Overheard on Facebook

[Metric Mouse]

I feel bad for this but I feel jealous of people who's relatives above them have money/assets. I'd love to just casually get tens of thousands of dollars, at once, for landing in the right gene pool.

You live in Canada with good internet access, job prospects, healthcare, running water etc.

Assuming you were born there, being in this gene pool was worth a significant amount.

Touché. I remember a news stories about millionaires in the Hamptons complaining about the billionaires in their neighbourhood with their jets and how they don't understand how it hurts their middle class feelings to look how well off some people are.

I could counter with the trope of "raised by a single mother on welfare with three other children, illiterate until the sixth grade" and so forth but your point would still beat mine. Thanks for the friendly reminder. It brought a little light to my day to be reminded :)

You meet the nicest people handing out face punches. :D

[Chaplin]

Touché. I remember a news stories about millionaires in the Hamptons complaining about the billionaires in their neighbourhood with their jets and how they don't understand how it hurts their middle class feelings to look how well off some people are.

I could counter with the trope of "raised by a single mother on welfare with three other children, illiterate until the sixth grade" and so forth but your point would still beat mine. Thanks for the friendly reminder. It brought a little light to my day to be reminded :)

You meet the nicest people handing out face punches. :D

Oh no, no, no. That was Canadian for "I hate you for pointing out my error and I hope you get a horrible disease."

[BDWW]

Touché. I remember a news stories about millionaires in the Hamptons complaining about the billionaires in their neighbourhood with their jets and how they don't understand how it hurts their middle class feelings to look how well off some people are.

I could counter with the trope of "raised by a single mother on welfare with three other children, illiterate until the sixth grade" and so forth but your point would still beat mine. Thanks for the friendly reminder. It brought a little light to my day to be reminded :)

You meet the nicest people handing out face punches. :D

Oh no, no, no. That was Canadian for "I hate you for pointing out my error and I hope you get a horrible disease."

Bless your heart.

[Metric Mouse]

Touché. I remember a news stories about millionaires in the Hamptons complaining about the billionaires in their neighbourhood with their jets and how they don't understand how it hurts their middle class feelings to look how well off some people are.

I could counter with the trope of "raised by a single mother on welfare with three other children, illiterate until the sixth grade" and so forth but your point would still beat mine. Thanks for the friendly reminder. It brought a little light to my day to be reminded :)

You meet the nicest people handing out face punches. :D

Oh no, no, no. That was Canadian for "I hate you for pointing out my error and I hope you get a horrible disease."

Bless your heart.

:D I knew someone would come through with this.

[cavewoman]

My husbands best friend and his fiance are pregnant, and they each just inherited a sum of money totalling over 50k combined.

What a great set up for first time parenthood, right? Well if it was, i wouldnt be posting here. They've already spent 2-3k on new laptops because gaming graphics, buy records by the pound, and she is getting a new car. My husband tried to talk to his friend (the dad-to-be) about how she could get something around a 2005 and be set, but she wants a brand new car.
My husband might have gotten through to the future dad a bit about how he should invest some of his inheritance for the education of his son since his son will never get to meet his grandma, so there is some hope.

This couple is engaged but argue about whose turn it is to buy the toothpaste. I know that some couples separate finances and that works great for them but that just seems like taking it to a whole new level.

I feel bad for this but I feel jealous of people who's relatives above them have money/assets. I'd love to just casually get tens of thousands of dollars, at once, for landing in the right gene pool.

Check out the inheritance drama thread, and you might change your mind!! :)

[kayvent]

My husbands best friend and his fiance are pregnant, and they each just inherited a sum of money totalling over 50k combined.

What a great set up for first time parenthood, right? Well if it was, i wouldnt be posting here. They've already spent 2-3k on new laptops because gaming graphics, buy records by the pound, and she is getting a new car. My husband tried to talk to his friend (the dad-to-be) about how she could get something around a 2005 and be set, but she wants a brand new car.
My husband might have gotten through to the future dad a bit about how he should invest some of his inheritance for the education of his son since his son will never get to meet his grandma, so there is some hope.

This couple is engaged but argue about whose turn it is to buy the toothpaste. I know that some couples separate finances and that works great for them but that just seems like taking it to a whole new level.

I feel bad for this but I feel jealous of people who's relatives above them have money/assets. I'd love to just casually get tens of thousands of dollars, at once, for landing in the right gene pool.

Check out the inheritance drama thread, and you might change your mind!! :)

Now that statement I can contest! I have to deal with 99% of the lunacy that I've read in that thread but nobody gets anything.

[Travis]

One of my friends posted a meme showing 10 guys out to dinner with their phones in a basket. The caption reads "first one to call his wife has to pay the bill." My friend comments "well maybe not the guy whose phone is at the bottom of that pile. His phone looks so old he can't afford the tab." Surprisingly someone else chimed in before I could remarking that maybe he has mad frugal skills and is actually the only one of the group who can afford to pay for everyone.

