About four or five years back—right before she had to go under the knife for a brain tumor—a friend of mine dropped $20,000 on the procedure. Usually, these surgeries take about three or four days to get through, but when you wait this long... you're looking at potential motor skill issues and all sorts of other complications. The doctor was away on a ski trip, and apparently, his return trip was what cost so much
Sandra Moore, I know you're stuck at the university—that same environment I fled after five or six years because I couldn't stomach being there again. The hypocrisy and that fake sense of camaraderie are just baked into the culture... you basically have to resort to flattery and playing the "damsel in distress" just to maintain some semblance of peace of mind. You can manipulate the situation exactly how I described earlier, because the entire evaluation system isn't actually based on your research or your actual merit as an employee—it’s built on how submissive and dependent you are on your superiors. The more you act incapable of working independently—and watch out, I mean specifically your reliance on the professor, since that's how you cater to his ego—the more highly valued you'll be. And I know how soul-crushing that is for a young professional, including that forced lethargy you have to adopt during daily tasks, simply because you aren't allowed to be efficient. Every single one of your successes serves as a reminder of their own incompetence and irrelevance, which isn't right—after all, a university is defined by its professors, not by the money or the teaching assistants. And make sure you keep your private life completely transparent, mostly because there's so much downtime and endless "socializing" happening there. Constantly oscillating between performing faux stupidity and handling high-stakes work that requires actual initiative is absolutely exhausting... and it will stay that way until you finally land a full professorship. Most people on that track eventually forget where they started, and once they become the ones doing the "oppressing," they don't even realize they've inherited the exact same traits...
It’s hard to offer anything constructive when the root cause is still such a mystery to you—but look, life is just a series of lessons and passing phases. It doesn't matter if the moments feel good or bad as long as you're breathing; they're just challenges—whether they're forced on you by others or triggered by yourself. The point is to keep moving and find a way to play through it... And never, ever, shut yourself away—instead, scream at the top of your lungs if you're hurting. It’s simple: once you repeat a problem enough times, it becomes banal—just ordinary, just something everyone deals with. It doesn't even matter who you tell, because venting is purely human—you're just looking for a listener, some advice, or maybe someone who's lived through the same thing. The most important part? People actually enjoy being confided in—it gives them a sense of balance compared to their own lives. Or, more often, they just lack the courage, so they see your vulnerability as an invitation to open up about their own struggles. When things get heavy, never, ever stay alone. As for the psychiatrist... just head to a crisis center. Maybe they'll transfer you, or maybe you'll hunt down a different specialist yourself—it really doesn't matter. Honestly, group therapy might be your best bet, because the cynicism from others will eventually just make you lose your mind—especially when everyone starts echoing the same tired tones. And don't expect miracles. Only once you become dependent on all four will it finally click how much you've helped yourself 😘
Exactly—your biggest edge in this fight is knowing exactly where they’re coming from... their specific issues, their timing, and all those little weaknesses. Always remember during a debate that they're actually quite insignificant—let them see that... let them feel your dominance
Conflicts only exist to highlight your own tactical failures. If you trigger a confrontation, step back—adjust your approach. Learn how to manipulate—whether by playing individuals against each other or using a group to pressure a single target—it doesn't matter. And don't forget that a compliment, a smile, or even a strategic show of humility... since you're just human after all... those are your best tools for reaching an objective, until your reputation alone starts opening every door for you. Work is nothing more than a game; keep it strictly separate from your private life. And when it gets exhausting? Just change jobs.
Are you standing at some kind of crossroads—or is this just a feeling that something vital is missing? Are you actually fed up with this current way of life—this endless, repetitive routine you’re stuck in? Has it ever crossed your mind that you might be punishing yourself—perhaps because you're blocked and unable to change? You're creating chaos just because it's the only outlet you have left... ps That avatar of yours... who are you really angry at, and what are you trying to hide behind that face?
rustyridge said:I completely agree with what was mentioned about eating fruit between meals or preferably on an empty stomach. That's actually what a doctor advised my mother—she’s dealing with multiple sclerosis.
Exactly—that's why food eaten earlier takes longer to digest, and the fruit just sits there "waiting its turn"😁 , fermenting...
rustyridge said:I would love to do that too, but it just doesn't make financial sense for me. Plus, despite all that fruit, I’d be hungry again in no time. Personally, my go-to is sugar-free muesli, maybe a slice of bread with honey, and a cup of skim milk. I can eat a ton in the morning—but then I never touch anything after 6 PM.
A bag of oranges is about 5 to $2.75. A pound of bananas is roughly 6 bucks. You can find crates of oranges at Trader Joe's for a great price, along with other fruit. I can never finish a whole pineapple before it goes bad—I buy one on Saturday and it's gone by Monday. Don't tell me it's expensive. Besides, you've got apples, pears... whatever you prefer. I stick to bananas because they actually keep me full. I remember writing somewhere about how brutal things were for me for about a month—I was literally clenching my stomach just to stop the growling from being heard 😁. It’s good to let the system reset with a fruit day. Obviously, going purely fruit is crazy—unless you pair it with milk (I use soy) and lemonades, which isn't pricey either. Use honey, not those artificial sweeteners. And I always keep hazelnuts, walnuts, almonds, or dried fruit on me. Oh, and peanuts—in the shell. I give my body enough time to process what I've eaten—depending on whether it's proteins or carbs, say 3 or 4 hours—and then I eat again. 🙂
I used to survive on nothing more than two pieces of toast in the morning. Honestly—with Bem—I’d be shaking from hunger the second I opened my eyes. And believe me, for an entire month, I was literally dreaming about having a real breakfast again. But now? Both my mornings and my entire day feel so much smoother and easier... You just have way more energy when you actually change up your diet 🙂
placidjackal97 said:what do people who don't eat bread actually have for breakfast? And I'm not trying to be provocative here...🙂
Just fruit. For instance, this morning: squeezed two oranges right after waking up, grabbed a banana on my way out, then at the office—half a pineapple, a banana, and a tangerine... basically just grazing until lunch. That’s pretty much the daily routine...🙂
George Bailey2 said:You can find decent food—fruit and veggies—at any local farmstand... those small-time growers definitely aren't messing around with Monsanto products.
If you walk into any local garden center, they'll tell you what the biggest issue is with these small farms: they use herbicides even on crops like onions! It’s just easier than actually pulling weeds—they can't be bothered—so they just spray everything and completely ignore the safety windows for harvesting. Don't be naive, they grow different stuff for their own tables... I'd suggest sticking to the big retailers—there's a much higher chance that large-scale producers actually follow strict oversight protocols. Any agricultural expert would tell you the exact same thing...
Sandra Wilson38, what on earth happened to you? How long were you actually there? I was honestly hoping someone would just tell me which exercises I can handle on my own at the gym... 😢
I finally got my referral and signed up, but I’m stuck waiting until the 19th—the wait times are just ridiculous. I headed over to the Youth clinic on Danicic Street... does anyone actually know how their procedure works? I’ve never done any kind of therapy before—just some basic electrical stim once—but now my spine is absolutely killing me. My hands and feet are tingling, and the nausea is just awful. I had a full workup last year and remember having a few ***issues and a herniated disc 😳. I actually tried hitting the gym, but after only ten minutes of doing the absolute bare minimum, my lower back just completely gave out on me within half an hour. I ended up cutting the workout short—mostly out of pure fear... I really need to see what my physiatrist at the Mayo Clinic has to recommend. Has anyone else gone through this?