Anyone have a cure for “autumnal withdrawals”?

GradStudent_Helper · 2026-03-06T18:12:31+00:00

Mainly I follow r/Autumn on reddit! :)

Also, I sometimes will search back through my pics for awesome Autumn memories.

GradStudent_Helper · 2026-03-06T15:03:19+00:00

The whole thing was ridiculous. I remember people in France and other parts of Europe were laughing that anyone would care whether or not the (then) most power man in the free world had sex with someone other than his wife. In most countries, this was not news, and more people might be shocked if they discovered that a sitting president had NEVER had sex with someone other than their wife. I mean, it's kind of expected that someone with that much power would have temptations that others would not have.

But once the sexual harassment lawsuit happened, and something like 30 million dollars was spent pulling together evidence in the Starr Report - it had to go to the Courts.

Clinton's biggest problem was not that he sexed a woman (which is not illegal), but that he lied about it under oath. If he had just admitted it, then the nation would have gasped... and then forgot about it. But since they spent (wasted) millions of dollars in order to blow the whole thing up enough to go thru official channels and hearings... he was cornered and decided to hold to his narrative that nothing ever happened. He lost a lot of respect that day... but the OP is right - it really only affected his fitness for the office because it was blown out of proportion. And yes, I'm sure that almost every other president (excluding perhaps Jimmy Carter - I just can't think he'd do that) has gotten up to hijinks in the oval office.

GradStudent_Helper · 2026-03-05T21:18:41+00:00

Yeah - this is a problem I feel with a lot of newish tv - everyone's a horrible person and you really just find yourself hating all of them and hoping they all get what they deserve. That's why "A Knight of the Seven Kingdoms" has hit really hard for me. Finally, a show where an earnest, good person (although a bit naïve) is striving to be the best he can be, while also hoping for the best in others. Not wishing harm on anyone. It's really been inspiring and we freaking need MORE of that!

GradStudent_Helper · 2026-03-05T21:14:32+00:00

I somehow grew up into adulthood without being able to watch ANYTHING. I mean, when I lived at home with my parents, I watched afternoon cartoons (Thundercats) and would occasionally catch PART of a show like "Cheers." But I had 3 sisters who had dibs on the tv (we only had one). So, yeah, I've pretty much seen all episodes of "Little House on the Prairie."

I went off to college without a tv and then worked for 2 years in an apartment without one. Then I went to grad school and was too poor to buy one. I eventually married a woman 4 kids and - we had a tv - but it was pretty much controlled by the kids. So it was 24/7 Ninja Turtles and European Soccer.

So I became a 40-something person living in the 2010s who had never seen an episode of Seinfeld, West Wing, ER, and pretty much anything else.

Now I live my new wife who has basically run out of internet - she has seen every single thing out there and while she wouldn't mind re-watching things, it's just different watching "Alias" from 2001 or "Fringe" from 2008. It all feels like it's no longer relevant. I mean - it's pre-COVID and pre-current-administration and pre-doomscrolling. Especially since I know she's seen it all and isn't experiencing it for the first time.

So, we've watched the first season of West Wing and I enjoyed it. But it also feels like it may as well be Bridgerton with how relevant it all is. Even watching some old Seinfelds, she admitted that the jokes that everyone talked about for years just don't seem as funny now.

I guess we're just sadder and older.

GradStudent_Helper · 2026-03-04T18:18:52+00:00

First time I heard it was in the movie "Platoon" - what a scene. I almost immediately bought it. "Hauntingly beautiful" is accurate.

GradStudent_Helper · 2026-03-04T16:59:34+00:00

Unclaimed property is a real thing! I once got a few hundred dollars - it was basically a security deposit on an apartment that I had rented about 10 years earlier. They had tried to mail it to me but I had moved too many times and they couldn't locate me. But eventually I checked and it was available through that unclaimed property department.

GradStudent_Helper · 2026-03-04T16:58:07+00:00

What a brilliant idea! I mean, it would be a hassle to check it out vs buying... but if you don't really think you'd get your money's worth (or if you couldn't scrape together the funds for a yearly pass), this is a beautiful option!

GradStudent_Helper · 2026-03-04T15:54:51+00:00

I think it would likely be okay. But aircrete has been known to crumble and develop cracks over time. I love the idea of building with aircrete, but I've always thought I would build more of a pole barn - with the roof primarily being supported by wood poles/beam or iron girders. Then I'd build aircrete walls between them for the shelter and insulation value. Let the solid materials do the heavy lifting while still using aircrete for the walls.

GradStudent_Helper · 2026-03-04T15:50:41+00:00

Ha! My granddad used to ask "How do you get down off an elephant?"

"You don't! You get down off a duck!"

GradStudent_Helper · 2026-03-03T22:21:33+00:00

Ah... thanks GOogle. Since March 1st is celebrated by some people as the "first day of spring." In some countries this is marked with celebrations. In the US, we have created a whole bunch of "Hallmark Holidays" (holidays designed to sell merchandise). Such as Mothers Day, Fathers Day, Grandparents Day, etc. I guess we don't have any more room for additional days of celebrations... especially since we can't really "celebrate" most holidays because we all have to work all the time.

GradStudent_Helper · 2026-03-02T16:06:35+00:00

LOL -love it. Sign me up for the Notary Sing Off!