[MgoSam]

One of my friends posted a meme showing 10 guys out to dinner with their phones in a basket. The caption reads "first one to call his wife has to pay the bill." My friend comments "well maybe not the guy whose phone is at the bottom of that pile. His phone looks so old he can't afford the tab." Surprisingly someone else chimed in before I could remarking that maybe he has mad frugal skills and is actually the only one of the group who can afford to pay for everyone.

I would love this! As a bachelor, this would mean a free meal for me.

I have paid credit card roulette where you each put a card in a hat and the waiter draws it. The winner doesn't pay, while everyone else covers the winner's share (there is also the reverse where the person who's card is drawn has to pay for everyone).

[MrMoogle]

One of my friends posted a meme showing 10 guys out to dinner with their phones in a basket. The caption reads "first one to call his wife has to pay the bill." My friend comments "well maybe not the guy whose phone is at the bottom of that pile. His phone looks so old he can't afford the tab." Surprisingly someone else chimed in before I could remarking that maybe he has mad frugal skills and is actually the only one of the group who can afford to pay for everyone.

I would love this! As a bachelor, this would mean a free meal for me.

I have paid credit card roulette where you each put a card in a hat and the waiter draws it. The winner doesn't pay, while everyone else covers the winner's share (there is also the reverse where the person who's card is drawn has to pay for everyone).

The problem with the second one is everyone gets the most expensive thing, since it's unlikely they will have to pay.  But the average price goes through the roof.

[MgoSam]

One of my friends posted a meme showing 10 guys out to dinner with their phones in a basket. The caption reads "first one to call his wife has to pay the bill." My friend comments "well maybe not the guy whose phone is at the bottom of that pile. His phone looks so old he can't afford the tab." Surprisingly someone else chimed in before I could remarking that maybe he has mad frugal skills and is actually the only one of the group who can afford to pay for everyone.

I would love this! As a bachelor, this would mean a free meal for me.

I have paid credit card roulette where you each put a card in a hat and the waiter draws it. The winner doesn't pay, while everyone else covers the winner's share (there is also the reverse where the person who's card is drawn has to pay for everyone).

The problem with the second one is everyone gets the most expensive thing, since it's unlikely they will have to pay.  But the average price goes through the roof.

I completely agree. My mom goes out to dinner with her friends every few weeks and mentioned that if one person orders a drink everyone will. I guess they don't want to pay for someone else's drink and so they will order one for themselves, thus causing the bill to go up. I believe this is akin to the Prisoner's Dilemma.

[Lunasol]

Usually when I go out with friends each one pays for what they eat/drink.

Other times, we've split the bill but it inevitably has left a hole in my stomach :X

[WerKater]

One of my friends posted a meme showing 10 guys out to dinner with their phones in a basket. The caption reads "first one to call his wife has to pay the bill." My friend comments "well maybe not the guy whose phone is at the bottom of that pile. His phone looks so old he can't afford the tab." Surprisingly someone else chimed in before I could remarking that maybe he has mad frugal skills and is actually the only one of the group who can afford to pay for everyone.

I would love this! As a bachelor, this would mean a free meal for me.

I have paid credit card roulette where you each put a card in a hat and the waiter draws it. The winner doesn't pay, while everyone else covers the winner's share (there is also the reverse where the person who's card is drawn has to pay for everyone).

The problem with the second one is everyone gets the most expensive thing, since it's unlikely they will have to pay.  But the average price goes through the roof.

I completely agree. My mom goes out to dinner with her friends every few weeks and mentioned that if one person orders a drink everyone will. I guess they don't want to pay for someone else's drink and so they will order one for themselves, thus causing the bill to go up. I believe this is akin to the Prisoner's Dilemma.

Tragedy of the commons, I would say. Of course, one could see the Prisoner's Dilemma as a special case of the tragedy of the commons.

[Travis]

One of my friends posted a meme showing 10 guys out to dinner with their phones in a basket. The caption reads "first one to call his wife has to pay the bill." My friend comments "well maybe not the guy whose phone is at the bottom of that pile. His phone looks so old he can't afford the tab." Surprisingly someone else chimed in before I could remarking that maybe he has mad frugal skills and is actually the only one of the group who can afford to pay for everyone.

I would love this! As a bachelor, this would mean a free meal for me.

I have paid credit card roulette where you each put a card in a hat and the waiter draws it. The winner doesn't pay, while everyone else covers the winner's share (there is also the reverse where the person who's card is drawn has to pay for everyone).

The problem with the second one is everyone gets the most expensive thing, since it's unlikely they will have to pay.  But the average price goes through the roof.

I completely agree. My mom goes out to dinner with her friends every few weeks and mentioned that if one person orders a drink everyone will. I guess they don't want to pay for someone else's drink and so they will order one for themselves, thus causing the bill to go up. I believe this is akin to the Prisoner's Dilemma.

