DearOldGrandma

I'll bite. I had a brother with special needs pass away a year ago next week. He was born with cerebral palsy, was blind, nonverbal, totally dependent on caretakers (myself, my siblings and mother, his nurses) for literally everything since he didn't have functionally-independent motor control. We were told he'd live to 10, and he lived to 29; he was a bundle of joy and loved going out when he could. People would stare and kids would ask questions, but we loved sharing his story and my brother liked when people were curious about it.

But, his health started declining in 2014. He had several close calls, and we told doctors each time to try their best with the circumstances they were given. On more than one occasion, his nurses or our mother would actually be with the doctors during hospital stays to assist with him since he was case they didn't have much experience in and didn't want to make his issues worse. That said, he had a DNR (Do Not Resuscitate) since he had a trache, and was brittle enough to die from chest compressions.

I prepped for my brother's death countless times over 8 years. We all did. When he passed, we were so obviously distraught. But we were also relieved, in a way, that he wasn't in pain anymore in the end. We let out our emotions that had been stored for those years, and the grieving process is still continuing. We all put our lives on hold to help him, and he just became our lives; our goal simply was to make him comfortable and let him know he was loved, knowing we couldn't realistically do more. We spent years watching him in pain, watching him gradually lose his fervor and personality.

If you read this far, thank you. Not really sure what else to say, I just want to share this since it's occupied my mind a lot.

TLDR; Preparing for the worst outcomes, coupled with grief, over prolonged periods of time really disrupt your emotions and outlooks. Needless to say, my family became stronger proponents of state-assisted suicide after this experience. It couldn't be granted to my brother, but maybe we can help people in the future that coupd really use it. People understand, but not nearly as many are truly empathetic because they can't be - they've never been through a similar experience. I simply ask that people try to be sympathetic rather than to pass judgement on others.

My boss told me something that will always stay with me. I've never known him to lie, so I have no reason not to believe him - but nevertheless this is still a personal anecdote.

Anyway, he told me that when he was a teenager, his family had gotten to a point where they moved out of a bad neighborhood and into a rather affluent one thanks to some luck from his parents. He said he went to the store one day and a homeless person was outside the store, asking for help getting back on his feet. My boss, being the asshole teenager he was, told the person to, "just get a job."

He said the person humbled him immediately, and told him in a very respectful, but firm manner, that he lost his wife and son due a car wreck the year before - that he went bankrupt and eventually homeless paying for their medical bills while they lived, and for their funerals when they died.

My boss tells this story to our new-hires when he can. He typically says that all this person needed was for someone to believe in them and give them another chance, because no one truly helped them when they needed it most.

Either you weren't contributing for decades, or you literally only contributed $10-$20/mo for ~30 years. If your job provides a 401k option, with tax write-offs and everything else you should have been contributing a lot more to maximize its future utility. This is assuming your employer wasn't even matching.

Either you aren't telling us the full details, or you haven't fully been contributing for decades.

If it's good, that's great! If it isn't good, then I hope everyone involved enjoyed making it. This isn't the first time we've been through this.

Not everyone has the ability or capability to leave their home.

He's that one guy that works at Vance Refrigeration, I think

Actually, yes. This is one of the best health plans I have used. It could be better, it could be cheaper, but I am more than pleased with it and had a few different options to choose from.

It's absolutely disgusting to me just how many people fail to properly and consistently clean their earbuds. To me, wearing dirty earbuds is equivalent to rewearing dirty socks.

Maybe, maybe not. I can't control what others do, but I can control what I do. I don't want to enable someone, but I also know for some that money is exactly what is needed. So, I do my best to judge the situation and act accordingly.

My brother passed away in November - it hit me worse than many losses I've experienced. The calm and waves of sadness is so accurate, but nothing can prepare you for it; I spent years preparing for my brother's death, but it did nothing when it actually happened.

And that's okay! There are plenty of ways to use climate-friendly means of transportation if your area has the infrastructure for it. If it doesn't, buying/utilizing used cars with good gas mileage and adjusting how much you drive, supporting climate-friendly legislation, and raising awareness are the best things you can do until biking/walking/etc. is more accessible for you - or until you can move to a high-density area with those options, if that's the goal.

Electric cars are a great step forward, but currently lack the efficiency and affordability of ICE vehicles. Plus, they ultimately serve as a means to maintain the stability of the Auto industry in an increasingly environmentally-conscious society.

Who are you to say it means nothing - I find value in it, so I will share it. The point is to not judge someone at face-value because of the circumstances you are seeing them in. Everyone is going through something, so we should all try to help others when we can - just as we will need help with something eventually.

I had some friends in Munich who were brothers, just two or three years apart. They both grew up learning British English, but one eventually participated in an exchange program in Canada while the other participated in one in Australia. When they came back, their English accents were completely different from each other - no matter how hard they tried to sound similar to each other. In the end, everyone though it was unique and kind of fun since one brother would sometimes use slang the other didn't understand.

Point being, OP, is to do what feels natural. Ultimately, it's your voice, but you'll pick up certain things here and there that naturally change your way of speaking over time.

NOW I'M OUTRAGED AGAIN

Empress alt account

Better get on it, then

I love how they mention it isn't just a Jackson problem. I grew up in MS - several hours away from Jackson - and the water often wasn't clean, either due to it literally being dirty or having some issue from the treatment facility. Boil water notices were common, and I was from a nicer area. I never realized that wasn't the standard of living until I moved away.

