redpilot37 said:That's just how it works. We aren't packing up the whole school for a three-day trek. Instead, my husband and I will just drive up to a mountain town once a winter when it snows and we'll all enjoy it together. Who would actually try to charge for all those big trips? Nobody makes a scene. If someone feels guilty about it, that's their own business.
Yeah, sure, but have you ever actually felt like an outsider? Like, everyone goes to a theme park in Orlando, and then for three days after, they're still talking about it. Then they move on to some trip to the Grand Canyon, and for two weeks, the whole group is rehashing every little thing that happened. Then there's that summer trip to the coast, and suddenly the entire class has this shared set of inside jokes and stories that define them for the next month, and you're just standing there with zero clue what's going on. You take your family trips to the Rockies, sure, but you tell those stories to your two best friends in one afternoon. The stuff that happens on a class trip to Yellowstone? That becomes the legend for the rest of the year. If you miss those big moments—the mountain trips, the beach trips, whatever—you end up being totally out of the loop half the time while the rest of the class is bonding over things you weren't even part of...👎
Just head down to the school and tell the teacher you packed him some cookies because you didn't realize they were heading to McDonald's right on schedule. Tell her you couldn't give him the cash because you were broke... and honestly, I still am, and probably will be for a little while yet.
If she’s a decent human being, she’ll get it. Seriously, if your heart was in the right place, she shouldn't even be asking for it back $10 from someone who's completely tapped out, especially since he didn't even ask for those $10 in the first place. 🤷 If she doesn't take the hint, just tell her there's no other way and she’ll just have to hang tight until things clear up, because that's really the only option...
Samuel Morgan40 said:Of course it is. I suppose I had a similar experience—getting flagged myself before I ever stepped into a moderator role—and that was even with a score of 35 points.
How am I supposed to actually know if he’s the one who wrote it? I mean—perhaps it’s on some random thread I didn't even bother opening that day—and then suddenly I find out that something which, by any standard set of rules, would have only earned me a warning, is now somehow grounds for a permanent ban? I’m not trying to be provocative here—really, I’m genuinely curious. 🤷
Every single sub-forum seems to have its own specific set of rules or guidelines tucked away in one spot—and honestly, they always end up being a massive point of contention. These individual sub-forum regulations are really just an extension of the general community guidelines used across the entire site. So, I suppose it isn't exactly rocket science or some impossible puzzle to figure out what’s acceptable and what isn't... you just actually have to sit down and read them.
I suppose this comes as a shock to you all—which, frankly, I can understand given that the PDF has been a complete mess for quite some time now—but we are finally cleaning things up. Every single adjustment being made might feel like an inconvenience, and I realize it won't always align perfectly with what you want, much like how it's been with the other PDFs, but please believe me when I say these changes are strictly for the greater good of the document itself.
No, no, no, you're missing the point... if a warning is worth 30 points... shouldn't it take more than three of those 30-point warnings to trigger a ban? And if a mod posts in Thread A saying that from now on they aren't handing out warnings for a specific violation but are jumping straight to a ban—assuming that's within their authority—how am I supposed to know that unless I happen to open Thread A? If I commit the same mistake in Thread B, I could get banned instantly even if I haven't hit the point threshold yet, despite what the official rules say...🤷
rustydrifter10 said:Look, I meant it as a joke, but clearly we don’t all share the same sense of humor! If I offended anyone, I am truly sorry; that wasn't my intention at all. I went ahead and deleted it just so nobody else would feel uncomfortable.
And also, I don't get why that thread with the belly photos got locked.
It's because that thread basically turned into just another casual chat room.
Did everyone who got banned receive three or more warnings and rack up over 100 points toward a ban, or did the mods just snap and decide to ban them on a whim?🤷
Other people's warnings and bans aren't your concern. Just stick to the rules and you should be perfectly fine.
...and I don't get it, if a mod writes "from now on, I'm banning for this and that," do they actually have the authority to fast-track someone straight to a ban like that?
When it comes to major or repeat offenses, yeah, they do.
And if they do, how long does a decision like that last—where something that usually just gets a warning suddenly results in a ban?
Everything regarding warnings and bans is laid out right there in the forum rules.
But how am I supposed to know if they posted an update like that? They might say it in a thread I don't even open that day, and then I wouldn't realize that something which normally earns a warning is now an instant ban. I'm not trying to be provocative, I'm genuinely curious.🤷
Just read the rules, follow them, and like I said before, you won't have any problems.
And can't we just clear out the chat or start a fresh thread? 🤷
Other people's warnings and bans aren't your business. Just stick to the rules and you should be fine.
They aren't, but honestly, how the mods behave is everyone's business... mine included, and anyone else on here.
