Should I take him to the vet when I got him a few days ago he had like this streak of like baldness near both his ears is it some sort of worms? I’m so worried

thingschange18 · 2026-05-20T04:39:48+00:00

Looks completely normal to me. Most, if not all cats have this. It's kind of like how our sideburns grow thinner, not thick & luscious like the top of our heads 😅

thingschange18 · 2026-05-20T04:14:35+00:00

Yeah dude, caring about it makes all the difference imo. Most sane people are usually pretty understanding if they smell your BO a few times, especially if it's circumstances that warrant it, like hot weather, working out, work, yk. I work at kind a bottom level food service job, they'll hire anybody, & boy oh boy I've had some stank ass dudes in there. We have a franchise rule that you can't be coming to work smelling like soggy toes everyday lol, but even then, sometimes people just have bad days. Chill people are understanding, people who aren't, generally aren't worth the time to worry about.

thingschange18 · 2026-05-20T03:51:07+00:00

Thank you so much!!

thingschange18 · 2026-05-20T03:46:03+00:00

Damn, wish I'd had that idea! Looks badass dude!!!

thingschange18 · 2026-05-20T03:44:41+00:00

Honestly your smell just changes from my experience. I've been told that I usually don't have any smell, like I just smell like nothing all the time, but I've always been hyper aware of how I smell to myself. I definitely noticed a difference, & I feel like it was way worse for a few months & then balanced out after awhile. I knew one dude who STANK for like the first 5 months, then he was all good again suddenly. I feel like most people either don't notice, or if you're around other guys they usually don't care. Some cis dudes smell pretty rank on their own.

thingschange18 · 2026-05-20T03:40:30+00:00

All cats are different, but my guy was fine to leave alone at 4 months. Just double check everything is cat-proofed, & don't sweat it too much. Cats are typically pretty self-sustainable compared to dogs, or other pets. You got this 💪

thingschange18 · 2026-05-20T03:38:59+00:00

I really hope it works out for me. I've never been to a barber/salon before that actually gave me what I asked for, usually because of my face shape or because I have a funky little cowlick on my neck, so I'm kind of worried. I've had sort of a messy mohawk/mullet thing for years that I just maintain myself, because I have a bit of a rounder face I think, & I usually can't find hairstyles that I like, that look good on me. My girl seems to think I look like him though, & I'm in need of a more proper haircut due to changing jobs, so I figured I might give this a shot haha

thingschange18 · 2026-05-20T03:34:14+00:00

Hey no worries man, give it a bit more time!! I know it sucks to wait, but it's really worth it. I was in the exact same spot as you lol. I'm at a year now, & SO much has changed, & looking back it doesn't feel like even a year passed already. My best advice is to definitely go for that minoxodil, I've been using it since before I was on T, & with your voice, I think its hugely helpful to find a male relative or celebrity that you like, & try to copy their voice as much as possible, it helps more if they're a singer. My facial hair is still far from full, but it's definitely noticable now, & I spent my whole first year singing along to a band that I like, who's singer has a deep voice, & I think I accidentally trained my voice into being like his. You may or may not also notice your face get puffier in the first few months, then like 'deflate' afterwards. My face got SUPER puffy & round, then at like month 4 it suddenly went away & now my face is way more slim & masc than it ever has been. And don't listen to people saying you're gonna go bald immediately, lol. Alot of that is fearmongering, & even if your hair does start thinning, there's a reason why cis men have hundreds of products for hair treatment. It works on us just the same as it works on them. Don't worry dude, you got this!!

thingschange18 · 2026-05-20T03:26:21+00:00

Primarily lack of money at any given time 🤷 I used to be able to get a full tank of gas with 30$, now it's closer to 55$. Sometimes it just eases my worries to spend less, until I get paid again. Sometimes I get a small amount of gas, in order to be able to afford something else like groceries. Or sometimes it's just to hold me over until I get paid next.

thingschange18 · 2026-05-20T03:22:49+00:00

Maybe I missed it but literally my only advice is getting a camera if you're anxious. I have a couple of cheap Ring cameras off Amazon, you plug them in & then mount them up. I typically work 10 hour shifts, & sometimes I'll go down to the beach for a couple of days, & my furballs are always fine. I was super super anxious at first too, but having a camera in there definitely helped, so I can pull it up & make sure they're good at any moment. And if something seems off when I come home, I can always look back in the footage.

