Random randomness

[Daehawk]

These are SO good.

[Holman]

I enjoy my King Oscar Kipper Snacks!



I eat the herring and let my dog clean the tin. Everybody wins!

[Blackhawk]

I enjoy my King Oscar Kipper Snacks!



I eat the herring and let my dog clean the tin. Everybody wins!

I do love some kippers once every week or two (and I get King Oscar a lot.) And they're not too awful health-wise, either. At least as long as you watch the sodium.

[Holman]

At least as long as you watch the sodium.

I feel like most of my diet is watching sodium. I quit my processed-junkfood habit decades ago, but it seems like everything we don't cook from scratch in the kitchen contains an absurd amount of salt.

[Blackhawk]

That's why I got rid of my salt shaker years ago.

[Kraken]

Redneck sushi.

[Blackhawk]

Those pesky British rednecks.

[Madmarcus]

That's why I got rid of my salt shaker years ago.

That works but now I've started making my own bacon. It's salty, which might partially be because I'm not used to eating much that is directly salty, but great.

[Kraken]

That's why I got rid of my salt shaker years ago.

That works but now I've started making my own bacon. It's salty, which might partially be because I'm not used to eating much that is directly salty, but great.

Do not google "making bacon."

I like salt and my blood pressure is nominal so I don't care about health risks, but I don't add it to anything that gets big flavor from other ingredients. Potato- and bean-based dishes usually need a generous salt boost.

[Madmarcus]

Do not google "making bacon."

Or at least google it from home.

[Sudy]

So I've seen this same post shared on Facebook a couple times now. Something about Walmart giving away gift bags to celebrate going plastic free next year. Take a look at the image.



You don't even need to enlarge it. I kid you not, 97% of the comments are earnest entries into the "contest".


I'd say Facebook needs to die, but anywhere stupid festers will just replace it. I know ignorance isn't a generational problem, but Facebook in particular sure has become a playground for old ignorant white people.

[Blackhawk]

Wow. They didn't even try.

[Jaymann]

I don't see anything unusual.

[Blackhawk]

I don't see anything unusual.

Zoom in. Hint:

Spoiler:

Look at the logos. Any of the logos.

Super hint:

Spoiler:

It's a 5th-grade MS Paint quality fake.

[The Meal]

Wow. They didn't even try.

[Daehawk]

I see that kinda thing on there. I mean if its too good to be true then it is. When you see "So'n'So food place is giving away such'N'such to the first 100 replies" well you're dumb if you fall for it. I used to post to not fall for that crap but gave up. If people fall for it then they deserve it. Theres too much of it online to hand hold the people who shouldn't be online.

[Sudy]

Does anyone have experience with artisanal watershakes? I'm eyeing ones sourced from a spring outside Seljavallalaug, Iceland. Legend has it, drinking from these waters enabled Hrafnkell to live to 104 and enjoy vigorous sexual encounters late into life. The chia slurry is non-GMO which I'm fine paying a premium for, but $24 per 212ml bottle seems iffy when I might get hit with duty on top.

[wonderpug]

It’s funny how much that looks like a spam bot post

[TheMix]

It’s funny how much that looks like a spam bot post

[Skinypupy]

Just talked to my third friend in the past two weeks who is getting a divorce after 20+ years because their spouse cheated on them. This last one had uprooted his entire family and moved down to Florida. Her family was there, but he had no support structure in Florida at all. They were in the process of building their dream home (was set to move in next month) and she simply walked away from the entire thing with the other guy and left him holding the bag. I hadn't talked with him in a couple months, and he simply broke down in tears for 20 minutes on the phone this morning.

I can't even imagine...I need to go hug Mrs. Skinypupy.

[Sudy]

Presumably not directly related, but I was reading an article that 15% of Canadian couples had ended their relationships in the past year, suspectedly due in part to the strain of the pandemic. 15%?? How is that possible?

They quote a number near five million. We only have 37 million people. I'd be curious how they arrived at these numbers, and what the normal rate is. Like are they including casual dating, or are we talking about committed, long term relationships? I do definitely see how the pandemic might have increased these numbers, but that number is ridiculous.

Then again, I'm in a weird subset who's only seen one divorce (lifetime) among something like 15-20 grandparents, uncles, aunts, cousins, etc. And I had no real relationships before Mrs. Nym, just some high school bungling thatg got as far as a single held hand, and then one or two possibly intense but misguided online relationships that never progressed to real life. But you're telling me at 15% of everyone in a serious relationship in a year has broken up, that seems nuts.

