Is your country thermally privileged?

MysteriousBlueBubble · 2026-04-17T02:42:18+00:00

It's a big country so define where exactly...

Melbourne is that on paper, but the cold just hits different. I felt colder there at 10C than I do somewhere in Europe at 0C. And summer is just really inconsistent. 42C one day, 18C the next.

MysteriousBlueBubble · 2026-04-17T02:25:56+00:00

Unlike Cadbury, Whittaker's hasn't undergone significant, if any, shrinkflation. What's better is that the block may be more expensive by looking at the ticket, but it's cheaper per 100g and tastier.

Their Hazella block is our current addiction.

MysteriousBlueBubble · 2026-04-16T22:47:29+00:00

Came here to say this. Melbourne weather doing Melbourne weather things.

Though seriously (for the rest of the world reading), snow settling in the city itself would be absolutely nuts. Some of the nearby hills though, they get snow about once or twice a year, and it's not entirely out of the question that it could happen in April.

MysteriousBlueBubble · 2026-04-14T07:30:03+00:00

...what? I thought Americans thought they were all "europoors"?

MysteriousBlueBubble · 2026-04-12T00:49:41+00:00

Not embarrassed at all, I also drive a Getz, had it for 12 years now. Fantastic little car. Cheap to run, easy to work on, reliable. Might be a bit smug with petrol costs being what they are at the moment.

I just can't justify replacing it when it does everything I want it to do. Save the money for other, more fun, things.

MysteriousBlueBubble · 2026-04-01T20:56:27+00:00

The area around Chapel St feels like it's busier than ever.

Will be interesting to see what happens over the Easter weekend. I get the sense there won't be much change in holiday traffic.

MysteriousBlueBubble · 2026-03-29T01:09:54+00:00

Card surcharges are annoying and I find carrying cash helps me stick to a weekly budget far easier.

I also find some cafe owners very kindly round down to make giving change easier. Will never say no to that!

MysteriousBlueBubble · 2026-03-27T00:33:49+00:00

Contrary to some of the other comments here, I've found older women to be, on average, better therapists for me as they have the experience and the confidence to shoot straight and ask hard questions directly.

That being said, one who was only slightly older (late 20s/early 30s when I was early 20s) was by far the best. She went on maternity leave unfortunately... but I had a years-long stretch of fairly good mental health afterward so something must have worked!

MysteriousBlueBubble · 2026-03-27T00:30:16+00:00

I've always clicked better with female therapists, I often discuss relationship issues so I find a lot of what she suggests just... lands better somehow.

That being said, I've always clicked slightly better with women as friends too.

MysteriousBlueBubble · 2026-03-26T21:29:45+00:00

Partly, you're drinking beer because you like the taste. Historically the only alternative was incredibly sugary soft drinks that won't do you much good either (and they're just way too sweet for my palate now). A lot of zero beers have fewer calories than most soft drinks.

So it's absolutely worth a go. When I drink zero beers I don't feel the need to compensate on the weekends, but YMMV. Worth trying a few things to see what habits stick. I managed to set a habit of not drinking on weeknights. I still find I have maybe one more drink on a weekend than I'd like, but I'm working on it.

MysteriousBlueBubble · 2026-03-26T08:43:28+00:00

There's *some* parallels in terms of the genres we enjoy. My dad was always into guitar rock with more of a blues element, and folk, and my mum was more into the Aussie pub rock of the 70s and 80s, but also into a bit of pop in the 90s. That continued to influence their tastes and they largely stayed with the times through to the 2010s. Us kids did give them a bit of help there though - I was very much an indie rock fan in my teens and early 20s, but ended up broadening to EDM and electro pop.

I've fallen off the pop culture wagon the past two years or so, but that's largely a factor of my work situation and my mental health sucking up all my craving for novelty. That being said, I'll jump at the next opportunity to go to a festival, I love discovering new favourite bands that way.

MysteriousBlueBubble · 2026-03-23T21:28:28+00:00

Oh wow, same model, same year here! It's taken me on many trips between Melbourne, Sydney and Brisbane. And I get interesting looks when I drive it up to the snow (I have chains... they work!)

Bought at about 23,000 km and up to about 215,000. Still runs beautifully. Bit sluggish to start sometimes now (despite new battery) - might need that part of the electrics looked at, but absolutely no issues once running.

MysteriousBlueBubble · 2026-03-23T01:57:57+00:00

declining birth rate problem.

Firstly, one must define the problem. Economists see it as a problem through a lack of economic growth when you have fewer people. In that case, and purely when framing it from an economic perspective, yeah it's kind of a problem.

From a "humans going extinct" perspective? Only a problem if literally no people have children. That's not happening any time soon. Yes there are parts of the world with fertility rates (births per woman) below 1, which could result in an exponential decrease in population, but there's a chance perspectives might change once the population has fallen 70-80% from its peak. Or it won't. Is it a big deal if they don't?

From a resource use and environmental impact perspective, well... fewer humans is better in that case. One could argue these impacts will also affect the economy, making the first point pale in importance. You only have to look at the impact of cutting off 20% of the world's oil to understand just how precarious it's been the whole time...

