, so they do have to publish things that they think will make them money (which isn’t the same thing as making the author money), but editors in trade publishing are also interested in literature, and writing, and culture.

          It also depends on what kind of nonfiction book you’re talking about, since that’s a field that runs a wide gamut from literary nonfiction to Dummies books to institutional series. I’m guessing you’re thinking about the first. I know more about the youth than the adult market, so I don’t have specific recs, but I’d say have an idea of comps–what books in the last 2-3 years would your book have a similar audience to?–and start looking for an agent that reps nonfiction (check acknowledgments of your comps to see if any names come up).

        2. OhCanary*

          Hi, publishing executive here. Congrats on finishing your manuscript!

          If you want to be traditionally published, the good news is, for nonfiction, you don’t even need the complete manuscript — just a pitch letter (who are you, why would anyone want to read this book, why are you the best person to write it), a detailed outline, and the first 3-5 chapters. Then you query agents using all that collateral. (Ideally, of course, then you sign with an agent, and the agent then sells your book on your behalf.) I would recommend researching places like QueryTracker to find out reputable agents to query.

          I promise, publishers are looking for good stories — not just “authors” who have large social media followings.

          Good luck!

          1. Call me G*

            That’s encouraging. Thank you. I’m going to have to mediate on shifting how I feel about this.

            I mentioned in an earlier comment that most people that rejected me didn’t say why, and the only feedback I DID get was that I didn’t have a big enough following. I’ll check out the resources you mentioned. Thanks.

          2. Call me G*

            Along those lines — with the “who are you” and “why are you the best person to write it,” I mean, I’m just someone who figured this technique out that helped me organize my life. I’m not famous or published already. I don’t have any credentials that qualify me. I’m just a writer who likes to write with an idea that my friends ask me about all the time. That’s where I get tripped up but… I’ll try again.

    4. Literary Editor*

      Well, there are tons of non-celeb nonfiction books getting published so clearly that’s not actually an issue. I’m not sure where that’s coming from but it’s not a realistic concern. The real issues will be the quality of your writing and the market for your content. If your book is well-written and there’s a market for it, you have a chance.

      Have you tried to find an agent? That’s the first step towards getting published, and you don’t need a completed manuscript to query agents. Get the first few chapters polished up and work on a strong query letter. Find agents who represent authors who write the sort of thing you are writing, and start querying. If you find an agent willing to represent you, you can start to think about the rest of this.

      1. Call me G*

        Thanks. Yes, I posted a letter I got from an agent in a comment above. It just made me feel like platform is the only thing that matters. But I really appreciate everyone’s comments because it’s helping me to realize that I should try again.

    5. LilySparrow*

      Yes, you should finish it and seek publication, primarily because of the change that happens in you when you finish a really hard goal.

      There are two times to be thinking about positioning your book to sell:

      1) In the outline / pitch stage, when you choose your topic and style.

      2) When you have a finished draft.

      The time you should never have your sales hat on is in the middle of writing. You will do your head in.

      This sense of despair is a predictable stage in the process and you have to push through it. It is analogous to the moment late in childbirth when women commonly try to opt-out of having the baby, or when marathon runners hit the wall.

      You’re nearly there. Don’t give up now. All those things are solveable on the other side.

    6. LilySparrow*

      Oh, and no- building a platform isn’t about taking your clothes off on IG.

      It’s finding your tribe. Part of the reason publishers are looking for platform is because markets are so divided, there really isn’t a “general audience” for anything anymore.

      The money is in niches. So that kind of platform is somewhat on social media, but much more on blogging and email lists.

      I can spend hours on SM (and do), and book sales are flat. I publish a blog article or email my list about some cool tangentially related thing I heard on NPR? Automatic sales spike.

      By finding your tribe, you get to know them, their concerns, aspirations, and related interests – that’s the stuff a publisher needs to know, too. It’s really a much more organic and relational process than I think you are imagining it to be.

      Doing speaking gigs is another great way – but of course it doesn’t suit everyone. Also doing joint efforts with authors in related niches.

      Have you read the article “One Thousand True Fans?” Google it, it’s a very encouraging perspective.

      Even though you are interested in traditional publication, (and I think it’s probably the best path for your topic), try reading some stuff on how indie authors build platforms – The entire indie business model revolves around platform, and they really embrace it in creative ways.

      Joanna Penn & Kristen Lamb jump to mind as good places to start.

  35. Aphrodite*

    Help! Question about flashlights and lanterns.

    I am a non-tech person. I do have a Mac laptop but no cell phone or tablet. I am looking for both lanterns and flashlights that can, preferably, be plugged into wall outlets to recharge and be left plugged in there until I need them. Most I looked at online seem to require USB cables. I admit I am not sure what these are but can they be plugged into a wall outlet or do I need a regular plug?

    I prefer to get high power, or at least have that option, because I plan to use them around when the power goes out. (I grow fearful when that happens.)

    I tried LLBean but the online associate said they have nothing like that. I looked at this one ( https://www.amazon.com/Tough-Light-LED-Rechargeable-Lantern/dp/B01IIH0ZFQ/ref=sr_1_9?dchild=1&keywords=electric%2BLantern&qid=1571443802&refinements=p_72%3A1248957011&rnid=1248955011&s=outdoor-recreation&sr=1-9&th=1
    ) but think it might not be what I need. Does anyone have suggestions?

    1. Disco Janet*

      USB cables will allow them to plug into an outlet on your wall to charge. You just need to buy a USB wall charger.

    2. Elf*

      USB cables are what charge phones; you need an adapter to plug them into a wall. You can get a usb to wall adapter anywhere – seriously, every highway rest stop, drugstore, and 7-11 will have them.

    3. ThatGirl*

      USB cables can be plugged into plugs and then the wall, yes. It just gives you a number of charging options. If you don’t have an adapter you can buy one separately that’s fairly inexpensive.

    4. Filosofickle*

      I have one of these and like it: https://gamasonic.com/product/rechargeable-emergency-lantern-dl-713ls/
      It has a normal outlet charger and really good light. I keep it by the bed, since I live in earthquake (and now power shutoff) territory. It has a feature where it can come on when the power goes out, if you want to be alerted to the outage. (I keep that off since I’d rather keep sleeping.)

      The link you provided would also be fine. Lots of things today are USB charged. You’ll need a small adapter for that, but they are inexpensive and easy to come by. The adapter goes into your wall plug, and USB cable goes into that. Search for “USB to wall adapter”.

    5. Aphrodite*

      Thank you, Disco Janet, Elf and ThatGirl! Thank you so much! Now I finally understand what that means. (I hate feeling so stupid.) Great. Now I can go and buy a USB wall charger and get some alternative light sources so I look like Dodger Stadium in the final playoffs. That will be a big relief.

      1. AcademiaNut*

        When you buy the USB charger, check the current rating (will be listed as something like 1 amp). Higher values give more current and charge faster – for something like a lantern or high intensity flashlight this can make a difference.

    7. Autumn Sunday*

      I have these Red Cross emergency flashlights in several rooms in my house. I also take one with me when I stay in a hotel. They come on when the power goes off so you aren’t sitting in complete darkness. You can unplug it and walk around with it. They are small flashlights, though, not bright lanterns. You could purchase a few in addition to a bright lantern and use the flashlight to find the bright lantern in the dark.

      https://www.redcross.org/store/blackout-buddy-color-emergency-flashlight-and-nightlight/ARCBB202C-SNG.html?cgid=emergency-flashlight#start=3&cgid=emergency-flashlight

      1. Aphrodite*

        Thank you also, Filosofickle, Jessica (tc), Autumn Sunday, I really appreciate the information and links. This makes me feel so much better.

    8. Pam*

      I have a small flashlight called an Eco-Lite. It may be one of those As Seen on TV items. A holder ring plugs into the wall socket, and the flashlight sits in the ring to charge by contact.

    9. Seeking Second Childhood*

      I was going to ask so similar a question I hope you don’t mind me putting it here…
      Is there such a thing as a dimmable red-light LED flashlight?
      My husband has a red-light LED flashlight on his bedside table for when he gets up at night. The red is supposed to be easier to go back to sleep after. Problem is, it’s so bright a light that it wakes ME up. He’s willing to use another one, if I find it.

  36. Yup*

    Just finished watching “Living with yourself” on Netflix and I highly recommend it. Paul Rudd is such a great comedic actor.

    Anyone else watch it?

    1. C Average*

      I’m just about to watch it! I have a sewing project that requires a lot of hand work, and my plan is to sew while I watch.

      My ex-sister-in-law’s kids went to school with Paul Rudd’s kids, so she knew him socially. She said he’s very nice and very chill, and she had trouble remembering he was famous because he was such a normal dude.

      1. annakarina1*

        I once saw him in passing when I was a magazine intern and did coverage of a memorial garden ceremony for the actress/director Adrienne Shelly, and he was there, and just looked like a normal guy to me. His hair was longer than in the movies, he was dressed down, and he just looked normal. Though for all the immortal jokes people make about him, he was 40 at the time and looked it. Not in a bad way, just that he looked more his real age than on film when not gussied up.

            1. Shiny Flygon*

              I’m sorry, I can’t let that stand.
              -Mike Crapbag?
              -no. No Mike. Just crap bag. First name Crap, last name Bag!

      2. Elizabeth West*

        He was also in Parks and Rec! He played Bobby Newton, the dumb heir to Pawnee’s Sweetums fortune.

        And of course, ANT MAN \0/

    4. TimeTravlR*

      I just started and I am two episodes in. I don’t hate it but I guess I thought they could have built to the spa session a bit. I don’t want to spoil it but at least in the first two episodes, I can’t figure out why he would have decided to go to the spa without much more than thought than it seemed he gave it.
      Follow up question: Why does Paul Rudd never age?!?! For real!

    6. fposte*

      I’m watching it mostly because I really like Aisling Bea as Aisling Bea and wanted to see what she was like as an actor. It’s an interesting show–it’s got a very ’50s sensibility in a lot of ways–and while I agree that it’s not super fast-paced, I’m curious to see where it goes. (Though I think the soundtrack is a weak spot. It sounds like ’90s synth on a MST3k-featured thriller.)

      1. fposte*

        Okay, and I’m seriously amused by the IMDb trivia for this: “There’s really only one Paul Rudd in real life. They used special effects to make his twin.”

      2. fposte*

        Okay, I finished binging it last night and I liked it less as it went on; I’m also pretty annoyed that the plot resolution ignored a key inequity to work.

  37. MOAS*

    I had my first PT session this week for my lower leg pain that I’ve had for 2 years. My therapist was asking a lot of questions and very soft spoken and understanding. I felt comfortable with her. While talking to her it just came out in the conversation that this has taken over my life. Even though Ive always been overweight, I considered myself fairly active–exercising at least 2x a week, walking long and short distances etc. 

    They asked for short and long term goals, and my ST was to be able to do my 0.4 mile walk to work without stopping and being in any degree of pain. Long term….to get back to my old life. 

    Like for ex/ I never felt apprehensive walking to work. During lunch, I could go somewhere 1 avenue over. I could spend a 40m lunch break just walking and talking with a coworker/friend. 

    Now-I pay 2x to take a Bus that drops me closer to my job and even that 3 block walk is too much. I go to work and stay there, walk inside the office but have lunch delivered. I went to get coffee last week with someone. A block away. ONE BLOCK. And I felt soooooo embarrassed at being in pain and out of breath. Anyway, so the therapist examined how I walked, checked pain points etc. she said patience & practice and I have the motivation to do it. She gave me some exercises to do at home.

    The only thing I’m a little worried about is getting a surprise bill. When I called initially, they said they take my insurance. When I got there, they gave me the benefits statement which I should’ve taken a pic of or requested a copy. I always pay a copay but I’m worried about getting a separate bill afterwards..I was talking w a coworker who was doing PT and he said our benefits suck and he got a bill afterwards too. So a little apprehensive about that. 

    But overall I’m patient and hopeful. I just want my old life back. 

    1. Sparrow*

      I did PT a few months ago and was also frustrated that I couldn’t get a good idea of my out of pocket cost ahead of time. I tried calling the office and my insurance and they could tell me that I would pay 20% of the billed amount but couldn’t get any estimate beyond that.
      I ended up being billed about $50 for the initial evaluation and about $20 for each of my 1/2 hour follow up sessions, which was totally worth the improvement I got from it. Hope your PT is affordable and beneficial to you too!

    2. LilySparrow*

      You should be able to access all that benefit information online, the booklets as well as the documentation on each visit. Ask HR how to log into the portal for your insurance company.

  38. MOAS*

    On another note…..

    Anyone ever feel like they’re not competing against anyone but just themselves? I never considered myself competitive, and yea I always noticed how beautiful other women were but I never aspired to be like any of them. Looks, career, etc. I don’t have a “story”, I just….middled along? I just wanted to be the bestversion of myself.

    So, I feel like I compete against myself. I look at my old pix and it’s so depressing to me–when I was 20, 28 and 31, I lost significant weight through mostly exercise and very little diet. I NEVER took my insulin correctly. Now that I’m taking my insulin and trying to be better about the diabetes..I gained weight and slow weight loss, along with the pain etc. I’ve tossed between maybe I should quit my medicine and just do diet and exercise, but then days of high #s scare me to death and ruin my A1c. So it’s a crappy cycle. 

    1. Wishing You Well*

      You’ve got to feel well physically to feel well mentally. Please keep taking your insulin correctly. That should be your number 1 priority. Ask your medical people for help. Also consider treatment for possible depression. Life is tough and we all need help at some point. You deserve to feel better and you need the best possible sources for advice.
      Jedi hugs, if you want them.

      1. MOAS*

        I’ve talked to my endocrinologist before. She got frustrated that I would do well then fall off the wagon. I explained this. She said the weight gain is minimal compared to the side effects from uncontrolled diabetes. I know the problems with uncontrolled diabetes, I know what’s needed for a good diet, allt het ipsand tricks and stuff…I just need the mental push. I speak for myself when I say it’s 99% mental.

        1. Grace*

          tw – discussion of eating disorders

          Have you seen any documentaries or discussions about diabulimia, like the BBC documentary? It’s classed as an eating disorder in that there’s a mental block related to control and weight loss/gain, but it’s when someone with diabetes deliberately takes less or no insulin for the purposes of weight loss. You’re far from the only person struggling with these urges. I understand your endocrinologist getting frustrated, but the papers I’ve read all point to this being a genuine eating disorder linked to disordered thinking about weight and insulin. You wouldn’t tell someone anorexic to just shut up and eat (or at least, you shouldn’t) and people shouldn’t be telling you to just shut up and take your insulin.

          From what I can see online, even though most endocrinologists aren’t exactly qualified to deal with the disordered aspect of diabulimia, there are suggestions about how to build a qualified team across different specialities, as well as online advice and places to talk without judgement. The BBC documentary is available on YT, and there are a lot of people discussing their own experiences with these urges in the comments (with an incredible amount of compassion given that it’s a YT comment section).

          Even if you don’t think that your struggles go so far as to qualify as diabulimia, you might find some of the same resources helpful.

          1. sequined histories*

            Yeah, speaking as someone with a history of disordered eating, if you’re saying that—on an emotional level—you’re more comfortable letting your blood sugar get out of control and being skinnier than you are with keeping it under control and being somewhat heavier, that sounds like sounds like it’s own separate issue deserving of evaluation and specific treatment. It’s sounds like you might not be able to escape this “crappy cycle” on your own.

            1. MOAS*

              That’s interesting I never thought of it like that. I’m not sure i could get that comfortable to go back to old habits where I was very ignorant or in denial of what was going on inside—never checking it, never Taking my meds regularly etc.

    2. Disco Janet*

      Don’t quit your medicine! I hear you though – I’ve gained quite a bit of weight and accumulated a few health issues over the last couple of years. I know to some extent that is just part of life – your body is aging, bad habits that didn’t affect you as much in the past start catching up to you.

      It almost sounds like you’re looking at this as an either or where you take to or insulin OR focus on diet and exercise. Why not both?

  39. LlamaDoctor*

    A close friend’s father died yesterday, he had cancer but he was doing quite well and the death was quite unexpected despite the fact that he was sick. This is the first time I’ve ever had a close friend lose a very close relative, especially a relatively young one (early fifties) and I’m not sure how to act. We are in different states (I’m away for college but she goes to college in our hometown, we’ve been friends since elementary school) but I will be going home for the funeral. I want to support her as best I can but I also want to give her space if she needs it. Of course, I’ll follow her lead but I was wondering if anyone had any suggestions on what to do/say or what not to do/say. I want her to know I’m there if she needs me but I don’t want to be annoying or insensitive in any way. For reference on the level of friendship, we’re good friends but not “best” friends, we were really close as kids but have grown apart some what, we still spend time together whenever we’re in the same place and probably text a few times a month to once a week depending on how busy we both are. If I got married she’d definitely be a bridesmaid but probably not my maid of honor.

    1. WellRed*

      Going to the funeral is the important thing. Tell her you’re there for her if she needs anything and check in a few weeks after to see how she is(that’s when it really sinks in but everyone else has of course moved on). The check in can be a call or even a text.

      1. WellRed*

        Oh, as for what to say, I’m so sorry. And then a memory of her dad, remember that treehouse he built?

        1. fposte*

          This is perfect. There’s a template for a reason, and the fact that you’re expressing sorrow matters more than what you say (unless you say something spectacularly bad).

    2. MOAS*

      If you make a promise, stick to it.
      If there was something you did before, continue to do it.

      I’ll share my experience, fully knowing that everyone deals with things differently and what worked for me may not work for everyone else….

      With that said..when my father died suddenly a year and a half ago, I had a friend who said they would come over (it’s customary in our culture to visit the family to offer condolences if you don’t make it to the funeral). I was abroad and texted when I came back. They didn’t. no apology, nothing. Eventually, they stopped talking to me and inviting me to stuff. I understand they got busy wiht life, and their circle got smaller etc so I don’t take it very personally but it still hurt. Another friend, didn’t offer to come over, and later apologized and said they were busy with life. I forgave them, and still see them, but it still hurts.

      So– I’d say if you promise to do anything, follow through. If there was anything you did before, like always invite them to a certain thing, don’t stop doing that. If you see them, let them lead the conversation, I remember switching between wanting to talk about normal stuff and talk about my dad and heavier stuff.

      I had a lot of ppl reaching out in the beginning and it felt overwhelming. and then it stopped and I felt lonely and forgotten. Again, I know this is the nature of things, people have lives, as do we, but it doesn’t hurt any less.

    3. Wishing You Well*

      Tell her you’re sorry for her loss and ask her if she wants to talk about it. Some people do, some don’t.
      Don’t say “I know how you feel.” or “He’s in a better place.” And respect your friend’s religious beliefs.
      I’m sorry your friend lost her father.

    4. Pippa*

      If you are able, be present at the services and tell her you care. Send her a note with a memory or story about her Dad and the two of you as little kids. Send a similar kind of note to her Mom, if appropriate. Letting people know you care, being present if possible (and the family wants it) can really mean a lot in circumstances which no one can really change.

    5. Una*

      Don’t worry too much about your level of closeness, but also don’t assume your friend has closer people she’d rather talk to. That might be true, but it is a very common experience in grief that the people you most expect to show up for you don’t—but also the opposite sometimes: that people you weren’t expecting to at all find ways of showing up, and it is deeply moving.

      I would say grief begins more than it ends at the funeral, especially for the person making all the arrangements. It gets harder after all the work is done, so keep checking in…in a week, in two weeks, in three weeks, in a month, and so on. The funeral in some ways is the easiest part—your whole community is there with you. It’s after that grief feels terribly lonely.

      The key thing is to resist the (perfectly natural) temptation to say things to make your friend feel better. Remember that the pain of losing someone is a natural extension of one’s love for someone. Feeling like one has to move too quickly into ‘acceptance’ or coming to terms with the loss, or seeing some positive in it (eg, ‘at least he’s no longer suffering’) can feel like a betrayal of that person, because the pain seems like the last part of that love that remains.

      So when your friend is hurting, try to just let her express that, and sit with the pain instead of trying to make it feel better. She probably won’t want to do that all the time—and it’s fine to ask! ‘If you need to talk about it, I’m here for you. But if you need distraction right now instead, I can do that too!’ If you’re at a loss for words, it’s fine to admit that. It’s also fine to sit in silence for a while. But a hug is nice too.

      This might be less relevant if you’re not in town for as long, but if you’re there for a few days, think about what you’d do for a sick friend, and offer to do that—to make her dinner, or wash her dishes, or some other daily task which can be hard to do when you’re paralyzed by grief or sickness. It helps to be concrete. A lot of my friends said, ‘just tell me if there’s anything I can do for you,’ but that largely meant I never told them, even though there were things they could have done—but my brain was knocked off its axis and I couldn’t think of anything, or felt too ashamed to ask, or felt like nothing mattered anyway so what would be the point? Along those lines, don’t expect that your friend will reach out if she needs help or support—instead, keep reaching out to her. Remember that it can be really hard to ask for help when you’re already at your most vulnerable. Hard even to accept it sometimes, so try not to take it personally if you don’t always hear back. She will have a lot going on.

      Finally, a book recommendation: Megan Devine’s ‘It’s Okay That You’re Not Okay: Meeting Grief and Loss in a Culture That Doesn’t Understand.’ My friend got it for me when I experienced a loss, telling me her other friend had found it helpful for her own grief—though she was also very clear that *I* didn’t have to read it or find it helpful if it wasn’t for me. But I think it really is a good one.

      1. Kuododi*

        Here to upvote your suggestion about not putting on the friend who’s grieving to know what they need and communicate that info to you.

        When I was first diagnosed with the breast and lung cancer I had a number of people tell me to let them know how they could help. I found that to be an overwhelming task on top of adjusting to the diagnoses. A new friend I recently made through a local Meetup group contacted me and came up with suggestions on how she and the group could be supportive. (ie- food chain, taking up a collection to help with expenses.). Long story short, she’s going to organize a rotation of folks to help with transportation to and from my radiation treatments. The week I got my diagnoses, my Dad invited me to have lunch with he and Mom over at their house. (Nothing fancy, just salad and sandwiches.). His goal for lunch.was to give me a couple of hours where I could talk as little or as much as I wanted about the cancers. It was a very helpful get together with family giving me time to take a mental break from the stress and anxiety. I hope this is helpful. Blessings

  40. matcha123*

    DNA tests have become a lot more popular in recent years, and I keep seeing people (online) post about how they are now mixed. I am mixed, my parents are from different races. I find it incredibly annoying when someone who identifies as monoracial, is identified by society as monoracial, and has never questioned their racial background now feels like it’s fun to tell people about all the “nationalities” they are mixed with. Or ask to be validated as a racial minority because a DNA test shows they might have some non-white ancestry from centuries back.
    Which ties into my other pet peeve…people who cannot understand that “Hispanic/Latina” is not a race, or that you cannot be a bunch of “nationalities” without fulfilling some very specific requirements. This is more of an American thing, but it just gets on my nerves so much.
    DNA tests are created from data points of people who took the DNA test and they match those results to modern-day regions or countries.

    1. Anonymous Educator*

      I find it incredibly annoying when someone who identifies as monoracial, is identified by society as monoracial, and has never questioned their racial background now feels like it’s fun to tell people about all the “nationalities” they are mixed with.

      I fully agree. It seems they want all the benefits of being monoracial (especially if that mono is White) while also getting the benefits of being multiracial (without any of the difficulties that come with it). They want to have their cake and eat it too.

      people who cannot understand that “Hispanic/Latina” is not a race

      Here’s where I disagree with you. Race is entirely a social construct that has only minimal overlap with anything biological. “Hispanic/Latina” is, in fact, a “race” in America, because that’s how you have to select things on a form when you select race. We have one racial category based loosely around language and geography (“Hispanic/Latina”), one racial category based loosely around geography (“Asian or Asian Pacific Islander”), one racial category based primarily on skin tone and geographic remote ancestry (“Black/African American”), one racial category based on length of time of ancestry within the Americas (“Indigenous/Native America”), and one racial category based on everything else (“White/Caucasian”). Where do people of Middle Eastern descent fall? It’s unclear, because race is a BS form of classification. Sometimes there is a separate checkbox for that. And sometimes people from the Middle East have to identify as White or Asian.

      There is a long history in the U.S. of people we now consider to be “White” being considered not White (Irish, Italian, Eastern European, Ashkenazi Jewish), and we also have a long history people with light-colored skin (Middle Eastern, East Asian) being unsure if they’re “White” or not until the Supreme Court decides they aren’t White.

      Race has no basis in biology or genetics. That doesn’t make it any less real (a building doesn’t have to exist, but if you build it, it’s there, and you can’t just deny its existence once it’s built).

      1. Enough*

        The single point for hispanic/Latina is actually rarely new. They used to have 2 lines. One for black and one for non-black.

      2. Ann O.*

        On the census, Hispanic/Latina is explicitly identified as an ethnic origin rather than a race.

        I also disagree that Ashkenazi Jews are uniformly considered white, and it is one of my great frustrations with social justice bubbles that so many of them insist that we are despite our lived realities (especially because frankly, I often experience this in the context of someone minimizing prejudice against us).

        Beliefs about race have material consequences on people’s lives, obviously, but that doesn’t make race itself a real, stable concept. And because it’s not stable, the ways in which race is socially constructed are also neither stable nor uniform.

        1. Anonymous Educator*

          I also disagree that Ashkenazi Jews are uniformly considered white

          What of the few simplistic racial categories in the U.S. do they belong to, then?

          Look, anti-Semitism is a real thing, of course, and WASPs still hold special power in the U.S. that other kinds of white people don’t, but I don’t really see how you can say Ashkenazi Jews aren’t considered white.

          1. curly sue*

            In my experience we have conditional Whiteness. (Using the capital letter here because it’s not white as in skin colour, but Whiteness as in the conditional access and acceptance allocated to various European groups at different points in western history. Also see the Italians and Irish.)

            We’re assumed to be White until our Jewishness comes up, at which point people’s attitudes change. You can actually watch the re-evaluation take place in some people’s eyes (and in the past that’s when I’ve gotten questions about when I got my horns removed, and is it true that Jews have hooves). What it tends to come down to is that we’re considered White when it’s useful to see us as part of a power structure, but we’re not White enough to be safe from racists. And so it goes.

        2. fhqwhgads*

          My primary experience with people claiming Ashkenazi Jews are not white (due to being Ashkenazi Jews) has been from white supremacists. I took the previous poster’s remark about the “long history” to be a reference to that. Of course there do exist Jews who are not white or who are multiracial, but it is extremely problematic to suggest that the latter is because of the former, as opposed to a separate data point.

      3. ZarinC*

        As a scientist (doctorate in genetics) I do wholeheartedly agree that race is a social construct–however I find your attitude kind of harsh.

        This statement in particular “It seems they want all the benefits of being monoracial (especially if that mono is White) while also getting the benefits of being multiracial (without any of the difficulties that come with it). They want to have their cake and eat it too.”

        It’s unclear to me what these supposed benefits are, but ancestry DNA tests are generally for entertainment and who is not curious about their origins? Pretty much everyone on this planet has mixed ethnicity but until recently the average person did not have access to this information.
        So what if they are excited to find out that they have ________ ancestry? (Fill in the blank)
        That doesn’t make your own claim as a multiracial person any less special or important.

        1. Anonymous Educator*

          How is that any more harsh than this?
          I find it incredibly annoying when someone who identifies as monoracial, is identified by society as monoracial, and has never questioned their racial background now feels like it’s fun to tell people about all the “nationalities” they are mixed with.

          The supposed benefit is being able to have fun with some trivia about it without actually facing the real-life oppression that comes with it.

      4. 1LFTW*

        Dear gods, these tests are a scourge. Even at their least malign, they reify our culture’s deeply problematic constructions of “race” and “ethnicity”.

