u/jayyy_0113

...it is insanity to expect me to read 200 pages of a 19th century novel in 2 days, then the last 100 pages in another 2 days, etc. alongside lengthy discussion posts, 3x/week quizzes, weekly exams, etc.

I'm saying this as an English-focused major. I love reading! I loved this class! It was so incredibly interesting and I loved the texts my professor has chosen! But I physically CANNOT read that fast! I work a full time job during the summer and got as ahead as I could but then I was barely keeping up 😭 And as soon as I'm barely finished with the first book it's time to read the first 200 pages of the next book.

I'm just complaining honestly. The course is over now. It wasn't particularly hard, just insane pacing. My only saving grace was that the prof dropped the lowest 3 quizzes and discussion posts so my last week I just played catchup and didn't turn anything in and still got an A. But it was draining.

There seems to be an influx of customers asking if their sometimes-heavily-modded-sometimes-not drink is annoying to make.

PSA:

Any barista could be and would be annoyed by anything. It usually has nothing to do with the drink itself. Sometimes baristas have bad attitudes, sometimes they’re stressed, sometimes they were badly trained.

A double iced espresso with oat milk and 7 pumps of syrup and light ice and cold foam in a venti cup isn’t annoying itself, but it IS annoying when the sheer number of customers who expect it to be full and yell at us when it isn’t.

A caramel ribbon crunch isn’t annoying itself, but it IS annoying when cold bar is slammed and there’s 100 different fraps and refreshers to make and it’s 80° inside the store and I still haven’t gotten my break.

A honey citrus mint tea isn’t annoying itself, but it IS annoying when the customer ordering it calls it “the cold buster” and is slobbering and coughing all over the register with no mask while they order it.

Anything could be annoying. Most drinks aren’t. But as long as you’re a considerate customer who gives us some grace when we’re slammed we will do our job and make you the best drink we can.

I have a temp as high as 103.1 and my body hurts so bad I feel like I'm gonna die. Woke up and my chest hurts. I can't stomach anything other than applesauce and green tea. My GI's office is closed for the holidays so I can't ask my nurse if I need to go to urgent care since I'm immunosuppressed.

What's more is I'm supposed to take my Skyrizi dose today. Should I postpone it or just take it now?

Hi there! I am a regular patron of my local public libraries - I love checking out books and CDs and/or doing homework in the library.

I checked out two books prior to having surgery at the beginning of May, so I would have something to occupy my mind. Unfortunately, in my drug induced haze, I lost one of the books. I have been looking everywhere for it to no avail.

I've renewed that book several times in hopes I'd find it but no luck. My local library system has done away with late fees, but iirc you can't check out any new books until you've returned or paid for a lost book. I do not have the money to replace the lost book right now but would feel awful if I don't find it.

What should I do? Any advice appreciated.

Edit: I emailed my library's help desk explaining the situation and asking if they had a payment plan available. Thank you everyone for the advice and kind words!

My birthday is right after Halloween (Nov 3) so every year I like to do a themed costume party! My 20th was Roaring 20s, my 21st was 21st Century/Y2K, etc.

I couldn’t think of a punny theme for 23 and with SOTR movie coming out November 20th I’ve thought about doing a HG themed party! I could either do the weekend after Halloween (Nov 7) or wait a few weeks and do a movie party? But the second one might be hard to organize, so I might do a regular bday party and then a smaller watch party with my close friends on the 20th.

Thoughts? Ideas? :)

…down there.

Preferably is NOT marketed as “🌸womanly feminine hygiene delicate soap🌸” bc dysphoria but is designed for bodies like ours.

I’m having some pH and comfort issues down there following my hysterectomy and while I’m loving that it’s sped up my transition I absolutely do not want to ever go back to the gynecologist ever again. I told my PCP but there’s not much they can do other than Premarin cream (I’ve tried in the past) which won’t do anything because I don’t think this is atrophy related.

The discomfort comes from burning in contact with my partner’s semen along with some general irritation externally that isn’t solved with shaving. I am a very very hairy guy 😭

Disclaimer: yes I know not to wash internally, thanks in advance. I’ve been on T for 3.5 years and had my total hysto with bilateral salpingo oopherectomy last December.

🫶

Title.

I’m stealth - have been for several years, but there are some friends I want to know so bad if they have guessed I’m trans, and some coworkers who may have overheard something they shouldn’t have, HOWEVER I need to do it in a way that doesn’t out me if they DON’T know.

Hi all! My favorite pair of pants recently bit the dust. I've mended them several times already, but there's now a massive rip from crotch to hip that is pretty much irreparable. My question is twofold:

1. Ideas for repurposing the fabric, pockets, and elastic from this pair of pants? They're brown cargo pants made of a 98% cotton and 2% elastane material, with an elastic waistband and cuffs, if that helps. I'm new to the minimal-waste life and recently had carpal tunnel surgery, so a bit out of practice with sewing, but I want to make it work.

