Reddit - A third stroke of luck for world leaders

Limun locked the old thread.

Linda King was wondering—laptop or desktop?

Look at this headline 🤣
Guns N' Roses is hunting for a laptop or a desktop. Kevin just popped in for a second because he's out protesting in Canada before heading back to Nis. Meanwhile, Arthur Sanders74 is busy bragging about his five or six rooms to us Europeans. Judah isn't exactly a fan of trans-communism. We're about a week away from the British coronation, and a whole lot more than that until Trump's inauguration.

Hey everyone! My wife and I finally crossed the border from Russia into Georgia yesterday, officially making our escape from Putin's absolute madness. We were packed into the car with so many household belongings that there wasn't a single square inch of breathing room left inside 😁

Congrats!

Thanks, Arthur Sanders74! Honestly, if I had been the one setting up this Reddit thread, I probably would have named it something like "Reddit - Responding to the Absolute Bottom of the Barrel." I guess your title is actually a bit better—it feels more inclusive, maybe?

But honestly, I have to say... sometimes you just end up with something stuck to your shoe and you end up dragging it along with you, I guess. Just one of those things, really.

judolino said:I honestly feel like that whole story about the cat is just made up. I’d bet money you were probably coached by some smooth-talking con artist to come up with that one.
If you actually, truly loved cats, you wouldn't have kicked such a cute little kitty out of your avatar like that. You're such a liar...

I was just sitting here thinking about how much things have changed lately, and I guess I wanted to share some thoughts on the whole situation. It feels like everything is moving so fast, doesn't it? Maybe I'm just overthinking things, but there's definitely a shift happening in the way we all perceive these global tensions. I was reading through some discussions on Reddit earlier, and it really struck me how differently everyone is interpreting the current political climate. It’s almost overwhelming if you let it sink in too deeply. I suppose there's a certain level of uncertainty that we're all just trying to navigate, one day at a time. Regarding what Arthur Sanders74 mentioned earlier—I think there might be some merit to that perspective, though I'm not entirely sure. It’s a complex issue, and I guess it's easy to get lost in the weeds when you're looking at it from such a distance. Perhaps we should look at it more through the lens of domestic policy here in the States, rather than just focusing on international headlines. Anyway, I don't mean to ramble too much. I just find myself pondering these things quite often. It seems like every time we think we've found some footing, something else shifts the ground beneath us again. But, I suppose that's just life, isn't it? Keeping a calm head is probably the best thing we can do.

Look, you really don't know when to quit, do you? You’re honestly acting completely irrational. I can't quite put my finger on what exactly is bothering you, but it seems like you just don't have any sense of basic human boundaries. If this had been about anything else, I probably would have just ignored you entirely and moved on, but this cat... it hit me differently. It felt like she was mine, you know? Like we actually had a connection. Given how you act—though, let's be honest, you aren't exactly the most reasonable person—I really thought people might be able to grasp that some lines just shouldn't be crossed. I feel pretty bad about even engaging with you like this (I really do!), and I hate that I let myself get worked up enough to actually post this. But, well, I only have her photo, so I just decided to share it. I guess I should probably start by saying that I'm just getting settled in here. It feels like a good time to jump into the conversation, though I'm still finding my footing with everything. Maybe I'll share some thoughts once I've had a moment to really process things, but for now, I'm just happy to be part of the group. Just checking in! Just for one day. It’s sitting in the closet—as soon as I set her down in the hallway, she bolted straight for the bedroom and tucked herself away. I even threw in an old sweater I found just to make it look complete. Honestly, I feel a bit silly even trying to defend myself like this, especially when I'm using a picture of this poor cat that you shouldn't even be looking at in the first place. It looks fine here, I suppose, but it isn't quite what it seems. And no, this wasn't someone else's pet or anyone else's cat (actually, she is mine now, one of my cats). Your post was pretty shocking toward the end, though, I guess. Having gotten to know you enough back on that previous Reddit thread, it's perfectly clear to me that what you wrote wasn't just some joke. So, please, don't give me that "cat in the avatar" nonsense; you were flat-out accusing people of lying, and I think I have a pretty good idea of what level of paranoia we're dealing with here.

