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Joined 1 year ago
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Cake day: June 12th, 2023

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  • I did this. I’m starting in my final semester this fall, after going back for my degree at 38 and 8 years experience in my field. For my field, “testing out” wasn’t an actual test, it was displaying to the professor that I could show that I had done work very similar to the curriculum for that class and could speak the jargon of my field. They only let me out of a couple requirements though, and only made it so that I didn’t have to take those classes, no credit was given to me. Mostly, my experience has led to me having a serious foot up in a lot of my classes and being able to act as an unofficial TA in some of the hands on classes. And for the classes I really should have been allowed to test out of, I still generally learned enough new material to consider it worth my time and money.


  • One of my previous cats used to get so stressed in a carrier that he would pee in it. Then, he’d have to get a bath afterwards, making the whole situation even worse for him and us. My partner did some research and bought a couple of soft sided carriers that didn’t look at all like hard ones the cat was used to. We unzipped all the sides, decked them out in blankets that smelled like our cat and then liberally sprinkled them with treats. Within a couple of days, our cat had come to think of these as cat houses instead of carriers. When he needed to be zipped up in it, he was docile and willing. He thought of it as a safe space, and it helped lower his stress levels when he was taken outside the house in it. Those carriers are now constantly in use as cat houses in our home. It was truly one of the best cat tricks I ever learned!


  • One of the skills my dad taught me that I’ve been the most grateful for over the years that is generally considered a "male "skill is to take things apart and use tools to fix them. My dad has two daughters, so he showed us how to do the stuff he loved. Power tools, electrical work, not being afraid to take out the screw and see how it works and if you can fix it. Not as many things are simply mechanical as they were in the 90’s, but it taught me to be curious and unafraid of exploration and capable in a way that continually surprises the people around me.





  • When I worked at a liquor store in the early 2000’s, we were sent to liquor/wine tastings every couple of months or so. The owner didn’t like schmoozing with salespeople, plus it was a good way to make sure we knew what we were selling. It was also a test to make sure you could hold your liquor and remain professional. Distributors would often regularly bring new products into the store for whichever staff was there to try.







  • When I taught myself to sew almost 15 years ago, I leaned very heavily on YouTube. However, sewing is a doing skill. I bought a very easy pattern when it was on super sale (JoAnn does it sometimes) and read it like a book and did my best to sew it. If I didn’t understand a step or term, I found a blog or YouTube video to explain it. Each time I tried a new pattern, I understood a little more and my finished pieces were a little more competent. I’ve found learning to cook to be the exact same way.





  • Normally, I sleep too deeply to remember my dreams. I only remember them if I wake during them. However, if I don’t completely awaken, sometimes I can go right back into the dream, but I have some autonomy now and some control over the narrative. Like, I know it’s a TV show and I can change the script. I’ve always been able to do it, I feel like it’s a trade off for nearly never remembering my dreams.