I have an idea for an invention, but I don’t have the tools or materials to make it, nor do I have the proper space to make it. I have blueprints drawn and experts consulted on design, but not the means to actually do it.

That property has more rights and protections than people do.

The value of human life, in reality, is much lower than I thought it would be.

Laws and rights are only as good as the people & mechanisms that enforce them. A piece of paper doesn’t protect you, people do.

That people often prefer a comforting delusion over the truth, even if it hurts them in the long run.

Only about two or three here on this site. I don’t mind people who believe strange and disturbing things, politically or otherwise. It’s the deliberate trolls that I block.

I sort of see the appeal of having kids, but I can barely keep things together for myself. There’s no way I can support myself and kids. Even with my boyfriends income and mine, it’s just not realistic.

I have a rechargeable mouse from a no-name Chinese company, and they put the port at the nose of the mouse. It works like a wired mouse when plugged in and charging.

How has Apple not figured this out?

Feel free to judge, I’ll own it.

But I like Papa John’s. A stuffed crust with BBQ sauce, bacon, sausage, and pineapple.

My butthole suffers for it, but it’s worth it. Very tasty.

This is why I don’t use my real name on the internet, nor do I post selfies.

I’m frustrated with all of my friends and acquaintances who claimed they’d love to play D&D some day, yet can never seem to find a group to join.

I’m a DM and I have a brand new campaign starting tomorrow. I’ve been putting out announcement for almost two months now, and those same people are making excuses or ghosting me.

I have the game location, the maps, the miniatures, spare books & dice, and I’m rather adept at teaching new people. I’m just short on people who actually want to play.

I don’t have anything specific, but generally speaking those who idolize war have never seen the horrors of war. Speaking with veterans who have actually seen real combat is a good place to start.

Considering the fact that corporations make up about 70% +/- of all the solution and climate destruction, and the fact that politicians are bribed by said corporations to ignore the problem, there’s little we can actually do about it except voting.

Enlisting in the military.

I was an insufferable piece of shit back in the day, constantly self sabotaging and blaming everyone else for the problems I caused. I was on the verge of homelessness due to my own stubbornness and bad attitude.

The military gave me the swift kick in the ass that I desperately needed. Now I can self reflect and recognize when the problem is me, and I can admit when I’m wrong and course correct.

Military isn’t for everyone, but for me it was exactly what I needed. I learned a ton of life skills and healthy coping mechanisms that my parents never taught me.

Job: Welder

Customer: “Hey I need a welder to fix the railing at my business.”

Me: “OK, I can start work after you close for the day.”

Customer: “Oh no, I’m not staying late. I need you to fix it during business hours.”

Me: “OK then, it’s dangerous work so I’ll need to rope off the area and erect screens to protect the general population from weld flash and grinder sparks.”

Customer: “Oh no, this walkway needs to stay open for customers during business hours.”

Me: “Again, this is dangerous work. Somebody is going to get hurt if they’re permitted to walk through the work area.”

Customer: “I don’t know why you’re being so difficult, just zap zap and you’re done.”

Me: “No, it’s going to take a lot of work. The railing is rusted through so entire sections need to be replaced. It also needs to be level, up to code, cleaned for safety reasons, support the weight of an average adult human, and painted to prevent corrosion. We’re talking multiple days of work and it’s not cheap.”

Customer: “Repairs are not in the budget, but I can spread the word and tell all my friends about you. I have almost two hundred followers on Facebook.”

Me: (silently gets up and walks away)

Customer: “Look at that, another lazy Millennial who doesn’t want to work. Typical. No wonder this nation is going down the crapper.”

Have a seat on the couch and tell us how you really feel.

As a welder, quality doesn’t come cheap or fast. A lot of work goes into my work. Even if all I’m doing is welding Part A to Part B, a lot of research, prep, and planning goes into it.

I need to know what the base material is, the base metal thickness, I need to clean the HAZ, I need to protect everything near the HAZ. I need to actually weld it and clean it for repaint.

A good welder plans to have their welds last the lifespan of the thing being welded on. If I’m welding a car frame together, I’m going to make damn sure they’re good long-lasting welds that resist corrosion. Those welds will outlive the car itself.

Unfortunately this is everywhere. I work as a welder at a large shipyard, and we have the same drama.

We have a female welder who steals tools and personal items from others, then cries “Christian persecution” when she experiences any consequences for her actions. Shockingly, it works and she’s never punished or arrested. They do make her give the items back, so that’s something.

We have the MAGA crazies who vandalize company property with their dumb political / sexist / racist / homophobic crap. They just recently vandalized & destroyed one of the few female bathrooms with a sledgehammer. Shipyard police are still “*looking into it.” I now have to either use a gross porta-potty or walk a mile to use a real bathroom.

We have a ton of anti-vaxxers who believe some of the most batshit crazy things. Though, the more hard-core ones were fired some time ago. The ones who complied and wore a mask got to stay.

This is just human nature. This is what you get when you have two or more people together at one place.

Holding a belief and acting on said belief are very different things.

There are crazies who believe certain types of people they don’t like should be exterminated, but so long as they don’t act on those beliefs I don’t consider it horrible or immoral.

I’m a welder, and the general public doesn’t seem to understand why we charge so much for our services. Like, 80% of my work is fit-up, alignment, math, measurements, and work area prep.

All the public sees is “durr, me hot glue metal! All done!” That’s exactly what you get with Jim Bob who owns a welder yet has never trained for it. He’s cheap, his welds are ugly, and they’re likely to fail in the near future.

Honestly, get into the trades. Welders, plumbers, electricians, carpenters, etc. I went to college to get a business degree and it wasn’t worth the paper it was printed on.

Having a skilled trade, on the other hand, is a job that isn’t easily shipped overseas. I’m an apprentice welder at a government shipyard and it pays well. Not as much as non-apprentice’s do, but even with just three years under my belt, life is cushy.

I don’t know where you live, but there are government facilities and military bases everywhere. Some offer paid apprenticeship training where they teach you how to do everything while on the clock. I’m in one of those apprentice programs now.

I found this job on USAJOBS.gov. it took a while to get through the hiring process, these jobs are highly coveted. And it’s a lot of work, like really hard sweaty dirty work, but it’s worth it.

I won’t sugar coat it though, it’s not a fast process to get into an apprenticeship. It’s not an overnight fix. It will take time, time which you’ve already stated you might not have and I’m sorry.

If you need something immediate and you’re in good physical health, I would recommend military enlistment. I joined the Navy some years ago, and though bootcamp sucked, everything after was easy street. If you’re an inch away from homelessness, military would be a life saver. Do one enlistment which is like four or five years. You’ll have steady employment, a steady paycheck, and plenty of time to plan out your future if you don’t want to stay in.

I went on to enlist in the military, got out after one enlistment, and eventually became a machinist and shipwright welder. I’m working on my SCUBA & underwater welding qualifications.

In a high-school out in the boondocks of Texas, I was easily the smartest kid. Everyone else was concerned with their parents farm, chores, football, and dating.

Nobody was interested in reading or higher education, and the teachers put no effort into encouraging students to reach higher.

We’re incentivized to lie to our employers. If they ask where we see ourselves in X number of years, any answer rhst doesn’t involve that company is a red flag to management, and likely a reason to terminate your employment.

We live in an age where company loyalty and hard work translating into promotions & higher pay aren’t real things. This is not the 1970s anymore, despite what many of our geriatric politicians say to the contrary.

These days, the only way to get a promotion or a pay raise is to quit and go work for someone else. Employers don’t like to admit it, but that’s the hard truth. There is zero incentive to work hard for, or be loyal to, any company.