We were constantly told by doctors, therapists, psychiatrists, school resource people, counsellors, IEP coordinators, etc… variations of “just, ya know, do your best” when we would ask what we should do, in their expert opinions. I think we were good parents but our daughter really struggled. I’m sure we could have done things better/differently. But we did try our best. She’s 24 and still not on her feet.

I lived in the greatest country in the world and everyone was so jealous of us.

Have you guys noticed the size of basically all text has gotten smaller and harder to read? It has made a lot of posts I encounter online just absolutely none of my business.

Oh also my back hasn’t not hurt like hell for like 8 years.

Diary of a Young Girl, Anne Frank, was required reading where I lived in the US, in the mid-90s. I was in Arkansas. My daughter went to school in Missouri and California (2010s) and I don’t remember her having to read it. Not sure if it’s regional or if the decade made the difference.

Aurora

She sounds like a woodland nymph angel

Teenagers.

He coerced her to have an abortion she didn’t want, and while she was in agony on the bathroom floor, he thought “maybe me playing guitar will cheer her up.” Seriously fuck this guy.

I hope I remember this when I need it. I hope I don’t need it for a long time. 💕

What a time, oh what a time it was

it was

A time of innocence

A time of confidences

Whatever channel I was watching election night called for Gore, and it was late. I went immediately to sleep after. Woke up the next day and it was mayhem. The split in timelines happened while I was sleeping and I would have chosen the other one, even not knowing all I do now.

I yearn for a bullshit job where nothing really gets done. I’m just so tired.

Man they really did used to just let kids “work it out” huh

God, can you imagine just walking around like that? Sounds amazing.

It used to be Smokin’ Guns in NKC. I think they closed up ago a few years back though. Best pulled pork in the ‘verse. Gates > Jackstack imo though.

I appreciate the cheezit offer, that’s very sweet. But probably something that seems better in my head than is in reality after all this time.

My husband works in tech and his skill set managed to match exactly what a bank here was looking for. It was a pipe dream turned reality of sorts. It was a big change but I’m grateful every day to live here. Language isn’t easy to learn as a middle aged person but after 5 years we know enough to get by.

QuikTrip

Kansas City style BBQ

Cheez-Its

I live in Norway now and despite musing these things, wouldn’t trade them for my life now.

I started cutting it myself during Covid. Then moved to a forwign country. I have always had anxiety about the salon experience so it was a huge relief when it was just me in my bathroom with some scissors. No one to blame but me if I mess up and I don’t get poorer about it. I’ll probably never go to a salon again. I am 44 and have never loved my hair so it doesn’t matter much to me how it comes shorter. I keep it between my chin and shoulder blades, and use brad mondo tutorials.

I am not yet bilingual, but if you asked any of my American friends, I am. I moved to Norway at 39, and 5 years later still struggle to understand spoken Norwegian. I speak and read it, in my opinion, okay. I really envy people who can at least understand a foreign language even if they can’t express themselves in it. You at least have some semblance of what’s going on even if you can’t fully participate.

In my experience, having English only as a mother tongue is awful in Europe/scandanavia. But growing up with any other language, having English as at least a 2nd language, wow look at all those open doors.

The US public school system does not set kids up for success, in their own country or abroad. The foreign language requirement in HS is a joke and effectively sets us up to be able to overconfidently order coffee and ask where the museum is if we ever get to travel abroad.

I have heard that they start out here in Norway with English pretty young (maybe 8-10yo?) as a requirement, and then add mandatory electives later in French, German, or Latin. I don’t have kids in school so this may not be 100% accurate.

No, it’s not a tipped position. Not really supposed to accept gifts either (flowers/treats for the team are sometimes given but never supposed to be an individual gift of any real value.)

I went to school to be a nurse. I specifically wanted to work in Labour/Delivery. Where I ended up moving after graduating was a saturated environment and I was lucky to get a new grad position on a heart/lung med surg floor. I did that for 4 years before covid stole the stars from my eyes. Now I run a bakery. I never got to do the one thing I thought I always wanted to, and I’ll never do it. I know I could go back, but I live abroad now and I’ve been out of the game 5 years. I don’t have any interest in going back to the US even if it meant I could have a shot at my dream job. Because at the end of the day, I’m happier and safer here.

It was like this in the Bay Area when I lived there, like in Alameda county at least. People exited at the rear doors and gave a thank you to the driver. Became a habit for me. I moved to Norway a few years ago and absent-mindedly said “Takk!” as I exited and I was quickly educated that, we don’t do that here.