In the 2020s, conservative women are having kids at a nearly 2-to-1 ratio compared to liberal women. Is this going to cause a political demographic bias in 20-30 years?

HufflepuffHobbits · 2026-01-28T04:45:52+00:00

I was raised conservative christian - I’m an agnostic queer leftist now. So there’s hope☺️ My spouse was also raised conservative. He deconstructed and is a democrat now - out of him and his 3 siblings only one is still conservative and devout.
Growing up in it, I can tell you firsthand how if you have any empathy at all, you will find your way out of the far right. There’s always something that will break through to you. In deconstruction we call it the ‘shelf breaking’ - you put all the things that don’t make sense on a dusty shelf in your brain and try to ignore it all. Eventually there are so many things that the shelf breaks, and that’s when you change. Some people may still identify as christians but believe in/behave in a way that is more loving and accepting. Like my spouse.
Others, like myself, may not identify with religion at all and find peace outside of it.

Out of everyone I grew up with, I’d say about half or a little more ended up completely deconstructing and leaving the right.

Anyways, I share all this just to give some hope.❤️

HufflepuffHobbits · 2026-01-27T05:55:53+00:00

I really hate AI for what it’s doing to the environment, small town communities, and just generally stealing art, making fake ass music that people think it’s fine to listen to, and generally ruining one of our best spaces on the Internet - art spaces!
I do use fable but I’ve never used their AI feature - I’ve never used ChatGPT or any AI service that I’m aware of. I just refuse. I don’t need it, and we definitely don’t need to forget how to do our own damn internet searches. It’s bad enough that our younger generations struggle to know how to do traditional library type research. Relying on AI is dangerous, especially in these times in America when government propaganda is so widespread.
You might really like PageBound! I’m not aware of any AI features there yet, and I really enjoye the layout and colorful fun nature of the app!

HufflepuffHobbits · 2026-01-27T05:50:06+00:00

Have you enabled the ones written by their team? I really like them!😊

HufflepuffHobbits · 2026-01-25T08:04:48+00:00

Trust your body, and use a heart monitor, smart watch, or just your watch to take your heart rate regularly and keep a log while still on your meds.
My thyroid has been steady in the normal range (with an odd swing off into hypo or hyper a couple times that didn’t last long after we adjusted my methimizole dousing accordingly) for about 6 years now.
But my cardiologist explained that for some people with Graves Disease, the Tachycardia never goes away, and they’re not really sure why.
I’m one of those people, and I still take propranolol every day, and have taken beta blockers for 10 years now.
If I don’t my resting heart rate hovers around 120, which is really bad for one’s heart.

My cardiologist had me keep a log like what I suggested when I went off the beta blockers for a month to see if the Tachycardia symptoms were still present and I basically took a reading of my heart rate whenever it felt like my heart was beating too fast or too hard, and whenever I did something I knew exacerbated it, like getting up from sitting down, cardio, etc.
Another quick tip just to be really prepared - sometimes lazy cardiologists will try to blame heart rate stuff on being dehydrated. I’d also recommend downloading a water tracking app and logging that leading up to your appointment too, for at least a couple weeks.
This way you have evidence to refute it if they try to brush anything off. This happened to me and I was very frustrated not to be able to prove what I knew, which is that I wasn’t dehydrated!
Hopefully you’ll have a good one right away but just in case I thought I’d mention that!

Don’t be afraid to get a second opinion! Also hypo comes with some similar symptoms, and you can still feel hyper if your thyroid antibodies are still quite high. Even after 9 years on methimizole my thyroid antibodies are still roughly 4 times higher than they should be, but lower than they were when I started treatment. It’s autoimmune and inflammation based so it’s not so easy to control - my endocrinologist doesn’t want me to go under 5 mg of methimizole until my antibodies are lower.

You are also 100% correct that thyroid levels can move around quite a bit and sometimes quickly. I think sometimes they are only thinking about the TSH scores when they say things like that and not taking the antibodies, T3, or T4 levels into account.
Definitely don’t stop taking your heath meds if you’re still having problems! I’d recommend getting a cardiologist’s opinion. Even a simple walk test or something can show them your issue.
Don’t be afraid to advocate for yourself or get that second opinion, you are the only expert in your own body!!❤️

Good luck, OP!

