Sometimes I look back at certain people and wonder how they managed to use me so effectively. I’d be footing the entire tab for drinks while they’d use my money to go buy themselves a new shirt. It was a constant pattern. I spent nearly a month staying with some wonderful people out in Colorado, and the woman there gave me this beautiful gold bracelet as a gift. Then, a friend talked me into selling it. Now, it just eats at me. I sold something truly special—a memory from amazing people—just because I listened to the wrong advice.
Now, my "friends" reach out asking when I'll be around so they can take advantage of me again. Well, newsflash: I've grown up. I am not that naive girl anymore. I simply don't have the time or the energy for them. Honestly, there are people I used to hang out with that I wouldn't even give the time of day to now. If I let myself get played like that in the past, that's on me. But enough is enough. It's over.
We’re the kind of people who thrive on being social and hanging out. But if someone doesn't make time for me, I don't have time for them. Work, family—none of that is an excuse. If you actually want to do something, you find a way. I have certain friends I only see once a year; I'll invite them over, fire up the grill, and we'll catch up on everything until late at night. Time flies when you're talking. Then, we won't speak or see each other again until next year. It could happen more often, sure, but this works for me. I value my peace.
I happened to stumble upon this thread, so I figured I’d share my own experience. Last December, the middle finger on my right hand started acting up. It throbbed for a few days, so I complained to my manager at work, mentioning something felt like it stung right near the nail. She immediately dragged me off to corporate to report the incident. The next day, they sent me to some random doctor. He took some pictures, claimed everything looked fine, but it still hurt like hell—I could actually feel the pulsing right under the nail. The doctor then referred me to a specialist who told me the nail was ingrown and needed to be removed. Fine, I said. He scheduled me for hand plastic surgery. When the day came to get the nail pulled, they gave me a few injections and my finger went numb. The doctor was from India, accompanied by his assistant. I chatted with her while he worked; I didn't feel a thing, not even when he was messing around with the nail. He just said, "Done." I looked down—no blood, half the nail was gone, zero pain. I thought, *Okay, maybe this guy actually knows what he's doing.* I asked him where the bandage was, assuming I wouldn't walk out like that, but he just shrugged and said, "What do you need a bandage for? If you want one, you can put it on yourself." I headed back to work, and they had me back on duty immediately. I was fuming, cursing the doctor under my breath 😁 because I knew I’d have to come back in five days for my follow-up. They gave me light duties, but I was still annoyed because the finger was still inflamed and sore. When I returned to the doctor, I realized he hadn't written me a note to avoid using that hand. He looked at me, told his assistant to write something down, and she wrote: "Do not use this hand for two weeks." I took that paper straight to corporate. Once they saw it, they realized they had to deal with it. They told me, "Look, rowdypanther, there's nothing we can do about you working with one hand, so just go home for two weeks." I panicked, thinking I was going to lose my job. But they assured me, "Don't worry, you'll still get paid 😁." So, I went home, absolutely thrilled.😁 I felt like I had to tell you guys—the nail grew back perfectly. There's no trace left; it looks like it was never even pulled. All credit to the doctor; he did an excellent job.👍
I forgot to mention he gave me a cream to apply to the nail. It’s the kind used after surgeries or something... mupirocin ointment USP, 2%
I trust people, and then they just screw me over. Then I’m left thinking, "Yeah, you're an idiot for believing them," as if that helps anything. So this is how it goes: the ones who can't find a way to rip me off just leave, while I know perfectly well the others were just looking for an opening to play me.
amberfox4 said:The whole thing wasn't even good, it was just... weird. Maybe that's why I reacted that way. Who knows. Whatever. I feel stupid for getting worked up over it now.
Maybe you played along too much, and now you're seeing the consequences—having to ask strangers for help.
He probably realized he could walk all over you. Sorry, but if you actually want peace and don't want to talk to someone, you should have just ignored him.
amberfox4 said:I don't care if they know. At least then they'll leave me alone. Thanks.
Alright, so what does this person actually want? Did they insult you? Were they cursing at you? What's their angle? Are they hitting on you or being creepy?
It seems easy enough to handle. Honestly, I think you're just being overly sensitive. You're married, so maybe you're just worried your husband will find out you're messaging strangers. Am I right?
When it happened to me, someone was being abusive, so I reported the message and moved on. Problem solved. If someone just reaches out out of nowhere, I give them a polite reply. I'm not some fragile person who's terrified of typing five words to a stranger.