Tragedy of the commons, I would say. Of course, one could see the Prisoner's Dilemma as a special case of the tragedy of the commons.

And he deleted the quote the next day. Guess he didn't find it that funny after we poked a couple holes in his logic?

[intirb]

Post from a former college classmate, paraphrased:

Being an adult means accepting that you will be in financial debt of some sort at almost every point in your life from now on.

We both graduated from the same decent, private university with degrees in engineering :(.

[Metric Mouse]

Post from a former college classmate, paraphrased:

Being an adult means accepting that you will be in financial debt of some sort at almost every point in your life from now on.

We both graduated from the same decent, private university with degrees in engineering :(.

Guess they probably fell for the "Buy a house" myth...

[merula]

I got into a MASSIVE fb flame-war when someone I graduated college with started posting about how all millenials are completely screwed financially and will never be able to retire. My point was, repeatedly, it's about choices and some people make different ones from you. If you want to change your life, change your choices. (And I shared things on how compound interest works, and about how low-income Millennials can use the Retirement Contribution Credit to massively subsidize their savings.)

I had a number of people back me up, and when I offered free financial advice for anyone who wanted to take me up on it, I got a few people interested, so overall I'm glad I participated.

The worst quote was: "Merula, you graduated from college into a good job. From your perspective, yes, it's easy, but that is not the case for MANY Americans." Hilarious because this person WENT TO THE SAME COLLEGE I DID. She took 6 years instead of 4 because she kept changing her major, and went for anthropology while I did business. I *am* lucky that I went to a good college, and for a lot of other reasons, most of which I share with this massive complainypants.

[dragoncar]

I got into a MASSIVE fb flame-war when someone I graduated college with started posting about how all millenials are completely screwed financially and will never be able to retire. My point was, repeatedly, it's about choices and some people make different ones from you. If you want to change your life, change your choices. (And I shared things on how compound interest works, and about how low-income Millennials can use the Retirement Contribution Credit to massively subsidize their savings.)

I had a number of people back me up, and when I offered free financial advice for anyone who wanted to take me up on it, I got a few people interested, so overall I'm glad I participated.

The worst quote was: "Merula, you graduated from college into a good job. From your perspective, yes, it's easy, but that is not the case for MANY Americans." Hilarious because this person WENT TO THE SAME COLLEGE I DID. She took 6 years instead of 4 because she kept changing her major, and went for anthropology while I did business. I *am* lucky that I went to a good college, and for a lot of other reasons, most of which I share with this massive complainypants.

You are both right... Millenials are screwed because they make bad choices

[Kitsune]

I got into a MASSIVE fb flame-war when someone I graduated college with started posting about how all millenials are completely screwed financially and will never be able to retire. My point was, repeatedly, it's about choices and some people make different ones from you. If you want to change your life, change your choices. (And I shared things on how compound interest works, and about how low-income Millennials can use the Retirement Contribution Credit to massively subsidize their savings.)

I had a number of people back me up, and when I offered free financial advice for anyone who wanted to take me up on it, I got a few people interested, so overall I'm glad I participated.

The worst quote was: "Merula, you graduated from college into a good job. From your perspective, yes, it's easy, but that is not the case for MANY Americans." Hilarious because this person WENT TO THE SAME COLLEGE I DID. She took 6 years instead of 4 because she kept changing her major, and went for anthropology while I did business. I *am* lucky that I went to a good college, and for a lot of other reasons, most of which I share with this massive complainypants.

You are both right... Millenials are screwed because they make bad choices

ARRRRGH.

The worst for me is when fellow Quebec-ers complain about how Millenials are all screwed, and that's why they're poor.

Like, guys. You went/were eligible to go to college around the same time I did, with about the same in-province tuition costs (as memory serves, it was less than 2K/semester including all fees and books for all classes). Even those with student loans have less than 20K worth.

And, um, I graduated with an English Lit degree and minors in European History and Women's Studies (clearly, I was very job-focussed at 22). And started work at a temp agency within 3 weeks of graduating. AND YET: I have an excellent career-type job making over 60K a year, and I've made over 60K a year for more than 60% of my working life so far.

So don't give me 'millennials are so screwed, you're just lucky'. *grump*

(To be fair: I have no student loans, not even 20K worth, and I have family connections and a safety net, so I'm luckier than a lot of people.)

[merula]

I'm definitely lucky. I was born in the first world, raised in a family and a state that values education, I don't have physical or learning disabilities that would cause opportunities to be blocked to me.

This woman has the same lucky situation. Probably the only way I have more luck than her was that I have a parent who was able to talk me out of a Liberal Arts major and into Business.

In the time since I posted my previous message, this woman has posted a new update. It's a doozy. (Names changed to protect innocent businesses.)