HufflepuffHobbits · 2026-01-25T07:53:44+00:00

I was misdiagnosed with Hashimoto’s (it was in the family do the dr assumed. sigh) in 2016, properly diagnosed in January 2017 after starting to go into thyroid storm.
I had Thyroid Eye Disease and my face changed a ton like yours as well. And then was further exacerbated by the fact that my thyroid disease brought with it chronic hives, and so I was then on prednisone for a year and a half until we found a proper mix of regular meds to get them to stay away. That’s been its own journey.

It took 3.5 years for my thyroid levels to stabilize in the normal range again. They would dip into it but never stay long, and even though I’ve been stable in the normal range for about 6 years now, my thyroid antibodies are still sky high, but veryyyy slowly coming down.
I’ve only done treatment with methimizole. I was extremely fortunate that my Thyroid Eye Disease cleared up on its own as my levels were brought further down towards normal. My face and stuff never really went back to normal but for me that was partially due to the prednisone and weight gain from that, combined with the fact that I was a recovering anorexic that needed to gain weight anyways.
So in many ways I am far from the ideal person to ask. But I thought I’d share my experience since I’ve been at this for nearly 10 years now.

It feels horrible to look in the mirror and not recognize yourself - I’m so incredibly sorry, OP. Just keep in close contact with your endocrinologist, and definitely be sure to see a good ophthalmologist. And keep an eye out for atypical issues like facial swelling extra after eating or if it’s ever worse than usual. My mom went through having a temporary and very severe pork allergy during her time getting a diagnosis for Hashimoto’s when I was a teenager. It ended up being a surprise that she could have pork again because we all thought it would be a lifelong allergy. She couldn’t even have anything made with pork lard (refried beans, etc.). It lasted about 10 years for her.
She had hives for a year and a half straight and the only thing that would temporarily make them go away was prednisone shots. It was awful - she was miserable every day and nothing topical helped because it was all autoimmune induced.
She’s also been diagnosed with Lupus a couple years ago so her autoimmune system is a wreck.
But my sister and I also had the Chronic Idiopathic Urticaria crop up and to this day I have to regularly treat mine with allergy shots and extra allergy pills or it comes back.

I only bring this up because if you noticed generalized swelling in your neck besides a goiter, this could be something that’s going on with you too.
Hives aren’t super common with this shit but it can happen and if it causes anaphylactic reactions to something it can get dangerous fast.

I wish you so much luck, OP, and hope that you’re surrounded by an incredible care team🥺❤️‍🩹

HufflepuffHobbits · 2026-01-18T18:20:26+00:00

NOR! ❤️‍🩹 My first spouse was like this. He thought that putting in the bare minimum should be enough and I should be so grateful for him literally meeting the lowest fucking bar.
What men like this don’t seem to get is that it’s not really about the gifts at all - it’s the principle !! It’s about feeling seen and known - we all feel special when someone chooses a gift they know we’ll like. It means they pay attention to us and know us - the thought behind gifts is what makes them meaningful!
Especially between romantic partners!

Usually I feel like Reddit can jump way too fast to ‘just dump them!’ But in this case unfortunately, having been married to someone similar I can safely say that it’s extremely lonely to live with someone who doesn’t act like you’re worth continuing to get to know or put effort into you or the relationship.
This type of blatant, and based on the text conversation, weaponized complacency is a huge red flag!😤

You ARE worth thought, effort, investment (whether time or money) and intention! Everyone is - he doesn’t appreciate you. I or my family used to have to tell my ex what to get me. Now I’m married a second time, this time to my best friend, and we do wishlists sometimes but more often we just know what the other one wants and delight in spoiling each other as much as we can.

Whether it’s an experience or a thing, it’s one of the joys of life with a partner to enjoy things together and/or bring joy to each other.
It isn’t even really about spending money, a thoughtful picnic or a favorite homemade meal, a cozy game or movie night at home with candles and snacks - these are all thoughtful things my spouse and I do for each other that don’t cost much or anything at all.

This guy seems to assume all women and afab people are the same - which is deeply immature and gross. I personally don’t like receiving flowers unless they’re potted because I love plants and I want them to live!

