u/babyteeth9

I remember as a kid and emphasizing with Helga and disliking Olga, probably because her parents paid attention to her more than they did to Helga. But looking back as an adult, she is really the only one in her family that actually cares about Helga. Yes, she is naive and oblivious to her parents neglecting her, but when she's home she actually pays attention to Helga. You can tell she actually loves her. I like to think that maybe eventually Helga moves out of her parents and moves in with Olga.

A few instances where Olga really showed she cared about Helga:

1. She said it was important to her that Helga liked her fiancé and she wouldn't had married him without Helga's approval.

2. She wanted to get closer to her by student teaching in her class. I think her telling the embarrassing story about bedwetting was just an oblivious slip up on her part.

I am still relatively new to the Catholic Church and just want to say that building friendships and community in the church has been awesome for me. I remember when I first started attending mass and for months nobody knew who I was and I didn't know who anyone was by name- even though I recognized faces I saw every week. It took me to go outside my comfort zone and attend young adult events, lent dinners, small groups, and of course OCIA. Meeting people in those groups has led to me meeting more people (meeting friend's friends) and creating a circle. It is a fun feeling when you go to church and multiple people know who you are.

I guess my point in this post is that building friendships in the church really enhances your life in many ways. I was intimidated at first because my first impression was nobody really talked to each other during mass and I remember wondering how I could possibly make friends in the church, especially as an adult-making friends as an adult is hard enough. I think having Catholic friends in your circle is important because you already have a similar bond by being Catholic and having the same values.

So, if you don't have people in church that you know on a personal level, I recommend getting to know some of your fellow parishioners.

Thoughts? How has building community and meeting people in the church enhanced your life?

You love to see it!

A lot of mainline protestant churches are trying to give themselves a "shot in the arm" by making their churches into progressive political clubs. Having the rainbow flag outside their church, being "LGBTQ affirming," BLM flags, social justice emphasis, etc. They think that it will renew their church, but I have only seen the opposite. The churches are still declining, and instead of having young people like they hope, it is still mostly elderly people that are loyal to their church.

Young religious people value tradition. And progressive young people aren't going to join a church when they can find a progressive social club through other avenues.

What do you think?

My friend was back home visiting after moving away a year ago. I thought we were close and we did everything together. We used to talk about our feelings and deep conversations about life. Ever since he moved away, he has been distant, which I get. But when he visited, he barely talked to me or even reached out. Then I find out from someone else that wasn't even that close to him that he broke up with his long term partner. He broke up with her 5 months ago and didn't even tell me. I get that its not something you announce to the world, but what hurts is he told other friends but not me.

Should I be hurt? Apparently we weren't as close as I thought. Should I give him the silent treatment? I hate conflict so I don't want to confront him and question him. What would you do? Or am I being overly sensitive?

My friend was back home visiting after moving away a year ago. I thought we were close and we did everything together. We used to talk about our feelings and deep conversations about life. Ever since he moved away, he has been distant, which I get. But when he visited, he barely talked to me or even reached out. Then I find out from someone else that wasn't even that close to him that he broke up with his long term partner. He broke up with her 5 months ago and didn't even tell me. I get that its not something you announce to the world, but what hurts is he told other friends but not me.

Should I be hurt? Apparently we weren't as close as I thought. Should I give him the silent treatment? I hate conflict so I don't want to confront him and question him. What would you do? Or am I being overly sensitive?

I think she is eccentric for sure, but I don't think she was as "crazy" or demented as we think she might be. We have seen her being serious when she really has to be- Parent's Day for example.

My theory is she is heartbroken by her son's disappearance and so she leans on her "inner eccentric" self to cope with it and wants to put on a happy face for her grandson and husband. So the way that she puts on a happy face is to act "crazy" and loony.

What do you think?

Anyone remember Debbie from "The Girls Room" on the Amanda Show? I used to laugh really hard at her. I used to randomly say "I like eggs" and some people would look at me confused.

I met a good friend's mom for the first time today after he had us over for dinner for a few hours. As people were leaving, she gave them hugs goodbye. When I left, I felt like I gave a long hug, maybe 7 seconds or so. I think it was a combination of her loving that we have been great to her son and me loving that she raised a great guy. But it still felt long for someone I barely met. I usually don't give long hugs, but this felt long to me.

How long is too long of a hug of someone you barely met?

Did anyone else enjoy the episodes where Rhonda was forced to be taken down a peg? You don’t always see that with the “spoiled rich girl trope” in other shows.

