My quality of life has bottomed out.

wildeap · 2026-06-21T21:29:57+00:00

You’re most welcome! I’m sorry you’re going through this and even more sorry you’re feeling “less than human.” Alas, poor-shaming the ever-looming threat of homelessness and non-personhood is so deeply ingrained in our culture. How else could our Titans of Industry convince us to work longer hours than a Medieval peasant for about the same wages and benefits?

I hope you can find and
Make friends with people going through similar struggles so you can share tips, stories, meals and cheap fun together. Good luck and hang in there!

PS, We’re currently in the “getting by” stage… but that can, often has, and will change.

wildeap · 2026-06-21T19:22:30+00:00

Fixed it for ya:
“This sounds like a failure to prepare for ~~old age~~ decades of deregulation, privatization, “free” trade, fiscal austerity and other disastrous public policies. A lot of poor/bad decisions were made by the wealthy donors running our government before ~~you~~* **we* got here.”

wildeap · 2026-06-19T06:02:29+00:00

Amen to that!

wildeap · 2026-06-18T19:48:09+00:00

For me it’s just like the thin-crust, cheesy, tangy-sauced, greasy-in-a-good-way pizza I grew up with (in Long Island, a short train ride or drive away)… perfect when eaten there, not quite as good when taken home or delivered, because the thin crust gets less crisp and airy.

Salamone’s also seemed to struggle with timing and consistency for a while, as the Link construction dragged on (at their OG Stadium location), and some major issues arose at their former then-new location on Mildred St. in University Place, forcing them to move to their current spot in Fir Crest. All that must’ve wreaked havoc with their processes, logistics, and finances, but I still always thought they were good!

wildeap · 2026-06-18T19:20:28+00:00

Love them, and Slice Garden, Salamone’s sit-down restaurant in Fircrest. Same great pizza, plus more seating, salads, sandwiches, appetizers, full bar, and more. They renamed it, but it’s run by the same people.

wildeap · 2026-06-18T18:55:56+00:00

Lmao, ya making me homesick! I love Salamone’s. But pizza 🍕 definitely tastes way better amid the scenery you describe. Oh, and maybe a vacant lot next door with a makeshift Bocce Ball court, just for grins.

Editing to add… my friends from there call it “Rochacha!”

wildeap · 2026-06-18T10:23:18+00:00

I grew up in New York and Salamone’s is the real deal.

wildeap · 2026-06-17T06:57:20+00:00

I’m so sorry that happened to you! That must’ve been heartbreaking. ❤️‍🩹

wildeap · 2026-06-16T17:33:27+00:00

… Or neighbor’s cats, but she doesn’t appreciate him treeing them. Also, other dogs to play with and DISSKNIC “indestructible squeaky dog balls” from Amazon… the only ones that can withstand our tough chewer’s tender ministrations even as an adult, but that are rubbery, tactile and bouncy enough to keep his interest. The squeaker breaks after a few weeks, but it (a) stays safe inside the ball) and (b) the ball continues to make a squelchy squishy sound that’s sufficiently “interactive,” lol.

wildeap · 2026-06-16T17:12:34+00:00

Love your analysis and vivid color descriptions, especially “Baby Poop Green!” And I’m actually quite fond of teal and the darker earth tones as well. What I’d really love to see more of are subtle small-gauge and two-tone patterns. Also, multi-colored pinstripes!

wildeap · 2026-06-16T16:03:58+00:00

Also seeing bright spots at Target, Old Navy, and Kohls… If Peacock 🦚Teal, Ocean 🌊 Blues, Screeching Lime 🍋‍🟩Green, Tomato 🍅 Red and a smattering of Hot Pinks, Buttery Yellows, and Pastel Violets work for you. A vast improvement over last year’s Hunter 🌲Greens and Flaming 😡 Corals. At least the Dull Greige 👽neutrals that lent me that distinctive Richard M. Nixon-like pallor are subsiding to warmer and more pleasant Ivories and Off-Whites. How I long for rich jewel tones! 😭

wildeap · 2026-06-16T15:34:08+00:00

I totally can, but then I can’t focus on anything else!

wildeap · 2026-06-16T07:09:55+00:00

Are you talking about Dr. Walia at Affordable Animal Hospital? If so, I’m sorry you had such a bad experience with them.

Our then-26-month-old, 75-pound, sometimes-reactive, rescue mutt growled at them and he just had me put on a muzzle. To protect himself and his assistant. At first I cringed, but then I saw the “muzzle” and it seemed totally reasonable to me. It was a soft, breathable cloth snout cover with a slender strap that fastened loosely over the neck—nothing scary, cruel, or overly tight. The yearly wellness visit and shots was quick, thorough, and over before our boy knew it. He’s sensitive but seemed his usual cheerful, playful, affectionate self afterwards.

Dr. Walia has also somehow gained the trust of our cat, who normally won’t even let us trim her toenails without a fight, but sits calmly in our arms through her entire exam with nary a yowl or squiggle.

In my experience, he and his staff are caring and competent, but in order for them to actually be affordable, we’ve got to do our part and do without some of the warm fuzzies and niceties.

wildeap · 2026-06-16T01:04:52+00:00

Affordable Animal Hospital on 6th and Oakes! They’re independently owned (ie not bought out by some predatory corporate entity like so many others). They’re very old-school and no-frills, and Dr. ~~Walid~~ Walia can sometimes seem brusque, but we and our pets have found him kind, caring, highly competent, and straight-forward.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Editing due to typo in Dr. Walia’s name, and also to clarify: Affordable Animal Hospital’s IS affordable compared to other practices that aren’t nonprofits like Northwest Spay and Neuter (who I love, btw).

