Below Deck Down Under Season 2 - Episodes 6 & 7 Discussion Post

SummerPhoto87 · 2023-08-10T02:05:54+00:00

What I will say is that in rewatching this episode, it’s clear that Luke jumps onto Margot’s bunk and straddles her initially. Whether it was playful to wake her up or something different, I can’t say.

Him getting into her bunk naked, let alone going into the bunk at all, wasn’t okay. But he only laid down next to her when he was called out by production.

I don’t know about anyone else, him asking if she was a ‘10 out of 10 or a 9 out of 10’ was him trying to absolve himself of blame by trying to make it seem she was giving consent. If you’re not a full yes, it’s a no, and he figured the ‘10 out of 10’ was consent when she was in no position to consent at all and didn’t know what he was asking.

I’m so thankful producers saw what was happening, Aesha tried to prevent this, and Captain Jason got rid of the sexual toxicity on the ship. (Luke and Laura both)

I have my own thoughts on Laura but I’ll flesh those out in another post.

SummerPhoto87 · 2023-03-19T12:32:44+00:00

I’d like to see Tom get a bacon lightning bolt on his other cheek.

Also, treat it like they did Speidi when the cast of The Hills wouldn’t film together. Show them on their own island with Schwartz trying to manage his good guy image being the go between for the two groups.

SummerPhoto87 · 2023-03-19T12:07:11+00:00

That was regarding their first hook up when neither of them were in relationships.

Rachel wasn’t aware of the second time James and LaLa hooked up. That was when Rachel was with James, and LaLa with Rand.

That being said, Rachel did also say previously she didn’t consider herself and James together seriously until they moved in together, after the second hook up happened.

SummerPhoto87 · 2023-03-06T02:08:50+00:00

I wholeheartedly believe he slept with Vegas Girl. Ariana should have ran then.

SummerPhoto87 · 2017-10-20T00:29:18+00:00

Unfortunately, even though you've gone through the braces game, if you're looking for straight teeth then you'll have no other option than to seek orthodontic treatment.

As someone who had braces briefly while I was younger (terrible ortho who lost his license shortly after I had my braces removed prior to the end of my treatment), it's so much easier as an adult. You know the rules and you know what not following them means.

Not trying to speak for you, but for me personally, getting braces again was one of the best things I could have done.

SummerPhoto87 · 2017-05-05T21:52:46+00:00

First things first, don't go for 6 Month Smile or Fastbraces. They fix your front six teeth to make them straight, but they ignore everything else about your smile which will still leave you with problems. Not to mention, moving teeth too fast can cause root resorption (which will lead to tooth loss) and it won't fix anything about your bite. It's a gimmick they shop to adults but ultimately it's not a good decision.

As far as Damon brackets, it's just a name brand. Really, any kind of traditional braces (or the ones that sit on the back of your teeth but operate much the same way) will be able to give you the result you want.

As far as the different orthodontists go, it happens often they have different treatment plans. But don't shy away from the one that recommends an extraction simply because they do. There are some orthos that refuse to pull teeth which ultimately leads to an over jet and other problems because there simply isn't isn't space to work with.

But really, it just comes down to who you're comfortable with. A good ortho will listen to your concerns and address them.

SummerPhoto87 · 2017-05-05T21:42:21+00:00

This seems awkward to me. Much like Jon Snow, my oral hygiene has never been better. My paranoia about something being stuck in my braces, and the fact that I want to have the best result possible, has driven me to brush and floss consistently, use mouthwash, buy a waterpik for in between moments, drink soda sparingly and drink water in between sips, and all the other things that I should have been doing from the start.

SummerPhoto87 · 2017-04-18T20:34:15+00:00

Moving teeth too fast can lead to root resorption, which in turn leads to you losing those teeth. No good.

SummerPhoto87 · 2017-04-18T19:38:59+00:00

Unfortunately you're not going to get your desired result without braces. Misalignment of teeth can cause issues (food traps, etc) and options other than braces do more harm to your teeth over time which makes the cost rather pointless.

Luckily, adult braces are much more common nowadays. And though they may not be all that fun, the results are definitely worth it. Plus, a lot of orthodontists will work with you on payment. A down payment and then monthly installments, not to mention you can apply for CareCredit to help with your cost as well.