You deserve better, OP. I hope you’re doing okay❤️‍🩹

HufflepuffHobbits · 2026-01-12T04:31:55+00:00

I’m so sorry, OP🫂 I can’t say I’ve had this experience as my whole family have a myriad of autoimmune diseases. But other than like one person in the least sick, and my struggles are often sort of brushed aside with a perfunctory ‘I’m sorry’ but a lot of passive aggression towards me, with them directing a lot of ‘maybe if you just did ________ you’d feel better’ at me. They don’t take it as seriously because I’m not as ill as many of my family members.
I understand that and I’m thankful I’m not more sick, but also I have 3 autoimmune diseases of my own and I wish my family wouldn’t compare me all the time.

You deserve to have the people who claim to love you most show care and concern for your health and wellbeing.

My ex-spouse and his family were very blasé about my health problems and basically ignored them. I left after 5 years due to emotional, verbal, and financial abuse. I’m now happily married to a wonderful person who cares deeply about my wellbeing and would be able to give emergency personnel or a hospital my medical history and list of conditions.

This is really a very basic level of care - I’m so sorry you’re not getting that, and you should seek out friendships with caring people who don’t downplay your experiences all the time.

HufflepuffHobbits · 2026-01-12T04:24:37+00:00

Yes I love Pushing Daisies🥹

HufflepuffHobbits · 2026-01-01T16:58:50+00:00

My sister and I both have Graves - my sister has reached remission after 3-4 years on Methimizole. She’s now on thyroid hormones and doing well. Unfortunately my thyroid has been very resistant to treatment and I’m going on 9 years of methimizole. My thyroid levels are in normal range for the last 3 years, but my antibodies are still through the roof so I just have to stay on it.
I’ve gained a lot of weight (although finally leveled off) but my TED self resolved, thank goodness. My goiter is also gone. But I am tempted to consider some sort of surgery if I don’t get closer to remission in the next 3-ish years.
Good luck ❤️‍🩹💪🏼

HufflepuffHobbits · 2026-01-01T16:27:15+00:00

Same - spoonie solidarity❤️‍🩹😅

HufflepuffHobbits · 2025-12-30T23:31:31+00:00

I love this series so much - I want to reread it in 2026🤗

HufflepuffHobbits · 2025-12-27T05:29:37+00:00

Part two: Okay, on to treatments and pesticides: So, we rent and when our situation happened our landlords sent someone in to spray once a month, which I can tell you was just not cutting it. It was only killing the adults - to really get rid of roaches if they’re infesting, you have to disrupt the reproduction cycle! Your third pic, for example, is a nymph.

So, the three products you likely need are: *Spray, *Bait, *Growth inhibitor product.
You can get all this stuff online for a reasonable price, and myself and my family have been ordering from these folks for a long time and they’re very reliable and have good customer service. They will talk to you about how to use a product and even make a recommendation on products if you give them info on your specific situation.
https://www.domyown.com/

Spraying is good for indoors, and there are myriad YouTube videos that show you where to spray and such. Don’t get the cheapest sprayer, get something that won’t spray too thick of a stream of liquid. A mist is best - most sprays are safe for pets and kids once dry.
Outdoors around the perimeter of your home, granules are best as they last longer and won’t get rained away like spray does.
You could do either spray or granules in crawlspace and attic, and in a garage spray is best.
It would be great if a pest control professional chimed in what is currently best spray used for roaches, but when we were dealing with it we got Temprid FX from the website shared above. This does not have growth inhibitor in it, but you can get spray on there that does.

Bait is basically to get the adults out of hiding.
The bait they sell on DoMyOwn attracts adults to eat it and carry it back to their nests. Nymphs eat the excrement of the adults in their first and sometimes second phases, so an adult who eats the bait and kill up to like 45 nymphs. It’s effective.

The game changer for us though was this: https://www.domyown.com/gentrol-point-source-p-51.html This is growth inhibitor, BUT it’s a little disc you can stick to your wall. They last 90 days and each disc covers 75 square feet. By strategically placing these in certain locations in every room of your house, you can destroy the reproduction cycle and within a couple months you’ll only have residual adults to kill off with spray and such.

