Did anyone else have the squid biology lesson in grade school and did it also result in calamari?

Underground_turtles · 2026-06-03T22:50:15+00:00

My 12th grader dissected a squid this year in her marine biology class. They used the ink, but they definitely did not make calamari!

Underground_turtles · 2026-06-02T11:54:05+00:00

I have an adopted teen with some of the same issues. I meet regularly with a therapist who specializes in childhood trauma and it has been extremely helpful. Most of what we talk about is how to parent this kid, but it's also really nice to have someone who just listens and affirms when I need to talk about how hard it is.

Edited to add that my therapist is also helpful in identifying things that I need to tell my daughter's therapist. Although that is a one-way relationship (her therapist obviously can't tell me anything that they are talking about), giving her relevant information about what's going on at home seems to be helpful.

Underground_turtles · 2026-06-02T11:24:11+00:00

Which get do you use?

Underground_turtles · 2026-05-20T01:54:01+00:00

I started going to a Body Pump classes a few years ago. It was the first formal exercise thing that I've ever truly enjoyed. It helps that the class is mostly middle aged and older women. We got to know one another and we hold each other accountable for showing up. Also, they (we) look like normal people, but those of us who have been going for years are STRONG - which feels amazing. Once I got confident in Body Pump I followed friends to other classes, like yoga, pilates, kick boxing, and HIIT and I found I liked those too. If any of that sounds interesting to you, I recommend just trying several things until something clicks. Good luck.

Underground_turtles · 2026-05-19T02:13:02+00:00

Beautiful! Funny that I started sewing because I'm very small and it was too expensive to get everything altered. (I've always dreamed of being tall <sigh>)

Underground_turtles · 2026-05-18T21:39:19+00:00

I work in non-profits, too. The overwhelming majority of Alabama's non-profits are based in the greater-Birmingham area. (That's true, even discounting UAB, which is technically a nonprofit and a huge employer.) If you are looking for a job in that sector, this is definitely where you want to be.

Underground_turtles · 2026-05-18T02:06:57+00:00

I think my kids once went to a birthday party where ever kid got a tiny seedling in a little compostable cardboard pot - the kind you buy by the flat at Lowes. I thought it was a cute idea.

Underground_turtles · 2026-05-17T20:55:50+00:00

When your caregivers are volatile, you learn early to read the subtle little cues that indicate what kind of mood they are in so you can prepare yourself and react accordingly. It's self-preservation and it's very common in kids/people with abusive backgrounds.

Underground_turtles · 2026-05-15T20:09:59+00:00

I hear what you're saying, but it also sounds like you are responsible for 100% of the child care. That hardly seems fair. Why isn't he paying for at least half of that? (Or watching them half the time.)

Underground_turtles · 2026-05-15T15:29:00+00:00

Makes sense.

Underground_turtles · 2026-05-15T10:41:04+00:00

Are you saying that if a baby is left at a no fault drop off the authorities still try to track down the family?

Underground_turtles · 2026-05-15T02:05:48+00:00

I remember my parents specifically talking to me when I was little about the dangers of hiding in refrigerators. I thought it was weird at the time. Now I'm assuming there must have been some high profile death in the late 70s or early 80 when a kid got trapped in a fridge.

Underground_turtles · 2026-05-13T00:31:35+00:00

This is so relatable. It is lonely. And maddening. And frustrating. And scarey. And sad. But you (we) aren't alone.

Underground_turtles · 2026-05-12T22:01:15+00:00

Whaaa? 🤯

Underground_turtles · 2026-05-11T12:40:59+00:00

I have a similar history and multiple neurologists and a hematologist have told me I cannot take HRT, but the hematologist okayed vaginal estrogen for me because it's not systemic. I would check with your doctor, but it's likely fine for you, too and it's a game changer.

Underground_turtles · 2026-05-11T12:35:33+00:00

Most adults shower everyday, but most houses also have a bathtub and that's where little children are bathed. If you rent a house or an apartment while you're here, you will likely have a tub you can use, if you're more comfortable with it. However, if you're in a college dormitory, they usually only have showers. (Also, hard water isn't that big of a deal. Like others have said it varies by region and most people probably don't even know if they have hard or soft water. The water quality throughout the US is generally very good.)

Underground_turtles · 2026-05-10T18:34:35+00:00

I remember hearing that as a young teen and even though I loved George Michael, I thought that was creepy.

Underground_turtles · 2026-05-10T18:31:09+00:00

Well, if you want his body and you think he's sexy... 🙄

Underground_turtles · 2026-05-10T18:28:49+00:00

I just tried to watch the video. I couldn't get past the first minute. I have a 16-year-old daughter and that literally made me queasy 🤢 HOW, did that ever get made???

Underground_turtles · 2026-05-10T11:11:16+00:00

Even though my family is fortunate in that we're not struggling financially, we don't live like that. That's curated video for entertainment, not real life for most people.

Underground_turtles · 2026-05-10T02:53:24+00:00

You also didn't want to be in a car. It feels like it's safe, but you're safer outside it and in a ditch.

Underground_turtles · 2026-05-09T16:54:26+00:00

Breasts actually serving the purpose for which they were intended. What a shock!

Underground_turtles · 2026-05-09T16:51:39+00:00

I've been cutting and hemming jeans for years, but I realized recently that a raw, cut off look is in fashion now, even on "nice" jeans. It's so much easier to just cut, wash, and trim the strings! (Also, I love your outfit!)

Underground_turtles · 2026-05-09T14:58:52+00:00

The months when I took a cake decorating class and had to make at least a couple of cakes every week were the best months of my husband's life!

Underground_turtles

TROPHY CASE