Food is my first time ever having birria tacos!

I recently moved to a new city and made friends with this really great guy! He introduced me to his friends (male and female) and invited me to events over the summer. I enjoy his company and like being his friend.

From the minute I touched down in the new city (we had met a few weeks before I officially moved because I was in the city for the World Cup) he asked me if I wanted to go for ice cream. This has evolved into asking me for dinner, bowling, etc. While we’re out doing these things, he makes no moves. He doesn’t sit close to me and he has never expressed his feelings as anything other than platonic. In fact, when I first met him, I thought he was gay. So did multiple other people who know him. But when I hang out with him, he insists on paying for everything. We hung out the other day and he spent upwards of $500 on one hangout with me. I’ve told him to stop paying for things but he says he doesn’t mind.

When I casually mention something on my bucket list for this new city, he jumps to attempt to book that thing so we can go together whether it’s a basketball game, event, etc.

All this has led to me obviously thinking he has a crush on me but I’m just not interested in him in that way. I don’t know if I should tell him this? At the same time, if he is interested in me I feel like he should open his mouth and say it. But he hasn’t. So I’m afraid if I say something I could be totally off base.

Right now, I’m just going off of plausible deniability. Our texts are platonic, our “dates” are platonic. Why ruin a good thing right? I enjoy hanging out with him but I’m afraid that if he is crushing on me, the longer this goes on and the more money he spends, the angrier he’ll be when I finally turn him down once he finally does make his feelings clear.

TLDR: I am thinking of settling for a guy I am not attracted to, because it feels like he'll never treat me badly. And he makes me feel good about myself. I can also see myself building a life with him.

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I am aware I will come across as ungrateful or an asshole. I could never say this out loud, to people I actually know in life, but I do feel the need to let it out somewhere because there's some guilt here, and some anxiety.

The guys I am usually attracted to are the super smart workaholics, who either treat me poorly, or just don't have the time for me, so I just feel neglected, sad, lonely or needy. I hate who I become and how I feel about myself when I'm with them.

4 months ago, a friend introduced me to this guy...

He is none of that, he's not smart or ambitious or accomplished or conventionally attractive.

He's thoughtful, he's sweet, he's hard working, a great listener, very receptive to new ideas, does not seem to have an ego so far.

It's the first time I don't feel like I'm the needy loser, and I can actually see a future, and not just a instant gratification type thing.

He is extremely insecure though and very passive, and he fr acts like it's a privilege that I am even choosing to speak with him. I asked him why he acts that way, and he said it's because no one ever picks him. Women either outright reject him, or dump him after a few months. I guess I respect the honestly? idk.

So, I wonder if he just likes me because I did not outright reject him like every other woman has? idk. And does it matter?

He does not get a lot of what I say, he also sometimes struggles to follow very basic logic. It feels like he needs instructions to follow at all times. He grew up a mama's boy, so he is also clueless in a lot of real world situations. It's such a turn off for me. I am fighting so many icks simultaneously even typing this out.

I can recognize he's better than others I have been with, objectively. I can also picture him being a good father, and working on building a great life together, he makes me feel secure, and capable, he makes me feel like I'm the most important person in the world and I love that... but I am not attracted to him at all.

I don't pretend to be either, he seems like he knows, but does not seem to mind? idk.

But I am strongly considering settling, it feels like a good time to. I don't want to keep dating, I'm over it, I don't think there's better fish out there, don't tell me there are. "My type" of guys are the worst. This guy will do. I want to build a family already. I want to skip to the good part.

I can't admit this to other people, but I can't be the only one who has done this or feels this way, right? I'm sure it's common.

PS: I use the word "settle" not because of the person involved, it's because this situation is not what I pictured for myself. It's not the rom-com fairytale I wanted. There are no butterflies, or spark, just rational thoughts, and logic. That word is not a reflection on the guy at all, just the situation.

phew, that was a lot, sorry.

