Posts by Matthew Morales17

Douglas Cook2 said:Not even close.

I know this struggle way too well. Because the air was so bone-dry, I dealt with a constant sore throat for over a year. My nasal passages were always dry and painful, my mouth felt like a desert, and my lips were constantly cracked. Basically, after running all sorts of tests to make sure nothing serious was going on (since I'm a long-time former smoker), the doctors told me one big culprit could be the extremely dry air.

And they were right. I finally found relief once I kept my apartment humidity steady at around 40-50% through the winter—not any higher, obviously, because you don't want to deal with mold or mildew.

Pro tip: grab a thermostat that tracks room humidity levels, too.

Right now, the best commercial humidifier out there is Vera; it's a German design. Seriously, get one, it’ll be a lifesaver. I went with their largest model, the high-capacity one, and didn't regret spending a single cent. I've been using it for about a year and a half now.

At first, I was super skeptical about all these humidifiers, ionizers, and whatever else is out there. There's a ton of junk on the market, and since my AC and ionizer weren't doing squat, I didn't have much choice. I ended up digging through a mountain of reviews in both German and English before deciding this was the winner.

So, definitely look into it. Good luck.

Just realized this is an old thread, but whatever—maybe someone else is dealing with the same thing.

I've been reading through this and it really caught my interest! I never used to pay much attention to it, but lately, it feels like my nose gets stuffed up almost every single day, only to clear up again later. It’s actually starting to bother me when I’m trying to go to sleep. And honestly, I really hate using those nasal drops. I did some heavy work in a very dusty area about a month ago, but that's in the past. We have central gas heating here and aluminum window frames. Even though we air out the house frequently (so no mold issues!), reading your post makes me wonder if the humidity levels might be the actual culprit? Is the kettle about to boil over? It feels like mine has already exploded, so it's definitely time to pay more attention to my nose. Do you have any other advice from your own experience? Thanks so much!👍

analogowl122 said:I was spinning some Bob Dylan last night, and it really got me thinking about how many of his songs have been totally misunderstood by the public. It’s actually one of the reasons he sometimes avoids playing certain tracks live!
Maybe the most famous example of people getting a song wrong is "A Hard Rain's A-Gonna Fall." People assume it's strictly about a nuclear catastrophe or radioactive rain, but that's not quite it. Because it was written right on the edge of the Cuban Missile Crisis, everyone just jumped to that conclusion, and the true meaning got lost in the shuffle.
But if we're talking about the absolute king of misinterpreted anthems, we have to talk about Bruce Springsteen's "Born in the U.S.A."
So many people took it—and honestly, plenty still do—as this big, booming patriotic anthem. Even Ronald Reagan fell for it, using it during his campaign and even praising Springsteen for his supposed patriotism! But the song is actually the complete opposite of all that.
Growing up, I actually couldn't stand Springsteen because of that track; I thought he was just another typical American cliché, milking patriotism for clout. But then I finally saw the light. 😁
It’s similar to how people used to hunt for deep, hidden meanings in Branimir Štulić's lyrics that he never actually intended. Though, to be fair, he definitely loved writing those ambiguous lines that left everyone guessing.
A much milder, but still super interesting, case would be that Electric Light Orchestra track "Autumn in My."
That isn't some romantic love song; it's actually about the fleeting nature of time. Even Hus confirmed that himself!
If I remember correctly, there was a huge debate going on here once about what the song "Let It All Down the River" was actually about. Was it about abortion, or something else entirely?
Does anyone else have any examples of songs that people totally misread?

For me, the best explanation ever given was when Škoro talked about his song "Judge Me?!" I don't even need to mention the heavy connotations that song carried, but he just coolly stated that he wasn't trying to make any grand political statement with it. He even joked about how back in school, teachers would always grill him with that classic question: "What was the poet trying to say?!" Like, you needed the answer when you were writing it, but now suddenly everyone wants to act all innocent! 🤮

Sean Reed55 said:It irritates me when someone whose own life is a total wreck tries to lecture others on how they should handle theirs.

