Mega babe thigh rescue stick is amazing for chafing. I love and keep the mini size in just about every bag I take out and about in the summer. I use it for thigh chafing but my partner runs marathons and uses it on occasion to keep his chest from chafing!

You probably dropped body weight while gaining muscle! You can really lose inches/size without actually dropping weight that way.

I hope there is an endpoint lol

Whine: I'm a decade into a career that I would have historically called very "purpose" and "calling" driven. I've had spots of burnout over the years but always come around and feel re-energized and committed. But I'm in a burnout phase that I fear may be more long-term...I just don't care the way I used to, and I don't know if I can do the work without caring? I'm much more interested now in investing my limited energy in my life outside of work. I think maybe it's natural not to feel the burning ambition now that I'm reaching my mid-30s. But, it's like I don't know how to do this job without that fire. Maybe it's time to make a pivot to a different career path. On the other hand, I sacrificed and worked really hard to get to the position I am now, and maybe I should stick it out? Just feeling very existential crisis-y right now.

Win: I'm really excited about this summer, as my partner and I have a lot of fun plans and I finally have some consistent friends to enjoy it with after moving here a few years ago!

Ugh, so true. I was a bridesmaid in 7 weddings before I turned 30 and spent thousands to do so. I was happy and grateful to be included, but looking back, I realize how much energy/money I spent that has not been reciprocated in my life. (And frankly, many of those friendships have really withered away as we're at very different life stages now.) I'm doing the same as you in trying to celebrate other things in my friends' lives now such as finishing a master's program, egg retrieval, home ownership, etc.

Me! I actually spent a decent time in therapy last year talking about it, because I was like why am I the only person I know who feels this way? I'm in a very long-term committed relationship and am on my partner's health insurance as his job has a domestic partner policy. So, we're committed! But I've asked some close friends what they think marriage did or changed about their relationship and haven't heard any compelling arguments for or against. I don't see how it would change our current commitment to each other.

I'm not against marriage, I love a good wedding, but I also just feel very meh about it personally. I was never the little girl who imagined my wedding. I'm also from a culture that encourages women to marry quite young.

After time in therapy, I realized what I'm really pushing back on is society's expectation on women to hit this milestone, to change their name in favor of their husband's identity, to be celebrated for throwing a wedding over any other accomplishment in their life until/unless they have a child.

In the past year or so, I've softened to the idea, maybe because I'm also thinking about having children. If we do get married, it will be a city hall ceremony, and my partner and I have discussed how I'll keep my name and any children we have will also have my name.

YMMV in Paris! I'd visited three times by myself and never had an issue, and then went with my partner and we got absolutely eviscerated by a ticket seller for counting wrong on our fingers once lol. (Using our index for one instead of our thumb.)

I have another event to attend this weekend so going to study up. Thanks!

Ooh what bar

I've always struggled with what I call picture-body dysmorphia -- I feel reasonably self-confident, don't mind what I see in the mirror, but have never really loved myself in photos. It just feels like what I think I look like doesn't match what I see. Since the beginning of this year I've lost some weight and just generally feel really good -- I'm super active, feel really strong, clothes fit better, etc. And somehow it has made my photo issue WORSE. A photo someone posted a few weeks ago on my birthday sent me into a major funk, and then photos from an event this weekend were so disappointing.

I do logically know that they don't look as bad as I feel, as I frequently look back at photos I hated in my 20s and recognize how wonderful I looked. And it's likely been more upsetting because the disconnect between my confidence and photos right now is even wider than normal? I just really wish I could figure out how to hack my brain to appreciate myself in the here and now, not in 5-10 years when I lament the ignorance of (relative) youth! Ugh. /end rant

Just fyi the Sonoma brand at Kohl's does an excellent Birk knock-off, if you're not sure about the style and want to try them out for a season or two.

The best I've found are Abercrombie's fitness line. I prefer the Curve Love, which is for people with wider hips/smaller waists. I've found it really keeps everything in place. Occasional roll down but I'm not constantly tugging them up like most.

I am simply so nosy I always *want* to know the details, but after being tangentially connected to a sordid scandal myself a few years ago it now just makes me sick to my stomach when something like that happens. It's usually so hard on innocent parties who don't deserve it.

I would 100% take things out and frame them. Something hanging on your wall will make you stop and smile exponentially more than something in a scrapbook on your shelf that you might take down once a year to peruse. I frequently frame/hang items that most people might consider scrapbooking material like tickets and coasters because I like to imbue those experiences into my home design!

If you want to have your cake and eat it, too, maybe you could get high quality scans of the pages made before you remove the photos you want? You could preserve the design of the original scrapbook on your shelf while also getting to display the photos.

We use Marcus and like it. 5.4% rate for the first 3 months with a referral code and then it drops to 4.4%. I have a solo HYSA and one with my partner. We didn't have any issues setting up direct deposit from our employers. TBH I did a lot of research on different accounts and there really aren't any huge benefits/drawbacks to any of the major HYSAs

I'm 32 and definitely feel this. I have been plagued with social anxiety all of my life, and struggled with a lot of imposter syndrome in my professional life through my 20s. I wouldn't say those have gone away they just feel...quieter? in my head. I still don't make new friends super easily, but I am no longer terrified to go try a new hobby class where I don't know anyone, for example. Some new "fears" have creeped in, such as aging physically (which for some reason just hit me as I near my birthday) and whether or not to have kids, but overall I feel a lot more confident and at ease in choosing how to spend my time and what my values are.

Noko in East has the best brunch imo, a great mixture of dishes on their menu and everything is delicious.

Henrietta Red for more "traditional"/mimosa & bloody mary brunch food, Hearts for something more casual. Cafe Roze has great healtheir options but it's not a good fit for large parties. Monell's if you're not from the South and want to Experience extremely classic Southern breakfast foods.

30 bites is CRAZY. That kind of attack could kill a child.

Yes, she did.

It's possible the majority of those are free subscribers, though.

Oof, you put this better than I could but I was distinctly uneasy reading that essay for Danny specifically. Whatever the motivations Grace had for bringing lily into the relationship, it really feels like Danny is the odd person out in the throuple and that is a precarious spot to be in.

Especially anxiety inducing since Lily seems much more connected with Grace than with Danny! Maybe this is the norm in throuples but idk, it made me feel nervous for him.

Of all the gross office kitchen messes, the nasty sponge is the absolute worst for me. Which makes washing dishes difficult! I no longer work in an office full time but if I did I might bring my own little scrubber to keep at my desk.

I saw a really great comment on TikTok the other day. We were NEVER meant to see as many faces as we currently do. In other words, it is now far, far too easy to either seek out or unintentionally encounter hundreds of faces a day to compare yourself to when, in previous generations, you were limited to your social circles and then few other people you interact with day to day.

I read it during my second week in lockdown and was seriously freaked out by it because of that. Eerily prophetic