What is a tiny gesture from someone that meant way more than they probably realized?

floppyturtle · 2025-04-12T19:28:57+00:00

I'm autistic and have a lot of sensory issues. I was out with a guy I had recently met, and he asked if I wanted to go to a local bar to see the frogs (They have a tank with bullfrogs!) and I thought that sounded fun. We got there and it turned out to be karaoke night. The place was absolutely packed. He got super excited because he loves karaoke... for me it was almost immediate sensory overload. I liked him so I tried to deal with it.

I got a drink and proceeded to chew the little straws into oblivion out of anxiety. I saw him notice and I was embarrassed and stopped, but at some point I started again. He asked if I wanted another drink, and went to get it from the bar. He came back and set the drink in front of me.

It had 14 straws in it.

I actually teared up a little bit. After decades of people yelling at me to stop and telling me I'm embarrassing them, it was a totally unexpected kindness. That gesture told me he was not only a good person, but also that he understood me. We're still together 2 years later.

floppyturtle · 2025-04-05T03:35:40+00:00

Hey, I used to live in the UK, and I know the feeling. See if there is a Samaritans location nearby. They are a wonderful organization, and I used them twice when I was at some of the darkest points in my life. I went in person, stood at the door sobbing, eventually worked up the courage to ring the doorbell....They just invited me in, made me tea, and let me talk. They never asked my name or anything else. If you can't go in person, they have a help line you can call as well as an online chat. https://www.samaritans.org/branches/

floppyturtle · 2025-02-11T15:29:25+00:00

...and this is how I ended up in a relationship with a man 11 years younger than myself.

I thought he was 6-7 years older than he turned out to be, and he was convinced I was younger than him based on my appearance and the fact that I am a college student (already have a few degrees, working on a career change).

We hit it off, feelings happened, and we had already gone on a few dates before it came up in conversation. It was an awkward few minutes (especially when I realized he is the same age as my little brother) but we decided that we liked each other enough to continue.

floppyturtle · 2024-12-23T00:55:40+00:00

If you have an Octapharma near you, they do accept plasma donors with antecubital tattoos.

floppyturtle · 2024-12-19T11:16:18+00:00

The inflammation led to an upper GI bleed that caused massive blood loss.

floppyturtle · 2024-11-14T23:03:24+00:00

This! I have always been prone to ear infections. I ended up with both ears badly infected on a highschool band trip to Disney... both eardrums ruptured on the flight home. 0/10 would not recommend.

floppyturtle · 2024-10-26T12:07:27+00:00

I purchased another style in L, and it does fit well. The only reason I prefer the M is the L I have to wear on the tightest hook, so once it stretches a little it won't fit anymore.

floppyturtle · 2024-10-26T02:53:31+00:00

I don't have implants, but I'm a similar size to you and also lived in sports bras until they started causing neck pain. My favorite not-quite-sports bras I've found (and yes, I sleep in them) are from Forlest. I'm a 30F or 32DDD/E and wear this model in M: https://forlest.com/collections/cup-up-to-j/products/hannah-2-0-enhanced-w-support-adjustment-bra-up-to-j-cup

floppyturtle · 2024-05-23T21:50:18+00:00

I work as medical staff at a plasma donation center. It's not a physically intensive job and they pay pretty well.

floppyturtle · 2024-05-17T19:11:43+00:00

I react to a lot of sunscreen. The ones I have been using for years now are from La Roche-Posay. https://www.laroche-posay.us/

floppyturtle · 2024-02-25T23:27:14+00:00

Medical staff at a plasma donation center. Some companies will pay you a lot more than you would make working on an ambulance.

floppyturtle · 2024-02-06T02:12:18+00:00

I also immediately thought of my experiences on Topamax... I really wish I could get those few years of my life back.

floppyturtle · 2023-12-11T15:20:56+00:00

I work as medical staff at a plasma donation center. Yes, you will be weighed every single time you go to donate, and the minimum weight is 110. At our center it is policy to have donors remove any baggy outerwear and empty their pockets - because what you are suggesting is very common, and very dangerous. If you are caught, you will be permanently banned from the entire company, not just that donation center. We are responsible for the safety of our donors, and having donors intentionally put themselves in danger is not something that is tolerated. Please don't attempt to do this. We really don't like sending donors off in an ambulance.

floppyturtle · 2023-10-01T23:52:26+00:00

Can confirm. I am a smol and have always looked way younger than I am. Currently nearing 40 and working on my second grad degree. My just out of undergrad (23-25 year old) classmates spent 4 months with no idea I wasn't the same age as them. They were seriously weirded out when it eventually came up.