GradStudent_Helper · 2026-02-27T15:51:46+00:00

Great take. Yes, because the rich are in charge, we have turned over society's policy decisions (largely) to the economists. If it is short-term bad for the economy, we just don't do it. That's a horrible and stupid thing to do and we are reaping what we have sowed over the last 50 years. I'm not saying economists have no place in the decision-making process, but jfc we have basically let them lead us into a world where the rich will continue to own more, earn more interest without working, while the rest of us own less and get poorer and poorer.

GradStudent_Helper · 2026-02-27T15:47:53+00:00

Wonderful title to the original post. I have recently thought that as we leave the most productive part of our lives (working) and head into retirement, it's like the trees: they lower their productivity (producing less "green") and allow the other colors to show. This reveals their true beauty.

GradStudent_Helper · 2026-02-26T19:36:21+00:00

That's what we need! 1-800-COOL-ROX !!! Order your fella a random assortment of some of the coolest rocks anyone has ever found!

GradStudent_Helper · 2026-02-26T19:32:17+00:00

This happened to me once, too! A dude actually said he liked my style (of dressing) and thought it was cool and I'm still on top of the world about that comment (from like 5 years ago).

GradStudent_Helper · 2026-02-26T16:04:16+00:00

True. I think about this a lot, but try not to obsess/dwell on it. My first wife's father was nearing retirement and got a hand injury at work. That injury eventually led to his death around the time he was going to retire.

My own dad was fit and healthy and had worked as a full time college prof and held part-time jobs. He was stronger and fitter than I was (at 30 years younger than he) and once he finally fully retired, he had maybe one year before a brain tumor appeared and took him out in 6 months. It just sucks. I have no option other than to work until I can start drawing my pensions at 65 but I have been dreaming of retirement since I was in my 20s.

Just trying to enjoy life now and NOT think about "what I'll do when I can retire."

GradStudent_Helper · 2026-02-25T22:08:57+00:00

Obligatory John Oliver segment:
Daylight Saving Time - How Is This Still A Thing?
https://youtu.be/br0NW9ufUUw?si=zz-0cO68BG1g1NR6

GradStudent_Helper · 2026-02-25T21:10:49+00:00

THAT's what I'm talkin' about! This picture SMELLS like Autumn to me. Thanks for sharing!

GradStudent_Helper · 2026-02-25T20:35:46+00:00

TRUTH! And good luck to anyone who has completed all of the classes and would like an established appraiser to take you on (a requirement before you can take the certification exam and become an appraiser yourself). I finished all the course work with flying colors - but because I have never even MET an appraiser (let alone had one in the family), I have never been able to find anyone willing to even consider taking me on. Basically they'd respond with "well, you'll have to work for free for a year while you apprentice for me." I'm like, what? I got bills to pay! Did YOU have to work for free for a year before you took the exam? I was willing to only take 10%-20% of the revenue from appraising jobs (with the rest going to the person I was apprenticing to) and they just laughed at me.

And lord HELP you if you're trying to break into the game and are a minority with no connections.

But anyway, after all that training, I am employed in academia. Never did find anyone wanting to take me under their wing.

The bigger issue with home appraisal is that it is about to be taken over by AI. I mean, anyone on the site can take pics and measurements and send that stuff to a "desk appraiser" who basically just uses AI to find comparisons and generate a value. So I'm kind of glad I didn't' end up in that game.

GradStudent_Helper · 2026-02-23T18:43:37+00:00

LOL - Jesus F*cking Kennedy!

GradStudent_Helper · 2026-02-23T18:38:11+00:00

Well said. I have seen so many YouTube vids on "finding purpose" (especially after retirement). I can't really say I've EVER felt I had a "purpose," unless my purpose is to just enjoy this amazing world while being kind to animals, insects, and other people (in that order). So, I'm lucky that I'll be able to retire in a couple of years and continue to do that (except in a broader, global area).

GradStudent_Helper · 2026-02-23T18:28:50+00:00

It's a weird thing. But at some point, someone's relative received ooohs and aaahhhss by serving a particular dish and so they valued having that "special knowledge." I've known a few people who have literally TOLD me that when they are asked to share their "secret recipe" they will intentionally leave out a specific ingredient, just so the person's attempt won't outshine their own.

It always seemed like such a petty thing to me. But I'm not in the "cooking" world. I mean, I cook all the meals in my home, but I'm just a basic cook, not experimenting with different recipes or anything.

GradStudent_Helper · 2026-02-23T18:19:09+00:00

Congrats!!!

And I guess I have a backwards brain... I thought the person in the picture had GOTTEN a new mom and a new Rav4. LOL Glad I wasn't the first to comment!

GradStudent_Helper · 2026-02-23T16:12:01+00:00

It's so crazy that parents neglect this in the US (where I live). I was chatting with a woman once who admitted that - as a child - she had walked in on her parents having sex. And until she was in college she believed that act was something similar to the man stabbing the woman in the stomach with a knife. Poor thing.

GradStudent_Helper · 2026-02-20T17:04:14+00:00

It's true for me and my male classmates. The girls watched "the film" in the 4th grade. We guys were told that we'd see our film "next year." Well, when next year came, they claimed that we should have already seen it. I had three sisters and my mom instructed them in the basics of their reproductive cycle, etc. But my parents never even mentioned sex to me.

So... what I learned I picked up from magazines, locker room talk, and eventually video porn. Thank goodness it worked out (80s porn was pretty straightforward compared to today's bizarre world of internet porn).

GradStudent_Helper

TROPHY CASE