I don't want to get involved, but I've always preferred 👍 moderators who just delete posts instead of handing out punishments. Personally, I’d much rather have five of my posts wiped than face a ban or a formal strike. I felt compelled to speak up regarding the deletion of 👍 It isn't about defending the moderator, but he did what was best for you and the community. He wasn't trying to punish you. He wasn't looking to ban you. He just deleted the post. If you aren't happy with that, what exactly is your grievance? If he had actually penalized you, you'd be complaining about that too. Some people are just impossible to please.
Can someone please give me some actual, sensible advice? I need to find a way to borrow about $1,600. I’m currently out of work, which has left me in a massive hole—I’ve got rent and utility bills piling up, and honestly, I'm struggling just to keep food on the table at this point... I won't even get into the rest of it. Just to be clear, social services aren't an option right now, and the banks won't touch me because of my credit score and the overdrafts. Even those predatory microfinance outfits and those shady guys like Fredrick Peterson are out of the question because they're nothing but thieves. That leaves me looking at loan sharks, but I have no idea who to turn to or where to even find them, even though it feels like my only real way out. I don't have any friends or family to lean on, and nobody I know is in a position to help. Please, if anyone can help, let me know! Thanks!🙏
Get a job. There's no shame in manual labor.
So you plan on paying back the debt with your future paycheck? How exactly do you think you'll borrow money you clearly can't repay? Even your best friend wouldn't touch this, knowing you can't pay them back.
Back when those guys were with the SuperSonics, we’re talking about the Shawn Kemp and Gary Payton era from '89 to '98. Then you've got Ray Allen 2007. I know they weren't playing for the Thunder, because the franchise didn't even move to OKC and rebranded as the Thunder until the 2007-08 season.
Alex Cook, give it a rest and just let him play basketball. What are you all waiting for? Why is there such a long delay on the response?
Alex Cook, if he hasn't caused too much damage, just let him post about basketball.
The whole forum isn't going to fall apart just because of one user.
I drop by there occasionally and I haven't noticed anything crazy happening; everyone behaves perfectly fine. Let him stay, on the condition that he roots for the Thunder.🎉
jadetrucker43 said:If you’re looking to pull in a few different posts at once, just hit that "Multi-Quote" option—it's right there next to the standard Quote button—for every message you want to reference, except for the very last one. Once you've tagged them all, just click the regular Quote button on that final post. Everything should automatically wrap itself in those quote tags, giving you the freedom to clean up any fluff, bold the parts that actually matter, or slide your own commentary in between the blocks of text. It's pretty straightforward, really.
Pure gold 👍
So how do I break one single post down into multiple parts?
Registration: May 2006. Location: ...on a plane... Posts: 18,002 You have received an infraction on Reddit Dear rowdypanther,
You have received an infraction on Reddit.
Reason: constant trolling, ignoring warnings and rules -------
-------
This infraction is worth 100 point(s) and may result in restricted access until it expires. Serious infractions will never expire.
Original Post: http://www.reddit.com/quote Quote: Well, obviously he had to have some kind of visa, and a green card is a visa, right? All the best, Reddit
If I had actually claimed there is no other visa besides a green card, then you'd have grounds to punish me. But instead, you penalized me just because you lost control of your temper. That's on you, not me.
Here are the rules for the Expatriates section. I had to copy them manually because there isn't any other way to access them.
On the "Expatriates" subreddit:
MOST IMPORTANT:
When it comes to advice on moving to the States, immigration, job hunting, visas, or anything else relevant to potential expatriates—99% of it has already been thoroughly and politely explained by veteran users in existing threads. Read those topics first (or just use Google) before you decide to ask a follow-up question. Please, stop posting the exact same questions every single day that have already been answered extensively over and over again. I believe I speak for all expatriates when I say we’re happy to help, but being asked to repeat the same topics that have been covered dozens of times is genuinely annoying. Thanks.
Nadalje:
1) Harassment based on ethnicity, social status, religion, gender, race, or any other basis is strictly prohibited.
2) Glorifying or promoting Nazism, fascism, racism, or any xenophobic ideologies is strictly prohibited.
3) No personal attacks allowed—don't insult someone just because you disagree with them, and don't respond to an insult with another one. Also, trolling or intentionally provoking arguments is strictly prohibited.
4) Don't go wildly off-topic. Any irrelevant posts or threads will be moved or deleted. As a general rule: if an off-topic tangent drags on for more than a few posts, it’s considered destructive to the discussion and won't be tolerated.