Isn't that just the way it goes, though? It seems like that’s how most people operate! Isn't it always just so much easier to swoop in and try to fix someone else's mess or play the hero in their drama rather than actually dealing with your own stuff? They act like they have everything totally figured out and are absolutely flawless, while everyone else is just supposed to take their unsolicited advice!☕

Scott Gonzalez9 said:People who flake out just drive me insane.
And don't even get me started on liars—but I mean the really, really stupid kind. Like, the ones that just can't be trusted.
The type that tries to spin some ridiculous web of excuses... man, it's exhausting.
Take this one friend of mine, right? We were supposed to jump into a business venture together. He was supposed to swing by and look at my laptop, but I spent three whole days blowing up his phone and he’s just totally MIA. And it's always the same old song... "Oh, I want to, I swear, but then this happens, then that happens..."
Then he doesn't show. Why? Because he "has to go to his family's farm" or he "needs to take care of this" or he "fell asleep."
It's such nonsense. Just say you can't make it and call it a day. Don't jerk me around.🙄

So, we were supposed to split the rent. I was stuck at home recovering from some dental surgery, and suddenly he says he can't cover his half. Same exact bullshit. He's telling me he can't leave the house, he's stuck here... his car won't start, the ATM is down...

Give me a break. I eventually just lost my mind. I felt so embarrassed that we were late on the rent, so I just grabbed the cash, paid it myself, and basically covered him for about a hundred bucks short of what he owed. After that, he vanished into thin air.

I just can't deal with it. Like, how does someone look you in the eye and say, "Hey, I'm on my way, see you in five minutes," and then they just never show because of some blah blah blah reason?
If it happened once or twice, fine, whatever...

But this? Man.

I feel the exact same way! I had a contractor come over to inspect my roof, and he tells me, "I'll get a quote over to you in a couple of days." Well, guess what? I ended up calling him three times over the next two months, and every single time it was, "Oh, I'll have it to you tomorrow!" And did he ever send the quote?? Not once! Is it just one bad apple, or is everyone actually this unreliable nowadays? Seriously, why is it like this?!🤷

Benjamin Murphy34 said:Look, I'm not saying we're all saints... it's just that it really grinds my gears when someone acts all high and mighty, like they've cornered the market on intelligence and everyone else is just beneath them 🤷... we aren't all identical, sure, but nobody is actually above anyone else, no matter how smart, rich, or good-looking they might be...

Alright, so maybe they're arrogant, self-righteous, or just plain full of themselves—I get that. But this idea that "no one is above anyone else"? Are you kidding me?! Of course people are! How can you say that?! Just look at the reality of life! You have one person who might be struggling, maybe an eighteen-year-old mom with three kids running around, and then you have a highly educated professional with two children who's career-driven, independent, and takes amazing care of her family and everyone around her. She’s going to make sure those kids go to college, find great jobs, and grow up well-adjusted. Meanwhile, what is the first person's situation likely to lead to—just endless cycles of trouble and chaos? It’s heartbreaking! How can you possibly claim those situations are equal?! It’s such a blatant example, yet we see these disparities everywhere in America! Or even just look at parenting: do you really think an abusive father and a nurturing, loving father result in the same outcome? How can they be the same?!🤷

Henry Edwards78 said:Well... yes... I find myself agreeing with point number one here...🙂
In my view, no one holds any inherent superiority over anyone else, and I simply cannot fathom why certain individuals feel the need to posture as if they are some sort of big shot when, in reality, they are just ordinary people like the rest of us.😂😂

I mean, I really can't wrap my head around this part, you know? Are we all truly equal and just fundamentally the same? What was the poet even trying to get at with that thought? 🤷

And you know what’s actually the most ridiculous part? These parents don't even have an ounce of shame! They put on this entire circus right in front of the neighbors, day in and day out! Does it really not matter if they wake up the whole damn block? I mean, seriously, once their little angel finally falls asleep, isn't that exact same mother just out there chasing other kids off the street?!! It’s always just about them and their one child, isn't it? Honestly, these clueless parents are just raising clueless kids!👍