[Skinypupy]

Presumably not directly related, but I was reading an article that 15% of Canadian couples had ended their relationships in the past year, suspectedly due in part to the strain of the pandemic. 15%?? How is that possible?

They quote a number near five million. We only have 37 million people. I'd be curious how they arrived at these numbers, and what the normal rate is. Like are they including casual dating, or are we talking about committed, long term relationships? I do definitely see how the pandemic might have increased these numbers, but that number is ridiculous.

Yeah, pandemic stress definitely crossed my mind. He said this one had apparently been going on for a while though, and he thinks (in retrospect) that it was the reason she was so adamant about moving from VA down to FL. Got to the point where he actually hired a PI, and they caught her and the other guy hooking up at a rest stop. No matter how bad my relationship with Mrs. Skinypupy might get, I can't ever imagine stooping to hookups at random rest stops. Just...ick.

Then again, I'm in a weird subset who's only seen one divorce (lifetime) among something like 15-20 grandparents, uncles, aunts, cousins, etc.

Same. Both mine and Mrs. Skinypupy's parents have been married 50+ years, same with grandparents on both sides. There's only been one divorce in our entire extended family, and that was a very justifiable case (my cousin's ex-wife was nuts). I'm going on 25 years, my brother's at 23, and both of my wife's siblings are at 20+ years (and one of those got married the day after their HS graduation because she was pregnant).

Our family is throwing off the national divorce statistics, apparently (knock on wood).

[LordMortis]

Stress causing divorces during the pandemic I intuitively understand. Pandemic baby booming I intuitively understand. Cheating? Not so much. But then cheating is something I don't get at all. A wandering eye? Sure. But living a life of deception to that level with the person you've committed to everything for. I never could fathom that. And then... pandemic.

My heart breaks every time I read of a failed marriage, especially when it comes to cheating/children... or both.

Then again, I'm in a weird subset who's only seen one divorce (lifetime) among something like 15-20 grandparents, uncles, aunts, cousins, etc.

I was the first in my family. It ripped me to shreds to ask for a divorce and then it ripped me to shreds again to tell my parents.

[Smoove_B]

Our family is throwing off the national divorce statistics, apparently (knock on wood).

I'd thought the same thing about my extended family, but as a grown-ass adult, I now see that there should have likely been a lot more divorce instead of dysfunctional families soldiering on and the impact it's had on their kids. I have quite a few cousins that (as adults) are having significant problems, particularly with substance abuse and maintaining relationships.

I'm sorry to hear about your friends; I can't even imagine.

[Sudy]

That's true. My parents came very close, separating a few times. Thirteen years into my own marriage I don't think divorce is a good thing, but I've certainly grown to understand many of the challenges of marriage and how easy it is to fail.

[LordMortis]

the impact it's had on their kids.

That is what tipped the scales for me. Kids were the next logical sequence and I couldn't imagine raising them around the household we had become and once kids were in the picture I would have never left. (Oddly fortuitous now, beyond the misery factor, as I don't know how my later deteriorating health could have supported work and children. I can barely take care of me. A small person with no ability to be self sufficient? Forget it.)

[Skinypupy]

Our family is throwing off the national divorce statistics, apparently (knock on wood).

I'd thought the same thing about my extended family, but as a grown-ass adult, I now see that there should have likely been a lot more divorce instead of dysfunctional families soldiering on and the impact it's had on their kids. I have quite a few cousins that (as adults) are having significant problems, particularly with substance abuse and maintaining relationships.

I'm sorry to hear about your friends; I can't even imagine.

Very true, and I'm certainly not advocating that people should stay in bad relationships. I also recognize that I'm only getting one side of the story, so there could very well be significant issues from the other person's end that I know nothing about.

[Smoove_B]

Very true, and I'm certainly not advocating that people should stay in bad relationships. I also recognize that I'm only getting one side of the story, so there could very well be significant issues from the other person's end that I know nothing about.

Yeah, that's the truth. I just think about how different I am after 21 years of marriage - I'm absolutely not the same person, and that's not even considering becoming a parent or a change in career/work trajectory. I'm just talking about core personality - how I think/act/respond to things is completely different. I can actually easily understand drifting apart in that scenario - I just think about all the friends I've lost touch with (not that it's the same, it's just a baseline comparison of overlapping interests) over the last ~30 years. Relationships are hard.

