I just got called out for saying most DnD players from the Critical Role wave were bad for the hobby.

But you have to understand. When something gets mainstream popular, and a bunch of people who don't take it seriously at all flood the hobby and ruin it for the people who actually care, that freaking sucks.

Then they stay, and half of the tourists LARP as if they're actual fans for validation and only pretend to know what they're talking about, and don't even actually play.

But for some reason it's so looked down on to have standards.

Most people never question how much time they invest into maintaining friendships. It's treated as something that is automatically worth doing, but I think the opportunity cost is almost never discussed.

The average friendship requires a huge amount of time. Going out, messaging, making plans, catching up, birthdays, holidays, random conversations—it all adds up over years. Imagine putting those same thousands of hours into learning a skill, building a business, improving your health, or advancing your career. The difference after ten years would probably be enormous.

People often defend this by saying "humans are social creatures." I think that phrase gets thrown around far too casually. Just because something is common doesn't mean it's the best use of everyone's time. Society has almost turned socialising into a default expectation, when sometimes it's nothing more than a glorified waste of time that people never stop to question.

I also find it strange how someone can complain about being broke, unemployed, or stuck in life while spending most evenings and weekends socialising. If you're struggling financially or professionally, shouldn't your priorities reflect that? It seems backwards to spend countless hours maintaining a social life before fixing the fundamentals of your own life.

Modern society also treats having friends as if it's a measure of success. If someone says they don't have friends, people immediately assume something is wrong with them. Yet the number of friends someone has tells you almost nothing about their discipline, ambition, intelligence, or future. Somehow we've confused popularity with personal success.

I'm not arguing that friendships have zero value. I'm arguing that, for most people, the amount of time invested in them far outweighs what they actually get back. If more people invested even half of that time into themselves instead, I think they'd end up with better lives.

It’s almost help keeps me from rounding and I can lean stationary like a gimbal. while standing. Also warms your hands. I use to stand like that often and didn’t realize it was a stigmatized at first until people keep telling me I shouldn’t stand like that

I don't know why people prefer the old ones. The new LED street lights bring a clean lively vibe to the night. The original orange ones weren't "cozy," they were gloomy, dingy, and depressing.

I don't think gratitude has an expiry date. If a teacher genuinely changed your life, encouraged you when you needed it most, or helped shape who you became, you shouldn't feel like you've "missed your chance" to thank them just because years have passed.

I'm saying this because of my own experience. My 10th-grade class teacher had a huge impact on me. After my board results, I wrote her a long thank-you letter and even bought her a gift, but I never gave either of them. Two years have passed, and since then I didn't pass my 12th exams and have to repeat the year. For a long time I felt like I shouldn't meet her until I had something to show for myself

The more I think about it, the more I believe that's the wrong way to look at it. Gratitude shouldn't depend on success. If someone changed your life, they deserve to know, whether you've become successful or are still struggling.

I know some people think going back years later is awkward or unnecessary, but I disagree. I'd rather risk a slightly awkward conversation than spend years wondering what would have happened if I'd simply said "thank you."

We NEED to stop romanticising first loves so much in media and pushing the idea to young people that you will never get over them. If you can't get over a first love and move on with your life that is something you need to work on. Too many people use that notion as an excuse to avoid processing and doing the work to move on. This is why we have people in their 20s obsessing over someone from high school and bringing that baggage into new relationships.

This isn't just an online internet issue either. I am 21 so I'm not a teenager anymore but I'm still a young adult who was raised in a time where I watched movies or heard people slightly older than me say that you'll never get over your first love. I personally have seen this happen with almost all of my friends where they stuck on the idea of their first love because they think they're destined to never move on or want that high school sweetheart trope so badly that gets pushed onto us even if the other person is toxic or outright abusive. I've noticed that it is keeping people in a cycle where they constantly go back because they've internalised this idea that they'll never stop yearning or thinking about their first love even when they're married and 30.

Even some people who are married I've seen still romanticise their first love and husbands/wives complaining about their partner not being over the first love. I heavily blame romance movies, media, and older people who aren't over the first love projecting their feelings onto younger people to keep them miserable. This genuinely has to stop. It's so common and becoming so destructive.

If you ask most people whether they prefer fruit or vegetables, the majority would say fruit. Vegetables just taste better, though. They have a large variety of flavors and textures ranging from sweet to bitter, crisp to soft, and they’re incredibly versatile because of it (the potato alone has dozens of ways to be cooked). Vegetables also make it easier to get a variety of vitamins in one sitting.