Examples:

Rhonda’s Glasses

Rhonda Goes Broke

Cool Party - Where everyone ditches her ”cool party” for the "geek party" at Arnold's and she is forced to say she wants to be a geek.

Polishing Rhonda - Has to ask Big Patty for help because she is doing so badly in polishing school. Also a cool moment where she sticks up for Big Patty at the end.

Were there any other episodes where Rhonda was “humbled?”

I am so weak at this scene lmao. Then as soon as she leaves Arnold says "So about that go-kart."

Have you kept it touch with your High School friends? Sadly for me, after almost 18 years I never see or really talk to them anymore. There‘s a few that I have the occasional “Happy Birthday“ text or Facebook post, but other then that I haven’t seen most of them for a few years, others it’s been more than a decade. I never had a falling out with any of them, we just drifted apart. Especially because I don’t live in our hometown anymore, and most of them still do. And when I’m at my parents house, I’m practically a hermit.

My brother however (that is one year younger than me) still talks and hangs out with a lot of his High School friends. In fact, his current friendship circle is mostly friends from high school and his own wife went to our school. I guess it helps that he ended up moving back to our hometown and was even roommates in college with his High School friends, but it seems like a rarity.

How about yourself?

Edit: I did pretty good at keeping in touch with most of my High School friends the first few years after graduating, but we started slowly drifting apart.

I don’t know if this is unique to my parish or archdiocese or city (Seattle), but I have recently noticed that after attending the young adult groups, there are a good number of young Catholic professionals living together- mostly in the same parish. They are mostly in their 20s and 30s and not college students. The houses are always gender based and are often named after saints. For example, there is a house called the “Frassati House“ that has about 4-5 single men in their 20s and 30s living together. They have prayer time and quiet time, and adoration where they have a home altar dedicated to that. There are a few female equivalents as well. I would estimate there are at least 6-8 of these homes that I know of- some are owned by the archdiocese and others are owned by a secular person but traditionally houses Catholics.

It is almost like a Catholic young professional equivalent to a fraternity or sorority.

The professions are a good mix of anything from engineers, religious workers, healthcare workers, and teachers.

They often have get togethers and potlucks at their homes for the larger church community.

I just thought it was interesting but a cool idea. Have you heard of this?

They are a couple. They seem so cute together. Any tea on them? What do you think of their relationship?

Would you ever move back? Why or why not? Also, how far did you move away?

I am in my 30s and haven’t lived in my hometown full time for almost 10 years. I only live about an hour away, so I’m not that far. But right now, I don’t think I could move back. It is a smaller town (I live in the bigger city now) and there are less job opportunities for healthcare workers like myself. I have some friends that still live there but I haven’t seen them in ages so it wouldn’t be the same. I have reached the point where I feel like a stranger in my own hometown. It’s a weird feeling. I like going back to visit my parents, but I pretty much stay a hermit when I go back.

It was a good place to grow up and I think it is still a good place to raise a family. But where I am at right now, I wouldn’t want to move back. Especially because I have established my life where I am right now. Work, church, friends, etc. But I know you should never say never in life, so maybe I would be open to the possibility someday, just not now.

I am in my 30s and I remember when I was younger (like in High School and 20s) that it was ”weird” when men would hug each other. I never thought it was that weird personally, but handshakes were the norm between other men.

I‘ve noticed as I have gotten older that I find myself hugging more of my guys friends when I greet them or say goodbye to them. Sometimes it’s the “bro hug” with the handshake, but it’s still a hug. I have noticed that with other guys as well (particularly younger guys). It is more acceptable for men to hug each other from what I have seen. It used to be seen as “gay” but now it’s not really a second thought with most people.

What do you think? Has it gotten more accepted over time or was it always acceptable and I just never noticed?

I am in my 30s and I remember when I was younger (like in High School and 20s) that it was ”weird” when men would hug each other. I never thought it was that weird personally, but handshakes were the norm between other men.

I‘ve noticed as I have gotten older that I find myself hugging more of my guys friends when I greet them or say goodbye to them. Sometimes it’s the “bro hug” with the handshake, but it’s still a hug. I have noticed that with other guys as well (particularly younger guys). It is more acceptable for men to hug each other from what I have seen. It used to be seen as “gay” but now it’s not really a second thought with most people.

What do you think? Has it gotten more accepted over time or was it always acceptable and I just never noticed?