I live near two other states and can tell a distinct difference by the shape of the mountains (one has rolling hills, the other has very steep-sided hills, my home region has deeper valleys) and the building style since one state has lax building codes and the other has older and larger structures. The barns are typically discernable too.

Talk to real people in your community. I have friends all across the political spectrum and class spectrum. We can disagree on many things, but we agree on most things. That’s important. Quit guzzling “news”.

After Helene, I saw how people respond to real problems. Showed me that what I was already doing really is the way. Love people. Show them love. Fuck the news, fuck the headlines, focus on your community. Stop seeding fear. That’s all it is. Be love.

I know it’s fucked, but just focus on the people around you and foster good relationships. Don’t try to understand everything they do or think that’s different from you. Just accept them where they’re at and where you’re at. Start there. It makes a huge difference. If it all goes to shit, you will have built relationships that matter.

Give it time. I started wearing glasses at 6. Contacts at 9 until I was ~22-23. Glasses again for the last twenty years. My prescription is heavy (-7.75 and -8.25.) It’s weird switching from contacts to glasses and vice versa. Looks like a fishbowl at first. Depth perception is off. Your eyes will adjust. That said, make sure you have a good eye doctor. Don’t start with internet companies. Go to a legit doc and then take your prescription and get backup glasses but be skeptical of the alignment and fit. If you don’t trust the prescription, get a second opinion. Take care of your eyes.

Scales are important. You can make anything look extreme by manipulating the x or y axis.

No, that’s rot. I’m a woodworker who has reclaimed thousands of board feet of barnwood and also has lived in a house that had termites. That is rot.

Will you explain what you mean?

At least we can agree on that, haha!

I can see your point, but your delivery… Are you French?

The US is huge. There are so many distinct regions that it was pertinent to define which stereotype they were referring to.

PNW means Pacific Northwest.

That can be very confusing for a young person, I agree

Apologies are largely for the person delivering them, but I will say, they’re important in a healthy relationship. An honest apology shows the other person that their feelings are understood and validated while also recognizing the harm done by the person apologizing. If you are no longer in a relationship of some sort with that person, the apology is solely for them.

I expect an apology from my spouse only when I want them to recognize that I was hurt by what they did/said. If that isn’t met, it’s important for me to, respectfully, tell them the way that I’m feeling about their actions or words. Again, in a healthy relationship like I have with my spouse, they will empathize with my perspective and offer apology. This is in no way narcissistic for them to do, but if I feel it’s facetious, I sternly say thank you in a tone that says I see that you think you should apologize, but this is not a true apology.

What you’re describing is something where no apology could make up for the hurt that was caused. Narcissistic? I think that’s a deeply psychological thing, but you are in no way required to accept an apology. Again, it would be for the other person and in this case it might be best for you to let them know that you can’t accept an apology. There’s no making up for what they did, no gesture or otherwise will make it better. They have to live with that guilt because some consequences last a lifetime. Frankly, fuck their apology. Fuck them. You have to live your life and they have to find a way to live with what they’ve done. You don’t have to accept an apology.

I was going to ask about hulls and searched “cook wild rice” to be sure. Maybe start there. I found a ton of recipes

About as much as beavers have guessed. Still, kinda interesting.

She’s buying sex toys. Honestly, I think it’s okay to normalize it. Self sex is the safest and teaches a person a lot about themselves. At least he’s not being raised Southern Baptist (I hope.)

Edit: what perspective is the person who took the picture coming from? Feels judgy

I was going to say pizza, but this, this seems like the right answer. Drug is a loose term (at least in the US) and can encompass really anything. Caffeine is a drug.

Bet that money doesn’t go towards the national debt

Why do they even have nuclear weapons? They’ve only been a country since 1948. It’s a tiny country that has continuously abused everyone else. 25 years ago I was wondering why the US funded them and assumed it’s because of the strategic military stronghold in the region, but they’ve controlled so much of the US. There are laws in places in the US to prohibit criticizing them. How the fuck? I remember when they sued (somehow? Maybe sued is the wrong term) the US because the US wasn’t giving them enough “allowance” every year. They wanted more money. Fifteen years ago my friend asked if I heard about the four Israeli kids that were kidnapped or killed at the time, but there were 28 or so Palestinian kids that week that had had the same fate. I just didn’t/don’t get it. I largely stay out of it because I didn’t understand the nuances, or at least don’t think I do, but how can an 70ish year old country come in and tell people who have been there for a thousand years that they need to just go ahead and die?

As I’m typing this out, I’m now thinking of the indigenous people in North America and I realize I’ve answered my own question.

English can be silly like that. If we were talking in person, I would be able to understand from the inflection in your voice by what you meant, but in text, it’s easier to misinterpret what was meant. It was my mistake.

Much of it does, but as far as standard, I’m not sure.