        I have a student (in her late 60’s) whose family member took one of these tests and found out that “they’re not Italian”. This bummed out my student, who always took pride in her Italian heritage. Her maiden name is Italian, because her father’s parents were *from Italy*, her father was raised speaking Italian, and raised his kids to be knowledgeable about his culture… but because A Genetic Test said that their family is “0% Italian”, this poor lady felt like she no longer had a claim to her culture. I explained (in much gentler terms) that her family damn well *is* Italian, because ethnicity is a cultural, not biological construct.

        1. Seeking Second Childhood*

          Genetic tests probably don’t do a good job for people descended from families living in places where national borders shifted a lot. And families where someone might not have revealed they adopted a child. (Especially if that child was from a targeted group–Jewish or Roma in Nazi Germany, just a fast example.)
          And then there is simple migration, like the refugees who are trying to get out of Syria.
          I wonder if the worry is the possibility of an unrevealed adoption.

      5. matcha123*

        Race is a social construct, but South America and the Caribbean are made up of very racially diverse groups. This includes indigenous people. If you were not aware, there was a huge backlash in the 90s of Mexican dramas featuring white Mexicans as “good” roles and darker skinned ones in “bad” roles; there are large Asian communities in South American countries like Mexico, Brazil, Peru, and Argentina (many generations back); etc. etc. That is why “Hispanic/Latina” is not a race on Census forms, it is an ethnicity.
        I think most people who visit this site are on the same page when it comes to America’s crappy way of dealing with race, so I don’t want to preach to the choir.
        My basic point was that if you take a DNA test and find Asian ancestry, you suddenly do not become an expert on Asia or whatever, especially if you don’t identify that way, none of your family does, and neither does your community. It’s fine to be amused or interested in the results you find in a test, but I’ve seen people asking if they can call themselves mixed on university applications because a DNA test showed they had 10% African genes.

        1. Roverandom*

          Honestly Hispanic/Latino/a is a language/culture category. I don’t know how you justify putting a white person from Spain and a dark-skinned person from the Dominican Republic and a person from Honduras with indigenous ancestry in the same category, and have that category also exclude black people from Haiti and people from Brazil and white people from France.

          I am equally there with you against “DNA test says I’m X race” B.S. and think it really speaks to America’s lack of understanding of how race, biology, and culture works.

    2. Courageous cat*

      Yes, I agree, and for context I am white. Lots of people who think they’re ~exotic~ because they’re like, German, Irish, and Norwegian. It is absolutely not “mixed” – it’s basically what every white person is.

      1. matcha123*

        Yeah, if these people were living in Europe with immediate family members influencing their cultural background and upbringing, I could see a case for them identifying as mixed. But if they are in North America and live their lives as “white bread, apple pie” Americans, then really, that’s fine. (not you, op!)

    3. Asenath*

      I can’t say I worry much about how other people want to identify their ethnicity – that whole area is so full of competing ideologies and approaches that it seems like almost anything goes. Race is an even shakier construct – and if these tests do anything, they usually show that if you go back far enough, everyone has people from various origins in their family trees. No one is really a genetically pure member of any group. And – speaking for myself – the discovery that I have some ancestors from previously-unsuspected locations is of mild personal interest, but says absolutely nothing about my culture or ethnicity or race, which remains unchanged since it’s affected as much by the groups I grew up among as by genetics.

    4. Elizabeth West*

      I would never do these because then the company owns your information. That makes me really leery, since companies these days aren’t great about keeping that info secure in any way. They’re not that accurate, either. I read an article where somebody tried a few different ones as an experiment and got back different results!

      1. You can call me Al*

        I did! My husband used to work in the industry and we took three tests with the three companies he worked for and every single one came back with VERY different nationalities.
        Seriously take that stuff with a grain of salt.
        The person-to-person data is much more accurate than predicting nationalities.

        1. AcademiaNut*

          Exactly. My understanding is that the nationality stuff is *highly* uncertain, and that things like “14% Welsh” don’t mean a whole lot in the first place. There’s the uncertainties in the testing, in the calibration data (who is your template for ‘Welsh’), and the tendency for historical mobility of populations to mix genetics (trade, exploration, migration, refugees, slavery, war….). I think it’s reasonably good when it comes to the basic continent (sub-Saharan African vs East Asian vs North American), but beyond that it can be pretty random.

          It’s better at determining relationships, although even then there can be big mistakes in determining the precise level of the relationship, particularly with a single comparison.

  41. Can I get a Wahoo?*

    My cat’s absolute favorite thing is dragging herself along the base of my couch by her nails. I’ve tried the Jackson Galaxy method of putting scratchers in front of the places she likes to scratch, but they’re either not what she’s looking for or not long enough to drag herself along. Double stick tape hasn’t worked because she just pealed it off to eat it. Any suggestions?

    1. CatCat*

      Rub some citrus on there or otherwise get citrus in the area. I read cats dislike citrus so we have a living room chair we don’t want ours to go under because they could get paws or tail caught in rocking mechanism if one of us didn’t realize one was under there. I rubbed a lime one some wood under the chair and left a couple lime peels under the chair. That has largely been very effective.

    2. Kuododi*

      I’ve had good luck with sprinkling Cayenne pepper around the thing I want Kitty to leave alone. (Very helpful at keeping cats out of the Christmas tree). Good luck.

  42. Miranda Priestly's Assistant*

    Phase 2 of self-care reset weekend. I’m still trying to recover from a month of burnout and work-related anxiety stemming from multiple sources. Now I’m moving into more active self-care. I take workout classes 2-3x a week, I’m making plans with friends, and doing some creative projects. Also watching some of my favorite lifestyle YouTube channels.

    2. NoLongerYoung*

      You go! That’s where I want to be around mid-November. Keep us posted – which creative projects? Which YouTube channels? I’m starting to plan ahead!

      1. Miranda Priestly's Assistant*

        One of them is just decorating my apartment which I just moved into. Hanging up mirrors and pictures. I am painting a couple of canvases for this purpose.

        Another thing I like to do is make my own bath products (because taking warm baths is a staple in my self-care routine!) Sugar scrubs, bath bombs, and body creams. Rachel Talbott’s channel is my primary source of inspiration for these.

        I’ve also been watching a lot of muchellb’s channel – it’s been practically therapeutic in the place of actual therapy, which I’m having trouble getting a hold of where I am.

        1. NoLongerYoung*

          Sounds wonderful!!! Decorating – Are you painting just things you like, or to tie together your decor?

          And high five on the bath. I have figured out this is one of my care rituals… making your own bath bombs is a great idea!!
          Thank you!

  43. coffee cup*

    This morning I volunteered at park run for the first time! I ran it the last two weekends so this time I thought I’d help out. I was nervous beforehand but I really enjoyed cheering people on and seeing them all do well. I was positioned at the bottom of a small hill that I personally hate when I’m running it, so I was able to genuinely tell them they were doing well. It was pretty chilly and damp but good! Next week I think I’ll run again.

    Anyone else like volunteering at things? I never have before, mainly cause I’m shy, and I’m now wondering what else I could do.

    1. Daphne*

      I volunteered for years at at theatre doing ushering and box office, led to paid work because i’d been there so long.

      Going to help out at a big film festival in another city next month.

      Like you, I’m shy, and still have my off days. But I found have a genuine interest or a knack for one/some of the volunteer tasks will really help your confidence – for example I was known for learning the ticketing software really quickly and was nicknamed box office queen!

    2. LGC*

      On the running end of things: I’ve done quite a few things!

      Mainly, I’ve been a pacer twice. That’s been fun – it’s helping me become more confident about staying in control.

      I also marshaled (which is what it sounds like you did) at my club’s 4th of July race. It was fun! I enjoyed just cheering everyone on for a change!

      1. LGC*

        But outside of that…I really want to do more. I’m kind of like you where I’m an introvert by nature, and it seems like a lot of volunteer ops are front facing.

        What’s worked for me is to…have the interaction directed. Basically, if I have a primary job. Being a pacer, your job first and foremost is to hit your splits. (And run the course properly.) And a course marshal directs people the right way. That’s me, though – I feel like my issue is that often I don’t know how to human properly, so I like guidelines. You’re probably different!

        1. coffee cup*

          The marshalling at park run was easy, as the route is pretty obvious, so I didn’t need to direct anyone, just shout ‘well done!’ and other encouraging things! You can do various jobs, though. Even just helping to set up the event is useful and doesn’t require much human interaction, if any!

    3. Seven hobbits are highly effective, people*

      I volunteer at SF conventions and some other kinds of fan-run conventions. A lot of the smaller conventions are run entirely by volunteers, and many of them are non-profits, which I didn’t realize when I first started going to them. People volunteer doing all kinds of different things, from working in con hospitality (food/drinks) to running sound equipment for concerts to creating an at-con daily zine letting people know about last-minute changes. I’ve learned a lot about event planning from being involved with conventions.

  44. CatCat*

    Rub some citrus on there or otherwise get citrus in the area. I read cats dislike citrus so we have a living room chair we don’t want ours to go under because they could get paws or tail caught in rocking mechanism if one of us didn’t realize one was under there. I rubbed a lime one some wood under the chair and left a couple lime peels under the chair. That has largely been very effective.

  45. MOAS*

    Fun thread I saw on instagram that was taken from reddit I think?

    Your 16 yearold self moves in with current day you. What do you fight about?

    1. Red Reader the Adulting Fairy*

      Nothing – 16 year old Red didn’t want to go out except to the movies, all she wanted was the internet and an unlimited library available. We have unlimited internet, extra computers, extra e-book readers, and an actual library and a movie theater both within a mile. She probably won’t even come out of her room except for dinner and movie/library runs.

      1. Red Reader the Adulting Fairy*

        Thinking about this more, I did think of one thing – she would want to keep in touch with her best friend, and probably would have a hard time believing me if I told her about the situation that led to me cutting contact with said person when we were in our early 20s.

    2. StellaBella*

      Nothing – I have loved Bon Jovi since age 12 so… music – nope. Food, nope. Cleaning, nope. Maybe calling parents, as I miss both of mine now that they are gone.

    3. Llama Face!*

      “I’m reading this book!”
      “No, I got it from the library so I get dibs!”

      And also probably whose turn it is to wash dishes. Lol.

    4. LizB*

      Probably we fight because current day me has a million pieces of advice for 16 year old me, who may or may not actually want said advice. Habit-wise, I’m a little more tidy than I was at 16… but not much. I think I’d revert back to those ways in a heartbeat, and the place would be a mess!

    5. Seven hobbits are highly effective, people*

      If I’m supposed to parent 16-year-old me, the big fights would probably be about actually paying attention in math class, because I’d pretty much completely checked out at that point and that did not do me any favors in college. I suspect I’d be pretty good at convincing younger-me to get that done in a way that my actual mother was not. (My mom had some poor experiences in math herself and hadn’t ever taken math classes as advanced as the one I was in at the time, so she wasn’t really in a position to specifically help me with homework or explain when it would come in handy later.)

      If it’s more of a wacky roommate situation, then we’d always be convinced it was the other person’s turn to vacuum and generally clean things. I live alone now and I’m still somehow surprised that it’s my turn to vacuum or clean the bathroom, so living with someone else who also isn’t particularly cleaning-oriented would probably make that worse.

    6. Girr*

      Who’s turn it is to do the dishes. Always have and still do hate doing them.

      Also who left their laundry in the washer/dryer again. Still hate doing that too

    7. Miss Pantalones en Fuego*

      My 16 year old self would be very annoyed that I don’t go to many concerts anymore.

  46. Nessun*

    How are you today? It’s a lovely day today, and I’m feeling so, so content and wanted to share it. I’m sitting in a cafe having chai and samosas, reading one of my new tarot books, and life is just wonderful. Calm and happy and just…chill. It’s been ages since I’ve been so content, and later I shall think about why, but for now, I’m just going to enjoy it. I wish everyone the same today – hope it’s being a good one for you. If it’s not, keep faith and carry on. I’d share this with you all if I could.

  47. Anon From Here*

    Seeking online resources and/or book recommendations for an adult child of a mother with schizo-affective bipolar disorder.

    Mom is 75; I’m 50. She was likely manic throughout her early relationship with my dad, and had her first psychotic break when I was about age 5. They got her meds properly balanced by the time I was a young teen. The past 12-18 months, however, have been physically and mentally stressful for her, triggering another break. She and Dad are still together and I’m not involved in her care (because I live a few time zones away). I do visit a couple of times a year, though, and I’d appreciate some resources for self-care and for dealing with her.

    Regarding self-care, sometimes after we talk, I get a legit PTSD reaction because her language, the topics of her delusions, and the verbal manifestations of her thought disorders bring up a lot of buried memories and feelings from my youth and adolescence. So definitely if anybody has a suggestion for reading on that kind of topic, I’d appreciate it. Thanks!

    1. Not So NewReader*

      Not exactly what you are looking for. I have had a couple family members with serious concerns. Sometimes we are not the people to help them because we are too close to the situation (hence PTSD reactions). Don’t force yourself to do this if it is going to cause you further pain/injury. Get yourself and keep yourself on safe ground and that is rule number one.

      I just have a general suggestion of googling books on mother-daughter relationships. Some are not fixable. In some cases the daughter goes away and stays away. What is good to look at it the patterns you might notice in the stories. I picked up on the idea that there seemed to be some willingness from mom and from daughter to try again. That’s just the way it looked to me.

      Sometimes the sufferer does not allow people, especially family type people, to help them. This sounds like it might be some of what you are seeing.
      Protect you first and foremost. When you start an interaction make sure you know where your exits are. For example, on the phone you can choose to hang up. Visiting is trickier, perhaps you have a motel room or a friend’s house. For myself, I drew strict lines, I saw an old behavior ONCE and “whoops, gotta go”. I did not wait for that second example of poor behavior.

      My biggest concession was recognizing I can’t help them.

      1. Not a cat*

        I’m the daughter of an undiagnosed Borderline. I am/was her scapegoat. For my own sanity, I had to step away after my father died and have been no contact for 20 years.

        So, yah, not fixable.

    2. Clarissa*

      The Drama of the Gifted Child by Alice Miller. It is the best book I’ve ever read for dealing with trauma from the past. And it’s just very interesting. My counselor recommended it when I was in therapy and it helped so much. I do not have to blame myself anymore for things my parents did.

    3. socialworker12345*

      That makes sense you are having strong reactions. Reading other people’s perspectives/self care can definitely help. It’s also important to take time for you so you are well/can determine how much you want to do.

      Some great resources include:

      http://www.nami.org – They have online resources to learn more about mental health conditions and a helpline where you can speak to someone.

      also psychologytoday.com has some good articles

      Grounding techniques- These are things you can do like deep breathing, splashing cold water on your face that can help you feel better.
      https://www.healthline.com/health/grounding-techniques#physical-techniques

  48. Anon woman with breast cancer*

    Thanks again to all who have suggested food things and idea for prep for dealing with my breast cancer. This week I had a PET CT Scan and get results and discussion with the oncologist next week. I will also get a tag placed into the tumour next week, get another mammogram, then start chemo. I am stocking up on food and glass bottled juices, and making food and freezing it too. I am seeing a counsellor, and have already seen my surgeon too. Also I read Christopher Hitchens’ book, Mortality, and have other resources including a cook book to try out tomorrow. I am scared but am looking at it as a project: 3 rounds of chemo, then rest, then surgery, then rest. Then radiation, then rest. I also will have some CBD oil to help and some hemp based CBD treats too that are legal here. Again – check your breasts manually and be aware of any changes or lumps!

    1. Breast Solidarity*

      I am on cycle 5 of 6 of chemo for breast cancer. It isn’t fun, but one day at a time. My bathroom counter looks like the GI aisle at the pharmacy — have needed all of it. Take it easy, ask for help, if you don’t have someone else to cook for you it is good you are taking time now to fill your freezer with foods you like but that aren’t too heavy or spicy. Rest. Some days popcicles are most of my diet. Oh, and when mouth/throat are raw and nausea is a problem I find oyster crackers easier than saltines. Exercise is hard but really does help with chemo side-effects.

      I saw my surgeon this week again and she is so lovely and reassuring, I hope your team is as well!

      Best of luck!

      1. Anon woman with breast cancer*

        Thanks so much for this! Good advice on the crackers. I love to walk, and tho it is going into winter here, I plan to walk as much as I can. I did 9 miles today, 7 last Sat. Once it starts it will be more difficult I am sure.

        5 of 6 rounds, that is a lot. Stay strong. The GI issues will happen, I am sure. Best of luck to you too!

        1. Breast Solidarity*

          Oh, also I asked to meet with a nutritionist, and was glad I did. I learned that there is a window of days during chemo that I can have grapefruit (interacts with a lot of drugs) and that chaga tea interacts with one of my chemo drugs. It was good that I had learned that as a family member heard it was good and sent me some a few weeks ago!

          The exercise for me wasn’t too hard the first couple of cycles. Now my anemia and fatigue are really making it hard and some days I really have to force myself to get out and walk.

          1. Anon woman with breast cancer*

            Good advice. I don’t eat grapefruit but good to know. I also will see a nutrionist next week, or week after.

            My concern is my cat, she has always been inside and I have gloves and masks to clean her litter box, but am worried in general so I need to ask on cat contact. Lots of hand washing.

          2. Anon woman with breast cancer*

            Keep trying, the exercise as you say, is key. Good points on grapefruit, too. I will see a nutritionist I hope next week. I know coffee will be out the window soon, sadly. But I stopped all alcohol and sugar, and well, it is only for a few months on the coffee. Hang in there!

      2. Dancing Otter*

        Your sense of taste can be affected by chemo. Things just taste different. This may or may not wear off completely, according to several friends who’ve been through it.
        Some people want sweet flavors more during chemo, others spicy. My MIL discovered a new love for Thai food.
        And if your digestion is iffy, you will probably be choosing based not on flavor but on whatever doesn’t make you live in the john.

    2. I'm A Little Teapot*

      If you’re interested, there’s a book “Dear Cancer” by Ann Tracy Marr. She had triple negative breast cancer, very early stage – full chemo and radiation, and wrote throughout her treatment. After treatment she edited (kinda badly honestly, due to chemo brain) and published. It’s interesting reading as you can see as “chemo brain” started to kick in. But I found it helpful for a very patient centered view of what it was like. I haven’t seen that kind of raw transparency elsewhere.

      Good luck, hope you respond well to treatment.

  49. Thursday Next*

    Has anyone watched Tiny House Nation on Netflix? I find it so fascinating. Maybe it’s some vicarious fulfillment of my decluttering impulses. (Family of 4 in a 2-bedroom apartment = every day is decluttering day.)

    I really want them to do one-year updates, to get the participants’ feedback on how sustainable the lifestyle is for them.

    1. Fikly*

      I watched it on HGTV (or whatever network it originally aired on).

      I do fantasize about it at times. Less now that I’m living in my own space. Totally agree with you on the one year later updates, especially for the families where I look at it and cannot fathom how it will work, usually the ones where 8 people are living in a tiny home.

      There are others that make perfect sense though – I forget if it was this show, but I saw a tiny house show where a woman who was a travel nurse (a very specialized nurse who would travel to a hospital where there was a patient who needed her, stay there for 2-4 months, then move to next assignment) got one. She wanted a home, rather than a series of hotels/apartments, and I thought this was probably ideal for her.

    2. General von Klinkerhoffen*

      I agree it’s fascinating, but it doesn’t feel sustainable long term – they’re all so aspirational that it doesn’t feel realistic. Especially the family with small children, yikes.

      That said, I liked the episode where they had the weird extending sides and thought that looked more adaptable.

    3. General von Klinkerhoffen*

      I agree it’s fascinating, but it doesn’t feel sustainable long term – they’re all so aspirational that it doesn’t feel realistic. Especially the family with small children, yikes.

      That said, I liked the episode where they had the weird extending sides and thought that looked more adaptable.

      I guess I always come back to two questions:

      1. Why are we pretending this isn’t a trailer?

      2. If you’re happy with a trailer, why are you spending more on this little bespoke trailer than you would on a bigger standard one?

          1. General von Klinkerhoffen*

            I guess so – it seems an odd solution to a very common problem. In my country the spruced-up trailers are known as “park homes” but they tend to be double-wide so are mansions compared to the homes on this programme.

      2. Glomarization, Esq.*

        small children

        I don’t think the parents are fully understanding how tweens and teens will need their privacy.

        spending more on this little bespoke trailer

        I will say that regular RVs can be very flimsily built. Tiny houses, at least as we see ’em on TV, look solid, include upscale finishes, and seem designed to really maximize access to and use of awkward little spaces. If I were to choose between putting a tiny house or some gigantic 5th wheel RV on some land to live the tiny-house lifestyle, I’d mos def choose the custom tiny house.

        1. General von Klinkerhoffen*

          I was thinking about statics, the ones with maybe one wheel which can only really be moved with a tractor/crane. If you take out the ability to drive it around, you reduce the price hugely. Many of the families on the programme aren’t intending to move around often.

      3. Thursday Next*

        I keep thinking about the family that downsized prior to each of their three children’s departure for college. It was important to them that all of their children have place to sleep if they visited all at once. The design was very clever to accommodate sleeping space for five, but I wonder how many times their kids will actually want to visit at the same time. I don’t see it happening more than once or twice—it would just make for a very stressful visit.

        In general I do wonder about the social and relationship ramifications of tiny house living. There’s almost no way to not be right on top of your partner. And it would be hard to invite anyone over to stay indoors. (Some of those homes do have fantastically appointed outdoor spaces for entertaining.)

        As a design challenge, it’s really cool. It also demands that people be very deliberate about the things they hold onto, which is interesting to watch.

        1. Koala dreams*

          Isn’t it very typical that adult children visit the same time? Holidays, birthdays, school breaks. If they live in dorms, it’s probably not an option for the children to invite the family to their place.

          I do like the idea of minimalism, even though I’m not living that life myself. It’s interesting to learn about people living such different lives.

    4. Glomarization, Esq.*

      Oooooh! I have THOUGHTS about tiny houses.

      I think there’s a real tension between tiny-house living one the one hand, and environmental and fiscal sustainability on the other. For example, it’s great that you have downscaled your possessions and stuff … but you’re hauling a 2-3 ton trailer around. And are they really consuming less or reducing their carbon footprint? (Maybe they are, I don’t know.) Also, I wonder how prepared they are for emergencies — in my (1200-square-foot) house, I have enough food, toiletries, and necessaries for us to be knocked off the grid for at least 2 weeks. I’m not saying that everybody needs to prep for a zombie apocalypse or “SHTF,” but how do you prep for more than one person in a tiny house?

      There are also quite a few lifestyles that can’t accommodate this kind of living. I’m thinking artists/artisans who need a large workshop, atelier, or rehearsal/recording area; workers in various trades and blue-collar occupations where you get super dirty during the work day; or any job where you kind of can’t get away with wearing the same thing every day. Though I imagine it’s just fine if you’re working remotely.

      Third thought: I think tiny-house living households are outsourcing a lot more than the shows reveal. There are families who live in a tiny house on acreage, and surprise! They have a little shed with their farming implements, a big shed with a tractor, and a chicken run. Or there’s a couple who parks their tiny-house trailer in a friend’s backyard, and yep! They keep a bunch of their own stuff in the friend’s spare bedroom, tap their electric, and store the car in their garage.

      Finally, the shows also don’t get into the zoning issues that tiny houses encounter when/if a household decides to settle down. Generally: they aren’t mobile homes, so they don’t work in mobile home parks. Rather, they’re usually RV’s, which local ordinances and HOA rules often don’t allow, so you’re stuck in an RV park. Take it off the wheels and put it on a concrete foundation, whether on someone else’s land or your own, and now it’s an ADU that may be disallowed by zoning and almost certainly doesn’t meet local building codes anyway. The shows don’t address this, and that’s what makes them more entertainment about home-improvement than anything else.

    5. Asenath*

      I did my decluttering when I moved from a house to an apartment – I thought I owned very little until I had to go through every bit of it and decide what to keep/give away/throw out. I do watch the tiny house shows, although I like reno shows better. I like the cleverness used in the design of some of the tiny houses, but I don’t think they’re generally practical for most people. They always seem to put the bedroom in a loft, and I’m sure I’d fall off it (I’m a very restless sleeper) or fall off the ladder on the way to or from the toilet! I like shows about renovating or building smallish but fairly ordinary homes. Not the mansions, and not the tiny homes.

    6. Overeducated*

      Never heard of it but I need to watch this! I’m preparing to fit a 4th family member into a 2 bedroom apartment so for me nesting = decluttering and reorganizing. (Although my husband said I don’t need any more “inspiration” at this point.)

      1. Seeking Second Childhood*

        Just a thought from my nieces who shared a room growing up–better than bunk beds for them was a bulet in board room divider. They figured out how to use their desks to stand it straight down the middle, for two mini rooms. Each side was decorated very differently thereafter.

  50. Marzipan*

    So my double-donor IVF pregnancy is 15 weeks in and still going strong, rather to my amazement. I went today and had a scan and blood drawn for NIPT testing for some extra reassurance – I was in London for the People’s Vote march so went to a clinic in Harley Street. (Normally I don’t really approve of Harley Street – it’s where all the expensive private specialists in everything are based – but this particular clinic were incredibly kind to me, and really thorough, on a previous visit when I turned out to be having a miscarriage; whereas I very much do not like the sonographer in the scanning clinic in my small city. I think it was a good decision to go back to them, they were great once again.)

    One of the things the NIPT test can do is tell you from the DNA whether it’s a boy or a girl but it turned out to already be pretty evident on the ultrasound… boy!

    Still don’t want to tell anyone IRL that I’m pregnant yet, though. I’d like to get past the 20 week scan, if I can. But so far, so good! (Thinking, as always, of anyone for whom baby news is a complicated reminder of difficult things. Hugs to you, if so.)

    Then as soon as I was done, I went and protest marched – so emotionally, that was quite an odd mixture of a day. On the train home now!

    1. General von Klinkerhoffen*

      You’ve made two major investments in your future today. That’s worth a huge high five!

    3. PX*

      I’ve been following your adventures and fingers crossed everything continues to go well! And super good on you for going to the march…I saw the news in the evening and was just like..I am so confused with what is going on…and want to swear at the current prime minister :/

  51. Interesting interaction - where could this couple have been from?*

    My husband and I just returned from Spain and during our last couple of days, we were in Madrid at a cute brunch place waiting for a table. There was a couple next to us who had just gotten their food, and the girl was taking photos of her food in just about every angle imaginable. We looked over and giggled because we do that all the time!

    The girl said something to us but I didn’t hear it and just turned away, thinking she said “oh gotta get that right photo!” But she kept talking and when I turned my head she goes in a very confrontational voice, “why are you laughing, do you have a problem?” We were so taken aback and have never had an interaction like this! We just smiled and said oh no, we take photos of our food all the time too! And then the guy turned around and goes “well would you like to take a bite?”

    Super strange interaction and trying to think of where it’s not common to smile or laugh with people that you don’t know. Based on their accent and language they were speaking aside from speaking to us in English, I don’t think they were Spanish.

    1. fposte*

      I think that there are a lot of contexts where a stranger’s public laughter at what you’re doing wouldn’t be received well; some of those are national/regional but some of them are just human. There’s no universal agreement on what’s friendly and who it’s acceptable to be that way with. So I don’t think you were wrong, because I live in the Midwest and not a big city and around here that’s absolutely hoe people operate, but I don’t think they’re wrong for operating in a different paradigm where they’re not looking for strangers to comment on them in public.

    2. BRR*

      It’s probably because there’s a lot of people who make fun of people who take pictures of their food. I’d try and understand where they’re coming from, know that it’s a misunderstanding, and let this one go.