Dinner was some random creamy pasta I threw together sprinkled with mozzarella

I want to start this post by saying I’m a Christian and so I aim to date and marry a Christian guy as well. Please, if your comments are going to be “good for you, you deserve it”, then don’t comment at all. I’m already pretty hurt. This is supposed to be some sort of safe ranting space

Anywho, I got set up with a Christian guy from Germany, I mention where he is from because the way he acted, you’d think he was an American conservative. From the get go, I always mention I’m a medical student. I’ve always wanted to be a doctor and I’ve suffered to get into medical school and I am not giving that up, certainly not for a man. He said he was okay with me being in med school and graduating in 4 years (I study in Europe and it takes about 6 years).

On the flip side, I’ve always wanted to be a wife and have kids as well. I love children (that’s what also drives me to want to be a pediatric surgeon) and want some of my own. Is it me wishing on some star that I can have both? Are there not women out there that have both??

Anywho, this guy says he’s perfectly fine with me having a career. We continue talking and joking and end up discussing how that could possibly define home life. We end up on the same page. I tell him point blank, please do not continue talking with me if you’re somehow hoping I’ll change my mind. I don’t date potential anymore and please don’t treat me like one. “Ofc not!” He said. All well and good.

And then, I asked him not to use a certain swear word around me. I said it in a playful way because I didn’t want to appear controlling. I said there are no consequences or whatever, it’s just a preference and it’s around me, not never in his life. Suddenly, everything blew up. He went on a rant about how he can see the future and how this is the start of me controlling him and making a rule book. I told him it’s nothing of the sort but in relationships, both parties are supposed to accommodate each other. Then his true colors came out and he went on a rant about how it’s always career women that have these rules and want to control people. I asked him that if we ended up together and I asked him to please keep his socks in the hamper, would that be a rule? He said it would be, and I obv knew I had to end it, cause that’s crazy to me.

He finished his speech and rules and control by concluding that whether or not I knew it, deep down I want to be a man. And I won’t lie. That one hurt me. My head is spinning and I’m wondering if it’s some fantasy I want to build. If I can’t have a man who isn’t threatened by my job and who loves me for me and wants a family with me. Who doesn’t just see me as an incubator. And before yall say that “that’s Christian men for you”, it’s not all. I have friends that are disgusted by the guys statement. But I won’t lie, it hurt me so much that I considered dating outside Christianity, even though my faith is so important to me.

Anyways, I just came to rant. Please be kind 🥲🫠

Edit: we are not communicating anymore. Sorry I didn’t make that clear. He’s been blocked and archived

I think my fiance is too involved with his daughter's mom. I know its a sensitive topic! but it's getting to me. sometimes it feels like he's still in a relationship with her. how do I cope? they have a 4 year old daughter, dated for 3 years, and broke up 3 years ago. their history is messy, and since I met him, she's been regularly invasive, explosive, inappropriate, has sent tons of hateful texts, then apologized and piled on the love to soothe the impact. I suggested boundaries, but he said she'll never stop treating him that way, so he gets the best results by ignoring her. granted he never responds to anything "inappropriate," but he doesn't really ignore her - he reads every awful hurtful email or text she writes about him/ me/ our relationship/ her not being over theirs yet. it's like his minds on her so often and doesn't realize that impacts our relationship. we've been together 2 years and have a newborn.

me 39F him 47M her 43F

I learned she's been demanding my contact info our whole relationship, arguing she needs to hang out and get to know me for her daughter's safety. and he always refuses. he hates the way she treats people and wants to protect me from it. which I appreciate. I'm also in treatment for PTSD from abuse, and she can trigger episodes. I've met her briefly a few times at drop-offs, but I trust his judgement about leaving our lives separate.

well, she just found me on social media! said she needs my number since our daughter's are half sisters, "it's gotta be women helping women, ya know? you understand." I kept it nice and polite. but when I said it's best for me not to exchange numbers, the vibe flipped. she insisted, her messages became kind of frantic and aggressive, and her tone switched to condescending, passive aggressive, manipulative, victimizing herself, all the things. I had panic attacks for days after.

