I’m with you on words just being words. But there is one factor, especially in ongoing relationships (romantic, platonic, familial, whatever), that makes apologies important.

I don’t care about the feeling bad or the words or whatever, but I do care about acknowledging wrong-doing. Because if they haven’t apologized, they might not think what they did was wrong, and there is absolutely no reason to believe if the situation came up that they wouldn’t do it again.

Now, don’t get me wrong, plenty of people apologize and then do the thing again. But if they don’t even apologize, it’s practically guaranteed. The apology just sends the message that you and they are on the same page about whatever it is.

I assumed it was a smoker

I live on an island in Alaska, so my Amazon alternatives are usually Walmart, maybe Target… not a lot of others. If I can buy direct from the company I will, but a lot of times Amazon is the only real option (and no option to buy local).

More of a respect-loop, but my world history teacher in high school would sit at his desk and all of us would chat or whatever until he was ready to start the lesson. Then, without saying a word, he would get up, walk to the front of the class, and sit on the stool there, and within seconds the classroom was silent with every student looking at him. The man never raised his voice (unless he was telling a story), and ultimately never needed to. He didn’t believe in homework, because he respected our time. He never talked down to anyone.

He got respect, behaved in a way that justified that respect, and got more respect. It was inspiring.

I’ll be honest, it’s pretty hit and miss. You get someone just throwing diced avo on toast, and it’s pretty mid. But you go to a place that seasons it, includes grilled onion and peppers, uses high-quality sourdough bread, and covers it in bacon and a fried egg? One of the best things I’ve eaten. And one of the messier.

Yeah, I’ve always thought trucks are dumb, but the bus and my bike can’t pull my boat, and I live on island, so…

Even if they were trying to flirt, being told repeatedly not to do something that they keep doing anyway is not flirting.

It was so bad that Team America World Police had a song about how bad it was as their ballad.

I just bought a house with an attached 1-bedroom apartment (with its own address). My 11-year-old daughter has already laid claims to taking it when she graduates high school. So I don’t think she’s feeling stifled at all, lol.

Better be prepared to pay rent if she’s not in school come the fall after high school, though (I’ll give her the summer to get her plans worked out).

First time I bought a firearm in my life (after 40 years on this earth) was specifically protection from bears when I moved to Alaska.

I get that I’m part of that very small percentage, but it’s funny to be pointed out for it when where I am it is super common (also common to see people strapped on hiking trails with their kids and dogs).

I liked it a lot growing up in the US. I still have the mental image of them “fixing” a flat tire (by duct taping a new tire to the flat) and the good tire popping off and rolling away when they drove away.

If women can’t find you handsome, they should at least find you handy.

Hopefully COPS.

To be clear, that list (aro and “black-pilled”) was not all-inclusive. There are plenty of people who just don’t want to date, for whatever positive reason (e.g. too busy, focusing on other things, not feeling like making the effort) or even some with negative reasons (e.g. not feeling like they are in good working order mentally, just got out of a relationship and want to spend some time on their own, trauma) that aren’t aro or “black-pilled.” THIS LIST IS ALSO NOT ALL-INCLUSIVE.

Also:

You’re a bigot.

Just… don’t. Stop throwing the word around so spuriously, or it could lose its meaning. It’s an important word, and using it like that leads to the kind of linguistic drift that takes the meaning out of the language.

That is very obviously not what anyone is saying. Not dating because you are not interested in dating is different than not dating because you’re down on yourself and blame the world (and those of the gender you find attractive) for creating your situation.

I think you know the answer to that.

Butter croissant actually seems like a decent name for a guinea pig.

If we’re including drinking, coffee is a pretty good name, but not for such a light colored guinea pig.

I’ve heard “what if there’s an emergency or fire,” and I feel like the answer is “take three seconds to put on pants.”

So funny enough, as an American, I have the majority of that while being in the military. We even currently have three months of maternity and paternity leave, which can be used as the member sees fit through the first year after birth.

All except the privacy laws and employee protection laws, though it can often be exceptionally difficult to fire people for reasons that don’t involve the politics of the people in charge. And even then, lawsuits usually get those people backpay.

I’d be advocating for the US Coast Guard with this right now, but the current administration is shifting our focus from being a life-saving/preserving service to another border control agency, so… not a great time to be joining if it’s for moral reasons. sigh

I like how it says “defensive and will bite if provoked,” and apparently, according to this thread, opening their cage is sufficient provocation.

Yeah, you’re missing the point.

They (the mod who deleted it) mentioned “both sides.” I said that two groups, for that one particular thing, both arrived at the “J.K. Rowling is bad” conclusion, and those two groups are fairly diametrically opposed. Not two sides, two separate groups.

My commentary on their “both sides” was that it was a weird take, since it’s clear (if there were two sides) which “side” I was on.

The why, though, wasn’t the issue, and I was attaching no commentary on their motivations (with the exception of calling the Fundeamentalists crazy, because, like… “magic is real and evil and a made-up story about a magical school promotes magic” is preeettttty crazy). It was purely the irony of seeing that post and realizing crazy Fundamentalists also hate Rowling. It’s like that “two strong arms clasping together” meme, with two groups that have nothing (or worse) to do with each other having one particular thing in common.

And look, I get it. It is a touchy subject, and trans people have been getting shit on for too long (especially now) and assuming the worst intentions of comments made is probably correct way more often than it should be. But even the slightest read into anything I’ve said shows no ill-will against trans people and their allies (and lots against crazy Fundamentalists who believe in magic).