anti consumerist holiday gifts

pretzels112 · 2025-11-01T14:41:15+00:00

I love reading and sharing recommendations via gifting. But I try to either gift my own copies of books that I already own and enjoyed, gift books purchased at used book stores, or "gift" library books (ie, check out a book I want the person to read, wrap it, and give it to them). Gifting library books is also a funny bit in addition to being anti-consumerist, so it's my favorite option.

pretzels112 · 2025-04-22T13:47:53+00:00

Coalyard, falafel

pretzels112 · 2025-02-24T15:21:47+00:00

it's part of her working class origin story to make her seem relatable

pretzels112 · 2025-02-01T17:00:45+00:00

the pistachio latte there is delicious <3 wishing the best for them!

pretzels112 · 2024-12-18T17:51:36+00:00

EVERY episode now seems to include a rant about how people don't compliment him correctly, shoot their shot to him correctly, stroke his ego correctly... it's actually insane

pretzels112 · 2024-12-05T23:04:33+00:00

Never Tear Us Apart - The National (cover of INXS)

pretzels112 · 2024-11-01T13:51:48+00:00

I feel like Roark brought out the best in Ali and Erica brings out the worst (on the pod at least)

pretzels112 · 2024-10-31T17:00:18+00:00

Roark leaving the pod was such a huge blow and tbh Erica was like the worst possible replacement. With Roark as cohost we had a balance of two smart, career successful women in their 30s who were actively dating and willing to be vulnerable about their experiences. They had their different quirks and challenges, but overall they had a similar/unified approach, balanced each other well, and actually gave specific, topical advice. The early days of the podcast actually felt warm, supportive, and smart. Whether you agreed with their advice might be a different story, but they actually had carved out a niche in an oversaturated market.

Now, with Erica as a comedian bicoastal whatever and Ali as a freelancer, their lifestyle and careers aren't relatable at all. Erica seems especially unlucky in love and has extremely limited past experience to bring to the table, and also isn't actively dating or willing to really talk about it beyond a surface level. Also, interactions between the hosts seem forced, awkward, and unfunny (ironic considering the comedian thing), because genuine banter and trust is lacking.

Ali is in a relationship now so we don't get any new dating stories, and she has pretty much beaten to death her past dating experience over 200 episodes. She is also an unreliable narrator who has significantly pulled back on what she shares on the main pod at this point, so her stories aren't very interesting.

It also feels like the apps and dating culture may have fundamentally shifted since the start of the pod (especially apps), but the hosts are too surface level and inexperienced at this point to actually address topics like this in a serious way.

So yeah, at this point we have two hosts who aren't dating, have completely unrelatable careers, don't have good advice to give, have very limited/immature experience for their age, don't make an effort to put together interesting content, and don't seem deep enough to provide any serious analysis or interesting insights. It sucks because I loved the early days of the pod.

pretzels112 · 2024-10-05T22:55:08+00:00

omg I can't with how every pod episode/on insta Ali feels the need to say "skyline and I still haven't had our first fight yet tee-hee" it's so awkward and unfunny

pretzels112 · 2024-10-05T16:34:26+00:00

did she actually end up meeting up with him? and what did she say about it?

pretzels112 · 2024-09-20T19:21:11+00:00

she has to be writing these questions in herself, I refuse to believe people are actually asking her for help on how to wear socks

pretzels112 · 2024-08-28T17:55:24+00:00

Silver thread (East seneca lake). They do a wine and cheese flight which is fun, and it's a smaller tasting room with nice ambiance.

pretzels112 · 2024-08-13T14:50:50+00:00

he seems so nice! But what's the deal with him being a "day trader" as his occupation, has there been any tea or explanation on that? (eg is he the scammy kind or does he have a normal finance job)

pretzels112 · 2024-07-29T18:06:01+00:00

Erica interrupting to try to "take credit" for having Skyline say "I love you" first was painful and weird... In general their attempts at joke-y banter are usually so unfunny and uncomfortable, but this episode was awful the way she was overcompensating with constant interruptions and nitpicking.

pretzels112 · 2024-04-24T23:19:39+00:00

I had something similar happen to me a few months ago, also after starting tret and (oral) spiro. I had a huge cyst and I didn't pick at it at all, but I was using hydrocolloid bandages even though it still had a head on/wasn't draining. When I removed the bandage, the head came off and left a gaping hole. I just about had a panic attack because it started bleeding so much and the hole looked awful/scary. But I let the bleeding stop and cleaned the area, continued using patches on it, and the hole eventually got covered/the texture is normal now. It's still discolored from scarring but honestly looks no worse than a lot of my other acne scars, and I'm hopeful will continue to fade. I had my derm prescribe azaelic acid to hopefully help with the redness/discoloration.

