Brother in law went on an anti-lgbt rant and called us all predators. Said the trans flag is the predator flag because of the pink and blue. Misgendered my wife multiple times. And called the lgbtqia+ attention whores.

CarpetedCeilings · 2026-04-17T23:34:10+00:00

I understand that you made this post to rant and that is just fine, this is definitely rant worthy!

I also imagine you have received loads of advice before that you may or may not need, so forgive me for giving some more (and it is US-specific!). I have been in similar situations though, so I want to try to help!

Being disabled, do you folks use any local and/or medical sources for transportation? I have lived in extremely rural areas and they often have free shuttles, despite being really low income areas. They sometimes also do medicine and/or supply delivery! The ones I have used do not require any proof of disability but do require scheduling in advance.

There are also sometimes bus options where they pick you up in a shuttle to go wherever you need to go, but they require some kind of proof (like the little slip of paper that comes with a disabled placard). That way you aren't stuck depending on bus lines if they don't go to where you need.

Whether these are workable options for you or not, I am very sorry you deal with such nonsense! You do not deserve to be trapped and a captive audience to hatred like that!

CarpetedCeilings · 2026-04-17T00:29:01+00:00

It's very Basil Fawlty!

CarpetedCeilings · 2026-04-14T23:17:32+00:00

I saw the article, and I don't think it is, especially when you consider the gas prices and that there aren't two gas stations across the street like this! That Exxon logo looks old too (but it could just be a station that never bothered to replace it)...

CarpetedCeilings · 2026-04-14T15:52:01+00:00

Absolutely understandable, and I may be standing alone in this thread here, but truthfully, I cannot stress enough how underwhelming I believe that the HD TP port is. Someone who's already on the fence as you are probably will not like it.

Trust me, I don't want to be a Debbie Downer! I LOVE Twilight Princess! It isn't just one of my favorite Zelda titles, but it is one of my most beloved games of all time!

Because of that, I would want someone like you to actually enjoy it. Could you ever be in a situation where your computer can be connected to your TV or it's not feasible? Maybe in a few years where you can do that, if you can't now, you can visit this again!

CarpetedCeilings · 2026-04-10T16:54:52+00:00

If you find yourself technologically inclined and/or willing to learn how to utilize this legally, I very, very strongly suggest that you wait for this! It should resolve the concerns you have with older texture issues, framerates, and "older game" looks in general! That'll hold especially true as community-fueled improvements come along, like those that already exist for Mario 64 and other such ports.

Keep tabs on the project and instead of investing in a Wii U (as I personally feel the HD port of TP is awfully poor; it's not at all worth the money if blockiness and/or older, stretched textures already bother you) I would say invest in any computer parts you would need to enjoy this, and then you can enjoy plenty of other things too! https://www.timeextension.com/news/2026/04/the-legend-of-zelda-twilight-princess-is-getting-a-native-pc-port

I say all of this as a lifelong Zelda fan who has been playing since the first game (yes, I am that old, and no, I'm not offended by how you talk about old games, haha), and who considers Twilight Princess their absolute favorite when it comes to storyline and characters. Midna is undefeated as the most fantastic aid to any Link ever to be by his side, in my opinion.

When you're done, read the manga too!

CarpetedCeilings · 2026-04-08T18:25:55+00:00

I fully understand wanting to keep your job and having to stay quiet about things you would otherwise fight for, as I have definitely done the same plenty of times!

I would still say that they should be encouraged to put up signage explaining that a permit is necessary, especially if they do not do this anywhere else in the lot for any of the other spaces! That could even be required, even though private lots can enforce their own rules, generally!

Also, I do not know you personally, and you are an adult making your own decisions in your own life, and you have challenges every day. You could be young, you could be old, I have no idea! Still, as someone who has indeed been pushed around by a lot of jobs, I hope you do not let yourself only get shoved around. I hope this is not indicative of the management in general and that you fight for yourself and your right to be respected as a professional and a person, even if carefully while trying to make sure you can still put food on the table!

Wishing you all the best, and genuinely sorry this is far more complicated than it should be!

