Bice thing to say in the morning

In about a week, I’ll be leaving the US to study abroad in Europe for 5 weeks, which will mean a 7 hour time difference. My boyfriend and I are in college, have been dating for two years, and recently moved in together a few months ago. Things are great between us, but I’m worried about him when I go abroad. He doesn’t really have any friends, mostly just me and his parents who live 2 hours away. He will visit them on the weekends and he working full time during the week, so he will be somewhat busy. We also have a cat that will keep him company a bit.
My worry is that he is going to get really depressed and lonely. I know with the time difference and his work/my classes we won’t be able to talk a ton. He says that he’s going to be fine, but I know he’s just saying that because he doesn’t want me to worry. Do you guys have any suggestions for things that I could do/say to make this transition easier for him? As of now, I got him a jar of notes for all 34 days I’ll be gone, but I’m trying to think of some other ideas.
Do you guys have any suggestions of gifts or maybe some apps that could help us stay in contact more? I’m just very worried about him.

ok ok ok ik this is gonna be a basic white kid story but I hope it helps some of ya’ll
so me m15 turning 16 in one week struggles with very severe anxiety, my dad was imprisoned and on parole since I was 2, I’ve lived with a single mother all my life, and have multiple mental disorders. These include adhd severe anxiety mild depression PTSD and undiagnosed (getting evaluated soon) autism and bipolar. I am currently a tenth grader and have grown up in church all my life. I got saved when I was five and always believed in God but mever truly trusted in him. well over time bc of the PTSD of my dad and mom one aspect of it is bc of my parents divorce and my loneliness I’ve struggled very badly with severe crushes that I can’t control bc I feel desperate to be in a relationship and have somebody to love who I won’t be afraid to leave me and romance is very serious to me It’s not just for fun to me I date to one day marry if I can bc i dont plan on it anytime soon at all but ik very well that any girl i date could end up being my wife and if she does I want it to be a good healthy relationship bc it isn’t likely but idk the future so who am I to tell. anyways, I had a bery bad experience with a girl who led me on and I fell deep in live with her a year ago but eventually she broke my heart. we are still friends and we have both matured and learned from that and i like her again as of now and am still struggling with accepting being single but shes a much better person than she was and was still very young then (1 year younger yhan me whoch is a lotta maturity at my age depending on the person) but after realizing I was living a lie the whole time feeling ok bc of all that thinking id finally have a girl (I’d broke. up with a girl after only two weeks due to circumstances neither of us wanted but still that already left a scar) and so I broke down into tears but soon went on a NYC trip on a plane for the first time. but secondly me and my dad have a very spontaneous relationship to say the least. He loves me more than anything ik that but we are both very stubborn and very firm in our very different beliefs and opinions. I wont get into all of that bc im not getting political or say anything that might be taken the wrong way or offensive but we argue a lot and he is a very manipulative person like me neither of us realize it half the time but we are both working on it but with him being my dad he automatically has more authority to overpower me and make me feel trapped. Along with that my parents fight A LOT well did over me and visitation and stuff so much that since I was in kindergarten I felt like they were providing for me but I was THEIR parents wich put so much pressure on me. so with all that combined all my life suppressing not even feeling it eventually it built up and after an amazing LIFE CHANGING trip to nyc last year after all thats happened and my mental instability, came one last thing. Makeup work

College student, applied as AQR English (US). Reading through this sub after I finished the application, I feel like this almost isn’t even worth it. Keep in mind I already have an in person job for this summer and was looking for a remote position that would be very flexible for me so this job isn’t a “Need” per say, more of a want more money kinda thing.
I hear all this about NTA and 3 month onboarding process, almost makes me think this isn’t worth it.
I applied today (8 hours ago), how long does it take for them to get back to me?
&
Should I even pursue this position? Thanks 🙏