2. Recommendations for sustainable, long lasting cargo pants that are as similar as possible to my old ones from a more reputable company (these were thrifted, but originally made by a corporation I'd rather not give my money to). Long lasting is key because my OG pair has ripped several times in the last year. Similar is also key because I'm autistic and hate change and these were my favorite pants ever. I've tried looking at thrift stores again, no luck, but willing to keep looking.

Pants description:

Cargo bands with two cargo pockets total. Medium brown, cotton material, not too thick fabric, elastic waistband (mandatory, I have Crohn's disease), and slim fit legs (not necessary).

Thank you <3

I had surgery at the beginning of May on my left arm and am reaching my 4 weeks post op, after which I'm supposed to go back to my donation center to get another physical from the nurse. The incision on my left arm is fully closed and healed and my surgeon's team said I am clear to donate plasma and blood, just not from my left arm (the scar is high up on my forearm).

I had called my local donation center to ask how long I'll be deferred and the guy that answered the phone said he wasn't sure but somewhere in between 4 weeks and 4 months 💀 I'm hoping it's not 4 months because it was very minor surgery.

I can't find any info about surgical deferral on CSL Plasma's website except you can't donate after receiving an organ transplant.

99% of the time it’s kids posting online and then saying “and I’m between the ages of 13-16!” like okay obviously you’re 13 years old and afraid of getting picked on cuz you’re young, that’s understandable, still annoying. We can tell.

Sometimes they say they don’t want to be doxxed because of their age. Dude, no one’s going to figure out your full legal name, address and social because you mentioned you were 15 in a Reddit comment.

Long story short, my friend, who is married to a trans guy who is also one of my best friends, outed me at a mutual friends' birthday party. It was just a simple brief comment but a lot of people heard it and I immediately got really uncomfortable. I think she realized what she said as soon as she saw my reaction because her face changed to kind of an "oh shit I'm so sorry" expression. But I didn't want to comment on it at that time because I was caught off guard and embarrassed, so neither of us said anything.

There were a lot of queer and trans people at the party, so I wasn't worried about being harassed or anything, but I HATE people knowing I'm trans and have made an effort to be stealth 100% of the time.

After the party, I assumed she would text me an apologize after she sobered up, but it's been over a week and I haven't heard anything from her. It's really not that big of a deal, but it bothers me, and idk if I should talk to her or her husband about it. I don't want to make it a bigger deal than it is. I don't really know what to do or think.

I had surgery for carpal tunnel and pronator teres release one week ago. If you’re not familiar with that, the median nerves in both of my arms are compressed due to repetitive motion injury from being a barista since I was a teenager. I also have arthritis which makes me more susceptible to it.

I had originally scheduled two weeks off from work to recover, planning to return to work with minor accommodations. I was definitely overconfident in my ability to come back to work in that timeframe.

At one week postop, I am off of narcotics, but I cannot rotate my forearm at all and cannot close my fingers enough to make a fist. I also have zero grip strength in my left arm and hand. There is absolutely no way I will be able to go back to work next week with use of both hands.

I can request another week or two off work through HR (Sedgwick) which will protect my job, but the schedule is already put out for the next three weeks.

To put the least possible amount of strain on my manager, does anyone have experience with recovering from the surgery and can talk about it? How long did you takeoff to recover? What kind of accommodations did you go back to work with?

Note: I made this post using voice to text due to typing being difficult right now. I apologize for any spelling or grammatical errors.

I have met the one true love of my life.

She doesn't sleep at my feet,

but face to face with me,

sharing warmth and sharing air

and breathing in the space less than

inches apart.

I rise to her sunshine across my face,

her quiet clouds and quieter shrouds,

yawns and stretches and glances and

"good morning, darling"s

I feel as though her slow blinking eyes

stare into a pocket of my soul

For it breaks as she wakes

melts when it's felt

and yearns for immortality to share with her.

...

Yes,

I have met the one true love of my life.

It is dark now, and she purrs.

...

11/21/2023

Title. Today I donated plasma for the first time. I was bored, I'm broke, I have my CTS and pronator release surgery coming up next week and Google said you can donate up to 5 days beforehand.

Surgery is on my left arm. I asked them to use my right arm for donation. The tech looked at my arm and said they couldn't use it because there's a bruise there. Okay sure, whatever, they found a vein on my left arm and I figured it wouldn't affect surgery just by sticking a needle in it. Start to donate, I'm feeling good.

Until I'm not and there's a massive sharp sucking pain in my left arm and I almost pass out. I recover quickly and feel fine, but then the machine I'm hooked up to starts blaring alarms and two techs come running over. Tell me they need to stop my donation immediately because I have a hematoma. I didn't know what that was so they explained but all I could think about was... fuck, my surgery is next Thursday and I may have fucked it up.