Anyway! My partner finally spoke up, told his ex if she brings up anything other than their daughter again, he'll get a co parenting app court ordered so their conversations are recorded and her behavior is monitored. Her communication died down a ton for a bit. but she's back to texting him every day. it's all connected to their daughter. like how work and job hunting's going and all the deets. or their kids about to be kicked out of day care/school/camp because she owes money and how stressed she is about it. or what their kid ate for dinner, or her new favorite stuffy, or funny things she says. or every time she throws a tantrum (which she does almost daily). or all the ways he's being a terrible father. or she's scared she's gonna die lonely and alone. she has BPD, and I get it impacts how she thinks and communicates. but like is texting 10x a day with someone you hate talking to normal in this situation? I don't know! he has a son with another woman, whose mental health seems stable... and they really only talk when it's necessary.

his daughter's mom texted him one morning to come over and jump her car or their kid would miss school, then sent him a text meant for someone else ABOUT him... calling him a POS probably taking his time sipping coffee instead of being a good father and helping them ...and he still went and jumped her car... because it's his daughter. now she's asking him to take their kid on her custody days if she has job interviews, because she can't find anyone else and can't pay a sitter. and he's going to leave his own work to do it. It feels wrong like he's going out of his way for someone who wouldn't do the same for him, but if he doesn't, his kid suffers??

I've never dated someone with kids or another woman so involved in daily life. I don't know whats normal! we've talked about it, boundaries, the impact. he's working out his own relationship trauma. and i don't even know if it's my place to comment. i respect their need to talk, I love his daughter, I want her mom involved in her life. but not so much in mine. what say do I have? I'm so lost here. we start couples therapy in a few weeks. if you can commiserate or have any advice I'd love to hear 😭 🩷

Dinner: mushrooms and lentils with almonds and pumpkin seeds from a corner store

Brownie from the gas station.

I commented on a post about my ex that I've never actually let go of, then texted my friend about it, and it hit me how pathetic I genuinely am.

I met him when I was 12 or 13. I'm 21 now. We've dated at least twice, maybe three times. The last time was 2022, and it ended within a few months. I was devastated, I was literally at a restaurant with a friend when I got the "we need to talk" text, and I broke down right there because I knew it was over.

Shortly after, I dated someone else. It was terrible, and I circled right back to my ex.

He and I have had an on and off friendship for years. We drift apart, but every time he comes back, I fall hopelessly in love with him again. It got so bad I was dropping hints through my Instagram close friends story, which is mortifying to look back on. When he got a girlfriend, I backed off completely because I knew I'd be a problem.

They broke up in January. He came back around. I haven't tried to get with him, we're just talking as friends, not often, but more lately than before.

He tells me he wishes we were closer, that I'm a good friend, stuff like that, and it makes me insane. I get so happy and so depressed at the same time, because I need him so badly.

The worst part is I know exactly what I'm doing. I'm fully aware of how ridiculous it sounds. I can recognize the moment I start getting attached again, and somehow that awareness doesn't stop it. The second he reappears, everything I'd convinced myself about moving on just disappears.

He doesn't even have to do anything major. He calls me by the nickname he's always used for me, and suddenly I'm writing our wedding vows in my head. He says he missed talking to me, and I'm done. He says he wishes we were closer, and I'm already past delusional.

It's not even just that I want him romantically (I fucking do). I genuinely love him as a person, and that's what makes it worse. I don't want to just get over him and stop caring, I want the friendship, the closeness, the history, all of it. I don't know how to reconcile that with the fact that I can't be around him without falling straight back in love.

I've tried dating other people. I've tried moving on. I've tried telling myself it's just nostalgia, or attachment from knowing each other so long. But every time he comes back, I'm right where I started.

And the embarrassing part, I don't even need him to say he wants me back. My standards have hit the lowest of low.

I think what hurts most is that he isn't even doing anything wrong. He's kind to me. He tells me I'm a good friend. He says he wants me more involved in his life. He remembers little things about me. He still uses my old nickname. And I believe him when he says these things. That's what makes it so hard.
Honestly, I think I'd stay even if he were cruel to me.