This is long I’m sorry! I really need guidance
I have been with my Q for 3 years and friends for 7. When I met him he was a functioning alcoholic. I helped him to get sober and every 6 months he relapses and sometimes he gets better after a day and sometimes it lasts weeks or months. This last time he’s been really bad and he drank for 3 months straight hard liquor bottles every day and chased it with more alcohol. He has never gotten any professional help when he gets sober it’s just him detoxing at home and stopping. He tried AA but didn’t like it and refuses to go. Anyway, after this last relapse things got really bad at home. He gets very disrespectful and he quit his job. I just helped him get a car because he had none for about ten years because of multiple DUI. He finally got one back and got his license cleared and didn’t even last seven days before he was drinking and driving… also I put the car in my insurance for him to save money. So of course I came to the location he was at and took the keys out of the running car. I towed it home and drove him home. That caused him to resent me and spiral further and call me all kinds of names. We live in a studio apartment so we have no space from each other and it got to be really bad so I kicked him out. He has only gotten worse since I kicked him out because he’s at his parents house his siblings they all drink over there. Throughout this time period of 3 months I have begged him to get help and talk to me or someone I never wanted it to come to this and he refuses and says he’s not ready. I told him my apartment is not a bar or a halfway house and he has to leave.. on day 3 I found him drooling on himself on a park bench I thought he was dead. It took so long of me trying and crying and begging to get to this point and I finally broke up with him and said if you don’t want help I don’t want to be in your life I can’t stand by and watch the man I love kill himself anymore. He blames me for everything and screams at me constantly when he is drinking and hides it all over the place. When he is sober he is so apologetic and loving but by the night he’s drunk again.. After being kicked out his sister called me asking me for his insurance information because he had to be sedated by police for fighting his brother when they were both wasted. They took him overnight to the ER for monitoring. The next day he calls me saying he went in for a detox and they were wrestling and it wasn’t really fighting.. He still wasn’t wanting any help so I blocked him. I said I can’t do this any longer. It’s been about 3 days of no contact and his mother calls me and said please can you ask him to go to rehab. So I felt bad and I called him again and broke my no contact and I even offered to take him and he actually accepted. So this morning I took him and he was truly saying the right things he even cried saying he finally is ready and needs help. I sat in the ER for 7 hours with him waiting for him to get up to the detox. He is committed to doing a detox, 28 day program and then counseling after. My worries are that if he leaves there and goes to his parents home he will be back in the same place that triggers him with his siblings. I’m also worried to bring him back home and he starts all over but I want him back I just don’t want to keep living in this vicious cycle for the rest of my life I would rather cut ties now while I already am heartbroken and miserable rather than keep hurting over and over. My question is do I give him another shot? I do love him with all my heart and when he is sober I would marry him in a heartbeat but when he is drinking I don’t love or even like that person. I tell him imagine if we had a baby like I try and picture my future and it is so blurry. I am 31 and don’t want to keep down this path I just want to know if there is hope please

My friend went through a sudden break up four months ago with her girlfriend that she was living with. My partner and I had a spare bedroom in our townhouse that we own, so I offered let her move in with us. That was a little over three months ago. When she first moved in she said she would find a job right away, and we agreed she wouldn’t need to pay rent until she got a job. The first month she did not apply to anything and has been sparsely applying since. She’s only had one job interview so far, and she spends most days depressed in bed obsessing over her ex or planning when she will be going back home to visit (she moved across state lines to move in with us). I of course empathize with her, but my partner and I are struggling financially and can’t afford to let her live with us for free much longer and I’m beginning to feel like our kindness and empathy are being taken advantage of. She does help out with things like groceries, cooking, cleaning and driving me to work so it’s not like she’s completely freeloading but there is still no timeline of when she will get a job and start paying rent. What should I do/say?

Im tired of pretending like this AI shit isnt going to obviously eventually lead to AGI sometime in gen Z's lifetime. It's not a fad, and when people say that it pisses me off.
Once AGI is invented, its actually over. All important work will be done by AI, humans will be taken care for in the same way livestock/pets are, as AGI will just be better than human done work. The only thing left for people to do will be service jobs, busy work, making arts and crafts for each other, and other nonsense while we simply wait to die, having exerted no meaningful physical or mental effort.
An "AI utopia" is really a dystopia, a really fucking boring one.

