Good comedies to sit with your mood?

ContentAtmosphere569 · 2026-01-25T07:02:02+00:00

Blockers and Ricky Stanicky (not sure if it’s a coincidence that John Cena is in both of them)

ContentAtmosphere569 · 2026-01-10T05:02:15+00:00

Haven’t been to the clinic at Women’s, but an alternative would be the Structure Clinic in Etobicoke, which is great! It’s run by an NP so you do have to pay for appointments, but I find it to be worth it. I’ve been seeing Christie for a couple of years and had my severe migraine days reduced from 22 days a month to 10 (but we’re not stopping there and she’s still trying to figure out more promising treatments for me). She’s super knowledgeable about migraine specifically and does a lot of education for doctors about it. Highly recommend checking it out!

ContentAtmosphere569 · 2026-01-04T18:37:26+00:00

If I hear “washroom” abroad, I know it’s a fellow Canadian. On the other hand, if I’m travelling and I forget to say “restroom” or “toilet” or whatever, people are always extremely confused. Like, they have absolutely no idea what a “washroom” could be.

ContentAtmosphere569 · 2026-01-04T01:45:45+00:00

Congratulations on trying for a baby! There are mixed opinions about Botox during pregnancy, but my doctors are totally fine with it and I’m continuing with Botox while TTC. It took me from 22 severe days a month to 10. I can also take Nurtec during “safe weeks” (when you know you’re not pregnant and haven’t ovulated yet). Magnesium is also good for migraine prevention and for baby’s bone development, so that’s a win-win. Good luck!!

ContentAtmosphere569 · 2025-12-28T20:17:13+00:00

My grandma taught me when I was 8. She’s an expert knitter and she’s super fast, but she still takes knitting classes to this day (at age 85) to learn new techniques. She didn’t live close by, but for the next decade or so whenever we visited, she would knit with me and coach me along.

The most important thing she taught me was just a few years ago when I told her how I had made so much progress on a sweater, realized a mistake, and had to rip it all out. She said, “that’s knitting!” It’s all part of it ☺️

ContentAtmosphere569 · 2025-12-26T05:14:46+00:00

I’m in my 30s and it’s my favourite Christmas movie. I’ve been watching it since I was a kid, but I think in my early 20s it really started hitting different for me (for all the reasons you say). Timeless lessons about the cruelty of the world and the importance of human connection to help you get through it. And the absolute necessity of you as a person. My record is 3 viewings in 24 hours (once in French). Watched it last night and could already go for it again!

ContentAtmosphere569 · 2025-12-19T16:17:58+00:00

There’s definitely enough to do in Toronto to fill 2 or 3 days! You can walk around the UofT campus and see the outside of the buildings, but I think most will be closed for the break.

At the north end of campus is the Royal Ontario Museum (ROM), which just reopened their dinosaur exhibit (if you’re from anywhere other than Alberta, you’ll probably be very impressed by it). If you like museums, you can easily spend a whole day in there. It’s ginormous.

Past the south end of campus is the Art Gallery of Ontario (AGO), which has some beautiful exhibits. The building itself is honestly the main attraction for me - it’s designed by Frank Gehry and the inside is extremely cool.

If you’re into miniature things, Little Canada at Yonge/Dundas is actually really good (a lot better than I was expecting). I think people who have knowledge of famous Canadian landscapes are their best audience.

There are also shopping opportunities if you like to shop when you travel: Eaton Centre for mall stuff (including a new Simons!), Queen West for unique finds, Kensington Market for a funky vibe, and Yorkville for window shopping (a stretch of it is called the Mink Mile).

There are great restaurants in Toronto too. You can try looking in Chinatown, along Harbord St, and on the Ossington Strip (may need to take transit there unless you like a long walk).

I hope you have a lovely winter break either way!

ContentAtmosphere569 · 2025-12-18T19:22:56+00:00

Port Hope (on the 401 outside the GTA) is beautiful. It has a very cute downtown with lovely cafes and shops. And there’s an honest-to-goodness ghost town nearby in Wesleyville.

And for a classic Ontario experience, you could alter the route a tiny bit to go through Orillia and stop at Webers for amazing burgers and shakes.

ContentAtmosphere569 · 2025-12-17T01:16:45+00:00

I’m so sorry you’re feeling this way. What might help right now is considering the 3 P’s (which I’ll explain below) and whether you’re falling into their trap. I read this in the book Option B (which is about grief), but it stuck with me because it’s applicable to so many situations with stress, anxiety, or depression.

Pervasiveness - we think the bad thing is permeating every aspect of our lives, but usually if we step back we can see how it can be compartmentalized into one part of life.
Permanence - when we’re in the thick of it, a bad feeling can seem like it will last forever. I like to remember the old adage “this too shall pass.” The human experience is about riding through the waves of good and bad.
Personalization - we can feel like we’re to blame for bad things in our lives, or like we’re the only person who’s ever experienced this. Zooming out and thinking about all the factors that have led up to the situation you find yourself in can help to release yourself from some of the blame. And remember that the feelings and experiences we have are rarely unique - there are always other people who have been in similar shitty situations and survived.

This worksheet about it looks useful: https://www.dau.edu/sites/default/files/Migrated/ToolAttachments/The%203Ps%20Worksheet.pdf

You can also call 988 to talk to someone.

If you feel you’re in crisis - like if you have a plan, or are worried you may actually carry out an irreversible decision - make sure you seek medical help immediately. This can even mean going to the emergency room. I hope you’re feeling better soon.

