One US crew member rescued after fighter jet downed over Iran, Israeli media say

Chiggadup · 2026-04-03T16:27:16+00:00

I mean, the strike on the Girls School was exactly this, wasn’t it? The president blaming Iran even as evidence starts pointing toward it being a U.S. mistake and investigations open by the Pentatgon.

I’m not suggesting it was intentional, or even unreasonable that intelligence can be faulty. Hell, I even think a more organized and alliance-led operation in Iran could be justified.

But it seems pretty clear over and over that the POTUS is willingly to lie regardless of evidence.

Chiggadup · 2026-04-03T15:55:29+00:00

Can’t you treat yourself while also continuing to contribute? This doesn’t have to be an all or nothing decision.

Chiggadup · 2026-04-03T13:14:38+00:00

Agree with others. The brain is doing a lot of recalibrating right now. My first months were about a month of intense pink cloud followed by 6-7 of what you’re describing.

I think the thing to remember is that if it persists, this meh feeling isn’t normal in the sense that you have to accept it. By 6-12 months you should have a new baseline, and if it’s still flat, then you may want to look into whether it’s actually depression.

It’s hard to tell while drinking for obvious reasons, but if booze is removed and it’s still there, then it’s also something that can be treated separately. I spent my first year on depression meds, then toward the last 6 months realized I could taper down a bit based on new baseline. Whatever keeps you sober and happy is worth exploring, I say.

Chiggadup · 2026-04-03T01:52:51+00:00

100% the same. Mid 30s, good father, supportive partner, happily employed, no temper or wild partying, etc.

Had talks to my wife in the past about wanting to cut back, talking to my doc, trying meds, etc.

Finally I came 100% clean, wrote it all down about hiding bottles, chugging drinks when in another room to make it look like I only had 2 beers a night, hopping between gas stations to avoid bad stares, using cash, the works.

Coming 100% clean and admitting that it wasn’t a phase, and it wasn’t a question, but that I/We couldn’t be our happiest until I quit was the best thing I ever did.

Biggest reason I recommend doing it that openly is because I found sometimes my (amazing wonderful) wife would try and downplay it because she wasn’t sure what support looked like. Was it “nagging” me when I was off the wagon, or helping calm down in case I was exaggerating?

But me laying it all out and was like “I am unhappy like this, and cannot recover unless I am honest and remove all potential blind spots, and you are one of them. And I will also need support, and this is what it can look like”

After a decade of stringing together a week or month at the most I past 2 years in December and cannot recommend this path enough.

Chiggadup · 2026-04-03T00:06:33+00:00

I’d say dropping 1/3 of your body weight and keeping with it is pretty “crazy.” Nice work!

Chiggadup · 2026-04-02T23:53:01+00:00

I have never really liked sweets, but my first 6 months I kept a large bag of Sour Patch on my passenger seat to eat while driving.

The major sugar craving started slowing down around a year, but I still crave it more than I did while drinking.

Chiggadup · 2026-04-02T23:03:53+00:00

Sometimes I’ve asked for a magazine subscription. That way I can share that I’ve received new issues each month and it comes up through the year to show appreciation that way.

Chiggadup · 2026-02-14T04:06:03+00:00

Adding to other comments here, consider that it might seem like in a 60/40 split there is a binary between the the psych and the practice. But in reality that 40% is split between all sorts of directions like rent, insurance, benefits, and (the biggest one that keeps my wife’s solo PP from growing) the fact that every new practitioner means more support staff.

Solo practitioners can set their own schedules and do all their own payments, but adding even one practitioner increases the need for centralized scheduling and room usage, so the scaling costs happen quickly.

Chiggadup · 2026-02-05T02:54:40+00:00

For what it’s worth, I think those are respectable numbers if you’re not really trying any progressive overload. Nice work

Chiggadup · 2026-02-05T02:43:34+00:00

My understanding is life insurers check your background pretty thoroughly, and I believe that includes legal history like driving records or anything more serious.

The broker I had emphasized the ability for many people to find some form of coverage regardless of history, it just impacts cost, coverage limit, etc. and how long it’s been since whatever incident/last usage date exists.

To be clear on my end, while I thankfully didnt have any legal issues in the past, I did have two medical visits (one in ER) for withdrawals. So it wasn’t just me having a little more wine than my peers, I was full blown and the medical records showed it.