Just wrapped up the most action-packed weekend I've ever hosted. We did the following:
- [Restaurant with $10 burgers] for [specialty burgers], spam bites, and tater tot poutine
- [Mid-range pub] for pub trivia
- [Bakery] for croissants
- [City] Cathedral
- [Local ethnic group] marketplace to eat all the things
- [Nearby city] for autumnal views of downtown
- [Park] and walk to the river
- [Local church]
- [Another park] garden visit
- Rainy day drinks at [trendy bar]
- More rainy day drinks and lovely riverfront views at [another trendy bar]
- Sours at [local brewery]
- Takeout from [restaurant I've never heard of], selection of dark beers, and movies on the couch
- [Art museum]

Kudos to her for working some free options in there, but overall I'm just pissssssed.

[Catbert]

I'm definitely lucky. I was born in the first world, raised in a family and a state that values education, I don't have physical or learning disabilities that would cause opportunities to be blocked to me.

This woman has the same lucky situation. Probably the only way I have more luck than her was that I have a parent who was able to talk me out of a Liberal Arts major and into Business.

In the time since I posted my previous message, this woman has posted a new update. It's a doozy. (Names changed to protect innocent businesses.)

Just wrapped up the most action-packed weekend I've ever hosted. We did the following:
- [Restaurant with $10 burgers] for [specialty burgers], spam bites, and tater tot poutine
- [Mid-range pub] for pub trivia
- [Bakery] for croissants
- [City] Cathedral
- [Local ethnic group] marketplace to eat all the things
- [Nearby city] for autumnal views of downtown
- [Park] and walk to the river
- [Local church]
- [Another park] garden visit
- Rainy day drinks at [trendy bar]
- More rainy day drinks and lovely riverfront views at [another trendy bar]
- Sours at [local brewery]
- Takeout from [restaurant I've never heard of], selection of dark beers, and movies on the couch
- [Art museum]

Kudos to her for working some free options in there, but overall I'm just pissssssed.

She probably also can't figure out why she's over weight.  Damn metabolism!

[LeRainDrop]

So don't give me 'millennials are so screwed, you're just lucky'. *grump*

Some people are always going to have excuses/justifications for why they're not getting ahead -- it's a lot easier to rationalize that it's not your fault rather than actually confront your own choices and decision-making.

She probably also can't figure out why she's over weight.  Damn metabolism!

Yeah, I was gonna say, how much eating and drinking can they do?

[Kitsune]

I'm definitely lucky. I was born in the first world, raised in a family and a state that values education, I don't have physical or learning disabilities that would cause opportunities to be blocked to me.

Well, yeah, totally (and obviously). What I was grumbling about are the people who are like "oh, you're just lucky, the rest of us are screwed because Generational Issue" and who have had all the same advantages/luck. Like... Dude. At least have some self-awareness?

Or, even worse, when the people doing that whining are the people who mocked me for working 70-hour weeks during the summer at 24 "because summer is time to relaaaaax you're such a sucker". Like. My sympathy-meter is hitting the negatives.

[Metric Mouse]

I'm definitely lucky. I was born in the first world, raised in a family and a state that values education, I don't have physical or learning disabilities that would cause opportunities to be blocked to me.

Well, yeah, totally (and obviously). What I was grumbling about are the people who are like "oh, you're just lucky, the rest of us are screwed because Generational Issue" and who have had all the same advantages/luck. Like... Dude. At least have some self-awareness?

Or, even worse, when the people doing that whining are the people who mocked me for working 70-hour weeks during the summer at 24 "because summer is time to relaaaaax you're such a sucker". Like. My sympathy-meter is hitting the negatives.

Sounds like you could use some drinks at a trendy river-front bar.

[Kitsune]

I'm definitely lucky. I was born in the first world, raised in a family and a state that values education, I don't have physical or learning disabilities that would cause opportunities to be blocked to me.

Well, yeah, totally (and obviously). What I was grumbling about are the people who are like "oh, you're just lucky, the rest of us are screwed because Generational Issue" and who have had all the same advantages/luck. Like... Dude. At least have some self-awareness?

Or, even worse, when the people doing that whining are the people who mocked me for working 70-hour weeks during the summer at 24 "because summer is time to relaaaaax you're such a sucker". Like. My sympathy-meter is hitting the negatives.

Sounds like you could use some drinks at a trendy river-front bar.

Hah. Sure. You buying? ;)

(Alternative: hot spiced cider on my front deck overlooking the lake and mountains... In that house that, as a millennial, I shouldn't be able to afford because we're all screwed. Mm hmm. I may not like or afford trendy bars, but is is a REALLY good alternative).

[TheGrimSqueaker]

I'm definitely lucky. I was born in the first world, raised in a family and a state that values education, I don't have physical or learning disabilities that would cause opportunities to be blocked to me.

Well, yeah, totally (and obviously). What I was grumbling about are the people who are like "oh, you're just lucky, the rest of us are screwed because Generational Issue" and who have had all the same advantages/luck. Like... Dude. At least have some self-awareness?