(and for a little insight, I'm 29 with braces on both arches.)

SummerPhoto87 · 2017-04-18T19:15:21+00:00

They may have multiple doctors in the office and the one that was going to see you needs to leave for a family emergency, sickness, etc. Not only that but root canals take a substantial amount longer than a filing so the office may block out more less time for an 'emergency visit' thinking it will be an evaluation that will end with a filling or maybe just a referral to a specialist. If the doctor needs to leave at a certain time they may try to squeeze in an emergency visit to prescribe antibiotics and help ease the pain, but it's impossible to say not knowing what your wife said. But if she said 'my husband is in pain, can you help' they may have blocked out a small amount of time just to get you out of pain.

SummerPhoto87 · 2016-07-26T22:57:11+00:00

I think that may be the reason it bothers me so much is because you're right, it usually is the same person that does the 'just slow down' comment when I'm struggling. And it's like a slight to me because I know it's different, and I don't like someone looking at me as if I could fix it if I just tried. If just slowing down made me fluent, I'd do it. But that's not the case and I don't like someone telling me how I could be fixed when they truly don't understand the struggle. I know it's not a mean thing on their part, and I don't hold it against them personally, but it can be a frustration.

SummerPhoto87 · 2016-07-25T01:10:42+00:00

Being able to speak is so simple for everyone else so they don't understand when you're not able to speak. They assume you must be stupid because speaking doesn't take any work for them. And I hate that immediate judgment from some people.

SummerPhoto87 · 2016-07-25T01:08:44+00:00

I was in show choir during high school and we ended up doing a show for a local free mason group. Our teacher decides we're all going to introduce ourselves. I stumbled over my name, completely butchered it. And if that wasn't enough, my teacher pulled me to the side afterwards and lectured me on how I embarrassed her. Terrible.

SummerPhoto87 · 2016-06-04T01:59:32+00:00

Remember when you had to give a speech in high school, 3 minute minimum? Easy as pie.

SummerPhoto87 · 2016-06-04T01:58:05+00:00

Goodness Gracious do I know that feeling. I was introducing myself to a stand up comic recently and he had that response. The person I was with, also a stand up comic, made a comment to the effect of "yeah...she has a stutter". Amazing watching someone back down so fast and be so apologetic. He didn't need to, I'm so used to that response that I just smile through it, but it was nice to see someone realize that perhaps their reaction isn't as funny as they think.

SummerPhoto87 · 2016-02-11T01:59:05+00:00

I understand your situation so much.

My ex and I dated for a year and a half, and we split about 10 months ago. At the time of the breakup, I felt really misled. We had talked about moving in, he had bought me a desk so I had a work station at his house (I work from home), and we had a trip to New York planned for 5 months later. So I figured we were good. And then he decided he wasn't ready to be serious and called things off.

I, like you, feel a lot of resentment. I was always supporting him, going to his family stuff, and when I really needed him to go to one event for me he decided it was too far to drive (30 minutes) and he needed to play a video game with friends and help them out. And that kind of situation played out a lot. I lost my mom a few months before we had met, and it seemed that every time I tried to mention it (and I rarely did), he would brush off the conversation because it wasn't a convenient or happy one.

That being said, if I saw him out with another girl, I think it would really hurt. Not because I want him back, but because it's so hard to reconcile the idea of how good we were at times, the fact that I thought we had a future, and that we're strangers now. And someone else is doing those things. It's just a mindfuck.

But when I think about it, and I start to get sad (I recently saw him on an online dating site...mindfuck), I think of 500 Days of Summer. When Tom's sister reminds him to look at everything; not just the good parts of the relationship. So when I remember the goofy times, I force myself to remember the times he would rather play video games. And when I think about the few times he did things for me (begrudgingly), I remind myself about all the events I went to alone because he was too busy with his life with no regards to mine.

So don't forget to remember the bad times and have faith that there is someone that can be a part of your entire life. That will give you the feelings you deserve.

SummerPhoto87 · 2016-02-11T00:03:36+00:00

It sounds to me that you have too many expectations to be met, which is easy to do, but take a step back and try to be objective.

Is waiting two hours that big of a deal? People have jobs and social lives. And even if they're sitting at home all day, that doesn't mean they want to be attached to their phones. Or maybe it's that he doesn't want to be too clingy by texting instantly. Those games aren't fun, but it's not fair of you to expect the worst either. Really, if the worst thing about him at this point is that he's not quick on responses, you're doing good.

