S07.E07: The Truth Shall Set You Free

[judylo]

On 12/16/2019 at 6:00 PM, Auntie Anxiety said:

Use a different browser. I use DuckDuckGo and have no ads at all. I can also look at merchandise I may want to purchase and don’t get thousands of unwanted ads.

But does it work on an iPad? I installed AdBlock and it doesn’t work, for the most part.

[Baltimore Betty]

On 12/19/2019 at 2:12 PM, SlutAssBitchAssHor said:

Can we PLEASE cease and desist calling Grangela "Big Ang"?

Gross Ang, Nicotine Ang, Pushy Ang, Loud Ang...nothing really sounds as good as Big Ang.

I don't think any of us were trying to hurt the original Big Ang but I think that name popped in to our collective heads as an obvious moniker, she is big and typing out her whole name while trying to remember what your whole snarky comment might take too long and then the snarky comment might be forgotten!

Edited December 21, 2019 by Baltimore Betty
Typing too fast!

[Spike]

5 hours ago, judylo said:

But does it work on an iPad? I installed AdBlock and it doesn’t work, for the most part.

On iPhone I use the free Norton Ad Blocker app.  I assume it would work on Apple tablets as well.

Edited December 20, 2019 by Spike

[Auntie Anxiety]

7 hours ago, judylo said:

But does it work on an iPad? I installed AdBlock and it doesn’t work, for the most part.

Yes, I use an iPad or iPhone. 

Go to the App Store, download DuckDuckGo and you’re all set. And you can erase your history easily by hitting the flame symbol on the bottom of the screen, so that’s a real convenience if you like your privacy. No ads, no tracking.

[Mrs. Hanson]

On 12/16/2019 at 3:12 PM, sasha206 said:

I totally agree.  There's not one damn  thing wrong with being childless.  And most of these 90 dayers shouldn't have children in my mind.  Like that dumbfuck Emily and her no foreheaded muscle man.

Not to go off topic, but I sometimes envy women who have never married, no kids.  Especially those in teaching:  Having  tenured job where you are contracted to work 185 days a year and you can travel and do what YOU want in the summer or over Winter break.  

Back on topic you say?  I hate Mursel.  A lot.

[Spike]

I wonder if Mursel was named after Marcel Marceau because they talk about as much.

 

Edited December 20, 2019 by Spike

[Rt66vintage]

On 12/16/2019 at 12:49 PM, John M said:

Maybe it's just my visceral hated of children and being in a same-sex marriage but what is with all these people and children? You can just not have them! It's great! We don't and all we have to show for it is freedom, money and a clean house.

Even under ideal circumstances having children is a thing. My parents were millionaires with full time live in help on top of my mother being a stay at home mom and I would describe my mother as, not stellar at being a mother.

My brother never wanted children, especially not stepchildren, so as he got older his playing field became smaller and smaller. At age 38, he married a woman 8 years his senior, who had no kids. John M, I think your stance is fine, but hopefully when you're around kids in the family you refrain from sneering or eye rolling. Kids can always tell when an adult hates them. 

On 12/17/2019 at 7:30 PM, RealReality said:

 

Maybe he will be like the male Pao of Indiana....the way Pao was the hot shit in Nebraska or wherever and could model all the tractors you could shake a stick at!

I cringe when Pao talks about how much she hates Oklahoma. It's been my adopted state for  the past 30 years, and the grapes of wrath, dust bowl image is far from accurate. 

I'm sure Pao is all that in Florida with vanilla, obsequious Roos & her phony blonde hair. 

[Neurochick]

22 hours ago, SlutAssBitchAssHor said:

Can we PLEASE cease and desist calling Grangela "Big Ang"? This is complete and utter disrespect to the REAL Big Ang (Mob Wives). God rest her soul, she must be rolling around in her grave with her cigarillo in hand. I can just hear her deep raspy rebuking of the comparison. I shudder at the thought, I feel myself breaking out in a cold sweat as we speak.  I hope I'll be okay you guys. 

There might be people here who never watched "Mob Wives."  I for one wished I had never watched that garbage.

20 minutes ago, Rt66vintage said:

I cringe when Pao talks about how much she hates Oklahoma. It's been my adopted state for  the past 30 years, and the grapes of wrath, dust bowl image is far from accurate. 

All I remember about Oklahoma that when I was there in 1972, I ordered fried chicken in the Hilton Hotel and they DIDN'T HAVE FRIED CHICKEN....WTF.

But I'm sure Oklahoma's better now.

[FrancescaFiore]

1 hour ago, Spike said:

I wonder if Mursel was named after Marcel Marceau because they talk about as much.

 

And also, Morsel seems to be trapped in an invisible box.

