Better Life Puns

Anyone have any advice? Or which countries are good places to settle down and chill?

I moved to the USA from Portugal in 2018 and kinda liked it at first. When the novelty of moving to another country wore off, reality hit. Car culture is definetely the biggest contributor to a poor quality of lifestyle in America. Everything is made for cars and when you grow up in a "normal" city, there is no way to ignore it or not be bothered by it. Even in the few cities where public transport is decent, you still have to breathe in that shitty car air all the time. Anyways, in the US you can make more money, have a bigger house, a bigger car, etc. But I wouldn't trade public healthcare, several weeks paid vacation, maternity benefits, beautiful walkable cities, beaches, and the European lifestyle for any of that. Sorry, rant over.

There are many things that we wish to own but keep the thoughts on the back burner. And when we actually buy that thing it makes such a big difference. Do you have something interesting or anything that you own that you feel makes that difference in your life?

I come from a poor family. I couldn’t afford cegep/university because I was out on my own at 18. I stupidly got a car loan at 19 but it’s paid off now and since then I’ve saved $35,000 in my bank account. I mostly saved it by not doing much outside of work. I have no investments, I know nothing about it. I have no further education. I rent an apartment.

I want to own a house. I want a career. I want to own a nice car. I actually need a new one since my car died and I am torn between buying a cheap car or spending a large portion of my savings. I don’t know how to do any of this and I have nobody around to help. I am very lost. I don’t want to work 40 hours a week in a shit job at $16/hr for the rest of my life. If it changes anything, I am in Quebec.

What should I do.

I masturbate twice a day - it's the highlight of my day. I have not had any friends in eight years so I can't go hang out with someone to distract me, and the weather outside this time of the year is freezing.

Edit: Thank you all for your comments. They have given me some much needed motivation!

You’re just driving along on Route 16 in Milford, or Route 109 in Dedham, or Boylston Street in Boston (and you can probably name a street in your own city or town). You’re cruising along in the left travel lane, and all of a sudden, with no advance warning or time to move over, BOOM: you’re fender-deep in a left-turn-only lane with zero time to react. None of those widening center-line chevrons that “create” a turn lane, no arrows painted on the pavement, no anything. Just a “⬅️ ONLY” sign next to the hanging stoplight AT the intersection, and MAYBE a painted arrow at the stop line.

So you do what any true Mass-hole would do: you either turn left and bang a u-ie to re-enter the road you were on, or you slam the gas and jerk the wheel right and cut everyone off in the lane next to you.

And people wonder why Massachusetts drivers have a reputation. I have never understood how these configurations have stood the test of time.

Looking for some inspo to get out of the rat race

I feel like if I could just DECIDE, I could move on with this issue, but I keep flip-flopping. I try to feel confident about my looks and then look in the mirror and cry.

It is strange. I loved shows like "The Expanse" and "Battlestar Galactica" but was not interested very much in the real space program.

Perhaps it became all too easy to think that America had given up on space.

I checked "For All Mankind" out of boredom and curiosity during the quarantine of 2020. I'll admit I lost interest after the first two episodes but I a few days later I decided to give it another shot and once it got to the training of the female astronauts it kept my attention.

I enjoyed the second season despite there being more "soap opera" and a cringe worthy part of it.

After finishing the first season I immediately binge watched any astronaut themed movies and documentaries I could find. Movies like "First Man", "Apollo 13", "The Right Stuff", "Hidden Figures", "Interstellar", "Gravity", "The Martian", "From The Earth to the Moon", "When We Left Earth: The NASA Missions", "Challenger: The Final Flight", and even an anime called "Planetes".

I did not realize how interesting the history of real space exploration was. I did not know the first American in space had to urinate in his suit and said ""Dear Lord, please don't let me fuck up" before going up. I did not realize how dangerous the first rockets and spacecraft were. I did not know Neil Armstrong almost died on Gemini 8 due to a malfunctioning thruster. I did not know the very first Apollo mission was a catastrophic failure that ended in the deaths of three astronauts.