William Baker9 said:Wow, look at this... honestly, every single boy that crossed my path when I was growing up messed with animals—including my own brother... y'know, since I grew up hanging out with guys, I noticed it. Sadism, pyromania, blah blah blah... all that psychologist stuff is total BS. In my opinion, it’s just nature, and making a huge scene about it might actually make things worse. It comes, it goes... girls don't like it... whatever.
Also, just saying, for those of you advocating for doing nothing—I don't know how many of you even have kids to actually speak from experience on this topic..
Long story short.... you get a kid, a little creature that's totally unadapted, beautiful and magical... they have zero clue what's happening around them, while there's this whole circus going on that they need to adapt to—a circus created by people. It would be best if, instead of constantly violating that little being and bombarding them with stupid norms and rules, we just let them grow and live by instinct... then you'd end up with a kid without all those "popular" traumas.
But that's not how it works, and they need training, yeah, yeah... exactly... pure training until the kid is about 4 years old. That training includes occasional spankings because there's no other way to explain danger to a kid who hasn't fully developed verbal skills yet. After that age, I wouldn't consider spanking necessary anymore. And let's define spanking... it's just... you know... on the butt, basically... nobody's talking about beatings... let's not get carried away.
And it's easy to talk trash about how other people parent. You can't truly know how you'll react in certain situations once you become a parent. You can try to guess based on how your own parents acted, but in practice, it's TheJob—there's no manual for it.
So... yeah... like it says in my signature.....🙂

I've said it before, and I'll say it again: there's just no need for hitting. It all comes down to the parents. We have never once raised a hand—not even our voices!—to our daughter, and we have a wonderful twenty-year-old today. Meanwhile, my neighbors have a three-year-old, and the stuff she pulls is just wild! Every single morning when they head out for work around 6:30 AM, it's a complete circus on the street. The poor woman is practically cowering like the kid is attacking her! The mom rides her bike maybe a hundred yards, and the little one is throwing a tantrum until she comes back to give her another kiss?! Everything has to happen exactly on the child's terms. Even getting into the car has to follow her specific order, or else it's a meltdown! If I've annoyed anyone with my comments about this kid, well, I get it. But who's really to blame here? It's the parents, plain and simple!! And mind you, they're highly educated people too!!👎

Gerald Wilson23 said:Yeah, the kid always ends up taking the fall... It’s pretty pathetic. I just heard this story about our former neighbors' daughter where she was getting physical with her mom, and you just know that at first glance, everyone is going to jump to conclusions and label the girl as some kind of monster or whatever.
Man, I’ve seen this exact same drama play out before. This mother used to go absolutely ballistic on her daughter—just constant physical outbursts and locking her inside the house whenever she wanted to actually head out into the city. She wouldn't even let her wear anything remotely more daring than a pair of jeans and a polo shirt, basically hovering over her like a shadow and nitpicking every single choice or decision she made. Fast forward to now, and that daughter has gone ahead and earned her Master’s degree, though she’s definitely got that sensitive artist soul about her. She ended up turning to drinking to cope, so naturally, everyone in the neighborhood looks down on her as some local alcoholic mess, while her "poor" mother gets played as this saintly, self-sacrificing woman who just did her best to raise a difficult child. 🙄😲

That’s exactly why you need to vet who you’re actually starting a family with before you dive into the whole process. I definitely wouldn't sign up for a project like that with someone who thinks it's perfectly fine to lay hands on a kid, or believes they shouldn't have to provide an allowance, or stop them from going out, or just shut down every single question a child asks.👎
Look, I’m all for peace, and I definitely don't think parents should be bickering right in front of their kids—especially when they try to recruit their children to take sides in their marriage drama. When someone starts looking for an audience or an ally in the middle of a domestic dispute, that's a massive red flag. It's just wrong.
Minor disagreements are whatever, really—just people bumping heads or having different takes on things—but when stuff actually gets heavy, you handle that one-on-one.😉

You hit the nail right on the head! Everything you’re saying is spot on. I mean, really, can we even wrap our heads around the idea that it was just some random fluke? Is it even possible for a truly incredible, nurturing parent to end up with a child who grows up to be violent later in life? Honestly, I don't think so—not even by a single percent! It just doesn't add up, does it?☕

Hannah White2 said:Look, it’s actually pretty straightforward if you’ve got a clear set of guidelines and some basic goals in place—and more importantly, if both parents are actually on the same page when it comes to how they want to raise their kids. But if you’re just winging it without any fundamental knowledge? Man, that’s a recipe for disaster, especially when Mom and Dad are constantly clashing over different parenting styles.
Honestly, leading by example is the gold standard here. It doesn't require some magic formula; it just demands that you actually stop and think about how your own actions and lifestyle choices are playing out in real time.
If a person truly commits to this—if they treat parenting like the absolute top priority in their life rather than just some side project—the solutions will start showing up naturally.

