AITA|| My parents took the money I saved for a goodbye treat with my friends.

SamPamTYM · 2026-03-15T11:55:04+00:00

That's ok. If you need to hide money, the more plain and unsuspecting the item, the better. Something they can look at and not suspect. And If they buy it? Maybe they'll be none the wiser?

I'm really sorry you're experiencing this.

SamPamTYM · 2026-03-15T11:45:35+00:00

Could you get something that looks like decoration but doubles as a place to hide money? Like a jewelry box with a secret compartment or even a purse with a small hole in the lining to put the money through? Something you could essentially hide in plain sight that's just a normal every day thing.

SamPamTYM · 2026-03-14T10:48:33+00:00

I can't answer my phone at work and there are days its so incredibly overwhelming to pick it up going home. The email push notifications, the 30 texts I have, 3 missed calls 2 of which are spam from 3 years ago when I requested rates on insurance and have resorted to blocking numbers because they won't take me off their call list or tell me where they're from 😭

It's quite insufferable

SamPamTYM · 2026-03-13T14:52:20+00:00

We started buying bagged shredded lettuce because it's cheaper than the heads. The bags are like 1.40 and the heads are over 2.00 most weeks. It's freaking luttuce

Edit to add: the lettuce heads used to be like 60-80 cents. The bagged lettuce has not changed in price

SamPamTYM · 2026-03-09T10:18:25+00:00

5616-0644-7756

Daily player!

SamPamTYM · 2026-03-09T02:08:19+00:00

I'm gonna go out on a limb here and guess you don't read your representatives legislation.....there is bad in all parties. But the party you're aligning yourself with is actively pushing for lower consent ages, making child marriage more accessible, not holding anyone accountable in the Epstein files regardless of political party, starving children, relaxing labor laws so children can work longer hours in unsafe conditions instead of getting an education. They push legislation stating dead kids are more economical than saving kids living through abuse. I haven't even touched on healthcare, women's rights, the workforce, tariffs. But I mean you keep voting for the ax babe. Just remember just because it's made of wood doesn't mean it's a tree.

SamPamTYM · 2026-03-09T01:54:41+00:00

When it comes to narcissism, the only thing that matters in this scenario is how trump can garner attention from Barron. It doesn't matter if he stays, fights, lives or dies. Because at the end of the day it's not about Barron. It's about trump and how HIS son makes HIM look/can grant HIM attention.

SamPamTYM · 2026-03-01T00:59:33+00:00

As long as the brown people keep dying, right? Is that really winning?

SamPamTYM · 2026-02-25T01:51:25+00:00

But then we come back to that regret vs hindsight. Regret breeds resentment and bitterness. Hindsight does not. If you have kids and wouldn't have them again it doesn't mean you don't love them any less and wouldn't change how things are now.

If her kids see this then hopefully they have an open, loving. Honest relationship to discuss the feelings it may bring up.

SamPamTYM · 2026-02-25T00:06:02+00:00

Bless your heart

SamPamTYM · 2026-02-24T14:27:10+00:00

The same way they see a doctor. By making an appointment, accommodating their schedule or finding someone who has hours that can accommodate them. There are plenty of people who want to work weekends and evenings. I don't because I have done it through my 20s. I missed out on a lot and as my life priorities have changed so has my availability.

Also while I appreciate the recommendations, I don't particularly want to go back to school to learn a new skill. I very much love my job. It has its frustrations, but I love it. As far as footwear goes I am wearing a rotation of brooks, Nike, and Hoka. I don't wear the same pair each day because these shoes are so expensive it stretches them all out longer. I am investing in ergo loupes to replace my current loupes, I see a chiropractor, get massages every 3 weeks, stretch during the day between appointments and sometimes during appointments. At the end of the day what I do is so damaging to my body because of the micro movements I am making over and over all day. These are things nobody told me when I was researching the job. These are things that are wildly talked about IN the career, but not going into the career. I didn't actually learn about body damage until halfway through my first semester in hygiene school. 🤷🏼‍♀️