For major or repeated violations, yeah.
Everything about warnings and bans is laid out in the forum rules.
I was under the impression this was a minor thing, like maybe 30 points. Or was it 10 for the chat? 🤷
Just read the rules, follow them, and like I said, everything should work out fine.
That's really why I was asking if the bans were happening because some mods were losing their cool, or if it was all strictly by the book. You know, if there were a bunch of collateral damage involved... like, did those people actually break the rules, or did they just slip up slightly and get hit with something way too heavy? If that wasn't the case, then my bad...
amberheron62 said:It would be totally awesome if the mods could tone down comments like this in threads where it's mostly women who've been trying to conceive for a while. It feels a little out of line to imply they're doing all these fertility methods just for kicks, acting like they're forgetting that, hey, you still need a guy to make the whole thing work! ☕
I'm with you there, that comment was pretty tasteless. These women are often coming here feeling sad and exhausted from everything, and then you see a comment like that pinned at the top... I mean, why even complicate things? They can poke fun at themselves, sure, but having a moderator joke at their expense... I guess it's "hilarious" to some people, but it’s really not okay. If she had gone through all this herself and had people mocking her, maybe she’d see things differently... 👎
...
And yeah, I don't quite get why the thread with the belly photos got locked. Pregnancy is such a massive milestone in someone's life—definitely more significant than redecorating an apartment or picking out an outfit for a night out—so I don't see why those kinds of topics aren't getting shut down too 🤷
Also, from what I gather, the penalty for disrespecting forum rules—meaning commenting on how the moderators are doing their jobs—is a 30-point card? Did everyone who got banned hit 3+ cards and rack up over 100 points, or did the mods just snap and decide to ban them on the spot? 🤷 I'm sorry if I'm questioning whether the moderation is being fair, but I don't think it hurts to ask... And I'm also confused, if a mod writes "from now on, I'm banning for this and that," do they actually have the power to fast-track a ban like that? And if they do, how long does a decision like that last for something that usually just gets a warning card? How am I even supposed to know if they've made a rule change like that on a thread I didn't even visit today, knowing I might get banned for something that should've just been a warning? I'm not trying to be provocative, I'm genuinely curious... 🤷
Man, I’m right there with you. Honestly, I’ve never been the type to fall for anyone... just haven't felt that spark before. But this guy? He’s seriously messing with my head. 😬
But honestly, it gets even more intense. I’m standing there at the bus stop when this elderly lady walks on and asks me—and some younger woman sitting across the aisle from me—if we could move so she could get up. 🙄 Look, I get it, the lady is old and clearly exhausted, but... sorry, my kid comes first here. I just looked at her and was like, "Can't you see I'm pregnant?" and then she actually apologized. But the woman sitting right across from me? She just stares back and forth between me and the old lady, doing absolutely nothing. Just totally ignores us. Doesn't budge an inch. 🤷
In the end, some older guy sitting a few seats down ended up being the one to get up for her anyway. 🤷
Seriously, that bus was just packed with idiots today. 🤷
Kenneth Jones78 said:Man, the subway and being pregnant? Not exactly the best combo. Sometimes I'll hop on, find a seat immediately, and then at the next stop, an elderly guy gets on—barely able to move without his cane—and I'm surrounded by three or four high schoolers or college kids, and nobody even flinches. I'll just stand up for him and stay a bit further away, mostly out of pure disbelief. Nobody reacts. I couldn't believe it, like, where is this society even heading 😲. It's not like I expect everyone to jump up for me; honestly, when it's packed, I usually stick near the doors so if I start feeling unwell, I can just get off. And I don't want to trigger anyone's guilt by making them feel like they *have* to stand up, so I don't mind standing. Besides, for some people, standing really is hard—they're coming home from a long shift or they're just exhausted and happy to have a moment to rest.
But there were days during my last pregnancy where it was legitimately difficult. I was way past my due date, going in for checkups every other day, it was summer, and it was hot enough to make you lose your mind. Plus, after an amniocentesis, the pressure and discomfort were real. Back then, I was in a state where I just needed to sit down and go home. I always tried to board the subway when it wasn't crowded so I could grab a seat, but a few specific moments really stuck with me—especially one time when I felt truly awful; I got on through the back doors, stood at the very end, and this younger woman just stared at me for a few stops until I eventually sat down once some guy else got up.