In MS, especially in Jackson, there was a lot of blame being thrown around and broken promises made while the residents literally bathed in brown water. Combine this with the fact MS has critically underfunded many services in general, and seldom offers sustainable public options, it was a recipe for disaster. I'm hopeful change actually happens this time, because the people there desperately need it. The State has neglected them at every turn, but they've generally been conditioned to believe there are no viable alternatives to the current styles of leadership.

The Mississippi Delta is no better, and they vote similarly to Jackson. The state's government thrives on depriving its people to bolster their own interests.

Gungi! It's even mentioned in TCW series and Bad Batch that, while incredibly rare, there have been several accounts of Wookie force users through the millenia. Would love to see a series set 100yrs or so after the OT of Gungi helping to re-establish or expand a new galactic Jedi Order as a threat from the Void threatens the stability of the galaxy - with the wisdom of Yoda but without the complacency due to his experience coming of age in TCW and the Galactic Civil War

Now do Mississippi and Alabama

I was born in the US, in Mississippi, but moved to Boston, Massachusetts, as a young adult. A significant portion of my friends were black as a child, and then I fell in with an international community of Haitian-, Nigerian-, and Latin-Americans when I moved to South Boston.

As with anywhere, most people are nice if you express interest in them and their cultures. There will be preconceived notions for some people towards you, and it's important to understand that most stigmas stem from an absence of interaction. It can be surprisingly easy to break those barriers if you just make any sort of effort. It can sometimes be hard, but it's so worth it. The kindest people I have met have been from these communities, mostly I think because they've worked so hard to build a better life for themselves and their families and friends.

Few things are as rewarding as being accepted into different communities. You learn and experience so much that you wouldn't otherwise. My favorite experiences have been meeting the families of friends, being invited to cookouts with traditional foods and drink you have never had, and having an incredibly reliable community to lean on in times of hardship - we all help each other because we're all in the rat race together. All it takes is some humility and a willingness to learn.

Nothing was wrong with Hodor at all, he was just really high

Americans are more like the English than they realize lol

8-Ball for president, fuck it

Ay cabrón

I will eventually die and be forgotten over time, and I'm content with that. I'm just happy to have experienced my time.

I'm trying to learn how to read in war-torn Bohemia in the High Medieval Ages :/

You're talking about primaries and I'm talking about presidential generals. I voted Bernie each time in the primaries because I think the DNC establishment is too far right. I personally think Bernie isn't progressive enough, but this is the US.

We're literally in agreement on this part, and I said Biden was morally dubious. Guy's a terrible person and a horrible politician, don't get me wrong. But I'll take Biden over Trump any day, because at least Biden has never incited an insurrection

I agree, tbh, and my career is involved with economics lol. But, as with climate change, I do what I can with what's available and try to improve what I can when possible.

Do I see it getting better? Not anytime soon. But I sure as hell don't want to hasten the outcome.

Posting my reply to someone else.

I was born in the US, in Mississippi, but moved to Boston, Massachusetts, as a young adult. I am mixed from white and pacific islander - I look mostly white, just with Asian features - but a significant portion of my friends were black as a child, and then I fell in with an international community of Haitian-, Nigerian-, and Latin-Americans when I moved to South Boston.

As with anywhere, most people are nice if you express interest in them and their cultures. There will be preconceived notions for some people towards you, and it's important to understand that most stigmas stem from an absence of interaction. It can be surprisingly easy to break those barriers if you just make any sort of effort. It can sometimes be hard, but it's so worth it. The kindest people I have met have been from these communities, mostly I think because they've worked so hard to build a better life for themselves and their families and friends.

Few things are as rewarding as being accepted into different communities. You learn and experience so much that you wouldn't otherwise. My favorite experiences have been meeting the families of friends, being invited to cookouts with traditional foods and drink you have never had, and having an incredibly reliable community to lean on in times of hardship - we all help each other because we're all in the rat race together. All it takes is some humility and a willingness to learn.

Right. There are many factors at play that lead to these outcomes, and there are always outliers

They can't just ride it out?

Sharing is caring :)

Glad you enjoyed Boston! You have to do the Duck Boat Tours next time you're in town. Very touristy, but great for finding things to do around Downtown and the Waterfront. Hope you come back soon!

It's not a party psychedelic. It's short if you compare it to your typical perception of time, but feels vastly longer; your perception of everything changes. If you take any MAOIs, don't touch DMT. It'll last longer and you'll likely be miserable if you aren't experienced with it.

Also, n,n,dmt gives you more visuals than 5-meo dmt, but 5-meo dmt is better for introspection in my experience. Each have their purpose, and neither should be at all underestimated. If you take either, understand you don't control the trip once you've begun. Let it guide you, accept what happens during it, and find a way to learn from the experience. As with anything, do a lot of research prior to taking it, test it, and use it when you're in a good setting and state of mind for it.

This sounds like it could work well, just hope they aren't given short or unrealistic deadlines by NetEase. The people he's assembled thus far have released amazing material during their careers when they were given enough time.

Sure! It will be uncomfortable at first, and you will face some difficulties at first. The hardest thing is to build a friendship. But once you're actually friends with someone, that's your chance to fully dive in. Just be sure to learn and recognize any of your own unconscious biases and leave them at the door. Can't realistically expect anyone else to accept you if you don't do that first (this is for everyone. We all have these, which is why it's important to recognize them and lose them)

I understand not all locales have this advantage, but I was fortunate that Boston often had festivals organized by these communities. If your city has any, go to them. Go to concerts, bars, community events, religious gatherings if you're into it, or any other event where you can more easily interact with people. All it takes is to build one meaningful connection and then your network will naturally grow.