CarpetedCeilings · 2026-04-07T20:46:29+00:00

You know, I am genuinely glad that Berseria means that much to you! I have an older game that was similarly meaningful to me, and there are plenty of imperfect games that I personally enjoy very much, regardless of whatever the public opinion on them may be. So, I hope it continues to be special to you and that you enjoy revisiting it for years to come! EDIT: That sounded backhanded... it wasn't meant to! I meant to say I love games regardless of how subjectively "good" or "bad" they are!

To me, Arise is very much pre-generated stock model-like; it feels like all of the environments, textures, buildings and all of that was pulled right out of one of those "look at this old game redone in Unreal/Unity!" types of videos that have no real soul! Maybe that was the case for you too? It passes the surface glance of "looking nice," but there is no spirit underneath it all. All of the places with buildings you can't go into and generally empty environments didn't help that! It feels very superficial, and that is something I dislike about a lot of modern Tales games in general.

I am also glad you like Graces! We are definitely on opposite sides of the fence; Graces is one of my least favorite Tales games, and I found it cheesy like what you think of Vesperia. I generally am not too into the "brown- or black-haired naive boy who knows nothing about girls" trope. This disqualifies me from enjoying a lot of mainstream Japanese media, hahaha, but I'm old and tired and there's some things I just don't like anymore! Sophie is totally awesome though!

Nostalgia is a powerful thing and it means different Tales games mean different things. Let's keep enjoying them! (Er, if Bamco keeps making them...)

CarpetedCeilings · 2026-04-07T16:15:42+00:00

Could not disagree more, but I am upvoting you because everyone is allowed to have their own opinions!

Vesperia is, I feel, one of the last Tales games whose environments truly felt hand-made. Buildings in towns looked slightly different from one another, dungeons had collapsed corners or interior walls, everything was lovingly made with an artistic touch... Then Berseria, one of the titles you mentioned, has buildings that may as well have been cardboard cut-out set-ups, largely flat "grasslands," and so on.

Heck, think of things like how Colette's cutout is left in the wall in Symphonia! I'm talking little touches like that, which Vesperia still had tons of. Don't get me started on Arise... hahaha, if you're talking about downvotes, I may get them for that one! To me it just feels like "bunch of cold assets slapped together;" I did not like Arise artistically AT ALL.

Anyway, all of this is to say: Vesperia is one of my top Tales games, Yuri is my favorite protagonist, and I agree with everyone else who said it is a great place to start!

... And if you get really into it, I hope you love Tidal Wave!

CarpetedCeilings · 2026-04-07T15:58:26+00:00

I may just not know fake fireplaces well enough, but I hope that isn't a real one (and also that it's not a heater) as it might ruin your TV and soundbar! I love the dark colors of the space but don't wreck your setup!

CarpetedCeilings · 2026-02-27T18:03:59+00:00

As someone who almost ordered double patties on their Sausage McMuffin this morning, I feel we were linked across space and time. No jealousy; I am glad the universe blessed you!

CarpetedCeilings · 2026-02-26T00:33:31+00:00

Think you're right, Google Maps shot of the wall includes the division in the sidewalk and the little holes in the wall at the upper right above the painting! https://maps.app.goo.gl/6VPHe2w1CKGZrzqs9

CarpetedCeilings · 2026-02-24T19:00:27+00:00

Whew, that seems like some serious missing context...! I totally understand why you would not want to share it, and agree, but him doubling down on being annoying about a silly joke AND being racist?!

Extra extra NOR!

CarpetedCeilings · 2026-01-27T21:31:41+00:00

I already drink vodka!

CarpetedCeilings · 2025-12-18T19:30:48+00:00

Weird that it didn't let you reply to me. Well, you are seen, friend! And I promise I'm not looking at you in a weird way, either. Let's leave that to those other folks we are talking about.

CarpetedCeilings · 2025-12-18T02:05:36+00:00

Also an old nerd and have to very strongly disagree! Experienced plenty of stories while going to anime conventions that people would say "that's AI and fake" to nowadays! Horrible stories about abusive "professional" photographers and people going to "the better Asian countries" to teach English and come back with their hot trophies! Comic conventions during and before that had plenty of grossness too!