Alt account, mid 20s m
I’ll try not to make this too long, but I’m genuinely hurt and I can’t really see anything that will make things better. For context, I got to therapy and am on anti depressants. I don’t think I’m a great person or anything, but I just don’t know how much more I can give. If the post is too long I apologize in advance, I don’t want people to feel like they need to read all this stuff.
P.S. I have already called a friend and they are on the way to help me. I just wanted to get my feelings out somewhere others can see. I haven’t done this before so bear with me… also I have ADhD so if shit gets over explained that’s just how it goes. I’m working on it
My family has a pretty bad codependency problem and I’ve always been seen as “the mediator” or “third party”. More or less it just meant that I was always involved in everyone else’s issues and they would look to me because I was the most understanding. I genuinely have a hard time even writing that because something deep in my brain feels wired to say it’s fake, but in my heart it feels true.
To get to the point, one of my siblings and I have been having issues for a couple months now. It all started when I felt uncomfortable about a carpool offer they had given me for a family event. For more context, my family events tend to take 4 hours and this sibling would often “have other plans” once we left so I’d be out for waaaay longer than I anticipated. I know it’s stupid to say that I don’t wanna be outside all the time but I genuinely just need some time alone. I’ll also add that this is not the only thing I’m dealing with. I got a high stress job, a friends funeral and changes to my lifestyle that are all adding to this mess.
This is not the first time, or even second time this has happened. This sibling has had issues with everyone in the family and was about to completely run away before I told them that I still want them in my life and that I can help them re aclimate with the family. It just sucks that they kinda threw me away and don’t even care that I’m hurt. I’m trying to be strong and not just give into this recurring behavior but it just feels overwhelming.
My family keeps telling me that I need to reach out first and that I need to be the bigger person. I get calls from my mother where she just slips in how I should fix this saying stuff like “well I know you didn’t do anything, but you know how this goes”, “they just react that way, you need to be the bigger person” “they will do what they want, just forget about what happened”
Idk, I just genuinely feel like nothing makes sense anymore. I’ve been doing everything I can to make my family happy and they just continue to need more. I just can’t take any more of the pain from them. I mean for fucks sale my mom still talks about shit I told her makes me uncomfortable or upset by saying “oh I know you said you don’t wanna talk about this but we need to”. Lately they’ve been using the threat of calling my brother over so that I’m forced to talk things out.
I’ve been told my entire life that I was always too late with my complaints. Like when someone did something wrong and I finally got the courage to tell them, they would always say that I took too long or that I’m being dramatic. It’s gotten to the point that I don’t even know if I’m being too sensitive right now. Like this kind of emotional processing wasn’t even a thing before I moved out.
I do really love my family and I have accepted that the past is the past, but it feels like they want me to just forget without them having to do anything. I have year of these issues that are piled up and I’m only just not getting to deal with them, but the weight of all this family pressure just makes me want to lock myself up and never talk again.
I feel like I’m the problem, my whole family has issues and I shouldn’t just assume that mine are more important. I so badly want to just forgotten so I can just live with the hurt and not hurt them anymore. I have a part of me that wants to be happy, and a part that wants to be a good son, brother,whatever. I don’t think I can do both and maybe that’s something I need to live with.
I feel like a broken person and I’m at my last rope. I have a very deep love someone which is why I’m fighting, but I just don’t know if this family is worth all this pain.
Thanks to anyone who read the whole thing, this is definitely too long. Definitely spiraled at the end there. I have someone with me no so I’m just gonna post this and…. Idk I guess figure it out from here
For those going through their own struggles, I hope you know that you are always worth something to someone. I’ve been blinded by negativity for a long time and I hope someone can take something positive from this. Shit sucks, but the moments of light is what keeps me going at this point.
Peace and love ❤️ trying to keep this positive

I'm 42 and I started having menopause symptoms around 35. I had my last period just before I turned 40. I had my hormones checked by a doctor at that time because I was checking my fertility. Not fun news when I was trying to get my cycle regular to conceive when I was told it was over.
In the 2ish years since, my insomnia has gotten worse, my facial hair and weight have gotten significantly more difficult to manage even with a healthy diet, my mood is a little better but very little sex drive and vaginal dryness is a problem, very bad brain fog and memory issues that have significantly deteriorated (I have never been great with this and have had diagnosed ADHD since I was a preteen). Joint pain is an everyday thing, now. And my skin is a mess, melasma (Since early 30s), wrinkles and sagging seemingly occurring overnight and sudden bouts of horrible acne (like boils) on my jawline and chin.
I have zero friends or family who went through this so early and I feel very alone and lost. I don't get much advice or empathy from my doctor and it seems like no one has anything to say to me. I was so unprepared for this and I feel like I am just being put out to sea on an iceberg where I can die away from everyone.
I would love some advice on HRT I don't know if it's bad to start at this age. I feel like it's worse dealing with all the additional cancer and health risks with the lack of estrogen.

