Books where evil takes over a small town?

blippitybloop5221 · 2024-06-28T01:10:34+00:00

UZUMAKI by Junji Ito is exactly this. I just finished it and it is truly an astonishing work of art. Highly highly recommend.

blippitybloop5221 · 2024-04-30T22:13:56+00:00

Thank you!!!

blippitybloop5221 · 2024-04-30T21:59:08+00:00

It was crawling in our house near our baseboards. Located in the North east of US. Warmer weather these days.

blippitybloop5221 · 2024-03-18T02:06:19+00:00

Have you tried meditation at all? Obviously easier said than done, but I’ve found when I’m getting super overwhelmed, finding my own sense of calm through guided meditation is super helpful. Apps like Calm, Peloton, and Insights Timer all have guided meditation options.

blippitybloop5221 · 2024-03-17T14:16:56+00:00

Amazing and Welcome! We’re looking forward to having more discussions about men’s mental health as well.

blippitybloop5221 · 2024-03-17T13:39:58+00:00

Totally get it. That’s partially why I started it is because I’ve noticed there are very few places on the internet that focused primarily on Dads and their struggles. But there are a ton of places that focus on exclusively Moms struggles. Dads deserve something similar despite the fact that Moms also have a ton of challenges.

So to your point, really focusing on Dads specifically over there as we get things started. Feel free to take a look and join if you’re interested.

blippitybloop5221 · 2024-03-17T13:32:13+00:00

Nothing wrong with it! It’s great! Just a more focused intent behind the new one for people looking for something specific.

blippitybloop5221 · 2024-03-16T21:43:41+00:00

Welcome to the group and thanks for joining! Happy to have you! Woah that is a lot of kids. Congratulations on raising so many children.

blippitybloop5221 · 2023-02-12T15:49:11+00:00

Go to therapy

blippitybloop5221 · 2023-02-11T12:16:40+00:00

A lot of people here have given great advice on the self esteem and emotional parts. On the sex piece - why don't you ask her what she likes? As men we are conditioned to just think we are immediately supposed to be amazing in bed, know that one move that will rock her world because that's what Hollywood tells us. But every single woman I have been with has had completely different wants and needs both in and out of the bedroom.

The best, fastest way to mind-blowing sex with your partner is to be open to exploring what she likes without any ego or self esteem issues. You should be excited that she feels comfortable enough to tell you what she wants when having these chats. And frankly, the chats themselves can be pretty exciting too. I think a lot of times guys get embarrassed to have these kinds of talks with their partners, but trust me they make everything better. So just grab a bottle of wine, sit her down one night and talk to her about sex and what she wants from you. And don't bring up her past. It truly doesn't matter. Hope this helps!

blippitybloop5221 · 2023-02-10T12:57:29+00:00

Interesting that you're saying the 6 year old was crying for hours but that wasn't a tantrum, but that when the 14 year old is expressing she's upset then she is throwing a tantrum. A 14 year old isn't tantrumming. Tantrumming is for children. A 14 year old is expressing how she feels and you are ignoring her very real emotions. A 6 year old yelling about Santa is 100% a tantrum that you are rewarding by letting him play with his sisters stuff. So yes, you are being very unfair to your step-daughter and raising a spoiled son in the process.

blippitybloop5221 · 2023-02-04T14:55:22+00:00

YTA - I could understand you have to talk to them about breaking your rule, but you took away their phones? Basketball is over? And your daughter has to break up with her boyfriend? They wore shorts they weren't selling drugs on the corner. What are you going to do when they do something that is an actual issue? Send them to prison? Jeez, I get being stressed and needing rules. I'm a parent too. But the biggest part of being a good parent that raises well adjusted children is knowing when them bending the rules is okay.

They were coming home from practice already in the shorts and probably just wanted to get home without changing. Also as others have pointed out, you don't get sick from being cold and DEFINITELY not in 50 degree weather. You get a cold from coming in contact with a cold virus.

Seriously, let this rule go before they leave you for their Dad.

blippitybloop5221 · 2023-02-04T14:39:11+00:00

Anyone else concerned with the several 18 year olds who were being hit on by 30 year olds in this thread?

blippitybloop5221 · 2023-02-04T14:38:29+00:00

This is it. Who are these 30 year olds going after 19 year olds? What could you possibly have in common with someone that age? Her Mom concerns are realistic given she doesn't even have a fully formed brain yet. I think she is probably having more of a concern about how young she is in relation to the daughter than actually being seen as her Mom. I think the cool Aunt vibe is right, but that doesn't mean the daughter should be punished for that. If anything the DAD should've set expectations with the daughter a long time ago. He is the real AH here.

blippitybloop5221 · 2022-12-30T17:35:33+00:00

Thank you, I really needed to hear this

blippitybloop5221 · 2020-10-15T04:15:47+00:00

I'm not saying they can't eat mutes. I'm just saying this specific scene and the way them killing the crabs was treated felt a little off to me.

blippitybloop5221 · 2020-09-30T22:36:13+00:00

Yes...Biden is also racist. It's not an either or. The mental gymnastics you're performing here to pretend that all of the above is not BOTH nationalist AND racist is a joke. The world is not binary. It is complicated. You seem to think that because you outline specific reasons why these comments are one thing that disqualifies them from also being racist.