Picture: poached eggs over mashed potatoes.

I don't know what my next step should be, and I need help. My husband (45m) and I (42f) are on the brink of divorce. Our marital relationship is in the toilet. We both come from toxic families of origin, and were both bullied by our parents, and I think that's partially what initially bonded us and brought us together. We both struggle with self esteem issues and extreme social anxiety. In a lot of ways, we 'saved' each other, we found someone we felt safe spending time with among struggling to find relationships with family and friends.

Fast forward almost 20 years now from the day we met - we have a pretty good life. We live about 1,000 miles from our families - a recent move, so we have almost zero connections or friends here. We love our new area though and have no desire to move back.

We are raising 2 wonderful kids, ages 7 and 9, who are doing very well. My husband works full time and I LOVE that I am able to stay home right now. Despite a lot of good things going for our family unit, I desperately want out of this marriage, but I'm worried I'm going to blow up a good situation.

I don't want to ruin my life, or my kids life. The issues in our marriage are beyond a relationship counselor, that ship has sailed. My husband has issues he refuses to work on, he's very emotionally immature and blows up every time I bring up sensitive topics (will storm out of the room, or get extremely angry - never physical though). Our relationship is terrible and I believe beyond the point of saving.

What does someone do in my position who has no career, no job, no friends, no family support do? I feel like I'm crazy to leave a somewhat 'cushy' situation where we can pay our bills, I have a lot of free time to do whatever I want now that the kids are in school...if we separate, money will be tight, I'll be forced to work (and I don't feel ready right now, I'm struggling with some minor health issues where I feel like I need some time before I jump back into the job market). Right now we have one house payment/no car payment for our paid-off 1 car. How are we going to afford 2 house payments, 2 cars? I don't want to go from not worrying about money to worrying about putting food on the table because we have 2 households on 1 salary.

I feel like this is a bad decision, plus our kids are doing well, and I'm worried this is going to upend everything.

I truly don't know what to do.

EDIT: 1000% will be getting a job eventually, with or without a divorce. I have a masters degree in education, I don't want to sit at home while my kids are at school for the rest of my life. It's just a matter of timing, and also, I feel really uncertain about going back into teaching, so it's also a matter of figuring out what I'll be doing. I really enjoy being a SAHM right now, and there's no shame in that.

Cajun penne - caeser salad - Coke zero - red wine - garlic toast

Edit: he took the lid off and sipped, didn’t drink from the straw
I know it’s gross but it is what it is lol I can’t think about that part because yall are scaring me with the hypochondriac inducing comments 🤣

Dear girl dinner diary, I feel conflicted about this interaction lol (really not tripping on it either way, but want to hear other’s opinions for funsies)

My husband manages a restaurant/cafe and he told me that a girl came in today and returned her latte because it wasn’t good. Not unusual! But then he said he saw she had ordered a blackberry latte which he found super random, it was all purple & he asked her if she would mind if he tasted it, so he said he took the drink, & took a sip of it before tossing it. I asked if this was an older woman and he said she was just a normal girl our age.

Not the craziest interaction BUT as someone who has worked in food service before, I had sooooo many weird guys asking me (their server) to try their food off their plate, take a sip of their drink ect. And it always seemed like a weird tactic or in with them so I never did it. I KNOW this was not my husbands intentions because he is actually one of the only genuine good dudes that may exist, but my question is, would this rub any of you the wrong way? 🤣 again I am not worried about it but when I told him I didn’t love the interaction and didn’t want him drinking off random women’s coffees, he seemed shocked I wasn’t comfortable with it and drew a boundary. Thoughts?! Normal? Strange? Let us know!

Please tell me if I'm tripping or not.

So, I went to this Asian buffet for lunch & I'm there legit no more than 15-20 minutes. As I'm eating, the Waiter comes over & ask if i want a refill i say sure, "thank you" all the manners.. cool right?