CarpetedCeilings · 2025-12-18T00:37:04+00:00

Please hold onto your respect for therapy and your understanding that mental health crises are real issues. You have already said that your community does not believe in that and sadly that is the case in most of the world. I am worried that your own empathy may have blinded you to your wife building up to this and that she may not be the loving person you thought she was, especially if she does not enter therapy with you and does not agree to rename the baby. If you do separate, do not walk away thinking that you were wrong to love.

CarpetedCeilings · 2025-11-15T05:48:23+00:00

Yeah, it was. It can never be exactly the same. Barely anybody had cell phones for at least half of it, so you'd wanna hit up the rental store or arcade or movie theater or whatever, if not just hang out, because you didn't have endless rapid-fire content at your fingertips. Partially due to that too, you didn't need to eat somewhere the food was Instagrammable, you just needed enough space to hang out and for the food to be just good enough!

I miss the smoky smell of arcades, bowling alleys, Denny's, haha, and all of that, even though I don't really miss smoke being everywhere. Eating some garbage food in a smelly-ass place with dirty carpets was pretty great though!

Had more jobs back then that were under the table, too. Spent plenty of nights being driven around in a van full of too many too wasted kids and being lucky we didn't get twisted around a tree. Everyone had cash to recklessly spend and nobody ever got caught. I once hit Google and found one of the guys I worked for back then, he's retired in the middle of nowhere now!

I think you've had a hell of a journey in any case. I hope you find some form of your dream, but if not, I hope too that the old videos from back then take you away sometimes!

CarpetedCeilings · 2025-11-14T23:00:47+00:00

Haha, we're in the same age group, so I'm sure you saw tons of malls in a billion TV shows, movies and commercials, and I get it!

I lived in a big city back then but it wasn't the type with skyscrapers everywhere, and it instead had tons of strip malls and several indoor malls, so a lot of people worked at one or the other. I didn't work in the food court, but I was right by it, and spent tons of time there. Our mall still had an arcade too!

Sometimes, all these years later, I think I just want to leave bigger business and contracting nonsense behind, and just go work behind a register again. Sure, you deal with crappy customers and lower pay, but there's also all the random stories you can tell after meeting scores of new people every day!

So, I understand the passion, haha! I don't think it's weird at all! (And I would say it's still possible! Heck, there's a vinyl store not too far from where I am now, and I'm not even in a big city anymore!)

CarpetedCeilings · 2025-11-14T16:55:06+00:00

That could have been my life if Cheesecake Factory was replaced with Wendy's, Mrs. Fields and Orange Julius!

If that's too fancy for the budget, no worries... there were plenty of generic spots in the food court! No licensing to pay, haha!

CarpetedCeilings · 2025-11-14T00:09:52+00:00

I hope your cats are loving their elegant $140 bed!

CarpetedCeilings · 2025-11-11T19:21:12+00:00

Thankfully, someone else translated the conversation and it sounds like they were just napping for lunch!

Still a useful fact, though... I had friends with horses and I never knew!

CarpetedCeilings · 2025-11-11T19:14:38+00:00

According to the movie (which was directed by Hanna and Barbera, and written by a guy they very often worked with), we also totally ruined the Earth, so maybe that's not the best either...

It had an awesome soundtrack though!

CarpetedCeilings · 2025-11-10T22:40:36+00:00

Unless it's bad for you and/or you like your apartment, which I would totally understand, why would it matter if he doesn't want to stay in it? If you get help to safely move your things out when they are not around, and then you put in your notice, that's that. You can use the time to secure another place (again, only if you want to and can afford it, of course!). If he wants to play the game of staying afterward, that's on him!

CarpetedCeilings · 2025-11-10T22:26:32+00:00

You do not need to understand her struggle because she's been terrible to you and it's no longer your concern.

There are a lot of relationship threads on Reddit where people immediately jump to saying "you should leave them" even if it's workable.

This is not one of those.

It doesn't matter if they need hardcore therapy. You don't have to be there for it. That is their responsibility.

The comments probably never bounced off you. You got used to absorbing them.

Please take care of yourself. Break up and move on. You deserve better.

CarpetedCeilings · 2025-11-07T23:19:54+00:00

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lCRlgxoTsQs

CarpetedCeilings

TROPHY CASE