Or, even worse, when the people doing that whining are the people who mocked me for working 70-hour weeks during the summer at 24 "because summer is time to relaaaaax you're such a sucker". Like. My sympathy-meter is hitting the negatives.

Sounds like you could use some drinks at a trendy river-front bar.

Hah. Sure. You buying? ;)

(Alternative: hot spiced cider on my front deck overlooking the lake and mountains... In that house that, as a millennial, I shouldn't be able to afford because we're all screwed. Mm hmm. I may not like or afford trendy bars, but is is a REALLY good alternative).

There's nothing like the crisp taste of hot cider on a cool fall morning or evening. Once in a while I spike mine with spiced rum, but it's just as tasty with a stick of cinnamon.

[Kitsune]

I'm definitely lucky. I was born in the first world, raised in a family and a state that values education, I don't have physical or learning disabilities that would cause opportunities to be blocked to me.

Well, yeah, totally (and obviously). What I was grumbling about are the people who are like "oh, you're just lucky, the rest of us are screwed because Generational Issue" and who have had all the same advantages/luck. Like... Dude. At least have some self-awareness?

Or, even worse, when the people doing that whining are the people who mocked me for working 70-hour weeks during the summer at 24 "because summer is time to relaaaaax you're such a sucker". Like. My sympathy-meter is hitting the negatives.

Sounds like you could use some drinks at a trendy river-front bar.

Hah. Sure. You buying? ;)

(Alternative: hot spiced cider on my front deck overlooking the lake and mountains... In that house that, as a millennial, I shouldn't be able to afford because we're all screwed. Mm hmm. I may not like or afford trendy bars, but is is a REALLY good alternative).

There's nothing like the crisp taste of hot cider on a cool fall morning or evening. Once in a while I spike mine with spiced rum, but it's just as tasty with a stick of cinnamon.

It's also a conveniently fancy drink that makes your house smell AMAZING when simmered on the stove, and can be schmancy for non-drinkers (at the moment: I'm pregnant, my SIL is pregnant, my MIL has stomach issues and can't drink, my FIL is doing cancer treatments and can't drink, my mother is newly on medication for rheumatoid arthritis and can't drink because the meds already have a risk of liver failure, and my dad has a Problematic Family History with alcohol and avoids having more than a few sips out of someone's glass). Given that... I'm basically on the lookout for fancy-looking-and-tasting non-alcoholic drinks.

Also looking at that list, I'm so freakin thankful for the quebec healthcare system, no joke.

[TheGrimSqueaker]

I'm definitely lucky. I was born in the first world, raised in a family and a state that values education, I don't have physical or learning disabilities that would cause opportunities to be blocked to me.

Well, yeah, totally (and obviously). What I was grumbling about are the people who are like "oh, you're just lucky, the rest of us are screwed because Generational Issue" and who have had all the same advantages/luck. Like... Dude. At least have some self-awareness?

Or, even worse, when the people doing that whining are the people who mocked me for working 70-hour weeks during the summer at 24 "because summer is time to relaaaaax you're such a sucker". Like. My sympathy-meter is hitting the negatives.

Sounds like you could use some drinks at a trendy river-front bar.

Hah. Sure. You buying? ;)

(Alternative: hot spiced cider on my front deck overlooking the lake and mountains... In that house that, as a millennial, I shouldn't be able to afford because we're all screwed. Mm hmm. I may not like or afford trendy bars, but is is a REALLY good alternative).

There's nothing like the crisp taste of hot cider on a cool fall morning or evening. Once in a while I spike mine with spiced rum, but it's just as tasty with a stick of cinnamon.

It's also a conveniently fancy drink that makes your house smell AMAZING when simmered on the stove, and can be schmancy for non-drinkers (at the moment: I'm pregnant, my SIL is pregnant, my MIL has stomach issues and can't drink, my FIL is doing cancer treatments and can't drink, my mother is newly on medication for rheumatoid arthritis and can't drink because the meds already have a risk of liver failure, and my dad has a Problematic Family History with alcohol and avoids having more than a few sips out of someone's glass). Given that... I'm basically on the lookout for fancy-looking-and-tasting non-alcoholic drinks.

Also looking at that list, I'm so freakin thankful for the quebec healthcare system, no joke.

Apples are said to be good for the liver.

I used to host a salon where I served hot apple cider in the evenings during the winter and iced mint tea in the summer. With that particular crowd, there were a few university students who were still underage, two raging alcoholic, and an old lady with a serious brain injury whose memory problems always ensured she'd forgot she'd already told us why she couldn't drink. It was better to just get creative.

The most recent addition to my creative drink repertoire is a recipe I got from a teammate. Make a cup of lemon tea, and add a hazelnut flavored creamer of some kind. (I like to just use almond milk, it's cheaper.)

