Well in some ways yes, and in some ways no. I never seem to get jaded, silly things still make me laugh. I still can read and shut out the world like when I was a kid.

But I am so competent in some ways? Can cook and hold a job, raised kids, gardens finally grow for me. All those seem adult qualities. And I have made so many mistakes and have been hurt so much, do feel the weight of experience. And while nothing hurts, and I can still cartwheel and do yoga, I have no bounce - can’t run well, can’t jump.

Jacks, and a Lite Brite.

Oh powerlifting, and I wouldn’t be competitive. Just lift whatever I could, and lose the competition, forever. I guess that’s amateur though? Hmm.

I cannot imagine anyone paying me to play any sport at all.

I commute on electric bike, literally work at a participation endurance sport company and have only gotten gentle teasing, no hate from the hardcore bikers. I tell them I literally hate riding a bike and that this one cost less than their racing bike, and I am comfortable on it, so use it for grocery shopping and stuff like that.

There is not enough infrastructure for bikes. I am careful and polite, if I have to take the sidewalk I get off and walk around pedestrians, walk it across intersections. If I’m in the road I wait for a big break in traffic or periodically get off the road so cars can pass (there is no bike lane going to work). I see bikers weaving through traffic and understand the frustration drivers have. And have had cars make illegal left turns almost into me and understand bikers being frustrated too.

Dishwasher for us, though the powder detergent suggestion absolutely did not work, big degradation in the results for us, went back to the orange pod things. Too many people and almost never eat out, so much cooking.

When it broke I had to fill a sink with hot soapy water (luckily ours is double) and everyone parked their dishes in there, scrubbed but left the water dirty, poured boiling water in occasionally to keep it warm and at the end of the day drain the water, rinse and dry. It worked and the easiest way I could manage but wasteful compared to dishwasher.

I never had one before living with my husband, and always hated washing dishes. Used to buy paper plates and bowls because with a big family and a job it was just too much, nobody wanted to do so many dishes.

Some things a dishwasher does not clean off the dishes. Avocado, eggs. And it doesn’t work if you let them sit too long. But in general it does a good job and saves time and effort.

Go for it then! I was just thinking smoking pot wasn’t going to help you with nutrition. But you are right, it would have fats and protein in the seeds. Or could provide income.

Beans & rice would be my choice, and grow some greens (not marijuana. Collard greens, mustard greens, kale greens). If you can afford some onions, garlic, canned or fresh tomatoes, and spices, you are going to do fine. Cilantro grows in the winter here, basil in the summer.

Because flavor is important to me. If it was just for a week, I can do water and a bottle of electrolytes for like $5 total, not eat at all, but if it’s an ongoing situation I would need to enjoy the food at least enough to eat it.

With enough of a runway, buy one potato (if you are in the cold) or sweet potato (if you are in the heat) and plant it, those are not difficult to grow, don’t need fertilizer or anything. I do the Stokes Purple ones down here.

So yeah, I would buy beans and rice (and oil or nuts of some sort, can’t get around that, body needs fats). and try to grow some veggies to make it complete, if going for the lowest cost most healthy diet.

I don’t use a proofing oven, or rely on consistent temperature, even now but it does mean I’m sitting here at midnight baking the rye so it can cool overnight because it wasn’t ready to bake earlier so yeah even here in the subtropics I notice the difference in the winter, bread is slower to rise.

I had friends who moved to the bush and built a clay oven and they said all they could successfully bake was popovers because the oven started hot then cooled off, there was no way to keep it constant.

This reminded me of:

In a modern oven, sure. I make great bread from flour, water, salt. But without the ovens I understand? Without the fine ground flour? I dunno.

I am very good with hair braiding so could probably get work in a rich lady’s house I guess. Good with numbers (I work as an accountant) but the past seems so relentlessly sexist not going to try.

ETA: having considered this, maybe the number and letter literacy literacy would be useful in the same position, (though obviously my reading would be limited with the earlier language, I’m sure that would not draw any attention) I think I’d still angle for work as a lady’s lady.

Pay off debt, no question.

Yeah I had one beard. One hair only, like an eyelash it was, not like my head hair. Seems to have finally given up though.

I was a barber and yes, if your hair is long, you can trim it without training, as long as it’s not very straight it doesn’t matter if it’s precise. Short hair and straight hair are less forgiving.

Basically you just want to make sure the two sides left and right are the same length and there are no “points” - no sharp length changes.

I’d just look for videos with people who have hair similar to yours, showing how they cut their own hair. You can do it!

It’s a worldwide site with a sort of small user base, anything is possible but it seems a long shot compared to going outside or talking to your friends, networking, dating sites, pretty much anything local seems a better chance.

Be very confused.

I don’t follow pro sports, sometimes watch the college teams or the international gymnastics amateur competitions. Occasionally a soccer (football) match of our not top division but good local team but not often. Just not into watching men play games usually. But stuff like gymnastics and ice skating is so entertaining to watch. Competitive dance too.

There really isn’t any value past entertaining you, right? If it’s not entertaining you anymore, the value is gone.

Oh I guess I forgot rugby. I do not follow it at all but find it fun to watch. And the college used to put the basketball games on their TV channel with all the timeouts, halftime, everything taken out so it was just st gameplay and I always enjoyed those too. So sometimes I do like watching men play games if they are all action and not too long.

I was not close with my mom, I was close with my dad but he died when I was 16. My relationship with her was ok when I was grown, she liked my kids and was a pretty good grandma for someone busy with a job. But we were not close.

My kids talk to me more as high schoolers and young adults, they ask for advice, discuss things, we are a lot closer, though the ones who moved away don’t call much (like I texted one of them to ask if I’d pissed her off, it was so long, but she is just too much like me and so neither of us called, lol) but - the kids are all close with each other and I think that matters more in the long run.

Young, Dumb, Young Dumb and Broke.

Dude. If you got into college you aren’t dumb, and the good job may help your mood (as my husband says, money doesn’t buy happiness but sure removes a lot of the stresses and lacks that cause sadness.)

My best wishes to you, and also to that weird vegan who is in a similar situation. I can’t say things will get better but will say things CAN get better.

Ooh a debutante. Does he get a fancy dress and a coming out party? How exactly do you get jumped into that club?