You’re honestly so predictable and transparent that I think I finally see why you decided to claim I made up the whole thing about my cat—especially since you’ve already coordinated that story with cosmicgull52. Honestly, those weird fixations and fantasies regarding them are a whole other issue entirely. It's like comparing a minor feline illness to a literal plague. I really feel like I should just meet this madness with some sort of calm compassion, but I’m just too incredibly angry right now. When it comes to the death of an animal, it hits differently, especially since I’ve spent the last two days just imagining what life would be like without her.

Well, I suppose this is my last one:

My dad and I took her to the vet today—I’d actually called him earlier this morning just to ask him to bring over the dog's carrier. As soon as he looked her over, he immediately mentioned parvovirus causing panleukopenia, though he did bring up feline AIDS once, while mentioning panleukopenia several more times, both during the visit and when we followed up later. She hasn't been tested for anything specific yet; these were all just his observations based on how she looks and acts. He did tell us we should definitely toss the carrier, but then I called him back later to double-check if I really needed to throw it out, and he changed his tune, saying we could just bleach it with some Clorox. Last night, I was reading up on feline AIDS because I was thinking that as soon as I'm able, I might want to adopt a cat that's carrying the virus but isn't sick yet—apparently, with the right care, they can live long, happy lives. It was only then that I realized panleukopenia is actually feline distemper, not AIDS. It's incredibly contagious and much harder to kill off, which left me feeling pretty confused about why he told us not to throw the carrier away, given that it seems like such a huge infection risk. I suppose there might be ways to sanitize it properly, but honestly, I don't think it's worth the gamble, especially since my dog isn't exactly at her peak health anyway. I was thinking I should probably call him again on Monday just to confirm everything one more time, mostly just to be polite and maybe gently clarify that we're talking about feline distemper rather than AIDS. I think he might have already answered the question about whether the dog could catch it when my dad asked him there in the office. Neither of us is entirely sure what he actually said, though. The whole thing was just so stressful; she was in such bad shape (regardless of how she looked in that photo), you know? You ask a question and you just can't process the answer. So I went down a Google rabbit hole: feline AIDS might be okay, but feline distemper is a different story entirely. Our dog won't be coming back to my apartment anymore, and while she's old and sick, other people will be coming in and out, so I really need to be certain. I don't know if I already mentioned this, but there were no tests performed. To recap the whole confusing timeline for myself: my dad asked if we needed to worry about rabies, the vet mentioned end-stage feline AIDS, and then later, both in person and over the phone, he kept referring to panleukopenia. We just assumed they were the same thing at the time. Man, he actually gave us an answer regarding the risk of transmission to the dog, but we're still not even sure if we heard him correctly, even though he seemed clear enough at the moment. And look, I realize I said he mentioned AIDS first and then said panleukopenia first a few sentences ago, and if that messes with your head... well, whatever, life is messy. It was a chaotic situation, and that's just how it went.

(Now that I’ve really gotten a feel for how you reason, I’m pretty sure that’s why you called me some lying little hack. I can tell because you’ve called people liars over even less than this. Honestly, I feel bad for you; you’re just so incredibly limited by your own rigidity and paranoia, yet somehow you’re also incredibly full of yourself and convinced you can never be wrong. It’s a hell of a combination. But look, you aren't alone here—I guess I have my own issues too. I mean, why would anyone who actually has their life together bother trying to prove anything to you when they already know what the truth is and have seen who you are? No one. Not a single sane person. That's why, as I'm typing this, I actually feel a bit sick to my stomach, because this kind of communication just isn't healthy for me at all. These kinds of insane accusations really trigger me because I was unlucky enough to know a milder version of you once, so my default reaction is to start defending myself, no matter how ridiculous the accusation might be. Unfortunately, I don't take much pride in that, but it is what it is. Luckily, I’ve learned to stay away from people like this, even though the "right" choice might be to deal with it head-on. In reality, it's just cheaper—in terms of both time and money—to just steer clear of people like you, which I know how to do in real life, though apparently not here.

