The Mongolian teams are always unpredictable—they’re incredibly generous when it comes to scoring goals—but the real struggle is developing a solid hunch on timing. It’s a coin toss whether they'll open up immediately or just dump those goals on you in the final five minutes of the half. The home side is the heavy favorite here, though their first halves have been painfully lifeless over the last few matches. Because this is a massive local derby, I’m betting things will finally pick up the pace right from the opening whistle.
Not a single post about one of my favorite bands in years?
I stumbled upon this—honestly, it’s one of my all-time favorites, though they rarely play it live for obvious reasons. Jeff Porcaro was clearly in some kind of zone when he nailed this solo.
I'd really love to know if there are still any true fans of this band left in this group...
mellowskipper said:My daughter originally wanted to go into graphic design for web work, but her school basically brainwashed her into thinking it was for losers—telling her everyone there was just out to cause trouble. Now she’s insisting on going to an academic high school because, apparently, that's where all the "smart" kids go. I suppose she's just terrified of looking unintelligent. It's a mess.
The only saving grace here is that you haven't been the one feeding her this nonsense—most parents are actually the ones who mess these things up in the first place.
I haven’t even been in New York City for two full days and I’m already over it. I can say with total certainty that I completely get where you're coming from—we’re in basically the exact same boat (at least regarding this whole living with parents thing and being stuck out in California). Honestly, it’s beyond me why so many young people practically throw themselves at New York City. Sure, maybe there's more "stuff" to do, but the actual quality of life is abysmal. Maybe the big city just isn't your vibe, and that’s perfectly fine... the constant rushing, the concrete jungle, the endless crowds...
You really have to ask yourself what actually makes you happy. It could be the smallest things—things you used to enjoy every day but have lost because of this frantic big-city lifestyle.
Generally speaking, I’d have to agree with the last comment regarding the quality of life back home on the coast. For some people who don't know how to appreciate the woods, the vast open spaces, the sound of insects, or even a rooster crowing in the morning, none of that means anything—they won't give a damn about those little things.
"It isn’t the coldness of the world that keeps you up at night—it’s the coldness growing inside people. It’s that gut-punch feeling when someone who used to be your closest confidant walks right past you like you’re a complete stranger. You aren't afraid of the elements; you aren't worried about a storm or a blizzard. What actually terrifies you is seeing how everything around you—the people, the objects, the very events we call life—has become nothing more than a hollow, artificial facade.
The world's chill isn't the real enemy here. No, what you're actually terrified of are the missed opportunities from your past—the tenderness you failed to show, the love you didn't return when it mattered. You fear the deafening silence that settles in once you're left alone. You fear a society of people who have forgotten how to speak kindly, who don't understand the weight of a genuine smile or the simple necessity of a heartfelt hug. It isn't the climate you're scared of; it's the total erosion of respect and basic humanity. It's the frost settling in the human soul."
- Mario Žuvela
A quote from an educator I follow quite closely—he always seems to hit the nail on the head, at least in my book.
I honestly can't shake the feeling that your posts are constantly trying to pick a fight with me—mostly because you take my casual observations, which I use primarily for comparison, and strip them entirely out of context. This right here is exactly why the discussion regarding 🙂 is getting so heated; I am absolutely certain that if we were actually sitting down talking face-to-face, we wouldn't be having these kinds of arguments.
When I brought up the whole teacher-versus-student dynamic, I was referring to all types of students—the troublemakers and the overachievers alike—because I've seen plenty of those scenarios play out. Almost everyone in my family works as educators in the school system, so I suppose I’m the "black sheep" when it comes to my career path... and we end up discussing this constantly whenever we're driving around. Even the straight-A students won't acknowledge their teachers when passing them on the street; the only thing the high achievers have in common with the kids who barely scraped by is that they belong to the same graduating class. My conclusion is that this lack of social etiquette persists to this day, likely due to how people are raised.
Regarding your correction: I was talking about public figures and the etiquette of greeting people you know, not total strangers—though, for what it's worth, I hear strangers shouting "Hello" all the time out in the streets of Ireland and everywhere else.