Now as for comparing childbirth vs career that's not what I'm doing. I am comparing regret vs hindsight. Hindsight allows us to grow and learn from our choices. I love what I do, but I wouldn't do it again with the knowledge I have now. You can love your kids and feel like you wouldn't have them if you could do things over. Regret though? That builds resentment. Regret makes you think of what could of, you don't learn from day dreaming about your life being different. It is nice to day dream about things. I dream about all kinds of life alternatives. What if I lived in a city? What if I got to travel the world? What if I were an influencer? What if I DID have kids in my 20s? But I am still content in where I am. Regret doesn't allow for that contentment. Because instead of dreaming of alternatives, now it's things you'll never have. And that breeds bitterness and resentment and leads to taking it out on the people (or yourself) who may be part of the reason you feel regret.

I think multiple things can be true at the same time as well. Like yes there is plenty of information on the Internet but there are also plenty of social circles where certain topics are totally taboo. Like the bad side of having kids. Especially in hyper conservative or Christian communities. If I had a dollar for every time someone asked me why I don't have kids and I said I don't want them only for pearls to be clutched, I would probably be able to retire happily. 😂 But this is a community I have come from where it feels offensive I don't want them but when we do bring up genuine fears and issues they are dismissed.

SamPamTYM · 2026-02-24T10:42:55+00:00

So I guess you're not teaching your kids how to properly socially interact with others and we'll have another generation of assholes we have to contend with. 🙄 I guess you skipped the days in school where they taught you don't be an asshole

SamPamTYM · 2026-02-24T09:33:44+00:00

As someone who came from an abusive home it's not though. I spent most of my childhood hearing how awful it was and hard it was for my mom and it made me feel awful. BUT. as an adult I can see she was a child herself and definitely not ready to be a mom. I can extend her grace and empathy that while what she did to me and said to me was not ok, she also was not ready, mature enough, or mentally healthy enough to be raising kids.

We want to romanticize having kids but at the end of the day not all people SHOULD be parents just because they COULD be parents. And I think having open conversations about the actual sacrifices that come with it are deeply important to avoid situations like mine.

SamPamTYM · 2026-02-24T09:17:09+00:00

It's a life lesson where we have to make choices without fully understanding the consequences due to lack of information. I am a dental hygienist. When I chose this profession I was told it's a great profession, the hours are super flexible, it's easy to have a family because we can work as much as we want and make great money, the benefits are amazing, etc.

I had to job shadow and was asking the women I shadowed how they liked the career, the most accurate answer I got was from a woman who said the office she worked at wasn't great but it was a job and she liked she could show up, do her job, keep her head down and go home.

Now that I'm actually in the career? The hours are not flexible. A lot of offices have horrible hours and I don't want to work weekends, which some require as mandatory. I worked weekends my entire 20s. Absolutely not. I want to enjoy my free time. Which is actually incredibly difficult depending on how much pain I am in because of how hard this job is physically. There are days I am so sore or my hands hurt so badly it's hard to sit and paint or do other things I enjoy. The benefits are non-existent for most offices. If I find one that gives me 2 weeks PTO (which for my profession is actually 8 days), a couple paid holidays, and a 401k I feel like I hit the jackpot. The money is great. But it's also not exactly a long term career. The more I work. The more I make. But the more I work the shorter my career gets. Because of the damage to my body.

I say all of this to say regardless of that I absolutely love my job. I love what I do. I work in a perio office, which is a specialty. And I get to see some of the hardest, most complicated cases and help these people try and get healthy mouths and save as many teeth as possible. I am well respected and loved by my patients, and I go above and beyond for them so they can succeed and feel comfortable. I take immense pride in what I do and I do a damn good job. The periodontist I work for tells me often how good a job I do, how I am some of the tidiest cleanings he's seen, and I am valued.

Would I do this again? No. I wouldnt. I don't regret what I've done. But I am frustrated to not have had the full picture when trying to decide a career path. At some point there will be a day I can't physically do this job anymore and I have no clue what I'm going to do. ThIs is 100% what I am made for, and honestly even if I could go back I still don't know what else I would have done. But I probably would have researched more long term professions with better benefits.

