Don't let yourself fall for the idea for even a second that elderberry juice is healthy—well, at least not when you make it into syrup like this...
For my first batch, I stuck to the recipe and used 1/4 sugar ratio. Then I bumped the second batch up to 1/2 (since I was adding cloves and didn't want it to taste bitter),
but even then, it’s still just an absurd amount of sugar.
It honestly shocked me when I first looked up these recipes.🤣 There really is absolutely no need for that level of sweetness.🤷 Elderberries aren't even sweet on their own; all that flavor is coming straight from the sugar.😁
I just found myself thinking back to one of those "fair-weather" friends I had when I was just a kid, somewhere between ages 12 and 16.
I spent most of that time living entirely in her shadow, which was a total departure from how things usually went with my other friends. She was the prettier one, the one with the better body, the one wearing all the trendiest clothes—everyone just gravitated toward her.😁 I felt completely invisible, or at least that’s how it seemed to me at the time.
Once I grew up a bit and gained some perspective, I finally realized what was actually going on. Fine, maybe she was more attractive than I was, but the real kicker was her mindset: it was always, "I am going to charm every single person in this room."🤷 That was her entire mission. Whether people liked her or not, she made sure they fell for her charisma. That was the goal.
I also eventually realized that her mother was exactly the same way; she clearly learned it straight from her.🤷 Actually, my own mom pointed out the exact same thing after we spent some time hanging out with her mother. She saw the pattern immediately, even though I never explicitly complained about her daughter to my mom.🤣
So, look, ladies—don't spend too much energy stressing over stuff like this. Looking back now, the whole situation is honestly just laughable.🙂
And honestly? I've realized not everyone was actually mesmerized by her looks; it was just my specific group of friends who were a little more "subdued" around her.
nimbleharbor10 said:Look, this isn't some novel issue; it’s a cycle that repeats year after year, not just on Maui, but in a thousand little towns all across California. As long as church bells are allowed to wake up tourists in the early morning, they might as well go ahead and ban walking through the center of "town"—and I use quotes there because, let's be honest, Maui isn't really a city; it's more of a tiny village, a cute little spot filled with old stone buildings that perhaps functioned as a city back in the Middle Ages, but today it's nothing more than a tourist trap. Next, they'll probably try to ban drinking alcohol in public spaces, insisting everyone patronize "diverse establishments with an extensive selection" instead.
The whole concept strikes me as ridiculous. People don't travel to Maui looking for "museums" or "high culture." They come for the ocean and the relaxation. There is infinitely more culture to be found in the major European cities these travelers are coming from. Besides, if someone happens to strip down (or just stay in their swimwear) in a park or by a river in the middle of Chicago, nobody thinks twice about it, no one is shocked, and nobody feels threatened. It's summer; people swim and sunbathe, which is perfectly normal behavior. New York allows men and women to walk through the city center shirtless, yet compared to a metropolis like New York, Maui acts like a den of debauchery. Not to mention how, in the center of almost every city in Europe, people stroll around in the summer wearing shorts, tank tops, and all sorts of non-traditional clothing without anyone batting an eye.
Bottom line: dear Maui, you aren't getting my money.
Oh, really?
I’m hearing for the very first time that, say, in my own little seaside town, walking around "half-naked" is actually forbidden.🤣 Apparently, we’re the first locals who aren't following the rules. And what about the kids? What happened to them?
Besides, I have no idea how they even plan to enforce this in Maui. You’ve got boat slips right in the middle of the downtown area—so what? Once someone steps off their boat, are they suddenly required to go find clothes immediately?🙄
Honestly, I think the whole thing is pure fantasy. It exists only on paper in some brochure, because it’ll never actually happen in real life.😁
Jack Bishop94 merges posts at three in the morning😁
It happened to me once on a thread where I was quoting a post from three pages back along with a random reply—they had absolutely nothing to do with each other. (Just an example someone else already brought up earlier in this thread) In my opinion, those should have remained two separate posts.
And NO, I can't just edit my posts whenever I want to add more text because the edit window doesn't include emojis, and I don't know how to "type out" emojis from memory.
I'm really tired of you people being so obsessed with following every tiny rule.
And look, I know this isn't strictly about the topic, but Jack Bishop94 is honestly the worst moderator I have ever encountered. A total stickler with zero chill.
Here’s another thing: once, she and Sophia Thomas7 were making fun of someone in the middle of the night (don't ask me which thread, I can't remember), and I jumped in to tell them that wasn't the way to act, especially coming from moderators... the very next day, my post was gone, without even a warning. Is that what moderation looks like? I thought the procedure was for the post to stay, and then *I* get a strike if I actually deserved one. Am I wrong?