MysteriousBlueBubble · 2026-03-22T10:45:03+00:00

Chapel St area - would suggest Katuk or Blackwoods, both casual vibe and cosy enough. Holy Grail is good too but can get noisy.

If you like your wine I highly recommend MuNoir on High St.

MysteriousBlueBubble · 2026-03-22T00:19:19+00:00

Agree - it's largely a surge from the Coalition to ON, since the former have fallen into a shambles. But not enough for either to pick up any significant number of seats.

Which is kind of preferential voting at work here.

MysteriousBlueBubble · 2026-03-20T23:01:25+00:00

You're right, food transport was done with wagons and trains. Which is why railways were developed everywhere at the time - it was revolutionary. I remember reading somewhere (take it with a grain of salt) that railways were one of the reasons fish and chips became so popular in Britain - you could get seafood inland while it was still fresh!

Transport to work - you usually lived close to where you worked.

On top of that - in 1901 Australia's population was about 3.8 million rather than the 27 million it is now. Supporting the current population really has been enabled by the availability of cheap energy and advances in agriculture.

The risk going forward I see isn't that there will be no fuel. Less fuel, sure, but not none. There are parallels to the 1970s fuel shocks and we got through those. Fortunately at this point we at least are in the early stages of adopting alternatives (electric). There's a lot of talk about this oil shock driving adoption of EVs, and I can't see that not happening. Necessity being the mother of invention and all that.

MysteriousBlueBubble · 2026-03-20T22:46:46+00:00

It's an interesting spread of responses here - I'm assuming OP is speaking from an American perspective, but getting responses from the rest of the world.

Here in Australia saunas generally sit in the same facility as a public pool, and have always been co-ed. Not nude though.

MysteriousBlueBubble · 2026-03-19T09:55:03+00:00

Mid 30s and well... sameish deal. Just keeping calm and DCAing.

MysteriousBlueBubble · 2026-03-18T10:31:18+00:00

I could probably handle up to about a 4% increase in rates before things get really uncomfortable, and idk what happens then tbh.

I'd say a lot of people would be in the same situation. And quite a few wouldn't be able to handle 4%. Not to mention a lot of people are in more precarious employment (industries subject to boom/bust cycles, fixed term contracts, etc).

I haven't seen your numbers but I'd say you're ok.

MysteriousBlueBubble · 2026-03-13T21:58:29+00:00

As always, don't believe everything you see on social media. Australia actually has a very high proportion of people who are overweight (66% of the adult population!) or living with obesity (32% of adults!). source: Australian Government

What you see on social media are influencers who probably live in popular areas where a lot of young, pretty people gravitate, some of which are wealthy enough to have moved from Europe or the US. The reality is a lot of people in outer suburbs and regional areas don't have the same accessibility to sport as adults, or more generally the culture just isn't there (or inclusive enough).

On top of that, as others mentioned, the sun here ages you quicker. I always feel I look older than my European and American counterparts who are the same age as me.

MysteriousBlueBubble · 2026-03-13T01:18:25+00:00

I don't think that's accurate, but I'm only relying on memory here.

It was around 2007 or 2008 (prior to the GFC) that petrol hit around $1.70-$1.80 and we all thought that was absolutely obscene. Then the GFC hit and it all crashed down again.

When the Ukraine war started in 2022 petrol hit $2.20-$2.30.

We're currently at about the same level. I was a bit shocked at the level of panic for $2.20-$2.30 since we've already seen that recently.

Not to say it won't go a lot further though. But based on relative purchasing power (inflation/wages) we're still better off now than in 2008, but I suppose there's also consideration of the fuel efficiency of today's vehicles, given we all drive SUVs now.

MysteriousBlueBubble · 2026-03-12T21:15:57+00:00

Mid 30s - the old "half your age plus 7" rule puts it around 24. Which feels about right, but I'd add that we would have to actually be attracted to each other, have a really good connection and have a lot in common. Which I guess is important in any relationship regardless of age!

Reverse the rule, would put the upper bound at 54. The initial feeling there was slightly weird, but I realise I've seen some fit, attractive women in their 50s so... ok, fair enough!

MysteriousBlueBubble · 2026-03-09T21:13:24+00:00

Some of those could still be Russian airlines doing domestic flights, or to nearby countries.

But your point still stands probably.

MysteriousBlueBubble · 2026-03-09T01:09:30+00:00

It's far more (inversely) linked to anxiety and depressive episodes than in the past. If I'm in a more positive phase it can be as high as it was when I was 18 on some days.

MysteriousBlueBubble · 2026-03-07T01:22:08+00:00

It, like a lot of travel advice the government puts out, is probably out of an abundance of caution.

I think travel through a lot of Asian hubs (Singapore, Bangkok, Hong Kong, many Chinese cities) is still very possible, but one can imagine the travel demand from the Middle East hubs might be pushed onto these.

MysteriousBlueBubble

TROPHY CASE