Help me, I am new to this game, and at first I thought mining was a great thing and proceed to choose hill top farm, but now I'm regretting it(first year 27th winter) like I didn't know I enjoyed fishing more than mining, maybe cuz it gives me more money but I saw many people saying hill top farm aren't able to be decorated as the other farms, I also think that it's kinda boring having the mineral deposit there when I have tons of those already(I loved going to the mine) and it felt like I should've picked other farm instead, so I think in my next playthrough going forward I'm not gonna choose hill top farm at all, also, should I just create another save? Like rn? I'm feeling so regretful rn bcuz of this farm omg, u can't change it no matter how right?

As the title says, I would like to chat/connect with anyone interested, biggest thing to know about me beforehand is that my main hobby is video games with no specific genre that I play most.
About me: 23M Straight (inexperienced), 6’ Skinny, shy and reserved until you get to know me.
Anyone in Michigan itself would be preferred for connecting with and seeing how things work out as long distance can be rough.
Also willing to answer pretty much ANY questions someone may have, don't really have a limit on what I'll answer. (please feel free to ask)
Video games: Helldivers, WoW, LoL, PoE, Last Epoch, Warframe, Various FPS
If you're real, include your favorite Game in your message somewhere

I had a hard day. I feel like I need to put this is writing because I know I’m not good at expressing myself. Maybe this will help another stay at home mom out there that feels alone. Before I start, I want to mention that I am extremely grateful for my situation because as most people, no way could I afford child care.
Today, my toddler was sick. We went to the doctor early today to get him medicine and checked to make sure it wasn’t something more serious. Luckily it wasn’t but we’re definitely in for the long haul on this cold. I also feel myself getting sick which doesn’t help how tired I’m feeling.
Obviously I know today is an outlier because working from home with my son is usually a breeze. He takes long naps, he plays, he wants cuddles and to play outside. He’s so independent and I love that for him. But when he’s sick, he wants me the most. I totally understand because I was a mamas girl when I was sick too. Trying to get just a single task done today felt almost impossible.
I think what’s frustrating me the most, obviously isn’t him but, is that I’m most likely not going to be able to go into work for the meetings I have this week. Again not a huge deal because I can just zoom in when I need to. I think the frustrating part is I feel like my job means less. If our son is sick, I have to stay home and take time off and not my husband. He’s the bread winner so of course it makes sense that I have to take the time off and put his career first because we’d literally be no where without him. I’d also like to note that my husband is incredible. He does everything for me and our son and never blinks an eye. It’s not him telling me I have to do these things. It’s me telling me that “no don’t ask him, he literally just worked a long shift. Figure it out yourself. Don’t ask for help. You can do this. You have to stay home. Don’t ask him to stay home. You chose this career.”
It’s crazy how that looks on paper but I truly stand by those thoughts.
My career feels less important. My work feels less important. My stress feels less important. My tiredness feels less important. Everything feels less important.
I am a mom. I have to just keep chugging because I am his mom. Shit is tough and I have to keep going because what else am I supposed to do.
Today I felt alone and sad and frustrated. But I also feel like I have no right to those feelings because he’s sick. I feel like I’m constantly in a battle with myself. I don’t feel like the me I was before a baby (obviously duh) but personality wise I feel different most days.
On top of that, I haven’t fully grieved the loss of my dog and I really feel like that is effecting me emotionally. I think that factors into the loneliness because I also had her at the end of the night or in the middle of the day to cuddle with and really decompress.
Today was hard but honestly everyday has an aspect of being hard. When my husband says, “oh yeah he was so easy for me”. I’m so grateful for that but it also sucks because then why am I struggling? I know it’s because again, he’s a mamas boy and I’m always home so obviously he’s most attached to me. I know one day I’ll miss this but being a mom is hard.
At this point, I don’t even know what I’m getting at…I guess if you’re also a mom out there feeling alone and less than. Just know I’m here too feeling those feelings. Which I guess makes us not alone…