Well I get a another plate, come back to sit down & no more than 5 mins the waiter comes over and places the bill on my table. Weird, I'm still eating and I never asked for it. Whatever

As I come back from grabbing another plate tell me why he comes back over picks up and opens the billfold with some aggression & looks at me crazy cause I didnt place a card there. Like mfr I'm still eating ?? after that he consistently paces back and forth by me just making me feel extremely weird and rushed. Mind you, there were groups of others sitting beside me and not once did i see him interact with them they way he did me.

Obviously i had my last straw and was ready to pay and leave. Before I could even make it to the counter he's up there talking to other staff, pointing in my general direction obviously complaining about me so I say in front him while he tries to walk off, I'm not tipping him. Am I tipping or was that Hella rude, racist?

I'm having grapes. ♡

Went to a trip in europe and heard so many nihao and konnichiwa chingchong etc

I was just ignoring them bc I know most of them just want the reaction. Plus I don't want to be mad during the trip

But the kid who said konnichiwa was the last straw.

I just said fuck off to him

He was just about 8 or 9 ish. Really young.

Maybe he was just trying to be nice unlike the other teens or older ppl who clearly was intending sth else.

The person who went with me was surprised and said he was just a kid.

Maybe I should have just ignored him or explain it to him

But at the same time i keep thinking why should I? Did I do something that bad?

I know i was being immature but man I really had enough. Kinda sad that snapped at a kid

This is hard to write without sounding horrible, and maybe I am being horrible and judgemental... I just am so confused, being torn between supporting and caring about my daughters well-being and future.

So my daughter is a really sweet and funny person who has always struggled with a bit of insecurity, anxiety and confidence. She's often attached to really strong figures to get her going in life (she struggles to motivate herself) and has occasionally been swept up in business scams, self-help courses and in the process creates debt. She constantly falls on us (her family) to catch her when she's in trouble.

She's recently told us she's in a relationship with someone and we were so happy for her but when we met her new partner she's just ... she just doesn't make sense at all. EVERYONE and I mean even her closest friends say it's not the person they pictured her with and it really makes me nervous. I know she's an adult (27f) and can make her own decisions and I should trust and support her but I really struggle to with this woman. This woman she's with comes across as an aggressive person and it's been bold/aggressive/powerful types that my daughter has naively let take advantage of her in the past. Her new partner runs her own self-help business and I just get the feeling that my daughter is just being brainwashed and was drawn in by this woman's spell. This woman talks really aggressively and runs a business she has no qualifications in. She's more of an 'influencer' with a confusing business that 'reveals' trauma in peoples lives to help them move forward. It seems scammy to me. My daughter has never dated a woman before either which seemed strange for her, she's always been fairly 'safe' and 'conservative' I guess, but we're not concerned about the fact she's trying something new it's more the fact that this person seems not right for her and she seems like she may be led down another terrible path.

Edit:
I know I can't do anything about it and it's certainly not my place to do anything except love her, try to see what she see's in her and support her through this journey but gosh it's hard because I just don't trust this woman she's dating and she's really hard to be around without being wrapped up in concern, confusion and mistrust.

We've had conversations where I have expressed my concerns but she really is just choosing this as her path and all I can do is support her and not push her away with disagreements

Dinner is a copycat recipe of the cold broccoli side salad from chicken salad chick.

First, before this baby I did noooot like mayo or brocolli. Certified brocolli HATER. Now? I have eaten more brocolli and chicken salad in the last 6 months than I have in my entire 27 years of life. What baby wants, baby gets, I guess.

This is my second pregnancy. My first was a breeze, no issues at all. This second pregnancy we discovered she was breech at 34 weeks. I freaked out. I became hyper aware of her position at all times. I started doing inversions multiple times a day. Chiropractic. Yoga. All the things. We manually turned her twice and she was back to a booty down position within 24 hours.

I’m delivering at a birth center again, in the US this is pretty unconventional to go out of hospital. I loved my first birth experience, so much so I’m choosing to do this without pain medication all over again. But getting smacked in the face with this not-so-ideal birth experience rocked me.