Now knowing this I am even more inspired.

Just as I was getting excited for real human spaceflight Bob and Doug went up on a Crew Dragon and a month later another rover was launched to Mars signalling a new era in spaceflight and space exploration.

I am also excited for the "James Webb Space Telescope" and the return to the Moon.

"The Martian" is now officially my favorite sci fi movie. I am now excited for the movie adaptions of "Project Hail Mary" and "Rendezvous with Rama". I am even excited for Pixar's "Lightyear" movie.

If "For All Mankind" was a ploy by NASA to get people fired up for a new era of spaceflight and space exploration it worked stunningly well on me!

As the 5th wave of covid hits countries all around the world, one thing is becoming clear regardless of our personal opinion about covid: Quebec will go down as one of the place with the worst ratio of restrictions imposed vs effort made (or even restrictions imposed vs covid cases&deaths…). For instance, we have one of the highest vaccinated population the world paired with super strict lockdown measures compared to countries who are vaccinated less.

Of course, one could have multiple good or bad opinions about the reasons behind this depressing ratio. (The unvaccinated? Our bad healthcare system? Our culture?)

Regardless of the latter, has it ever crossed your mind to move to a place where the restrictions are less bad and where the population has a different philosophy about risk and health?

Personally, I am finding it harder and harder to see young people live a much better university life in countries like the UK, US, France, etc (Especially right now that I have friends on exchange abroad). Of course, we have no power on where we were born (im from mtl), but 2 years into this pandemic I sometimes regret coming to McGill simply because it’s in Montreal. As I’ll be graduating in the next 2 years, covid philosophy will definitely be a factor of choice for job or masters location.

At this point it’s not even about my personal politics or opinions, I’m straight up becoming unhappy living here, which frankly breaks my heart as a proud (not so much anymore tho) French Canadian…

Have some of you felt the same ? :/

I love kids but I would fail my own. I am tired of people saying I "would be a great parent" no matter how many times I say I do not have that ability. I do not have the personality for a kid. I do not want that responsibility. I don't want to push a baby out of me that will permanently alter my body and have me suffering for 9 months of carrying it. I don't want to babysit for 18+ years and take it everywhere with me while people are annoyed by it crying and screeching. I don't want to neglect the hypothetical kid because of how I am. I don't want to go through with the kid being bullied or doing bad things to themselves like taking harmful substances. I don't want to spend all my money on the kid. I don't want the kid to suffer the consequences of the previous generations. I don't want it to get my disabilities. Having a kid would do more bad than good if I was the parent, I might be a good person but I would not be a good parent. A kid is not an accessory or miracle life saver like people want to think. It is a human being and a soul that requires tons of responsibility and care that I just can't make happen. I want to spend life with my S/O and only them. Maybe even have a cat.

edit:

Yet again, i love kids. But life is precious and a huge responsibility NOT to mess it up. Especially on an impressionable developing baby/child. I dont want to mess the CHILD up, and i dont want it to mess ME up. I just dont want to take that double-edged chance. Thanks for reading! Any negative repliers can go outside and smell the roses for a while. Thanks!

Research suggests life works better for conventionally attractive people, entitling them to more pay etc. Do you agree or think this applies here too?

I’m lacking in that department right now, hence the post, but here’s one that changed my life when I successfully stuck to it in the past - do something that makes you feel in touch with your mind + body for ~15 minutes before bed. For me, this has included keeping mindful skincare routine, doing a short and easy yoga routine, or reading a chapter of a good book.

Stats: 26 year old, 183cm, 94kg, male, currently afraid of begin exercise again

• I'm 18 month clean from a 1,5 year cocaine and speed abuse/addiction/whatever I was pretty active and fit before, I started exercising alone and being mindful about my diet went from 94kg to 70. After I fell into this "rabbithole" (it was a workplace where I got into drugs) I started to care less about regular exercises. I was still on diet and drinking 3-4L/day. I still drink enough water my diet sucks I just don't feel the urge to eat right or to make my food.