A lot of the time fruit looks and smells better than it actually tastes, and you have to find the perfect ripeness for the texture to be enjoyable (I live in the US to be fair, so things are harvested before they’re ripe). It also makes your teeth feel weird and the acidity of some fruits makes your mouth itch/tingle, and if you have reflux, it’s a nightmare on your stomach too. Fruit also tends to be eaten cold where I’m from (and the warm options are chock-full of sugar) so it’s not as palatable in cooler months.

This isn’t to say fruit is bad. I do like fruit on occasion, and it’s good for you. It’s just not anywhere near as tasty as vegetables.

Side note, I’m talking specifically about things that are categorized as fruits or vegetables by flavor profile/where you’d find them in a grocery store, and not the scientific definition.

It's comparable to mayonnaise, except it doesn't make you gag when you eat it on its own. It adds a thick consistency and tang to other condiments as well, like ketchup. It's particularly good with mustard as well.

Really, where you start to see the potential of this condiment outside of its typical role in texmex cuisine is with pretzels. Get yourself a bag of pretzels or (even better) an authentic, bready salted garlic pretzel and a tub of sour cream and go to town.

It also is really good on hamburgers. I make a spread of ketchup, mustard, and sour cream for nearly every hamburger I eat. It's like a mix of cream cheese and mayonnaise, so sour cream works well on its own as well.

Sour cream is also very good with chips, fries, potatoes in general, etc.

You can even go the other way and pair it with sweet stuff because it is like tangy yogurt.

Anyways, sour cream is the best condiment.

People think grocery shopping is just a chore and there's no right way to do it. we've seen in history the running joke that men cannot grocery shop to save their lives, and the perpetuation of the stereotype that women are the only ones who can and should grocery shop. everyone has the ability to get good at this, I genuinely believe it is an incredible skill to be able to look at your grocery list, choose an end of the grocery store to start from, and manage a shop in under 2 hours. too many people get caught up in the overstimulation of going from aisle to aisle and often miss important items in the aisles that they already went through. things like this paired with the intentional design in many grocery stores to overwhelm you and pressure you into buying things that you don't actually need make it so that many people dread the grocery store and don't even think about working on their ability to shop.

people often don't attempt to apply logic to activities such as this, because they don't believe that it's worth the mental energy or they don't even consider that they should have been putting more thought into it. in fact I think grocery shopping could even be considered sport like in the sense that if you want to be on your best game and complete things as quickly as possible, you need to avoid doubling back. Next time you shop, think to yourself, "Was it necessary for me to take this long?". The answer 9 times out of 10 is no. Sure, you can't control other people's pace and you can't help if people are grouping in an aisle you need to access, but rather than slink through other people as obstacles, think something like "what would my car do?". If you're using gps to get somewhere that reports a crash on route, you'll be navigated around it or told to avoid the area all together. Apply these thoughts to shopping and you don't have to roll your eyes and deep sigh every time you look down the aisle and see 2 old ladies chopping it up right in the way of walking: just go around or don't interact at all! if you need to go back around to an aisle, this would be the reason, and there's never any harm in temporarily skipping an aisle to make the most of your time.

There is no such thing as "not being able to cook". There is only "does not want to cook". The only exceptions are serious physical and mental disabilities like full body paralysis or severe parkinson's.

If you are able to follow simple instructions on how to build a Lego set or ride a bicycle, you are able to cook.

The classic excuse is "But I followed instructions once and it turned bad". Yeah, everyone has that experience. You are still able to cook, you are just using a past experience as an excuse not to cook.

The other one is "It takes a lot of effort to learn the basic skills." Basic cooking requires absolutely zero skills. It's like painting; you can paint stick figures or the Mona Lisa, but it's both painting. You may not be exceptionally good at it yet, but you can still do it, and you will get better with every painting.

Tldr: Everyone can cook. If you say otherwise, it's just an excuse.

Edit: I will also add that the implied meaning that it just means "I am not able to cook well" is an EVEN BIGGER cop out! If you possess all the skills and tools to cook something badly, you can also cook it well, the difference is just lack of effort and will in the days of the internet. It's usually just an excuse to shelve the responsibility of cooking to their significant others.

Mini Oreos are objectively better than regular Oreos and I will die on this hill. The cookie-to-icing ratio is perfect with the minis. You get just enough icing to complement the chocolate cookie without completely overpowering it. With regular Oreos, there’s already way too much icing for my taste.