Personally, I value those small gestures—the nods, the greetings, and things of that nature.
As for music, I have a wide range of interests, but progressive rock and metal are among my absolute favorites—which is exactly what you're suggesting I listen to. For instance, Dream Theater is my favorite band; you might have heard them, but they specialize in multi-act conceptual songs and entire concept albums. I think your parallel there was a bit of a stretch.
It is entirely your prerogative to think I'm arrogant if you find it "abnormal" that I believe you should acknowledge a former teacher on the street. To me, it suggests something is fundamentally broken in our society or that social standards are slipping—and judging by some of the opinions posted here on this thread, I am certainly not the only one who feels that way.
Jamie Adams6 said:Bottom line—it actually seems better when we have zero options. It forces us to practice patience and just deal with flaky friends, partners, services, or apps. But once you've got plenty of choices? That mediocre stuff isn't your only option anymore. We get way more critical, and if things aren't hitting the mark, we just pivot elsewhere. Basically, instead of learning how to accept what doesn't fit, we just "detach" from it entirely.
Let's face it—the only reason this thread even exists is because the OP ended up on a side they never expected to be on. This whole crowd is just the opposite of those young people out there who pair up, keep long-term friendships, and actually live in the same community. Thinking everyone else is miserable and lonely just because they didn't adopt the "idealized" habits pushed here is honestly naive. A lot of people are actually thriving right now simply because their character fits the modern era much better.
Btw, that whole idea of "respecting" elders or feeling obligated to talk to total strangers just because of their age? That's about as outdated as a Henry Ford. You don't owe anyone your time just because you happen to be walking down the same street.
If everything I've written means I'm "outdated," then fine—I'll take the label. I'm not here to play games; I wouldn't have started this discussion if I were. I was simply raised under different circumstances where, as another user pointed out, there was a certain etiquette—older people would greet younger ones, especially if, say, you had a teacher who gave you a better grade than you earned. As a reward, you wouldn't just ignore them when you pass them on the sidewalk.
We can certainly go that route—everyone stays in their own little bubble, nobody bothers anyone else, and we just keep "progressing" into total isolation...
"Many are thriving"—that’s an interesting thesis. Personally, my observations suggest the opposite: people have become almost zombie-like in their behavior and ideals. It’s reached a point where even when they think they're having the time of their lives, they're really just mimicking someone else's blueprint.
No one is "obligated" to do anything, not even to say hello on the street, but in my humble opinion, the day is just a little brighter because of such a simple gesture. It costs nothing, and it won't cost anyone their dignity—especially not some teenagers—but let them keep "breathing" in this modern age... and risk becoming arrogant far too early.
I only mentioned my "single status" in passing, specifically regarding how society pushes that label onto us, but the reality is I would never be with someone who doesn't suit my taste—and the same goes for my friends. My view is that while a person can be self-sufficient, that isn't entirely consistent with human nature. That is why I opened this thread.
It isn't just about the music; I actually buy cars from the 80s and 90s, too. I recently picked up a car with a cassette player. I genuinely enjoy those older gadgets—they serve as a reminder that life doesn't always have to be instant and effortless. Besides, it's not a baseless claim that those decades were the absolute peak of creative culture.
@jadeowl2: Do you actually know much about these communes? Have you ever lived in one? I’ve come across stuff like that on Workaway—I even sent applications to a few places once—but honestly, there's always something that rubs me the wrong way. Usually, it's a total lack of any real private living space (if you can even call it that) followed by a hundred different arbitrary "rules." Anyway, if you happen to know of any communities similar to what you described, definitely let me know.
I want to touch upon the post from William Hill3; frankly, that hits on exactly what I’ve been wanting to write about... and I'm glad to see I'm not the only one thinking this way.