I couldn't agree with you more! The real issue is that so many people treat their kids like something that needs to be broken or forced into a tiny little box. They shove them into that corner and leave them there for years, but then, once that "weed" starts growing (to use a metaphor for all those inevitable behavioral issues), they act completely blindsided! They have no clue how or why things went wrong, and of course, they immediately point the finger at the child. It’s honestly heartbreaking!!☕

Karen Rodriguez3 said:Raising kids isn't exactly easy. Honestly, it’s pretty tough and complicated, if you ask me.

Now that is some deep stuff right there! I mean, what can you even say to that? It’s so true, isn't it?🤷

Kyle Lee7 said:Anger and rage can actually feel much more intense than physical pain.
Personally, I’m against any kind of corporal punishment, and I’ll go as far as saying I’m against punitive discipline in general. In a healthy, functional American household where parents truly understand how to guide their children, there just isn't a need for it.
That being said, it absolutely infuriates me when I see unruly, disrespectful kids acting like little savages. I wouldn't tolerate that behavior, but the thing is, those kids aren't born "bad" or "spoiled," requiring a beating to get them back on track. Their behavior is simply a reflection of what's happening—or isn't happening—in their home. When a child is acting out, you have to ask yourselves: what kind of parents are they? Maybe they are completely inconsistent, totally absent, lacking communication skills, or even abusive. Either way, someone is failing somewhere. Trying to fix parental mistakes by hitting a child is nothing short of pathetic and shameful.

Growing up, my parents never laid a hand on me or used harsh punishments, and I always turned out fine—I never had issues at school or at home.

Goodness, why is this so incredibly simple, yet so few people seem to actually get it!?🤷

Robin Diaz4 said:She’s basically an angel descended from heaven... though if she actually behaved herself, she might have stayed there... 😁
I’m not one to advocate for corporal punishment—I don't have kids myself, so I can't say how I'd react if my own little one decided to torch the house—but speaking from experience, a good thrashing doesn't exactly solve the problem when things get this out of hand... 🤷

Bravo, you hit the nail right on the head! Honestly, several women in this group (without naming names!) have basically turned their parents into absolute saints, even though they were beaten as kids. And of course, it was always under the guise of being "for their own good," right?! It was always some perfectly deserved punishment, blah, blah, blah. There's actually a psychoanalyst who refers to this phenomenon as "parental totemization." If your parents act that way, it's much easier to just take all the blame onto yourself—to carry all the guilt—while giving God a total pass on everything they did wrong. Why would anyone do that? Because wouldn't it be just too incredibly painful to accept the reality that someone who is supposed to be your... well, let me go find that specific term and type it out for you so I don't have to struggle through it! ☕

Morgan Cooper34 said:Sure, but I assume your daughter was a perfectly fine, obedient kid until puberty hit.
If you had a daughter like I was to my parents before middle school—someone who constantly grated on your nerves, refused to follow a single rule, and rebelled against everything—then maybe I'd ask for your opinion on how to handle it.
You can't talk about what you would or wouldn't do if you haven't actually lived through the situation.

How can you even claim to know what kind of kid you were during those early years? Did your mom and dad tell you stories about it, or do you just remember being disciplined and think that somehow proves you weren't a good kid? Maybe your dad lost his temper a little, or he and your mom got into a heated argument and then you ended up catching the fallout? They get stressed out, and then comes the belt? Or maybe they were fighting more often, and you intentionally acted out because, honestly, a kid would much rather take a beating than watch their "gods" tear each other apart? A child thinks it's their own fault when the "gods" start fighting, right? Because clearly, the "gods" can't be wrong! Is the fact that you still view them as perfect today my proof that I'm right (not that I care about being right)? As for my daughter, she has always been wonderful to me, both then and now. That doesn't mean she doesn't mess up sometimes—kids will be kids, after all! I make mistakes too, and I'll probably be making them for the rest of my life. It's actually great for her to see that. She's realized that her dad is just a regular human being, not some alien, perfect creature that she could never hope to live up to. You know, that feeling of never being quite good enough... ugh, just gross.