My girlfriend of 3.5 years broke up with me yesterday. We had been together since freshman year and are now about to graduate high school. We had been bickering about drinking for the past two weeks and got into another fight (not shouting, we never shout) yesterday, in which I said that the idea of her going clubbing every weekend in college makes my feel sick (we will both be going to the same college) among other things, and she ended up breaking up with me. She said that we could get back together in the near future, but she needs space. Keep in mind our prom is in 3 days (which we'll still be going together to) and I have no other people to rely on emotionally. After we broke up and we were still hanging out together, everything seemed fine so I assumed we would just be taking a break. The day we broke up she went to a coworker's going away party (which I had known about prior) and when she got home I asked to call but she never responded to me. We are still on good terms, so we are still in contact. That night she ghosted me and I saw that she was on social medias but purposefully ignoring me. I, like the idiot I am, got emotionally overwhelmed and bombarded her with texts and calls because I was scared. In the morning she said that she fell asleep right when she got home, which I know isn't true but I don't fault her for telling me this. Today she has been at work all day and just recently texted me. I asked if we were officially no longer together and she said we are not. I'm so scared about not being with her, and being completely lonely. I asked what I could do to give me another chance and she said to give her the space she asked for and that I haven't given her. I understand this request completely. By giving her space, should I not message or call her if she doesn't initiate it? I'm terrified of her just ghosting me and acting like I don't exist. We were on great terms right up to the point that she left my house, we had even been talking until she went to the party yesterday. Please provide me with any advice you can. Thank you.

Hi!
I’m 36 and honestly for the first time really admitting to myself that I may want to date women. I feel like this could be what’s been wrong this whole time and I feel sort of embarrassed and kind of amazed that I’ve been able to repress it for so long.
I was shopping at the local co-op and saw this really cool looking ‘hippie’ girl with pig tails and remember noticing her. But I did my usual thing where I immediately look away and distract myself. Then at the checkout she was really nice and chatty with me, asked me lots of questions, and she ended up saying, “are you going to the fair?! Because I’ll be there.” (I guess there’s a farmers market/fair coming up, but I will actually be out of town.) Anyway, it really felt like more than just friendly banter but I deflected it. Then I kept thinking about it. If I was able to get over my hangups and repression and probably internalized homophobia, I would absolutely have wanted to go to the fair with her!
Now I’m lying in bed thinking back to when I was in high school and wasn’t attracted to a single boy but I WAS attracted to my female friend (who is a lesbian) but I really couldn’t admit it to myself. She invited me on her family vacation and we shared a bed and I remember her turning to me at night and trying to sort of make a move but I was frozen. I couldn’t respond.
I’ve only ever been with men but it’s never been anything really long term. I have been single for 4 years now. I keep thinking I am looking for a man but now I’m realizing maybe that’s not what I actually want.
I feel so weird that I’m this age and feeling this way. It’s not like this is the first time I’ve questioned my sexuality, but it’s the first time I’m really allowing myself to admit that… maybe I am gay. Or bi. I don’t know.
I feel better typing this out.
Thank you for listening!

i recently had an argument with my dad because hes saying that a device of perpetual motion / infinite energy devices can be built and is possible (for more context i made a post about this on physicsstudents) and he keeps bringing it up and gets so mad whenever i try to disprove his point but even showing him the answers i have gotten in the post and from approved sites wont change his mind, turns out all these ideas of infinite energy mecanisms and perpetual motion hes been getting from tiktok and hes so credulous about these videos he sees which are obviously fake and ive been trying to tell him but hes just so convinced and has started developing a fixation to this things, its bad idk what to do help😭

Hey everyone, just wanted to say what a great resource this page has been to me and my family. It is a place I come to realize I’m not alone in my daily struggles.
So long story short I used a public defender and I feel he didn’t even try. But one Good thing he did for me was get my charges changed to a charge that I can petition to be removed from the registry 5 years after completing probation. Well that time is now. But I have no idea how to sort how who is a good RSO attorney or not. I have reached out to one attorney so far and he just said it won’t happen then ghosted me I only know one person who has gotten off the registry early but he’s not getting back to me.
Does anyone in Utah have a recommendation for attorneys who specialize in RSOs? Or how did you find your attorney in your state?