Why shouldn't we be able to maintain a sense of childlike wonder—even in our 30s, 40s, or beyond—while still handling our adult responsibilities? Society has forced these rigid standards on us; in our rush to keep up with the pace of modern life, we've lost our internal compass. I remember vividly a psychotherapist professor back in college who used to hammer home the idea that life is a game. So why are we being so incredibly rigid about it? Why don't we have the time for genuine social connections like we used to, or even just time for ourselves?
That’s why I occasionally get this urge to just disappear to some remote part of the country—somewhere I might experience something close to what we remember from the past, a place where technology hasn't completely corrupted people yet.
It feels particularly brutal for those of us who are single, because we face this constant, daily bombardment regarding marriage from everyone around us, whether they're close family or just acquaintances. Can you believe my own mother tells me that "you need to get married and it's a mortal sin if you don't"🤣—all while she herself is stuck in an unhappy marriage.
In my view, it’s not worth getting into a relationship or even making friends just for the sake of it. In a way, I "suffer" because I refuse to allow myself to hang out with incompatible people just to avoid being alone, or heaven forbid, with those massive energy vampires that seem to be everywhere these days.
And don't even get me started on social skills. I look at teenagers today and they can barely manage a basic greeting; it's not that I struggle with it, but there used to be a fundamental level of respect for elders. I talk about this with my brother all the time because it drives him crazy—he's a teacher, and his former students won't even acknowledge him when they pass him on the street. Personally, I'll say "Good morning" to anyone, friend or stranger, or even "Praise Jesus," simply because that's how I was raised, and I stand by that.
lonefalcon said:To kind of weather actually suits me better than most. I have a handful of solid friends, and as an introvert, I honestly don't feel the need for much else.
The real trick is building your own little micro-universe with people who actually click with you; if you do that, you’ll never feel like an outsider. 🤷 In the end, life always seems to boil down to that tight-knit inner circle anyway. I suspect the level of intimacy some people claim to be searching for never truly existed in the first place. Relationships back then were just more "forced" by necessity—people leaned on one another out of pure practicality. Nowadays, we simply have the freedom to live exactly how we choose.
The real question is: what defines a "micro-world" for anyone? What size is it, and to what extent does it matter? Does that mean having twenty people constantly available for drinks and outings, or something else entirely—maybe just one or two? Because as an "extrovert," I find it incredibly frustrating that I struggle even to find—let alone maintain—just those one or two people, and I've been dealing with that for years now.
Right now, my cats are my best friends.
To be honest, what Jonathan Fowler14 wrote about having international friends abroad actually creeps me out a bit. I constantly find myself imagining that if I ever move away, it might be easier in that sense because there will be plenty of people in the same boat: looking for new connections in a foreign land. But from what I can see, it all ends up being somewhat superficial and short-lived—even if you run into all sorts of unique individuals and situations along the way.
Hey everyone, thanks for the replies—especially 👍 Jonathan Fowler14. I’ll probably circle back to her points a few times, but for now, here is my take:
The whole concept of "instant friendships" really grinds my gears too—it’s a massive issue that I just can't seem to get past, especially when it comes to international connections. Even though I consider myself an "extrovert," this dynamic hits me harder than most. Take my experience with Couchsurfing, for example. Even though I haven't hosted anyone at my place yet, there have been plenty of times where I’ve befriended travelers and invited them to hang out for a day or more depending on how close they were. These people—and many others—always seem to be looking for "acquaintances"—and I’m using those quotes intentionally—because in 99% of cases, it all boils down to one thing: a shallow, instant encounter. Everything is pleasant enough in the short term, but actually building a deep, lasting connection? Practically impossible. It makes me wonder what things are like in the West, and reading Jonathan Fowler14's post, it seems the situation is much the same.
Here’s another instance: I spent a month staying with a family in Germany through a different platform, Workaway. Everything was fantastic; the people felt genuine and didn't fit that standardized, superficial mold we see so often regarding the topics we're discussing here. Yet, even though we were hundreds or thousands of miles apart, the contact inevitably fizzled out. No follow-up messages, nothing. I’ll be the first to reach out on New Year's Day, ask how they are, or try to spark some kind of continued rapport—but the responses are almost always cliché. Consequently, I end up losing the will to be the one constantly reaching out first—I refuse to look like some kind of idiot.
