Are you Hezbollah and did you buy a phone from Israel? Did you piss off the mob, or a government? Then maybe. Otherwise, unlikely. Phones have been known to catch fire, though.

It seems at least possible that her intentions are good, and you don’t want to blow up your job, right? Have you told her directly that you like her and like your job, but the lunch-and-interrogation is not your idea of a break, and you do need a break? With a smile, do not feel like you are doing anything wrong. You are not doing anything wrong.

I am surprised nobody else is sitting these out ever, if every other person in your group looks forward to the lunches and they are part of what she considers the culture of the department, maybe it’s important to her. But I have never worked anywhere where it was a requirement like that.

That sounds pretty good to me. Though I would prefer crushed peppers, jalapenos, or Salsa Yucateca, Tabasco is a little too sour. Why do you care? Are you literally gatekeeping her pizza?

I agree with knives, love them.

Natural fermentation is a technology I love, that is pretty ancient. The way I make bread, it’s leavened the same way as almost 15,000 years ago. Beer is like that too - it’s commercial now but you can achieve it at home without the industrial tech.

Windshield wipers are so clever.

Holy crap, I looked at Art Masters Jewelry and eew. They are all clunky overdone nigh unwearable, some of the black ones might be good for a dramatic goth look - they look like costume jewelry but are priced like real jewelry though . So ugly.

Perhaps this is why you don’t make children with your sister, who is also your aunt? The kid behind him, she is like a snake but the baby on the dads lap has no legs.

White kids are often blonde even if they won’t be as adults. All mine were at least for awhile, all have medium or dark brown hair now. All born with blue eyes too, but half changed to brown later. Not sure why, but it’s normal.

I have a large family, always wanted kids, but seriously do not understand people who need everyone else to do the same thing they do. Like, what the actual fuck? If someone doesn’t want kids how is that my business? It’s like they don’t have confidence in themselves and need the whole world to agree with them. Just live your life, it doesn’t matter what everyone else is doing.

That picture doesn’t make sense though, unless she had 3 sets of twins some of those kids would be older, and as the billboards here used to say “two years apart is baby smart”, it is easier on your body if you give yourself time to recover. Three sets of twins back to back, your womb would prolapse.

Kids are so much nicer than when I was in school. Not perfect, obviously, but really just so much nicer to each other.

You are suffering exhaustion as a symptom of your depression? That is what this post sounds like.

Not sure we can help with that.

When I have exhaustion from overwork and cannot immediately adjust my circumstances, giving up (acceptance of what is going on) and more exercise, even if it means less sleep time available, has been the most helpful but it’s a short term strategy. The exercise improves my sleep and raises my spirits.

Then eventually the stress ends and I get a migraine :( and then back to my normal.

But I have never suffered depression.

The library lends e-books, I have had good luck with their selections. I try not to buy books and still end up with more of them than I want. Mostly because I like graphic novels on paper.

I was vegetarian for about 20 years and never really missed meat (feel like for most people, giving up meat only means giving up 4 things - pigs, cows, chickens, and fishes), but vegan I couldn’t do. Cheese. And mayo and eggs. I joke with my vegan daughter that the vegan versions are made from xanthan gum and wishes. But yeah things like chicken nuggets? Processed meat things I can’t tell the difference and for some items do like the veggie or vegan versions much better - burgers in particular, I love all sorts of veggie burgers but hate hamburgers. Order black bean burger with bacon and cheese at my work cafe and nobody bats an eye so I’m not the only one.

Healthier as an omnivore, I’m sure that’s different for different people, but for me personally it is working better.

Cheese is an absolute pinnacle achievement of humanity. It’s delicious.

Not really, no. Was an anorexic teen, so kind of like you but in the other direction, then so poor we just ate what we could, at this point in my life I am at a healthy weight and can certainly tell physical hunger from wanting to eat, and can tell the difference between not hungry and lack of appetite from anxiety around eating (the latter is very infrequent now). May have broken it in all the years I had water when hungry.

I don’t have a repetitive diet though, and don’t do endurance sport so maybe don’t have the specific cravings. And try not to ever eat too much. And women in general do carry more reserves even when lean, I don’t know if that makes a difference.

Best: kit-kats, twix, heath bar, and the wee chocolates dark/light/crunch mix assortment.

Worst: banana laffy taffy, smarties

Also I freaking love black licorice and my kids do too but would never, ever dare hand it out, absolutely a trick not a treat for most kids.

Ten Thousand Years Won’t Save Your Life by the band Hammock is like this, I wouldn’t call it alternative, but wow, it opens up, takes you on a trip, gently sets you down.

“a masterclass in”

I do also hate granite countertops. They are ugly! I do keep one granite slab top cart because the cool surface is great for working pastry or chocolate.

Best countertop we ever encountered in a rental was that Corian stuff, I’m sure it terrible for the environment but it was seamless and wonderful. Second place the old old old Formica counters in my old house. Those I could clean with bleach and they survived more than 70 years, so tough.

Tile countertops. Our house came with them and they are terrible. Who the fuck thought of these?

Have never been a nurse, but in my job (accounting) I just keep doing things different ways and finding ways to streamline and automate stuff as the work gets more complicated all the time.

I would advise saying yes, and after doing it the way they want THEN ask why.