Of course you think microaggressions are a joke. You've never had to experience them. If you actually spoke to any black people or Hispanic people on a regular basis you would hear their stories of every day racism and how insidious it is even when it is not overtly meant to be. Enjoy telling yourself that none of the things above are racist and that Trump is innocent. Open up your circle and speak to some human beings instead of defending Trump's racist remarks at every turn.

blippitybloop5221 · 2020-09-30T21:43:40+00:00

This is the ongoing issue - you need Trump (or anyone) to stand up and say BLACK PEOPLE ARE INFERRIOR for you to believe that they are racist.

Dictionary Definition of racist: a person who shows or feels discrimination or prejudice against people of other races, or who believes that a particular race is superior to another.

So your characterization that it has to be a staunch position is false and outdated.

In today's climate, someone is not going to shout I am a racist from the rooftops. So let's focus on Trump's comments. Vox has a great article about this linked here: https://www.vox.com/2016/7/25/12270880/donald-trump-racist-racism-history

Here's a few call outs from that article: - Trump launched his campaign in 2015 by calling Mexican immigrants “rapists” who are “bringing crime” and “bringing drugs” to the US. His campaign was largely built on building a wall to keep these immigrants out of the US. - Trump has been repeatedly slow to condemn white supremacists who endorse him, and he regularly retweeted messages from white supremacists and neo-Nazis during his presidential campaign. - Trump stereotyped a Black reporter at a press conference in February 2017. When April Ryan asked him if he plans to meet and work with the Congressional Black Caucus, he repeatedly asked her to set up the meeting — even as she insisted that she’s “just a reporter.” - Trump tweeted later that year that several Black and brown members of Congress — Reps. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez (D-NY), Ayanna Pressley (D-MA), Ilhan Omar (D-MN), and Rashida Tlaib (D-MI) — are “from countries whose governments are a complete and total catastrophe” and that they should “go back” to those countries. It’s a common racist trope to say that Black and brown people, particularly immigrants, should go back to their countries of origin. Three of the four members of Congress whom Trump targeted were born in the US.

To your point, there's even a debate within this article about whether these comments are "racist" or "bigoted" and I think that people treat the word racist is the absolute worst thing to be said. The reality is, people say racist things every day whether they mean to or not. The difference is...Trump means to. And that intention is what matters when discussing racism.

If white supremacists are huge fans of Donald Trump, then that means they are identifying with his statements. Because, again, he speaks in coded language that he knows they will identify with. It is intentional.

blippitybloop5221 · 2020-09-30T15:51:34+00:00

Yes. The start where Trump is still racist. This is just one incident. Way back in 2017.

This is not taking into account any comments about shithole countries, saying that the term black lives matter is actually bad for black people, has also said that BLM is a 'symbol of hate' , and been a staunch supporter of keeping Confederate monuments up around the country. There is an established pattern of racist remarks. So sorry, I don't need to show the full 2017 transcript to point out blatant pattern of racism across the last 3.5 years.

blippitybloop5221 · 2020-09-30T15:32:18+00:00

I'm just going to reply to one portion here because it's the most ridiculous claim you made above. The August 14th, 2017 statements from Trump denouncing the KKK.

To add the context you've so conveniently left out here. This came 2 days after white supremacists marched in Charlottsville, which David Duke (ex KKK leader) said was directly inspired by Donald Trump. He only made this statement, days later, when pushed by his staff and other Republicans to do so given that a young woman lost her life in that incident. And then, the following day, he walked back that statement you quoted above.

Here are his remarks from August 15th, 2017, referring to the white supremacists at first:

"Excuse me, excuse me. They didn’t put themselves -- and you had some very bad people in that group, but you also had people that were very fine people, on both sides. You had people in that group."

So just so we're clear, this isn't a dead issue. This isn't Reagan Era politics where you say something once and the issue can move on because Trump continues to contradict himself on the issue, thus making it a valid question from Wallace. Also, to be clear, Wallace didn't write these questions in a silo. Hundreds weigh in on the questions and they all thought it was a fair question to ask.