My girlfriend doesnt initiate sex
I (20m) have an issue with my girlfriend (21f) not initiating sex. I wanna start with saying we usually have sex around 3-5 times a week. We have been together for a year and a half now and she had started sex maybe 3 times and each of those times have been the most subtle things. For instance when i want to initiate ill maybe dirty talk her or like touch her body all over or grind up to her and then ill do a lot of foreplay to get her in the mood. The times she initiated she j kisses my back for a few min and then gave up and i eventually had to continue it. Ive tried not having sex for extended periods of time but she still doesnt do anything about it. Ive voiced my opinions many times and nothing seems to change.
My biggest issue is im starting to have trouble being in the moment or even getting hard or having an orgasm. I always make sure she is satisfied plenty of foreplay and if i cum and dont think she came or came enough ill go down on her. Ive even said this to her and she still hasnt done anything. Then i recently bought some sex toys (after discussing it with her) to maybe help me a little bit (because both she and i feel bad if i dont come or cant get hard) and then after i ordered them she had a whole mental breakdown about me not liking her or finder her attractive or something like that. I find her very attractive it j doesnt make me feel very good if im the one always starting it. Ive told her she can literally do anything to me at any time and i dont care ill get down and dirty with her even if im asleep or driving or anything but nothing has changed.
i feel like im a good boyfriend to her i mean she always tells me its weird to feel so safe and loved (she had a few toxic relationships) and ive shown her and told her things that get me going and she knows what i like the issue is she only does it when asked and that defeats the point. I j feel like she is having sex because i want to even if she has told me she wants it. Its not a fun situation and we were together a few years ago (17m and 18f) before we started dating again and she would go crazy so like where did that go what happened why is it different this time. She also complains if we dont have sex for an extended period but doesnt try to do anything abt it its always on me
Ive told her that if i ask than it ruins it for me. I also know her inside and out i know what makes her mad happy sad horny you name it. I feel like she doesnt put that effort towards me especially in bed. She also gets upset if i dont initiate sex but also wont do it herself. I just dont know what to do anymore and i keep overthinking things and its all just getting worse so any advice helps.
TL:DR girlfriend doesnt initiate sex. My dick isnt working because i need to feel wanted. She broke down after i bought toys (after asking). What should i do? How do I get her to understand

I 26F and my boyfriend 38M have been together for over a year. I had a girls weekend planned in Houston for over a month with my best friend Jewel. The night before I left my boyfriend got upset and started a fight over household chores. He stated he felt overwhelmed and felt like he was doing more. It got ugly, he felt like he does more because he has a physically demanding job and has two children. He compared me to his ex wife and put down my job where I work 50 plus hours a week in a bank. I thought we worked it out before I left, I listened, and acknowledged his feelings. The day I left he continued his fight and got drunk and angry with me. The first night there we didn’t do anything because I was so upset. The next morning I woke up to a text that insinuated he was breaking up with me and spent the entire day trying to get a flight to come home. I took two flights then drove 3 hours home in tears. We talked when I got home and he was extremely apologetic but I don’t know if I can forgive him. He has a pattern of starting fights when I do things without him. It’s been over a week and I feel resentful and angry. Can we move on from this or should I cut my losses and leave?