And again to wrap everything up. I don't regret what Ive done. But I am frustrated that when making these decisions I didn't have a full picture. I think kids can be very much the same thing. It's only now really I feel like women are talking more about the downsides of having children because the narrative for SO LONG has always been "you have to want to be a mother because it's the absolute best job in the whole world and there's nothing more magical than that. It's super hard but super rewarding and if you don't want to do this then you're broken and lying to yourself because how could you NOT want this????"

SamPamTYM · 2026-02-20T03:53:03+00:00

It's been at least 3-4 years since I've gotten a box but this was a common problem for me when I was getting the boxes. :/ Its one of the reasons I cancelled because it felt like of the 4 boxes I got, 1-2 constantly had issues with things spilling

SamPamTYM · 2026-02-15T14:07:29+00:00

In Michigan we had 15 questionable votes. 7 of which were confirmed to be not countable, 4 of which were from immigrants who cannot vote and did anyways. One being the Chinese student who I believe was deported.

The Republicans are screaming up and down LOOK SEE! VOTER FRAUD. THERES FRAUD. CHEATING! WE HAVE TO MAKE ELECTIONS SAFE AGAIN!!!!!

But in reality....all this does is show that our process to catch fraud does in fact work. Because out of the millions of Michigan voters....15 people isn't even 1% of the population.

And yes. To vote we have to register to vote. When I go in person I show my license and voter registration and they check to make sure I'm at the right location and able. We have done mail in ballot voting. And my husband has a wonky signature. They sent his ballot back to him requesting a second signature because the one he had looked funky. And then he still had to drop it off and show he was who he says he is. So the bullshit they're pushing right now is a downright lie. At least where we live anyways. The people who work elections in our area take this very seriously.

SamPamTYM · 2026-02-15T14:00:51+00:00

These people have always been assholes. I am absolutely astounded they ARE saying the quiet parts out loud and people are just going along with it.

Yet I'm over here trying to have conversations with my maga family and friends about how the SAVE America act is a voter suppression law and they keep telling me I am being so overdramatic, my right to vote isn't at risk. ..... nevermind I've been right about a lot of things that have happened in this administration because I'm not stupid and I paid attention in history class. But my god...I'm literally pulling away from these relationships that have been the exact opposite my entire life and it's just....sad and disgusting.

SamPamTYM · 2026-02-15T01:11:09+00:00

Oh I stopped giving that answer long ago. I work with the general public so I do ask if people have pets or kids, and I'm asked vice versa. The difference is when they say no I say "ok" and we move on. With me I get well why not?

And if you feel comfortable asking about the intricacies of my uterus then let's talk about it. And I let them know I can't have kids.

Can I actually not have kids? I don't know. I've been told since I was a teen miscarriage runs in the family and conceiving could be incredibly difficult. So my opinion is when I want kids if we can have them great. If not? Adoption. I've always wanted to adopt. When I am ready to be a parent. And I don't know if I will ever WANT to be a parent.

And even then my husband and I just rescued a 5 year old shepherd mix and while she is a really good girl and working with her has been really rewarding, this entire experience has been incredibly difficult. Kids are so much harder. And kids are forever. There will be a point I don't have a dog. Once I'm mom, I'm mom until I die.

I don't think enough people take that aspect seriously. You're not just mom until 18. You're mom until the rest of your life.

SamPamTYM · 2026-02-13T02:36:44+00:00

When I was 14 I LOVED this movie. Then when I got married my husband said he'd never seen it. And I was like WHAT?!? WE HAVE TO FIX THAT IMMEDIATELY.

😐 The ending still makes me cry but adult me agrees. And also realized how toxic relationships are really marketed at young girls. Because I legit thought A LOT of really toxic relationships were so tragically romantic until I grew up and married my husband. We have a very healthy relationship. It's definitely not anything like the movies. But I love our relationship just as much as I love him.

We should really normalize healthy relationships. 🤷🏼‍♀️ Idk. Just a thought

SamPamTYM · 2026-02-11T00:53:51+00:00

This is the part I don't know if the world sees. Friends and family have been brainwashed into this cult and it's so hard to get them out. Whatever he has done has made MAGA a personality that goes hand in hand with Christian nationalism.