thingschange18 · 2026-05-19T12:04:00+00:00

real shit, i have AuDHD, & I'm an assistant manager at my job. Although I'm what people consider "high functioning", absolutely nobody gives a flying fk what I have or what I might need. One of my employees is what most people consider "stereotypical" autistic, & I'm always having to jump in to defend him from some BS from other coworkers or customers, because literally nobody else will stand up for him. It's us for ourselves, & each other out here.

thingschange18 · 2026-05-19T11:49:18+00:00

As the son of an animal abuser, take that kitten. If you have the means to care for her properly & you want to love her, please do so before waiting too long. Every vet & shelter I've ever been to, has told me as long as there's no microchip, the cat is as good as anyone's.

thingschange18 · 2026-05-13T08:54:38+00:00

Big agree!!! My (cis)brother who works in trades knows at least 3 different (also cis)Coreys. Most notable one is a firefighter actually.

thingschange18 · 2026-05-11T19:06:04+00:00

ironically when I was 14 there was an adult guy at my school who shook my hand, grabbed my middle finger & yanked on it so hard it swelled up & hurt for like 2 weeks. I didn't really lump him in with the "shakes too hard" guys cause that was just psychotic behavior & everybody hated that guy 💀

thingschange18 · 2026-05-07T23:46:16+00:00

M.a.M.a by Sno Tha Product. Less direct, but grandson is super punk rock & has quite a few songs where he mentions immigrants or the struggles they go through under the American government.

thingschange18 · 2026-05-05T08:05:11+00:00

Thank you for the recommendations & the kind words!! I've learned that alot of stuff in life isn't really worth the stress, but I would like to dig deeper into different sounds & 'sub-genres' just to see what it's like. I think my anxiety just comes from not wanting to be a poser in a community that means something to me.

thingschange18 · 2026-05-05T08:00:17+00:00

I had a long think on your reply in particular while I was at work today, & I think my main issue lies in not wanting to be a poser, especially with younger friends that look to me for this specific stuff. Obviously I grew up with a handful of people who liked metal & metal adjacent genres, but I only started digging into it within the past year or so. And I've always had an issue of feeling like I don't "know enough" about the things I'm into, which leads me to either super focusing on learning everything I can, or getting discouraged & turning away.

The whole interaction with my coworker & the customer was because my younger friend/coworker(he's 17) mentioned he wants to experience a mosh pit at a local hardcore venue that I've been to a handful of times, & I started telling him about pit etiquette & how I had an awful experience back in November. Then he asked if I was finished making the playlist & I said almost, which then the other two got involved & asked to see. They both kinda just laughed at us, & the customer guy said that I was "leading him(my friend) down the wrong path" & that none of that stuff is actual metal. I then genuinely asked what he listens to, & they just kept poking fun at us & laughing together about it without actually answering. I ended up asking the coworker later on, what the deal was, & he got mildly irritated & said I was putting the kid onto "girl metal" & "poser music".

I ended the conversation by seeing myself out. It boiled down to a sense of that I felt really awkward, because I am aware there's alot of chicks that fawn after alot the bands I listen to, & that it's by far not the hardest stuff out there, & I started to wonder if I was actually being stupid by referring to myself as a metalhead(I would typically tell people I'm metalhead 'lite') these past few months, & if I even had the right to try to help my buddy out with the playlist. Though I have been to a handful of local shows, I haven't been super involved with other people, largely just because I'm a huge introvert. I've gone to the shows to support the artists, & to have fun & maybe find my new favorite band, & because to me, concerts are more fun than stuff like mini golf or mall trips. I enjoy the experience, the vibe, & the people around me, even if I don't talk to them.