Do you even get a strike for stuff like that? Not that I actually care much anyway☕
Does anyone remember Crow Jane (she handled the USA and LUES)? Now *that* was actual moderation.😍
As long as there’s money in the account, the lights stay on.
Just some nonsense I saw over on CNN.
So what happens when your balance hits zero? Does your barber stop showing up too?🤣
People are going to stockpile enough cash to ensure they aren't sitting in the dark, which honestly doesn't change the math at all. Right now, we're already paying our utility bills by the 15th for the current month. It's a cycle.
It feels to me like she only stirred up our local wannabe celebrities, who all dragged their best excuses out of the closet just to pose on the red carpet because, hey, Jolie showed up in America. What kind of backwater town are we supposed to be when this is treated like a top-tier, world-class event?🙄
The actual movie is barely even a factor in this whole thing; it’s just a side note.
Maybe I'm wrong, but that's exactly how it looks to me..
Thomas Davis6 said:Let me try to weigh in on this... people are just incredibly complex creatures, maybe too much so given how diverse we all are. What even is the ego? It’s basically that conscious part of your personality—your self-awareness, your sense of worth, knowing who you actually are and who you aren't. Pride is pretty much baked right into that ego structure, and I guess that’s exactly what stops most people from being able to forgive... How does it work? Someone puts you down, hurts you, or treats you unfairly, whether it’s physical or emotional pain. Maybe you realize in a relationship that you’re being suppressed, pushed to the sidelines, or that you’re giving way more than you’re getting back... when someone has an oversized ego, they might only be able to take an insult once. There isn't a second chance, and there's certainly no forgiveness. The ego is too strong, pride gets in the way, and the relationship just ends... It’s nice to see someone writing about forgiveness and trying to make people more "human" and enlightened through it, but we shouldn't forget that humans are emotional beings. For most people, I guess emotions carry way more weight than whatever their superego tells them to do... Suppressing negative emotions, or even the ego itself, just to achieve forgiveness is a lot harder than people like to admit...
Like I said, people are complicated, and I think we're still very much driven by those primal, caveman instincts... The ego is necessary, though. It has to exist so we can maintain some level of self-respect. Without an ego, I don't know who we'd be—just empty shells, I guess... Now, I'm not talking about those "inflated" egos where someone's sense of self-worth has zero basis in reality. Like those idiots who buy a Ford or a Ferrari and immediately act like they own the place, trying to pull God's beard while looking down on everyone else like they're ants... I’m talking about having a strong ego built on certain principles that shouldn't be violated—like being true to yourself. You shouldn't sacrifice that for some ideals that leave you stuck in compromising relationships where your deepest self is constantly fighting back...😁😁
I’m sitting here reading through all these posts, and honestly, I’m waiting for a concrete explanation. Who exactly are these people we're supposed to forgive? What have they actually done to deserve our grace?
Right now, I am genuinely struggling to recall a single time when I felt the need to offer someone forgiveness 🤷..not because of anything I've personally gone through. In other words, I can't remember a moment where someone else was responsible for my "misfortune" and I played the martyr by being "so good" and forgiving them.
Take the quote above, for example: you're giving more than you receive, getting nothing in return...What does that have to do with other people or their inherent goodness? Giving is a choice. We give because we want to. It isn't some mandatory transaction where we expect a payout. So what? Are we supposed to offer forgiveness just because someone didn't match our generosity? That is just one instance.
I’m not talking about extreme scenarios, like casualties in a war or something along those lines—I haven't lived through that, so it’s hard to wrap my head around how I’d feel or react in such a situation.
But in the context of a "normal," everyday life, where is all this talk of forgiveness coming from? What is there so much to forgive in the first place?
goldengull3 said:Under which specific laws are Christmas and Easter bonuses or vacation pay required to be paid in cash?
First off, regarding Christmas bonuses, vacation pay, and similar benefits, up to $833 per year (if I recall correctly, that's the current threshold, though it used to be $667) they are entirely tax-free. Second, these benefits aren't technically part of a base salary; unless a collective bargaining agreement or a similar legal document states otherwise, an employer is perfectly free to provide them via merchandise or gift vouchers. This particular situation has absolutely nothing to do with that.
One can certainly make many arguments against Ivica Todorić, but calling him "shady" in this instance is a stretch. In fact, one might actually have to credit him for providing Christmas and vacation pay when he wasn't legally obligated to do so at all.