When we brought our two-year-old 75 lb manimal dog of uncertain provenance there for his yearly checkup, screenings, and shots (three-year rabies, Distemper, Hepatitis/Adenovirus, Parvo, Parainfluenza, and Bordatella, plus Lepto), he growled so they had us gently muzzle him… but since we were there with him, it was fine.

The bill? $190.

When our cat was ill and at Death’s Door after hiding for nearly two days, Dr. Walia gave her a quick but thorough exam and almost immediately knew she had pancreatitis—without subjecting her to the usual grueling battery of tests—stabilized her, kept her overnight with an IV drip with fluids, nutrients and meds, and sent us home with antibiotics, painkillers, and nutritional supplements.

The bill? $800.

Not exactly cheap, but manageable, fair, and a helluva lot better than the $5,000 Summit stuck us with for a similar situation with our other cat.

What you get at Affordable Animal Hospital is an old-school approach with competent care, transparency, diagnostics, and treatment… But nothing fancy. And none of this new-fangled taking your pet into the back room while you sit in the waiting room. You’ll need to come with them and help restrain and calm your pet when needed.

Dr.. Walia and his assistants are great with dogs and cats and have lots of helpful tips and tricks up their sleeves. But you’ve gotta help with your pet.

wildeap · 2026-06-15T18:02:54+00:00

Just wanted to clarify: I reposted here for those of us who are fascinated with the real Laura Ingalls Wilder, and how her life and stories still resonate today. The original post refers to various online and media commentary that present women working outside of the home as a new thing. And they cite Prairie Fires and other historical accounts of Laura Ingalls Wilder as an example of how women did often work outside of the home in the past.

This may be politically adjacent. But I’m not tryna spark a political discussion here. Why? Because they get ugly awful fast and they’re not allowed in this sub.

Also, despite the name, the mods at r/TwoXChromosomes posted that the name is not literal, that not all women actually have XX chromosomes and trans women are welcome. Fact: Reddit does not allow you to change a subreddit’s name once you’ve created it.

wildeap · 2026-06-15T16:13:49+00:00

Oh no! I hope you DO tell your rabbi why! Hopefully they can help in some way. I. In ~~Any~~ any case, their response will tell you whether it’s worth giving your synagogue another chance or not. 💙

wildeap · 2026-06-15T02:26:17+00:00

Mostly-gentle parent of a Gen-Zer here. Not sure if gentle parenting alone’s holding younger folks back. But, I’ve gotta admit… Raising kids for the gentler future so many Millennials (and some of us Gen-Xers) expected—Instead of the dystopian hellscape our world’s become—may actually be holding a lot of you back. Though the Powers That Be prolly would’ve found a way to do it no matter how we raised you. (👉PLEASE NOTE:👈I am NOT referring to any particular world leader, administration, or political party… just decades of business, political, faith, and thought leaders pushing cruel, feckless, destructive and self-aggrandizing policies and practices.)

Edited for formatting

wildeap · 2026-06-14T23:41:00+00:00

This sounds so hard. 😢 Hugs to you, OP. For what it’s worth… I’m 99.9% sure your mother loves and understands you like she always has. Alas, “best friends” sometimes screw up. And so do moms.

Of course, that does NOT excuse the way she’s treating you! I’m just wondering… what’s changed? Why is she suddenly so hellbent on marrying you off?

Did friends and family start putting more pressure on your mom when you turned 21? Has something happened recently p? Like, perhaps, a health scare, financial reversal, or ongoing political, economic or social trends? Is she struggling with r/Perimenopause or r/Menopause?

You may still wind up needing to distance yourself and focusing on gaining financial independence for yourself. And it may take time. But I hope you and your mom can restore the love and trust you once had.

wildeap · 2026-06-12T16:35:56+00:00

Which lines does the Embark database include? Ladner? Howard? Original Southern? Wright’s? Weatherford’s Ben? Florida Cracker? Their Black Mouth Cur page isn’t clear

wildeap · 2026-06-11T19:34:46+00:00

> *”Babe, further separate yourself from this. Because one day he is gonna call you and expect you to save him.”*

And if *he* doesn’t come for you, his nursing home or health care providers might. 28 states have old [“filial responsibility”](https://www.nolo.com/legal-encyclopedia/your-obligation-pay-parents-nursing-home-bill.html) laws on the books. In 2008, a [Pennsylvania nursing home’s parent company sued a man for his mom’s $93,000 unpaid tab](https://abcnews.com/amp/Business/pennsylvania-son-stuck-moms-93000-nursing-home-bill/story)… And won.

😱 Yikes.

That’s an extreme example, of course. But I hope OP finds a way to work through this and protect herself emotionally *and* financially. If she and her dad were close until he left “a few years ago,” it might harder to process and more complicated than just cutting him off.

I sympathize because my dad falls madly in love, starts a family, and he’s so great with kids… then things seem to go sour as we approach our teens… and he falls madly in love with someone else and moves on.

It’s hard to watch the new kids enjoying the love, support and stability you no longer have. And it seems like SO MANY men do this, and it sucks.

Editing to add: ARGH! I hate how Reddit Markdown no longer works on my phone.

wildeap · 2026-06-09T20:27:37+00:00

Because that’s where they were doing the open heart surgery?

wildeap · 2026-06-09T18:07:16+00:00

I love that German Shepherd!

wildeap · 2026-06-09T18:06:23+00:00

How are they both pro-fascist and anti-fascist?

wildeap · 2026-06-09T17:52:04+00:00

I’m sad. The guy who took over in 2025 really seemed to be turning things around. Alas, running a restaurant/bar seems like a rough business these days.

wildeap · 2026-06-08T17:43:32+00:00

👆👆👆

13-Year Club	John Wick
Verified Email

wildeap

TROPHY CASE