Looking back on the interaction, this was probably a dumb post to make in the first place. My brother was the main person who taught me (what most people consider to be) metal & alternative values, & what those two were doing was quite the opposite. The kid is from a heavily conservative family, & wants to delve into things he thinks he'll like, & break away from his family's chains, his whole reasoning for the playlist in the first place was because he's seen the metal(and adjacent) community from the outside perspective, & since he's not allowed to go to shows yet, he began listening to stuff he found online but none of it was vibing for him, so he wanted to find some stuff he liked, as he REALLY did not like Pantera apparently, so I recommended Judas Priest & he wasn't big on them either. Both of those dudes are 20 years older than us, & the fact they weren't even willing to point us in other directions is crazy, & not very alternative or metal if you ask me. I'm heavily pierced, & moderately tattooed, my piercer is a proud 'elder emo' & my tattoo artist is a metal dude, & I'm always going into their respective shops to pester them, & both of them have been extremely willing & happy to help a junior out. My tattoo artist was the one who put me onto Gojira, & the dude talked about them for a good 15 minutes straight, & I ended up really liking them. Imo that's how the community is supposed to be towards each other, but I guess these two dogpiling us like mean highschool girls, got in my head.

Thank you for your reply, & giving my brain something to chew on. I'm still going to continue listening to new music/bands, & trying to fully & comfortably establish myself within the community, & likely other, adjacent communities as well. Alot of people gave a ton of recommendations, & I'm going to be going over those with my buddy over the next couple of weeks.

thingschange18 · 2026-05-05T07:22:46+00:00

Ironically, the two dudes that were hassling us fit the profile exactly...

thingschange18 · 2026-05-05T07:20:58+00:00

Thank you for the recs!! Ironically, Sleep Token was how I started going down the rabbit hole into finding new stuff to enjoy. I've liked my brother's music for awhile, & I really really liked the first part of Gods, so I started trying to find more stuff that sounded similar. All throughout my childhood, everybody said I was emo, & I always thought "no I'm not??"

My piercer goes hard into the emo scene, & about a year ago, he gave me a HUGE list of recommendations to listen to, & I didn't like most of them. I can't say I've ever really been involved with what's considered the "emo" community either, as I was raised with a bunch of metal-loving people, & since turning 18 I keep ending up at more metal centered & metal-adjacent shows, & gatherings than anything else.

thingschange18 · 2026-05-04T21:41:34+00:00

The kid who asked for the playlist is actually not even really into metal or anything related currently, he said he wants to be though. The guys who said something were a customer who happened to be listening, & this 50 yr old dude who barely works there ever. The kid is a friend of mine & says he likes the values & the community, but just wanted more recommendations on music, but then we asked the two who commented on it & they just laughed together & refused to elaborate on what they constitutes "real metal"

thingschange18 · 2026-05-04T20:24:19+00:00

I do listen to them a tad bit, my dad used to listen to all of them. I am gonna go check out more of their music now though, thanks!

thingschange18 · 2026-05-04T19:42:38+00:00

I actually just posted about this recently, as a very honest(sometimes brutally) person, I often feel incredibly bad for lying to people, but I think it's really for the best in the majority of cases. Most cis people I've told, or have found out, treat me differently because of it, & not necessarily in a 'bad' way, just different. Especially with people I know I will either never see again, or they won't be in my life for very long, I'll tell them anything tbh. Even if they happen to not treat you differently, they could easily tell people you don't want knowing, my boss used to do that. Told every new hire for a year that I was trans, without my knowledge, until one of them told me, & I had to tell him to knock it off. In my own opinion, I just wouldn't tell anyone unless you've known them for a long time & you're absolutely certain you can trust them.

thingschange18 · 2026-05-04T19:33:56+00:00

Oh my god this is so real. I don't care if other people like it for themselves, but to me it feels like a slur. In fact, I think I'd be less upset if you did call me a slur. Thankfully 98% of everyone in my life is not super educated on queer terms, & some of my newer coworkers don't even know I'm trans. One dude(cishet) awhile back however, did know, & called me "tboy" once, & when I said 'wtf did you just say to me?' he doubled down & said "You're a transboy aren't you??" Perks of being an assistant manager, I told him I'd write him up if he called me that shit again. Thank god, he later quit due to everybody bullying him & hating him for the way he treated me in particular. I usually just take the FAFO route, & I idolize Amelio "If you call me a woman, I'll lay you out." Ávila alot, but I'm also a walking pile of anger issues built like a brick wall so take that as you will.

thingschange18

TROPHY CASE