[merula]

She probably also can't figure out why she's over weight.  Damn metabolism!

Yeah, I was gonna say, how much eating and drinking can they do?
[/quote]

On the nosey.

And +1 to hot apple cider. Or, since we've been having a fairly warm autumn, a bottle of hard cider instead.

[QueenAlice]

...

(Alternative: hot spiced cider on my front deck overlooking the lake and mountains... In that house that, as a millennial, I shouldn't be able to afford because we're all screwed. Mm hmm. I may not like or afford trendy bars, but is is a REALLY good alternative).

What a dream! We're building a house next year and this is one of the things I am so excited for {apple cider and porch sitting}. We don't have mountains or lakes, but we do have a farm and a pond to overlook :)

[shelivesthedream]

Is American cider literally just apple juice? Even that concentrated stuff you can buy in the supermarket?

[Kitsune]

Is American cider literally just apple juice? Even that concentrated stuff you can buy in the supermarket?

Yeah. They call the boozey stuff hard cider.

[seanc0x0]

Is American cider literally just apple juice? Even that concentrated stuff you can buy in the supermarket?

It's usually unfiltered apple juice, as far as I can tell. Most often raw (no preservatives) which helps when I convert it to 'real' cider with the addition of yeast. ;)

[Friar]

It took me years of being online and reading comments from Americans to realise that they call "cider" is equivalent to freshly pressed apple juice, in the UK.

It always perplexed me why there was a debate as to whether cider counted as one of your five-a-day fruit or vegetables.

Heck, if cider counted then beer, and wine, should as well!

[zolotiyeruki]

FWIW, American apple cider often has some spices added to it.  And it's best served piping hot :)

[dandarc]

It took me years of being online and reading comments from Americans to realise that they call "cider" is equivalent to freshly pressed apple juice, in the UK.

It always perplexed me why there was a debate as to whether cider counted as one of your five-a-day fruit or vegetables.

Heck, if cider counted then beer, and wine, should as well!

That's a food intake guideline I can get behind.

[With This Herring]

Given that... I'm basically on the lookout for fancy-looking-and-tasting non-alcoholic drinks.

I hope you don't mind, but I would also like those drinks, so I made a new thread.

FWIW, American apple cider often has some spices added to it.  And it's best served piping hot :)

Added spices?  Where?  In NYS we are all about apples, and the only (normal, non-alcoholic) cider I've seen with added flavors very carefully specifies it on the label, such as "Sparkling Spiced Pumpkin Cider."  Anything labeled plain "Cider" is going to be pure, unfiltered pressed apple.  You can take a gallon of cider and then purchase some mulling spices to go in it, heat them together, and enjoy (and yes it is the best!), but I've never seen the cider sold with spices already added.

[economista]

This morning I was scrolling through my facebook feed while my computer loaded and I came across a post from one of my athlete's moms (I'm a youth coach).  She was complaining that she lives on a cul-de-sac and a moving van broke down right at the end of it, completely blocking the road so she had no way to get her giant SUV out of her street to pick up her son from school.  Someone commented on it and said that she should just walk to the school and her response what that she can't because the school is a mile and a half away. *facepalm* This woman isn't even overweight by normal American standards - a mile and a half walk (or 3 miles total round-trip) shouldn't be that big of an issue!  Apparently the problem was solved when she saw a neighbor come home who lives past where the truck was sitting, and he drove her to pick up her son.

[Papa Mustache]

Maybe drive that Sports Utility Vehicle through someone's yard just a little and go around the truck?

Hey, turn the 4WD drive on for a moment just to heighten the thrill?!?!? (Probably doesn't know how like many suburbanites).

[marty998]

This morning I was scrolling through my facebook feed while my computer loaded and I came across a post from one of my athlete's moms (I'm a youth coach).  She was complaining that she lives on a cul-de-sac and a moving van broke down right at the end of it, completely blocking the road so she had no way to get her giant SUV out of her street to pick up her son from school.  Someone commented on it and said that she should just walk to the school and her response what that she can't because the school is a mile and a half away. *facepalm* This woman isn't even overweight by normal American standards - a mile and a half walk (or 3 miles total round-trip) shouldn't be that big of an issue!  Apparently the problem was solved when she saw a neighbor come home who lives past where the truck was sitting, and he drove her to pick up her son.

Maybe she just like the smell of toxic gas fumes when she is lined up idling behind a hundred other SUVs in the school carpark.

[MrRealEstate]

This morning I was scrolling through my facebook feed while my computer loaded and I came across a post from one of my athlete's moms (I'm a youth coach).  She was complaining that she lives on a cul-de-sac and a moving van broke down right at the end of it, completely blocking the road so she had no way to get her giant SUV out of her street to pick up her son from school.  Someone commented on it and said that she should just walk to the school and her response what that she can't because the school is a mile and a half away. *facepalm* This woman isn't even overweight by normal American standards - a mile and a half walk (or 3 miles total round-trip) shouldn't be that big of an issue!  Apparently the problem was solved when she saw a neighbor come home who lives past where the truck was sitting, and he drove her to pick up her son.

