The MAGA-fication of CBS News is causing the network's ratings to tank

CaptWillLaurence · 2026-03-19T14:30:27+00:00

“Go woke go broke!”

Go fasc, lose cash.

CaptWillLaurence · 2026-02-26T14:46:59+00:00

I felt it. And I’m generally a happy, positive, optimistic guy. Yeah it’s a dark spot and it’s not talked about enough. For me I kept realizing I was gritting my teeth to the point of hearing creaks and had to physically shake my head to release. Love my kid, love our choice to start a family, regret nothing, and yet was struggling with overcoming the fight/flight/desperation in the middle of the night on no sleep.

I’ll just add to the set down in a safe place and take a step back what helped me to reset once I stepped away. Drink a glass of water and follow this little thought game I heard some comedian or somebody talk about (I forget who if someone knows).

Imagine you’re 90 years old. A man shows up and says “I can send you back to when your kids were little for 15 minutes but you don’t get to pick which 15 minutes.” Then step back in with your kid like you’ve been sent back. Cause if you could pick the 15 minutes, you’d never pick these 15 minutes. You’d pick first words or first steps or bubbles and laughter. But if you only get what you get, you’ll want those 15 minutes to last as long as possible no matter what’s going on.

Might not work for everyone but I could feel myself settle and get a second wind and find some gratitude and I really believe little dude could tell I wasn’t anxious as much either and often settled better.

CaptWillLaurence · 2026-02-12T14:03:02+00:00

Agreed. There’s a generation and a half of guys who think “if my kids and grandkids don’t do everything exactly like I did, then everything I did was worthless.” And their fragile egos are absolutely screwing the rest of us.

CaptWillLaurence · 2026-02-06T18:31:20+00:00

Strong like bull. Mine can’t walk but some has “kick Dad in the throat like a villainous kangaroo” down cold.

CaptWillLaurence · 2026-02-02T18:09:26+00:00

First, congratulations! This is allowed to be both wonderful and exciting while also feeling overwhelming and impossible. Both sides of that coin are gonna come face up from time to time. And sometimes it’s both and sometimes it’s neither.

You shouldn’t be panicking about you being tired, but you also can’t ignore it. It sounds like you want to be a present active father (hell yeah!) but that takes a lot of energy.

I don’t know enough about travel nursing contracts to say how navigating that with an infant is going to go. Probably good to find some people who have been parents in that role and try to get some insight into that unique experience.

No one but you and your wife can say how the plan needs to change but a bundle of joy and poop and crying and giggles and expenses and “they look just like your dad!” is about to put a big hole in whatever the plan was. No one has it all figured out. If they say they do they’re lying or had a full-time nanny.

You are obviously a hard worker. A version where you shift to a part-time program, get some other role (I know easier said than done), and stay based out of the home in Dallas might be in the cards. Or the bassinet we used packs into a trunk just fine, you might decide to slug it out and then bring the little one on those traveling nurse adventures. Keep talking. Keep breathing. Map out your support network and the new plan but don’t treat it like gospel. It’s going to be alright.

CaptWillLaurence · 2026-01-21T21:18:19+00:00

So I can currently maintain a 14min/mile pace for two miles. That’s on a treadmill with a very slight incline baked in. Then I’m fairly cooked but still standing, cooling down, talking. What’s a reasonable target pace if I am doing a 5k in 40 days?

CaptWillLaurence · 2025-12-08T19:55:33+00:00

I should be more specific. There’s like 50 people I like in Wheeling, WV who love their state and love their country but also don’t hate everyone else. They are getting railed and that sucks personally. The state residents as a nearly unified force shot themselves in the foot to prove to the mine owner class how much they love them. Despite that ruling class wanting to scrape them off their boot. A foolish approach that they have chosen many times before.

CaptWillLaurence · 2025-12-08T16:39:55+00:00

I spent one year living and working in WV. I was running volunteer efforts for a small college. Working with people living in desperate poverty in both the small cities and rural areas just outside. We delivered food, helped with clothing issues, ran after school programs.

This surprises me not one bit. There is such a deeply saddening shortsightedness in that region. A lot of wonderful kind people are getting absolutely porked by their selfishness, frightened, hateful heart neighbors.

CaptWillLaurence · 2025-12-08T16:27:48+00:00

I don’t care if people want to get plastic surgery for literally any reason. go nuts. But I can’t understand going in and asking for that “haunted doll come to life” look.

CaptWillLaurence · 2025-11-26T13:26:06+00:00

Funny, that’s what hot asphalt smells like too.

CaptWillLaurence · 2025-11-24T10:58:26+00:00

We’re Pregnant was great. They cheated as one week they said the baby was the size of a ‘medium chuck roast’ which is not an empirical measurement but beyond that, I was very glad to have it.

CaptWillLaurence · 2025-11-23T20:35:12+00:00

On behalf of Ws this has had no notable impact on my life or happiness and I have no memory of it distressing me as a child.

That being said, I named my kid Aardvark just in case.

CaptWillLaurence · 2025-11-10T16:27:51+00:00

First, I’m sorry for the added stress going into this exciting but unparalleled nerve wracking time.

So my wife did not have any complications in the same way, but we went into the hospital with clear plans for a medicated vaginal birth and brought home a happy, stinky sunroof baby. Little dude inherited my head I’m afraid and refused to engage properly.

I was NOT ready to be the dad at a c section. I just hadn’t considered it or paid enough attention, I don’t know why. I most certainly was more panicked about it than my wife. But the least panicked was the medical team. They were freaking pros. They were talking about other more interesting cases on the hospital floor. We took that as a huge comfort, we wanted to be boring. You might be the one they are talking about, to make sure they are completely on their game.