    3. LilySparrow*

      Wild guess, but my friends from Germany have a very different sense of humor than we do, and when we visited them it was quite noticeable that the level of laughing & joking around that registers as normal conversation in the US seemed extremely over-the-top boisterous over there. Even when I was on a school trip in London, the US equivalent of “youthful chatter” came off as “rowdy and overbearing.”

      So if they were from some of the more quiet/reserved parts of northern Europe, it might not just be that you were laughing. You may have seemed extremely loud and intrusive to them.

      Nothing to be done about it, and since you were both in a third country you can’t really apply the “when in Rome” rule.

      I don’t think you did anything wrong, but sometimes different cultures just rub each other the wrong way.

  52. The Other Dawn*

    It’s probably too late for this question based on when I’d need the prints, but does anyone know of a mainstream place to order photo prints with good results? What I mean by “good results” is a place where I actually get the full-sized picture and not a weirdly cropped picture.

    I ordered some prints from CVS this morning. I’m using them as entries for a cat photo contest through the cat rescue I volunteer with occasionally. When I got them home, I saw that they were all weirdly cropped. On-screen they look completely normal, but in print form they’re cropped. I was really annoyed. I logged in and noticed that pictures can be edited and cropped. I tried eliminating the cropping, but it doesn’t allow me to do that. I also tried moving the cropping and the picture just doesn’t look right.

    I have Walgreens and Rite Aid available, as well as a Walmart and Target (not sure if Target does it). I can’t order them online and have them mailed, since I need to get them into the rescue by Saturday (it’s 45 minutes away so I’d be mailing them, and I can’t email them).

    1. Venus*

      I ordered a mug from Walmart a few years ago, and did it all online yet went to the store to pick it up an hour later (they have a printing machine at the store which takes orders online). I’m not sure if their prints are of good quality, but the mug was good and Walmart is a big company so there should be some reviews online for this particular topic.

    4. Lady Kelvin*

      The problem isn’t the printer but your camera. Most cameras take photos in 4:3 aspect but prints are 4×6 or 3×5, so by necessity they end up cropped. I’d just make sure you preview any prints you get or change the settings of your camera to take photos in a different aspect ratio.

        1. General von Klinkerhoffen*

          This is a good point. The company I use (UK so not helpful to you) flags up files which will not print exactly to size and asks whether you would prefer autocrop or white space.

    5. The Other Dawn*

      I ended up trying Walgreen’s and was able to do 5×7 prints and the cropping wasn’t as bad. Still not what I wanted, but it worked in the short time frame I have. I’ll have to fix the size settings on my phone.

  53. curiousLemur*

    Recently I found some white stuff caked on a tupperware container, and I was getting a little freaked out because I don’t think it could be anything but the dishwashing soap, and a lot of my dishes are mostly white, so I might not have even seen this stuff if it were on the dishes.

    I googled it, and it might be the soap, which is scary because that stuff is poisonous, right? Google says “Wash a small container full of white vinegar by itself in the dishwasher.” I’m going to do that.

    What worries me is that I had already unloaded about half the dishwasher before I noticed that stuff, so I’m wondering if I should re-wash most of my dishes. Some of the dishes in the dishwasher are kitty dishes, and I don’t want them to get any of this stuff in their system either.

    I keep thinking that the tupperware container is light, so it could easily have moved during the dishwashing so that it would be hard to properly rinse it, and that dishes are heavier and probably got properly rinsed, but I’m nervous.

    Any advice about this kind of thing would be appreciated!

    1. fposte*

      Is it a container you ever use in the microwave? Heat damage is pretty common in plastic containers; does it it looks like frosty white granules that don’t flake off, perhaps in a roughly horizontal line? Tupperware says the product is still usable if so. I wouldn’t worry about it in that case.

      If you were eating enough dishwasher soap to harm yourself, you’d likely know by the taste; the danger is that they’re caustic, so it’s not a silent situation where you’d eat soap without knowing it. If you don’t use the container in the microwave and the granules flake or rinse off, you could try switching to liquid dish detergent for a while to see if that helps.

      1. curiousLemur*

        Thanks! I never use it in the microwave – I use this particular container to hold canned cat food after it’s been opened. The granules rinsed off.

    2. Courageous cat*

      I don’t think any of this is cause for major concern, and soap is not exactly what I would call poisonous in extremely minute amounts. Not everyone who handwashes their dishes rinses them super easily, for instance.

      Re-wash if you feel the need, but I wouldn’t lose sleep over it.

      1. Anon Librarian*

        That was my thought too. It could be mild enough that it comes and goes, and is only showing up on this one container. In the last place where I lived, the white residue got caked onto everything.

      2. Seeking Second Childhood*

        With our granite ledge, we have to use a tablespoon of vinegar in every wash.
        Old house & cheap dishwasher, sometimes the powdered soap wouldn’t dissolve. I hadn’t discovered vinegar so I switched to liquid soap.

    4. Not So NewReader*

      Yeah, just wash them again. It’s not worth the worry. While I hate doing things twice if it is not necessary, with something like this I’d rather waste the resources than deal with a sick animal or my own physical disturbances.
      When it comes to health and well-being, washing them again is a cheap insurance policy.

  54. Venus*

    How does your garden grow?

    I gave away the last 20 tomatoes as I had no enthusiasm for them anymore. I have cleaned, cut up, and frozen a lot of them already. I made a lot of pasta sauce the past few weeks. I saved many seeds, and can probably supply all my friends, family, and coworkers with enough for every garden. I am relieved to be done with them now!

    My sunflowers are starting to die off, and that will be the last of my garden for the season, other than preparing them for winter (taking out the dead bits to put them in compost). I really enjoyed my garden this year, yet I admit that I’m now looking forward to having more time on the weekends (it also helps that I’m taking a break from fostering animals for at least a month, so I’m taking the time to clean and do other things that I’ve been postponing for months)

    1. LizB*

      I’m in the process of buying a house that has two raised beds, so I’m excitedly theorizing about gardening next year! I am in hardiness zone 4b (Twin Cities, MN, USA), so if anyone has tips for that zone for a very very beginning gardener, I’d love to hear them!

      1. Venus*

        Veggies? Annuals or perennials? A lot of sunlight or a little? Flowers? A bit of everything?
        Keep in mind that my gardening style is to plant a bunch of stuff so that some of it will grow, so I’m not exactly skilled at gardening! I’m happy to offer suggestions from my experience.
        For veggies you want at least 6 hours of direct sunlight a day. You can figure that out by looking at the beds every couple hours and making notes about when they have sunlight.

      2. Not So NewReader*

        I am in 4a here. I plant like I am in zone 3, less disappointments that way.
        Zone 5 stuff will survive if very sheltered but after a few years I might lose them anyway.

        Now is a great time to check out nurseries and big box stores for sales on tools. I prefer bright colored handles so I can find them in the grass or garden quicker. (Nothing like having a pair of $50 pruners fall out of your pocket in tall grass. Colorful handles are your best hope.) Years ago I broke down and got a cheap bucket for my smaller tools. Best thing I did because I don’t lose the small tools in the garage or in the house.

        You can think about how you will water your garden. If you don’t have a hose, now is a good time to buy one. And you can pick up a sprayer for the hose if you don’t have this stuff. Again with the color, I don’t wanna say how many green hoses I have mowed. Colorful is good.
        If you know, for example , that you will definitely have tomatoes you can consider tomato cages. Not many- 2-4 will be enough for a smaller household.

        You can use old sheets or blankets to cover if there is a frost. You can use odd pieces of yarn to tie plants up, rags also work. You can use sticks from the yard and old yarn/string so you can sow plants in straight rows. I save small glass bottles to keep dried seeds from one year to the next.

        You can look for seed catalogs to order so you can start looking at what is available. My fav company was Pine Tree. I have not done a garden in a while and I definitely don’t need more seeds so I have not ordered from them lately. But I have seen other people mention them here so they must still be going strong. This is a good activity for when winter is most dismal.

        Oh yeah- almost forgot- and lawn sales for tools. Around here you can pick up shovels and rakes etc for $1 or $2 at a lawn sale. They usually are perfectly adequate for use.

      3. Seeking Second Childhood*

        I grew up on Long Island and moved to inland Connecticut — what a difference one zone makes! My one suggestion is if you buy from a mail order nursery, pick one from a zone at least as cold as you. That way the stock itself is acclimated.

    2. Earthwalker*

      Perhaps you’re in my neighborhood? We brought in the tomatoes (and everything else) ahead of first frost at the first of October, a month earlier than what’s usual locally. The tomatoes are spread out and ripening indoors and going into pasta sauces as fast as enough of them turn red to make a proper batch. Everything else is frozen or canned or put in cool storage. Tomorrow after the storm has passed I’ll take down the sunflowers and zinnias that I left behind and begin trimming grapes, fruit trees, berries, and various shrubs (with bleach water to dip the clippers to avoid spreading any disease, something we learned the hard way.) I’ll rake leaves for the first time since we planted the bare dirt in our yard two years ago. I’ll wait a bit for end-of-season fertilizing and dormant sprays though. That will end the season here. Nothing more until the usual winter solstice seed purchase when it’s so nice to begin dreaming of spring.

      1. Venus*

        You have such a diverse garden! I can only dream of grapes, fruit trees, berries and shrubs. I have some raspberries, but that’s it.

        It’s a weird quirk that the beautiful big tree in my yard stays green much longer than others in the neighbourhood (it’s the same type, but I have heard that big, healthy ones can stay green longer), so it tends to lose leaves just as the snow falls. So I have an excuse not to rake leaves. It’s a bit of a pain in the spring as I have more work, but at least I’m enthusiastic!

        When do you plant your seeds? A couple months before you plant outdoors, or do you have anything that grows indoors for longer?

        1. Earthwalker*

          I’m dreaming of raspberries. Mine are six inches high so far but I’m hoping for a burst of growth next spring. My farmer neighbor says that peas and lettuce should be planted here on St Patrick’s day and everything else goes in when the snow is off the butte, along about first of May. Although I buy seed in December, it’s just so I can look at the packets and dream of spring. I seed everything directly in the raised beds outdoors. Any time I start something indoors I forget to water it just one day and poof! Gone.

    3. Seeking Second Childhood*

      Today was all about firewood and dead fall wood. I think I mentioned some of the leadup… We had 4 trees taken out last fall, one that came down on its own in January, and we took out a dead oak a month or so ago. We finally had the lawn clear from that, and dry weather to do the last mow…but a windstorm sent branches from Dead Oak #2 all over the lawn again. My husband had taken yesterday to cut & split wood, and I stacked what he got too tired to pick up.
      At this point, we think we have a full cord, and there’s more to go. My knees don’t like me very much.

      1. Venus*

        Ugh. We can’t control the weather, but some days it would be really nice to know ahead of time that it will cause us problems. Good luck finishing it off, and try to remember that you won’t have to do it again for a long time as you will have so much built up.

    4. Seven hobbits are highly effective, people*

      I need to figure out when to prune back everything – which things are now, which later in winter, and which in spring. I need to do a major pruning on the grape vines, because they snuck up the cherry tree while I wasn’t paying attention and I need to get all of those removed, which will probably involve an orchard ladder and a lot of swearing. I wonder if I can just hire an arborist to deal with that along with the tree pruning that needs doing? Grapes aren’t a tree, but they’re *on* a tree…

      I’d also like to replace the grass in the parking strips in front of my house with something that doesn’t need to be mowed for next year. The neighbor across the street parks there pretty regularly (there’s parking allowed on my side of the street but not theirs) so it needs to be something low to the ground and crushable, which limits the low-maintenance no-mow options. I’m looking for something that I can basically ignore – no fussy watering needs, no fussy grooming needs, just plant it, ignore it, and let the neighbors step on it. (I’m not trying to discourage them from parking there through passive-aggressive planting of, say, tall things that attract bees.)

      1. Venus*

        Vines tend to die off if they are cut off near the ground. In your case I would be cautious by cutting them at the ground and then cutting them again as high as you can reach (compost the chunk that you cut). If you did this over the winter then they would hopefully not grow in spring. But maybe I’m missing something? If you plan to get the trees pruned then they could hopefully drop the dead bits to the ground for you.

        I planted some clover recently. It seems to be quite popular these days, as it is drought-resistant and good in the shade, as well as low maintenance.

      2. Seeking Second Childhood*

        An interesting bit of trivia for you… The word “arbor” comes from the Latin word for “tree”–because the Romans grew their vines up trees kept trimmed low for that purpose. Kept the vines off the ground and protected themail from excessive heat in one step.

    5. PX*

      Hmm. My tomato plants are inside, still ripening for the few fruits, but the plants themselves dont seem to be doing to well (some yellowing leaves). This aligns with what one of you told me a few weeks ago, so I guess just need to see how they continue to do once all the tomatoes are done.

      I also bought a croton plant (not sure the exact variety) a couple of months ago. It doesnt seem to be doing too well now that I’ve had to bring it indoors and its getting a bit colder in the house…I really hope it will survive as its so pretty and colourful when its healthy (beautiful green leaves with yellow and red splatters)!

  55. LGC*

    So…I’ll get the running thread started this week. Last week was a BANANAS weekend in marathon news, and this week’s been a little bit quieter.

    So…I haven’t asked this in a while, but do any of y’all have race plans? For me, I’m doing my second NYC Marathon in…holy cow, two weeks! This cycle has flown by.

    I might drop a shoe rant in the replies. (Mostly because it’s PROBABLY going to be long. It might involve me making a tween jealous by accident.)

    1. A bit of a saga*

      I don’t have any concrete race plans but I have plans to make plans and have drawn up a short list of races I’m interested in for 2020. I’m debating whether I want to attempt a marathon. I’ve run 5 half marathons now so it feels like a natural progression and I’d quite like to see if I can. I’m worried about the time commitment for training though. In any case I’m going to spend the next months strengthening my core and focusing on the 5-10 km range. Advice? Good luck with NY marathon and tell us about those shoes!

      1. LGC*

        Good luck!

        1) Honestly, I don’t think that the time commitment for a marathon in terms of raw hours/week is much more than for a half marathon if you’re running “seriously” (i.e., you’re already running to improve/maintain performance in the half). But it really depends on your current mileage and your current training intensity. I’m not sure of your peak weekly mileage for half marathons – but you’d probably want to add on 10-20 miles weekly to what you peak at for a half. More if you run shorter.

        (The rough guideline for absolute novices I’ve seen is 35 miles in the peak week.)

        Probably the most problematic thing is long runs – generally, I think you want to get a 20 miler in, or at least get out for 3 1/2 hours. That’s a lot of time! But I’m not sure what your longest runs are for half marathons – whether they’re more in the 10 mile range or the 15 mile range.

        1a) Pick your first race wisely…for multiple reasons. You want to choose something that isn’t too crazy (like, I wouldn’t recommend doing something like New York as your first race, since it’s considered a hard course and it’s also like fifty thousand people). But also, if you’re like me, you’ll have Feelings! My first full was the New Jersey Marathon in 2018, and I fell in love with the race so hard I volunteered as a pacer in the half this year.

        2) Working on your strength and speed is really good! That’s probably one of the most underrated things with marathon training – yeah, you need endurance to actually finish the race, but if you want to finish strong…gotta have the leg strength and speed.

    2. The Librarian (not the type from TNT)*

      Good luck in the marathon, LGC! There’s nothing like the NYC Marathon. I’m starting to see the ads on the NYC subways and getting excited… and a bit sad that I’m not doing it myself, even though it totally kicked my butt three times.

      I signed up for a 10K just today, for the Sunday after Thanksgiving, but would rather be doing a half. I’m just now almost ready to run one, and all the good halfs (that I’ve found) either have passed or are over the weekend of November 16, when I’m unavailable. Oh well.

      1. LGC*

        the weekend of November 16, when I’m unavailable

        …yeah, Philly is inconveniently timed.

        Anyway, good luck! I haven’t solidified my Thanksgiving plans yet – my club runs a race, but also the state 8k championships are on Thanksgiving. (For the curious: Ashenfelter, named after a steeplechaser from the 50’s from New Jersey that…just passed away last year, I think.)

        I think New York is so unique because of the geography – I’ve described it as basically a giant party. Or rather, four separate giant parties. (Okay, five – you got the village in SI.)

        And also, glad you’re getting back to your old self! But yeah – the race situation is…awkward here in the fall. Most of the races I know about or have found out about happen in September and October – it feels like the spring season is a bit longer in the tri-state. Obviously, since I’m across the river, most of my knowledge is NJ-based – it seems like a lot of the races cluster together in about 4-5 weeks.

    3. Geezercat*

      Six weeks away from the Space Coast Half Marathon for me/full Marathon for the hubs. Debating doing the EQT 10 miler the first weekend of November….but haven’t committed yet.

      1. LGC*

        Good luck to both of you!

        I can’t say whether you should commit to the 10-miler, but…it’s about 4 weeks out from your goal race, just saying. So you definitely could. But I’m a recovering compulsive racer (there was a point if you told me if you’re doing a race within about 50 miles of my house, I’d probably be on the race website with my credit card out halfway through).

    4. LGC*

      And then…because this is late, shoes! On last weekend’s thread, I think it was Reba that mentioned she liked the pacers’ pink shoes from Eliud Kipchoge’s sub-2 hour marathon.

      So did I. So I bought them. And Instagrammed them. And inadvertently made my friends’ tween son jealous in the process. (To be fair, the kid is 12, I think, but he’s a complete running nerd. And has also dropped a 5k that’s really uncomfortably close to my PR. And he already has a pair in the original green color.)

      For those that aren’t familiar, the pink shoes are the Vaporfly Next% (the successor to the Vaporfly 4%). The 4%/Next% series is pretty notorious in marathoning circles due to their reported benefits, notably the carbon fiber plate embedded in the midsole. (Kipchoge’s shoes, apparently, were a modified version of the Vaporfly Next% (alphaFly, I think) that have three carbon fiber plates, which to me sounds absolutely bonkers and like someone at Nike got extremely high.) The New York Times did an article last year showing that the average benefit was something like 1-2% for elites, and something like 2-3% for people running around 3-hour marathons (roughly automatic qualifying for NYC). For me – a guy in that latter bucket – that’s around 3-5 minutes off my PR. For an elite runner, that’s still something like around 1 1/2-3 minutes.

      Previously, I was kind of agnostic, partly because the 4% was so different from what I normally wear. But after actually getting a pair of Next%s and running in them…I don’t know whether it’s just the new shoe feel, or whether it’s the #tech (or whether it’s because I spent $250 plus sales tax on the things, which is funny because New Jersey doesn’t normally charge sales tax on shoes), but it definitely felt like I was pounding less hard on the ground and like I could go further at the paces I was hitting.

      (On the down side, they actually wear out pretty quickly – I ran 19 miles and I’m already noticing crinkling in the midsole! Which I’ve never seen that early – usually, that won’t happen until 100 miles. I’ve heard that about the ZoomX foam, where it’s ultra responsive but fails insanely quickly.)

  56. Loopy*

    Disclaimer: 100% first world problem ahead.

    Have been planning my trip to London and Paris I mentioned and for some reason I’m really struggling with planning our eating in Paris. We are not the spontaneous sort and like to find places to at least have in our back pocket. The issues:

    A) I’m vegetarian but husband isn’t (I dont mind not having much choice but I do want *something*)

    but even moreso

    B) There are 2938473405984069987 lists of where to eat in Paris and they all blend together. Then inevitably reviews say “I found this place off the X list and was disappointed/unimpressed/etc.)

    I live in a foodie tourist city and know that a lot of places are overhyped for tourists. If anyone has recommendations for bakeries and food and why that place drew you, please share! We only have three days and want quick lunches and then more sit down dinners.

    1. fposte*

      Can you give more detail about your goal? Is this for a Big Dinner, do you desperately love macarons, or are you just looking for places to eat between museums? I would be inclined to check TripAdvisor with filters turned to high on locale, cuisine, and price range. But every single restaurant has people that didn’t like it or were disappointed in it, so I wouldn’t let a comment put me off if it otherwise sounded good.

      1. Loopy*

        I think we are most concerned about restaurants for dinner because I’ve read reservations are usually necessary. We are willing to spend around 50 US dollars a person and maybe more on a nice dinner, but the issue is we aren’t foodies willing to spend over 100 dollars a person.

        We don’t expect to travel much outside the US so this is a rare opportunity to get really good local cuisine and we want to really find good examples of things we cant get at home (Southeast US). We are both adventurous and like trying something we’ve never seen on a menu before.

        I LOVE to bake but am very American in my baking (cookies, cakes, brownies, etc.) so I really want some prime examples of french pastry so motivate me to move in that direction. Even really AMAZING breads but more so great examples of why french pastry is just so famous. That’s a big goal of mine food wise.

        1. Paris-Berlin-Seoul Express*

          There are patisseries and boulangeries at practically every corner. Most of them are amazing by US standards. Just the different types of bread alone. As far as restaurants are concerned, there are lots of cool places in the Marais district along with cute boutiques and cafes. Get off at the Metro Stop St. Paul. While you’re there visit Place des Vosges, one of my favorite places in Paris. Enjoy your trip.

          1. Reba*

            Re: patisseries, I totally agree. You do not to go the the One True Bakery to experience very fabulous baking!

            I think I left this on the last thread too, but I’m an evangelist for Ganachaud bread.

            But seriously, it’s all good. Don’t worry about traveling across town to get to a certain bakery or restaurant. You are definitely going to eat well!

            Re: vegetarian lunches, the north African – middle eastern sandwich joints can be great options. Look for big dome shaped griddles out front. My fave is on Rue Oberkampf, but see above about locations.

            1. Reba*

              Oh, another thought about eating veg (I am one too). Many of the small resto’s on every corner have just a menu du jour. These are delish but very very unlikely to be veg. So I totally understand the impulse to research!

              But I want to reassure you that you can eat veg meals in Paris even if not at all-veg or even notably veg friendly places. Omelettes, quiches, savory crepes, vegetable potages, and the more global cuisines are all there.

              We ate at one Indian place that had “naan fromage” — it was not my thing but a fun example of fusion.

    2. Dr. KMnO4*

      I liked Baba Sandwichs, an Indian restaurant in the Opera district. It’s on Rue de Liege, basically next door to the Best Western. They were friendly and the food was delicious and inexpensive. Even the fresh fruit was not expensive, which seemed to be a rarity in Paris.

      1. Loopy*

        I’ve been on this site since you posted the comment- wow, what a great recommendation, thank you!!!

        1. Traffic_Spiral*

          You’re welcome. He’s got a list of veggie recommendations but also is just a fun guy who writes about what he likes in Paris, so it’s definitely worth digging into.

    4. gogol*

      My advice is to ask locals when you get there. Strike up conversations with locals in places where tourists are less likely to congregate – like grocery stores, handbag repair shops, etc. Also, pay attention to the other customers when you eat somewhere. If a restaurant is full of locals, it’s probably pretty decent.

      1. Dan*

        As for your last sentence, I totally agree. Although, I’ll note that I have better luck spotting the locals in Asia than I do in Europe. In Europe, I usually have to stick my head in the door and figure out what languages are being spoken.

      2. Loopy*

        This is good advice, but we have such a short period there I dont know if we have the time – or the language skills- to do this approach justice. Which is a shame because we will definitely came away with a tourist view of Paris/France but I’m thinking in the future this will tech us to spend longer in one place and not try to do so much!

    5. BRR*

      What I did when traveling abroad was look for places close to what I was doing. I wouldn’t venture across the city for dinner. Just look for places near X. I imagine in paris it might still be a challenge though. I also had two sets of expectations: meals where we needed to eat I wanted the food to be good and meals that I wanted to be amazing I did a lot of research.

      1. Traffic_Spiral*

        This is a good idea. Yelp and google maps will both give you some decent idea of what you can find in a square kilometer around your location.

      2. Loopy*

        I think this is good advice because I’m definitely getting wrapped up in the eating part of Paris because everyone (online) raves about it. I feel like I need to figure where I can go to get this mystical, magical experience that the internet tells me is French food!

    6. heckofabecca*

      Cafe Med on Île-St-Louis is great!!! I know they have pescatarian options, but probably also have at least one vegetarian option on each menu (it’s prix fixe, 4 menus). I went for lunch, got the 2nd tier, and LOVED it. We went back a few days later! We found out about it through Rick Steves (who’s a good source). I think the best thing was their chocolate lava cake with vanilla custard, oh my GOD it was amazing.

      I can’t vouch for anywhere else, but I agree to ask locals if you can. There are also articles about vegetarian-friendly places in Paris, and you could check how to rate.

      1. Loopy*

        Thanks- I’ll look into that place and stick it on the map! I’ve been nervous about set menu because of the vegetarian aspect but I love the model of prix fixe! I also found a vegetarian places to eat in Paris in Vogue and man, were those places out of my price range by at least triple (guess I should have seen that coming due to the source). I’ve found a few others but I am more looking for traditional places that happen to have reliably vegetarian options, rather than dedicated all-vegetarian places which is often what the lists supply! Though I’ve had some luck, especially from suggestions here!

    7. Dan*

      I can’t help you with Paris specifically, but as someone who gets around and goes on the hunt for good places to eat all over the world…

      With regard to lists, I think there’s a few things going on:

      First, I’ve yet to go to a restaurant with more than five reviews that has a perfect five star rating. There’s always someone complaining about something. And TBH, if I go to an ethnic restaurant in my home town, that person complaining about things being over hyped is often me.

      Second, lists can be this weird circular thing where someone starts it and then bits and pieces of it get recycled by other writers. At some point, with enough restaurants on a tourist list, what’s the incentive for yet another blogger to venture out and find something that’s not on a list?

      Third, when things end up on a foreign-tourist “must eat” list, you run the risk that the preparation gets adapted to the taste of foreigners, which is probably what you’re looking to avoid.

      Fourth, can you speak French? If you can, you may have better luck with lists written by French bloggers :D

      On the whole though, you may be better off winging it. I know you say below that it’s not your style, but the thing is, if you don’t want to be disappointed by your selection from a list, you’re better off finding a neighborhood that has a lot of restaurants, and going out at off-peak times for locals. For example, you really wouldn’t need a guide to find a good French bakery. As someone else mentioned, there’s likely one on every street corner, most of which probably don’t have much of a yelp presence. I have some of my best luck that way.

      1. Loopy*

        Thanks- I suspected what you said about those lists! I think the language barrier here is making me shy (I have zero French) and feeling overwhelmed but also the lack of time.

        I studied abroad in Jerusalem without any Hebrew (this was ten+ years ago) but I was with loads of other students and never touched the internet for recommendations- because I had time to ask around and others who spoke hebrew and english to help. The two best places I went were by tagging along with a student who grew up regularly visiting Jerusalem and had tons of extended family in the country. He knew all the local places. I never would have found any of the gems I still remember on a list.

        I’ll try and be a bit more flexible and open to winging it because the must eat type lists will probably be a lot of time wasted!

    8. 00ff00Claire*

      If your goal for lunch is primarily quick and relatively inexpensive, Exki might be a good option. It’s not French cuisine and it is a chain. But the food is fresh and on the healthier side. We liked it when we were in Paris because in our experience, a lot of the quicker places had things like sandwiches or crêpes and we wanted some veggies. We were there for over a week, so didn’t necessarily feel like every meal had to be special, and the food at Exki, while good, isn’t exactly special. They have pretty good grab and go options for breakfast too, like yogurt parfaits, that you could pair with a nice bakery pastry (get the pastry elsewhere for higher quality).

      I would agree with looking close to where you will already be, either near your hotel or the area you are visiting close to lunch or dinner time. Some of the museums have Cafés with various items that can make an easy lunch. We ate at the Rodin museum and I think they had vegetarian options.