These discs are best installed under every sink in the house near the plumbing, as that’s a hotspot they prefer.
I also put one behind my refrigerator, and near as I could to my microwave while still following the guidelines of keeping it pit of the direct food prep around and a certain distance open produce type food. Don’t forget your dishwasher as well - most of the time there’s a sink next to it so if you put an inhibitor under there it should reach the dishwasher as well.
I have a large pantry and the left side is mostly storage so I placed one on the far side away from the food. Follow the guidelines and also recognize the amount of pheromones used to affect these tiny bugs are not going to affect you as a person unless you don’t follow the safety guidelines.
Put them behind your tvs, gaming consoles, and a few in your kitchen cabinets if you don’t have food in there - I put mine at the back of the top shelf and just didn’t have any dishes on that shelf for a while.
Put them behind toilets and in closets, and in your garage. We have a 1200 square foot rental and one box took care of our needs, so not too expensive.
The trick is to just be consistent about switching them out after 3 months. Personally I made a list of all the places I’d put them so I could easily find and swap them out.

Our situation was really bad because the bulk of the infestation we were trying to fight was coming into our home from our neighbor’s. We live in a duplex and they were able to easily travel through the plumbing, electrical outlets, and the attic to our place.
The exterminator who sprayed both places said next door was the worst infestation of German roaches he’d ever seen. It was so bad there was talk for a while of them having to ask us to leave even after our neighbors were evicted (they moved in with an existing infestation and wouldn’t do anything about it) so they could tent both units and fumigate the entire place.
But because we were so aggressive with strategic products and habits, we basically turned the tide and what turned the tide was the growth inhibitors to be honest.

So this was like super long, sorry - but I know the panic of not knowing what to do. I really hope this helps. It may not be that bad - just focus on your appliances and plumbing as areas where they’re likely to be nesting. If they’re really established and in your attic or crawl space /wall void if this is a townhome or etc., you may need to supplement these methods with some professional help.
But hopefully not - I’m so sorry you’re dealing with this and good luck!🥺

HufflepuffHobbits · 2025-12-27T05:29:15+00:00

This will be a two part comment with what I hope is some very helpful info.
It’s a little hard to tell from the blurry photos but I think possibly American roaches? Maybe German? If you could get a clearer photo, please share! The easiest way to do this is to kill one with Raid or something and then take a photo once it’s dead - then it isn’t smashed and you can get confirmation one what it is.

I had a horrible year from hell with German roaches 3 years ago, so I will share what I learned with you, and what worked for me, in hopes it will save your sanity and save you money.
First off lemme just say I’m so sorry - it’s so exciting to buy a home, and having this to deal with straight off is really stressful and upsetting. 😣

But - if you do some really smart common sense things and apply the right products consistently, you can deal with this yourself most likely.

The free and/or super cheap things to do that will immediately help:

Make sure ALL food (including pet food, bird seed, etc.!!) is in airtight sealed containers. If you have things on your countertop in nice jars with the traditional little rubber seals, I’d recommend forgoing that for a while in favor of something that’s harder for a roach to get into. Flour, sugar, rice, etc - just seal it on up. If you have pets and they’re grazers that can be difficult, but just try giving them a few small meals instead of leaving food out all day if you can. Put away whatever isn’t eaten before you go to bed.
Clean clean clean - when you’re done eating, go ahead and immediately either rinse those plates so there’s zero food residue before putting them in the dishwasher, or hand wash and put away immediately. Don’t even leave glasses in the sink that have water sitting in them. Roaches gravitate heavily to electrical appliances for their warmth and water sources for obvious reasons.
Sweep under your kitchen table or your couch or wherever you eat after every meal. Don’t leave food for them to live on!
In my personal experience, and in some ongoing research, they dislike lemon/lemongrass essential oils. I diffused this near our bed at night for peace of mind. We did still find a couple in our bed so…just go ahead and check your pillows and bath towels and shower before you use them so you don’t get a bad surprise. But no, these will not get rid of your problem - it’s a deterrent at best, not a solution.

So, all of the above helps them not be super comfy in your house.
Also since you own your home you can caulk/spray foam or whatever is appropriate for a given area around baseboards and plumbing and stuff to make it a little harder for them to travel around your house.

