Where do you put the paper filter? I couldn't find rounds the right size for mine, you lay it on top of the grounds?

On cholesterol - mine has always been high no matter the diet so the doctor sent me for a quick "calcium score" test which came back showing zero buildup in the arteries, so he advised against statins. Not sure if you are old enough for that to be relevant, but there are other tests that measure the size of LDL particles, etc. to see if they are a dangerous type. Statins are an old and safe drug, of course, no real reason to worry about them just wanted to point out cholesterol is more complicated than just high or low.

I am still mad about that too. Why the fuck did Al Gore concede before the count was finished? I feel like the timeline split and I ended up on the wrong one. Absolutely agree with you, that is the beginning of all this bullshit.

Is Discluded a word? Isn't that Excluded?

I know it can be different for trans ladies, but would encourage you to show it off. Height is an asset IMO. Wear heels, be tall, it's a good look, don't hide or shrink. No idea how I dodged that as an insecurity, I'm older and when I was young it was not seen as pretty, but models got tall and still it's mostly tall ladies who model, right? Because it's pretty, the long lines.

This gets upvoted but remember 3 million of us did try to vote him out. And near 4 million for Angie Nixon this year.

I feel more like I got close to what I'd choose, just never quite to the point I couldn't do better, if that makes sense? I'm tall for a girl, 5'9" but would have liked to be one inch taller, in my legs. Thin but would like to be thinner. Pretty happy with my hair, actually, except for the color. Loose curls are what I'd choose, and are what I have. Never had a waist, and yes did want one, bone structure thing, but "elongated athletic" is a body type I like, I don't care that much.

All my hangups relate to weight. I've been thinner but never actually felt like it wouldn't look better to be even thinner, which I realize makes no sense but is still how I feel.

Agree a lot of it is created by commercial interests trying to sell things.

Well we are actually also aging more slowly, or at least some of us are, and we are more likely to be the working old people. I agree it would be nice to be able to retire, but half a lifetime in retirement probably won't work out for me or society. Already I have worked for 40 years and at a "real job" (one that could be described as a career) for 25 years. I don't see any possibility of retirement for probably 15 more years unless we get an unexpected windfall.

Agree on not living to 100. 85 is a good run and not sure I want to get older than that, bodies can only last a limited time no matter how well we treat them. But people my age, especially women, are predicted to live past 90, that's crazy. How am I supposed to make enough money to retire while I can enjoy it some AND live past 90?

Nick Drake Road always gets me sad because he didn't find a road to take him home.

But Red Dirt Girl if I want to cry. Such a tearjerker for me, every time.

I briefly got my ideal real life job, 1/3 systems, 1/3 accounting, 1/3 client facing. That was nice.

If I had no need to make money, though, I'd open a small bar in the wee strip mall a couple blocks away, and would open right when the breakfast/lunch cafe closed, and would offer on weekdays a to-go supper different each day as well. Have staff so I could still travel sometimes. Hospitality is so satisfying, and such a pain in the ass slog at the same time but I would do it.

Nah. We did - this may get long but is relevant. I went to school here when we were 49th in the US and the US close to the bottom worldwide. Literally had no teacher for half of 6th grade, had one book for 5th, kids getting high in elementary, fighting a every day, no art, science once a week. I really only got educated in college. When I had kids I homeschooled them because I remembered how bad it was. But then I found schools to fit the first 3 using the school choice and WOW, it was so good. Those 3 were so prepared for college, 2 got good scholarships at private schools and one got through state school in 3 years, all with amazing grades. The schools in my county were very good.

But it's getting so bad again, my last kid unfortunately missed the good schools wave. They are at community college and crawling back, and yes it's the fault of the continued conservative government wrecking education with their back to basics bullshit. When they were just about diversity in education and different paths for different kids it was great, now they don't want kids to learn anything outside of their doctrine and while it's not quite as abysmal as when I went to school, it's very bad again.

If we are ranked well we are just skating on earlier success, it's getting worse.

Ha! I am nearly 60 and don't think I can afford to be wrinkly and old for at least 15 more years. But on tattoos, I worried that I might not like mine in my 40s but knew that I would love being a tattooed old woman. And this was way before they got popular - I certainly didn't expect that!

We have that trash can, it's been working for 6 years now!

I had a Honda Civic, and when it got totaled I got another Honda. Before these I had other cars but the Hondas have been so, so reliable. This one is 15 now, still going strong. I don't think I would get a different brand now unless they really fucked up.

Kitchen Aid mixers are still good.