Straight water doesn’t make me sick, but unless I’m already pretty thirsty (working hard/exercising outside in summer) and it’s full of ice, I find drinking water unpleasant.

I’ll drink water when I have to, but I’ll drink flavored/calorie free drinks because I enjoy them, thus staying far more hydrated.

Is my one life really more important than multiple other peoples?

I’m not saying your life is more important than multiple others, I’m pointing out the risk you’re asking others to take. If the person you’re asking to take that risk has responsibility to their own family, children, possibly elder family members, then we’re still discussing impacting the lives of multiple people on both sides of the fence.

I agree that testing like this is shit, but until that’s changed or at least somehow improved, then “just lie about it” is an unrealistic expectation.

Ok, would you be willing to gamble your career and freedom on her word that she tested dirty because of eating a salad?

Because your name would be on the paperwork and one of the first individuals pulled in if something questionable happens a year from now and they start auditing. That’s what you’re suggesting other people do with their lives.

Plenty have been fighting for it, but there’s an uphill battle against “but that’s socialism and socialism is evil!” and those that personally benefit financially who stand in the way.

Huh?

“Why does one of the parties fight against people voting?”

In general, high voter turn out leans left.

And each state determines the rules for voting. I’m in Illinois, so when I register I’m assigned a polling place. When I go there to vote, I give them my name (no need for ID) they find it in a book, I sign a thing and they give me a ballot and tear off a receipt that I keep. I’m in a traditionally Democratic/blue State.

Republican/Red states tend to do what they can to make voting harder, like frequent purging of voter registration (and not notifying people that they’re not registered anymore) or making it nearly impossible to vote by mail, then require voting in person and limiting the number of places you can vote to the point people stand in line for hours. Oh yeah, then make it illegal to offer people waiting in line a bottle of water.

I’ve worn contacts for almost 40 years, but got tired of using readers these last several years to be able to, you know, read. After unsuccessfully trying multivocal contacts, I got progressive glasses. My vision? GREAT? The 3 weeks it took to get my brain used to moving my head more and my eyes just right (especially while driving) so that seeing the right part of my prescription wasn’t swinging all over the place and making me nauseous? Fucking hell. That was absolute torture. It’s worth it on the other side at least.

I do kinda miss contacts. I may get a second opinion for my prescription and try again.

Therein lies part of the problem. A large number of those places that disguise themselves as legitimate clinics are actually covers for human trafficking.

Depending on where you are, becoming a massage therapist can take a couple years and cost thousands of dollars, require exams, and licensing. Legitimate massage therapists aren’t going to risk throwing everything away for a couple extra bucks for a handy. If sex work was legal, people wouldn’t have to masquerade as much behind legitimate business.

As for massage being snake oil, I guess it depends on what the person is claiming it’s going to do. Like I said, I’ve been doing this almost 20 years now, and have worked in health clubs (mostly doing sports/injury recovery/rehab stuff), education (teaching massage, anatomy, physiology, pathology), and now working hospice the last several years. Massage can be great for pain relief, relaxation, and general comfort. For some people with circulatory issues like lymphedema, massage can help reduce the fluid settling in their extremities. Unfortunately historically there’s a lot of questionable and downright bullshit practices that have been attached to massage, but massage on it’s own? If you like to be touched, it can be a good thing.

For the love of God can’t we just make sex work legal, take the shame out of it, and STOP associating it with massage? PLEASE?!?

I’ve been a massage therapist for almost 20 years now and have got the point where the sex jokes hit with about the same impact as asking the cashier if something is free if the item doesn’t scan at the register. I work in hospice, and not 3 weeks ago I had a patient’s brother in law giggle and ask me if I gave his sister in law a happy ending. My inside voice said “no, sorry, she’s still breathing so she has to keep dealing with you” while my outside voice pretended not to hear the comment.

Jeff Bridges taught me that red means stop, green means go, and yellow means go very fast. He was watching very closely.

(1984’s Starman, just so I can feel older today.)

No, it sounds right. There’s matcha, but with the acid from the lemonade curdling the milk, it’s used to clump shit together so that the drink can be filtered and clarified. I’ve never tried it, but I’ve seen the technique used a number of times.

“after coming from out of town to stay with their grandmother.”

I’m assuming this means this was the grandmother’s house they were staying at?

I work in hospice and and it’s not uncommon for a family member to have multiple cameras set up in an elderly loved ones house for safety reasons. Maybe she wants to remain independent, but is a fall risk. We’ve had patients refuse in home caregivers, but allow family to put in cameras to watch for falls.

Thank God the judicial system is perfect, free from prejudice, and never anything but unquestionably fair!

Cook county tried it in Illinois a few years back, and it really made no sense.

It didn’t apply to juices (even though juices are loaded with sugar) and it taxed sugar free sodas the same as their sugar sweetened versions. They charged 1 cent per ounce for the tax. It was repealed 4 months after initiating it.

I appreciate the wholesomeness of the Narnia reference against your username lol.

Yep! That’s him!!!

Boarding, farrier, vet, plus the mental and emotional toll of owning a 1000lb toddler that exhibits an inverse correlation of majestic beauty and intelligence. God, I love horses lol.

Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind?

I haven’t watched it in years but damn, the feels.

Celery tastes like that too me as well, but no allergy. I can eat it with no negative effects, other than the fact that I’ve had to taste celery.

It’s been a while since I looked at this, but different color pills “work” better for different ailments. Also the size and numbers of pills effect results as well. Two pills are “stronger” than one, bigger pills over smaller as well.