[gilraen]

My grandparents divorced the year I was born. At that point, they'd been married for 30 years and just...didn't get along. Except this was in the USSR, and you couldn't exactly just go out and rent another apartment; the waitlist was many years long. So my grandparents continued living in the same apartment, my grandfather had his own bedroom and his own corner table in the kitchen. When I was a kid, I didn't know they were divorced (the word was never mentioned), I thought that's how grandparents were supposed to live...smh.

[Blackhawk]

At the same time:

Social constructucts human nature

[LordMortis]

My grandparents divorced the year I was born. At that point, they'd been married for 30 years and just...didn't get along. Except this was in the USSR, and you couldn't exactly just go out and rent another apartment; the waitlist was many years long. So my grandparents continued living in the same apartment, my grandfather had his own bedroom and his own corner table in the kitchen. When I was a kid, I didn't know they were divorced (the word was never mentioned), I thought that's how grandparents were supposed to live...smh.

That's how both sets of my grandparents lived and how my parents live now. None were ever headed to divorce (to my knowledge). They've just gotten to the point somewhere post retirement where together but separate is much healthier for them. My parents never argued until my dad retired. Things got pretty heated then for a good long while until they learned to be separate but together. Oddly enough, my little sister getting knocked up while still in highschool, almost killed my father but then later may have saved my parents relationship (I doubt they would have divorced but they were not happy, ever, and that was not something I was accustomed to) and his life. He about had a heart attack and was in constant anger at my sisters pregnancy until he was living with a grandbaby whom he could give the attention to that he could never give his own kids (that work thing). He found his place, got out of my mother's domain where he was not welcome (laundry, yard, cooking, etc... etc... etc... etc...) and found a best friend. Order was restored to the universe in a way that couples want to believe children will fix their relationship but never do.

[dbt1949]

We've been divorced for almost six years now. My ex keeps wanting to get remarried but I see no need for it. But we still live together. No one else will take care of her and I feel a sense of responsibility and duty.

[ImLawBoy]

My sister and her husband have been married for about 20 of the last 30 or so years. I've always wanted to ask if they get to bridge their marriage time if they stay together for long enough this second go-round, but somehow I'm not sure that would be appreciated.

[hitbyambulance]

At the same time:

Social constructucts human nature

never been married. i was pushed to do so some years ago, and i didn't - just wasn't ready then, i've come to realize. were it to happen with the same person, i could now.

[Z-Corn]

My parents were each divorced twice.

From each other.

They married each other four times and divorced twice. Never married another person other than each other.

My Mom left my Dad the first time and vice versa 20 years later. The second divorce totally saved their relationship. The last couple years before my Mom died my Dad was going over to her house three or four times a week to sit on the porch first thing in the morning to drink coffee and chat.

We've been married 32 years this December. I definitely thought of divorce at times and I'm sure she has too. It'll never get to that though because we aren't quitters. Sometimes you just have to put the hard work in.

[Isgrimnur]

They married each other four times and divorced twice.

[Jaymann]

They married each other four times and divorced twice.

It works if one was annulled.

[Z-Corn]

They married each other four times and divorced twice.

It works if one was annulled.

Only my Dad was Catholic, so no need for annulment. Mom was an Orangeman. On Saint Patrick's Day we didn't have to wear our uniforms to Catholic school if we wore green. Mom sent me in Orange since I was never raised Catholic. I just went to Catholic school...and got in a lot of fights.

Confused yet? See why I'm such a contrarian by nature?

The first time they got married it was because they "had to" because I was on the way and they wanted to get married before my Mom started showing. Then they got married again in The Church for The Family a couple weeks later.

My Mom told me about "having" to get married the first time when I was like 12. We were up late watching SCTV and I was devastated. She said, "What's up dummy, you never did the math?"

[Daehawk]

We were married 31 years. We wanted 1000 more at least.

[Holman]

My wife and I have been married 23 years. We've had troubles, but neither of us have cheated. (We have the kind of relationship where, if someone did, we would eventually talk about it.) So far, any talk of splitting up has always been a rhetorical starting point for deciding that we should be together.

Three or four of our close friends over the years have had crises around cheating, but even the ones that eventually resulted in divorce were relationships where the cheating came as no surprise.

One, dramatically, was with a French husband. When the American wife discovered it, the French MIL said to her "What did you expect? All men cheat." But I don't believe this. Statistics suggest that cheaters are common (20% of marriages or so) but not the majority.

Two of my old friends are serial cheaters, and (believe it or not) I've had conversations where it was clear that the spouses knew this even before the marriage. In both cases they're still married, so perhaps the "cheating" might be less a bug than a feature.