[RealReality]

59 minutes ago, Rt66vintage said:

My brother never wanted children, especially not stepchildren, so as he got older his playing field became smaller and smaller. At age 38, he married a woman 8 years his senior, who had no kids. John M, I think your stance is fine, but hopefully when you're around kids in the family you refrain from sneering or eye rolling. Kids can always tell when an adult hates them. 

I cringe when Pao talks about how much she hates Oklahoma. It's been my adopted state for  the past 30 years, and the grapes of wrath, dust bowl image is far from accurate. 

I'm sure Pao is all that in Florida with vanilla, obsequious Roos & her phony blonde hair. 

Not gonna lie, the Ken Burns dust bowl documentary is one of my all time favorites to watch.  The images are haunting and beautiful.  

I'm not entirely sure Pao is all that anywhere.  I think her body is great but her face leaves much to be desired. 

[sasha206]

2 hours ago, Mrs. Hanson said:

Not to go off topic, but I sometimes envy women who have never married, no kids.  Especially those in teaching:  Having  tenured job where you are contracted to work 185 days a year and you can travel and do what YOU want in the summer or over Winter break.  

Back on topic you say?  I hate Mursel.  A lot.

I know this will sound terrible, but there are times when I worry about my kid that I think, why did I do this to myself?!  But I remember being 34 and thinking every day was the same and feeling jealous of other mommies.  Still, parenthood is a job where the worry never, ever ends.  And sadly, my poor kid has had to deal with a father diagnosed with cancer a couple of weeks after middle school and then having him die in Dec her first year of high school. 

Anywho, not a damn thing wrong with being childless!  And hating Mursel!  And being single.  At 49, I became a widow and didn't date until a year after he passed.    I miss him, and I'm happy with my boyfriend now but I sure do like making my own decisions and not having to answer to staying out late with my hockey friends.  Not to mention, not living with your love sure makes you happy to see that person when you do!

[Spike]

1 hour ago, Rt66vintage said:

My brother never wanted children, especially not stepchildren, so as he got older his playing field became smaller and smaller. At age 38, he married a woman 8 years his senior, who had no kids. John M, I think your stance is fine, but hopefully when you're around kids in the family you refrain from sneering or eye rolling. Kids can always tell when an adult hates them. 

I cringe when Pao talks about how much she hates Oklahoma. It's been my adopted state for  the past 30 years, and the grapes of wrath, dust bowl image is far from accurate. 

I'm sure Pao is all that in Florida with vanilla, obsequious Roos & her phony blonde hair. 

They had a nicer house in Oklahoma than the cookie cutter townhome in Florida.  But the cuh-reer!

[RealReality]

38 minutes ago, Spike said:

They had a nicer house in Oklahoma than the cookie cutter townhome in Florida.  But the cuh-reer!

My friend lives in a super swanky California beach community, but she and her husband can only afford am apartment.  

He got offered like a 125k+ job in Minnesota I think....which apparently is a big deal.  They could have lived in like royalty on the money.  I mean they wouldn't be next door to prince, but still. 

They turned it down and while I think she stands by that decision because she loves the neighborhood and the perks of being in that area......sometimes I think she mourns for that Minnesota castle that never was. 

[Mrs. Hanson]

1 hour ago, sasha206 said:

I know this will sound terrible, but there are times when I worry about my kid that I think, why did I do this to myself?!  But I remember being 34 and thinking every day was the same and feeling jealous of other mommies.  Still, parenthood is a job where the worry never, ever ends.  And sadly, my poor kid has had to deal with a father diagnosed with cancer a couple of weeks after middle school and then having him die in Dec her first year of high school. 

Anywho, not a damn thing wrong with being childless!  And hating Mursel!  And being single.  At 49, I became a widow and didn't date until a year after he passed.    I miss him, and I'm happy with my boyfriend now but I sure do like making my own decisions and not having to answer to staying out late with my hockey friends.  Not to mention, not living with your love sure makes you happy to see that person when you do!

I am sorry you lost your mate and your daughter lost her dad.  I lost mine when I was 20 and it still hurts.  And I will be 55 in January.

Nothing at all wrong with being childless!  I have family members who are DINKS - double income no kids and when you do that you get to make decisions others don't get to make.  Look, my two sons are priceless and never regretted having them and knew I always wanted to a mom, among other things.  I did NOT, however, badger anyone into getting me pregnant within a day of meeting them!  I waited a solid week before begging, pleading, crying, threatening and manipulating them, lol!!!

[peaceknit]

On 12/14/2019 at 6:52 PM, Spike said:

I wouldn’t go down on Anna either.

Do men in Turkey not raise the toilet seat?  That’s why they have the horseshoe ones in public restrooms.