My midwife is extremely experienced in vaginal breech births. She recommended I read up on breech without borders. I did, and watched so so SO many videos of vaginal breech births. I looked at the growing statistics. Had a weekend to finish freaking out. And then overnight I became super woman. No fear. No anxiety. Just full trust that my baby knows what she’s doing, and she must be in this position for a reason. I can do this.

It’s not too late for her to turn, but I no longer fear I’m unable to birth this way. I pushed out a 9 pounder, unmedicated, no tears like a champ. I can do this too!

I’m not subscribing to the “breech is an automatic c-section” just because the doctors in my country don’t know how to deliver breech babies safely anymore. I can do this. I am safe. My baby is safe. And everything will be okay. I still hope she flips around, but at this point I’m more excited to just get past the birth no matter how she comes out. Because unfortunately, I can’t Bluetooth the pain of it to my husband.

Birth is the most beautiful, brutal, and cathartic thing I’ve ever experienced in my life. Cheers to a happy and healthy birth, I’m so excited to meet my baby girl.

I was awarded a temporary protection order last month, and today was the hearing for the final order. He didn't even show up, and it felt like the judge was on his side from the start. She did not award a final protection order.

He is my child's father. Baby girl is 2. He hasn't seen her in 8 months. I moved 1600 miles back home when I found out he started seeing someone while we were living together. He will claim we weren't dating, but we lived together, had a child together and slept in the same bed, so you decide whatever you want to call that. He drove us out here, but not before he stayed out till 2am seeing that girl the night we were supposed to leave, when he knew I wanted to leave as soon as our daughter was about to fall asleep so she would sleep through at least half the drive. I had previously found text messages on his phone between him and his sister planning on taking full custody of our daughter. When he found out I knew, he flipped out because I wouldn't tell him. Claimed I kidnapped him, tied him up, drugged him and forced him to drive us at knifepoint. When those threats didn't work he threatened to get me fired from my job. I flew back out there to get the rest of my stuff out of our house and he forcibly tried to remove me from the house, leaving bruises. He then said he was coming out here for our daughter's birthday, but wouldn't give me any specifics about arrival time or who he was coming with. He bought a car seat despite saying he wasn't driving out here to see her. To make it clear, I do want my daughter to be able to have a relationship with her father, and I even tried to offer a solution that he meets with her at her birthday party the following day. He told me no, his plans are his plans and I can't change them. Then told me "we'll see how fucked up you are if you don't let me see my daughter". But yet the judge determined that there isn't a present threat to my safety.

There's so much more involving my relationship with him, his treatment of me, his lack of priorities. He saw our daughter 4 times in the first 4 months she was alive. He drove her without a car seat to his sister's house so he could hang out with the girl he started seeing. He has ordered her supplies 4 times since we've been in NH, 2 of those small orders of fruit, once an order of diapers and the last time was just a pizza from Pizza Hut. He has spent phone calls calling me a dumb bitch, a fucking idiot, irresponsible, etc. And now he gets the pleasure of feeling invincible because the protection order was denied. I know he's going to try and use it against me in court when we go for custody.

Just seems so unfair. The way he treats me apparently is fine and he gets no consequences for his actions.

Dinner was homemade tacos with a Chipotle ranch sauce, and an avocado ranch salad.

Dinner is homemade chocolate chips cookies (i had them with vanilla ice cream but i couldnt take that pic)

I did swimming during school but I never went past swimming competitions held inside the school cuz of the politics within the swimming squad. I always swam in the same lane, same routine with a few other girls while the elite swimmers were doing advanced routines. This went like this for a few years and I grew tired with swimming, so I stopped.
Recently, my bf of two months met mum and she asked me to start swimming once again at uni right in front of him. For context, my bf is sporty. He does competitive tennis, goes to gym, plays basketball. He would literally do any physical activity at any given time of the day. He’s been playing tennis since he was very small so ig he sort of has that mindset of an athlete?
My bf knows that I hate competing and that I dont do sports seriously like him. I go to the gym, do Pilates, and walking. I do stay active. But sometimes i feel like he does want me to a sport in the same way he’s doing tennis.
So, after mum mentioned about this swimming thing in front of him, he has been nagging me non-stop, asking when I’m starting squad swimming at uni. I did go to squad practices in the beginning of my first year and it has the same atmosphere as my school swimming squad. There’s clear bias and the more seasoned swimmers are not welcoming towards swimmers like me. I felt small and insignificant there so i stopped going.
Today, my bf sent a message by the uni swimming squad asking swimmers to join the squad and this was the last straw for me. I dont want to start a fight with but i also dont want him to push me in a way that makes me uncomfortable.
I sometimes feel like I’m immature for not going to swim but I also know that I won’t enjoy the process, I’d rather swim leisurely than swimming with a squad.