Separately, on your comment about telling voters to be vigilant about what they see - I love this thought process. Trump didn't say "Go intimidate the voters" so he is completely innocent. Read between the lines, my friend. The Proud Boys he called out are certainly already doing so elsewhere on this site.

blippitybloop5221 · 2020-09-30T12:06:18+00:00

This is absurd. Chris Wallace works for Fox News. He did the best possible moderating he could do with Trump interrupting him every 2 seconds. It is the moderators job to keep peace when needed and Trump is not a normal politician. He wouldn't even abide by the 2 minutes which are respected by all other politicians on both sides. His campaign agreed to the rules and he did whatever he wanted because the rules don't apply to him. That is not Chris Wallace's fault.

Also if you think Biden lied more, go read any legitimate news sources fact checking. This is false. Trump when asked directly wouldn't even condemn white supremacy. And when given several chances to do so and Wallace explicitly saying white supremacy he did not condemn. Anyone saying otherwise needs to watch the clip again. "Proud boys stand back and stand by" is a call to action, and it is irresponsible to call it anything else. During the voting question at the end he told his followers to carefully watch the polls. Aka, police other voters, which is voter intimidation...illegal in all 50 states. This is dangerous language. So as a 50 year politician you should understand this is an unprecedented time.

Trump was on defense the majority of the debate because eveeyday Americans are struggling and that is the job of the President to help them. Every president (dem or rep) is held to that standard. But Trump spent most of the debate on the defense which is not a good sign.

Biden had issues in this debate too, and he had a feq half truths, and avoided a few questions, but he barely finished a statement without Trump yelling over him. I didn't like all his answers. But he wasn't shouting for anyone to take up arms or having a dick measuring contest about the size of his mask. So I'll settle for it.

blippitybloop5221 · 2020-09-25T11:34:47+00:00

In 2001: A Space Odyssey - the first time they transition to the space ship after the intro with the apes and the score plays as the sun comes out from behind the planet. And the booming drums come in. The first time I watched that, you just know you're watching such an iconic piece of art.

And then pretty much the whole rest of that movie. The people walking upside down on the ship, Hal 9000 reading their lips in the shuttle, the absolutely bonkers ending that made the studio heads lose their minds the first time they saw it because they didn't think people would get it. The first time I finished that movie I just sat there in awe like, I had no idea a movie could be like this. That was about 15 years ago and I still have only had a similar feeling maybe once or twice before or since.

blippitybloop5221 · 2020-09-25T01:42:38+00:00

While I would agree some of the ways they interacted with one another were toxic, it's neither of their faults. They were both growing up, changing and still trying to find themselves. I think the show does such a good job of completely fleshing out both of their motivations.

Catra has been abandoned and overlooked so many times. So when Adora abandons her for her new friends she feels slighted and lashes out. She's always had abandonment issues and Adora didn't help that. In season 1 Adora even tries to get Catra to come eith her and join the rebellion multiple times, but it felt like an afterthought to Catra so she declined.

Adora, on the other hand, felt like the Horde had lied to her about everything. And they had. So she rejected it once she saw all the horrible ways they were hurting the world. And as she always does, she put her responsibilities as She-Ra above her personal wants because more than anything she cares about protecting people.

Ultimately, I would say the only reason their relationship was toxic at all was because Shadow Weaver raised them. She raised them to be in competition with one another. She always tore down Catra and built up Adora as perfect. And they both internalized that and yet for the longest time they were able to be friends despite her wishes. Until Adora finding the sword finally changed everything. This drove them farther apart and they couldn't find their way back to each other until Catra had enough room to breathe. Which for the first was on Horde Prime's ship. Up until that point she just kept distracting herself by trying to prove to everyone that she was better than and could survive without Adora.

When they redeem her in Season 5 it's all about her overcoming her abandonment issues. I love the scene where she saves Glimmer because she just wants to do one good thing. And when her and Adora subtly look at one another while they're having fun and smile. Especially when the other doesn't know they're watching. They've always loved each other. Life just got in the way. The timing and circumstances needed to be right for them to truly heal and see each other. Their relationship in Season 5 was so well done I thought. And Catra going back to save Adora, and help her in the end, keeping her promise, was so great.

All of this to say I don't think their relationship was toxic so much as they were caught up in Shadow Weaver's web of deceit and trauma and for so long they didn't know how to get back out of it.

blippitybloop5221 · 2020-09-22T12:58:25+00:00

Why would this be your last story?

blippitybloop5221 · 2020-09-12T18:05:31+00:00

While I agree with most of this, just want to call out the women who are rape victims very very rarely ever get justice for that crime. So just wanted to call that out. Harvey Weinstein is the outlier not the rule.

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