Morgan Cooper34 said:I have a wonderful relationship with my parents. Sure, I went through that typical teenage rebellion against their authority, but once the dust settled, I realized they truly are the best in the world. Over time, they transitioned from being my disciplinarians to being my friends. 🤷

Regarding the physical discipline I endured—it wasn't like I was being beaten senseless; it was just a few times I got hit with a belt. Honestly, once the initial sting fades, once I stop sobbing uncontrollably and realize I had seriously messed up for the umpteenth time and crossed a line—everything is fine. And yes, it was harder on my parents. First, because they had to go against their own principles and values, and second, because punishing someone you brought into this world, someone you dedicate your entire life to raising, is no easy feat. In fact, my mom would actually cry after she disciplined me.
But looking back at those moments when I was punished, I still maintain that it was necessary.

If a person doesn't realize that kind of thing isn't right, it can take months, maybe even years of psychotherapy to truly process it. I've read plenty about it. I am certain your parents never actually apologized for the belt, right? Because goodness knows, they probably felt like it was entirely your fault!🤷

Carl Anderson76 said:There are 26 of us total, though the ratio is somewhere in that ballpark—don't call me out on the exact math unless you want me to go through everyone one by one and take notes. And look, not all the hitting is like what you described; sometimes it’s "just" slapping. From what I know for sure, about four kids in the group are dealing with the heavy stuff, while the others haven't really specified exactly how bad their situation is. But honestly, it doesn't even matter. The physical pain is one thing, but the emotional and mental toll is way worse. Physical bruises fade in a few days, max, but the stuff that shapes who you become? That sticks. It stays with you forever. Even in my own apartment building, there's this woman who used to beat her kids so hard you could hear them screaming from the third floor all the way down to my unit on the ground floor. It was haunting. Then there was this one lady whose husband was being abusive both physically and sexually, and he'd take it out on their son too. We had a severe alcoholic in the building, and at least three families where the men are struggling with PTSD from their service—you can only imagine what the atmosphere is like in those homes. And it's not just us; the neighboring buildings aren't any better. Just a couple of months ago, I saw a woman walking to the grocery store in broad daylight with massive bruises all over her face, just trying to buy milk. I remember my friend's brother used to get hit with a belt; I still vividly remember his hands being covered in little cuts. I didn't even realize a belt could do that much damage. Even my little sister got hammered when she was barely a year old just because she dug some dirt out of a potted plant. My dad called her a child of the devil, and then she got hit even harder just because she cried while he was doing it... and so on. I know way too many cases like this. It's terrible. I'm not making this up, I have no reason to lie.

That is absolutely horrifying! Seriously, where on earth do you live? What city is this? Though, I have a feeling it's the same story everywhere across the country. These monsters just wear masks and pretend to be "good people and decent neighbors" while they're out on the street!👎

Carl Anderson76 said:Honestly, some parents just don't seem to care about what's actually good for their kids. If they really did, they’d stop and ask themselves if hitting a child is even productive instead of being so incredibly rigid about it. They act like they're God, thinking they have all the answers. And heaven forbid they actually admit they might be wrong—even when they know deep down they're off base. It really just comes down to pure ego, a total lack of patience, and a complete disregard for Life itself.

Well, isn't that just lovely! 👍

Carl Anderson76 said:

There are certain kids where you just can't sit them down and explain things or try to use some softer approach to get them to stop doing stuff that’s genuinely dangerous for themselves or everyone else.
Some behaviors just aren't okay, and you've gotta nip them in the bud right away—mostly for the kid's own good, too.
I know I'm probably going to get some heat for saying something unpopular that nobody wants to hear, but hey, facts are facts.