With international friends, it’s the exact same story: you simply cannot sustain a long-term relationship. Clearly, I’m not the only one feeling this.
As for people in my own neck of the woods, I just can't find anyone compatible. So many have moved away, changed their values, or gotten married and shifted their mindsets entirely. Most of them are just small-minded locals who likely view me as a freak because I actually care about art and healthy living. To make matters worse, they constantly judge me based on my father—throwing out those condescending questions like, "Whose kid are you anyway?"—and then they let their opinion of me be dictated by whatever bias they hold toward him.
Like Jonathan Fowler14 wrote... eventually, you start learning to enjoy your own company. I do a lot of things solo, but humans are social creatures, aren't they? I know that when I finally stumble upon a kindred spirit, I truly flourish because we can actually engage in a meaningful conversation about the same topic. I miss those moments in life, but then again, if we're stuck in this loop where you can't even establish or maintain a circle because people are just fundamentally broken, then what is the point?
On top of that, I also struggle with the fact that there always seems to be someone "more important" in any group I hang out with—honestly, that's been a historical constant. It's very similar to what Jonathan Fowler14 mentioned. You're all hanging out, everything is great, and then you hear that Person X called Person Y to grab a drink or go on a trip without you. It's just lame.
I’ve been chewing on how to even kick this thread off—it’s been sitting in the back of my mind for days now—and I finally landed on the word "acclimatize." It makes me sound like some sort of houseplant, I suppose, but if I stick with it, I can actually articulate the specific frustration eating at me.
I am certainly not the first person, nor will I be the last, to walk around with this nagging sensation that I was born in all the wrong decades. It’s become a bit of a cliché, really—you hear it constantly: "Man, I should have lived in the '80s," or some other variation of that sentiment.
My mind keeps drifting back to these snapshots from my childhood—watching neighbors who were much older than me, probably in their 20s or 30s, just hanging out casually in front of someone's house. Men and women, just talking about absolutely everything without a care in the world, spending time outdoors completely untouched by the intrusion of technology. I’m likely romanticizing it—after all, those people probably hadn't yet hit the heavy responsibilities of parenthood or high-stakes careers—but still, why is it impossible to socialize like that anymore? Is "being too busy" actually a valid excuse?
It feels like everyone is perpetually suspicious of one another lately; there's this sense that nobody truly needs anyone else anymore. This alienation has become so pervasive you could practically cut it with a knife. In the midst of all this, I find myself—living out in a rural area where my interests are diametrically opposed to the local youth—just lying there in front of the TV, blasting '80s hits or watching old movies, thinking, "What the hell am I even doing here?" Everything felt healthier then—human connections seemed more relaxed, more organic. I'm not saying every era was perfect—wars and chaos happen regardless—but I'm talking about the fabric of our social lives, the way we interact with those closest to us.
Look, I get it—every era has its own set of problems—but I want to know if anyone has an answer to this: how do we combat this modern plague of isolation? Is the solution to move to some Western country where the disconnection is even deeper? Is running away even a viable option?
Then there’s the secondary issue: going out and actually meeting people. Where are you supposed to meet someone meaningful in your 30s? Everywhere I go, it's just kids in bars or clubs—the exact same type of person I used to be.
Regarding this whole mess, I recently spoke with an adventurer who has traveled extensively, and when I asked for his advice, he gave me a rather blunt, interesting response: "Listen, people are people everywhere." Though, he did single out Georgia as a place where he experienced the most genuine warmth from strangers, even in some remote little village.
Anyway, I’ve rambled quite a bit, and I’m still not entirely sure if I’ve captured everything I intended to say. What’s your take? How do we maintain a healthy balance between being content in our own company and actually coexisting with the rest of society?