Maybe she just like the smell of toxic gas fumes when she is lined up idling behind a hundred other SUVs in the school carpark.

or he could always ride the bus, don't schools still do that?

[Tjat]

This morning I was scrolling through my facebook feed while my computer loaded and I came across a post from one of my athlete's moms (I'm a youth coach).  She was complaining that she lives on a cul-de-sac and a moving van broke down right at the end of it, completely blocking the road so she had no way to get her giant SUV out of her street to pick up her son from school.  Someone commented on it and said that she should just walk to the school and her response what that she can't because the school is a mile and a half away. *facepalm* This woman isn't even overweight by normal American standards - a mile and a half walk (or 3 miles total round-trip) shouldn't be that big of an issue!  Apparently the problem was solved when she saw a neighbor come home who lives past where the truck was sitting, and he drove her to pick up her son.

Maybe she just like the smell of toxic gas fumes when she is lined up idling behind a hundred other SUVs in the school carpark.

or he could always ride the bus, don't schools still do that?

Now you're just thinking like a commoner. Don't you know mommy's special snowflakes melt on busses?

[ketchup]

This morning I was scrolling through my facebook feed while my computer loaded and I came across a post from one of my athlete's moms (I'm a youth coach).  She was complaining that she lives on a cul-de-sac and a moving van broke down right at the end of it, completely blocking the road so she had no way to get her giant SUV out of her street to pick up her son from school.  Someone commented on it and said that she should just walk to the school and her response what that she can't because the school is a mile and a half away. *facepalm* This woman isn't even overweight by normal American standards - a mile and a half walk (or 3 miles total round-trip) shouldn't be that big of an issue!  Apparently the problem was solved when she saw a neighbor come home who lives past where the truck was sitting, and he drove her to pick up her son.

Maybe she just like the smell of toxic gas fumes when she is lined up idling behind a hundred other SUVs in the school carpark.

or he could always ride the bus, don't schools still do that?

I know for where I grew up, a mile and a half was the cutoff for the bus picking you up.  It was assumed kids were capable of walking any less than that....

[runningthroughFIRE]

This morning I was scrolling through my facebook feed while my computer loaded and I came across a post from one of my athlete's moms (I'm a youth coach).  She was complaining that she lives on a cul-de-sac and a moving van broke down right at the end of it, completely blocking the road so she had no way to get her giant SUV out of her street to pick up her son from school.  Someone commented on it and said that she should just walk to the school and her response what that she can't because the school is a mile and a half away. *facepalm* This woman isn't even overweight by normal American standards - a mile and a half walk (or 3 miles total round-trip) shouldn't be that big of an issue!  Apparently the problem was solved when she saw a neighbor come home who lives past where the truck was sitting, and he drove her to pick up her son.

Maybe she just like the smell of toxic gas fumes when she is lined up idling behind a hundred other SUVs in the school carpark.

or he could always ride the bus, don't schools still do that?

I know for where I grew up, a mile and a half was the cutoff for the bus picking you up.  It was assumed kids were capable of walking any less than that....

I wonder how much of this mindset is a consequence of where you live/habits formed.  When I visit my home town I don't think twice about driving a mile for a quick errand or to meet someone, but in my current town I am loathe to use my car for anything that doesn't involve a highway.  If I'm not actively thinking about it I forget all about the cognitive dissonance there.

[ohsnap]

...

or he could always ride the bus, don't schools still do that?

No, none of the elementary or middle schools in my area provide bus service anymore.  I think the high schools do; because there are so few of them students are farther away.

But the close proximity of schools to their students doesn't stop the SUV line-up at my local elementary and middle school.  Seriously, I don't leave my house by car between 8-8:45 AM, or 2:30-3:30PM, because traffic is so bad.  The cars start lining up about 30 minutes before school lets out, so by T-25 minutes one lane of traffic is completely blocked.  The elementary students in particular all live within a mile of the school.  WHY CAN'T THEY WALK?

[Goldielocks]

Here, K and Grade 1 must be picked up by an adult.  In California, kids up to grade 3 were expected (not mandatory, but EXPECTED to be picked up by an adult)

   I don't know why the adults don't walk, but they often don't.. maybe between running errands or something in the car, don't have the time, etc..?

[TheGrimSqueaker]

Here, K and Grade 1 must be picked up by an adult.  In California, kids up to grade 3 were expected (not mandatory, but EXPECTED to be picked up by an adult)

   I don't know why the adults don't walk, but they often don't.. maybe between running errands or something in the car, don't have the time, etc..?

My tiny brain just exploded. There's no good reason children from the same neighborhood can't walk together in packs. It helps them learn social skills.