Maybe with a little honey...

[Mrs. Hanson]

10 minutes ago, RealReality said:

My friend lives in a super swanky California beach community, but she and her husband can only afford am apartment.  

He got offered like a 125k+ job in Minnesota I think....which apparently is a big deal.  They could have lived in like royalty on the money.  I mean they wouldn't be next door to prince, but still. 

They turned it down and while I think she stands by that decision because she loves the neighborhood and the perks of being in that area......sometimes I think she mourns for that Minnesota castle that never was. 

Native Minnesota gal here and like all areas we have foo foo shee shee areas and we have areas that are.....less than that.  Truthfully, two people on a $125,000 gross salary, unless she is working as well, is not going to get you into a mansion, especially if you are in one of the tonier suburbs.  I actually live about five minutes from where Prince lived, believe it or not!!  He lived at Paisley Park.  

I, too, cringe when Pao eyerolls Oklahoma.  That is your husband's home state so shut it.

Anna, I brought up two boys and live with a man.  The day will NEVER come when I clean anyone's pee off a toilet.

Edited December 20, 2019 by Mrs. Hanson

[peaceknit]

On 12/15/2019 at 6:29 AM, Baltimore Betty said:

In some foreign cultures dressing up for what we would think as a "dressy" occasion is not done, I have been to a lot of Bar and Bat Mitzvah's where the Americans dress up for the service but the visiting Israelis have a much more casual approach.

It is interesting that she made him go to church yet no service was going on.

Wouldn't religion be one of thos topics you would talk about before you start with the I love you's?

Also, Mike saying oy vey was priceless, does he think that is Russian?

Sasha the fitness junkie said he likes a lot of sugar so maybe that is something that is in a lot of Russian baby food?

It's her first child. Grandma will show her how it's done.

[sasha206]

11 minutes ago, Mrs. Hanson said:

I am sorry you lost your mate and your daughter lost her dad.  I lost mine when I was 20 and it still hurts.  And I will be 55 in January.

Nothing at all wrong with being childless!  I have family members who are DINKS - double income no kids and when you do that you get to make decisions others don't get to make.  Look, my two sons are priceless and never regretted having them and knew I always wanted to a mom, among other things.  I did NOT, however, badger anyone into getting me pregnant within a day of meeting them!  I waited a solid week before begging, pleading, crying, threatening and manipulating them, lol!!!

Aw, thank you Mrs. H!  I love the people on this board who have heard my story, are sympathetic and the ladies from RHONY board who got to hear my dating stories.  

And yes, nothing wrong with being a DINK!  If my daughter decided to do that, I'll just enjoy being a Great Aunt to my nephews and nieces children.  

[Kangatush]

The thing I find hilarious about Natalie is the baby thirst.  She doesn't have a visa, has no idea when/if she's getting a visa, and wants a baby hard.  Without even bothering to care about marriage, or having Mike around.  

[Spike]

14 minutes ago, Mrs. Hanson said:

I actually live about five minutes from where Prince lived, believe it or not!! 

Did you see him riding his bike to the multiple pharmacies he was picking up prescriptions at?

[Mrs. Hanson]

8 minutes ago, Spike said:

Did you see him riding his bike to the multiple pharmacies he was picking up prescriptions at?

No I never did.  He shopped at the Walgreens across from Paisley Park, and I am a CVS kinda gal.  I think a lot of the stuff he was getting was from overseas as well.  It is not like John Smith was pharma shopping, I mean it was Prince!  I drive by Paisley Park a lot, it is still used for something as there are cars there a lot.  When he passed the police had to divert traffic for WEEKS and finally staff from PP had to put up signs saying please do not put any more signs up.  I mean, people were sleeping outside the fencing - and it was April.  April is NOT warm in Minnesota, people!!!

[configdotsys]

20 hours ago, Ijustwantsomechips said:

Count me in on defending soup for breakfast.  Also grilled salmon and pearled couscous.  

I've always found it beyond bizarre that there are expectations for breakfast like it has to be cereal and milk or oatmeal or bacon and eggs or whatever. What the heck difference does it make if you have soup vs a bowl of cereal or eggs? Or a hamburger on a bun vs a sausage patty on an english muffin? Do people think that the time of the day dictates what one eats because anything other than "traditional" breakfast items have a poor affect on one's health? I've had soup for breakfast plenty of times. It's just another one of those things that "has always been that way" so people think anything outside of that is wrong. So odd. 

1 hour ago, sasha206 said:

Anywho, not a damn thing wrong with being childless!  And hating Mursel!  And being single.  At 49, I became a widow and didn't date until a year after he passed.    I miss him, and I'm happy with my boyfriend now but I sure do like making my own decisions and not having to answer to staying out late with my hockey friends.  Not to mention, not living with your love sure makes you happy to see that person when you do!

