Paper maps weren’t hard to use.

I remember being taught how to use maps in elementary school. Now I can’t help but wonder if that’s taught at all these days.

I know way too many adults who are 100% reliant on their GPS for everything. I find it kind of sad. I spent my early driving years attempting to get lost, then laughing because I always seemed to figure out where I was. I developed a skill that quickly became rare, learning landmarks, recognizing highway numbers, and eventually navigating on vibes because I was already so familiar with the road system that, deep down, I already knew which way was right (even if I didn’t consciously put it all together.)

I bet that kind of navigation seems like magic to young people today.

I remember seeing paper maps of the local area taped onto walls in take-out places.

I love the quote, but I think it’s important to credit its creator - James Nicoll

One time in high school, I dissociated so hard that I temporarily couldn’t understand spoken English. Tbf, I did it intentionally just to see if I could (as nerds do when they’re bored in gym class.) It was very interesting. English sounded like a softer German with French pronunciations, which tracks. I thought it sounded pleasant. I still want to know what non-Native English speakers think, but it was fun to listen to English “from the outside” for a few minutes.

If anybody else has had this experience, I’m curious what it was like for you, too.

Reading this as I pack a bowl and contemplate which version of society I want to build a simulation of today (medieval, modern, or futuristic?)

That’s a plot straight out of Malcolm in the Middle. Reese wanted to get close to a girl he liked and figured that if she’s a cheerleader, he should also become a cheerleader.

The funny thing is,

In the days before “fidget toys” were commonly known and/or accepted, before society understood what autism/ADHD looked like in girls, all my erasers suffered this brutality. It probably wouldn’t have had to happen if teachers didn’t keep confiscating my Silly Putty and these things, whatever you call them.

My grades were good, but my hands needed something to do. When you need to stim, you need to stim. Take away the appropriate outlets for it, and you’re left with stabbed erasers and obnoxious pencil-tapping.

String theory has entered the chat

What a thing to read as I went to take my first bite of the day.

Breakfast has been postponed.

"I apologise it was taken that way. I was with a group of friends and there was nothing serious about it.”

Haven’t we heard that enough by now to know that’s a pathetic, bullshit excuse? What you say with friends reveals something about you and how you think. The guy could’ve said nothing and he’d have been fine, but for some reason the idea of taking over Iceland was in his mind and for some reason he felt comfortable making light of it. If infringing on another country’s sovereignty is such a non-issue that he feels comfortable joking about it, he’s clearly not fit to be an ambassador. (Though as a Trump-appointee, it’s hardly surprising he’s not fit for the job.)

It’s so random, too. I’ll forget the word in languages that I’m fluent in, but remember it in Japanese or French or something else that I only studied a little bit of.

I end up having to describe the concept I’m trying to recall and hope that whoever I’m talking to can put the pieces together to help me find what word I’m looking for. Brains are weird.

Eye contact is a great way to get assaulted by a homeless person who is possibly dealing with psychosis.

Hey now, that’s not fair. In NYC, it’s also a great way to get scammed by fake monks.

No one migrated en masse to Lemmy because making an account here is too much work for someone to just hop on over and check out.

On the plus side, Lemmy doesn’t force you to make an account in order to view it. That’s becoming increasingly rare these days. It used to be normal to lurk for a while and get a feel for a site before taking the jump to making an account, but so many places won’t let you view a damn thing unless you sign up (and then when you have an account, they try to force their app onto you. Because of course.)

At least with Lemmy, newcomers can browse around and decide if making the account is worth it. The choices involved in picking an instance might not draw in crowds, but hopefully it’ll draw in those who actually want to engage with the site. Quality over quantity.

Don’t forget that prescription meds get applied to our deductibles, but OTC meds don’t. In other words, it’s more money from consumers’ pockets and a lower chance of insurance having to pay out.

Buying over-the-counter meds doesn’t count toward your deductible. I swear this is just another way to get consumers to pay more while letting insurance companies off the hook.

You’re so kind, thank you. 💜

Trump declares himself the acting president of Venezuela.

He also thinks it’s fine to kidnap the president of Venezuela.

Well, if both those things are true…

As an alternative to a lobotomy

I still would’ve thought it funny, even if I was not supposed to show it. I was a “smart ass” kid and know that not every teacher treats kids with respect from the get-go, so depending on the circumstances I might secretly be happy to see an act of civil disobedience.

But yeah, I do work with a much younger population. I know the kids I work with usually don’t mean to cause harm, they just aren’t emotionally mature enough to react in socially-appropriate ways. It all depends on the circumstance, which is another thing I’ve seen a lot of school officials completely ignore. Sigh.

I guess I was jaded because i got detention for just existing.

Which is how I (and many others) ended up growing up with an abysmal sense of self-worth. I didn’t understand why I was in trouble all the time (yay undiagnosed autism/ADHD) and for years internalized the idea that I must just be “bad” and deserve whatever happens to me. Which was hard, because I always wanted to help people and would give of myself to others when needed. But something must be seriously wrong with me, I figured, since no matter what I did, I always ended up in detention, grounded in my room, or both.

I was able to overcome that eventually, thankfully, but it made me a doormat during my teenage and young adult years as I was effectively taught to never stand up for myself. Cue abusive partners and employers dominating a good chunk of my life.