I just don't get these young girls/women. What kind of upbringing leads to that? I've lived in a big American city for years, and I've never once failed to give up my seat for a pregnant woman, a mother with a kid, or someone visibly elderly and frail. I wonder what goes through their heads and how they aren't embarrassed to just ignore someone, especially since they'll be in that exact same position one day. 👎
Gosh, I went on a bit of a rant there, but I just had to vent my "commuter" frustrations somewhere 😁
I actually snapped at some idiot today... 😬
So, I hop on the light rail and start heading toward an empty seat, when this kid—probably high school age, maybe a bit older—just shoves right past me to take it. And he’s with this guy, maybe in his 40s... probably his dad, I guess. Anyway, this kid sits down and just stares at me with this blank look... so I lost it a little and just told him, "Hey kid, move it, I'm literally days away from giving birth." The guy just sat there like 😕 and stood up, totally clueless... I was like, "Yeah, you can think what you want, but move," and I took my seat 😍... honestly, he just played dumb for his old man, and I wasn't about to let anyone mess with me... 🙂🥳
Jesse Evans85 said:If it helps at all, I've been dealing with them since the end of middle school. Honestly, nobody can top my record. And (knock on wood) they haven't gotten any worse—it's always just been the same, so it's been going on for many years now...
😠😠😠 That’s exactly why I hate public transit! It’s always full of morons.
Right now, what's really getting to me is that my husband has to stay late at work every single day, and the weather is so beautiful outside while I'm stuck here crawling around the house.
Yeah, totally 👎 I’ve had them since eighth grade too 😢
I'm not 100% sure though... because I don't really bleed that often, and there isn't anything physical to feel or anything, it's just some occasional pain and spotting here and there 👎 but back when they first showed up, I was bleeding almost every single time for at least two years... then it just leveled off, and now it's just once in a while, maybe once every couple of months... I never really used anything special for it, I guess my glutes just toned up a bit over the years 😬 🤷
It honestly drives me crazy when my partner acts like this... if he can't show up for me, then he's definitely not going to let me show up for him. It's just such a lack of reciprocity, you know? Honestly, shame on him... 🤷
So we picked up this Black Forest cake from a local bakery near Chicago 😍 we were really aiming for something that looked simple, because honestly, the flavor was way more important to us than some fancy presentation, so we decided to play it safe 😍 I mean, we could have totally shown them pictures from Pinterest to get the aesthetic just right, and based on their previous work, I’m pretty sure they could have pulled off anything we threw at them... but instead, we just went with a classic white whipped cream topping decorated with red roses. We didn't want to mess with the flavor profile by adding anything that wouldn't fit a traditional Black Forest cake, so everything else was identical to their standard recipe, except they skipped the chocolate shavings on top and the whole thing was served on a single 🙂 For a crowd of 40 people, the total came out to $200 including all the decorations and the delivery 🙂
That whole "hey, little mama" greeting really gets under my skin. And the absolute worst part is when people stare right at my stomach and then ask if there's a baby in there. Like, what? It’s obviously a baby. It's not like I'm just carrying around a heavy lunch. There's more to it, I guess, but that's definitely the peak annoyance. It's also weird how I always seem to get cut to the front of the line everywhere. People just let me pass without me even asking. I suppose because my bump is so obvious, everyone assumes I'm about to go into labor any second.
Good for you,🙂 I'm only three weeks out from my due date, but honestly, nobody lets me skip the line because I still look more like I just ate a massive burrito rather than being pregnant.🤷 I mean, it's not like it isn't obvious, but my belly isn't quite huge enough for people to feel bad and say, "Oh man, sorry, didn't notice!"☕
Which reminds me... I was at the DMV recently getting my new ID updated. And apparently, at like sixteen different windows, there's a sign clearly posted saying "Pregnant women and people with disabilities have priority." So, I head up to the front, skipping the line, and I finally reach the counter—then this woman just cuts right in front of me. I actually asked her if she felt bad cutting in front of someone who's visibly pregnant... I mean, so what? Even the clerk at the window stepped in and asked her what her problem was, pointing out that I'm pregnant and have priority. But whatever, she just claimed she was tired and couldn't stand anymore... ☕ We all just stood there in this awkward silence—me, the clerk, and her, looking at each other blankly😕 and she wouldn't budge. It wasn't until the clerk practically started yelling at her to get back behind the line or just leave the building that she finally moved and let me through.🤷
The funniest part, though? After I finished my business, I had one more thing to do at another window, so I hung around for maybe ten minutes. That same woman who shoved her way in front of me was still standing there waiting, and at least a few people had gotten in line before her. It was so obvious she wasn't even next in line; she was just trying to force her way to the front.🤷 What a jerk.☕