      We found the restaurants on lists or from travel books, especially in the area surrounding Île de la Cité, were more likely to cater to tourists. We relied more on just scoping the area in Google maps and then cross referencing with reviews on other sites. We stayed in two different places, Montparnasse and near Rue Oberkampf, and there were a lot of good choices nearby in both neighborhoods. So if you are staying further out from the center of Paris, you could get a more authentic restaurant near your hotel.

      1. Loopy*

        Thanks-I always forget that after eating out so much, my body does need lighter, healthier options. I plan all this eating and forget the toll it takes. EXki will be a godsend when my body is screaming for something like that. We are staying right in Tourist central (you can see the Eiffel tower from outside our hotel)- so I expect that I’ll have to venture a bit away to not get the tourist experience. Tanks for the recommendation and advice!

    9. PX*

      Going to second a lot of comments (and as always, Dan has good advice). I love to travel and also like to try eating as local as possible. On the bakery front, honestly – there are boulangerie’s everywhere, and they are all uniformly excellent. No need to look for something specific, when I did a 10 day hiking trip there, even tiny little villages had amazing pastries and bread, so I would say just wander your neighbourhood and follow the locals.

      Its a bit harder with restaurants because unlike you, I am happy to just spontaneously enter whatever is around where I am. I would perhaps use some lists as a guide, but also rely on try to ask locals if you can. Talk to the front desk at the hotel if you are staying at one, or your host if doing AirBnB for example.

      Personally I always remember having the most amazing Vietnamese food in Paris, but again – it was a random encounter based on wandering the neighbourhood and observing that it was full of Vietnamese people!

      1. 00ff00Claire*

        We also had a very good random experience wandering the neighborhood in the Marais. We were following a self guided walking tour (found in travel book in our lodging) and a lot of people started passing us carrying pitas with falafel. We tracked where they were coming from and wound up with a delicious dinner! The place is about a 10 minute walk from the Pompidou, in case you are visiting that museum. It’s called Mi-Va-Mi Falafel.

    10. Anonydoglover*

      I also wanted to mention if you look up 36 minutes on Instagram, she was featured on humans of New York and is based out of Paris. She always posts recommendations for what to do/ where to eat in Paris that’s not too touristy, and she mentions if you message her she will help you find what you are looking for. That may be a good resource for you as well :)

    12. Tris Prior*

      I am vegetarian; my partner is not. I pretty much figured that traditional French food was out for me because it is super meaty and my French isn’t good enough to do the whole interrogation about whether something’s got chicken stock in it or whatever.

      If you do dairy and eggs, there are crepe stands everywhere and they are delicious. I felt that I could have lived on these alone. Same for boulangeries – they’re literally everywhere.

      The Marais district has a lot of Middle Eastern food and I had some great falafel there. We also had Indian and Thai, though the specific restaurant names escape me as this was like 13 years ago, and those were great.

  57. Gift returns*

    Amazon question I can’t find the answer to on Amazon – if I return something I received as a gift via Amazon, will the gift giver know about it? I received a “gifts return” kind of packing slip so can return it that way.

      1. You can call me Al*

        When I have returned gifts, I get the money as an Amazon credit, it’s not put back on the purchaser’s card.

      2. fhqwhgads*

        But if it’s a gift return I’m pretty sure no cc is credited; it’s “refunded” to a gift cert, I thought.

        1. Kuododi*

          Actually, it varies somewhat depending on the policies of the place you are ordering from. I don’t order much from Amazon however I have worked more than my share of retail jobs in my time. Those places would credit the return to the appropriate debit/credit card. The only thing that was visible on our gift receipts was the name of the product and a three letter code which would give us the price upon scanning receipt in the system. I never found any name or contact info for the gift recipient so no way to contact them about the price of the item in question. If it was paid for in cash, the refund would be put on a store credit card. (Minimizes the desire to steal a bunch of stuff and return them to the store for a “refund” in order to get$$$ for devious shenanigans.). Hope this helps.

          1. fhqwhgads*

            OK, but the question was specifically about Amazon and my answer was about what Amazon does (in my experience).

  58. Female57*

    Hi all, Anyone try period panties like Thinx? I just learned that pads like Always could have nasty chemicals in them so am looking to switch to some pads that are chemical free or try period panties. Do they really not leak? Thanks in advance!

    1. Marzipan*

      I have some of the Modibodi ones. (Not using them at the moment, obvs, what with the whole being knocked up thing.)

      Broadly speaking I’ve found them great! I haven’t had any leaks when using them, although be warned that they can lull you into a false sense of security – I had one instance of thinking ‘oh, cool, seems like my period has finished’, switching back to normal underwear, and then promptly leaking right through it. Because the period underwear is usually black (or the gusset is lined with black), it can be harder to tell when you’re done!

      I generally was comfortable to use them for all except my heaviest flow day – quite possibly they’d have been okay then as well but I didn’t get as far as daring to try that. For the most part, I found them much more comfortable than pads because even the thinnest pads add a certain amount of bulk.

      The only problem I’ve had with them is that I started to feel like after a few months of use, they maybe had a very slight smell – nothing really awful, and I suspect that my rubbish washing machine may be part of the issue there.

      Overall, I’m a fan, and I definitely think that if you like the idea of them and can afford to, it’s worth investing in trying them out.

    2. Alex*

      I haven’t tried period panties, but I do have some cloth pads, and they are way more comfortable than disposables. I got mine on amazon, and they have sort of a nylon backing with wings that snap in place, and then the part that touches you is fleece, so it is very absorbent and soft. I do use them primarily on lighter days, though, so I can’t say if they can hold up to a tidal wave, but I can’t imagine they’d leak any more than disposable pads, which in my experience leak a lot! (I use a cup on heavier days.)

      As far as changing them when you are away from home, the set came with a little nylon bag that can hold one or two, so you can just switch out and wash them when you get home. I rinse in the sink as soon as possible until the water runs clear, and then just wash with my regular laundry.

    3. CAA*

      Wirecutter did a comparison test for period underwear last year. I do not remember which brand they liked best, but you should be able to find the article using their search box.

    4. Thinx Through Things*

      I don’t use mine for the heaviest day (I use Diva Cup), and they are fine. They did leak for overnight and the company issued me a refund, explaining that they were not made for overnight – however, now Thinx has a new product that is supposed to work for that too! It’s on my to-get list :-) I do recommend them overall.

    5. Naomi*

      I started using them a few months ago and I’m a big fan. They’re much more comfortable than pads and don’t need to be changed as often. I don’t think I’ve had them leak at all, though if I leave them on too long there start to be visible damp patches on the exterior.

    6. Melody Pond*

      I’ve tried Thinx – they’re okay, but I wouldn’t recommend them for two reasons: 1) there are some business ethics concerns out there about Thinx (I’m sure you could google it, it had to do with affiliate links and their referral program, I think?), and 2) I actually don’t like them as a standalone pad – I think they’re generally better as backup for a menstrual cup (which, menstrual cups are also great, if you’re up for the learning curve in how to use them and/or trying a few different ones until you find the right one for you).

      I’d suggest reusable cloth pads instead – my favorite cloth pad maker is Luna Lizzie Pads on Etsy, she uses a stay-dry top layer, a PUL-lined waterproof terrycloth backing, and black fabric throughout, so no need to mess with stain removal. She takes frequent breaks and her shop is often closed, but she lists her email address, and you can reach out to her directly. I did this recently, and she made an order for me, so I’m stocked up.

      I would strongly encourage a continued interest in reusable menstrual products, though, whatever you wind up going with. Most reusable solutions out there are going to be much healthier for you, for your wallet, and for the planet – keep exploring! There are TONS of youtube videos out there on reusable menstrual products, lots of people do reviews of different types of products, definitely check some of them out.

  59. High BP diet tips*

    At the recommendation of my doctor, I’m going to start on the DASH Diet before I meet with him again mid-November. I have had really high blood pressure (think 144/100-ish) over the last couple months, and am also doing medications that he prescribes, but he really wants me to do this diet.

    Does anyone have any references re: cook books or practical meal plans for this particular diet? Thanks!

    1. Kuododi*

      Stuff like that, I usually do a quick Google search. I’d put in keywords such as DASH diet, managing high BP. Best wishes.

    2. CatCat*

      I recently read a book called “The DASH Diet Mediterranean Solution” and found it interesting. It included meal plans and recipes in it.

    3. Lena Clare*

      Google the UK Stroke Association website. At the bottom of the SA website click ‘publications’, and then search for blood pressure, and healthy eating.
      There are loads of resources under those two headings there that you can print off if you want.

    4. MatKnifeNinja*

      If you have Kindle…

      The DASH diet for Hypertension

      Thomas Moore MD

      I DASH.

      The absolutely hardest thing is eating out. There is so much salt in restaurant food. That isn’t just fast food. Almost all food that is prepared.

      You’ll learn to say “no salt or seasoning” because “seasoning” usually has salt in it.

      I have high blood pressure and am extremely salt sensitive.

      Biggest deal was dumping bake goods and dairy (milk products).

      Good luck. DASH can be a real life style overhaul.

    5. BunnyWatsonToo*

      Librarian here: There’s a book scheduled to publish in November – Dash for Weight Loss: an Easy to Follow Plan for Losing Weight, Increasing Energy, and Lowering Blood Pressure. I saw a review that says it has 100+ recipes and a 4-week schedule of meals and exercise.

    6. Jackie*

      It’s nice you have a doctor that actually said to try changing your foods to manage high blood pressure, most just put you on the meds. I recommend The Complete DASH Diet for Beginners: The Essential Guide to Lose Weight and Live Healthy by Jennifer Koslo. It covers grocery shopping and self care (be kind to yourself). There are some easy recipes too. Good luck to you on feeling better and getting your b/p under control.

  60. Irritatedanon*

    Advice please!

    Am I being passive agressive in that I expect the other adults in the house to do household chores without me asking them to do it? I mean, its obvious that the dishes need to be washed, or the floors swept, or dusting – right?
    I even made up lists! Not individual/people lists – I did daily, weekly & monthly lists! I even laminated them and hung them on the kitchen/garage door (I did this in response to “I don’t know what to do”).
    So why the hell doesn’t anything get done unless I specifically ASK?
    Yesterday when I said that it shouldn’t be up to me to ask, when we are all adults, I was told by the youngest (who is 30!) that their therapist said that I was being passive aggressive – because I expect NOT TO HAVE TO ASK!
    I’m feeling salty, y’all, and would appreciate a reality check.

    2. Sometimes Always Never*

      It’s time for a family/roommate/resident meeting! Explain that you tried to address the “I don’t know what to do” with the charts, but the problem remains. Ask them for their input; maybe there are things you don’t know. (Doubtful, but it’s a respectful place to start.) At some point, when a chore is everyone’s, it becomes no one’s. Time to start assigning, based on individual abilities and agreeableness to different chores. Or there can be a weekly or monthly rotation so you each take a turn cleaning the bathroom, etc. Or for any adult children, start charging rent to go towards a cleaning service for some of it. Good luck!

    3. Anon5775*

      I don’t think you’re being passive aggressive but it sounds like you might have differing levels of cleanliness that you prefer and/or a discussion about expectations needs to happen. Or yeah, you need new roommates that are considerate because these people sound like they just don’t care or notice that someone else is doing all the work.

    4. Ann O.*

      If people didn’t ask you to make lists, that would feel passive aggressive to many people.

      What household conversations have been held about cleaning and tasks? What is the current agreed upon default for deciding who does what task?

      I’m assuming these are roommates and not family members. Do you have more ownership of the house in any way? Or are you all equal residents? In either case, it sounds like you all are overdue for a house meeting to discuss house maintenance. If you are equal residents, you want to make sure you go into the meeting open to alternative ideas (like you may be thinking chore charts but your roommates would prefer to contribute cash to a cleaning service). The goal should be to have a solution that everyone buys into, whatever that solution is. And make sure there is buy in on consequences for not meeting responsibilities.

    5. Traffic_Spiral*

      I’m not sure if it’s passive aggressive, but it’s definitely ineffectual. Sit them down and figure out rules. When are dishes done/how long can they be in the sink? What chores need to be done, when, and by whom? The current situation isn’t working for you, so you need to alter your methods.

    6. Aurora Leigh*

      I’m thinking you all might have different standards for how clean the place needs to be. You are thinking it should be obvious, and they are thinking you are nagging.

      There’s nothing wrong with that, but if this your family, and you don’t own the place, I think you’ll either need toblet it go for communal spaces, or look into moving when your lease is up.

      My partner and I are both messy people, who clean up on weekends, because we’re busy most of the week.

      My mother would often complain about having to tell my father or us kids to clean things. Part of the problem there was that nothing could ever been done to her standard, so we mostly gave up trying. Make sure your not criticizing your roommates when they do clean communal spaces.

      Do have a meeting, and find standards that you can all agree on standards for shared spaces. Don’t have a meeting just so you lay down the law and make them follow your checklists.

    7. alex b.*

      I don’t think you’re being passive aggressive, but I don’t think you’re helping yourself.

      I don’t know your living scenario, but if it’s all adults equally contributing financially to the residence, then you gotta meet and agree on a system to rotate tasks and responsibilities on a weekly basis. That’s what you should be laminating and posting– some sort of chore chart or wheel with dates and everyone’s names.

      I’ve lived in many multi-roommate situations (nyc apartment-dweller here). A chore rotation usually makes it better for everyone if it works and, if it doesn’t work, the living space becomes a gross nightmare and battleground really quickly, and it’s clear who’s to blame and gets the boot (or you realize you live with slobs and move asap…).

      In multi-occupant living situations, everyone does have to agree on who does what, when. You can’t just expect it to be done without specification. But “you have to ask” is also nonsense (so I feel ya!). You all need to meet and lay out the chores and assign them with specific details and dates.

      PS lol at roommate: “My therapist said you’re being passive aggressive!” That is so ridiculous. I think my eyes rolled into my skull.

    8. Red Reader the Adulting Fairy*

      Solidarity. At one point I put up a board with what needed to be done, and we had all together assigned each thing a certain number of points. Every time someone did something they got points. All we learned from three months of that was concrete evidence in writing that I did three times as much housework as the three other adults in my house combined. :-P

      The eventual solution was twofold – one, we increased everyone’s rent contributions to include an equal share of a house cleaner twice a month to cover things like bathrooms and deep cleaning, and two, we broke down the remaining chores (basically just trash, doing the dishes, and a few incidentals – I already did all the cooking and household shopping and was fine with that) and specifically assigned each one to a specific person. Housemate does the trash, husband does the dishes, I either do or assign the incidentals and one-offs as well as the cooking and shopping. Everyone takes care of their own pets, personal belongings and private spaces (bedrooms and offices).

    9. Marzipan*

      This could be that you have differing standards of cleanliness, but it also sounds a bit like you’re currently the person taking on the ‘mental load’ of recognising, anticipating and addressing what needs doing in the first place. (This commonly gets discussed in the context of marriages – there’s an online comic about it which I’ll post a link to below, but if it doesn’t show up just Google ‘mental load you should have asked’ and I’m sure you’ll find it.)

      If that’s part of what’s in play then I guess recognising it (and, more importantly, getting other people to recognise it) may be a big part of the way forward…

    10. currentlyanon*

      Uh… you DO need to ask if you want someone to do something they wouldn’t do for themselves. I place no value on dusting my personal space and the idea of sweeping regularly is laughable to me, so I would never consider either one important without a medical need. And I wouldn’t be the Designated Sweeper unless I was the only person physically capable of it, I’d demand a rotation.

      So you need to get everyone together and have a *calm* discussion about who’s going to do what when, and how important each thing really is. (Dishes have to be done every day, sure, but… that’s the only thing I can think of that could possibly need to be daily.) Rotating schedule is probably best, but let people negotiate with each other if someone is willing to swap out a personal hated chore.

      That being said, if *other* people are complaining about things not being cleaned but not doing anything themselves, then yeah, that’s obnoxious.

      I may have the unpopular opinion here, but… YES. You need to ASK!

    12. You can call me Al*

      If people don’t have a specific assignment, they all assume someone else will do it. And that sucks if you’re the “fallback”
      Frankly, it is a little passive aggressive to post a chore list instead of talking about the issue.
      You are right, you should not have to ask. You are not their mother. Or their father. Or anyone that owes the group the mental load of making stuff happen.
      But again, when no one has clear responsibilities, stuff doesn’t happen.
      That said, the list CAN be a helpful thing.
      Have a roommate meeting, and have everyone initial next to jobs they commit to doing this week. Then just stick to your jobs and let the chips fall where they may.
      Your roommates MIGHT step up once it’s clearer what they are responsible for. If so, awesome, problem solved, carry on.
      Your roommates might not, and then you know this is a bad roommate match and you should move on.

    13. Not So NewReader*

      I laughed out loud at the P/A comment. The therapist was responding to the way the situation was presented:
      “So, Doc, Mary gets all bent out of shape if I don’t intuitively do the dishes on her time table.”

      Meanwhile, what you have actually said was, “Let’s get the dishes done each night and all cleaned up so we don’t get mice in the kitchen over night.”

      And this story got spun into something that is not happening at all, such as “I dunno what Mary expects of me, she says I should Just Know To Do It.” Let’s see. How many years do we have to wash dirty dishes before reality hits and one realizes that dirty dishes need to be washed. hmmm. tricky.

      I can just see this playing out this way. So the real P/A here is this person telling you that their doc said you were out of line when this person knows darn well they did not tell the doc the actual story.
      When we are unjustly accused of something we know we did not do, it is safe to assume that the person speaking is doing the very thing they accuse us of.
      I think the doc would be upset to know s/he is being used this way. I think I would ask, “Did you tell the doc that the list has been posted on the fridge for x period of time? It does not sound like you included that part in your story.”

      Why do I think this is an adult child of yours? I guess it does not matter too much in the end. Inform them they can go live somewhere else if they don’t like cleaning up and picking up around the house. You could consider telling them they owe $x per week for maintenance and housekeeping. Put the money in your pocket. I have very little patience for head-gamers.

    14. LilySparrow*

      It is reasonable to expect everyone over the age of 2 to do chores as they are able, and if the household is all adults then it is reasonable to expect the workload to be fairly evenly split.

      It is **NOT** reasonable to have that split happen magically without having a conversation about it.

      It is also **NOT** reasonable to expect adults to have the exact same priorities and standards about housekeeping as you do.

      These expectations are not only unreasonable, but profoundly disrespectful. The adults you live with are your housemates or relatives. They are not your employees that you have the right to assign tasks to.

      If you want it done your way, on your schedule, then you have to do it all yourself.

      If you want everyone to share responsibility, then you have to sit down and talk with everyone, agree on mutual standards & division of labor, and accept their opinions about what needs doing when as equally valid to your own. Which means negotiation and compromise.

      Like adults.

  61. Kuododi*

    Well, the anemia is improving…not fantastic but definitely improving. I’m scheduled on the 29th for an upper and lower GI to see if there’s any evidence of internal bleeding.

    As far as the radiation treatments go, I have an appointment on Tuesday this week for the planning stage of treatment. They’re going to run a CT scan and other measurements to be certain they radiation is being aimed at the correct location. At this point I am still looking at 22-25 sessions. (Subject to change depending on the results of Tuesdays CT and other measurements.) All in all I’m doing well. Working out with LiveStrong is very helpful. I’m already noticing significant improvement in strength, cardio, respiration etc. The Letrizole and no estrogen supplements still has my brain scrambled and moods are up and down. (Pray for DH !!!) Thanks so much for your good wishes and prayers. Blessings to you all.

    1. Reba*

      Glad to read this update. I’m amazed that you’re working out — and enjoying it!!!! — during all this. Good for you.

      1. Kuododi*

        The trainer I have during the program is a big help in keeping us motivated. She’s very outgoing and high energy without being a drill Sargent. She’s also kind and very committed to her job as trainer for cancer recovery. I’m very thankful the Universe put us in each other’s path. I thank all of the AAM folks for the kind words and encouragement. I’m a truly fortunate person to have such a group of people in my corner cheering me on. Blessings!!!

  62. Chylleh*

    My partner is experiencing his first episode of gout. Neither of us knew anything about the disease before this. It has been about five days since he’s gotten it and after the first strong flare up his pain went from an eight to about a five, and has stayed there for the last three days.

    We’re giving him Epsom salt soaks and cherry juice (he refuses to eat cherries and thankfully the juice has pretty low sugar). We’re staying away from meats and high purine items the best we can. He is taking a medication that was prescribed for acute attacks but it’s causing him digestive distress.

    Does anyone have any other tips that we could try to make him comfortable until this subsides? What has worked for you or people you know that has gout? Thanks to anyone who can share some advice! I’m nervous because I’m about to go away for a three day conference and want to do as much to help him knock this out as I can before I leave.

    1. Gout Is For The Birds*

      I have had chronic gout for years in my big toe caused by excessive red meat (have cut back to once a month and had no attacks for a year). I totally sympathize and am sorry he is going through this.

      The only reliefe I would get while the meds do their thing was soaking my foot in cold water all day/night. While it was submerged I didn’t feel any pain. The minute I took it out I could feel it again. I would end up sleeping sitting up in my recliner so I could keep my foot in the water. Not the most comfortable way to spend my time but it was the only way I could make it through the pain.

      Good luck and positive thoughts he feels better soon.

      1. Chylleh*

        Thank you so much for your suggestions. I’m sorry to hear you’ve gone through this so much. He’s been using warm water for his foot soak and then icing it afterwards. I’ll suggest cold water instead to see if that helps.

    2. WS*

      If the medication he’s taking is colchicine, that’s notorious for causing gastric distress. There are other options, so he should talk to the doctor about it. If he can take anti-inflammatory medication safely, that’s also a good option. The black cherry juice has some scientific backing as a preventative, but not so much to reduce a flare-up while it’s happening. Recently, fructose has also been implicated in gout, so if he can eat a low fructose diet as well, that can help.

      1. Chylleh*

        Yes, that’s the medicine he is taking. I’ll suggest to him taking another one. Thank you!

        Good to know about the cherry juice and low fructose diet. He’s starting to like the juice, so hopefully even if this doesn’t help with the attack he’ll continue drinking it to help prevent another flare up in the future.

        1. Deanna Troi*

          Yes, as long as my dad drinks a glass of cherry juice every day, he doesn’t get flare-ups. If he stops, he has an issue within a few days. So for him, it’s a great preventative. He drinks it with his coffee when he first gets up so he doesn’t forget. Good luck to your husband!

          2. Llellayena*

            Cherry juice and lemon juice (lemonade works if you’re out but it’s got a lot of sugar). The cherry juice can be found in a concentrate which can reduce how often you need to buy it. Don’t know the brand or where dad finds it though…

        2. Chylleh*

          Thank you for the suggestions Deanna Troi (I’m sure you hear this a lot but I read your comments in Troi’s voice) and Llellayena! Guess we’ll be driving the demand for cherry juice and concentrate up around these parts.

  63. Elspeth Mcgillicuddy*

    Modest camis?

    I prefer my neckline pretty high, so supplemental coverage is often necessary. But most camis don’t come up as high as I would like. There is a perfect height for me maybe two or three inches below my clavicles where I don’t have to worry about showing anything even if I bend over. I am also really cheap, so expensive stuff is a no go.

    Does anyone know a brand that makes such a thing?

    1. Alex*

      I’ve worn tank tops backwards for this purpose–just have to find taggless ones. Primark and Old Navy have worked for me in the past.

      Now I just only buy high necked shirts in the first place. I HATE having my chest exposed.

    2. NewReadingGlasses*

      Halogen makes a cami that has wider straps and is “reversible” so you can put a lower cut in the front or back. It might not fit your cheap requirement unless you find a sale. I usually wear sports tanks when I need a cami, because I have limited fashion skills and I already own these tanks. They are high-ish, and I bought them cheap.

      1. NewReadingGlasses*

        I left out that the tanks aren’t any specific brand. They are just tank tops, not labeled as camis. One is underarmour, a couple are Hanes, one is Nike.

    3. Seven hobbits are highly effective, people*

      I look for cotton crew-neck shirts. Necklines vary, but I’ve been having decent luck with Kohl’s lately with their Croft & Barrow brand. (I used to mostly buy the St. John’s Bay brand at JC Penney, but they’ve really gone downhill ever since their big attempt at changing stuff around 5-10 years ago and I’ve had less and less luck there. I only buy patterned shirts that are 100% cotton, though, so that’s a pretty specific set of requirements.)

    4. Glomarization, Esq.*

      Is L.L. Bean in your budget? They have a sleeveless cotton tee that runs about $25 and will last for several years.

    7. The Gollux, Not a Mere Device*

      My partner has found some useful ones at Hanes, specifically the online One Hanes Place shop.

  64. OyHiOh*

    Had a major dust up with “Dov” this week. Regular readers may recall I’ve mentioned a few issues with him and this week, that exploded. LGC, I think you were the one who said you thought Dov had a thing for me and boy were you right.

    “I love you” confession. One of those impossibly difficult conversations, to sit there, to be kind and honest with him, but also clear and direct. Because I don’t feel the same way about him, not even close. Then there was the weird, almost stalker-ish level of involvement in months old FB posts. Nothing inherently “wrong” but just weird in the context of the week. Had to send him a strongly worded “knock it off” email. Seemed back to normal at services this morning so we’ll see how that goes.

    In other congregation news, the worst possible update on our resident oddball guy my kids described as scary last spring: The localized, treatable cancer he was diagnosed with in early spring has mestatized absolutely everywhere. He’s in tremendous pain because Medicaid is refusing to fill the opiod prescriptions written by both his primary care doc and oncologist (our state is one of the hardest hit by the opiod crisis, west of the Mississippi, and our expanded Medicaid, which is generally amazing, also makes it really hard to access pain meds). Life expectancy being measured in weeks at this point. So that’s hard to deal with. My kids made their peace with him a month or six weeks ago and I don’t quite have the heart to give them this update but I’ll need to soon.

    Had a bit of a tailspin this week over relationship patterns, no thanks at all to Dov, but one of those things where, as soon as I understood where the emotional fallout was coming from, it all lifted and went away. Don’t ambush unsuspecting friends with Feelings Bombs! Just . . . don’t. It’s far more painful to the recipient than all of the romance stories make it to be.

    Had an absolutely beautiful Saturday out with Neptune last weekend, only for him and I to immediately fall victim to the City Crud – somewhere between a bad cold and the flu and absolutely miserable. I’ve been disinfecting my home twice a day, every day (after kiddos leave for school and again after they go to bed) in hopes that they don’t get sick and we can keep the cycle of endless wintertime ick from even getting started.

    1. Not So NewReader*

      I am hoping that the Dov and the stalkerman stories are winding down for you. Sometimes there is a precipitating event and situations change (lessen) after that. I hope that is what I am seeing here.

      FWIW, Dov was way, way, way out of line. Perhaps he knew he had no chance so he decided to just go for that one in a million long shot to find out for sure? But you are a strong person, you will manage this also. You’ve got your NO on and you know how to use it.

      I hope you and Neptune feel better soon.

    2. Not A Manager*

      Didn’t you say that Dov is married? Or am I remembering wrong? Not that one couldn’t ethically make such a confession within the context of a marriage, but it’s somewhat unusual.

      1. OyHiOh*

        Sort of? He and his partner have been together for close to two decades. They’re not “married” but they did file a certificate of common law marriage with his military branch. So, yes?

        He’s defending every ounce of unethical behavior under the heading of “but she [partner] isn’t Jewish!” as if that somehow excuses him.

        Yup. I have my NO and am comfortable using it.

        1. Not A Manager*

          In that case, I really like the Miss Manners’ reply. Clutch your pearls, pull yourself up to your full height, lean back slightly, and say, “I’m shocked that you would bring this up with me. You must never speak of this again. I assure you that I will never do so.” Then make a face like you’re sucking on a very small lemon, and slowly turn away.

          Seriously, this guy sounds gross. I wouldn’t bother with the kind and honest, clear and direct stuff. Make him feel like the heel that he is.