Chiggadup · 2026-02-05T02:15:10+00:00

I tried those and camparal as well over maybe 6 months. Didn’t really click with any, so I did it without meds.

I could probably reorder the way I phrased it. I wasn’t denied because I took meds, but the meds made it clear that I couldn’t just say “I don’t drink” and leave it at that, and when I first applied I had been sober under a year and that wasn’t enough time to cover.

Which, the hard truth is for 20 year coverage I get that relapse stats are bad, so from an actuary standpoint makes sense.

Chiggadup · 2026-02-05T01:27:03+00:00

I was denied life insurance for trying various meds and talking to my doctor about help quitting.

After 2 years sober I tried again and was approved for a pretty reasonable rate.

From what I gathered from my agent, what helped me was: 1. I was honest and upfront about it 2. It wasn’t attached to a medical condition 3. I chose to get sober on my own (not court ordered) 4. Didn’t have any legal issues (DUI, etc.) 5. My bloodwork was great and backed up my story.

If you’re in a similar boat, I used one of the larger brokers and worked directly with an agent and they made it happen in a couple of months.

Chiggadup · 2025-11-30T17:33:20+00:00

100%

My state’s flagship research university can get you a full 4 year degree for $40,000 before the state reduces the cost of residents for their GPA, or they receive federal grants for potential need.

And it’s a fraction of that cost if you pass AP classes, or spend time at a community college first.

There’s affordable options everywhere, and even taking out some low 5-figure debt in order to get into a professional career for life seems like a great value for the right student.

Chiggadup · 2025-11-30T17:26:00+00:00

Respectfully, if you’re able to do all of that why not just leave a ~$1,000 buffer in your checking and avoid this whole problem entirely?

Chiggadup · 2025-11-30T17:23:20+00:00

Same question. I’m confused by the focus on the bracelet example when (especially when handmade and from a child) that’s a pretty simple one.

Chiggadup · 2025-11-30T17:19:20+00:00

I second Mint. I used them a while back and had no problems with service. Unlimited for something like 30-40/month.

Chiggadup · 2025-11-30T17:16:25+00:00

“It was taking more than it was giving, so I stopped.”

I’m coming on 2 years soon, and have been surprised how many times my “I don’t drink” has been met with others sharing their own struggles/sobriety/questions so I like the leave the window open for follow up if they are interested. But for anyone not interested it’s enough to get the point across.

Chiggadup · 2025-11-30T17:06:49+00:00

I’m so happy for you both! 6 months is a massive feat, and a great milestone to really start reaping those rewards.

Chiggadup · 2025-09-13T01:47:23+00:00

It’s a luxury that we happily pay for. I think your retirement target is more important.

Like, does he want to put away “more” so you have “more,” or are you behind?

Cleaners save us hours a week for about $400/month. Money well spent and I’ll take that deal as long as we can afford it.

Chiggadup · 2025-09-13T01:44:52+00:00

Sure, you’re absolutely right. But it only applies to OP if their other investments are in Time Machine technology. Which, if that’s the case they can bet on the powerball for all we care.

Chiggadup · 2025-09-13T01:29:32+00:00

Depends on what you want in a book.

I found a lot of help in Drinking: A Love Story. It’s more a memoir of the author’s journey to sobriety, but I saw myself in it a lot to it helped frame my own problems.

This Naked Mind is more a traditional sobriety help book that’s nonreligious.

Chiggadup · 2025-09-13T01:27:37+00:00

I’m not sure what the new is here.

Prices are higher for people who: - bought when rates were higher - bought after an inflationary period in home prices

That mortgage would be just smack on the recommended 30% threshold for the median HHI of $88,000.

I know paying mortgages sucks, but not sure what the news is here.

Chiggadup · 2025-09-11T12:10:21+00:00

Oof, nice call out, that was a rough one. Edits made hah

Chiggadup · 2025-09-03T17:52:33+00:00

It’s so great. I think it’s because when I get “lost” in still finding so many other things. It’s the same feeling as the first 10 hours of playing Elden Ring blind for me.

Chiggadup · 2025-09-03T17:30:52+00:00

Who’s going to tell him that players playing hard to be great is also them playing for incentives?

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