5) Don't dump massive blocks of copied text here—nothing longer than a single paragraph. If you're posting content in a foreign language, you have to include a brief summary in English. You don't need to translate the whole thing word-for-word; just get the point across in one or two sentences.
6) No duplicate threads allowed. Don't start a new topic if there's already one covering the same subject.
7) Don't turn this place into your personal lecture hall. No endless monologues without room for actual discussion, and stop burying threads under a mountain of useless data. If you have a long quote, don't paste the whole thing—just drop a link.
8) Don't make things personal. This includes launching personal attacks, starting threads just to target other users, or anything of that nature. Doxing—searching for, sharing, or posting anyone else's private information—is strictly prohibited.
9) Posts need to be concise and easy to understand, written in clear American English. When starting a new thread, make sure you actually explain what you want to discuss, lay out your initial stance, and use a title that accurately describes the topic—just remember to capitalize the first word of the subject line. For longer posts, break your text into paragraphs so people can actually read it without straining.
10) Any post written entirely or mostly in ALL CAPS will be treated as shouting and you'll get nothing but a massive pile of downvotes.
11) Posts consisting entirely or mostly of profanity and obscenity are unwelcome and will result in a ban.
12) No sockpuppet accounts allowed. One user per account.
13) Any political posts that aren't relevant to the "Expatriates" section will be moved to the "Politics" subforum.
14) Photos cannot exceed 640x480. Any image exceeding these dimensions will be automatically deleted. Limit of six images per post (exceptions may be granted upon request).
15) Inquiries regarding illegal entry, residency, or employment in any country are strictly prohibited.
16) Flooding posts with nothing but emojis or using them as your only "response" to a thread is strictly prohibited. This is a discussion forum; please actually use your words.
17) Don't interfere with the smooth operation of the forum or the moderators' duties. This includes ignoring warnings or trying to resurrect deleted threads. Any complaints regarding moderator actions made outside of the official appeals subforum will be treated as interference. If a moderator isn't around or misses a specific thread, just use the "report" button on the offending post. You can send a moderator a private message if you have a legitimate question, but don't spam them or harass them.
18) The post directly above yours isn't quoting properly.
19) When quoting long posts, just provide the opening line (followed by an ellipsis...) or the most relevant snippet. Quoting entire walls of text only to respond with a few words will result in a sanction.
When you're quoting multiple posts, please use the multiquote feature. Break up your response with individual quotes if you want to address specific points separately, rather than cluttering the thread with several different posts. Also, remember that you have an edit window available for a limited time—use it.
21) Don't bother asking about your chances of getting a visa or moving here. We aren't psychics.
22) No job advertisements or solicitation posts allowed here. If you’re looking to hire or find work, please use the classifieds section on the PDF instead.
Any violation of these rules will result in a penalty, determined by the severity of the offense. Generally, a first slip-up earns you a yellow card; anything after that is an immediate red card.
Rules are subject to change or updates at any time without prior notice.
Where exactly in the rules does it say you can't lie? Where does it state that you're required to tell the truth? You could claim I lied, even though I didn't. You penalized me based on some rule you just pulled out of thin air. There's a massive difference between having an actual written rule and just making one up in your head and deciding to enforce it.
If you’re going to act like you’re so much smarter than everyone else, why didn't you just state clearly from the jump that lying, trolling, and making things up isn't allowed? Maybe then you could actually try punishing me based on those rules. Maybe you weren't expecting THIS. You never really know who's sitting on the other side of the screen. My interlocutor actually started hurling insults at me, calling me a TROLL. Where does he get off? I haven't insulted him once—anyone can look at my posts and see that for themselves.
Skattemus, you warned me; the warning basically said, "rowdypanther, stop posting lies and trolling." By issuing a warning like that, all you did was pour gasoline on the fire. That’s not how you handle strangers online. You should have just said, "rowdypanther, please stop." Or better yet, told both sides to knock it off and move on. If that had happened, I would have just walked away and never looked back. You kicked me out, yet you didn't even try to penalize the other guy for his insults. In fact, you basically shielded him. Are you seeing this, rustydrifter10?
I checked the rules posted by the owner of this Reddit thread, and even he didn't explicitly state that you have to tell the truth. Here is a specific part of what he wrote:
I don't care what anyone says, this whole thing is a mess. It’s pure chaos. People need to stop making excuses for how things are being run. It’s frustrating, and frankly, it’s ridiculous. Get it together.