The thing is, he’s got a massive surplus of those vouchers, too. He actually uses them as a form of currency with contractors—instead of paying cash for a job, he settles up with vouchers at a one-to-one ratio. So then I end up getting a chunk of my paycheck delivered in his company vouchers, also at a one-to-one ratio.🙂
It seems like everywhere you turn, it's all about Trump's voucher system.😲
Honestly, I’ve decided this is one thing I absolutely cannot miss 🙂 I am seriously looking forward to it 😁
Can someone give me the lowdown on what the vibe is actually like at the stadium? What's the deal with the seating situation—is it mostly sitting, standing, or can I grab a beer and move around 😁?
I’ve finally had a moment to sit down and reflect on everything with a clear head, and I truly wish everyone nothing but the best. I am genuinely looking forward to seeing what this new chapter brings. 🙂
Michelle Chase3 said:So, what’s the damage on that thing?
I can't recall the exact figure off the top of my head, maybe somewhere around $17. But honestly, even if you shell out the cash, it's not going to do much for you. Definitely won't make a dent.
All those various creams and vaginal suppositories might ease the symptoms for now—it might even feel like the yeast infection has finally cleared up, right up until the moment it doesn't. 🙄That was my experience, at least. Don't let that fool you. I spent nearly two years being absolutely tormented by Candida outbreaks every single time.
If you go to that pharmacy over in Old Town (though I think you can find it in other places too), they carry ACIDOSALUS, here is the link.
I used it alongside that heavy-duty injection for about ten days. It was supposed to be a full two weeks, but I had to cut it short due to some other issues. It’s been nine months since then, and I haven't had a single flare-up. 🙂And don't get me wrong, I wasn't "inviting" it back. I didn't take probiotics simultaneously either, even though people usually suggest doing that while using the treatment. (Not that the probiotics are bad—they're actually quite good, almost like having yogurt 😁).
Bottom line: it works incredibly well. I cannot recommend it highly enough. 👍
After using this, there is zero chance I'd ever go back to those standard, run-of-the-mill medications.
Honestly, those books are just mind-numbing. Total snoozefests. I should have listened to you guys earlier—thanks for the heads-up on that, really. Anyway, if you want something with actual substance, check out Fight Club. It’s a completely different league. 🙄 Honestly, after dealing with this brutal, freezing winter and all this miserable weather, I’m seriously considering just heading out to the mountains for a bit. Maybe a quick trip up to the Rockies would clear my head. 😁).
Maybe I won't even need it. I just pulled a full six hours of solid sleep tonight. 😎
brisknomad6, I’ve been thinking about that idea of yours—the one where you only put in a few hours a day. Honestly? If you’re talking about doing one solid, intense session to make up for the lost time, it sounds perfectly reasonable to me. It’s a decent way to stay on top of things without burning out. 😉For those who can actually handle this...
Look, you might think you have a handle on things, but you don't know the first thing about my life. You’re just looking in from the outside. You’re late. Seriously, you're dragging your feet on this update. 🙂
I’ve been struggling for days now. I either can’t fall asleep at all, or I pass out for a couple of hours and then wake up wide awake, just like today. Honestly, I’m terrified to even get into bed anymore because I know I won't drift off until dawn, which means I’ll be late for work. Then I spend the entire day in a fog, trying to nap in the afternoon, only to find myself staring at the ceiling again. To be fair, I had a bit too much to drink one night, and that actually seemed to help 😁 But obviously, I can’t exactly get hammered every single night 🙂 At this point, I might just stop trying to sleep altogether. Let’s see who wins this war of attrition: my insomnia or me 🙂 I honestly don't get it. What is even happening???
Anyway, now that I've finished my little vent session, I am open to any and all constructive suggestions on how to finally sleep like a baby again. Thank you all so, so much in advance 🙂
Kenneth Hernandez67 said:Do you guys actually read that little slip of paper wrapped around the pill pack, neatly tucked inside the box?
Or am I just the only one who obsessively scans everything?
😁 Honestly, if I had to guess...
Every single time I pick up a new pack at CVS, I go hunting for this specific line on that insert:
Birth control pills are effective from the very first month if you start taking them on the first day of your menstrual cycle—you know, day one of your period.
..but so far, I haven't been able to find that exact sentence anywhere! 😁 😛
amberwolf7 said:After all these months living as roommates, through countless sleepless nights 🙂 , I’ve spent my fair share of time watching her sleep—or rather, listening to her snore. I used to think if she just rolled onto her side or her stomach, the noise would finally stop. But here’s the kicker: it doesn't matter how she lays. Whether she's on her back, her side, or whatever else, she’s snoring, wheezing, and making all sorts of racket... 😠 😠 😠 Sometimes I honestly feel like the sound is coming out of her nose too! I CANNOT STAND HER!!! :2up
A young woman (?) who snores regardless of her position...😕
She seriously needs to see a doctor. It’s pretty obvious there's an issue with her airways.. But go ahead, try suggesting that to her.