by "nermal" (nermal)
Published 11/08/2017 at 16:16
by "nermal" (nermal)
Published 11/08/2017 at 16:16
Tags: Reality Check
; Reflection
; Be positive
; OMG THE END IS NEAR
STARS: 2
Today marks a year since a major turning point in US politics with Trump winning an election that he was expected to lose bigly. How have you fared since then? Better? Worse? Same? Can’t stop crying? Can’t stop winning? Buy your dream car? Go bankrupt? In essence, how are things?
Personally, things are great, and the past year has been a good one. Job is going great, personal life is going well, and I’ve had the chance to do a lot of things I either really enjoy or just wanted to do for a while. No complaints.
"sm70- why not Duesenberg?" (sm70-whynotduesenberg)
11/08/2017 at 16:21, STARS: 19
Personally, I’ve had my ups and downs but I’m happy with where I am in life right now. I’ve gone from my first car, through my second car, and on to my third. I also came out of the closet about a month and a half ago, which is one of the best things I have ever done for myself.
But, since we are using a political landmark as our time frame of reference, I have to say that this year has been a bigger political embarrassment/nightmare than I thought was physically possible. The fact that our “president’s” approval ratings have not yet hit zero is beyond me.
"TractorPillow" (tractorpillow)
11/08/2017 at 16:23, STARS: 3
In the last year I put in my resignation from the Army, got a great job offer, got back into the Lotus family, and am about to buy a house and have a negative net worth. So...the American Dream!
"If only EssExTee could be so grossly incandescent" (essextee)
11/08/2017 at 16:24, STARS: 1
I’ve been having a great year so far, I’ve been in a slump for a few years now and I’m starting to get my shit back together. These last few months have been a huge turning point for me. I’m back on my medication, I’m getting out more, having a social life, and just generally feeling better about myself. I’m finally figuring out how to be happy. Still working on trying to have a love life but everything else is going pretty damn well.
"victor" (victor)
11/08/2017 at 16:28, STARS: 7
My salary is nothing where I have to be concern where my next meal or whether or not I have a roof over my head.
But I’m not happy that my POC friends, female friends, sick friends and poorer friends are struggling and facing one of the hardest times of their lives.
"Mr. FiSTer of Team FiST Fetish" (mrfist)
11/08/2017 at 16:29, STARS: 1
Left the Air Force, returned to ‘Murica, started going to school fulll time, FiST blew up and got a new engine, traded FiST for Mustang, and now just coasting through the rest of the year.
"Chariotoflove" (chariotoflove)
11/08/2017 at 16:32, STARS: 0
Been a good year overall. Health is okay. Family doing well. Got tenure. Investments are doing well.
"interstate366, now In The Industry" (interstate366)
11/08/2017 at 16:36, STARS: 0
Professionally pretty well, personally...eh. Not wanting kids makes your dating pool much, much, much smaller.
"deekster_caddy" (deekster_caddy)
11/08/2017 at 16:38, STARS: 4
I generally try to stay out of politics, but here’s my take. Overall things are about the same. We were hoping to replace my wife’s 9 year old wagon with a Pacifica Hybrid minivan next year, but if they nuke the EV tax credit we probably can’t afford it. That’s about the only way politics will affect my life directly. Indirectly, I’m ashamed at how many horrible people have come out of the woodwork and have been emboldened to blare out racist and mysoginistic remarks. Public hate speech and acts are through the roof instead of slowly dying out and it saddens me.
"yamahog" (yamahog)
11/08/2017 at 16:41, STARS: 11
Let me go check with Heather Heyer
"Yowen - not necessarily not spaghetti and meatballs" (yowen)
11/08/2017 at 16:46, STARS: 14
I think life for ME is going great. But I think life for many is more threatened by our current government than it was during our previous administration AND more threatened than it would’ve been under Clinton.
So yes, many of us can look back and say, last year went great, things are fine. But we need to look back at America as a whole, are those that DON’T/Didn’t have it great doing better now? I argue a resounding NO.
Life for me is fine because I’m white, middle class, I am college educated and come from a college educated family, heterosexual, I am not and hardly ever will be threatened by the swinging of the political pendulum, I can ALWAYS look back at the past year and say that it’s been fine, because an administration left or right has precious little influence on me. Because I’m left to go about my daily business by either side.