I'm going to pull out exactly what he wrote: Use any advice found in other users' posts at your own risk.
See that?
Nowhere does it say anyone is obligated to take your advice, yet you’re out here acting like you speak for all the expatriates. ;D Expatriates are people looking for actual facts—information that can literally shape their future. Your posts just cause confusion and spread misinformation, especially since you don't provide a single valid argument or a link to back up anything you claim.
Forums should require a permit just to ensure people only post the truth. If they did, it wouldn't be a place for hanging out anymore—it would just be an official government site for people with actual facts.
Where exactly in the rules does it say spreading misinformation isn't allowed? Seriously, even if I did, which specific rule are you using to justify punishing me?
Skattemus, I’m seriously considering legal action over these accusations. We could end up facing off in court, and trust me, it won’t be pretty. You’ve leveled some heavy charges against me, and if your baseless claims are what landed me in the hospital, I’ll be adding that to the lawsuit too. Consider this a warning: watch your step and stop acting so arrogant on Reddit or anywhere else online.
I’ve noticed it myself, and other users on Reddit have too. If you don't like someone's answer, you immediately start accusing them of lying. Where do you get off doing that? How could you possibly know? It isn't written in the rules that you're allowed to act this way, yet here you are, doing exactly that.
BLR wrote this: rowdypanther,
My colleague did the right thing. That partial payment was an agreement made directly between her and me.
BLR, you’re being sneaky. You just didn't want to get involved, so you threw your colleague Skattemus under the bus just to save your own skin. You're nothing but a manipulator. 👏
Skattemus lost in translation Skattemus's avatar registration : May 2006. : I wouldn't let you be a moderator anymore if I were you.
What’s even the point of this sub? It feels like we're just here to complain, but honestly, venting seems pretty much useless at this point.
You people really don't know how to let things go. It’s ridiculous. You forgive someone for missing a phone bill or a credit card payment, or if you can't settle the utility bill on time, they don't just cut your power—you simply promise to have it covered next month. People forgive massive hospital debts that you physically cannot pay; they don't throw you in jail, and you still get treated at the same hospital. Even if you get into a heated argument with a coworker, the boss isn't going to fire you on the spot. Life isn't as black and white as you make it out to be.
Damn, if you screw up here, you might as well just pack it in. One mistake and you're finished. I’ve spent eight years on this forum, and I made one single mistake. Just one argument, and suddenly there's no forgiveness—they toss you out like literal garbage.
Have you guys never walked away from an argument with your chin up? Never refused to make peace after a fight just to save face? I know I have, and honestly, I’ve already forgotten all about it. I didn't swear, I didn't insult anyone, and I definitely wasn't belittling my interlocutor. Look, we were just debating. It happened. Once you get heated, it’s hard to pull the brakes. It happened to me during these last eight years—so what? It's not like I killed anyone. My conversation partner basically tore me to shreds. He didn't hold anything back. I couldn't just let it go. I ended up getting dragged into an argument, and honestly, I stand by every single word I said. I was speaking from my own experience and what I've seen from others, too.
If I were posting on the expatriate forums, I’d have found at least a hundred different ways to get over there. But there aren't even five people from the States on the expatriate boards. So what am I supposed to do? Just hang out with myself? It seems like the moderators only care because they have nothing better to do; the second someone shows up with a different opinion, they just slap them with a penalty. I voiced a complaint and they shut the thread down immediately. Apparently, you aren't allowed to complain about them, and you definitely aren't allowed to say anything to them. Hey, rustydrifter10, do you just not have any rights here? Are they somehow more powerful than you? Once those two leave the expat community, I’m heading back home. They’ll just end up making everything about themselves anyway.
This forum doesn't mean anything to me anymore. You aren't allowed to make mistakes here. Or rather, everyone else makes them, but you weren't allowed to, rowdypanther. If you mess up, you might as well stay away. What kind of "socializing" is that supposed to be?
In all these eight years, I haven't even bothered checking some of the subreddits. I didn't care enough to look, and honestly, I haven't had the time anyway. It’s probably for the best.
Fine, just show me the rule that says you actually have to tell the truth on this forum.
rustydrifter10, thanks. You’re the only Admin around here with an actual heart and soul. Even if you didn't exactly solve my problem, it feels like you tried. That's why people on this site respect you. Honestly, I’d even grab a coffee with you sometime because it's clear you aren't out to cause trouble.