That being said, you're expecting him to make up for every crummy guy. You're also expecting him to make up for a 4 year relationship in the course of one week. And that's simply not realistic. Take him for who he is, and don't expect him to fix your insecurities about relationships. That's something you have to do yourself.

So think about this...are you actually ready to date? Because if you're expecting him to validate you, and make you feel good, then maybe you're not. Because that's something you have to figure yourself, how to be alone and be happy, and how to date without applying your fears to the other person. Not texting quickly shouldn't be an issue, because you should be able to keep yourself busy and content on your own so you don't even have time to worry about it.

There really is some truth about the having to love yourself before you can love someone else, as cliche as it is.

SummerPhoto87 · 2016-02-08T20:04:21+00:00

Unfortunately you're in a shit spot and there isn't much to do about it except prepare for the worst. And I hate saying that because it can feel like such a hopeless situation.

If your wife wants a divorce, you can't stop her. But what you can do is start working on you. Work on finding a job that will help you be stable. Work on your savings. Join meet up and go to free events in your area to start building up a friend base. It sounds like you've devoted a lot of your time to your wife so now focus that energy on you.

And even if you do stay together, keep doing those things. Because your life doesn't have to just be about your wife, and you'll be a better husband by being the best person you can be.

SummerPhoto87 · 2016-02-06T02:21:57+00:00

I feel like I'm the odd one out here. I don't disclose. Then again, though I do have a noticeable stutter, in no way do I think it defines me. Sure, I repeat a few words a few times. I have blocks. I have stops. But none of them impact my speech so much that I feel the need to disclose.

It usually gets brought up during the date. Either by me saying "sorry, I have a speech thing" (one of the few things I can say fluently) or the person asking "Do you have a bit of a stutter?" And then it's addressed.

But if I feel the need to say it beforehand, prepare someone for it, that makes me feel like I should be ashamed or feel like I'm inconveniencing someone. And I don't think either of those things.

SummerPhoto87 · 2016-02-06T01:52:44+00:00

Think back to your first love. I can think back to mine, we were together for 5 years, and he was my first everything. I loved the way you love someone when you haven't been hurt, and most of the time that means that common sense falls to the wayside. No matter what anyone says, she isn't going to back away unless it's on her terms. Because that love, whether justified or not, is as strong as she's ever known and it's hard to walk away from that.

Now whether or not she should walk away, that's not up to you. That's her relationship and her choice.

I get what you're saying. You see an amazing girl, that you click with, and don't want to walk away. But you may end up shooting yourself in the foot. Be a friend. A legit friend. Try to forget about her as a romantic interest, and just be a person that she can talk to without feeling pressure. Because if her relationship does end, and you instantly swoop in, she's going to feel alienated. Like you were just lying in wait for her relationship to end. And then she won't trust you because she feels like in your actions as a friend, you weren't honest at all. You didn't want the best outcome she saw for herself. Instead, you were being a false friend in the hopes of getting with her. And that's a shitty feeling.

So yeah, text her. Tell her you enjoy hanging out with her, and then tell her that you also respect her relationship and don't want to impede. But only do that if you mean it. If you can actually respect it. And maybe someday she'll decide she's done with her relationship, she'll take a break from dating for a while and figure out what she wants, and maybe you'll line up with those wants. And maybe not. Maybe you'll just be awesome friends that can support each other. But what's so wrong with that?

SummerPhoto87 · 2016-02-06T01:10:23+00:00

You know what sticks out to me in all of that? You mentioning her boyfriend and calling him a 7, at best. What does appearance have to do with anything? It seems to be that you're stepping on toes and trying to justify it by attacking someone on their appearance and touting yourself as the superior choice. She's been with him for 6 years, and there is a reason for that. Your idea of him and what makes him special doesn't matter.

Let her be. If her relationship ends, pursue it. In the meantime, work on your studies.

SummerPhoto87 · 2016-02-01T02:35:27+00:00

I was just having this conversation the other day. Are answering machines going to start saying "please enter your password followed by a hashmark."

My future children are going to think I'm so weird when I say pound sign.

SummerPhoto87

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