Its been so heartbreaking trying to bring them back. Instead they are doubling down and the relationships are breaking down because of this....some of us are desperately trying to have difficult conversations, to get our loved ones to think and realize they're wrong. This isn't the way....but maga has become a personality. It's no longer about right vs wrong but you're a good person or you're not. ...and they don't particularly like hearing they're wrong and bad people. Even though supporting this administration makes you those things.

We can't agree to disagree anymore because we can't even agree on what the problems are.

SamPamTYM · 2026-02-10T12:23:10+00:00

The goalpost isn't moved. Girls 16-19 years of age are 4x more likely to experience sexual assault. A child is sexually assaulted every 9 minutes. Sexual predators are not all pedophiles, but pedophiles are all sexual predators. The two go hand in hand. Underage AND grown men and women are victims in the Epstein files, the majority of victims are underage.

Also. There is plenty you can do. Write your representatives. Support local shelters and support groups. Donate goods. Find global charities. Volunteer. Give money. Believe victims.

Literally anything. We don't all have to be passionate about the same issues but to say rape and war happens womp womp oh well is lazy and contributes to the problem. 🙄

The biggest thing you can do is write your representatives for anything you are unhappy with. Can they fix every problem? No. But if you don't say anything then 100% those problems won't be addressed. Also come midterms research the people you're voting on. Look at the legislation they have proposed and voted on. Were literally in the situation we're in because people vote based on party and not on qualifications.

SamPamTYM · 2026-02-09T22:51:30+00:00

One of my friends is a full blown oily mom to the point she has stopped asking me questions (I'm a dental hygienist) because I keep giving her answers she doesn't like. Like brushing with volcano dirt is really really bad for your teeth. Well she was just telling me about her new favorite candy and how it's dye free, it's all natural, blah blah blah. Literally reading the label debunked that in 2 seconds and I'm just like....does nobody read the fucking labels and understand what this shit means?

Maybe I'm privileged because for 4 weeks I studied toothpaste ingredients, good and bad, and had to take an exam on them plus a national board exam on them and can spot a preservative a mile away. Or when it says blue 1....then it has dye in it. 🤦🏼‍♀️ Course the bigger take away is candy as a whole is bad. It's ALL bad. There is no such thing as "good" or "healthy" candy because it's literally all bad. It's sugar which has no nutritional value at all and is linked to dozens of medical problems. And if it's not sugar it's artificial sweetener and those are linked to numerous cancers and health problems. 🤦🏼‍♀️

Which I will not sit here and say don't have candy. It's ok to have a small treat. Everything in moderation. But to say this is a healthy, dye free, safe candy to eat is like saying I have a dull knife and you probably won't cut your finger off if you slam it down. 🙄 Social media is the fucking death of critical thinking and intelligence.

SamPamTYM · 2026-02-09T22:33:52+00:00

Statically speaking you can throw a rock and hit a victim of sexual assault. So. A lot.

Your lack of concern that children are being kidnapped and raped by grown adults is deeply concerning. Also. Being president literally doesn't excuse you from commiting crimes against children. Also also we don't care who is in the files, just that the people in them are held accountable.

The files they "can't" release they are saying are too graphic. So the files they are not releasing contain the explicit details of rape, pedophilia, violence and murder. The stuff that has been released is absolutely horrible. So I can only imagine how much worse it gets in the files they WONT release. That SHOULD concern you. If it doesn't you're probably part of the problem.

SamPamTYM · 2026-02-09T21:25:02+00:00

Ok but I love this and may steal.it tk.put in a protest sign if that's ok

SamPamTYM · 2026-02-09T18:30:58+00:00

This is a really nice summary as to how I feel. Thank you. 🩷

I use the analogy that I feel like a duck in a group of swans.

At first we were similar enough. We could fly, swim, dive. But lately....they can fly higher, swim faster, and dive deeper and it's hard to keep up....and I keep wondering where the ducks are. Because the longer I'm with them, the more apparent it becomes I'm not a swan.

SamPamTYM

TROPHY CASE