          1. tangerineRose*

            Nice! Pearl clutching like a great way to deal with it in this case. And he’s extra gross because he’s in a long term relationship.

        2. OyHiOh*

          I like that response. Thank you for suggesting it. I tend to default to Captain Awkward ( a little more relevant to my generation) but there’s something to be said for Miss Manners old school taking affront to an outrageous situation.

          1. Elspeth Mcgillicuddy*

            It’s almost a pity you’re dating Neptune. You could have gotten really good mileage out of the grass not yet grown long on your husband’s grave, etc.

            But him being mostly married is plenty of grounds for outrage. It’s not like he’s offering respectful but unrequited feelings. He’s offering you the chance to be a homebreaker or affair partner. Yuck. Totally rude to you and ugly betrayal to his partner. I second Not A Manager’s advice. Kind and honest would have been appropriate for Oddball. This guy deserves icy and only as barely civil as will keep the peace.

  65. Amber Rose*

    Despite my determination, I still keep falling to magic button thinking and getting all disappointed when magic doesn’t exist. I’ve lost 60 pounds since that disastrous day when my doctor refused to renew my BC prescription and basically told me I was going to die. I did it because I want to be healthier and stop having battles with doctors.

    I’ve failed on both counts. -_-

    I’ve never felt crappier. A couple weeks of low FODMAP did solve my stomach problems (fruit, it turns out, is not my friend but everything else is fine), but my fatigue and general malaise have definitely become worse.

    And boy, the battles with doctors get worse when you lose weight but not their way. Sorry, but I’m not following “don’t eat anything white” as a diet plan, that’s asinine. And I’m not following a tough 7 day exercise plan either. If what I’m doing is working, why do they have to sulk like little kids because I found my own answer.

    I’m exhausted, I’m sick, and I can’t self soothe with cake anymore. Never mind a magic button, I think I found the one that curses people.

    I just want to feel good. I miss being fat and happy.

    2. Not So NewReader*

      Wow, you have accomplished so much here.
      Do you talk with a nutritionist at all?
      People who have not lost a bunch of weight have no clue. This includes the docs. I did feel lousy after losing weight. I had to throw in a protein drink and some vitamins to “get myself back to being me”. My thought was that weight was one of my problems but not the sum total of all my problems. There were other things going on with me that needed to be addressed.

      1. Amber Rose*

        I keep trying to get a referral but can’t seem to get one. Without a referral I’d likely be paying out of pocket, which I just can’t do.

        I guess the wait list is pretty bad.

        1. Chip Hackman*

          I’m late on this one, but in the event you see this: see a registered dietician, they have more training than nutrionists typically.

    3. Lime green Pacer*

      I loved Yonni Freedhoff’s _The Diet Fix_. He’s an obesity specialist who talks about how to make the popular diets more sustainable. He also says that it is a mistake to cut out the foods you love. Instead, he says you should focus on the “minimum effective dose”.

      My husband adores chocolate. When he craves chocolate, I give him 50g and that satisfies the craving. I can’t remember the last time he needed a chocolate fix — a couple of months ago? But if he thought he could never eat chocolate again, he would be very, very unhappy and probably would binge on it.

      Freedhoff also talks about keeping a food log to see what triggers your eating, so you have a better chance of dealing with those situations, and eating a certain minimum amount of protein to keep hunger at bay.

      He also discovered that espresso (with skim milk and artificial sweetener) seems to scratch the same itch.

      He lost 75 lbs 3 yrs ago, and I lost 60. We’ve both gained about 10 lbs back.

    4. NoLongerYoung*

      Hug Amber Rose. You do what works for you! NSNR is always talking about the need for hydration and vitamins. I found that my body needs extra nutrients and protein. “I” live in my body, my doctors do not. I do not say never, I try for my 3 bites rule (after the third bite, I judge if I am getting diminishing returns… is it really that good? Or am I just eating it to be eating, to be polite, because I was taught to clean my plate.

      Hang in there. You are taking positive steps and your awareness and efforts are paying off. All learning is a step forward and a partial step back. You know we are here to support you.

    5. Christy*

      Have you considered meeting with a Health at Every Size registered dietitian? They can be very helpful and effective at helping you figure out how food makes you feel, and how your body reacts to food, without being focused on weight.

      It’s hard trying to figure out how to feed yourself in a way that satisfies and leaves you feeling good! And there’s so much in our society that can leave us feeling like we have to lose weight to be taken seriously, by a doctor or employer or dating partner.

      Here’s what I’m projecting is happening with your doctors, based on what you’ve written. I could be totally off base. My bet is that your doctors have seen many patients who lose a lot of weight in unhealthy ways and then gain it all back and then some. (This happens a lot because 90% of diets aren’t sustainable. And everyone thinks they’ll be in that 10% but clearly that’s not who it works.) And so I’m betting they see you doing the same thing, and they want to help you adjust so that what you’re eating is more sustainable in the future. Just because it’s working now doesn’t mean it will work in the future. And if the way you’re eating is leaving you feeling crappy and fatigued, then it doesn’t seem like the diet is working for your body overall.

      I’m writing this as someone who has lost and gained the same 40 pounds three different times. Every time I would go a little too hard at my diet, lose the weight, then let the diet slip away, then gain the weight back slowly. I was back on an upswing until last spring, but I wasn’t really focused on it. My doctor told me that for my fertility and PCOS, I had to cut out almost all starches, sugar, and all soy. I was also having digestive issues so I was game to try something new. Well, my digestive issues are gone and I’ve lost 25 lbs without thinking about it. I feel better than I ever have, food-wise. And I try to stay really cognizant that I’m not eating like this to lose weight. I’m eating like this because it makes my body feel better and it gets my hormone levels where they need to be. I eat whatever I want within those three restrictions and my body is responding well. To be clear it’s a huge pain in the ass but it’s been worth it.

      This is hard stuff! I’m sorry it’s been so rough recently.

      1. Amber Rose*

        I’m not really on a diet though. I’m just calorie counting. Still eating more or less the same things as I used to (more veg, no Doritos, the only food I can’t regulate.) Just less overall, and still well above the minimum.

        And I’ve always been fatigued and sickly. I just thought it would get better dropping some weight, and it seems to be somewhat worse.

    6. !*

      Can you follow up with your GP to get some blood tests to see what is going on? Perhaps you have low iron, potassium, or other issue causing the fatigue and general malaise?

  66. Ryan Howard’s White Suit*

    I’m hoping those of you who are based in the U.K. can help me, please! We’re visiting next month and I’m (cis female) trying to find shoes to wear that are good for all weather scenarios. I have worn Merrills for heavy walking in the past, but as I get older I think I need more support in the ankles. I’ve been thinking ankle boots (waterproof), but want to make sure those sound like they’d work for the weather and that I won’t stick out like a sore thumb. Any recommendations appreciated!

    1. Lena Clare*

      Karrimor have great ankle support, are affordable and comfortable, and a great walking boot imo.

    2. NewReadingGlasses*

      Merrell makes ankle boots! I am wearing them right now. They are very “hiking shoe” looking, but in a reasonable non-obnoxious dark brown.

      1. AcademiaNut*

        I second the hiking shoe idea. Comfortable for a lot of walking, good arch support and grip, and ankle support. Also, the option of GoreTex, which is great for wet climates. You probably want something in the “light hiker” category – heavier boots are designed more for intensive mountain hiking and things like that.

    3. PX*

      Ooo. Just picking up on sticking out like a sore thumb…yeah. Depends where you will be (up North/closer to outdoorsy parts vs eg London) but wearing hiking boots in the city will usually have you standing out as a tourist a little bit…but if you’re in London, that will be you and everybody else so dont think it will matter too much!

      For what its worth, the Merrell website had some waterproof Chelsea boots that would definitely blend in in the city. I have some Timbaland boots that are also a very similar style, waterproof but still smart enough that I can wear them to work or on an evening out – but not sure that will have the level of support you need.

      Generally I would say do what works for you though, if you’re only visiting I’m always like – who cares! Never going to see these people again :D

      1. Ryan Howard’s White Suit*

        We’ll be in London and not venturing out to any of the other cool places in England (that’ll be for another trip!). I have Merrell hiking shoes that I love, but they definitely aren’t stylish or look good with jeans! I’ll check out the Merrell site and cross my fingers I can actually try them on. Thanks all!

  67. ShortT*

    Last night, I ran into a former friend. (I ended the friendship because I got tired of hearing her complain more often than not, externalizing responsibility for whatever happens, not regulating her emotions appropriately, and feeling physically and emotionally drained after every interaction with her. Never mind that her home became so disorganized and cluttered that I injured myself.)

    I realize that there’s no malice on her end. That makes things easier to handle and keeps me from being angry with her.

    I refuse to accept any responsibility for her poor time management, procrastination, not organizing her environment, and flying off the handle. I’m also not giving into her whining when I’m not immediately available to do what she wants. (She melts down and doesn’t listen enough to hear that I can come help later in the evening or another day.)

    I felt comfortable enough accepting her apology for her behavior and did. I asked her if she’d been evaluated for a neurological condition that one of her children and a sibling’s child has. (There’s a strong genetic component.) She looked surprised and said no. I could see the wheels turning. She seemed to take it well. As soon as she paused, I joined the rest of the guests, minimized contact with her for the rest of the evening and left before she could catch me again.

    I hope that she seeks and receives the help she needs. I pray for her and her children, whom I adore. (One child has a neurological condition. The other child has a serious health condition. Add her differences and she’s naturally under a lot of stress.) I can be at the same event as she; I just can’t be her friend anymore. I can’t be her emotional punching bag.

    1. Not So NewReader*

      You have done very well with all this. It’s a lot to process and a lot to accept. And if she does look at her setting with fresh eyes because of your comment here then you both won something.

    2. J.B.*

      Good for you. You are protecting yourself, and maybe that point will stick in her brain and help her and her children.

  68. Me--Blargh!*

    Mum called the day after I posted about my auntie last week and said she was doing much better.

    Re moving: I’m just overwhelmed. I need to pack everything but I’m still using it and it’s two-and-a-half weeks until closing and I have no idea when I’m moving and I just want to scream. I’ve been so stressed out that I broke a rule on social media and now I’m in Twitter Jail for a week. Oh well. At least I’ll get to take a break from it and reset.

    1. Not So NewReader*

      Thinking of you and sending all good vibes your way for a sudden turn around here for you.

    2. My Brain Is Exploding*

      Moving is stressful! We’ve moved a fair bit and I’ve helped other people prepare to move and packing always takes much longer than you think it will (and usually takes at least one extra trip to get boxes or tape or packing materials). Get things packed; leave out a couple of plates, a couple of bowls, a couple of forks, etc. Pack the rest. Label the boxes well! Hang in there!! And scream if it will help!

    3. NoLongerYoungButLotsWiser*

      I always had a “last out first in” box – tp, pan, plate, utensils, etc. container of tide/soap. Small dish soap. Hand soap. All the stuff you don’t want to take time to find that first day. It always irked me to “know” I had a spatula, just couldn’t find it! Literally like using a camping checklist.
      I have a couple giant costco bags. My favorite bed pillow, blanket. towel, sheet/sleeping bag (in a pinch). You just stuff things in there, and pull them out when you get to the other side.
      And a couple suitcases…the clothes I knew I’d need the first week.

      Sending you a hug. This is the hardest part but you have come so far!

      1. Me--Blargh!*

        I’m not moving to a new place; I wish I were. I have to pack for two places: everything that goes into storage, and then what I have to have to survive at my mum’s. So I won’t have MY dishes, I won’t have MY stuff; it will be hers. It SUCKS.

        1. NeverNicky*

          Could you take your favourite coffee mug and kitchen knife at least? The little familiar stuff?

          When partner and I were long distance and spending alternate weekends in each other’s homes, just having a mug and other personal bits and pieces around helped.

        2. Belle di Vedremo*

          Hey, congratulations on selling your house! I’m happy to hear that you are moving, even if it’s to a temporary location it gets you out of there and into a better market for yourself. It’s not much fun to live with most of your stuff in storage, been there done that, but here’s hoping that this is a great move for you with things opening up there that haven’t where you are. Pulling for you.

    4. Me--Blargh!*

      What’s really freaking me out is that no one is getting back to me like they say they will. I feel like they’re just going to cut me loose and let me drown.

      I had to convince Mum to let me move in and if you have to argue for support, it’s not support. If I had any other alternative, I would take it, but there is NOTHING. NO ONE IS RESPONDING TO ME. I cannot seem to stress how frightening that is. I cannot make ANY arrangements until they do, we don’t have a moving date, and everyone is just blowing me off.

  69. gogol*

    Driving success stories? I have a pretty big phobia of driving and I’d like to overcome it. I am strongly considering talk therapy to help me get to the root of the fear. Has anyone else overcome a deep fear of driving?

    I live in a city with decent public transit and I’m not aiming to be like a cross-country trucker or anything, but it would be damn nice to be able to drive my mom to that great Ethiopian place when she comes to town. Or to apply for jobs that require a driver’s license even if they’re not driving heavy. Looking for encouragement. Thanks.

    1. You can call me Al*

      Following because I have a family member in a similar situation following a rollover crash. And I’m the one who “gets” to driven them when public transportation won’t work.

    2. The Librarian (not the type from TNT)*

      I was terrified to drive because I’m totally uncoordinated and easily distracted, and so much goes on when you drive in an urban area. Much to my surprise, driving felt totally natural to me when I first tried it, and I have a perfect driving record in 22 years of driving, knock wood.

    3. NewReadingGlasses*

      Lots of people are afraid of driving! There might be a driving school near you that has a class for exactly that, both in the car and classroom non-driving introductory instruction. I’d look there to start.

      1. Not So NewReader*

        Yes, this. It can be done. A family member learned to drive in her late sixties. She had to learn. Her husband lost both his legs and he was not able to drive even if they did put in adaptive equipment. She fought back the tears and learned. She went to her driving test still fighting back the tears. She passed! The test monitor later told her he knew her situation and did not say anything during the test because he wanted her to pass on her own merit. And she did, she passed on her own merit. She drove into her 80s and then stopped for age reasons.

        Cry when you need to, get it out in the open. And then keep working at it.

        1. gogol*

          Thank you for the inspiring story. That really is amazing. I’m Internet-proud of your family member!

    4. Alex*

      I have TWO friends who are well into their 30s who just overcame their driving fears and learned to drive.

      They did it by taking driving lessons with a private teacher.

      Driving IS scary when you first start. It takes practice to get comfortable. Take it slow. You can do it!

    5. gogol*

      Thank you for the kind words!

      I do know *how* to drive. The longest I’ve driven was an hour, between cities, on a highway. I didn’t get into an accident, but a truck did unexpectedly swerve into my lane, prompting me to swerve into the next lane. Thankfully there weren’t any cars in the lane I swerved into, but my family (they were in the car with me) was horrified that my instinct was to swerve instead of slowing way down. They were very unequivocal that my actions could have caused a deadly accident.

      That wasn’t the first time they’d raised the specter of death with me… when I first got my permit and was getting ready to go practice in an empty parking lot, my mom said to me, “If you kill someone out there, you won’t just ruin your own life, you’ll ruin ALL OF OUR lives.”

      I hear these words in my head every time I get behind the wheel and they make me a super nervous, discomfited, unwilling driver. Like there’s no Big Mystery about the source of my fear. I just need to know if I can overcome it because it’s very paralyzing.

      1. Reba*

        Oof. Yeah.

        The thing is, a healthy fear of driving is in many ways logical. Sort of like a phobia of snakes, it makes sense! I took a drivers’ ed course as a teen that was, at least as far as I remember, exclusively made up of stories about bizarre and horrible accidents. So not, like, here are normal risks and normal ways to be a responsible defensive driver.

        But there *are* things you can do to be a good and cautious driver. And it sounds like you won’t be totally reliant on the car, so you’ll have plenty of scope to limit the conditions you drive under if you need to for things like highways, bad weather, etc.

        Refresher lessons just as a kind of refamiliarization and exposure therapy could be good, in concert with therapy. CBT is supposed to be effective for driving anxiety. Challenging anxious thoughts, replacing them with useful and accurate ones.

        When I got into two minor accidents as a teen and college student (I’m one of those who would have benefited from more graduated licensing!) my parents made me “get right back on the horse” on the theory that if I waited I would become too scared. They were likely right but it was still terrible. The second time especially, it was really really hard. I had drifted off to sleep while driving, meaning I didn’t even trust myself or my own body in the car. But with my mom’s encouragement, I did it. I drive normally without much stress now.

        And you know, maybe the swerving wasn’t ideal but it was a totally normal and reasonable response! Braking isn’t always the best thing to do either.

        Good luck!

      3. Observer*

        Most of what Reba said.

        In many cases hitting the brakes is the worst thing to do, especially if someone without a seat belt is in your car or if there is a car a fairly short distance behind you.

      4. Not So NewReader*

        “Well, back at you, Mom. If you ever kill someone while driving you will ruin MY life. So there is that!”

        You know what? It’s true. If we hit and kill some one (I know a half dozen people who have) our lives are forever changed. And in turn, so our family members’ lives are changed. That is how that story plays out. To expect to be unaffected is not realistic.
        Diving in real deep here, I will talk about one friend who killed someone. He was rattled to the core. His world was turned upside down. He could not sleep. Sitting in a chair was an accomplishment. It was totally an accident and everyone could see that. This did not comfort him. He could not work and did not do too much for at least a month. His wife drove him everywhere. Gradually he came back. But he has changed. He values his friends more. He values his weekends at his rural second home more. Superficial things mean less than they used to. I have often heard it said that when we lose a part of ourselves, we find parts of ourselves we never knew we had. And this seems to be the case here.

        So what to do? Go to a driving school to help get your license. Get a professional teacher. I think there are also other courses that you can take that delve deeper into how to safely pull a vehicle out of a bad situation. You may be interested in something like that. I preferred a tamer route, I take those driver safety courses every 3 years and get a little discount on my insurance. The discount pays for the course the first year.

        Don’t avoid conversations about driving. Typically people avoid the topics they are afraid of. Fear is lack of knowledge. Decide to collect information. Initially all you can really do is silently listen to the conversation. After a bit you may find yourself asking certain people questions. If you choose you can read articles about driving.

        Highway driving is a whole topic itself. Learn about space cushions and how to use them. Stay out of packs, cars tend to cluster up on highways, let the pack surpass you so you can continue on alone. When you go out on the highway with your driving instructor have them show you about pacing and talk about how to handle different situations that come up.
        In your particular example here, it sounds like you chose not to blow the horn? Good choice. The tenths of a second lost to blowing the horn can be put to better use by STEERING. And you freakin’ did it! You STEERED!!!

        Your family may have felt there was more time than you thought you had. Slowing down or braking is appropriate when time and pacing allow. But it sounds to me like you did not have time. Hopefully, your family does not have careers in driver training because they don’t know how to train someone to drive.
        Often times family make the WORST trainers. Sounds like this is the case for you.

        It’s going to take a moment to drown out the tapes replaying inside your mind. Load up on new information to help drown out the old reruns.

        To me you sound very teachable. You remind me of my friend who I helped to get her license. She actually knew how to drive. My job was to sit there with her until she figured out that she knew how to drive. We went all over together. We talked about life and husbands and babies and jobs and everything. I would forget to “watch” her because she just went right along as if she had always been driving. We did this for five months. She went to take her test and she passed with flying colors.

        Read as often as you can.
        If/when you get an instructor line up questions to ask when you are on the road practicing. Always have questions prepared in advance of your instruction time.
        Decide to keep investing in your driving skills. Even if it’s that 3 year course, put yourself through it. Keep learning.

      5. Koala dreams*

        I tell my parents that when I drive, they don’t get to comment on my driving. I’m not experienced enough to drive safely and listening to backseat drivers at the same time. Once I said “Don’t talk to me in that tone”. Also, I see it as practice for my parents to be passengers. They need to overcome their fear of not being in control when I drive the car. Luckily, they make progress. I hope your family will improve too! Good luck!

        If you feel afraid, maybe it’ll help to take a few lessons with a professional teacher. They usually have better advice than parents.

    6. Krista*

      I caused a fairly minor car accident as a teenager, and I became so frightened of driving that I didn’t drive for three years. My mom thought I was never going to drive! One day she suggested that I go to a hypnotherapist. I had three sessions, but I probably only needed one. It was a life changer for me.

    7. PX*

      Reading some of your comments, it sounds a lot like its due to fear – and I’m kind of with you there. I’m in a very similar boat where I am trapped in the vicious circle of getting nervous about driving because I dont drive much, and so I avoid driving, which then makes me more nervous when I do have to do it and thus try to avoid it as much as possible.

      I would suggest finding a good instructor for some additional classes if you can afford it. Where I live, its very common for people to take refresher lessons if they havent driven for a few years. I’ve also heard several people say that taking some advanced driving classes (eg defensive driving, all weather driving, city vs rural, night driving etc) has helped their confidence.

      But overall, I’d say the biggest thing is just making yourself to do it more so that it becomes less of a BIG THING in your head. This is where I have failed, but when I was learning and thus had to drive every week – I was much more confident and not scared!

      Other tip is finding a good passenger if required. Someone who will be calm and can help if you get flustered if you decide not to go for extra lessons with a professional.

      1. Bibliovore*

        Late to driving , learned when I was 54. So I had extreme anxiety of close calls and what if’s, second guessing , catastrophizing. I would pull over and call a relative who is a therapist. Hands shaking, shirt of breath. She would say over and over. You did the best you could. That didn’t happen ( a truck ran a stop sign and I could have been killed. If I hadn’t braked suddenly) after a while I could say it to myself.

    8. Deb Morgan*

      Late to the thread, but this is my experience learning how to drive and getting more comfortable with driving as someone who was (and to some extent, still is) fearful of driving.
      1. I took a really intense defensive driving class taught by off-duty cops when I was in college. The main instructor who actually was in the car with me was very patient and could see how terrified I was. This definitely helped.
      2. Once I got my license, I almost never drove by myself. I always had someone (usually my mom) in the car with me to calm me down, help me check blind-spots when asked, etc.
      3. If I was going somewhere new, I always looked at Google maps street view as much as possible so I could see the streets I was going to drive on. I left plenty of time to get places, so if I took a wrong turn, it wasn’t the end of the world.
      4. I avoided highways for years, but I slowly started taking them for short stretches. Then slightly longer trips. Then about 9 years after I got my driver’s license, I drove across country with my mom, mostly on highways, and it was completely fine. No accidents, and only a couple moments of panic, but nothing disastrous happened.
      It took years and years to get to that level of comfort with driving, and many baby steps and set backs along the way, but it is possible. Take your time with it. Good luck!

  70. Drowned Lab Rat*

    As someone who suffers from asthma, I’m looking for advice as to how I should deal with my neighbor. I live in a three story apartment building that has one apartment per floor. My upstairs exclusively smokes in the (indoor) hallway outside of her door. She refuses to smoke inside her apartment or go outside. When I first moved in, my entire apartment constantly reeked of smoke and I even had to call off work due to waking up with coughing fits in the middle of the night. I gathered up the courage to speak with her about it and explained that I have asthma and a lot of the smoke was getting my apartment. She tried to argue with me about it and claimed that the landlord told her to smoke in the hallway and she can’t go outside to smoke because she can’t leave her two year old daughter alone. I ended up texting my landlord the same night about it and he wasn’t much help. She ended up putting an air conditioning unit in the window on her landing and it has kept a good amount of the smoke out of my unit. However, since it’s starting to get colder, I’m afraid that she’s stop running the unit and I’ll end up in the same situation again. I know she’s still smoking in the hallway because you can hear her walk out and light a cigarette every 30 min.

    I already has a door draft stopper and air purifier, but those don’t keep out all smoke. I’ve talked to my landlord about it three times, but I’m not sure what else I can do if it causes me asthma issues again. I have six months left on my lease, so I have no choice but to deal with this.

    I know it’s my fault for not asking the landlord whether he allowed smoking or not, but I was having a lot of difficulty finding an affordable place to live in my city. The apartment didn’t smell like smoke when I toured it before signing the lease and the previous tenants said the neighbors were nice. They weren’t breaking their lease, so they had no reason to lie. I’ve lived in complexes before where people smoked inside their units and it was nowhere near as obnoxious.

    1. Furioso*

      This would drive me crazy. She should smoke inside her apartment not in the hallway. I’m sure if other renters were cooking fish in the hallway on an electric grill they would be asked to cook inside their actual apartment. This activity does not have to be done in a hallway. The only thing you should really do in a hallway is walk down it. I’m so angry on your behalf but I haven’t lived in an apartment in 13 yrs so I don’t have much advice other than call out the absolute absurdity of this.

      1. MsChanandlerBong*

        Smoking in the apartment might help OP, but it will probably be hell for anyone who lives next door to the smoker. I work from home, and ever since my new neighbors moved in, I’m stuck working in my bedroom all day. The people on one side have some kind of wax warmer going, so I can’t sit in my living room because the smell makes my eyes water, and the new neighbors have set up two chairs and an ashtray outside their front door, which is right next to my office window. I haven’t opened the window once since we moved here, but the smell still gets in. Smoke travels through cracks in walls, shared vents, electrical outlets, etc. I can’t wait to be able to buy a house so I no longer have to put up with other people’s awful smells.

        1. Drowned Lab Rat*

          No one lives right next to her since there is only one apartment per floor in the building. I’ve lived in places before where people smoked in their apartments as it was nowhere as intense.

    3. Fikly*

      Fellow asthmatic! It’s a massive health hazard, and sadly, you likely have no legal rights here.

      I wish I had better advice.

    4. Dr. Anonymous*

      I’ve been there. It may be that your neighbor won’t change and your landlord won’t help. I found the big, fat, giant Whirlpool Whispure air purifier to be very helpful when I had a chain-smoking neighbor. I’m not sure what air purifier you have now, but quality definitely matters. Feel very free to ask your landlord to chip in for a very nice one.

    5. Anono-me*

      Short term,
      Upgrade your air filter. Install the new best one in your apartment in the space you spend the most time in. Install the second best air filter on the upstairs landing and plug it into wherever the AC was plugged into. Ask your upstairs neighbor to turn on the air filter before she starts smoking. It sounds like she is willing to be as accommodating as is practical for her; since she installed and ran the window ac. (However if she doesn’t want to run the air filter, it may be helpful to point out to her that if her smoke is getting into your apartment, it surely is getting into her apartment where the two year old is. )

      Also please look at weather stripping your apartment door and if you can, maybe add a heavy floor to ceiling and wall to wall curtain a few feet inside your door.

      Long-term,
      Please check the legal requirements in your community for breaking a lease due to medical issues. (I know many cities have some sort of rule about the the unit being fit for living in.)

      Please also find out if the landlord will allow you to find someone to take over your lease or sublet your apartment.
      Obviously if you get so sick from smoking induced asthma attacks that you can’t work or wind up in the hospital or even worse; it’ll be much more of a hassle for him then letting you find his next tenant and that person taking over a little early. (Maybe try and find someone who is a smoker as that person will be less likely to have issues with the upstairs neighbor being a smoker.)

    6. Jackie*

      Where do you live ? If you google you will find “Smokers do not have a legally protected right to smoke, so it is legal to restrict smoking and create smokefree areas such as workplaces, parks, and even inside apartments and condos.” Talk with the landlord again and tell him you will have to consider filing a lawsuit against the him and/or your smoking neighbor based on legal grounds such as nuisance, interference with your right to enjoy your home, and/or trespass.

      1. WellRed*

        The landlord is not required to restrict smoking and I really don’t think she has anything to sue over. Not to mention how adversarial it would be.

    7. Nacho*

      This is something you’ll need to talk to your landlord about, and don’t take no for an answer.

  71. C Average*

    Extremely important question for all the other Harry Potter nerds out there: have you retaken the Sorting Hat quiz on the new Wizarding World app, and if so, are you in the same house?