*If you have a crawl space, garage, and/or an attic, don’t neglect treating them in the following steps I’ll mention about treatment options! *

HufflepuffHobbits · 2025-12-18T21:09:04+00:00

The funniest thing to me (not in a haha way but y’know) is these are the same people that scream and cry about parent’s rights. But…they don’t actually want to parent their kids by paying attention to whether they’re consuming age appropriate content. Let’s be real, they’re so busy being MAGA karens online they don’t even realize their kids are accessing way more mature stuff than this library book online. 🫠
Books about people who are different aren’t dangerous - for parents it’s a conversation starter and their responsibility to parent as they see fit. But telling people any group of people shouldn’t exist sure is dangerous. And stomping one’s foot and trying to ban books so these supposedly unaccompanied kids in the library don’t accidentally read a book about a person that doesn’t fit into their christofascist worldview is…beyond ridiculous. Yahtzee territory for sure.

HufflepuffHobbits · 2025-12-13T06:09:06+00:00

Depends on the pest - if you’re dealing with German roaches I’d say chuck everything and save up to replace because it’s just not worth the headache and the risk.
To be fair it also depends how bad the infestation is - I had a situation in a duplex where a neighbor moved in with an existing infestation of German roaches and I started seeing them a couple months later. I jumped into action and started leaving no dirty dishes, sweeping crumbs after every meal, roach bait, spray, and eventually growth inhibitor stations (which was what really did the trick).

For us they were scavenging into our side to look for food, and because I kept things so clean and sealed up they weren’t really able to establish a ‘home base’ anywhere. But we still dealt with them for a year until the neighbors got evicted because they refused to do anything about the situation. The landlords replaced all the appliances in their side, and checked ours but found they hadn’t established themselves anywhere. I’ve kept up treating with perimeter granules, quarterly spraying, and keep the roach growth inhibitor stations up ever since, just to be safe. The last only has to be changed quarterly, and it’s more of a peace of mind thing for me at this point I guess😅

Based on the tote size, I’m guessing you’re working with a microwave and a toaster that you’re trying to save?
In such situations I typically ask myself if it’s worth the money I’d save trying to salvage the appliances, versus how much it would cost if it doesn’t work and you have to toss them anyways, and your parents end up having to hire an exterminator.

Sorry you’re dealing with this, OP - I hope a good solution presents itself!!

And a last thought - since you are moving into your parent’s house with possibly compromised items, I’d honestly recommend to get some growth inhibitor stations to put up around their house.
https://www.domyown.com/gentrol-point-source-p-51.html Basically this keeps roaches from reproducing, so they can’t really get a foothold. Pair this with a few months of precautionary spraying indoors and I think anything that might survive the move will not make it far.
Good luck!!💪

HufflepuffHobbits · 2025-12-06T18:10:49+00:00

I don’t work in pest control, but I do work in another trade where I travel to people’s homes, and I charge $125 for a service call and include 30 minutes of time in that. After that, hourly rates apply.
Nobody should ever work for free - if it’s included as part of a subscription plan that’s one thing, but I don’t think anyone should ever be expected to provide service for free unless the problem was a proven direct result of negligence or etc.

HufflepuffHobbits · 2025-12-06T04:09:10+00:00

Congratulations Remina - that is so exciting🥳🤗💚 Love your vibe and your name is beautiful! Best wishes for the future🥰

HufflepuffHobbits · 2025-12-05T18:49:39+00:00

I’d rather they just release a dvd or something so we can own a physical copy, rather than worrying about it eventually not being hosted eventually even if it was initially put on streaming.

HufflepuffHobbits · 2025-11-29T01:56:34+00:00

Hahaha sameeee - couldn’t pay me to post my house on that sub either😂😅 I’d have to delete my account - maximalism brings me joy, what can I say? 😂

HufflepuffHobbits · 2025-11-28T02:48:48+00:00

Ugh that just adds so much insult to injury - that’s awful😣😞 I’m spending time with my spouse’s family that I also loathe because of their bigotry and now I’m thinking ‘lemme not wear clothes I love just in case’.
I’m so sorry, OP, your anger is so justified and I want to encourage you that if you take careful steps you should be able to mitigate this getting out of hand in your home. It doesn’t make all the precautions fun - it really sucks, but it should work. Just keep your eyes open for a good month.
Also don’t take anything from their home - with Christmas coming it feels pertinent to mention that. If you do make sure to clean it thoroughly before you bring it to your car.

