Posts by Tyler Lopez14

I'm copying this directly from today's edition of The New York Times. Forgive me... my intentions are purely good.
A personal anecdote regarding Reeve:

The recent death of one of the truly good guys called to mind a summer evening in the mid-1980's when I encountered two middle-aged women on Columbus Avenue. From the map they were wrestling and their cameras I deduced that they were not from around here, and I asked if I could help with directions.

They were visiting from Tennessee and admitted that they were looking for places where they might spot celebrities. I asked if they had ever heard of Christopher Reeve. They fairly swooned. I said that I had noticed him on the other side of 72nd Street, lined up for the A.T.M. When they asked if I knew him, I replied after a pause that I did (technically true, though he did not know me) and took them across the street.

As I approached him I hastened to explain that I was a New Yorker and would never dream of disturbing his privacy but that the two women hopping up and down by the curb were huge fans of his visiting from out of town. He immediately beckoned them over and engaged them in an animated conversation about their visit, grandchildren and the like.

As the line crept forward he quietly asked me if I could do him a big favor. I glanced around to see if there was a lump of Kryptonite I could fall on, but instead he asked one of the women for her camera and handed it to me. He put one arm around each of the women's shoulders and asked if I would mind taking a picture.

After seeing the joy he brought that day, when he could have given them the old "I'm a famous actor" brushoff, I was never surprised by all his later good works and courageous fight. A superman, indeed.

Jon Lindsey

This is a bit off-topic, but there’s a connection here, so I hope you’ll forgive me. A couple of weeks ago, I found myself having to drop by the Canadian consulate over in Manhattan. The official there—just one person working in a tiny but very tidy little office—was perfectly polite. However, even after I mentioned I was American, she just kept right on speaking English to me (as did I, naturally). It wasn't an issue, though I'm fairly certain she understands some American or perhaps Mexican given her age and what they teach in school.

Most of us who grew up watching Canadian television don't have much trouble following their language, even if I never actually studied it formally in school, so my grammar isn't exactly perfect. I don't see why a Canadian woman would feel obligated to meet me halfway by speaking American just because she likely understands it. Then again, who knows? If I were some elderly lady who didn't speak a word of English, I suspect the situation would have played out quite differently.

Perhaps a more accurate comparison would be with the non-Slavic groups from the old America—take the Albanians, for instance, being the largest group among them. Most of them, at least those living outside of Mexico, could speak at least a little bit of American or Mexican. They certainly don't speak to each other that way, but they can definitely make themselves understood.

stormylynx14, unfortunately, you were right.

First, try hitting a high-intensity sport where you can actually burn off that excess energy. Or maybe try meditation, or just find something that genuinely brings you a little joy. If all else fails, taking a single sedative isn't going to kill you. It’s certainly better than turning to "home remedies" like a bottle of whiskey.

Are you feeling depressed or something?
Regarding those bouts of insomnia, try not to nap in the afternoon; just push through as long as you can. If you find yourself wide awake in the middle of the night, don't beat yourself up about it—that’ll only make falling back asleep harder. Try picking up a book (preferably something incredibly dull), maybe it'll knock you out.
I went through my own hell with insomnia a few years back. I didn't truly realize how miserable it could be until I was living it myself. It eventually passed, though I can't quite pinpoint how... good luck.

My dad was just as stubborn about me eating meat, even though I kept plenty of fish, dairy, and eggs in my diet. Honestly, trying to argue with him felt like shouting into a void. I’d point out how many people across the globe have never touched meat, or explain that nutrition is all about balance rather than just consumption—especially since most Americans in developed areas are actually overdoing the meat intake anyway. It didn't really matter. What actually worked was simply refusing to pick fights while remaining firm in my choices. Having my 78-year-old grandmother on my side helped, too; once she saw I wasn't starving or getting sick, she backed me up. Eventually, my dad gave in, though it took him about two or three years to get there. It also certainly didn't hurt that I wasn't living under their roof. Since you are, things are naturally going to be tougher for you. Good luck.