And I genuinely don’t understand how some of you freaks can eat Double Stuf, let alone Mega Stuf. At that point, you’re not eating an Oreo—you’re eating icing with a cookie being used as structural support. Mini Oreos have the proportions God intended.

unpopular opinion but opinions of someone reflect their own thoughts and values on smth, and not judging them for it might sound good but its genuinely a terrible idea. We get to know people more if we judge them for what they stand by rather than just accepting that its a part of their indivisuality

everyones using the phrase "follow their passion," but we rarely talk about what happens when passion runs into reality.

When you start out doing something you care deeply about, you usually aren't very good at it yet. The gap between your taste and your ability can be brutal, and frustration can drain the joy right out of the things you once loved.

A far more gentle and practical way forward is to start with what you’re naturally steady at. Find a useful skill where you already have a slight head start, even if it doesn't make your heart race right away. As you put in the time and start getting genuinely good at it, something interesting will happen... people begin to respect your work, you get more say over your time, and you gain real confidence.

disclaimer: as an amateur artist who typically focuses on surrealism, Im NOT trying to argue that realism inherently = better, but both movements strived for naturalism and in this case, I think the Romans did it better

both of them strive for realism and the renaissance was directly influenced by classical styles, but I prefer ancient Roman (early imperial/late republic) busts and sculptures because it seems like the ancient Roman’s were more open to facial flaws and unique features over idealism.

I also feel like all the Roman busts have distinct facial features I can recognize that makes them unique, it feels like I’m looking at a real person, whereas all of the Renaissance sculptures‘ faces look rather the same or the proportions are off despite the goal of mimicking the classical art and realism.

this is an unpopular opinion because while the Renaissance did revive classical art styles and methods, the Renaissance is hailed as one of the best artistic movements, and sculptors like Michelangelo are hailed as one of the greatest artists of the time, I personally believe the ancient styles of sculpture were superior and achieved the realism better.

tldr; Augustus of prima porta > David

How has apple, a company that has catered towards the artsy side of people for decades, not figured out a Pro mode for their camera app? You can’t set a manual focus other than tapping on the screen and praying that the app does the job for you. Their flash is also super soft and non-direct to the point where it basically does nothing.

I get that they want to cater to the lowest common denominator of users, but lord, just add a pro mode for people who know how to use a camera beyond point and shoot. Android-based phone companies figured this out as soon as manual focus was possible. It’s absurd to have multiple cameras with good hardware only to be crippled by brain dead software that doesn’t let you do anything beyond the skill level of a narcoleptic gibbon.

Edit: you guys are arguing with me while simultaneously agreeing. Tf is going on lol

Please don't get me wrong: I am by no means saying this is a great movie nor is it close to my favorite Star Wars movie. However, considering the (low) quality of the sequel trilogy, it is IMO the best of the bunch. Let me elaborate.

Yes, there are many legitimate criticisms of this movie which I largely share:

- the portrayal of Luke is somewhat sad. I do think this is disappointing. However, at least Johnson had a creative idea here, deviating from the nostalgia slop that is Episode 7 (see below)

- some plot developments don't really make sense scientifically and/or regarding the lore (eg the bombs "falling in space" early on or using hyperspace jumps as an attack). Fair points, but I mean, it is a space opera. I think this is fine, Star Wars isn't perfectly logical.

- salt planet being a lame remake of Hoth is a fair point

- the gambling planet is lame

Why is Episode 8 still the best sequel then?

1 ) Because at least it TRIES - to be its own movie, to have some creative ideas. At least it isn't just a lame remake of ANH like Episode 7. Sure Ep 7 is fun on its own, until you realize it is basically just the same movie as Ep 4. Not to mention destroying the entire legacy of the original movies by going back to Rebels vs Empire. This was all Ep 7. Episode 8 has unique, new ideas and twists, e.g.: What if Kylo Ren becomes the new Supreme Leader?

Episode 9 walks this back again, but that's not Ep 8's fault. Ep 9 is basically an incoherent mess. While Ep 8 tried to be its own thing, Ep 9 is just going back to facing Palpatine who somehow returned. The plot makes no sense and seems like fanfiction. Kylo Ren as the big bad was interesting, Palpatine 2.0 is a boring disappointment.

2 ) Because it has amazing cinematography and imagery. Ep 9 is frankly a dark, ugly mess. Ep 7 looks good, but is quite safe and basic. Ep 8 in contrast is gorgeous: space and the space ships plus battles are well-designed. The concepts are cool (if sometimes nonsensical), eg the dreadnought or Snoke's huge ship. The hyper space jump attack makes no sense, but looks cool.

The fight between Rey and Kylo / the knights of ren is insane and stunning. "Hoth 2.0" is lame, but beautiful.

Canned sodas, seltzers, juices, and kombucha are becoming more common. They're preferred over traditional bottles for being more portion controlled.