Honestly, all those excuses about "not wanting to confuse the kid" or "avoiding complications" are usually just a smokescreen for "what will people think of us..." It’s pretty obvious it isn't actually that hard to grasp why someone has a certain last name, so nobody should be getting confused... plus, the people acting all worried about potential issues haven't even bothered to look into what kind of actual complications could even exist, if any at all 🙄 👎
It really bugs me how much I lack willpower sometimes. I know there's a massive mountain of stuff I need to get done and I just need to buckle down, but I keep putting it off, and the clock is ticking... I'm trying to stay on track with my classes at State University while also keeping a little one at home, and if I don't get my act together right now, I have no idea when I ever will (I'm still just sitting here typing away on this forum 🤦 ) 👎
It’s driving me crazy... I honestly don't know why I'm getting so worked up about everything needing to be brand new. That’s just not how I usually roll. Earlier on, I was totally fine with the idea of borrowing stuff or picking up used gear, you know? Especially since babies grow out of everything so fast... I hadn't even bought a single thing until a few days ago 🤷
But now, I've just been hit with this intense urge to buy everything brand new. I have no clue why... maybe some weird anxiety is telling me that if I don't save every last cent for myself, I won't have anything left for the baby... yeah, okay, I know how ridiculous that sounds, and I can't even agree with my own logic, but I just feel so incredibly anxious about it 👎🤷
Anyway, I think the thing that irritates me most during this whole pregnancy is actually just myself 🤦🤣
Kids' clothes prices 👎 are just wild. Everything cheap feels like low-grade junk made overseas, while anything actually decent costs an absolute fortune 👎
And honestly, everywhere I look, they used to have exactly what I was hunting for, but then it all vanished a few weeks back. Now, suddenly, they’ve stocked up on "summer" gear... I mean, really? Summer clothes in March? For a newborn? 🤷
It’s honestly driving me up the wall trying to find long-sleeve bodysuits for a baby boy in size 0-3 months... just for those first few months 👎 but everything I come across is either insanely overpriced (like, $70-$27 for a single bodysuit?! 🤷 ) or the styles are just... not my vibe. I can't find anything in decent neutrals—nothing in white, gray, blue, navy, black, red, beige, cream, or even olive... it's either one or the other 😬
And don't even get me started on the sleepers... those one-piece pajamas aren't any better either... 👎
My due date is April 23rd, so I know for a fact I'll need those long sleeves. It's way too chilly in late April to be dressing a tiny newborn in nothing but short-sleeved onesies 🤷
So, look, during those first five weeks before I even realized I was pregnant, I was basically living on caffeine and chaos—massive amounts of coffee and Red Bull, tons of black and green tea... plus all that secondhand cigarette smoke from being out at clubs and bars. Since then? My "drinking" has been nothing more than a tiny lick of some herbal concoction at my partner's birthday party, maybe another little taste of something similar at my own birthday, two sips of beer on New Year's Eve, and a single glass of champagne at a wedding 😬 and honestly, I’m pretty damn proud of how I've handled it 🙂😁
Guilt is such a strange thing, isn't it? It really does wonders 😬
That’s why I totally trashed my diet—which was actually pretty decent before I found out I was expecting—and replaced it with heaps of chocolate and fast food 👎 but I have this feeling that once the guilt finally catches up with me—probably after the baby is born—I’ll end up being super strict about following every single piece of advice from the pediatrician and the parenting books 😂
So, we got this massive box of assorted chocolates as a gift. My man just stepped out of the house about 15 minutes ago, so I figured I’d make myself comfortable by the laptop and dive right in. 😍
And just like that... the candy is gone. ☕
Now I'm sitting here feeling totally bloated and water-logged, like I swallowed a balloon... I know I really need to cut back on both the sugar and the salt starting now... ☕
Ugh, what really gets under my skin is that he actually *would* tidy up if he just did it when he got home, but nopeeeee... 🤦 I end up turning into such a total control freak at times when I really shouldn't, but then when I actually need to pull it together, I just completely fall apart and have zero energy left for anything 👎🤷 Like, I really ought to be hitting the books right now, but instead, here I am, hanging out on this forum because I'm just way too wiped out 🤣
My sweet man built a custom speaker cabinet today. He finished up the wooden frame and then headed out to work, leaving the entire apartment absolutely coated in this fine layer of sawdust. Honestly, he didn't have time to clean it all up before leaving, so he’s planning to tackle it when he gets home—vacuuming, sweeping, mopping everything with some heavy-duty cleaner... it's going to be a whole thing. It's fine. Really.
Okay.
But about thirty minutes after he left for his shift, I just couldn't take it anymore. Everything felt so gritty and dusty... so naturally, I went into full-blown cleaning mode and started scrubbing every single inch of the place 🤦
And yeah, now everything hurts... my stomach is especially killing me right now... 😢👎☕