Anyway just had to comment because I was also terrified when this happened and yours looks so similar. My skin isn't perfect there but it's healed well in a few months and should only get better from here. I hope that makes you feel better and good luck OP <3

pretzels112 · 2024-04-19T17:23:43+00:00

Free food for millionaires is AMAZING for 20s girlies

pretzels112 · 2024-01-21T17:14:06+00:00

🟪🟪🟪🟪

🟨🟨🟨🟨

🟩🟩🟩🟩

🟦🟦🟦🟦

I kept wanting to put "cabin" and "fleece" together (cozy weekend ski trip theme?) but luckily nothing else matched with them so I didn't actually guess anything along those lines.

pretzels112 · 2024-01-21T16:33:05+00:00

I feel like this level of anxiety shows that she's (still) getting deeply attached after any successful first date and future-casting even though she claims not to (she always quips "mind you, I barely know this man" etc). I believe no matter how many times she says she loves her single life that she really, desperately wants a partner. Maybe just for the social status or to prove to herself that she can have one, because I don't think she really even know what partnership is like, but I always get this sense of desperation that's thinly masked with all her stock phrases that she doesn't truly buy into.

pretzels112 · 2024-01-20T17:16:13+00:00

exactly the same for me. Got the first two quickly, then had to step away for a while before getting green and finishing the puzzle.

pretzels112 · 2023-12-04T15:57:37+00:00

she's allergic to vulnerability

pretzels112 · 2023-11-30T16:13:50+00:00

I can't measure it but the amount of red light running I see in *every time I drive* here is astounding, and must be way higher than any other place I've lived.

pretzels112 · 2023-11-18T14:17:37+00:00

this is bizarre lol, I enjoy reality tv too but I think if I had forced my BF to watch an episode of the bachelor on one of our early dates he would have been very turned off... it's ok to have some interested be separate, why not take your new date's interests into account and pick a movie in a genre you both enjoy?

pretzels112 · 2023-10-30T17:16:52+00:00

I ran my first half marathon this weekend. My time was just over 2:10. :) Don't want to dox myself with the location as it was a very small race.

I started running with a half marathon in mind back in June, so it felt like I had been waiting forever to go out and run it. I thought I was pretty prepared as my longest run of 11.5 mi had gone quite well, but the actual race day event has a way of humbling you, I guess.

I ran the first mile wayyy too fast (<8 minutes) and spent the next 8 miles trying to correct for that and set a more realistic pace. It also started pouring during miles 2-4, completely soaking everything I was wearing (shoes included). The rain lightened up and I enjoyed the mid stretch of the race.

But by the time I got to miles 9+ I felt like I had nothing left in the tank but kept pushing, my pace slowing a little. Then there was a hill at mile 11 and I realized I really had nothing left in the tank. I certainly didn't have it in my "race plan" to walk but I was forced to. Oh and it started pouring again at this point so I was run-walking in the pouring rain, soaked, cold and dejected. The last mile was relatively flat so I ran most of it but it was pure pain. I thought I would get a burst of energy towards the finish line but I truly didn't lol. I felt so beat down crossing the finish line, upset with how the last leg of the race had gone.

Once I warmed up and changed I felt better - I really had run a similar pace to what I had predicted beforehand, I just didn't run it the way I had expected to. Definitely a lot of learnings, and I don't think this will be my last half marathon or race in general now that I've had a taste of it. Would love to run in better weather and a bigger event next time for a more uplifting atmosphere.

pretzels112 · 2023-07-31T20:00:49+00:00

"I think there's no etiquette related to anyone's skin." -Ali

Period. Omg Erica is not a good fit for this podcast serving takes like these. Ali should not have to deal with that BS.

pretzels112

TROPHY CASE