About 30 years ago, I lived near the tire place I took my car to have tires put on my car. I dropped it off, they said 3 hours, and I walked home. Three hours later, I walked back, they said 10 minutes, nbd, so I waited.

There were two other customers there, a man and a woman about my age (late 20s), who didn’t seem to be there together, but did seem to be acquainted with each other; I’d never seen either of them before, didn’t know either of them. He was saying to her that they should have a drink sometime, they should go out, they should do this, that, or the other, in between chit-chat about other things. She said “No” to each statement from him about going out, but in an “aw shucks” sort of voice, with a giggle, and could have been interpreted as “not serious,” especially by someone who didn’t want “No” for an answer. I didn’t know either of them or their background, but this was not long after I saw the Oprah episode with Gavin deBecker, about his book, The Gift of Fear, so I considered the possibility that she wasn’t giving the guy a firm “No” for safety or other reasons that I wasn’t aware of. Not once did he ask her if she wanted to go out, but kept saying they should do this, that, or the other. After her 3rd or 4th No to him, he looked at me and asked me, “Don’t you think she should go have a drink with me? I’m a nice charming guy.” I said (with some alarm bells going off from his comment about being “nice & charming,”) “All I’ve heard her say is No, and she has the right to decide for herself and for her answer be respected.” I was deemed “no fun” by the guy, and I said that I’m just waiting for my car to be done, which it soon was. When they called me to the counter when my car was done, I walked past the woman and said, “Stand firm and stay safe.” After I paid and had my keys, I asked her if she’d like me to wait with her, but she declined, saying that she’s ok, he doesn’t mean anything. I thought of a few retorts, but just accepted her reply as is. What happened after that, I’ve no idea; I hope she was able to stay safe from that disrespectful “nice & charming” guy. I didn’t feel safe to tell him that charm is a verb, not a virtue.

edited a typo

Her views of a 12-year-old are distorted, possibly from her personal trauma that she doesn’t/can’t deal with.

NAT, have been to therapists.

Say to your therapist, “I’ve realized that I’d feel more comfortable sitting in this seat because of X, Y, and Z. Is that ok with you?” If your therapist says it’s ok with them, the matter is settled, and nothing more needs to be said. If the seat you want to sit in isn’t your therapist’s seat, then it shouldn’t be an issue; if the seat is in the room, and the therapist isn’t sitting in it, then I’d think that I, as the client, can sit in it.

Toby has his mum’s facial bone structure, and mouth/smile, in my humble opinion.

I love spinning rides! Haven’t been in over 10 years, and I rode the coasters, too. Spinning rides are amazing, and yes, I was one of those kids who regularly spun myself around until I fell to the floor/ground.

Let’s also remember that above average “book smart” intelligence doesn’t always translate to above average emotional intelligence or social intelligence. Her brain was first rate, and as a 15-year-old, had another +/-10 years of developing to do overall.

The Lemon Peel stitch, also known as the Seed stitch, makes a solid fabric, has nice texture, and is easy to work; it’s a repeat of two stitches.

My eyes sprung a leak while reading your post. Well done (not sarcasm).

If you have a clean spray bottle and some white vinegar, put 50% each of vinegar and water into the spray bottle and spray the heck out of the affected areas of your skin. Just let it sit on your skin for at least 5 minutes (letting it dry is more effective), then take a cool shower. Follow up with aloe vera gel. White vinegar, even diluted to reduce the smell, will alleviate the sting of a sunburn.

Anything that I don’t like at all. Otherwise, sometimes I eat something that’s traditionally breakfast food, most of the time I eat whatever leftovers I have in the fridge. I like my leftovers.

I hadn’t either, until I stumbled across the recipe about a dozen years ago. The one I posted is from Vegetarian Times, but searching “stuffed acorn squash” results in several blog posts of recipes. It’s so yummy, and though a relatively recent discovery (I’d lived 40+ years before coming across this dish), it has become a comfort food.

I took that response of Harry’s to Hermione’s question as tongue-in-cheek, Harry being a bit of a smart ass, but not in a mean-spirited way; maybe a slight poking fun at Hermione’s bookish ways, in the way friends often do good-naturedly poke a little fun at each other. I didn’t see it as a retcon.

One of my favorite things to make is stuffed acorn squash, with corn and black beans. I’ve always made it as a casserole in a 9x13” baking dish, instead of using the squash halves as bowls, because it’s easier for me to share with a dozen people at Thanksgiving & Christmas dinners.

Another YES!!!

Repurposing a gift does not change your relationship with the gift-giver. The gift is not the person; giving away a gift is not giving away the person or the relationship you have with them. Once a gift is given to you, it is your property, yours to do with as you see fit; the giver has no claim unless there was a conversation about it at the time of the gift-giving.

I hope you get to see the surveillance footage, and can post it here.

YES!!!

The Sweater by Meryn Cadell

Are You Happy Now? by Richard Shindell

Have you heard this version? (ETA: Not a comedic song, but I laughed in astonishment and admiration when I first heard this)

Excellent tutorial, thank you.

The Fountain of Youth: Don’t start smoking; always wear sunscreen, a hat, and sunglasses that really protect the eyes.

There was some hard living going on for the previous generations. More smoking and exposure to smoking, for sure, which ages people.

A good quality plunger. Do not cheap out and get the emoji-style plunger 🪠; it turns inside out too easily. Spend $15 at least.

Doesn’t everyone take a bottle or a handful of packets of Heinz when they dine out, just in case of this atrocity?

I had a coworker with whom I carpooled several years ago, who did this. I’m not prone to carsickness, but that ridiculousness does bring it on.

I’ll do each half-hour, singing “Hello my honey, hello my darling, hello my ragtime gal, send me a kiss by wire, baby my heart’s on fire!” Who doesn’t love The Michigan Rag, whether they’re in possession of a frog or not.