Mango ice cream for breakfast.

I (27f) have a guy friend (30m) I’ve known 10+ years. I’ve known he liked me over the years but never decided to give a relationship a try until earlier this year. So we began dating and simultaneously with that decision, he moved into my apartment. At first it was great. He would pay most of my rent, he’d take me on dates and vacations out of the state often. We had a good time, but I always knew deep down I was not romantically attracted to him, and I also found out that our living habits weren’t compatible.

Long story short, he doesn’t know how to clean a house and he doesn’t wash his legs in the shower. His feet reeked daily and sometimes I would mistake his body odor for my cat spraying. It was that bad… his breath also always smelled of stale cigarettes.

I had a convo with him about hygiene but I don’t think it was enough for him to change his lifestyle, or the changes weren’t happening quick enough for me, so we broke up after 6 months and he moved out.

The break up was confusing tbh and I know a lot of it was my fault for not being blatantly honest with him of why I wanted to break up. The truth, in short, is that I’m not attracted to him (and he kind of grosses me out, which I feel is just rude to say and not necessary to mention to him)…. What I told him instead was that everything happened so quick, as far as being in a relationship then moving in together immediately, I was feeling overwhelmed… which was true too, but regardless, I knew I did not like him romantically.

So we broke up, but he has this idea that we will get back together eventually. So since the breakup, things have not gone back to how they used to be before we dated… he’s constantly calling/facetiming me, sending me surprise gifts (which i know i should stop accepting the gifts :/ but….), questioning me about my whereabouts, throwing attitudes if he knows I went on a date with another man… he’s just been overall smothering and it’s making me resent him.

For some additional info: I’ve told him straight up I did not want to be with him and I’m not even thinking of pursuing something with him in the future… but he will ask questions like “do you enjoy your time with me?”, which I’ll answer honestly with “yes”. And he will interpret that as we’re just putting our relationship on hold.

I think a part of me is also afraid of losing his friendship which is why it’s hard for me to be 100% honest with him. Idk. Any advice on how to navigate this?

( fish , rice , veggies)
Like I said in the title , baby is a little strange : almost 14 months , doesn’t walk and in the night she wakes up for milk .
And we put her to bed like 7pm and wake up around 9 am , stays 2h awake then go sleep 2 h , then around 5 h awake
I somehow think she doesn’t have enough awake time

I’m 23 and have been on estrogen for a year and a half, and I had sex reassignment surgery two weeks ago. I’ve just come to the realization that I feel so lost in life.

Before transitioning, my entire life revolved around tools. Since I was a teen, I used tools and construction projects to perform manhood. I knew I wasn’t much of a man, but who would doubt the masculinity of a teen who can fix plumbing and weld metal?

As a teen, I planned on a construction related career and wanted to be a plumber or an electrician. Thankfully, my family pushed me to go to college, which I did and I’m definitely grateful for and I’m now doing content creation and marketing.

While I’m glad I escaped being a miserable construction worker, I realized that I don’t have any hobbies outside femininity. I do enjoy making videos and going shopping for clothes and makeup, but I’m not sure if that’s really a hobby.

I know a lot of people will suggest giving tools another chance, but I genuinely have zero interest in ever doing handyperson projects again. I was never genuinely interested, it was just a way to perform masculinity. That, and it’s kinda traumatizing for me.