My narc sibling has contributed to my abuse a lot growing up.The final straw came the day after my delivery. When I was having having complication, she was upset about not being personally informed about the birth and left the group chat. Also, she enabled my parents abuse with phone calls. We tried to patch up that night and my husband added her again. She still never called me to ask about my health. I am okay with her not caring (i expect it too) but how can she expect my husband to put her ego first before his family. My parents wanted us to invite them over when her kid was not vaccinated and also wanted us to show my kids in facetime to her. We told them they could visit in three months. All this while I was bed ridden and still recovering. We were not ready for that as we had no relationship with her and did not want to appease her ego. She cut the call with my ndad when I refused prevent her kid from talking to him. My ndad knew I wouldn't allow it but still had to ask in front of unstable nmom to make it an issue.
We finally cut contact with my Nparents after a lot of drama and they did not get any info from us. My sis finally reached out and said they wanted to visit us.The dates didn't work because we already someone else visiting. I thought that would be the end of it and they wouldn't come. Surprisingly they reached out again and finally when they came to visit another weekend, thing were pretty chill. They obsessive took pics of my kids (to pass it onto my parents). My parents were texting me trying to get in contact with me. My mom fell down in the bathroom and was having physical difficulties. He was basically telling us to come and save him from her and she would be happy if I showed them the kids every week. I responded angrily to that text with a long message saying that he should take care of his own business.
My sister who had been quiet after the visit except for her response to my birthday wishes to her kid reached out and wished on another occasion. We responded and she again wished for the first birthday with a text saying that my parents are sad and I should show them the kids. Her husband chimed it. I responded saying that its in the best interest of my family and we should on our kids having a better relationship. No response to that.
We finally were able to visit them and they took pictures again. My cousin finally convinced me to break contact and I am very low contact with them. My sister too. Any thoughts on my golden child/narc sister. Do they try to pull you because the abuse would turn on them. I am really scared for my kids though. What if she see them as a threat. She already saw them as one during the pregnancy hence the drama. How do you deal with them?

I do have a bit of a gripe though- I can't stand working with Cerberus. Feels like something that, Shepard in general, but especially my Shepard, just straight up wouldn't do, considering how much of a positive relationship he had with basically all the alien crew and allies he worked with in ME1, and I romanced Liara. Also...are they not literally a paramilitarist terrorist organization? Feel like if anything once Shepard got the Normandy he'd say "F you" and return to Alliance space.
One more thing. Are all the combat sections in this game as much of a slog as the first few have seemed? Has anyone else felt that? The fighting before recruiting the Salarian doctor and before installing the cure just felt so...blegh.

I (17 M) have a girlfriend (17 F) for some reason her family don’t like me from the start I haven’t really done much wrong they won’t let me take her on dates or anything the dad don’t like me so much that he only allows me over when he’s not home so I barely get to see her my family wants me to give up and saying it’s to much for me to be going thorough at this age but I keep trying to tell them that I’m willing to go through it because I’m truly happy with her I really am and it’s like no one really understands and i just wanted to post it on here to kinda see what other people thought about it I mean we have this thing where we can’t say I love you in front of her mom or siblings so we do this thing where her or I tab each other 3 times witch means I love you and her or I do it back 4 witch mean I love you too we have a pretty good relationship I make her happy she makes me happy and idk she’s willing to go through all of this with me and I’m more then willing to go through it with her so y’all what do you guys think

I have been NC with my mom since 2020. I had a baby last year. Pregnancy made me reflect on a lot of things. Specifically, how I can’t believe I was treated the way I was treated by my mother my entire life. When I look at my son, i can’t imagine being anything but loving and supportive.
Apparently, my family has been reflective too. They have decided to let me know how much I will regret keeping my son away from my mother. How he will resent me for that when he is older. How I will regret being NC when she passes away. And how angry I am. I am angry that I have to listen to people tell me that I need to talk to someone who was horrible to me.
There is a lot of generational trauma, and I am aware that my mother and her siblings were mistreated, but the constant reminder I get is that I didn’t have it as bad as them. As if that excuses how I was treated. And then when I say that, they say they don’t mean it that way, just that it could have been worse. Which it’s like… so you did mean it that way?
Anyways, my family is pretty adamant that I will regret it when she passes away one day. I truly don’t think I will. The thought of speaking to her makes me sick to my stomach. The thought of being in the same room as her makes me sick. Does anyone regret it? Why?

Hey I’ve been with my gf for almost 4 years I think she’s the most beautiful women in the world I tell her all the time and she does know I think she’s perfect but she always says she hates her stomach thinks she fat (among a few other things but these are the main ones) etc I would really love for her not to feel like that and just enjoy life. She had very little confidence when I met her and now she does have quite a bit she thanks me for it all the time but I just want her to do what she wants to do eat what she wants to eat with me and wear what she wants to wear and I don’t want her feeling bad about herself. Any ideas, suggestions, comments, tips, etc?