So I vote for what I think is best for those that aren’t as lucky as me, those that answered with that resounding NO.
"yamahog" (yamahog)
11/08/2017 at 16:48, STARS: 2
fyi /r/childfree does monthly “CF4CF” threads
"Spaceball-Two" (spaceball-two)
11/08/2017 at 16:50, STARS: 0
Can’t say a lot has changed. My wife’s job is directly related to Linda McMahon and her policies so it’s been a bit dicey to see where things will go down the road. I work in real estate development and things are thriving here so I can’t complain.
"Tripper" (tripe46)
11/08/2017 at 16:55, STARS: 1
I’ve been much better over the past year! Job/personal life also going well. I’ve dropped from 189 lbs to 163 lbs, eating well, running around 5-15 miles per week. Cut out a few bad habits. I can’t complain either.
"interstate366, now In The Industry" (interstate366)
11/08/2017 at 17:01, STARS: 1
Thanks, I’ll look into it.
"yamahog" (yamahog)
11/08/2017 at 17:05, STARS: 1
np, I’m not much of a reddit person but they have some good resources (doctor lists, etc) in that group.
"yamahog" (yamahog)
11/08/2017 at 17:14, STARS: 4
Let me go check with my coworkers who got fucked over by the travel ban
"fhrblig" (fhrblig)
11/08/2017 at 17:16, STARS: 7
As someone who stayed in the closet way too damn long, I’m always glad to hear when someone comes out. Here’s to freedom!
"Dr. Zoidberg - RIP Oppo" (thetomselleck)
11/08/2017 at 17:17, STARS: 1
This last year has admittedly been pretty rough for me personally... I did buy a nice car, but outside of that... [dismissive hand wave]... It’s whatever.
"yamahog" (yamahog)
11/08/2017 at 17:31, STARS: 9
Let me go check with everyone who is ringing their congress critters off the hook hoping they won’t die because who needs Medicaid when we can have tax cuts for the rich?
Gotta say this is overall a weird way to show off how easy it is to not care about politics when it doesn’t affect you. You had a great year, congrats.
"G_Body_Man: Sponsored by the number 3" (gbodyman)
11/08/2017 at 17:39, STARS: 1
I’m happier now than I was then. I’ve learned, and I’ve changed, and I’ve grown. Getting the SSRIs out of my system last summer sucked because I was on them since I was a kid, but once I was through withdrawal I felt stronger and more human. I’ve realized that it’s okay to like shitty things. I’ve realized that I don’t have to live for anyone else. I’ve realized that every car I’ve bought has been a $5000 car. I’ve experienced firsthand that living doesn’t have to cost a whole lot more than surviving. I now know that I’ve seen a lot more than many of my peers. I’ve realized that I’m ready to love again. I’ve picked up a few new skills. I’ve seen the light and bought an import. I’ve reaffirmed my belief that driving enjoyment > fuel costs. I know where my allegiances lie. I’ve moved across the country for school. I am not who I was in November of 2016, but I’m more or less exactly who I wanted to be.
Politically, I’m Canadian. I’m not really gonna say anymore than “it sucks” because my thoughts have been already been shared by others in this thread. Many of my friends are relating to Mos Def’s line of “I don’t read the newspapers because they all have ugly prints” right now.
"Spaceball-Two" (spaceball-two)
11/08/2017 at 17:45, STARS: 2
"bhtooefr" (bhtooefr)
11/08/2017 at 17:45, STARS: 0
Professionally, some shit’s gone down at work that’s... a bunch of bullshit, but my management’s been 100% behind me on it, so it’s not a huge deal. Otherwise, doing pretty damn well there.
Personally, could be better, could be worse. Turned out that I’ve been misreading things with a good friend of mine for the past couple years, and it hurt to find that out, especially when it should’ve been obvious to me what was actually going on. (She’d yell at me for kicking myself for it, though, and try to take some of the blame...) However, I’m oddly... OK... after that. In the past, that kind of thing would have wrecked me for months afterwards, so I guess that’s an improvement?
Not sure what I’ll do from here - I’m in the same childfree boat as interstate 366, I don’t feel like the rat race of online dating would work well for me (especially given my lack of experience), and my local area is full of people that I wouldn’t be friends with, much less date (and friendship is a prerequisite for me, the whole meaningless sex thing would not work for me, I’m quite certain - then again, LDRs are fine with me, and I find it easier to get to know people behind a keyboard at least at first).
