u/OopsAllTistic

My lady is running the NYC marathon this year and we’re trying to figure out the best area to stay (Airbnb) and the best way to get to and from the race.

Staying in manhattan is basically out of the question due to budget. She’s looking at queens and Brooklyn, and I suggested New Jersey city, but she’s worried it’ll be too hectic crossing the bridge. I assume all forms of transportation will be crazy on race day so might as well not rule it out.

Would love to hear suggestions and any helpful tips. I lived in NYC for a year so feel fairly comfortable navigating around, but have never tried planning around a big event like this

ETA: I just read up on Local Law 18 regarding Airbnbs, but questions still stands while we navigate that

My lady is running the NYC marathon this year and we’re trying to figure out the best area to stay (Airbnb) and the best way to get to and from the race.

Staying in manhattan is basically out of the question due to budget. She’s looking at queens and Brooklyn, and I suggested New Jersey city, but she’s worried it’ll be too hectic crossing the bridge. I assume all forms of transportation will be crazy on race day so might as well not rule it out.

Would love to hear suggestions and any helpful tips. I lived in NYC for a year so feel fairly comfortable navigating around, but have never tried planning around a big event like this

ETA: I learned about the Airbnb restrictions right after posting

This has been on my mind for a while. Last October I went to Los Angeles with my mom and while stopped at a red light in Hollywood, I saw a homeless person sleeping at a bus stop, and behind them there was graffiti that said “GOD LOVES YOU.” I was seriously regretting not bringing my camera with me because the irony really struck me. If God loves this person, why would he allow them to be homeless? For the record, I’m asking this rhetorically since I don’t believe in God and am not religious

Since then, I’ve noticed that almost every single homeless person I see has a sign that says some variation of “god bless you” and it’s really making me think. I can kind of “understand” people who came from bad situations and became successful thanking God because they believe he had a part in their success, but from the perspective of the person currently suffering, how can they continue to believe in him, or believe he is all loving?

I’m wondering if there’s a historical reason for this that someone can speak to. Why continue to be faithful to a god who puts you on the street or in any negative circumstance?

I’m a dog trainer and recently started dating a woman who shaves her 2yo corgi’s coat down every month, thinking it would decrease shedding. It’s of course a common misconception and since I explained to her why double coated dogs shouldn’t be shaved, she’s now stopped. However, he now has areas on his body where the coat doesn’t seem to be growing back at all. Is there anything we can do to stimulate growth? Will it even out over time? Is it doomed forever? 😅

When one of my personal dogs was dealing with some hair loss/thinning, I started adding ground flaxseed to his diet and it helped a lot, so I’m wondering if that could also be useful in this case, but I’m open to any thoughts or suggestions

I 30F recently started dating someone, also 30F. For some reason when I’ve been single or in other relationships, keeping my partner safe if something were to happen hasn’t really crossed my mind. The only time I can think of is when my ex and I were driving somewhere separately a road rager was trying to push her out of her lane. We stopped a red light and I yelled at him out my window that she was my girlfriend and to leave her alone. That was the first time I’ve considered I might be in genuine danger but I think I was so angry and worked up that I didn’t really consider what I’d do if he tried to hurt us.

Recently, my current partner and I were getting ice cream and she accidentally bumped into this guy, and he touched her back for a little too long before moving away from her. Not a huge deal, expect this man also had a sword on him and was wandering around the place not ordering anything, walking in and out of the bathroom, and just in general being sketchy. Both of us were really uncomfortable. Side note: she lives in Chicago and I live in the suburbs. If a man with a sword walked into an establishment where I live, the cops would have been called immediately by someone, but obviously it’s not unusual to see weird shit in the city.

Later that night, my girl made a joke about how I didn’t “protect her” from this guy. And for some reason that’s when it really hit me that if that guy had tried to hurt her, I’m not sure I would have been of any use. Again, if there was an actual threat or if I was mad, there’s a possibility I would try, but I’m smart enough to know that being mad is not a strategy for defending yourself or someone else.

In recent years, especially living in the US, I’ve wondered if I should get a gun just in case I ever need it. But I genuinely don’t feel comfortable with the idea of being armed. I do believe everyone should know gun safety and how to use one (I’ve been to a range and was taught the bare basics) but the idea of carrying that around just is a challenging concept for me at the moment. Now, my girl has a gun, but she doesn’t carry it in public and I think it’s more for protecting herself at home. Out in public she carries mace and sometimes a taser.

I know she wants to be with someone who would protect her, and it’s starting to really bother me that I’m not that person right now. In the last few months I have been interested in learning boxing and there’s a boxing gym about 5 minutes from me. I’ve also considered BJJ (again, a gym very close to me). I’m not even gonna ask the question of if I should start doing some form of martial art because the answer is obvious. If I’m not gonna carry a gun, I should at least know how to fight.

So, this was more of a rant than anything but I’m open to hearing any thoughts.

ETA: I do have a spring loaded pocket knife and I’m curious if that would be at all viable in a dangerous situation