• I would like to lose weight and get some strenght especially my legs because I feel like there is some circulation issues.

Now I can barely do 5 pushup, my lower leg stiff, my muscles are stiff and I easily out of breath.

All in all, I would like to turn my life around (I hope it's not too late) and get some advice how to start this whole thing again with a crappy physique.

Thanks for all of the answers!

Alright. I know this is going to bring a whole lot of hate but I don’t care. I even had to make a new account just to feel safe posting this. That’s pretty sad. Every post and comment here is the same. I feel like a different narrative should be heard as well.

I stopped disclosing and life has gotten all around better. I have genital, rarely have outbreaks, and take antivirals and lysine. My chances of spreading are incredibly low and I don’t have sexual contact during the few outbreaks I do get. The first year I told every potential partner. I got rejected a lot but honestly I could care less about that. I gave guys all the info to make them feel comfortable but I started to realize I was the one that was uncomfortable.

I did all of my research, understanding that the majority of adults have herpes, but thought to myself how I’ve never been disclosed to yet here I am now with herpes too. Those with oral herpes do not disclose and no one thinks less of them or denies them. So with all of these things considered why should we be “obligated” to tell partners just for having the same thing in a different location? I’ve been publicly humiliated, received death threats, and told how nasty I am for responsibly disclosing. I’m sorry but no thanks. I cant live like that and I shouldn’t have to. None of us should.

I’m having sex again but even better my mental health has improved beyond measure. I don’t feel sick to my stomach worried that some man is going to get physically or verbally violent with me or spread my info all over the internet. I don’t have the anxiety of disclosing anymore. That’s more than I could ever ask for.

This isn't a Buy It For Life post. Well, I mean, it is in a sense, but you know.

I'm looking to immediately better my life, and I have money to spend. Not Scrooge McDuck money, but just a tiny bit of my earnings.

What can I buy on January 1st that will help better my life?

It doesn't need to last me forever, or last me the whole year. It could be a one-off disposable thing, or it could be something I only use once. And of course, I could buy something that I use every day or even a wearable that is constantly on me. I don't know.

Let's talk purchasables.

I have been in a relationship with a girl for about 2 years now, and I'm getting this feeling that it may be time for it to be over. When we first met, she was such a sweet girl. I mean that's really the only way to put it. She was really sweet and supportive and she still can be but ever since life has sort of started to hit us she has become bitter, miserable, and constantly angry. I'm going to save your time here and run down a pros and cons list. Long post ahead but I provided all information needed

Incidents that have made me consider packing my bags and hitting the road:
- Constant arguments about taking her birth control. She specifically will not take it some nights to "prove to me nothing will happen if she skips a day". I typically have to wear her down by pleading or arguing to get her to take it. There is no other reason to do this other than to prove me wrong. There was an incident where she left it at her house but was staying at mine, so I ran to her house to get it (her brother let me in) and while I was trying to leave she kept screaming "I can't believe you would do this to me on my last night here" (college break) and shit like that. She becomes very upset if I use a condom and usually tries to get me to take it off during sex.

- Constant doom and gloom misery. Ever since she has gone to college she has been nothing but miserable and angry, and about every time we are together she is complaining about how she has no money, yet she will not get a job. It is frankly just ridiculous to me. She hates everyone, and has very few friends, and is often angry at me that I have friends, online or irl. It's a nuanced anger but it's there. It definitely irritates her and makes her jealous.

- "Breaks": Whenever she gets angry enough at me, she will tell me she needs a break from me to rethink our relationship. This is my time off. I get to relax, and not worry about anything. She typically texts me about a day or two after this and tells me she loves me, and she wanted to do this break to "make me realize what it would be like if she were gone" (peaceful)

- Does not communicate problems until months after they have happened and holds resentment for them long after resolution. Me and my buddy went to see a movie a couple months ago that she had not expressed a lot of interest in seeing and she still brings it up to this day that I went without her. It is a point of contention in the relationship.

- She will never go near a