This is the only way to handle people like you: Get lost. You're repulsive. Don't ever address me again.

It’s actually quite simple. One advantage of the digital world is that I can put up a massive shield to defend myself, tell you to get lost, and then just delete you from my life like nothing happened. It’s all the same, really.
ps
And if you try to write back now saying you didn't mean anything by it or that it was just a joke, you won't succeed; if anything, it'll just make me find you even more disgusting.

Kevin Jones19 said:Hey everyone! So, my wife and I finally crossed the border from Russia into Georgia yesterday. We’ve officially made our escape from Putin's crazy concentration camp. We were traveling in a vehicle that was absolutely packed to the brim with all our household stuff—honestly, there wasn't a single square inch of free space left in the car. It was quite the squeeze, I guess! 😁

Good grief, Ivan the Terrible! 🙂 🙂 My apologies for all the drama. I honestly would have gotten back to you sooner if I had seen your post right away, but let's just ignore all that—don't even bother reading it.

This is honestly the best possible outcome, and I’m just so incredibly happy that you all managed to pull this off. I mean, whenever I find myself getting worked up and cursing out Russia—and believe me, I do it quite often, wishing them nothing but the absolute worst—I always end up thinking about you being stuck over there. It makes me bite my tongue more times than I can count, just because I don't want to dwell on the negativity while you're in the middle of it all. But now? You're finally out. You're actually out! Such wonderful news. 🙂 Please reach out whenever you get settled! I’d honestly love to hear about every little thing—even the tiny details would be amazing. If you're up for it, maybe a full travelogue? Just a day-by-day breakdown of your journey toward freedom (okay, I'm kidding, no pressure at all!). 😁But honestly, once you really feel that moment hitting you, just pick out one little detail and snap a photo... maybe it’s a shot of a beach in Florida if you guys are heading down that way, or even just a stretch of highway. Anything, really—just one single picture that captures that specific sense of freedom for you. 🙂

Addition:
Mexican Square is just one example; I mean, it could be anything from a restroom at a gas station in Georgia, to some little cafe or shop, or even just a tree... y'up, you get the point. 😁

Anyway, I hope you all have a wonderful and pleasant trip!

Arthur Sanders74 said:The moderator closed out the old thread.

Linda King was wondering, should she go with a laptop or a desktop?

I'll probably circle back to this later since I'm heading out now. Cheers, everyone. 😁

Rehearsals for Eurovision Today are finally kicking off 👋 👋 👋

I have to admit, that old drunk was actually pretty hilarious when he was messing around with Dženan Puškarić...

As for the more heated topics—I actually feel a bit bad for Gunsica; she managed to win over even someone like me. If she hadn't gotten so defensive about that cat, you’d almost want to give her a hug...

I am truly happy for you, John. Best of luck in this next chapter of your life.

Linda King, you have stated everything perfectly. Stay strong. 🙂

Larry Walker24 said:rehearsals for Eurovision Today are starting👋 👋 👋

Thanks for reminding me why I need to block you again.

Linda King said:Good lord, Ivan the Terrible! 🙂 🙂 (Sorry for the drama—if I’d seen your post sooner, I would have held off on replying. Just ignore my previous comment, don't even read it).