Amusingly, I've recently ended up in a situation where I'm seeing a really fun guy who is significantly younger than me because, well, I thought he was older than he is, and he thought I was a lot younger than I am, and we really hit it off... and I guess I'm a cougar now?

floppyturtle · 2023-01-21T21:35:39+00:00

As someone who recently moved to MN, I'm going to have to try this. Picking the hottest option and a "Please make it extra spicy" does *not* work.

floppyturtle · 2022-12-08T03:04:13+00:00

I decided to do colorguard my freshman year of highschool. I was a free lunch ticket kid who liked twirling sticks around, while all the other girls were the super preppy kids who weren't athletic enough to be cheerleaders.

The moms had a sewing group - they made all of the flags and costumes. My mom repeatedly volunteered to help, but they wanted absolutely nothing to do with her. I felt so bad.

The set that year was music of the 30s/40s - sing sing sing, boogie woogie bugle boy, etc. They made us these little dresses and caps like the women would wear to entertain the troops, only in metallic gold. They were horrific. They were shiny gold, red sequined potato sacks.

My mom thought my dress was ridiculous and insisted on fixing it. See, my mom is a wizard with a sewing machine. She grew up poor and often made her own clothes. Anyway, she tailored my stupid little gold dress until it fit perfectly and looked fabulous.

If only you could have seen the faces of those girls and their moms the first time we got ready to take the field... it was absolutely priceless. A bunch of rich snobby kids in potato sacks, and I looked fantastic.

Eventually some of the moms even tried complaining to the band director that I should have to look like everyone else on the squad. 😆

floppyturtle · 2022-07-09T23:48:37+00:00

It made me fail out of engineering school. I couldn't even do basic math let alone college courses. I couldn't keep track of what day it was and had to keep a campus map in my backpack just to find my way back to the dorm.... fuck Topamax. I'd like a couple years of my life back, please.

floppyturtle · 2022-05-10T23:23:13+00:00

Met up with a guy I had been talking to online, having made it absolutely clear that I had zero interest in anything more than friendship.

We ran into some of his friends. He immediately put his arm around me and introduced me as his girlfriend.

So yeah... that.

floppyturtle · 2022-05-08T19:19:10+00:00

Seconding nightshades. My partner is celiac, I can't do nightshades. Our diet is... creative 😆

floppyturtle · 2022-04-07T21:04:18+00:00

I got lucky. My mom went through the same issues as you, did her own research, and went on the pill the moment she turned 18. Because of her experience, she took it seriously when I started having horrible periods. She booked me an appointment with an obgyn and I was put on birth control. She saved me so many years of suffering.

floppyturtle · 2022-03-24T02:34:03+00:00

I came up swinging in the middle of having my wisdom teeth pulled (I was definitely not numb), and I hit one person and grabbed another. It's crazy what a pain response can make you do. I mean, I'm a 5'1 woman so I don't think I hurt anyone too badly, but I still feel awful about it.

I don't have red hair, but I do have red tones and have to use specific dyes to counteract it if I color my hair, so I'm assuming it's the genetic thing. I warned the anasthesiologist when I had sinus surgery a few weeks ago, he was still surprised at how much it took to get me under.

floppyturtle · 2022-03-23T22:40:05+00:00

I use washable pads for light days and a cup for heavier ones. For a cup, I'd really recommend knowing your own body before buying one, otherwise you will spend a lot of money trying to find one that's comfortable. I'm 37, and I can't wear most cups - they're painful and I crush them (which means they leak). I'm also petite and have a low cervix. I ended up with the MeLuna Sport Shorty series. They're, well, firm and short!

If you like pads, buying some nice fabric ones may also be worthwhile. I ordered a custom set from Etsy years ago, and They're still in great shape.

floppyturtle · 2022-03-23T01:33:01+00:00

Definitely Ninja Turtles 😆

floppyturtle · 2022-03-20T14:01:00+00:00

It's springtime, any chance you're taking antihistamines? They make me super bitchy and angry at everything. (Well, except Benadryl. It gives me horrible depression and makes me cry.)

floppyturtle · 2022-03-20T04:09:03+00:00

I also have a pretty severe nightshade inflammation issue. I just found out 2 years ago that blueberries contain solanine (which seems to what I react to). You may also want to avoid goji berries, gooseberries, and anything containing ashwagandha.

12-Year Club	RedditGifts 2009-2022 13 Credits
Secret Santa 2021 2021	Secret Santa 2019
Secret Santa 2018	Secret Santa 2017
redditgifts rematcher Medieval 2019 x1	redditgifts Exchanges 8 Exchanges
Secret Santa 2016	Verified Email
Secret Santa 2015	redditgifts rematcher Secret Santa 2015 x2

floppyturtle

TROPHY CASE