"Corkscrew'd" (corkscrewd)
11/08/2017 at 17:45, STARS: 3
I was unemployed and living on welfare for most of the year, but I’ve gone on a few unforgettable adventures and even transformed myself into a photographer. Hell I even somehow ended up with a project car completely for free thanks to the grace of some amazing people. Now that I’ve got a job I mostly enjoy, I’m trying to build myself back up again.
I need to finish that article I’ve been writing about the project car too.
"Dr. Zoidberg - RIP Oppo" (thetomselleck)
11/08/2017 at 17:52, STARS: 1
Well I’m definitely doing better than Jack’s infinite something something
"Spaceball-Two" (spaceball-two)
11/08/2017 at 17:53, STARS: 0
Could be worse. You could be Bob.
"Dr. Zoidberg - RIP Oppo" (thetomselleck)
11/08/2017 at 17:54, STARS: 1
His name was Bob—
Okay, I’m not going to start quoting every line of that movie like everyone else my age.
"EL_ULY" (uly)
11/08/2017 at 18:01, STARS: 4
as far as direct presidential impact, things did not get better since he arrived and started changing things (poor Mexican aka the opposite of who he is working for). But, just adapting and continuing to make a couple pennies when I can is all we can do.
Is it really that impossible to have a sane/normal good person be a president and isn’t in the pocket of the rich?
"Monkey B" (monkeyb)
11/08/2017 at 19:09, STARS: 1
can’t stand the headlines...can’t stand how utterly ridiculous this administration is...can’t stand the guy soiling the oval office and ruining the way the world views us as a whole. Even with a respectable man in office the global opinion of us is a thin ice proposition. He’s a complete embarrassment.
Plus side, my personal life is on the up after starting the year with the soon to be ex-wife calling it quits.
"Jonathan Harper" (jbh)
11/08/2017 at 19:16, STARS: 0
Pretty decent. Weird, but ok. I moved to LA. Got a good job. Got an M235i and hit the canyons religiously. But I miss my peoples in NY.
"Daily Drives a Dragon - One Last Lap" (ddadragon)
11/08/2017 at 19:55, STARS: 0
Hasn’t been great personally, but that has nothing to do with who got elected
"nermal" (nermal)
11/08/2017 at 19:58, STARS: 0
Congrats, and thanks for sharing.
"nermal" (nermal)
11/08/2017 at 20:00, STARS: 0
Appreciate the insight, thanks for sharing.
"nermal" (nermal)
11/08/2017 at 20:05, STARS: 0
I think it’s a catch-22 in that sane, normal, and good people don’t want to be the president. It takes an immensely strong ego and thick skin to make it through the election process, as well as a boat load of cash.
On top of that, presidents age like in the movie Interstellar, where one year is like eight or so.
"Jagvar" (Jagvar)
11/08/2017 at 20:29, STARS: 3
Dude, congrats! I started slowly coming out a few years ago, but this was the year I finally knocked the closet door off the hinges, so to speak. My parents finally met my partner (whom I’ve been in a happy relationship with for 5+ years) in August, and this is the first year he’ll be celebrating Thanksgiving and Christmas with my family. It only gets better, man. Happy for you!
"Jagvar" (Jagvar)
11/08/2017 at 20:35, STARS: 3
Same boat. I wish I’d come out years earlier than I did. Those who mind don’t matter, and those who matter don’t mind.
"Under_Score" (tomtheatum)
11/08/2017 at 21:27, STARS: 0
This current administration is a threat to my well-being and my POC, LGBTQIA, ABCDEF, and other friends. (28 stars, four replies)*
In all seriousness, I’ve been doing well. I graduated high school, started college, and am traveling down an excellent road for my future. *Yes, I understand the struggles some are going through, and I’m trying to become more understanding of these issues, but the exaggerated responses and the amount of stars received for what seems like a low-traffic post prompted that response.
"yamahog" (yamahog)
11/08/2017 at 21:30, STARS: 3
I graduated high school
.....that explains a lot
"Wagon Guy drives a Boostang" (gimmeboost)
11/08/2017 at 22:03, STARS: 1
Things are better in my life than a year ago, but Mr. Trump has nothing to do with that. Things are better only for my own hard work.