[kayvent]

Here, K and Grade 1 must be picked up by an adult.  In California, kids up to grade 3 were expected (not mandatory, but EXPECTED to be picked up by an adult)

   I don't know why the adults don't walk, but they often don't.. maybe between running errands or something in the car, don't have the time, etc..?

My tiny brain just exploded. There's no good reason children from the same neighborhood can't walk together in packs. It helps them learn social skills.

<sarcasm>What about those filthy Irish lurking the streets? </sarcasm> This is one of the downsides of having a heterogeneous culture. In countries where they have 95+% of the same ethnic group, Japan comes to mind, letting kids that young or younger travel without their parents/alone/with their peers isn't uncommon. It's just assumed if they need help that anyone of the adults around will jump into action.

[mm1970]

Here, K and Grade 1 must be picked up by an adult.  In California, kids up to grade 3 were expected (not mandatory, but EXPECTED to be picked up by an adult)

   I don't know why the adults don't walk, but they often don't.. maybe between running errands or something in the car, don't have the time, etc..?

My tiny brain just exploded. There's no good reason children from the same neighborhood can't walk together in packs. It helps them learn social skills.

My own personal experiences and friends:

1. (Elementary age here): parents aren't at home.  Kids aren't walking home in packs because their parents are working.  This means...
- When they do get picked up, they get picked up individually, whenever said parents are done with work.

2. Safety of the particular 'hood.  We walk to school once/week with the kids.  There are 2 families that do it regularly.  Plus 1 that does it sometimes and a fourth that talks about it a lot.  Family #4 lives a distance further away and talks about just dropping her son off at our corner and letting them all go together by themselves!
- Unfortunately, the first section up the hill has no sidewalk.  The next section has a very narrow sidewalk that is rounded and painted white at the curb - and you can CLEARLY see where cars have gone up over the side.  This section of street is very narrow and twisty and uphill, and people drive too fast.  It's nerve wracking to say the least.

- The friend who talks about "letting them all go because it's good for them" has a 5th grader.  In the group, there are four 5th graders.  A third grader.  A first grader.  A kindergartener.

Yah, the fifth and 3rd graders, fine.  But 1st and kinder?  No way.  Not on that street. Even once they get to the "real" sidewalk, there are 3 streets to cross and I've often seen cars run the stop signs.

[mm1970]

I appreciate that her situation is difficult, it's expensive to be poor in America, and skipping a night of sushi or pizza wouldn't come close to  fixing her fundamental lack of money problem. But how do you not see that "spending money you don't have on treats because you're so stressed about money" is making your money problems worse?

A couple of things at work here:
- Stress for sure makes it worse, and makes people stupid.  Physical reasons for this.  Have to take that into account.

- "Big picture".  You are being nice about saying how skipping a night of sushi or pizza won't fix things.  (It's true.)  But for how many people is it only a night?  I can only speak for my friends who seem to eat out multiple times a week, or at least weekly.  We go through streaks like that too, but a typical month will see us eating out maybe 2x.

I mean, seriously,
- >50% of the money spent on food in the US is on eating out.  Stop doing that.  Save money
- I once calculated that by packing my lunch and hubby's lunch and kiddo's lunch (when there were only 3 of us) saved $3500 a year, or a new Civic in 5 years.
- For a single person, that $3500 is probably $1500.  There's your crown.

Then again, when I was a kid - paying for the doctor or dentist (we had no insurance for most of the time), and paying for food and utilities, came before TVs, VCRs, cable (there wasn't cable), vacations, eating out, etc.

[Metric Mouse]

A friend posted this picture of sushi on Instagram.

2 days later, her tooth is broken and she can't afford emergency dental work. Posts about ordering Papa John's pizza that night. Then: "Being an adult is 90% worrying about money and 10% spending money you don't have on treats because you've worried a lot this week."

In the comments: "A crown alone is $1500 or so. This is why I hadn't gone to the dentist. Like, where will I find $1500? I already have my ultrasounds and heart tests and everything else on my credit card. It's almost maxed out and I can barely make the monthly payment. And, my car registration is due by the end of the month. $216. I'm not whining about it. It's just a fact. I made $28,000 last year. I am about to turn 41 and I don't even have a savings account or a retirement account. So, when people share some bullshit meme about spending $5 a day on coffee and saving that to go buy a plane ticket anywhere in the world instead, I want to punch them in the fucking face. Sometimes poor people are just poor. And, the next person who tells me that Dave Ramsey's books can help me can also get a big fat punch in the fucking face."

I appreciate that her situation is difficult, it's expensive to be poor in America, and skipping a night of sushi or pizza wouldn't come close to  fixing her fundamental lack of money problem. But how do you not see that "spending money you don't have on treats because you're so stressed about money" is making your money problems worse?

That sushi does look amazing though. And super healthy. And she does know about face-punches... so there may be progress there?