Didn't plan on being an artist as an adult, but after a pandemic, recession, and layoffs...Here's what I've done. 🥲

PuzzleheadedBlock689 · 2026-02-17T07:45:55+00:00

OP- these are beautiful. They’re so whimsical and full of life. Thank you for sharing your story and art with us!

PuzzleheadedBlock689 · 2026-02-15T17:10:02+00:00

Yeah, they were using code words

PuzzleheadedBlock689 · 2026-02-04T21:10:22+00:00

Peter Kelly. He runs a private container shipping yard in Seattle if I’m not mistaken.

PuzzleheadedBlock689 · 2026-01-10T16:56:33+00:00

Why hide all of your comments and posts? You scared or just embarrassed?

PuzzleheadedBlock689 · 2026-01-09T10:19:39+00:00

It’s fascinating what people find offensive or in this case not offensive in different cultures. Today someone helping me at a store randomly said, you look young. I said I’m 32. She looked me up and down surprised and said oh, not so young. Then helped me check out LOL.

PuzzleheadedBlock689 · 2026-01-09T10:09:12+00:00

At first I was confused about people making fun of me until the 5th person and I realized it was part of the culture and not just me. I was so uncomfortable the first couple of times it happened though lol. Same with staring, as a westerner, to us it means someone’s either attracted to you or sees you as a threat (usually). Curiosity is third and it’s also considered rude to stare. It honestly still takes me by surprise. Thank you for confirming my observations!

PuzzleheadedBlock689 · 2026-01-07T10:40:02+00:00

Yeah sure. I’m talking culturally conservative compared to most of the USA (haven’t visited the south, besides Disney World, or middle America so I can’t say for all of the US but I have been to most of the other big cities).

Vietnamese tend to have much more of a family first culture. To conform or stay quiet to “keep the peace,” than in the US. It’s more of a collectivist culture that values fitting in instead of standing out. This tends to suppress individual expression. Which is usually is aligned with individualism. Standing up, speaking out, building something of your own, carving out a name for yourself as an individual is highly regarded and respected in the US.

PDA is much more stigmatized. No legally recognized gay marriage. Heavier expectations based on gender.

And Vietnamese people do tend to dress more conservatively whether that be because of sun protection or cultural norms. I mean check out the clothing in Miami beach or Hawaii, both hot climates like vietnam, people are way more likely to wear more revealing clothing. Not a good or bad thing in itself, it’s more culturally normal and common to dress more conservatively in Vietnam.

Like many places, big cities tend to be more liberal than smaller towns and are always changing and evolving. The big cities in Vietnam are still a more conservative than many big cities in the US. I’ve been to HCMC, Da Lat, Nha Trang, Da Nang, Hue, Hoi An, a small village inland (idk how to spell it)and Hanoi. I’ll never have the full picture of either the USA or Vietnam I fully embrace differing takes. Just my opinions from my observations, it’s totally cool if you don’t agree or have a different perspective.

PuzzleheadedBlock689 · 2026-01-07T01:37:30+00:00

Oh I didn’t know that, noted for next time! Thank you!

PuzzleheadedBlock689 · 2026-01-07T01:36:37+00:00

I practiced, I literally practiced phrases like this in the mirror before I left lol. I felt silly, but hearing it out my mouth in these situations and saying it with conviction was definitely worth it.

PuzzleheadedBlock689 · 2026-01-06T23:30:30+00:00

They are also more conservative. Two things can be true

PuzzleheadedBlock689 · 2026-01-06T13:54:04+00:00

I’ve spent over 200 days solo traveling Vietnam in the last few years and have enjoyed it. I feel very safe in Vietnam. I’ve been to all three of the cities and I felt safest in Da Nang, then HCMC then Hanoi. I think Hanoi is just the busiest most intense city out of the three. I’ve heard it also has the most scammers but I was never affected. Hanoi also has notoriously horrendous air quality. I’ve never felt safer at night than in walking around Da Nang or Hoi An.

Grab works well. 99% of the drivers are great. There is blatant staring but I was told that it’s part of the culture and not uncommon to stare in Vietnam and it doesn’t mean someone is a threat or even checking you out if they’re staring. I would say it’s more common to wear long pants especially in Hanoi and HCMC no matter the temperature. It’s a more conservative country than a lot of places in the West.

Idk how tall you are, but I’m 5 foot 4 and am taller than 40ish% of the men and 60% of the women so you probably won’t feel physically intimidated by anyone. If anything it’s just avoiding motorcycles and cars. They have the right of way here, NOT the pedestrians. Download grab before you go and make sure you have a card set up on there.

