u/Diligent-Froyo6676

I got some Pentel Energel pens for school. Came recommended for their drying time so they don’t smudge as I write. I have come across a problem, however. The ink isn’t flowing right? Like it gets stuck in the ball point and doesn’t flow right. I don’t know if it’s getting clogged or it’s the paper I use (Five Star heavyweight) or the oil in my hand messing with the paper or the pen or what.

I have seen people chat online about how being left handed can sometimes impact how the ink falls into the tip. It’s the opposite way of right handed people when they use their pens, and sometimes the pen fucks itself up because of it. Is that a thing? Am I just making that up in my brain? I have a tester paper for when the pen starts acting up, it writes fine, then I put it on my study notes and it stops working again. I’ve tried shaking it, blowing on the tip, buying a new pen, and soaking the tip. They’re new pens so it’s not because the ink ran out. Should I keep some blue tack or an eraser in my pencil case to get the gunk out of the tip if it dried funny? Any other tips or suggestions? Pen recommendations for lefties that dry quickly and don’t have the ink physics problem that may or may not be true? Ideally pens that come in a lot of colours. Thanks!

This is more a question about law in general as an industry than asking for advice on laws specifically. I hope that’s okay. I have been sewing for about 5 years. I have done alterations, tons of pattern drafting, corsets, jeans, shirts, quilts, you name it. I am going to make a tailored jacket and a Western shirt for myself in the next couple of weeks. The Western shirt will be drafted by hand and the jacket will be altered by me. I think I graduated from being a novice sewist years ago.

I have looked into costume design and such and know just how much a well-made, well fitting garment can make a world of difference in professional settings. Hand-sewn buttonholes. Natural fabrics. Making sure patterns line up, darts aren’t puckering at the chest, and that a suit, pants, and shirt fits well.

Because I am coming up on advanced patterning, and my sister is about to start law school, I told my parents that if she wanted me to, I would love to make her a very, very, nice suit when she graduates in 3ish years. Hand sewn lining. Made specifically for her with nice fabric. Maybe even pants and a skirt so she can choose what she wants. Custom. No plastic nonsense. 1/1 suit. For HER.

My parents were kind of guffawed at the idea to say the least. They blew it off almost as soon as the words came out of my mouth. They said that if she doesn’t have designer suit wear, she could be ridiculed and be seen as unprofessional. I’m autistic so maybe I’m thinking too broadly as I’m not in law and I’m an artist who understands that if something is Gucci for example but it’s poorly made, it’s just portly made Gucci. If you have an Armani suit, and it doesn’t fit you right, that says more about you not getting it tailored and putting in the time to make it look good more than the fact that it’s Armani, if that makes sense. If you wear a super nice shirt and don’t press it, it just looks like shit no matter how you put it.

I do not have the notoriety of a huge brand. I get that. But if I put in the time and the effort to get this right, and make something of quality that will last her 10+ years that is well made and custom, I don’t know why it’s worth less than getting designer. The quality of a garment speaks for itself. I know that with designers the quality is built into the brand as well, but if you have a suit that fits you well and is clearly tailored to you and is very well made, it takes the breath out of a room. It’s intimidating. No matter what designer or tailor made it. I’m just confused why my parents were so insistent that the suit wouldn’t hold its weight in court and I’m no better than whoever makes the suits for slave wages in H+M. They looked at me like I was crazy for even offering. Idk. Help.

I have a handful of people I consider to be friends, but I have a hard time gauging a normal amount to talk to friends, especially as a young adult in my 20s. What’s the line between close/best friends, friends, acquaintances, coworkers, and just people you happen to know? What’s a healthy amount of socializing to expect from people?

I’m not saying this to make my relationships make sense in a very capitalist/transactional world, but because I yearn for community, friendships, and a so-called “village” but honestly it’s hard to gauge where that village starts and ends. I talk to most of my friends briefly by text 1-2 times a week, and I want more than that because people are communal creatures who need to talk to each other. How much is too much? How do I try this without overwhelming them? How do friends work when friends can’t spend 40$ to meet up every time we go somewhere?

People need to talk. People need a village physiologically to function. How much is a healthy amount to talk to people without seeming clingy or desperate even though I kind of am? I was talking to one of my friends last week at work and noticed that it’s the most I’ve talked to someone all year minus my therapist and that doesn’t seem healthy. Help, please.