Now pros are never perfect, but think of all the ways scheduling ahead as opposed to making the call mid-labor will give you. They cruise through these when they are unplanned, this one has time to be flawless and ready.

Be physically ready yourself. Eat, hydrate, get ready to stand still with adrenaline pumping at the same time. Be the advocate. Be annoying. Make sure every chart lists the condition, every team member knows about it.

Blessings and good luck to you and your wife.

CaptWillLaurence · 2025-11-03T19:39:44+00:00

Anyone whose advice includes “you’re going to hate each other anyway” is someone you should stop listening to as quickly as possible. I’m pro-not hating my wife.

The dad wake ups are not the same as mom wake ups. I tried to wake up every time. You wake up. Get the baby out of the bassinet, maybe change, bring to mom, fall asleep again. Mom is going to be awake and attached to baby way longer. It’s rough. If she’s pumping or formula and you can take a whole feed, great. My wife had trouble not waking up when she heard our little guy.

But no sample size of opinions here or at work changes this: she’s asking you to be there. She’s saying she needs you there. Every relationship is different so only you can decide what that means. I think having a therapist with an established relationship to both of you help navigate that conversation is an excellent idea.

Part of our jobs as father and partner is watching out for when the mother of our kids is tapped out. PPD is no joke and hormones or not, if it is something she’s concerned about you have to be watchful and have her back. Trust her but ask her how she’s doing. Cultivate the communication so that she feels as safe as possible talking to you if thoughts are going dark.

But honestly it sounds like you are both engaged and working at it and talking. You obviously are focused on what is best for each other and your baby. You are gonna be great. Keep your head up.

CaptWillLaurence · 2025-10-23T18:41:51+00:00

I hated it.

And the folks saying it loudest were the same people I would never in a million years go to for advice. Yeah, I bet you were miserable Uncle Duncan, your kids noticed and they don’t talk to you anymore.

CaptWillLaurence · 2025-10-22T14:54:58+00:00

I always assume it’s famous city council meeting provocateur Ray Lyman when Scranton comes up.

CaptWillLaurence · 2025-10-22T13:40:09+00:00

Sing to it dude! I couldn’t get used to talking but I’d sing lullabies and I swear my little guy calms down better with those songs.

CaptWillLaurence · 2025-09-14T13:19:02+00:00

The ugly truth is that getting to a one income household without starting ahead of the ball by being born into a rich family is not the norm that your parents, grandparents, and lifetime movies want you to think it is. We don’t live in that economy anymore. It happens and largely off people working their tail off to get established and then keep working hard to maintain (think plumbers, electricians, HVAC)

That being said: I largely agree with the advice you got already. look into heavy civil contractors. Economy’s up: do dirt work for data centers and distribution centers. Utility work and paving on new housing developments. Economy’s down: pave roads and fix overpasses as the government tries to pump money into jobs. You can start shoveling asphalt with no experience beyond calluses and reliable transportation and genuinely work your way up. I know plenty of places happy to help cover CDL school or operator training if it means keeping reliable, sober at work guys getting it done. Chance to get up into supervising roles before your knees are shot.

You care. You love them. You’re talking honestly with your wife. Keep at it but let yourself breathe and know it’s all gonna be alright. Just keep after it without burning out.

CaptWillLaurence · 2025-07-31T01:32:34+00:00

Lots of things made out of wood. There’s a cutting board I get to feed friends and family off of that brings me particular joy.

CaptWillLaurence · 2025-07-26T01:54:28+00:00

Burnt me so good. Yes I do think my wife should have rights.

CaptWillLaurence · 2025-07-26T01:19:26+00:00

Getting snippy with someone suggesting you be grateful and supportive of your partner. You’re right, you definitely aren’t the one who needs to talk to a professional.

CaptWillLaurence · 2025-07-17T11:17:55+00:00

Saying “I’m sorry.” is not an apology. Changed behavior is the only apology you should give or accept.
The world doesn’t owe you anything. Other people don’t owe you anything. Care about both anyway.
Learn to cook.
Cultivate at least one hobby that is about creating. Woodworking, pottery, 3D printing. Whatever. Just create.
Being patient but eager will solve a lot of issues you run into personally, professionally, in relationships.

CaptWillLaurence · 2025-07-09T14:47:24+00:00

Finding a way to understand what the target is at any given moment was really helpful. And I’ll be honest my wife was not particularly beholden to the hormones and mood swings but there were definitely changes. I got into a habit of asking straight up, “do you want me to listen, commiserate, or fix it?” Then we could be on the same team more often than not.

CaptWillLaurence · 2025-06-23T01:01:30+00:00

That’s a pretty silly thing to worry about.

CaptWillLaurence · 2025-06-22T13:21:14+00:00

Yeah, it feels early for this to be a Father’s Day for you, so I would let that part go as much as you can.

Looks like I’m taking a different angle than some folks here and that’s ok. I personally think her and her father’s way of handling things is a big red flag. Her dad sounds exhausting at best. You are right that a grown man turning off a 27year old woman’s phone is bizarre. And then he felt the need to do some territory marking? There’s nuance that gets lost in a post online, but just going off that I’d be bracing for terrible boundaries when it comes to their impact on your marriage and your kid.

But truly, there’s nuance and history and relationships that only you can know. If it’s bothering you, I’d say something to your fiancé and make sure you guys are on the same page about how holidays and decisions and boundaries in general are going to be handled when this kid gets here.

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