    I used to be a Gryffindor and now I am a Hufflepuff. This actually seems about right, but I’m still not quite sure how to feel about it.

    1. heckofabecca*

      I haven’t! I hope they make it available online because I don’t do well with that kind of app XD I’ve got an addictive personality type for those things haha

      My personal favorite sorting system was created by sortinghatchats! They created a two-tier system, with your “why” and your “how,” and it works really well in terms of personalization AND making the various book sortings make sense XD (WHY isn’t Hermione a Ravenclaw???) Their quiz is here: https://ejadelomax.itch.io/sortinghatchats

      I’m a Hufflepuff Primary/Hufflepuff Secondary with a Ravenclaw Model :) I think haha

      1. Seeking Second Childhood*

        I thought Harry’s answer from the Sorting Hat that he went to Gryffindor not Slytherin because he WANTED Gryffindor also explained Hermione’s placement nicely.

      2. Patty Mayonnaise*

        I can’t even get past the primary questions because none of them sound like me! I’m closest to a Burned Gryffindor except BGs are supposed to be conflicted/upset about it and I’m not bothered in the slightest, lol.

    2. Elizabeth West*

      No, because I’ve taken eleventy zillion quizzes and I always get Gryffindor and I see no reason to misclassify myself,. Plus I don’t want to buy a new scarf, lol.

      Although with all the stuff that’s been going on lately, I’ve found a few Slytherin-y thoughts creeping into my head.

    4. Anon Librarian*

      Do those quizzes disproportionately lean towards Gryffindor? I always get Gryffindor and so do most people I know.

      But now I know I’m a Slytherin Secondary. Noble intentions and questionable methods.

  72. TM*

    I started physical therapy this week, this time for an injury that involves my arms and computer work. This is the second time I’ve done PT for an injury and that did not go well. It was for an old injury (3+ years) so I understood that it would take some work to do. 3 years, countless hours of exercises (30-60 minutes a day for months at a time with little to show for it) and many many dollars and I am really not that much better than I was when I started. So I switched to a different clinic and am hoping for a better outcome this time.

    Does anyone have any advice on how to be more successful? I wasn’t a slacker on the exercises and I did them as instructed but I really never gained strength and the PT commented on that. I ended up getting a gym membership and began using weights and that made the biggest difference so far.

    1. fposte*

      I’m kind of a complicated PT patient myself, and I’ve had mixed results too. For me it depends a lot on the PT. I really need a PT who’s creative and thoughtful, not just one who says basically “You mentioned back trouble so we’re doing the back exercises.” If I wasn’t gaining strength from the exercises I’d want a PT who investigated and tried other exercises to see if they got me better results. I also fare better with people who listen to my feedback and adapt accordingly.

      I’ll also say that my really good PT experiences involve people who spend an hour or more with me per session (it’s okay if they pass me around to other people at the facility during that time); I’ve had several who did only half an hour appointments and that hasn’t correlated well with thoroughness.

      1. TV*

        Yeah, when I went in for the evaluation, he was very thorough in his exam of my arms and hands and even grabbed an anatomy book to show me where he thinks the problem is in my hands. I had no idea how many muscles are in the hands! But he seemed to think that improving strength and mobility in my shoulders and arms would be the place to start along with some desk changes at work.

        I also asked about appointment length and they are all 1 hour long with about half the time with the PT and half with other people. I agree, 30 minutes is too short.

    2. Fikly*

      PT is so depending on the individual therapist and also your issue. Just like doctors, there are good therapists and bad ones. You need one who is very good with your specific issue, and also understands that solutions/treatments are not one size fits all.

      And then, when it comes to your issue, well, some things will respond to PT, and some things just won’t. Unfortunately, sometimes you don’t know which you have until you try the PT.

    3. Not So NewReader*

      I swear by a good protein drink for supporting muscles. IF you did all that exercise and did not do something nutritionally to support you, plus your regular life, plus your extra efforts with PT, I would be surprised if you actually got results. Picture a car running on just gas fumes, how well is that car going to do?
      Now put some high performance gasoline in there and check out the difference.
      Similar with bodies. Bodies need fuel and sometimes, such as what you show here, bodies need addition nutrition.
      I am not a professional, but I understand and I am wowed by what a good professional can do with vitamins and minerals. If they are really sharp they can recommend the correct foods to fortify your body given your needs and your goals.

    4. Seeking Second Childhood*

      I’ll get on my soapbox and say that for my frozen shoulder, what helped most was swimming, stretching while in the pool, and doing pull ups in the pool, from the racing platforms. Your mileage may vary of course.

    5. Ranon*

      Are you otherwise fairly athletic/ coordinated/ used to following instructions with your body? I’m wondering if your execution of the exercises at home wasn’t quite right, which could mean you need better instruction from your PT this time or exercises that have a clearer distinction between done correctly and not. When I’ve done PT the most effective exercises took a fair bit of precision, which can be hard to pull off if that’s not something you’re used to doing with your body.

  73. BRR*

    Baking. I love to bake. I know it’s been asked before but what can I do with extra baked goods since I can’t (or rather shouldn’t) eat them all? I don’t want to always bring them into work. I don’t really know people in the area. I’d love to just be able to bake more.

    Also I’m frustrated at macarons. Also if this turned into a baking threat I wouldn’t be opposed ;).

    1. Not A Manager*

      Have you tried letting the egg whites age for a few days in the fridge before you use them?

      1. BRR*

        I did for the first time this batch and they came out much better. They just didn’t have much in terms of feet. I think 1) I need to bake them longer and 2) get better at piping. I’m debating buying a silicone mat with a template. My hand traced template was an epic fail.

        1. ThatGirl*

          You can also print out templates and put them under parchment paper to pipe. But macaroons are tricky in general.

          I bake a fair amount, and I work for a baking supply company, so mostly stuff goes to work with my husband.

        2. CAA*

          I printed out a macarons template from a website. Much easier than hand tracing. I stick it underneath the parchment paper that I pipe the macarons onto and then just move it as needed to get more circles.

          If they don’t form feet it may be because the egg whites were not whipped quite enough. Also make sure to bang the pan on the counter and let them sit until the tops feel a bit dry before baking.

        3. Not A Manager*

          For piping, be sure that you are holding the bag straight up and down over the parchment. Don’t hold it at an angle.

    2. C Average*

      Is there a homeless shelter or soup kitchen in your area? The ones near me take donations. (When I’ve moved apartments, I’ve also given them duplicate spices I didn’t have room to keep. They were thrilled. They make due with what they have and spice is expensive.)

      3. Parenthetically*

        This is a brilliant idea. My spice cabinet is like a coat closet in a Bugs Bunny cartoon.

    3. AvonLady Barksdale*

      Can your partner take them into work? :-) Or if you live in a condo or apartment building, try dropping them off with the staff.

      I also enjoy the act of baking but I don’t want the stuff around. Bread is easy, you can freeze that. I’ve taken to giving my partner half of every batch of whatever for his government office, especially for their weekly meeting.

      The macarons I cannot help you with, because believe it or not, I have never tried them! What’s the issue you’re having?

      1. BRR*

        I once read the freeze is the pastry chefs second greatest tool (after the oven) and that has been a huge help. I might need to give my partner more to bring in. His company is very large and hopefully easier for people trying to avoid sweets :/.

        I think I just need to bake them longer. It’s so hard to tell when they’re done. My previous problem was getting the meringue stiff enough. I’m proud to say I broke my whisk testing it.

        1. Not So NewReader*

          I have not made anything with egg whites except meringue cookies. I do remember it was a bfd to make sure there was absolutely no foreign matter in the whites. This means a fleck of dust in the bowl or maybe an old crumb on the blender blades or an tiny fragment of eggshell. If there was that little molecule of something else they would not make peaks.
          Good thing the cookies were good, because it was too much fussy work for me, otherwise.

    4. Becky*

      I love baking too and have the same issue with what to do with all these baked goods that I can’t eat myself. I usually end up doing some mixture of taking it to work, giving it to friends, taking it to church, and freezing it. And still end up sometimes throwing things out, which I hate because it is such a waste!

      Today I made Swedish cardamom buns.

    5. Dr. Anonymous*

      I found the indulgewithmimi macaron site to be super helpful. I suppose you could ring neighbors’ doorbells with extra baked goods and meet people.

    6. Bob*

      In New Zealand we have a wonderful organisation called Good Bitches Baking. Volunteers from around the country bake cakes, other volunteers come and collect them to deliver to the local Women’s Refuge, hospice, homeless shelters and other places where the gift of some baking may be the bright spot in someone’s day. Is there something similar where you live?

    7. CAA*

      Meals on Wheels also takes baked goods, but you have to plan ahead and commit to providing a certain number of servings rather than giving them your extras, so I don’t know if that would work for you or not.

    8. Anono-me*

      So far there are no threats on this baking threat.

      I’ve known advice for you on the macaroons. However, you could also specifically share with the people who work in maintenance, cleaning, security, and admin support at your offices. In addition to finding tummy homes for your excess baked goods, is a really good way to make some very helpful friends at your workplace. (Unfortunately, in many places you will need to make sure you are explicit in sharing with everyone.)

      1. Not So NewReader*

        OP sounds very open to baking threats, though.
        But OP is not the only one. Others sound like they, too, are open to baking threats.

        I can start.
        “Take this apple pie! So, there, what will you do now?”

        1. Anono-me*

          Oh Deary me whatever what shall I do!! A drive by apple pie! I guess I’ll have to go and get out the good cheddar.

          1. Seeking Second Childhood*

            Pie!? Did you say pie!? That means some whipping must happen. We’re gonna get creamed!

        3. Red Reader the Adulting Fairy*

          My recent unintended baking threat was more subtle. I made a big pile of what looked, apparently, to multiple people like macaroons (the coconut cookie, not a typo for macarons). The looks on their faces when they took big bites and discovered that they were garlic herb drop biscuits were hilarious.

          (I have no idea how they opened the container and didn’t smell the garlic; I could smell them from across the kitchen! And holy carp, they were tasty, per unanimous acclaim, even if they weren’t cookies. :) )

    9. Pam*

      My local Starbucks staff loves it when we bring in homemade baked goods for them. You could do the same for any store/service where you are known.

    10. Baker*

      If you like to try lots of different recipes but don’t need a lot of cookies, or cakes or whatever, check out the “Small batch baking” series of books. You’ll end up with 8 cookies instead of 3 dozen but you can still try all different kinds of recipes.

    11. Loopy*

      Also love baking! Have never tried macrons but there are tons of baking FB groups I found are great resources if you already use Facebook. I use one called Baking Questions Unlimited. I bake a lot and have developed a rotation of places to bring them (work, where I volunteer, to MIL). I always liked the idea of dropping them off places like the vet’s office (I love my vet!), or fire stations/police stations (though I’d call and see if they accept home baked goods, there may be policies around that if you don’t know anyone there).

      I’d also look into charity events where you can donate baked goodies to. I think as long as they are not being sold, it’s okay to just donate.

    13. Seeking Second Childhood*

      Egg-whipping insight from my FIL the retired chef: Add the sugar a little at a time while you’re whipping the eggs. It behaves differently if you put it all in at once. If salt is called for, put it in at the very end. He’s never done macarons though, so that’s where the advice ends.
      Serendipitous conversation about a cake he made for us–I hope you get back to read this.

    14. Amethystmoon*

      You can freeze some baked goods and then take them out as needed/wanted. Or just save in the freezer until you visit friends or family, then take the food along as a treat.

    15. Nana*

      Your local firefighters appreciate any and all foodstuff (and will even wash and return platters, while you chat with the other firefighters). I belong to a couple of groups, and we take them ‘leftovers,’ which they certainly claim to enjoy. [And I’ve been in the kitchen and seen that that’s true.]

  74. MsChanandlerBong*

    Chewbacca update:

    My husband informed me today that two vet appointments ago, Chewie got really mad and tried to bite the inside of his crate (I didn’t see it because I was busy putting bandages on my bleeding arm; the vet uses a portable scale, and when Chewie was on it, he lost his balance, and the whole scale tipped over with him in it–he was trying to get his footing and ended up clawing my hand by accident). So now we are thinking that maybe he’s drooling because he cracked a tooth or caused some other sort of dental issue with the biting??? The drool is always on the same side of his mouth, and my husband said he’s been pawing at that side of his mouth as well (I haven’t noticed any pawing, but that’s because Chewie seems to be asleep or begging for food every time I see him). We have an appt. for 11/2, but I called to see if they can get him in Mon. or Tues. evening instead (the vet is closed tomorrow) in case he has a dental issue that needs to be fixed. My husband also thinks the unexplained hissing could be due to tooth/mouth pain. The hissing seems to occur only when he shakes his head.

    He is still skin and bones, but he seems okay otherwise. We had to start feeding him canned food so that we can mix his medicine with it, and he’s gone from not-too-interested in food to hounding us three or four times a day for some poultry pâté. He’s still peeing on the floor, but we got pee pads with carbon filters in them, so we no longer have to shampoo the rug three or more times per week, and the carbon does a nice job handling the smell. I check on him about 10 times a day and tell him he’s got to hang on because he’s my best good buddy!

    1. Jdc*

      My dog did the drooling when he had a bad tooth. I’d say that’s a likely issue. It could just be decaying in there so you can’t really see much other than a tooth.

    2. I'm A Little Teapot*

      Yes, drooling can be a sign of dental problems. Problem is, they have to knock them out for dental work, and depending on overall condition that may not be safe. My Sibley got to that point, and we just did low doses of antibiotics to control the problem until she died (heart problem).

      Good luck!

  75. AvonLady Barksdale*

    A vent: My partner’s father is visiting with his new girlfriend and I’m just annoyed. They don’t make plans yet they expect family members to make time to see them, which drives me up the wall because when the family members are busy, they complain. They complain about a lot of things. They complained that the music in the restaurant was too loud then looked at me like I was crazy when I asked the manager if he could turn it down (which he did!). They haven’t asked my partner one question about his new job, nor did they pick up any of the conversation lobs we threw at them. It’s like talking to sullen middle schoolers. His dad is smitten with the new gf and nothing matters except spending time with her and appeasing her.

    Plus, his dad has an injury that he didn’t tell us about, so he can’t walk a lot. Which is fine, of course, but this is a walking city (which he knows, he grew up here) so all of the ideas my partner had got squashed at the last minute– and dad won’t take an Uber anywhere, and even if he would, he can’t go to a museum or even a basketball game because it’s uncomfortable. Yet he didn’t tell us this so we could figure things out in advance. My partner wanted to spend some time with his father, but instead we got sent to a museum with the gf because she wanted to see it and dad couldn’t go. We were certainly interested, so it was enjoyable, but then she got snide when I went to a different part of an exhibit and she lost track of me for five minutes. Although I’m beginning to think she wasn’t snide, that’s just always her tone when she talks, and I am not impressed.

    Oh well. This too shall pass. I started Weight Watchers again but I let myself have a cocktail when we got home from dinner as a reward for dealing with this crap. I just wish one of us had a supportive, interested parent.

    1. Auntie Social*

      Can you suggest that the guys have some time to themselves at the bait store or hitting a bucket of balls?

      1. AvonLady Barksdale*

        That would be nice, but there’s no way his father could stand long enough to hit balls. Or get into a boat to go fishing or anything like that. I thought they might stay at our place and watch football, but no, dad insisted we all go out and leave him.

  76. HBIC*

    My body did a thing where my nipples suddenly contract and are in severe pain. And eventually go away when I move to a warm room. I googled nipple pain, and not many helpful results as I’m not pregnant or breastfeeding or PMSinf. Yay body for finding new weird things to do!!

    1. Waiting on the world to change*

      This is a rare side effect of some blood pressure medications. Could it be that?

    2. PX*

      Soo we just got some breast cancer awareness posters up at work and this was one of the signs they say to look out for… maybe go get checked if you can? Just to rule out anything

      1. The Other Dawn*

        Yes, definitely! A friend of mine had similar issues and was diagnosed with Inflammatory Breast Cancer. I don’t say this to scare you, HBIC, but don’t take a change like this lightly. Chances are it’s just a weird body change, but get checked just to make sure.

        1. HBIC*

          welp that’s scary. I have no family history of breast cancer. But I see my dr on 10/31, so guess good to bring up.

      2. Anonymatic YoYo*

        It may seem like a party trick but please please have it looked at, regardless of what age you are.

    3. Mimmy*

      Do you have any other reactions to the cold, like color changes in your fingers or pain in your fingers and toes? There’s something called Raynaud’s Phenomenon in which the blood vessels spasm in response to cold or stress, impacting blood flow to the skin. Usually it occurs in the fingers and toes but the article I looked up said it can also happen in nipples.

      Absolutely rule out breast concerns first; then I’d look into the Raynaud’s or similar possibilities.

      1. HBIC*

        So, I normally run hot, but when I’m cold, I’ve never had any symptoms other than the usual of feeling cold. I do have an appt with a new obgyn (I was having issues with my period this year) on the 31st, so I can talk to her about this as well.

  77. BJK*

    CW: suicide attempt (friend may have attempted recently)

    I had two missed calls from one of my best friends “Jane” a few days ago just after midnight. I thought they were butt dials because she’s been going out and partying hard for a while. I woke up at 7 am to some texts from her friend “Summer” asking me to reach out to Jane as she had received some disturbing texts from her. When I looked at the time stamp, I saw the texts were sent at 3 am. Per Summer, Jane calling me and her at midnight was her wanting to end it. Summer also didn’t answer the phone and Jane sent her an angry/sarcastic text saying she wasn’t there for her when she needed her. When Summer asked if she was okay, Jane said she needed help and that she wanted to end it that night but was too chicken. I’m not sure what exactly happened or how she wanted to harm herself.

    I immediately reached out to Jane asking if everything was okay and she ultimately texted back, Yes. I asked if she wanted to meet up that day, I would drop work and meet her for breakfast, lunch, dinner, whatever. No. We already had dinner plans later this week and she cancelled a couple days before. All were very curt texts. Jane is mad at me and other friends for not answering her post midnight calls.

    I’m not sure if I should keep reaching out to her and maybe get the silent treatment or the “leave me alone” texts. If I don’t reach out, she will think I don’t care and be mad I didn’t reach out. (Sounds like I should still reach out even if she ignores or lashes out at me. What if she’s embarrassed? Ashamed? )

    I’m going to be honest with you, AAM friends. Jane is a difficult person. She is a bitter person, can be pretty mean, and doesn’t really care about anyone else. Jane will not ask how you are or be happy for you when something good happens. Regardless, she is one my nearest and dearest. This all hurts my heart.

    Anyone go through something similar?

    1. Fikly*

      I haven’t gone through this personally, but I volunteer for a crisis line, and I just want to say, you totally deserve support just for your own experience in this! We get people all the time contacting us because someone in their lives is suicidal, and besides giving them our standard advice (give them our info! if you feel their life is in imminent danger, contact 911), we offer crisis support to the person who is contacting us, because that is a super stressful situation to be in.

    2. Observer*

      I don’t think you need to worry about her being mad – nothing you do is going to be good enough. I’m not saying don’t reach out at all, but keep it low key and not too frequent, unless she responds. And send along any crisis hotline or similar resources you can find.

      1. Not So NewReader*

        Agreed. Jane has decided nothing is going to please her or comfort her. There’s not a lot you can do here. You can start steering her towards professionals. Even a good physical would make sense at this point.

    3. Seeking Second Childhood*

      Jane would hate me…my phone is programmed for “do not disturb” from 9pm to 7am. Maybe you could sooth her by having the same setting?

    4. fposte*

      There was a Carolyn Hax comment recently, maybe in her Friday chat, about the different ways friends can show up for you. And it made me think about how some people treat “showing up” as “doing exactly what I wanted in that moment” and consider themselves betrayed or let down if a friend fails such a “test.”

      Which sounds like Jane. Right now (and maybe generally) it sounds like she’s in that self-feeding anger cycle where anger is comforting and familiar so she prefers it to other options, and she’s finding satisfaction in letting you down the way that she believes she was let down. I don’t think you’re going to break that cycle; it’s just too important to her that what you do is wrong for you to be able to find a thing that’ll be right. I also think it’s worth considering how to take care of yourself here and not just Jane, so I’d avoid doing too much dancing to please Jane when she’s focusing on being unpleasable.

      I’d consider going head-on at this point–tell her you understand that she’s very angry, and it sounds like that was a frightening night for her. Here is the number of the National Suicide Prevention Lifeline (1-800-273-8255); here, if you have them, are names of local counselors you’ve heard good things about, and you hope that she’ll reach out to them. You also understand that she might need some space when she’s angry, so you’ll check in but understand if there’s no response. Then give her a few days and check in by text with a Hey, would love to see you if you’re up to it, any chance of Friday lunch at the usual? But for a while make sure plans you propose to Jane are ones that don’t leave you high and dry if she cancels at the last minute.

    1. Madge*

      That’s one of my favorites! I’ve looked for episodes of his tv show on hulu and the internet and can’t find it. I hope it gets included in Disney+.

    3. Forrest Rhodes*

      I have this one bookmarked too, Scout, and it still makes me laugh out loud every time I hear it. Spiders with hair? “That’s just wrong!”

  79. Malware & Emotional Counseling*

    Hi all,

    This rant/advice input request will be part IT advice seeking and part emotional/psychological help request:

    I tried to download a new media player this Saturday morning from GOM Lab. I heard from YouTube that it was one of the top five best media players, so I decided to go for it. After the download the GOM cannot play my video. I decided to delete it by going to my Windows 10 App list. When I clicked the GOM icon to uninstall, the computer said it can open the uninstaller, then my Webroot Antivirus detected a Trojan threat. I let Webroot removed the threat. Then I tried the GOM uninstaller again, and then my Antivirus detected the threat again. Again, I let Webroot get rid of the threats, which was more than a dozen!

    I decided to search into my PC C:\ Drive to get ride of all the GOM named files and files that contain the GOM installer name. Then I was able to get GOM off of my App list and out of my Windows menu. I searched into my PC C:/ Drive again for GOM related folders to delete…..eventually I deleted all the GOM files I found….however, when I typed in “GOM” under searching within a “winrt” file, there are two files that came up that I cannot open…they look like just text files with super long names with just numbers and letters. Sometimes I can find them, sometimes I cannot. Not too sure if they’re related to GOM.

    I have Webroot scanned my computer more than 6 times. So far it didn’t find any new threats after the ones it detected earlier. I tried to install a update to my Vivaldi browser, and the installer cannot be opened. This has never happened before. I wanted to make sure my laptop is completely malware free. I will ask the Webroot online help support about this issue and see if there is more I needed to do. I used a paid antivirus service.

    My laptop computer is sometimes used by my other family members. We use it to sometimes to check bank accounts, purchase things with credit card, check email, etc. I am the only one who decided to use a different antivirus program than the rest of my family.

    My family does care about my health and financial well being. But I am currently have boundary issues with them. Last year they did things that made me feel so sad and traumatized. Some members of my family display some controlling narcissistic behaviors, that’s why I decided to use a different antivirus that the rest of them. I am worried that my family’s antivirus might have tracking capabilities, like parental controls. I can’t moved out of the house, but I am trying to learn to be more independent from them. That makes this malware situation a bit stressful for me because I don’t want to tell them about my malware issue. Do we really need to change our passwords because some of our family emails and online banking is done on my computer? I don’t feel easy telling them about changing passwords. There were times in the past when our old antivirus detected threats, including Trojan, and we didn’t change our passwords. And during that time nothing as happened.

    Right now I am just monitoring our emails and bank accounts while I wait to hear from Webroot.

    But I also wanted to know if there’s additional things I need to think about in my situation. I am conflicted with thoughts of maintaining computing security and my boundary/family issue struggles. I don’t want this situation to undermined my independence.

    1. Not A Manager*

      You say that “your” laptop is sometimes used by other family members. Is this necessary? Why is it necessary?

      If they are only using your computer to literally pay credit cards and check email, there are very inexpensive machines that will allow them to do that without having to use your computer at all.

      1. Malware & Emotional Counseling*

        My parents can’t speak English, so they sometimes needed me to do their online banking. Sometimes my nephews are playing with my sister’s laptop, so then she would decide to borrow mines.

      1. Disco Janet*

        (Realized I should add why I’m recommending that – I really don’t trust malware scanners to be that thorough with getting rid of all traces of a virus. Resetting the computer to before the virus took hold seems safer to me.)

        1. Malware & Emotional Counseling**

          Do you have a recommended link and instructions on how to do a proper system restore for my computer?

          Thanks

          1. Disco Janet*

            It depends on what version of Windows you’re using – it’s super easy to Google. Or just go into your settings/control panel and search for ‘system restore’.

    3. Mimosa Jones*

      I’m the family tech support person, but I’m more experienced with macs than PCs. But here’s what I would try. Have you checked to make sure webroot is up to date? I’d do that first. Then scan and deal with the results. Then turn your computer off and back on again. Then try to find/delete the gom files.

      If none of that works, try downloading a different anti virus app and run that. And make sure the app also targets malware, or download a malware specific app as well and run that as well. Also restart often. It’s a joke and a cliche because it works…sometimes in mysterious ways. You can also learn a lot by googling symptoms. If you find the gom files, google their name. Or search for “gom virus”.

      If you’re using a different antivirus, then there must be other computers in the house. Why aren’t they being used by your family members? Is it just a matter of it your laptop being available? Can you safely move your family off your laptop by adding a password, keeping it in your room, etc? Can you declare it broken and use the library for your computer needs until they’re trained to use other computers and then quietly “fix” it and forget to tell them? I don’t know about changing passwords. With reasonable people, I’d say you have to tell them, but you also need to keep yourself safe. Can you use a third party as a catalyst? You “read an article”, “discovered” have I been pwnd, or use the most recent breach as a reason to suggest changing passwords. If they then decide to do nothing, you’ve done the best you can under the circumstances.

      Is it possible your family is trying to monitor your computer through another app? Those things can be sketchy and may have malware or bring along malware. Can you create a partition for their use and how much would that protect the rest of the computer? And what if you were to install reputable parental controls on your own computer? Something that prevents downloads and limits websites. If they’re innocently checking email and bank balances they should never find out. Bonus points if it can be controlled through a smart phone or another computer. Also, if your suspicions are correct, it might make sense to remove your files, wipe the drive and start fresh. That might be faster and easier and give you some peace of mind.

      I think you should assume you’re living with hackers and save all your sensitive computing for your phone or other trusted device. Are they competent with computers? Who’s more skilled and if it’s them, how can you become better than them? Be sure to research any countermeasures you’re considering on a known safe computer.

      Once you get your computer clean, make a full back-up and store it away somewhere. Then make another full backup once you have your computer set-up with partitions and/or controls. And try to move all your files to Dropbox or another remote service. If you can, use a password vault like keypass for your passwords and don’t let your family use it. They can set up their own vault account if they want that convenience. set up two-factor authorization where you can. Good luck!

      1. Malware & Emotional Counseling*

        My parents can’t speak English so I would need to do their online banking for them. Sometimes my nephews uses my sister’s laptop, so she has to borrow mines then. Saying they can’t use my laptop will raise suspicion that I am hiding something.

        I’m not a very computer savvy person. There might be other relatives or friends of family that are more computer savvy than me, but I don’t want to ask them for help. That would break my privacy because I would need to tell my family the incident. I would like to be able to deal with my computer issues on my own. Sign.

        Do you have good articles on instructions on how to do a system restore, if that’s necessary?

        My Webroot is up to date. I did restart twice yesterday, and I shut down my computer at night. I ran Webroot scan a few times after the threat detection, and it said that it found no additional threats. There is one blocked file that Webroot found that is still in their block list.