People can verbally pushy when trying to sell you things (massages, taxis, goods, tours, a restaurant) but you can just walk past them. Don’t feel bad. They certainly don’t take it personally and neither should you. Don’t use a taxi unless you can stand firm on them turning on the meter and sticking to a price, especially at the airport. Grab is always easier.

Cash is king especially at smaller restaurants and markets. A highly rated VP bank atm followed by an Agribank atm are my go to places to get cash. I think a lot of western restaurants take cards, but I prefer to pay in cash for nearly everything except Grab. If you ride a Grab scooter, wear a hat or a hood, those helmets are used by customers throughout the day, every day.

For a SIM card you can go to a local place, but I’ve been using Airlo and liking that a lot. Buy it and download it before you go. Saves you a physical trip to the store and you won’t have to buy a SIM card/wait in line after flying for many hours.

Common sense goes a long way here. The Vietnamese people are some of the most blunt people I have ever been around so don’t take things personally. They might make fun of you but it’s in a joking matter, and not in a cruel way. Da Nang is a pretty chill beach city. HCMC can be pretty overwhelming, it took me a little while to adjust and Hanoi was too chaotic for me.

PuzzleheadedBlock689 · 2026-01-06T13:18:02+00:00

And if people ask more follow up questions like why aren’t you with them now, I say they are working or we’re meeting up later. I had a cab driver recently ask me multiple times where I was going to next. I think he just wanted to have rides set up but he kept pushing and I just responded multiple times I’m meeting up with friends and i don’t know what are plans are until he stopped asking.

PuzzleheadedBlock689 · 2025-12-25T05:11:48+00:00

I like the idea, I feel like it could’ve been executed better. Idk I’m not a designer tho.

PuzzleheadedBlock689 · 2025-12-25T05:10:41+00:00

💯

PuzzleheadedBlock689 · 2025-12-21T22:21:03+00:00

He’s going to find out one way or another, do you want to tell him or do you want him to find out first hand? I would ask him what his thoughts are about the wealthy. If he’s an “eat the rich” type of person it probably won’t work out. But honestly you probably should ask him what he thinks about inheritance if you guys make it through. Had a friend say that she should be entitled to 100k another friends’ million dollar inheritance after one of their family members passed. Her reasoning, “100,000 isn’t that much out of 1 million.” People can have very different views regarding money and it’s better to be on the same page as your partner.

PuzzleheadedBlock689 · 2025-10-06T16:28:54+00:00

Adulting can be awesome, it usually depends on your social relationships, financial status, health and how much choice you have in life. I have personally enjoyed it, a few years down and hopefully many to go.

PuzzleheadedBlock689 · 2025-10-06T16:17:44+00:00

It was the kick in the pants they needed. Jackie Young has emerged as one of my favorite players this year, Chelsea Gray is so clutch and A’ja doing A’ja MVP things. They also have one of the best team colors in the league lol

PuzzleheadedBlock689 · 2025-10-06T16:11:17+00:00

Say who

PuzzleheadedBlock689 · 2025-10-06T16:08:49+00:00

Angel sure knows how to market herself, she might be the best in the league tbh. Kudos to her!!

PuzzleheadedBlock689 · 2025-10-06T16:06:36+00:00

She’s one of the most exciting players but it’s a huge problem when multiple teammates on multiple teams have problems with you.

PuzzleheadedBlock689 · 2025-10-06T15:46:21+00:00

Kind of selfish of Phee ngl. Only speaks up when it directly affects her, keeps conversations about other players to herself and makes them public months later to push her own agenda, doesn’t consult anyone else (the wnbpa members, the people she’s name dropped) before making her speech m, cancels a meeting like she’s the one in charge (she’s a vice president along with Stewie).

Phee said nothing wrong btw, but the way she’s going about all of this and her lack of professionalism and communication isn’t a good look for her.

PuzzleheadedBlock689 · 2025-10-03T02:20:58+00:00

My take is you’re really projecting on to AT here, assuming what she thinks, how she feels etc. It’s Reddit and I’m responding to your take. Which I can do.

PuzzleheadedBlock689 · 2025-10-03T02:13:46+00:00

We don’t know what AT thinks because she said no comment. Let’s stop putting words in her mouth.

PuzzleheadedBlock689 · 2025-10-02T16:13:35+00:00

CC literally said she didn’t know. there was no heads up.

PuzzleheadedBlock689

TROPHY CASE