u/LadyL86530

Hello everyone!

Earlier this morning 7/22 at 8AM, my A/C was running and I noticed this strong smell of weed coming from my vent in my bedroom. I stopped it and opened the window. I also went to thr living room, stopped the A/C and opened the sliding door. I smell a faint smell on the living room. Just got out of my bath and smelled the smell too from the bathroom vent snd I don’t have a bathroom vent fan.

The smell is like a cross between weed and something burning like rubber or something.

Prior to this morning, I had no issues.

First, I just wanted to say thank you to everyone who took the time to comment on my post. I honestly wasn’t expecting so many thoughtful and detailed responses, and I read every single one.

As a 40-year-old woman who is completely new to firearms, this process felt a little overwhelming at first. But thanks to all of you, I have a much better idea of where to start.

One thing I really appreciated was that so many of you didn’t just recommend your favorite gun—you explained why you recommended it. I especially appreciated hearing from those of you whose wives, girlfriends, sisters, or other family members shoot, as well as the women who shared what worked for them. That perspective was incredibly helpful.

The biggest takeaway I got was this:

Don’t rush into buying my first firearm.
Instead, I’m going to:

1. Take my HQL/Wear & Carry classes.

2. Visit a few reputable gun shops.

3. Handle several different models to see what actually fits my hands.

4. Practice racking the slides.

5. Rent my top choices at the range before making a final decision.

Thanks to all of your recommendations, my shortlist now includes:

Glock 43X
Glock 19
Walther PDP-F
Glock 48
Sig P365 series
Smith & Wesson M&P EZ/Shield Plus
Canik MC9

I’m excited to learn, train, and become a responsible firearm owner. Safety and proper training are my top priorities, and you’ve all helped point me in the right direction.
Again, thank you for taking the time to educate someone who is just getting started. I truly appreciate this community, and I’ll definitely post another update once I’ve had the chance to handle and test some of these firearms.

Hi everyone,

I’m looking to buy my first firearm for self-defense and would love some recommendations. I live alone, so my main priority is protecting my home, but I also want something I could eventually carry once I get comfortable.

I’m trying to find something that is reliable, easy to manage, and fits well in smaller hands. Since I'm starting my research, I have a few specific questions for the group:

1. I've heard a lot about micro-compacts like the Sig P365 or Glock 43X, but I’ve also looked into Charter Arms revolvers for their simplicity. For a woman living alone, is the mechanical simplicity of a revolver better, or should I go with a modern 9mm semi-automatic**.**

2. Slide Racking**:** I’ve heard racking the slide on some semi-automatics can be tough. Are options like the Smith & Wesson M&P Shield EZ actually a game-changer for hand strength, or are regular compacts easy enough once you get the technique down

3. Recoil vs. Frame Size**:** I know smaller guns are easier to carry, but do they kick too hard for a beginner? Would a slightly larger compact frame be a better balance for home defense?

My plan is to take a women-only firearm safety class and hit a local rental range with my family to try a few out before buying. If any women here (or anyone who has helped a partner/family member choose a gun) have specific models they love, please let me know what worked best for you!

Thanks in advance for the advice!

Hello everyone!!!

I wanted to follow up on my previous post since a few people asked about the specific “areas for improvement” that were brought up by my administration.

I don’t mind sharing, because I’ve been actively working on them and have made real progress.

Here’s what was discussed:

Areas of Concern:

1. Student support and safety

This was more about refining how I support and redirect students appropriately. It included being mindful of how I guide students, staying proactive with things like clothing changes when needed, and continuing to improve my timing when responding to behaviors.

Since then, I’ve been much more intentional about using appropriate redirection strategies and being more aware in those moments.

2. Building relationships with students

This was actually noted as an area where I’ve been making positive progress. Staff shared that I’ve been building stronger connections with students, and that improvement has been recognized.

3. Responding to student behaviors

There were some concerns about how I responded in moments of frustration, such as tone. Since then, I’ve been working on being more intentional with my responses—using more modeling, gestures, and calm redirection, especially with younger students.

4. Motivation / consistency

The team noted that my improvement has been somewhat inconsistent, but they also acknowledged positive changes in my engagement and task completion. I’ve been making a conscious effort to stay patient, engaged, and consistent by reminding myself of the students’ age and needs, which has helped.

My progress

1. I’m much more mindful of student safety and how I respond physically and timing-wise.

2. I’ve been more intentional about building relationships, and that’s been recognized.

3. I’ve worked on managing my frustration and adjusting how I communicate with students.

4. I’ve made a real effort to stay engaged, patient, and consistent in my role.

I want to be clear. I’ve taken this feedback seriously and have been actively working to improve in each of these areas. I’m not perfect, but I am putting in the effort and making changes.

That’s why it’s been difficult to hear that I’m still not being considered for a paraprofessional role at my current school as I’ve made major changes and progress.

Where I’m struggling

What’s been hard for me is that despite this progress, I’m still being told I’m not ready to move into a paraprofessional role at my current school.

So now I’m trying to understand:

1. At what point does improvement become “enough”?

2. How do you show growth in a way that actually leads to advancement?

3. Has anyone else been in a situation where you improved, but it still wasn’t recognized in terms of promotion?

As always, I’m open to feedback and genuinely want to grow in this field. I just want to make sure I’m moving in the right direction.

Thanks again to everyone who’s been supportive.

Hello everyone!

I want to thank you all for the encouragement on my previous post, I really appreciate it.

Here’s my update:

Yesterday, I met with my assistant principal to discuss the email she sent me about the paraprofessional position for the new preschool class for the 2026–2027 school year.

She confirmed that I will not be considered for the position at this time. She explained that the Pre-K team still has “areas of concern” regarding my performance, and she feels that I haven’t shown enough growth yet to be promoted. Because of that, she said it wouldn’t be fair to move me into a para role right now.

I won’t lie, that was hard to hear, especially since I’ve been making major progress to improve and have been in this role for years.

Another thing that confused me is that when we looked at the staffing list for next school year, my name wasn’t on it at all. She said that was an “oversight”, and we went to speak with the principal to clarify my placement.

I was then told that I will be placed as a student assistant in a regional special education (ALS) classroom next school year.

I’m glad I still have a position, but I’m honestly feeling frustrated and discouraged. I had really hoped to grow within my current school, especially seeing new positions opening up.

At this point, I’m trying to figure out how to move forward:

•Has anyone else been kept in their role but moved into a different program like ALS?

•Does working in a regional ALS classroom help with eventually becoming a paraprofessional?

•Would you stay and try to grow from there, or start looking at other schools for opportunities?

I’m trying to stay positive and look at this as a new opportunity, but it’s definitely not the outcome I was hoping for.

Any advice or experiences would really help.

Please stay tuned for the next post.