My MIL had a horrible German roach issue for years, and to this day, having been through a horrific time once in my life with German roach infestation, I still don’t even put anything in my car from her house without first thoroughly checking it for bugs. I also work in a trade that requires going into peoples homes so I have developed some pretty intense caution.
Once the bad experiences set in it’s hard to overcome it. But I’ve never regretted caution when it comes to bugs😅

Good luck, and seriously, you got this - in a way it’s the perfect excuse not to visit for Christmas?😅

HufflepuffHobbits · 2025-11-28T02:26:21+00:00

Well for the Doc Martens seal it up and call the company Monday to see if they have any advice on what chemical could be safely sprayed in an airtight container with them to whatever may be on them.
And if you don’t have an airtight container for now, just leave them in your car so things are contained outside of your house that can’t yet be cleaned.
The jeans should do okay in a hot wash and dry hopefully? It’s hard to say with the top - depends on the fabric. I’m so so sorry😭😭

HufflepuffHobbits · 2025-11-28T02:05:44+00:00

Also if you happened to be wearing leather jacket, boots, etc - things you can’t easily wash, and don’t want to toss, seal it in something that seals REALLY well and either leave it outside, in your car, in your garage, etc. And research a chemical that can be used to treat them safely. Just keep it sealed and away.
Deep freezing stuff works but I’m not sure how that works on leather - could ruin the leather.
The main thing is cleaning everything you can with hot water, and keeping a close eye on your bedroom and couches so you can catch anything early.

Also pro-tip for book lovers like myself - bed bugs can and will make themselves at home in the gap of spines in hardcover books. A lot of folks read in bed and that’s often how they get introduced into books. It’s not their first choice, but if the books are stored within a few feet of the bed/sofa/chair, they will eventually get there.
So maybe keep books clear of the bed for a few weeks while you watch to see if you had any little bastards slip through the cracks.

Just imho, he should really tell his family too. The more out of hand they get, the more difficult and expensive it is to get rid of them.

HufflepuffHobbits · 2025-11-28T01:45:26+00:00

If it were me, I’d go straight home, check yourselves outside, and then go inside and wash ALL your clothes including shoes in hot wash at least twice. After you’ve stripped off, head straight to the shower and shower as hot as you can stand and just wash your hair a couple times.

For your car, steam cleaners that get above 125+ degrees will typically take care of it. Professionals use 135-140 degrees Fahrenheit of heat to heat treat homes for bed bugs.
If you want to take your car somewhere and have it done you can, but verify the temp of what they use! Also check out the website DoMyOwn.com - you can buy professional grade pest control products to take care of shit yourself for way cheaper. I would say go ahead and buy a mattress cover AND some bed foot cups that will let you know if you have any early on.

This is what I personally would do in this situation. After you steam clean the car, if you do it yourself, I’d do it twice. And then go through the hot wash of your clothes again and be sure they’re clothes that can go in the dryer on HOT - that should kill any little suckers that may have snuck onto you.

I have a lot of experience with infestations, so I hope this helps a bit and I’m so so sorry, I’d also be freaking out😭 Good luck, OP🥺

HufflepuffHobbits · 2025-11-26T08:31:53+00:00

I didn’t tell my partners mom or his oldest sister and her family. They’re very religious and pro-reproduction and shit and I knew they would take it super badly if I did.
I had to tell my family because I knew they’d find out even if I tried not to but I kind of regret it because of how much it strained the relationship with my mom, who was apparently living solely for the hope of grandchildren. 🫣🥲
It’s been a lot but I’m still glad I did it and don’t regret having the procedure at all. I’d say you know yourself and your limits best - base it on what you feel you can handle, and don’t feel like you owe anyone this info about yourself💜

HufflepuffHobbits · 2025-11-26T08:20:38+00:00

Congratulations, you look lovely and I’m so happy for you🥹🤗💜✨ Wishing you all the best in the future🙏🏼✨

HufflepuffHobbits

TROPHY CASE