        1. Mimosa Jones*

          No worries. You’ve got this. There’s nothing you can do to that computer, aside from physically smashing it, that can’t be fixed. And lots of computer savvy people fix their problems by searching for the answers. Even if this is your job, there’s no way to know all of this stuff. It’s not so much about knowing how to fix the computer as knowing how to phrase your search terms so you find what you need at the level you need it.

          This looks like a good malware removal article: https://www.pcworld.com/article/243818/how-to-remove-malware-from-your-windows-pc.html. Norton Utilities’ website has pretty much the same article. Back-up your important files first.

          Everyone is right, we need to know what version of windows you have to give you a link. You can google how to find the version and then google how to erase the drive and start fresh if that’s what you want to do. Sites to trust are ones like pcmag, pcworld, cnet, etc. Read a couple articles to see if they have the same info and if it makes sense. Check the posting date to make sure the info is recent. You’ll develop an instinct for this after a while.

          Ok, so what do we know? When you’re stuck, return to the facts. We know you suspect your family of trying to monitor your computer and that they’re inexperienced so their efforts may have additional negative effects. We know you downloaded software and can’t remove it. And your computer is behaving oddly. Your instincts are good. You’re trying to remove the most recent change. Here’s instructions for using Windows to do that: https://www.lifewire.com/windows-uninstaller-to-remove-unused-programs-3506955. If that doesn’t work, try downloading an app specifically for uninstalling software on the pc. Those tend to be more thorough than what comes with your OS. (https://www.lifewire.com/free-uninstaller-programs-2625188) Also think about when your computer started acting strangely and what it was doing. Pick out the big words of those things (you can leave out words like “the”, “how”, etc.) and search on that. So, something like “Excel won’t open Windows 10” or “Excel crashes PC”. If you don’t find anything, try different words. Although, this is more a broad troubleshooting process step. For now, reassess once you’ve removed the app and cleaned your computer of malware. You may want to wait a week or so and see what happens next.

          There’s only so much we internet strangers can say about your family dynamics. You know it all best and can come up with better solutions than we ever could. You could try searching for advice specific to your culture by using those names or words like immigrant in your search. The internet has been around for so long, and there are so many people in the world, that your problems aren’t unique and it’s very likely someone has written about it. At the very least you’ll feel less alone.

          1. Malware & Emotional Counseling*

            Thank you for the recommended article.

            I had Webroot take a log of my computer, and they said my computer shows no signs of infection and it should be okay.

            I am wondering if I should take their word for it or do the system restore and temporary install an additional antivirus on top of the Webroot?

            I heard that it is not a good idea to have two antivirus softwares in one computer. Can I disable one and use the other one I install?

    4. ThatGirl*

      I think it’s very unlikely that your parents would be able to track activity on a different computer via antivirus (did I get that right?). But I would recommend AVG or Avast for good free antivirus software. I also agree with doing a system restore to a few days ago.
      You should change your personal passwords every year, unless there is a security breach, but the most important thing is not to reuse them, esp. for very sensitive things. Your banking password should be unique.

      1. Mimosa Jones*

        I think Norton Utilities has a bundle that includes other things like child controls. And I know my router’s software bundle includes child controls and may also include or be partnered with antivirus software.

        I second the recommendations for AVG and Avast. I use Sophos which is also pretty good.

    5. Anonymous Educator*

      I’m a little confused as to some of the details here. Did Webroot specifically say the trojan was the Gom Media Player? I’ve never used Gom myself, but it seems to be legitimate (assuming you downloaded it from the main site). You said Webroot detected a trojan, but that very well could have been something else completely unrelated to Gom that you or another family member installed earlier but Webroot didn’t pick up until now. On a side note: if this is a Windows computer, simply deleting files isn’t enough to get rid of malware. There can be registry keys that the malware litters throughout the Windows registry. There can be .dll files (that aren’t named anything to do with the program) that the malware installs.

      Honestly, I know you don’t want to hear this, but on Windows the only way to be absolutely certain the malware is gone is to do a fresh reinstall. You probably aren’t going to do that, but there really isn’t a way to 100% be sure the malware is gone unless you do that.

      1. Malware & Emotional Counseling*

        Webroot picked up the Tojan threat every time I click to uninstall GOM. My Webroot is currently blocking a .dll file.

        When you say reinstall, do you mean to wipe my computer clean and reinstall Windows 10 again?

        1. Anonymous Educator*

          Yes, that’s the only way to be sure. It’s an absolutely pain to do, but malware can be very tricky to remove. That said, if whatever you had installed also installed a keylogger, and you happened to be typing any of these bank passwords in after the fact, reinstalling won’t really help prevent that from happening after the fact.

    6. Anonymous Educator*

      I don’t know what your budget is like, but I’d recommend getting a Mac or a Chromebook in the future.

      There’s pretty much zero malware for ChromeOS, and since everything is stored in the cloud (including your user settings), if you have to factory reset your Chromebook, all your settings and files will just come back immediately.

      There is malware (including trojans) for macOS, but it is far easier to remove, especially in the current supported versions of macOS. Starting with 10.11, Apple put in System Integrity Protection, which makes key system directories unwriteable (even by a root or administrator user), and starting with 10.15, Apple made an entirely read-only system partition. So the only places malware can hide out (in a re-spawnable way) on macOS are /Library/LaunchDaemons, /Library/LaunchAgents, /Library/StartupItems, and ~/Library/LaunchAgents (well, and cron). All those locations can be easily cleared.

      On Windows 10, it’s too easy for malware to sink its hooks in deep (and removing stuff from the registry is a real pain and sometimes dangerous if you remove the wrong thing). I’m hoping Microsoft can rectify this for future versions of Windows.

      1. Anonymous Educator*

        I should amend that comment about ChromeOS. There are malicious Chrome extensions, and when Google discovers those, it removes them from the Google Chrome Store, but once they’re removed from the Chrome Store, they’re also removed from your local ChromeOS. Either way, much easier to remove than in Windows 10.

    7. Gatomon*

      Gom is known to come bundled with crap. If you can download Malwarebytes and run a scan, that would be my recommendation to start with. It’s free and what we use in the tech support department to clean up PCs at my company. It should be able to tackle the problem if you can get it installed. As soon as it’s installed and definitions are downloaded, disable the WiFi on your computer so it can’t exfiltrate any data or download more malware until it’s clean.

      FWIW, Malwarebytes and BitDefender are my recommended tools. Windows Defender is also adequate if your budget is 0, but I’d keep Malwarebytes basic installed just in case. BitDefender has a free version I think if you dig around enough on their site.

      If it’s gone beyond that, you’ll need to wipe your PC and THEN scan in it again to ensure the infection is gone – do that before bothering to set anything personal up again in case it’s not. There’s an option in the windows settings to reset the PC without saving any files. I hope you have backups of anything important. If not, you can move them to a flash drive for salvaging and scan it before copying anything back to your PC or any other to make sure they are clean.

      As for your family, did they save credentials on your PC? Did they use it after Gom was installed? If so, they need to be warned, but otherwise the odds are probably low that they were compromised.

      1. Anonymous Educator*

        Didn’t know Gom came with malware. Hadn’t even heard of it until this thread. Side note: if you want a third-party media player, I’d highly recommend VLC. Even with legitimate downloads, though, be careful of bundled crap… don’t just click through the install wizard and assume the defaults are good. Check to see if there are pre-checked options to install stuff that is not what you actually downloaded.

        Also, +1 for MalwareBytes. Yes, a clean reinstall is the only sure way to know the malware is gone, but I’ve used MalwareBytes to clean things up in the past (mainly on the Mac side), and it’s pretty good.

        1. Elizabeth West*

          I really like MalwareBytes too, except for one thing. When you install or upgrade the free version, it gives you a free premium trial but then pokes you to install the Premium version. However, you can go into the settings and disable these annoying pop-up notifications.

          1. Anonymous Educator*

            I think that’s fine. Most legitimate businesses have to make money somehow. You have to really look for why software is free. It’s either profiting off ads or bugging you to pay for it… or it’s an open source project that a community contributes to. The odds of a closed source piece of software being truly free and malware free are very low.

      2. Malware & Emotional Counseling*

        Is it okay to install another anti-virus software on top of my Webroot?

        Webroot Support have gotten the log of my computer this morning, and they said everything looks fine. Should I take their word for it?

        So far my laptop has not slowed down. My email is okay.

  80. Lore*

    Report from the road—will update on my entire trip once I’m back next week, but so far so good, other than a weird virus that slowed me down a bit in Sevilla and Granada. (Unscientifically, I think the excessive amount of time spent in Sevilla with head up looking at amazing ceilings I’d things disrupted all my usual facial & ear sinus goo. I had incredibly swollen lymph nodes for like three days, a low fever, and a scratchy throat. Then a few days of the kind of throbbing upper tooth pain I get in peak allergy season. Now I’m fine. Anyway—turns I do pretty okay with my own company. I have done a few walking tours, and been perhaps chattier with bartenders and waiters, language mishmash permitting, than my norm. I also had a super friendly air bnb host in one plz r. Okay, yes, I did blab for hours when I met up with my colleague who I don’t actually know all that well, but having had the one social night I feel okay for the rest of the week!

    1. Seeking Second Childhood*

      Beautiful!
      If you have inhalant allergies, is mildew/mold a factor? It is for me and I’ve had a couple of allergy attacks in old churches as a result. People bring in dirt & moisture so the mildew spores can go to town on dust in the air, even if the building itself is in fine shape.
      And IIRC, Spain is warmer than your home, so maybe things are still in bloom that trigger your pollen allergies.
      Maybe pick up an antihistamine just in case?

  81. LGC*

    So…apparently, this is the year of me letting in old friends, and I’m a bit nervous. Buckle up, because this is basically high school-level humaning.

    (Summary: One of my friends did something horrible to me, I didn’t speak to them for a couple of years, and I just started speaking to them again. They’re really sorry, but…I don’t think they get why I was hurt. Should I explain it?
    Also: mental health issues.)

    A couple of years ago, I started to kick a lot of people out of my life because…well, because they weren’t great to me. But lately I’ve started to let some of them back in slowly – I hung out with one of them yesterday (we’ll call her Lysa). And…you know, I’m not sure if this is worth addressing with her.

    We fell out a couple of years ago because one of our other friends (we’ll call her Dany) had a manic episode, which resulted in her blowing up in a rage at me in front of Lysa and a few of our other friends in public as we were about to go out. I explained to a third friend (Tyrion) that Dany was “sick” – which was terrible phrasing on my part, but I’d sent off a text like 15 minutes after I’d excused myself from the situation.

    Tyrion showed it to Lysa, and then they both showed it to Dany. I found out when Dany blew up at me again.

    After that…Dany and I made up pretty quickly, surprisingly. (There was a lot of drama that weekend.) I yelled at Tyrion a ton because he shared his phone with Lysa, and Lysa had a habit of just…sharing people’s private messages. And then…I just stopped speaking to Tyrion and Lysa, really.

    Cut to now, and for the first time in ages, Lysa and I spoke. She was super apologetic (and…honestly, kind of overwhelming, but I feel like it was basically like two years of emotions in like two hours). But…she kind of phrased it as she thought I was mad at her when Dany got mad at me. I didn’t get into it right then and there – it was enough to deal with for me – but…what I wanted to say is, “Because I felt you backstabbed me. And right now, I’m just in the REALLY early stages of trying to trust you again.”

    And I don’t think she knows that Dany has bipolar, either. (Tyrion and Dany are extremely close – they’ve dated on and off in the past – so that’s why I sent that to Tyrion.) And that that’s why I wasn’t mad at her when she was “mean to me” – I recognized what was happening. But…is that necessary to say? Does she need to know that?
    To be fair, we all have our own issues and mental health/developmental diagnoses. Which makes it harder – I don’t know if Lysa would be able to understand because it is kind of complicated. (Like, I don’t quite get my own feelings myself.)

    1. Morning Reader*

      What? I don’t get it either. What did Lysa do that upset you so much? she shared a text? And this is enough for you to lose trust in her? (when the txt she shared was sent to her by Tyrion? Clearly this friend group does not have a set standard about whether texts should be private.)
      Is the question about whether you should share Dany’s diagnosis with them? Didn’t you already do that when you said she was “sick?”
      If she did something that makes you inclines not to trust her, tell her what it was. (I hate the feeling that someone could have a problem with me and I have no idea what caused it.) ask her if she could please not do that again, and if she doesn’t, you can begin to trust her again. And ask Dany about whether it is ok to share her diagnosis, if that’s relevant at all.
      It’s hard to tell from your story if it is complicated in a way that Lysa couldn’t understand (because some of the info is private and belongs to others, I guess?) or if you are just entirely overreacting to a text-sharing incident which appears to be considered normal among your friends.
      P.s. I would never put anything in a text that was supposed to be confidential. Somebody else might see what pops up on a phone at any time. Maybe, by your standards, it shouldn’t be shared, but you have the accept the risk that it could be seen by someone other than the intended recipient, intentionally or not. Take a note from our government conspirators; sometimes it’s time to stop texting and say, call me.

      1. valentine*

        you have the accept the risk that it could be seen by someone other than the intended recipient, intentionally or not. Take a note from our government conspirators; sometimes it’s time to stop texting and say, call me.
        There’s a massive difference between sharing and someone seeing or snooping. LGC wouldn’t be mad at Tyrion for the latter, but would be equally mad if they called and Tyrion secretly put them on speakerphone.

        I don’t think you need to betray Dany/mention her diagnosis in order to explain to Lysa the problem was the domino chain of Tyrion, then Lysa, keeping your text confidential. It was especially terrible for them to show Dany so soon after she blew up at you.

        I wouldn’t have revived the relationships and I’d drop them now. You’re not your best self with these people. If you decide to continue, though, I hope no more yelling is a feature.

    2. Disco Janet*

      If I’m understanding this correctly, you shared your friend’s private medical info, and then got mad that your friend told her you had done so. I kinda get why Lysa might not understand How hurt you were, because it seems to me that you were more in the wrong here. You don’t get to decide that Tyrion deserves to hear about Danny’s diagnosis more than Lysa does. And sending sensitive info via text is never a good idea.

    3. Reba*

      Re: not getting your own feelings, maybe your gut is telling you something that your brain hasn’t caught up to yet.

      If hanging out with this person was unpleasant, remember that you do not have to do it again! You don’t have to get closure, you don’t have to like each other. You’re trying it out and you get to decide how much you engage.

      I don’t think you “should” or shouldn’t tell her anything… But think about what you imagine happening if you did. You don’t really say what your desire is here, in reconnecting with this person. Is it to get back to some level of closeness? Is it just to be able to be at the same party without feeling too awkward?

      If the former (idk you already didn’t trust her) might be worth a gentle further chat, like “I’m not angry at you now but I just want to explain more fully why I acted the way I did, so we can clear the air.”

      If the latter, you’re probably good.

      Sounds like you’re dealing with a lot. Virtual hug if you want one!

      1. fposte*

        And my thoughts complement this–if you do decide to renew the friendship, I’d let two years ago go and start fresh. If you *can’t* let two years ago go, then I’d consider that a reason not to renew the friendship.

    4. Not A Manager*

      I think I understand about the text thing. You thought Tyrion already knew about Dany’s diagnoses, so you weren’t outing her to him, and you used a poor choice to words to convey how upset you were. It’s hard for you to talk about the whole thing with Lysa even now, partly because you don’t know if she knows Dany’s diagnosis or not.

      I don’t think you should talk to Lysa more about this. I think you should either re-consider the episode in your own mind and find a way to be friends with her again, or you should decide that all of this is too much of a strain on your own mental health, and distance yourself from all of these people.

  82. Supervising Librarian*

    So I am staying with friends in a city not my own. I got up early to take some meds. 6 am. I needed to take them with milk. I am in my pj s . I return to the guest room. Weirdly I am locked out. So I am sitting in the living room waiting for my hosts to wake up. They announced last night that they are “sleeping in” can I knock on their door at 10:00 am? I have an appointment at 11:00.

    2. The Other Dawn*

      I would say even if you didn’t have an appointment, 10 am isn’t too early at all. And if you need more time to get ready, knock earlier.

  83. Bibliovore*

    I did it! Made the London plans! Thank you everyone. Mr.Bibliovore is going with me. Thoughts on things for him to do while I am in meeting in Cambridge would be helpful. Reminder… he likes libraries, poetry, architecture and design.
    We have a VRBO in Kensington. Third floor walk up. I know but we used to live in a 4 th floor walk up in Brooklyn. So I think it will be okay but I think the key is to pack on the light side.
    Trying to figure out how to pack for ten days in December including professional clothes. We will have a washing machine and dryer in London.
    Academics among you…would the Merrel boots be too casual?

    1. Lady Jay*

      If the Merrel’s look like hiking boots, then yes, probably too casual. But if they’re a little more dressy, and don’t have laces/big soles of hiking boots, they’re probably fine. So much of fashion in academia is wearing whatever you want–confidently.

    2. Weegie*

      You can book college tours in Cambridge – it’s the only way to get through the gates of most of them. Or just wander around looking at the exteriors: that should be enough architecture for most people!

      1. General von Klinkerhoffen*

        If you are around in December then it’s outside what’s called “Full Term” and colleges may be less precious about letting him in.

        I would suggest going off the beaten track a little if he is interested in architecture. Have a look at a map and plan a walk from the centre towards Queens’ and to Newnham, through the Sidgwick Site to the University Library, to Robinson College, up to Churchill College, Fitzwilliam College, Murray Edwards, then back down the “hill” past Magdalene.

        If you live in Cambridge the medieval/early modern stuff gets samey very quickly!

        1. General von Klinkerhoffen*

          Oh and don’t miss the Fitzwilliam Museum and the other university museums. I think they’re all (or at least most) free entry for visitors, and may have interesting events on. Many are in buildings interesting in their own right.

          https://www.museums.cam.ac.uk/

          1. Cambridge dweller*

            And if you’re at the Fitzwilliam, pop into Fitzbillies over the road for a Chelsea bun!

    3. Gaia*

      I love London and Cambridge so much. I would give worlds to move back there, or even just spend some significant time. Especially around the holidays it was just gorgeous.

    4. Auntie Social*

      Punting on the Cam, so he can see “the backs”—-highly recommend. Of course you get someone to do the punting, do not let him attempt himself.

  84. Jdc*

    Wtf with this weekend. Where do I even begin.

    Friday I asked my husband to trim a few uneven ends on my hair in the back. Just a few whispers of hairs that weren’t cut right when I got it done the other day (whole other story can’t find a decent hair dresser here to save my life). Cut to him cutting it totally uneven and me losing 10 inches of hair.

    Shortly after we hear screams and a gunshot. Brutal screams like someone is being murdered. Then I look outside at the bank access the street and a car is speeding away.
    So obviously i call the police. They came back to my house around midnight and say it was apparently a robbery and the robber shot into the air. He said he actually thinks it’s a drug deal gone bad. Scary as heck.

    This morning I am going to get coffee, it is very foggy. I nearly ran over a man lying in the street. Call police again for his safety, especially with the fog being you can only see a few feet in front of you. More police visiting to get the story. Say he’s a homeless man and he has moved on luckily from lying there.

    Pick up son from airport yesterday. He wakes us up early saying he has bed bugs. We check. Yep. Fml. So now we are washing every item in the house, finding and exterminator, etc.

    I just cannot with a this weekend. Wtf is going on here!!

    To note I live in a very safe area so it’s somewhat baffling to me. Of course things can happen anywhere but good grief.

    1. Reba*

      Wow, the bedbugs are really just insult to injury! So many shocks.
      And I hope your spouse is contrite about the hair. It will grow back, but still!!

      1. Jdc*

        He feels sooo bad. Of course not as bad as me ha.

        I just went off a bit because son is playing video games while I am on the fifth load of laundry vacuuming every inch of the house. Ugh. This is not all my responsibility.

    2. Elizabeth West*

      OMG gif of Charlie Brown yelling Auuuggggh!
      I hope the coming week is better. Yeah, son should absolutely be helping you, considering he’s the one who brought them in.

      1. Jdc*

        He’s helping now but making sure to take as long as humanly possible. Took a break to make some tea while husband is steam cleaning our room then going upstairs to light a fire under his butt.

  85. Seeking Second Childhood*

    I really need a new phone. This one ate my longer post again. Short version, France had colonies and people moved both directions. So food from those countries’ cuisines are excellent in France! I love little cafes and brasseries…
    I never had a bad meal going into a brasserie and ordering a ‘salad composee’ . You will need to specify meatless.

  86. GUSKF*

    So… I recently moved to Philadelphia for financial reasons.

    I get the feeling I offend people by virtue of existing. Someone harasses me essentially every time I go outside. Way more often than nyc even. And I don’t think it ever happened in Austin or Los Angeles (where it feels like people are happy I’m there.

    1. ThatGirl*

      Are we talking catcalling, homeless people/panhandlers, what sort of harassment? Same people? It’s not good regardless of course but it can be dealt with or minimized. I’m sorry, though. Philadelphians are generally good folks but every city has assholes.

      1. GUSKF*

        Like just random residents. On the street, in places, anywhere. Like, just yesterday, I was in a diner and a man maybe 60 leaned over my table, got in my face, and aggressively said “SO HOW ARE YOU?” I ignored it so he got closer. I ignored it so he muttered something about how I was racist.

        Earlier the same day I was walking to the gym and a kid on a bike maybe 20 rode past me on the sidewalk and cursed me out for dressing like “Dora the Explorer.”

        It happens literally every time I go outside. When I expect it, I don’t get as angry, but I get super stressed and anxious all day long. I avoid going outside as much as I can.

        1. Rebecca*

          I’m so sorry, that sounds awful! As a citizen of the Commonwealth, I have to confess when I was in high school, we called Philly “The City of Brotherly Shove.” I much prefer rural life, even though I have to drive long distances to shop, and things like grocery choices are limited, I normally don’t have to deal with nonsense like that. Maybe you just encountered a few people having a bad day, just luck of the draw so to speak? Hope it gets better!!

          1. university minion*

            I grew up just south of your general location (based on your posts that reference Harrisburg…. that sounds kinda creepy. Sorry!) and find it quietly unwelcoming. No one’s been ugly like GUSKF described, but I’ve never felt like my presence was wanted – more like barely tolerated. The times I’ve been back since leaving home, my reception has been very much, “You’re not from around here”, especially as my accent has shifted to where I’ve lived for the last many years now.
            When asked about southern Pennsylvania, I tell people it’s pretty country to drive through, but not a great place to stop.

            1. The Other Dawn*

              My cousin feels the same way. She’s a transplant from CT to PA and it’s been over 30 years–she still feels very much like an outsider even though she’s made some friends. People just seem to know she wasn’t born there and treat her accordingly.

          2. Not a cat*

            Born and raised in Philadelphia, now I live in Los Angeles. It’s been a few decades, but from what I can remember there is a lot more human contact of the unpleasant kind from men there. Especially if you are a woman, who is out and about alone.

            One of my Philly friends was visiting me here in Venice. We were standing on the sidewalk waiting to be seated in a cafe. Someone walked by, smiled and said, “good morning.” My friend yelled, “what are you looking at!” at the person…..and I had to gently remind her that outside of Philadelphia, “good morning” are not words used to start an altercation.

        3. ThatGirl*

          It’s obnoxious for sure but as fposte says it sounds like it’s not about you, it’s about running into a high percentage of assholes. Maybe wear earbuds while you walk around and ignore people?

    2. fposte*

      That sucks. But I’d like to change the framing from you “offend people by virtue of existing” to you “encounter a higher percentage of mouthy assholes.” This isn’t about you individually (and if it were, it would have occurred in LA and Austin); other people (I’d bet especially other women) are getting a similar rate of obnoxiousness, from the sound of it and from my Philly memories. That’s not a big comfort when the rate you’re really focusing on is the rate of excursions to obnoxious interactions, but maybe it helps a little to realize it’s more like bad human weather than a fundamental characteristic about you.

  88. Lauren*

    My friend sent me a calendar reminder for an event. Today is the event and it said that she canceled it. She checked times with me yesterday so I was confused. I texted her and asked if we were still on. She said that she shouldn’t have canceled it and wasn’t feeling well, but would see if she was feeling stronger later.

    The event would take me an hour to drive to and I don’t feel like waiting around to see how she feels. (I don’t want to drive out there if she didn’t show up.)

    I’m a little ticked that she canceled the event and didn’t mention anything until I texted her. She’s a good friend otherwise, but this is frustrating me.

    Am I overreacting?

    1. fposte*

      I’m not crazy about last minute iffiness on stuff I have to transport to either, but some people are more last-minutey like that, and sometimes there’s health stuff in the mix. What do you want to have happen in future if she feels unwell on the day and uncertain about her participation? Would you prefer a clear plan of not going or to wait and see? You can let her know if uncertainty means a “no” for you, for instance, if you don’t want to wait. Or is it just that you wish she’d texted you before doing the Outlook cancellation and that it was confusing? I don’t know what’s up with that–could you ask her?

      1. valentine*

        You feel like the alert doesn’t constitute saying something? When I’m unwell, I can do One Thing, so I could not cancel it and also contact you about it, especially if you wanted to discuss it.

    2. Anon Librarian*

      It’s possible that her illness is a factor in this. She could be feeling delirious or just foggy or depressed. Bad mood, low energy, or impaired judgment. I wouldn’t take this as representative of what she would normally do.

      But you obviously know her and have a fuller picture of things. If this seems like more of an issue, then say something later on when she’s feeling better.

  89. Gloucesterina*

    Cool-weather outdoors-literate folks: I am interested in doing short jogs outdoors before work. Outdoor temps at this time are currently in the high 30s F. Can you suggest attire that would help me be comfortable at these temps? I have only jogged at much warmer temperatures, and I will probably abandon jogging when it gets truly cold (so I don’t need very serious and I would assume expensive gear for running in snow and ice). I would appreciate very basic advice to what type of items to layer, and to where to buy such items. Thank you!

    1. university minion*

      A Buff. That thing makes cold runs and rides so, so, so much more comfortable, and it’s light enough that when I get warmed up, it’s not too hot. You can wear it as a headband, hat, neck-gaiter, balaclava, etc, etc.
      Running tights run the gamut from cheap ones at Target (which work just fine if you’re a casual runner or live someplace where you only need them a few times per year) to just stupid expensive. Find ones that are comfortable at your price point. You can buy cycling tights that have a wind resistant coating/fabric on the front. I’m not sure if that’s a thing with running tights (it doesn’t get *that* cold here), but if it is, check those out.
      On top, it’s all about layers. I love a wool baselayer along with some sort of wind blocking outer layer.
      Plan your routes so you can easily shed layers if necessary. It’s necessary where I live, and I HATE carrying things. A Nike Thermasphere top is a bit of a splurge (for me anyhow), but it handles cool & damp better than any other sweatshirt/hoodie type outer layer I’ve tried.
      I really like Costco’s ladies trail socks (wool) to run/cycle/live in during the winter. I wear those socks for everything.
      Chapstick. All the chapstick.

      1. Seeking Second Childhood*

        Look at the figure skating workout tights that zip up the sides so you can put them on & take them off without removing your skates. I may order a pair for general use…like over my office slacks on a freezing commute. Link to one in a reply.

  90. Jdc*

    One of the best purchases I made was one of those fleece headband ear warmers. Having a full hat on makes it worse for me because my head gets sweaty then cold. The ear warmers are perfect.

    1. Auntie Social*

      The soft stretch kind or the velcro kind? I’m wanting one–hats just don’t stay on me.

      1. Jdc*

        Mine is the stretch and I’m amazed it fits me because I have a very small head. I feel like it is a running company who makes it.

    2. Thankful for AAM*

      I got a fleece neck warmer (a turtle) 21 years ago and it is one of my most treasured possessions! It keeps my neck and ears warm but lets my head breathe.

      So I know the happiness of which you speak!

