mapiki

A two party system was one of George Washington's fear. It breeds division while both sides occupy themselves making us emotional about how much the other side does wrong. Then they get more donations and more power. They don't care if they aren't effective because they know we won't ever go to the other side.

... There's a great Freakonomics episode on the duopoly formed by the Democratic and Republican parties and how they both benefit while stifling the competition from other parties that could provide more varied perspective.

My takeaway - support rank choices voting and elimination of closed primaries (which encourage extremism in candidates).

Nurses deal with criminals, mentally ill, homeless, and people resisting their help for 12 hours a shift on weekdays, weekends, and nights. They don't go crazy on people.

But beware the nipples.

And sleep.

Remember to support systems/organizations working to make changes that allow for challengers from outside the main two parties to succeed. (Like ranked choice voting where not voting democratic doesn't mean giving power to Republican or vice versa!)

I like everyone's answers here.

1a. Definitely take at least some consideration of what your mental health looks like over those periods. It could be a symptom. (Not that you won't sadly still need coping strategies regardless. Mental health issues just suck.)

1b. Do you have a career where there are seasonal variations in workload? Are coworkers or family or friends potentially influencing your spending behavior?

2. You've already heard of YNAB. (And it's like only 10% a cult? 😂) I think it could be a useful tool for you. Since you seem to hate the minutia keep your categories dirt simple. Debt payments, short term fun, fixed expenses. Break them down only so far as they are useful for YOU. YNAB will get pretty good at guessing categories for you these days.

3. Consider what you are working towards when you are in a working hard phase. What makes those savings worthwhile? Afterall - money is only a means to an end. I find it easier to save and consider giving up buying that $800 pair of new powder skis I really don't need if I know it's to go on an epic honeymoon in a year. Personally and maybe not as easily applicable, I've had an issue of saving too much... so I also gave myself the list of goals I was saving for and what timeline I wanted for them and I avoid saving more than I need for those things over that time. (Retirement, wedding, down payment, honeymoon, student loans.) After that set amount... all the money is mine to do what I want with so I can spend it on what makes me happy without guilting over it.

Thank you for the write up! It looks great!

I have a question out of curiosity... Is it supportive in a good way or do the ab and back muscles start to weaken with time if you don't make an effort to strengthen them?

🤣 ours is having a rough time because the vet trimmed the other incisor while she was at it and she was missing one that was growing back because it had broken (?) (her jaw and teeth haven't lined up well since a jaw injury a year ago).

Nothing critical care for a week won't fix. She's trying so hard for her hay

If you say guns kill people one more time, I will shoot you with a gun, and you will, coincidentally, die.

<3 from the Welcome to Nightvale NRA

Every time you think it can't get weirder.

So fun fact - the clothes were made to look like the proportions were wild and therefore historical corsets were not as crazy tight as we would assume.