That's not quite right. Some parents just don't know how to communicate, and yeah, easier ways out exist—like physical punishment—but let's be real: being a parent is hard work by definition. Just looking for a shortcut is honestly a bit absurd. If you don't have the patience or the drive to put in the work using better, healthier, more constructive, and LONG-TERM methods, then maybe you shouldn't be having kids in the first place.

You are making such an incredibly smart point here!
Bolded—I mean, so many people in this country end up having kids just because they saw everyone else doing it, without any real plan, any vision, or even a genuine love and desire for those children. It is truly heartbreaking, but so many people marry and start families without any real idea of what they're getting into. And honestly, isn't that exactly why we see so many divorces, so many unhappy childhoods, miserable lifelong marriages, and just pure misery?👍 👎

Hannah White2 said:The thing is, people treat having kids like it's just some automatic milestone or a standard accessory to marriage—not to mention all the unplanned pregnancies out there.
But listen, if you don't have solid upbringing, you don't have a healthy society, and the family is the bedrock of everything we have here.
I'm telling you, offering a maternity stipend only after someone completes a course... that's the easy fix.

That is such a fantastic idea! Honestly, if you ask me, I think our high schools (calling it a "course" almost feels like an understatement!) really ought to be teaching the stuff that actually matters: how to love, how to navigate sex and intimacy, building meaningful human connections, maintaining a marriage, parenting, eating nutritious food, and all that good stuff. When you look at that list, how on earth are you even supposed to decide which part is most important?! And yet, we aren't taught any of it! Instead, we spend years grinding away at advanced Calculus that most of us will never touch again in our lives. Or Geography—who even cares about mapping out distant territories? Or History—memorizing every single minor skirmish from the Civil War or whatever happened a hundred years ago? Of course, I can tell you exactly when certain historical conflicts broke out or recite sine and cosine functions in my sleep, but do I have a clue how to raise a child, eat a balanced meal, or even make a marriage last longer than two years?! ☕

hollowtrucker77 said:I’ve never been a fan of this whole "us versus them" mentality where everyone is just digging their heels in on both sides
people love to act like they’re holding the moral high ground by using these tired old cliches, you know, talking about how someone is "always beating" a kid or "never laying a hand" on them to prove they’re right
personally, I think both of those extremes miss the mark entirely
if you want my take, in maybe 95% of situations, physical discipline isn't necessary, but there’s that remaining 5% where it actually becomes relevant, simply because sometimes it’s the only way to make the rules stick
it’s perfectly fine for a child to understand they have some freedom, that they can ask questions or even try to negotiate, but they also need to realize there comes a moment where the bargaining ends and they just have to listen
plus, let’s be real, some kids actually respond well to being told "no," while others just get more defiant and start acting out specifically because they were restricted
kids aren't carbon copies of one another, and parents aren't always the sole reason behind a child's behavior—it's not always 100% on them
look, I’m not advocating for hitting kids for fun, but I am leaving the door open to the idea that physical discipline might be needed, and in those specific instances, I truly believe it serves as an extension of parental authority rather than falling into the category of violence or terror

I don't know about all that; I have a 20-year-old daughter (which means she's been in those peak "difficult" years for about six years now!) and I have never once found a single reason to lay a hand on her or hit her. Just the thought of it makes me feel sick! If I ever thought about hitting my daughter—or my wife, for that matter—I think I'd basically be committing harakiri, wouldn't I?! And we're talking about two totally different personalities here. My wife comes from a very traditional background, whereas my daughter is... well, she's my blood. She doesn't back down, she loves to debate, she can be quite demanding financially, she's high-energy, and sometimes she acts like she couldn't care less what I think! But I've always taught her to respect herself and never let anyone walk over her. Not anyone, not even me. When we're arguing, she'll often throw it back at me, saying, "Well, you're the one who taught me to be like this!" Ha! Honestly, she did. I just sit there, listen, and smile to myself because I'm actually proud that she learned that lesson and won't let just anyone mess with her—not even her old man. What do you mean, 5%?! Man, that's love! You don't hit the people you love; you hold them close and protect them. Just remember that! 👍
P.S. There are some truly terrible kids out there, and I think that's what you're referring to. But honestly, just look at who their parents are and you'll change your mind instantly. When you see how some of these clueless parents act, you realize how lucky those kids are to be well-behaved!