4 hours later, the hematoma mark on my arm is definitely above where my pronator release is supposed to be and definitely out of the way of my CTS release so maybe it's not that bad but I'm paranoid my surgeon's gonna chew me out if it doesn't get better 😭

At least I made $100?

Lust for lichen and Louisiana moss

Love for quarters and half hours lost

Cordial conversations in sun-setting blues

Falling for strangers in seats made for two

..

A steetcar named Charles will

darken your day

A trolley named Desire will

comfort the way.

...

3/13/2024

St. Charles Streetcar

New Orleans, LA

Growing up seems to take an eternity until you're finally here.

You're brought into the world. 9 pounds, blonde hair, brown eyes, big baby, big smile. You get a little older. Drink hot cocoa with your mama in a thunderstorm. Stomp in puddles, dig around in the mud for worms. Kick your first soccer ball. Make your first friend. You play with Barbies and stay up past your bedtime to watch for shooting stars. Read your first book, promise Daddy that you'll grow up to be a writer. Never stop reading. You play soccer, softball, basketball. Break your arm. It hurts. You get better. Get a kitten, fall in love with her, never let her go. Watch your cousin get married. Twirl around in pretty dresses. Go to the hospital. They say you're sick. You're never going to get better. More doctors. More books. More kitten kisses and shooting star wishes.

You get a little older. Change schools. You have no friends. Your stomach hurts. The other girls are growing boobs and brag about their periods. You layer tank tops to hide your chest. Hating your body. Pray every night. Dear God, make me better. Dear God, make me not sick. Dear God, make me a boy. You hide razors, watch yourself bleed in the shower. It scares you. It feels good. Mom and Dad send you back to your old school. You cut your hair. You cut your thighs. You have your first kiss. You have sex. You're too young.

You get a little older. Make friends, try to know who you are. Know what makes you happy. Reading makes you happy. So does being on stage. Drawing. Music. Thai food. Cats. Holding hands with a someone. Laughing with friends. Funny movies. Stuffed animals. Short hair. Watching the stars.

You try to kill yourself. It doesn't work, you give up halfway through. You hide the cuts under your clothes until they stop bleeding. These scars won't go away. Your body hurts. You audition for shows. You find new friends. You dye your hair. It looks like shit. That's okay. You come out. Start to smile again. The world comes to a standstill. School lets out for a few weeks. More like a few years. You find yourself. Yell at your parents. Read more books. Write a thing or two. Get your first car. Total it. Get another car. You fall in love. It's real, you think. He likes you as you are. Summer of bliss, summer of kisses, summer of boy meets boy and boys love each other and secrets kept and parents never met. More shows. More friends. More memories. First job. It's a bust. Second job, more like it. You fight with your parents. Run away. Promise you'll never talk to them again.

You get a little older. You miss your mama. You started calling her mama again. New Year's, musical, prom. Sex, weed, parties. You've never been this happy. You graduate. He breaks up with you. You're never going to be this happy again. You gain more bodies and more friends. A mania. High. Driving. Smoking. Waffles. Makeouts. Parties. Memories. You go to college. You're own your own, kid. You fall in love with every boy you meet. You fall in love with a girl, that's different. You try to get your act together. Make good grades, work, make money, save money, tell your parents you love them. You're a good kid. Your grandma calls you her grandson. You plan your future. Your best friend is there. Your therapist tells you to get your shit together, and you try. You breathe. Go on walks. Go to the gym. Pet your cat. Clean your room. Smoke with the window open. Play music. Be creative. Didn't you tell your dad you'd be a writer when you grew up?

You're grown up now.

It seemed to take an eternity, but you're finally here.

12/7/2022

***

Note: I found some of my creative writing in an old journal. I feel a strong need to share this with someone, even if they're a complete stranger. This particular piece of writing struck a cord with me. 19 year old me would never thought I'd be where I am today. I hope this resonates with someone.

If you're reading this: You can do it. You're here. And sometimes, that's enough.

Hey all! I am beginning the search for engagement/wedding bands and am looking for some advice.

I (22M) and my partner (22M) whom I live with recently had some serious discussion on getting married. Obviously, as a gay relationship, we had to discuss who would be proposing to who, and I am really enthusiastic about being the one to propose :)

This is a bit unique, but I want us both to have engagement bands to wear that will eventually be a part of the full wedding rings. Publicly acknowledging our commitment to each other is really important to both of us. Therefore, cost has to be considered moreso because it will be double the price.

I generally know what I'm looking for style wise (no diamonds, more unique gems, no giant stone and something durable... my fav color is green and his is purple), but have no idea where to start. I'm looking at applying to some credit cards since my current one is a student card with only a $500 max, and my credit is fantastic, so I don't worry about being able to pay it off. Is this the right bet? Or should I pay with cash?

Also, are there in-person shops that have a wide selection of men's engagement rings? I live in the metropolitan South so not sure if I'll have the most diverse options.

Any advice would be greatly appreciated :) I'm a bit nervous but excited!