That Rome pairing didn't fail—it's obvious you're looking at this all wrong. You really ought to take a closer look at what kind of bet that actually was and which specific option was played.
rustyjackal16 said:Which specific bet are you talking about? Just drop a screenshot here or slide into my DMs. Why didn't you bother highlighting in the thread: "I bumped up my stake on this because I expect..."? Most people would have dropped fifty or a hundred bucks—not just a handful of euros like you did—but everyone would have come out ahead if it hit. And honestly, I really hope it landed, because that’s exactly why you upped the stake in the first place. You had solid reasons. Otherwise, someone with your experience in sports betting wouldn't be throwing around that kind of money.
The whole point of this forum is helping each other out and sharing intel—the kind that actually turns a profit, not losses.
Look, I regret not placing it, but at the very last second, I ended up playing a little bit because I was waiting for confirmed lineups. It was just that Atalanta-Crema friendly match—most people wouldn't touch a friendly with a heavy wager anyway. The play was Over 2.0 in the first half. For the record, the game ended 10-1.
I'm not interested in posting screenshots just to drag attention to myself; I'm done with that kind of thing.
Look, my betting amount depends entirely on how much I'm up during a specific session—sometimes even $5 counts if I'm starting from scratch, but if I hit a decent run of successful predictions and my bankroll climbs, then I stop holding back. My stake is driven by pure gut instinct rather than the odds, which is exactly why I’ve been scaling up significantly lately. For instance, I was putting heavy money on long shots during the World Cup—stuff most people would call total nonsense. My bets were swinging anywhere from $200 to $500.
I don't follow any rigid bankroll management or "unit" systems. If I have a strong feeling, I go big. Just this morning, for example, I dropped $1,200 on a single match. I can afford to do that; even if I lose it, nothing changes in my life. When the feeling hits, I don't have a brake pedal. Like I said, I usually start off small, maybe with $5 or $10. Everyone has their own set of rules and they should stick to them, but mine is simple: intuition and nothing else.
driftingotter47 said:Go read the rules in the PDF. You can talk about stakes—if you actually provide proof (a screenshot of your slip).
And these "analyses" of yours where you claim to be "relying on your hunch"—honestly, they aren't helping anyone here. Consider this some friendly advice: those kinds of plays lead to a guaranteed long-term deficit.
What actually leads to certain ruin is playing timidly and ignoring your intuition—something most bettors seriously need to work on. Your head would spin if I told you how much I've stayed in the green over the long haul based on practically zero "evidence." But then again, how am I supposed to explain that to someone like you... By the way, a few parlays just hit after a absolutely insane first half full of goals, followed by red cards in the second.
I’m in total agreement with this guy regarding the roles involved... It just doesn't make sense, so kudos to the moderators for stepping in and handling that reaction properly.
I’ve got a couple of picks for today, though I have to admit yesterday absolutely drained me—even if it was a successful day—so I might be taking a break for most of today.
Given how high-scoring things have been across the entire Welsh league lately—not just in the top flight but also in the lower tiers like Cymru South and North—I've spotted a few opportunities today:
The home side is traditionally lethal whenever these two clubs meet, and they've been clinical in their recent outings too. To be perfectly blunt, I haven't sat down to run an exhaustive deep-dive analysis here; I'm mostly leaning heavily on my gut instinct.
I honestly think Rome is already stumbling through their pre-season—it’s looking pretty grim. If you look back at the start of this Asian tour last month against Nagoya and Yokohama, they couldn't manage to scrape even a single win. Then, that 0-3 loss to Cadiz happened—a total disaster where they picked up a red card despite having plenty of scoring opportunities. Even their recent 1-0 win against Cas Pia was nothing special. RKC needs to actually play some open, attacking football if they want to turn these results around and finally secure a decent victory.
I'm looking for a solid ENT recommendation in Chicago. I’ll be staying in the area this January and I fully intend to get a thorough check-up. Honestly, I don't trust the local private clinics down in Miami—last time I went there, I got absolutely ripped off for $233 during a rushed exam, and they completely missed the diagnosis...
There really isn't any other way to handle this—we need to organize a meeting, one of those old-school, face-to-face gatherings like we used to have back in the day.