"Smallbear wants a modern Syclone, local Maple Leafs spammer" (smallbear94)
11/08/2017 at 22:27, STARS: 0
For me personally, started out fine but ended up more or less burning my summer by partially dislocating my shoulder. In the first couple days of June. I can do many things with that arm again now, but it’s still more or less fucked. And it hates sitting at a keyboard all day, too. I just wanna be able to sleep on my left side again
It’s recovered well enough for hockey as long as I don’t get checked from behind on the left (and provided I give it a good warmup) though, soo... I can live with it now
"CompactLuxuryFan" (compactluxury)
11/08/2017 at 22:45, STARS: 1
Wow, so many LGBT folks on here. I feel like I *never* encounter gay guys who are into cars, at least not in an Oppo kind of way. Maybe I should ask around more.
"sm70- why not Duesenberg?" (sm70-whynotduesenberg)
11/08/2017 at 23:39, STARS: 0
Thanks! I was absolutely blown away by the response, probably got hundreds of messages the first couple of days with people saying they were proud and wishing me well. I still haven’t received so much as one negative or derogatory comment, which I know won’t last forever but I’m still insanely lucky and grateful.
"sm70- why not Duesenberg?" (sm70-whynotduesenberg)
11/08/2017 at 23:40, STARS: 0
Yeah, there’s more of us than you’d think. I hear the same thing about Jewish people, I’m Jewish and people assume most of us aren’t into cars. Ironically there was a time when it seemed like half the Jalopnik staff was Jewish.
"DipodomysDeserti" (dipodomysdeserti)
11/09/2017 at 00:45, STARS: 1
Gotta say I’m relieved it was a child complaining about Kinja stars and not a full blown adult.
"yamahog" (yamahog)
11/09/2017 at 08:38, STARS: 0
It’s not just the guys who are gay around here either
"Yowen - not necessarily not spaghetti and meatballs" (yowen)
11/09/2017 at 09:08, STARS: 0
No problem, it’s a very interesting subject. What’s your opinion on what I had to say? I’m certainly not faulting you for saying life has been good the past year. But do you feel there is some truth to what I said, or do you have a different point of view?
"nermal" (nermal)
11/09/2017 at 11:35, STARS: 0
I agree with you on the concept that in general, the rich get richer, the poor get poorer, and the middle stays in the middle. The closer somebody is to the rich side of the scale, the less influence the political pendulum has on them.
I disagree that those on the lowest end of the economic spectrum are worse off now than they were a year ago. There has never been greater opportunity than there is now - Jobs are at an all time high, unemployment is at an all time low, and the economy is growing, with no signs of that slowing down any time soon. A lot of the available jobs require lower skill levels and provide lower wages, but they are there for those that want (and only qualify for) them. Despite the ongoing talks that the ACA is going to implode, more people than ever are signing up for health insurance through it, and more are getting coverage for low or no cost. Consumer confidence and spending are at an all time high, but so is consumer lending.
My personal philosophy is that those that work for what they have appreciate it more, but there will always be those that don’t want to work. The key point is that there is opportunity, whether it is to get a low wage / low skill job that you can barely get by on (rather than being on welfare), or starting a business and building your personal empire. For those that want it, it’s there.
"CompactLuxuryFan" (compactluxury)
11/09/2017 at 12:57, STARS: 0
Of course! But I’m not out dating girls, so I can’t comment :P
"CompactLuxuryFan" (compactluxury)
11/09/2017 at 12:58, STARS: 0
I think it has to do with me being very urban. That greatly increases the number of guys, but the proportion who care about cars goes down?
"sm70- why not Duesenberg?" (sm70-whynotduesenberg)
11/09/2017 at 15:02, STARS: 0
Might be it.
"Rusty Vandura - www.tinyurl.com/keepoppo" (rustyvandura)
11/17/2017 at 16:16, STARS: 0
And your posts have been upbeat in that regard. I am staggering under the health insurance premiums I have to pay and I fear taking it in the shorts at Tax Time under the Republicans’ impending tax plan.
I seek your opinion: what do you think of The Atlantic as a publication? What publications to you read regularly?
"Your boy, BJR" (jerseyshoreben)
01/03/2018 at 13:59, STARS: 1
Lmao. Savage.