What advice would you give to someone just starting out in a relationship?
Mine might sound kind of dark in relation to the question, but here goes:
People change, and they should, it's part of being a person. Some people are lucky, and they change in the same direction, but some don't, and that's okay too. There's no shame in leaving a relationship or changing the nature of a relationship that no longer serves you. We are all taught that every relationship, whether romantic or friendship, is supposed to last forever, but nothing is forever, and forcing something that no longer works, just ends in anger and bitterness. Knowing when to let go is as important as knowing when to hold on through a rough patch, and how to know either of those things is the most cliché advice of all, COMMUNICATE.
@RickiTarr
I can't give advice here, but will forward advice I received from a teacher about 60 years ago. She survived invasion by the Nazis, years of refugee status with her son & husband, new home in the US, sudden death of her husband after reaching this golden shore.
Be prepared to take care of yourself and your children by yourself.
@RickiTarr
At some point, we all "stand alone" and do not know when it will be necessary. Death, divorce, disability, dementia - bad things happen, and life goes on. I think about your homelessness post from yesterday. With or without support systems, how will you cope with a sudden change? A relationship as a crutch is only that.
OMG Y'all, I found some of my old Christian Girl writing and I'm cracking up. You can see my terrible handwriting! Feel free to share your own handwriting, it doesn't have to be super embarrassing!
Okay, I wanted to make a joke that I can't possibly choose between dogs and cats, I can't even choose between men and women, because I'm bi-furrious. BUT I know y'all would make jokes about me in the comments, because you all are perverts. GET YOUR MINDS OUT OF THE GUTTER!
@flexghost #MastodonMusic
"Blue" by Joni Mitchell on the album "Blue".
Blue, songs are like tattoos,
you know I've been to sea before
Crown and anchor me
Or let me sail away.
Ink on a pin
Underneath the skin
An empty space to fill in...
Obviously, don't tell me exactly where you live, no actual addresses please! You can be as vague as you like.
I live in Central Missouri in the U.S.
Pros:
This is an absolutely beautiful place, green rolling hills, lots of rivers, lakes, ponds, and natural springs, cool caves to explore.
Lots of farming here, so great access to quality fruits, vegetables, meat, eggs, and dairy.
It's relatively inexpensive to live here compared with other states, because it's a "flyover".
I'm close enough to three major cities, that it's an easy day trip, and I'm about halfway to anywhere in the U.S.
We have one of the best Conservation departments in the U.S. and this is one of the few things that is a bipartisan issue. Lots of awesome nature programs that are free or cheap, state parks, conservation areas, bird watching, hunting, boating, foraging available to everyone.
Cons:
Yeah, it's a big one, it is a RED STATE, while a lot of the cities are blue, there is a large rural population, that votes red. Abortion is not legal here. People often vote against their own self interest.
While I'm not against responsible gun ownership, lots of people aren't responsible, and people have access to guns that definitely should not.
We have very few employee protections here, while the cost of living is relatively low compared with other places, it's taken years to get to a $12 minimum wage, and it's still not enough.
@RickiTarr
I live in the Capitol of Oregon. I love it here, but I have loved every state I've lived in (NC, AR, CA, OR).
Pros: People are kind and friendly. Weather and soils are perfect. One hour to tall mountains, to beaches, to a big city. There are fewer people in this state than in the SF Bay Area. Wildly diverse landscapes. Vast agricultural Willamette Valley. Reliably Blue on the spectrum, but plenty of wing nuts to keep everyone on their toes. Affordable.
Cons: It can be a bit bland.
@RickiTarr
They are owning the sourdough, meal prep., and gardening spaces. I'm so happy to see this. My daughter sends pictures of her loaves. And the garden.
@RickiTarr
My husband killed our starter, so we used the backup dried starter from the Bay Area daughter. It worked great! We made another batch of dried starter, "just in case". 😊
@flexghost #MastodonMusic
Late to the party. When I think of rock and roll "hair" bands, I think of Ten Years After and Alvin Lee. Guitar, hair, and voice. A pull out poster from one of my old vinyl albums decorated my daughter's HS bedroom.
"I'd love to change the world,
But I don't know what to do..."
@flexghost
I've been trying weird blends. This one has Cinsault, Zinfandel, Grenache, Barbera, Petit Sirah, Tannat, Mouvedre, Clariette Blanche, Sangiovese. Called "The Puppet", chillable red wine. I think it's the winery version of a café whose "house blend" of coffee is what they sweep up off the floor.
"There's a Sniper on the Roof of the School Where I Studied Authoritarianism", Sarah Kendzior - https://sarahkendzior.substack.com/p/theres-a-sniper-on-the-roof-of-the
"There are some things people can never take from you, no matter how much power they have. Your conscience, your compassion. These cannot be stolen, only surrendered."