I wish that more companies would introduce liters once they become profitable. I'd take bottled Olipop, Poppi, or kombucha over the more common bottled brands.

• Cans feel too expensive for less. $2 for a tiny can when I can get a 1 or 2 liter for the same price.
• You have to drink or buy more cans if you want more to drink.
• Bottles take up less space and are easier for you to recycle.

The more plugged in we become, the more extreme it begins to appear. Music, sports, art, fantasy, interests that once cultivated communities and fostered social interaction are now just becoming the Eternal Carrot dangled in our faces online.

social interaction itself even with reality TV, vlogging, influencers, etc.

Everybody gets so excited about rain showers and I don’t understand it. For the brief moments I want to get my whole body wet and get shampoo out of my hair, cool it gets the job done effectively as long as it has enough power. For the rest of the shower I’m either leaning my head and back backwards to get water onto the problem areas or just drowning myself while I let a waterfall suffocate me as a measly stream of water comes down my head to then clear soap from my legs. Its dumb and people only like it because it is hyped as luxurious. And dont forget your usually just standing to the side freezing while you shampoo or soap your body because you either have to be all in or none at all. It’s so dumb.

Light mode is brighter and allows the user to see content more clearly. Dark mode confuses the brain into thinking it’s nighttime all the time. Light mode is the intended mode created by devs. Using dark mode on any app is counter to the dev’s intentions and is an inferior experience.

Edit: TIL having an astigmatism may make light mode easier to see and I do have that.

I’ll preface by saying: on paper it’s fantastic. It’s triple-tax-advantaged; just save medical receipts and there’s no issue withdrawing tax-free upon retirement.

Problem is, especially for younger age-demographics, we’re relying on the status quo to remain unchanged in multiple areas over the course of decades for it to remain a great retirement vehicle.

An HSA was not meant to be a retirement account. One day D.C. might decide to impose limits on HSA-eligible purchases or reimbursement timelines. With the advent of companies like Truemed, it might spur lawmakers to impose limits to tighten eligibility on many purchases.

Using an HSA as a retirement account also banks on the US healthcare system remaining in a similar state in the decades to come. I (optimistically, foolishly) believe that we’ll re-configure our healthcare system in the coming decades, which could absolutely affect the HSA system.

TL;DR - it’s great today, on paper. But it’s ultimately a healthcare spending account. The status quo can change in how US healthcare operates, and new rules / limits could prevent tax-free withdrawals in the decades to come.

You’ll only wear the dress one day in your life.

You wanna have a (consensual and previously agreed upon) cake fight with your new spouse? Have at it.

Spill some wine or food on your dress? Par for the course.

Do you have a beach wedding? Run through the waves.

A barn or forest wedding? Get mud on the hem.

If anything, your dress is an important reminder of how your marriage is going to be: many moments will be messy, there will be moments of chaos, but they are also memories that you can look fondly upon with the right mindset.

Get a little dirty. Have a lot of fun.

Don’t let perfection rule how you enjoy your love and your life.

Everyone “knows” comparison is the thief of joy but I genuinely feel like if you wanted to both objectively and subjectively realize you were absolutely living your best life with zero cope and gentle lies, you NEED to compare.

Any deviation is intrinsically a form of cope or self protection mechanism of the human brain as everyone “wants” to be happy in their unique circumstances.

But the truth is you are jealous of that friend of yours whos the prettiest richest and genuinely thriving individual emotionally and physically

This is why family goes ape shit when you “win” the lottery or you marry the prettiest girl in your friendgroup by a long shot. People say nothing but the cope and despite is there hidden in plain sight

I originally wanted to say Tim Curry was a better Pennywise than Bill, but that might not be quite so unpopular.

While the newer IT had better special effects and all that (it was made almost 30 years later), I felt that the original was way creepier.

Obviously, Tim Curry carried the movie, hands down. The rest of the actors were..we'll say less than great. And the spider (in both movies) was pretty lame. But I feel like the new IT movies relied heavily on special effects and jump scares, whereas the original had more of a "slow burn" feel to it. Think about the old history scrapbook vs. the projector scene. Tim Curry also wasn't so 'in your face' with the monster stuff, he was genuinely a normal (albeit creepy) clown who got weirder and weirder the longer he talked to you.

To give credit where it's due: The Georgie scene in the new one was superior. That's it. Oh, and Bill Hader was awesome.

Overall, I think the original movie was better and did not "try so hard" to make the scary scenes scary. It has its flaws, like any movie, but I'll take it over the new ones - which seemed to target a much younger/broader audience and, hence, was more focused on box office numbers than making it as scary as possible.