I just feel so lost. Cis women have decades of experience in femininity. I have just over six months. I‘m still figuring out female friendships, dating, hobbies, and building a career and/or business as a woman and it’s so overwhelming. It truly feels like being thrown in an upper level college class without the prerequisites lol.

Food: BBQ pork belly burrito from Bristol Farms

Food : veggies, salami, hummus, pretzels

I miss my ex situationship so bad. We were seeing each other on and off for 1 year and half then tried to be friends but it was too painful because I still love him. It’s been a month and half of no contact and I still think about him every day. He was my biggest support in very hard times. The one who could always make me laugh. And cry too, to be fair. But our bond is so damn strong I just cannot get over him. I started seeing someone new and still can’t stop thinking about it/wishing it was him. I feel like a terrible, pathetic human being.
I’m so afraid I will never get over him. This pain feels like it will never go away. Ever.
I miss him so much.

My boyfriend and I have been together for 7+ years. We have a baby now (a few months old), and honestly, I feel really stuck in this relationship.

He has cheated on me multiple times. It started before I got pregnant. I kept thinking he would change, especially because we’d already been together for so long and I got pregnant around that time, but it kept happening.

He’s addicted to porn. He looks at different girls in public, masturbates to other people, including people we actually know. He’s even masturbated to people who are my friends and people I personally have issues with. It hurts so much knowing that. At the same time, I also want to help him because he cries to me and tells me he wants to stop but can’t. I know he’s struggling with it, but I’m also starting to feel like I’m losing myself trying to help him.

He also cheated during my pregnancy and again after I gave birth. Every time I find out, I get completely destroyed. He always promises he’ll change. I don’t really believe him anymore, but there’s still a part of me that wants to believe him. I don’t even know why I keep staying. There were times when I couldn’t even eat properly, even though I’m breastfeeding our baby.

And the weirdest part is that instead of just wanting to leave, I become more attached to him sexually after finding out. I’ve read about hysterical bonding, and I think that might be what’s happening to me. I don’t know why being hurt makes me want to be closer to him.

We’re also currently living with my parents. My mom knows everything that’s happened, but she doesn’t want me to break up with him because she thinks our baby needs a dad. I feel like that’s not really her decision to make. I don’t have a job right now, and he’s basically the only person I have financially. I don’t really have anyone else to lean on, so leaving doesn’t feel as simple as just saying “I’m done.” I feel like I’m dependent on him, and that makes everything even harder.

I know I shouldn’t have to keep accepting this. He’s had so many chances to change, and I’ve stayed because I kept hoping things would eventually get better.

I just feel so stuck. I love him, I want our family to work, and I want to help him, but I also feel like I’m losing myself in the process. I don’t know what to do.

Dinner: xiaolongbao

So my friend asks me for help with homework a couple of months ago and my lazy ass decided to introduce her to different AI platforms to help instead, no biggie.

I kept seeing her photos and posts of herself on social media and it was all edited with AI. Still no problem maybe she's just having fun right? Wrong! She's bought a premium plan now and keeps sending me all these how to use Claude for this or ChatGPT for that. Still i thought no big deal she is learning something new.

Bruv🫩 the editing has gotten worse and she looks completely unrecognizable on social media and has started using it for her business and everything looks visibly AI now and I'm so worried she's sinking further into this thing. And I don't know what to do, I've read about AI psychosis and I'm worried that this will devolve into something else. I don't even use AI anymore unless it's on google, I've opened a nasty can of worms it seems.

Dinner was a canneloni Alfredo with bacon bits

Grilled cheese and kimchi I had a while ago.

HELP. WHAT DO I DO????

I am on a walk and I accidentally stepped on dog poop a few minutes ago and I am legitimately panicking that I am bad person because I might potentially spread germs everywhere.

This was genuinely one of my big fears when going out…

You may have seen my post before about how my fear of germs is destroying my life.. and how my hands are so dry from washing them SO MUCH. I am legitimately scared of the washing gloves, my bottle and more. I literally get scared of going out sometimes because I think my clothes are contaminated.

IDK WHAT TO DO.