This is honestly the best possible outcome. I am just so happy you guys pulled it off... whenever I find myself cursing out Russia or wishing the worst upon them, I think of you being there and I have to bite my tongue. But now you're finally out! 🙂 Let me know when you arrive; I want to hear every single little detail. I wouldn't mind a full travelogue—day by day, a journey toward freedom (I'm joking, no pressure 😁), but whenever the moment strikes, just pick one small thing and snap a photo... maybe a shot of a Mexican Square beach if you're heading that way, or even just a highway. Anything that captures that specific feeling of freedom for you... 🙂

The week leading up to the departure was an absolute nightmare. Every other word out of our mouths was about "saying goodbye," while the rest was just pure frustration.🙂))
The drive from Moscow-Rostov to the Don River took 13 hours, navigating roads clogged with Wagnerite convoys.
Then it was another 10 hours from Rostov to the border crossing, which was incredibly nerve-wracking.
Fortunately, there weren't any massive lines at the border, and we didn't look like targets for some bounty hunter 🙂 so we crossed through in the blink of an eye.
We were so utterly exhausted that they didn't even realize we had finally reached freedom.
We've been here for two days now because the doctors and specialists here are basically useless due to sheer exhaustion.
Tomorrow, we head toward Turkey. 🙂
We didn't have the guts to photograph military convoys, and besides, taking photos at border crossings is a criminal offense in the US.
Right now, we're staying in an apartment in a small town in Georgia called Stefanatsmnd, with a stunning view of Mount Kazbegi. Unfortunately, I haven't figured out how to upload photos online yet, but as soon as I get back home to Cetinje, I'll get them up immediately.
It's miserable here—nothing but pouring rain and gray skies.
Tomorrow, we move on toward Turkey.

Quick question: how on earth am I supposed to upload photos from my phone to this forum? I’ve got some incredible shots of the mountains up near Kazbegi that I'd love to share.

Much appreciated.
Here's my attempt at uploading a profile picture over on Facebook.
https://m.facebook.com/story.php?sto...ibextid=Nif5oz

Best of luck, Ivan, with all those moves. 👍

Linda King said:I'll circle back to this—heading out now. Thanks, btw. 😁

Is it looking bulky because of the Mac, or just extra space? 🤔 😬

If it's the Mac... I mean, MacBook Pro laptops used to be solid, but this latest one? Between the swollen battery and the keys constantly "sticking"—like, some letters just double or triple up on me, making things look like "thiiisss," while others don't register at all (so I'm stuck editing everything constantly)—it's a mess. Seriously, I've had to take it to the shop four times already! 🙂 Plus, macOS has just gotten boring. I'm running Monterey now.

Anyway, right now I've got the Mac tucked away in one of the rooms (lol!) with the TV, just using it for mindless browsing, YouTube, the forums... if I actually have to get anything serious done, I'm switching over to Windows or Linux.

A decade ago, Apple was an incredible company, but now? I can't stand their laptops, I can't stand their iPhone, nothing!
I remember having my own iPhone once; I couldn't wait to upgrade to something else. But then again, the company basically hands you an iPhone to work with! 🙂Screw the iPhone!

Arthur Sanders74 said:Best of luck, Ivan, with all those moves you've got going on. 👍

It’s a mess.
I honestly can't even begin to wrap my head around the physical state our house in Montpelier is in right now.
I know for a fact a city water main burst and the fence is trashed.
Beyond that, who knows what the biological condition of the water in the cistern is after sitting there for four years? And is the pump even functional anymore?
The only thing I am certain of—is that my money is going to be slipping through my fingers like sand. 😢

Kevin Jones19 said:It’s a mess.
I can’t even begin to wrap my head around what kind of physical disaster our house in Montpelier is in right now.
I already know a main water line burst and the fence is totally trashed.
And honestly? Who knows what kind of biological nightmare the water in the cistern is after sitting there for four years—not to mention whether the pump is even working anymore.
The only thing I’m 100% sure of is that my money is going to be slipping through my fingers like water.😢

Everything can be fixed. Keep your chin up! 👍

It’s all just a collection of trivialities, really. I mean, let’s be honest—it isn't like anyone is actually going to come knocking on my door with a draft notice or some federal agents looking to throw me in handcuffs.