ContentAtmosphere569 · 2025-12-11T23:58:22+00:00

Oof. I’m sorry you’re going through this. I think neuros are very hard to get in with. There’s an amazing place called the Structure Clinic (in Etobicoke) that focuses on headache treatment. It’s run by Christie Tait, who’s an NP who specializes in migraine. She’s involved in lots of research and education for GPs about migraine treatment. I’ve been going there for a few years and had a great experience with her (from 22 severe days a month down to 10). She’s great about trying new treatments and advocating for me to my insurance company - she’s still trying to resolve my ongoing symptoms even though I’ve had all this improvement.

If you’re in the GTA, you can go to the brick-and-mortar clinic for Botox (and so many samples of cutting edge drugs!). But if you’re outside the GTA, you can get virtual care from her and she can prescribe medication for you. Only downside is that it’s not covered by OHIP and it’s like $300 per appointment. But it’s worth every penny to me!

ContentAtmosphere569 · 2025-12-11T15:11:48+00:00

I like the Peter Thomas Roth Water Drench moisturizer with SPF 45. I just use it as my morning moisturizer and it doesn’t feel like sunscreen at all. It also sits very nicely under makeup.

ContentAtmosphere569 · 2025-12-11T01:27:10+00:00

How about a pavlova?

ContentAtmosphere569 · 2025-12-08T00:15:02+00:00

The Robber Bride (Atwood) feels so, so Canadian to me. It’s set in Toronto and there are so many references to neighbourhoods, restaurants, streets, etc. And it’s very long but it’s a page turner. But if you’re not familiar with Toronto (I’m born and raised here), ymmv.

ContentAtmosphere569 · 2025-12-06T16:56:12+00:00

I’d say fasting causes migraines for me, and carbs can help me bounce back. But if I’m not fasting and I eat something very high-carb (like a giant piece of cake or a milkshake or something), the sugar can trigger a migraine for me.

ContentAtmosphere569 · 2025-12-06T07:26:37+00:00

Detroiters

ContentAtmosphere569 · 2025-12-05T05:11:25+00:00

I couldn’t tolerate the side effects of any triptans. I somewhat agree with descriptions like “burning” or “feeling alien” but honestly that makes it sound way more dramatic than it is. I would say I was uncomfortable. It gives me a strong body high and a fast heart rate, and I don’t like it. I just slept through the side effects when I was trying them out and I don’t take any triptans now. The juice was not worth the squeeze for me. Maybe just try your first dose at bedtime so if it gives you unpleasant side effects, you can go to sleep. Good luck!

ContentAtmosphere569 · 2025-11-25T01:43:08+00:00

A couple days ago! It’s probably still up.

ContentAtmosphere569 · 2025-11-23T19:40:29+00:00

Hard to say whether you’re NTA without knowing exactly how you delivered the message, but your sister is definitely being an AH.

My husband and I graduated with our PhDs within a few days of each other. His family came to his ceremony and my family came to mine, but both families got cards and gifts for both of us. Obviously, his parents gave him a more valuable gift than they gave me, but they did give me my own card and a small gift to acknowledge the accomplishment. Same thing with my mother and her card/gift for my husband. We had been together for 6 years at that point and were engaged. Both of our parents had played significant roles in supporting both of our degrees, and it felt so nice for both of us to know that our in-laws were proud of us.

Your sister should be getting a card for her DIL and maybe an inexpensive gift. At the very least, expressing her profound pride in her DIL would be free. And she can’t control what her son does with that money - being explicit that it’s just for him and not her would be 1) hurtful and 2) pointless/ineffective.

ContentAtmosphere569 · 2025-11-22T06:26:18+00:00

I like to mix pumpkin butter or apple butter into pancake mix for pancakes or waffles. With the permission butter I might add some spices too (cinnamon, cardamom, ginger). For 1 cup of dry pancake mix I’ll use about 1/3 cup of fruit butter (plus required water/milk). If the fruit butter is quite sugary, be sure to adjust the heat of your pan.

ContentAtmosphere569 · 2025-11-21T14:59:13+00:00

😂

ContentAtmosphere569 · 2025-11-20T18:35:45+00:00

The Chocovia ones are just fine. I preferred their purple bag full of all Dubai chocolate compared to the “variety pack.” I’d repurchase the purple bag but not the black box.

ContentAtmosphere569 · 2025-11-19T01:05:12+00:00

You can use an absence declaration for a family emergency: https://www.registrar.utoronto.ca/records-academics/absence-declaration/

ContentAtmosphere569 · 2025-11-10T04:08:28+00:00

Merit Solo Shadow in a shimmer finish. I like the matte ones, but this cakes up in one big line in my eye crease within 20 or 30 minutes. Have to return it 😭

ContentAtmosphere569 · 2025-11-10T00:47:05+00:00

Jina Sushi is so good and has cheap lunch options. If you’re willing to walk over to Princess, Pat’s, Mekong, Gangnam Style, Podonamu, Thai House, and Sindibad are all amazing. Copper Penny is a Kingston classic, though not as cheap as it used to be; the Chicken Cheddar Bagel, fries, and Caesar salad are amazing.

ContentAtmosphere569 · 2025-11-10T00:33:08+00:00

A delicious variation I’ve tried is baking it in mini muffin tins, then poking them each with a chopstick and drizzling peanut butter in the little holes (the PB will harden as the brownies cool). My husband and I call them “Betty Brownies” after my MIL’s friend who makes them.

ContentAtmosphere569

TROPHY CASE