  91. Gaia*

    Warning: mental health struggles ahead.

    I have lived my entire life with undiagnosed general anxiety. I’ve never sought treatment for it because it never had a significant impact on my life (or so I told myself – that’s probably not true) and I always just assumed it was normal to be a “worrier.” Lately though it has been spiking and now I’m dealing with what I suspect is low level depression complicated by the fact that my anxiety is preventing me from seeking treatment.

    I’m not taking care of myself. I’ve stopped exercising and am eating like trash even though I don’t want to. I feel like I don’t have energy for anything. I want to socialize but when it actually comes time to do it I just….don’t. I don’t feel sad. I’m not at risk of self harm. I don’t really know how to explain how I feel. Maybe defeated. Not all the time, but more often than I’d like.

    I know I need to talk to someone about this. If anyone told me they felt this way that is the advise I would give them. But I also know that actual counseling is damn near impossible in this town unless you’re in active crisis, which I’m not, thankfully. And then my anxiety kicks in: I could see my primary care doctor but he is a jerk about anything related to mental health and absolutely will ignore any future ailments as “anxiety” or “depression” if I admit I’m struggling now. And my anxiety says if I get a new doctor and my first issue I raise is for depression and anxiety that doesn’t really set a great tone. Even if I do see someone and they help me out it will likely be with medication and my family has a bad history with anti depression medication so that sends off the anxiety alarm bells.

    Ugh. This is hard. Logically I know what to do so why can’t I just do it?

    1. Anxiety Anon*

      I’m sorry to hear that you are not feeling great at the moment. I think all your logically presented points are correct; I recognise that brains are not logical and you can’t hear yourself.

      There are other medical routes to treating anxiety besides anti-depressants which I agree are not for everyone. For example, some people with anxiety get on very well with beta blockers such as Propranolol. They have a very short half-life so are out of your system the same day, which means typically they work immediately if they’re going to work (though you may need to find the right dosage), and there’s no unpleasant withdrawal if you stop taking them. Beta blockers work on the physical symptoms of anxiety such as tachycardia and arrhythmia, rather than the chemical emotions. They are not suitable for all patients (e.g. notably bad for asthmatics) but if you have concerns about SSRIs etc then you could enquire with your doctor if an initially low dose of a beta blocker could be useful to you.

      Propranolol changed my life – probably saved it, given that before I started taking it I had a pulse rate permanently over 100 and irregular. I still have significant anxiety, but Propranolol brings it down to levels where I can actually make decisions and carry out my daily routine. If your main concern is to get well enough to seek help – and I recognise the hideous Catch 22 in that – then that could be just enough.

      You are correct that it’s most likely anxiety telling you untruths about looking for a new doctor, and I wonder if your worries about your current primary care doctor could in fact be compounding your condition at the moment. Is there another doctor at the same office? Or can you look at your coverage and find ANYONE to help? Sometimes you can cheat by needing to see someone “out of hours” such as at the weekend, because mental health can absolutely be an emergency that can’t wait for a regular appointment.

      Very best of luck. You can do it.

      1. Gaia*

        Thanks. I’m glad propranolol worked for you. I have a friend that took something similar. Weirdly, my anxiety doesn’t actually have many physical symptoms (except for upper back pain) – even at the peak. I feel lucky in that regard, I know for some it can be physically as well as emotionally debilitating.

        I’ll keep working on trying to go into a doctor. I don’t think switching doctors is possible right now for a lot of reasons. But maybe I can see his PA.

    2. OyHiOh*

      If your insurance covers it, online therapy might be a valid option for working on the conversations and behaviors that surround anxiety.

      Additionally, depending on your ability to work through thinking patterns on your own, a CBT (cognitive behavioral therapy) workbook for anxiety might be helpful

      1. Gaia*

        Thanks for the idea. I’ve actually done different varieties of “remote” therapy for awhile. They are helpful in the moment but I haven’t seen long term results. I think I need more than talking and in my state, only doctors who see you in person can diagnose or prescribe anything.

    3. Not So NewReader*

      It a circle, the more junk food, the most stagnation, etc. then the more anxiety/depression/and all. And it’s really tough to break through these circular things.
      Do you have a trusted friend who can help you carry out a proactive idea of what to do here?
      Do you have EAP at work?
      Do you belong to a church or any faith based organization? Sometimes they can help find counselors.
      Would you consider getting a general check up to check your heart and thyroid?
      Do you have friends who have good docs that are trustworthy?

      Can you increase your water intake? It’s amazing how dehydration can exasperate the stinkin’ thinkin’.

      1. Gaia*

        Thankfully the one thing that hasn’t fallen apart is my water intake haha.

        There are people I want to talk to about this. And I’ve made plans to do so. But the moment comes and the anxiety is paralyzing. It is a horrible cycle. I want to tell them how bad I’m struggling to tell them how bad I’m struggling. Even posting here felt way harder than I expected and none of you know me. Logically, I know it is ridiculous. And that makes it even more frustrating.

        2. Washi*

          I know that feeling! Sometimes when I arrange to talk to someone, I’ll say “there’s something I’d like to talk to you about” ahead of time so I don’t chicken out when it comes down to it.

    4. Reliquary*

      Get a new doctor. Your present one is not helpful to you.
      Your concerns about “tone” are misplaced. People go to doctors because they need help, and a good physician will not place any kind of stigma whatsoever on mental health.
      And finally, a good doctor will not push you into any kind of treatment you’re uncomfortable with. Inquire about CBT, for instance.

      I know your anxiety is getting in the way of your treatment. I posted what I did because I think your anxiety is keeping you from seeing things clearly, and I want you to see a non-anxious perspective.

      I wish you well!

      1. Gaia*

        No, I do see all of that clearly. But seeing is clearly doesn’t make it any easier, unfortunately. The most frustrating part of this is I *know* what needs to happen. I know what is actually quite likely to occur (I’ll get help and feel better) if I do those things. And in this exact moment that seems very plausible. But the second action is actually required all of that flies out the window. It is absolutely maddening.

        1. Dr. Anonymous*

          I hope it helps you to know that treating patients for depression and anxiety is one of the most fulfilling things I get to do as a doctor. And I usually spend a part of the visit reassuring patients that they deserve care for this illness, like any other. Most patients apologize. It’s just part of the illness and the societal stigma. But many doctors consider it a great gift of trust when patients take the leap of faith to ask for help with things that are so hard to discuss.

          I hope you get the care you need. You do deserve it.

    5. The devil’s thrilling thrills*

      Welcome to my life.

      There’s a stigma surrounding around asking for help, and I don’t know why that is.

    6. Anono-me*

      Find a new doctor. If you can, bring up the anxiety right away.

      But, if you feel that you absolutely can not bring up the anxiety issue right away , for the first appointment get a full physical. I mean the works -every nook and cranny, all of the blood work, and all of the labs.

      I would very much bet money (a whole dollar) that there are multiple issues in play right now. Some of them may be non mental health issues that exacerbate your anxiety. Go for the low hanging fruit first.

      Then, when it is the right time for you, (But no more 2 months from now. This isn’t an excuse to push it off forever. ) please the new doctor about treatment for the anxiety.

      I’m rubbing my puppy’s tummy and thinking warm soothing thoughts. Please help yourself to as many as you would like.

  92. Poor kitty*

    Reassure me that if a cat barfs up her breakfast, but is running around, playing, watching birds out the window, and climbing onto things she is not supposed to be climbing on to, she is probably OK? Especially since a couple hours later she was enthusiastic about the small portion of dry food (breakfast was wet food) I served her and it stayed down?

    She literally just got a clean bill of health from the vet (who said her checkup was “perfect”) a couple days ago, so I am thinking she just hoovered it down too fast and then overexerted herself chasing her sibling up and down the stairs.

    1. Yup*

      This is normal cat behavior with regards to vomiting. I’ve had many cats over the years and some vomit more than others.

      The only reason to be concerned is if they continually vomit and don’t eat. If a cat hasn’t eaten for a day, then it’s time for a vet visit.

    2. Asenath*

      Vomiting by cats, without any other symptoms, is not unusual. Sometimes it’s hairballs, but I did have one cat who would frequently do exactly what you describe – gobble down her food, and then it came up again. I had her checked out – the vet described her as a “chronic vomiter” and gave me some hints to make her eat more slowly – mixing the food with marbles, for example, so she had to slow down and work for her food. I also noticed that she was more likely to vomit after eating if she got the canned food she really loved, so I gave her dry food. These measures reduced the amount of vomiting a lot. She had a long healthy life in spite of her sensitive stomach and tendency to eat too fast!

    3. Alas alack*

      Sometimes mine do a vomit an hour or so before a hairball gets horked up … like they are working up to the hork.

      But random occasional vomit? Totes norm.

    4. I'm A Little Teapot*

      Cat is fine. If they eat too quickly, they’ll throw up. If it’s new food, they can throw it up. If however, they throw up that food repeatedly over a few weeks, then that food is not agreeing with them for some reason.

  93. Blue Line (Metro)*

    Semi-echoing Bibliovore above: I did it! I finally made some my East Coast travel plans! I’ve been putting it off for weeks.

    IDK why, but making travel arrangements is really painful. I hate it. I wish I had the funds to be able to hire a travel agent/concierge/whatever and just tell them the dates I want to depart and return and y’all figure out the rest! Surprise me. I just purchased the multi-city flights (me plus parents). Insert Tired Spongebob meme here. Phew.

    Now…I need a hotel for NYC, possible 1 day rental car to see the foliage (will there even be foliage to see near NYC mid November? Must check the fall foliage report. I’ve never written foliage so many times in my life. Also, I’m a bit intimidated to drive in NYC until I get out of the city.) Still need to buy Amtrak tickets from NYC to Virginia. Maybe get a car rental in VA for the days we’re there? Also foliage dependent. You see, I rather write all this out then actually commit and purchase the tickets/book things. Again, IDK why. Maybe it’s because there are too many factors that I feel responsible for? Lastly, traveling with my parents is like herding cats. Mom for this reason, dad for that reason.

    Okay. I WILL finish booking this stuff today. I got the ball rolling. I can do it!!!

    2. Lore*

      I’ve been away from NYC for a few weeks so not sure of the foliage status—mid November is past peak but we had a pretty warm fall so who knows. But there are plenty of places accessible by train where you could see leaves if you don’t want to deal with renting a car in the city. Look at Beacon or Cold Spring on metro north or Rhinebeck and Hudson on Amtrak.

      1. Alex*

        Seconding this. One more thing to do on Metro North–the walkway over the Hudson. If there is any foliage, you can get the river view of it. And even if it is gone (likely), it’s still nice! I’ve done it in November before when the weather was OK (it isn’t always). The good part about this is that there’s nothing to book in advance, so if the weather isn’t good you can just skip it.

      2. Seeking Second Childhood*

        Connecticut has already lost about 50% of our leaves, with another rain coming in tonight.
        I’d suggest you plan on the car for the VA portion–look into the Blue Ridge Mtns. NYC has good public transit and bad enough driving conditions that even this native New Yorker tries to avoid it now.

    3. Anon from the Bronx*

      Sadly, it is unlikely that there will be any colorful foliage left to see in the NYC area by mid-November. It’s possible but trees are usually pretty bare by then.

    4. Blue Line (Metro)*

      You. Are. All. Really. The. Best!

      Thank you for all the recommendations. I’m a bit relieved to hear the NYC leave forecast. I won’t be too far from DC, so based on your feedback I’m eyeing Shenandoah National Park/Skyline Dr. as a likely spot to drive to.

      1. Blue Line (Metro)*

        LMAO. I’m back. I’m checking the Smokey Mountains dot com Fall Foliage Map and Nov 16 shows me it will be game over. Either way, I’m hoping to see some beautiful scenery.

        It will be peak in my Southern California county though. Aw, the 12 trees we have here will be so beautiful while I’m gone! :)

    5. Anon New Yorker*

      DO be afraid of finding a decent, affiordable hotel room in NYC. DON’T be afraid of driving here.

      Check out alternatives to hotels in the city. Look at vacation rentals and options outside the city.

      Driving – Plan your route ahead of time. Some of the signs are wrong. Follow your planned route instead. Don’t park illegally. They tow cars for minor parking violations. Don’t turn right on red unless there’s a sign saying you can. Be alert. Watch out for pedestrians. Be patient. Don’t worry about the horns. It’s a horn-honking culture; people are just blowing off steam. Drive assertively. But it’s not that bad. I think it’s easier than some US cities (ahem, Boston, DC).

    6. Nana*

      Rather than Amtrak or train, consider Bolt of Megabus. Both go center city – to – center city, at a MUCH lower rate. Clean, new busses w/toilet and WI-FI and lots of business travelers.

        1. Chip Hackman*

          Late to this but maybe you’re still checking it but: I took a megabus during the summer from DC to NYC and it was the worst travel experience of my life and their customer service is garbage. It was cheaper than taking the train, but it was not worth it to me. Bolt or a Greyhound might be similarly priced or higher but still cheaper than the train and I’d think they would at least be somewhat better than Megabus

  94. Alpha Bravo*

    I got a horse. Brought him home Thursday. For the first time in a long while I’m feeling really happy.

    3. Not So NewReader*

      Oh wow, this is so cool.

      How old? Are you keeping his name or giving him a new one?

      Finding that first thing that makes us happy is a bear. The second thing is a bit easier and comes up a bit quicker.
      Hang tough. Give your horse a hug for me!

      1. Alpha Bravo*

        Thank you. He’s young, two and a half. He came with the name NASA. I’ve been working toward this for a long time, and I’m happier than I thought I’d be again. Now I need to get him a horse buddy. :)

        1. Not So NewReader*

          Am chuckling. A horse buddy. Good for you. You will have to keep us posted on NASA and new buddy. He is very young, so he will be with you for quite a while.

          It’s okay to be happy and it’s okay to find happy things. Our spouses married us because they thought we had something to offer in life. They thought we were worthwhile to spend time with. We can continue being “worthwhile to spend time with” as in we can find things to enjoy and share with others. It’s not the same, nor should it be. However, that does not mean it is without joy or happiness of a different type. We can still find stuff that actually tickles us and make us feel good.

          1. Alpha Bravo*

            Yes, when the rescue asked me why I wanted him I explained I was 58, and looking for my last horse. Average horse and human lifespans being what they are, I figure we can grow old together. The other horse I’m looking at is young too.

            Today is my daughter’s birthday, and also the two-year anniversary of Spouse’s death, so right now my feelings are all over the road. But having a horse again has certainly helped.

            1. Not So NewReader*

              Dunno if you will see this but here goes.
              Two years, wow. Time flew and crawled all in the same stroke, right?

              Animals are great. They serve us in ways that humans can’t. And they can comfort in ways that humans miss.

              I was at the 2.5 year mark when I lost my old dog. I looked at the sky and said, “My dog, too? REALLY???” I went out the next week and got a pup. This dog has been like no other dog I have had. He’s super smart and he makes me laugh all the time. To the point I kinda missed some training topics with him because I was too busy laughing. More importantly he contributes to building my new sense of normal. He also sets my schedule because he needs to eat or he needs to go out. He makes great filler stories at work when I don’t want to talk about life stuff.

              And he is something new going on in present time. That’s a big deal.
              Your horse(s) will start to fill up your days and other things will start to fill in your time and fill in your mind. You’ve made a lot of good choices here that you will never regret. And as time goes on your going to realize how much so and be so proud of yourself for creating this new chapter.

  96. DoctorateStrange*

    My father humiliated my younger sister and me at a local high school football game. Over the years, my father has been radicalized to be a bigot. Add to that, he has mental health issues that he refuses to get treated on–instead, he feels better when it comes to putting down me, my sisters, and my mom.

    Well, a friend at work gave him tickets to go see the local game, and, well, my sister and I thought he was going to behave himself there. We thought wrong.

    So, for breast cancer awareness, people were wearing pink. Pink shirts, pink socks, and so on. The football players themselves wore pink knee pads. The cheerleaders also wore pink on their hair ribbons, socks, and bloomers.

    When the cheerleaders did their backflips, my dad said in a jokey baby voice (that only he thinks is hilarious), “They’re wearing pink panties!”

    I wanted to slide down from my seat in embarrassment, especially as an elderly couple ahead of us stiffened, obviously hearing that.

    Later on, into the game, there was a player that was performing really well. I leaned over to my dad to comment on him. My dad responded, “Yeah, he’s black, right? I can’t tell from far up here.”

    Oh, how I wanted to die.

    —
    I wanted to cry when we got home. It’s this reason why my family doesn’t go out much as a family, my father has a way of ruining it for all of us.

    1. !*

      My father was the same, unfortunately, you won’t be able to change him but only how you react to his behavior. I actually had to stop going anywhere with my father, and when I did, I tried to sit as far away from him as possible. Going out to a restaurant was the worst, he would always have something to complain about. It only got worse as he got older. I feel for you.

      1. DoctorateStrange*

        Thank you. It helps knowing I’m not alone with this. Restaurants are a nightmare. Thankfully, he’s respectful of the servers, but the comments he makes at random. *sinks down in embarrassment.*

        1. Not So NewReader*

          I went through some stuff in public with my mother. I ended up deciding not to wear her embarrassment for her. Eventually, I just stopped going places with her. Her stuff was different, it was not so much verbal as it was she would do stuff. And what is she going to do this time, sigh.
          But yes, the behaviors could occur any where and any time.

          You may have to let his peers handle things. I know I did not have much say and my inputs did not get heard often. Do you have a trusted adult relative who is part of his generation who might help or at least support you and your sibs?

        2. !*

          Just know, from the perspective of someone looking at the situation from the outside, your father’s behavior is no reflection on you. So sit up and don’t be embarrassed, just let it roll off your back, and you can even respond with an incredulous, “Wow, did you really just say that?!” every now and again.

    2. Alex*

      Wow, is your dad my mom? Add in a few stage-whispered (ie, in earshot of everyone with normal hearing) comments about how fat or thin some stranger is and I’d think they were twins.

      Solidarity with the “inappropriate in public” parent club. It’s the worst, but also, rest assured that people were aghast at HIS behavior not yours.

      1. Anon Librarian*

        This. You don’t need to feel embarassed about someone else’s behavior. You don’t need to feel pressure to react in one specific way. It’s not your fault. It’s something that a lot of people deal with.

        It might help to try different (appropriate) reactions, like making a disgusted face or inching away from him or saying various types of things in response to it. I mean that avoiding being in public with him shouldn’t be the only option. You can also be seen with him but make it obvious that you’re not OK with the way he acts.

    3. Not A Manager*

      That’s really hard. It sounds like you don’t have any hope of changing your father’s behavior, but you’d like to signal to others that you don’t share his views. How about some stock phrases like “that’s not okay, Dad” or “nope, not funny”?

      I would say them in a bit of a monotone, actually. If your father doesn’t sense a big emotional investment from you, he might be less likely to push back and make more of a scene. And if you keep your tone very even, what you actually signal to other people is, “this happens so often that I’m not even shocked anymore.” Which is true.

  97. Anon Librarian*

    I moved to a major city in the area where I grew up and spent my college years. I established my dog as a patient at a new vet clinic and saw the vet once.

    One day, he had a minor emergency and I rushed him to the clinic. The vet who saw him, to my surprise, appeared to be a friend from 20 years ago. Last time we talked, he was living in that neighborhood and had just been accepted into vet school. We weren’t super close. He was part of a couple I was friends with. After they broke up, I remained friends with both of them for a while but eventually only kept in touch with the woman because we lived closer to each other. Then she developed some serious mental health issues, became a danger to herself and others, and I moved again and stopped talking to her (she was stalking and threatening people, but it was related to delusions that she was having during a psychotic episode).

    Anyway, the vet and I both seemed to recognize each other and be happy to run into each other, but neither one of us said anything. The perscriptions and the business card he gave me had a different name on them. I was in a state of shock after seeing my dear dog get injured so I put him first and just focused on his health. He’s fine now.

    I did some light googling, not digging too deep, and found out that yes, my college friend has a vet practice in this city, and he was evidently filling in for my regular vet that day. My friend’s practice is in a different neighborhood.

    So now I’m trying to decide what to do. Should I assume that he recognized me, knew who I was, and chose to give me the other vet’s business card because he doesn’t want to keep in touch? I mean, I want to respect his boundaries if that should be interpreted that way.

    But I can think of a million other reasons why he might have done that and why he wouldn’t have said, “Anon! Great to see you!” I can’t really assume that he knew who I was, and anything about his intentions. He was probably thinking the same things – “Is that Anon? What should I say? Would it be good or bad to be in touch at this point? What if Anon still talks to our other friend? What if Anon tells crazy stories from our teen years and tarnishes my career?” All the usual stuff people think about when running into a friend from their late teens / early twenties half a lifetime later. I mean, who knows. I can’t assume.

    What would you do?

    I would like to say hi. Since we’re different genders, and we’re older now, I don’t want it to come across the wrong way. But it would be nice to say, “Hey! That was me. Thank you for giving my dog great medical care! I’m happy to see that you have a good career now. I’ll tell my friends about your practice.” But how would I contact him, and would it be at all creepy or inappropriate?

    I know I could look up the contact info for his practice and send an email or a snail mail card, or even go there in person (???). Or I could tell my regular vet what happened next time I see him (“I think the vet who covered for you was an old friend from college. I was too upset about my dog’s injuries to say anything. Could you tell him Anon says hi and thank you?”). Maybe that last option would be the most reasonable. I’m leaning toward that one.

    Dogs! They really have a way of bringing people together.

    1. Not So NewReader*

      I think you are way over thinking this.
      He gave you things with the other vet’s name because he is filling in for him. If he put his name on things that would probably be seen as trying to steal patients.

      I think your last option is your best. If you think your old friend did an great job you can tell your vet that also. Your vet would appreciate knowing how his substitute is doing with his patients.

      You both shared a story line that ended in a sad way. So you have a shared sense of sadness but that does not mean you have to do anything. You can just let it stay at rest and continue on with current life stuff.

      1. Anon Librarian*

        I didn’t think of the stealing patients angle! That’s a good point. It also occured to me that asking if I was Anon from College might have been unprofessional since I wasn’t there to see him; I was there to see the vet who practices there.

        Yeah. I think I will reach out and say hi, maybe through my regular vet. I don’t know a ton of people here, and it would be nice to know someone who I’ve known for a long time, even if we don’t actually talk much. And I might even switch my dog to his practice!

    2. Anon Librarian*

      Well. I looked him up again and it turns out he lost his practice and has a mixed reputation. Sounds like the same person I knew 20 years ago. The reviews of his former practice (and his responses to them!) reflected the reasons we were friends and the reasons I kept him at arms’ length as well. He was a little sketchy – the kind of stuff that some people grow out of and some people don’t.

      It’s disappointing. I had hoped for a moment that he had grown up and turned into a more ethical person, but what I found really gave me pause. I’m not going to contact him.

  98. Publishing help*

    I have a friend searching for a book agent/ publisher. He describes it as “a mostly true account of
    the fall of a once decorated Army Officer’s battle with alcoholism, and search for redemption.” I can attest he’s a good writer. He’s just trying to figure out next steps. Any ideas?

    1. fposte*

      There’s a publishing discussion upthread that you might want to have a look at. While that poster is talking about nonfiction (I can’t tell if this is autobiographically based fiction or nonfiction with a wry admission of unreliability), there’s some advice that’s generally applicable.

    1. Elspeth Mcgillicuddy*

      A hair fork from MapleBurl. I’m really excited-it’s absolutely gorgeous. It’s coming from overseas so it probably won’t be here for nearly a month, but I’m checking the tracking info way too often.

      I usually don’t splurge on pretty things, so this is extra special for me.

      1. Elspeth Mcgillicuddy*

        Oh, and I saw tiny fully functional notebook necklaces the other day and thought there would be several people on here who would like them. Link to follow.

        2. Lcsa99*

          My husband got me one of those! cutIt’s cute, but honestly it’s too small to actually write in, and too big for a necklace (for my style anyway). Its sad cause it’s such a great idea

    6. Sometimes Always Never*

      Thirstycat has lovely and very useful cat fountains. Lately, I bought replacement filter for a fountain I’ve been using for maybe 10 years? Cat loves it!

    7. Etsy customer*

      An otter pencil case! Someone a couple of months back linked to it here and my son LOVES otters so we ordered it for him for Christmas. Just arrived today and waiting for him to go to bed so I can take a peek!

    9. Sparkly Librarian*

      The last thing I BOUGHT was a copper necklace shaped like a piece of honeycomb on it. That was the trinket I used as a placeholder until the actual 7th anniversary present I ordered arrived, which was the last thing to ARRIVE from Etsy. (On time! Although it never looked like it would make it and had a 30-day shipping lead time I overlooked when ordering.)

  100. Toast*

    OK — how do people get all these pictures for their instagram? Do they hire a photographer? Do they hire someone to be their boyfriend so they can have instagram pictures? I don’t understand! Where do they get the good lighting! The good angles! I legitimately don’t understand how there are so many people with such quality photographs of themselves all the time like in a random forest or on a boat or on their windowsill. SOMEONE PLEASE TELL ME WHAT’S GOING ON!

    1. Amethystmoon*

      I don’t use Instagram, but I do use Facebook and am a somewhat serious hobby photographer. Granted, I don’t take selfies very often. You can create your own lighting tricks in Photoshop and Lightroom if you know how and have the right plugins. Probably if the colors look vibrant and the photos are really sharp, someone did a hue/saturation/contrast adjustment in Photoshop and ran the sharpen filter a few times. Maybe they did a contrast adjustment too. Gimp, which is a free photo editor that works like Photoshop, also has plugins available. It is worth learning how to use them. I’d link to my photos here, but it uses my real name.

    2. Anon Librarian*

      Smart phones have a timer option. You can set the camera to go off in 3 seconds or 10 seconds. And smart phone tripods are widely available.

      But I know what you mean! It’s one of those mysteries of modern life.

      1. Toast*

        It’s also like… sometimes it seems like these people are paying so much for sets and clothing and props! Like I don’t know if they just have all these things already or they buy it for Instagram or what.

        1. Caterpie*

          Sometimes they do! My apartment is mid-range and affordable for my area, but happens to have a wildly beautiful pool area. People will show up with props (one time someone brought a sliced watermelon and giant floaty to pose with), multiple outfits, and a few friends to take their photos. I’m 90% sure it’s for Instagram/other social media.

        2. Rainy*

          I know a woman who has been trying to make fetch happen with a lifestyle blog for a few years, and she goes and buys a bunch of stuff at Nordstrom etc on her credit card, does a photo shoot with a friend doing the photography, and then returns all the stuff she bought after the photography is complete.

    3. LilySparrow*

      Never discount the impact of ohoto manipulation, either.

      With a bit of know-how you can make yourself look 10x better in the photo than IRL. You can even change the background, all kinds of things. IIRC, an instagrammer got caught recently using the same sky in all her fake backgrounds.

      Of course, some people take it to a ludicrous level. Check out r/instagramreality for a big dose of “what were they thinking?”

      1. valentine*

        an instagrammer got caught recently using the same sky in all her fake backgrounds.
        Was she really not in the places or did she just use the better sky for all her locations? Why does anyone care either way, but especially for the latter? Even if someone is paying her to funnel tourists, I don’t see how it’s different from pictures on food boxes or the use of glue as milk in cereal ads.

        Some Instagrammers are paid PR reps.

        1. Anon Librarian*

          Yes! I was thinking about the people I know who post model-esque pictures of themselves on Instagram and nearly all of them are advertising something. In my circles, it’s usually their creative project or business. But it has a means-to-a-different-end feel to it. They’re not posing in that random forest for nothing.

    4. Xavier89*

      If they use Instagram for a living they probably do have a professional photographer and editor. That was pretty eye opening for me when I learned that

      If they just use Instagram for fun then not sure

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