 

48 minutes ago, Mrs. Hanson said:

I am sorry you lost your mate and your daughter lost her dad.  I lost mine when I was 20 and it still hurts.  And I will be 55 in January.

Nothing at all wrong with being childless!  I have family members who are DINKS - double income no kids and when you do that you get to make decisions others don't get to make.  

We were DINKs and my husband passed two months after I turned 50. This was a few years ago and it's still awful. That it happened this month makes the holiday season mean very little anymore. I will say that we had a quarter of a century of such a wonderful marriage. I would never get married again and here I am, 4 years later without the slightest desire whatsoever to date anyone. The landscape has changed so much since I was in the dating pool way back. So many can't come up with a grand in cash for an emergency. Look at the people on this show? So many of them have no stability with regarding to housing, career, future, money for a rainy day, etc. It's a walking advertisement for staying single and living a stable life than having a warm body next to you that doesn't have a pot to piss in.

Mursel is a jerk but the majority of my anger is at Anna. She is so full of shit. If her kids meant everything to her, she would not be putting them through this. From what they have hinted at on the show, every relationship she has had winds up down the toilet so now she's added in a language barrier and hate for her kids into the mix. Yeah, that's a step in the right direction. 

Edited December 20, 2019 by configdotsys

[RealReality]

1 hour ago, Spike said:

Did you see him riding his bike to the multiple pharmacies he was picking up prescriptions at?

I've heard he used to go door to door b/c he was a Jehovah witness.  Id die of absolute joy if I opened my door and badass prince was there in all his finery to try to convert me. I'd give up all my belief in ancient aliens. 

Edited December 20, 2019 by RealReality

[Tuneful]

5 hours ago, Spike said:

I wonder if Mursel was named after Marcel Marceau because they talk about as much.

 

Ladies and gentlemen...Merdesell.

____________

 3 HOURS AGO, SPIKE SAID:

They had a nicer house in Oklahoma than the cookie cutter townhome in Florida.  But the cuh-reer! My friend lives in a super swanky California beach community, but she and her husband can only afford am apartment.  

_____________

Just live long enough like I have (mid-60s), "only" an apartment becomes a blessing. In fact I'm getting ready to downsize to a smaller one, all on one floor. 1 BR, den, 1.5 BA is about as big as I want to go (I live alone). And no more stairs! Never thought I'd say that...I work FT and felt like I spent SO much of my limited free time trying to deal with the home, and never succeeding. 

 

Edited December 20, 2019 by Tuneful
I don't know how to insert another quote later.

[Spike]

1 hour ago, RealReality said:

I've heard he used to go door to door b/c he was a Jehovah witness.  Id die of absolute joy if I opened my door and badass prince was there in all his finery to try to convert me. I'd give up all my belief in ancient aliens. 

Especially if he addressed you as Sexy MF.

[QueBueno]

4 minutes ago, Spike said:

Especially if he addressed you as Sexy MF.

OT:

"You don't have to be rich to be my girl

You don't have to be cool to rule my world

Ain't no particular sign I'm more compatible with

I just want you to be a Jehovah's Witness!"

I'd listen.

OT 2:  Marketing folks call me a PANK - professional aunt, no kids.  My youngest "kid" is in her mid-20's now, but how I loved spoiling those kids, and then giving them back to their mom.  I get how people could think single people with no kids have tons of free time and are rolling in dough, but neither of those are really true.  The money situation is really complicated;  yes we are just supporting one person, but there is the insecurity of having just one income, housing costs are about the same, and we have higher taxes and fewer benefits.  I earn what most people would say is an upper middle class salary, but my house and lifestyle are pretty modest compared to my married peers.  I read an analysis several years ago that stated the lifetime cost of being a single woman was $1M.

On topic:  Y'all covered just about everything, and one of my weekly pleasures is reading this forum.  All I can think of at the moment is that I have a really hard time believing that Glenn Close Natalie went from normal and likable to BSC in just a few episodes and I think it has to be production shenanigans.  I find it hard to swallow that if religion was so important to Natalie, it took this long for the subject to come up and for Mike to start talking crazy alien shit.  Really?  He's visited her before, did they not go to church then?  I also didn't get a Peloton Wife vibe from her getting him to run with her.  Hopefully that will be a fun hobby for them.  

[Spike]

Slightly off topic, but the trailer for next season of Before the 90 days has been released.  More Darcey and Tom hijinx and a bunch of new couples.

[Kdawg82]

21 hours ago, alegtostandon said:

was thinking we're going to find out that he's crying for joy. Just wait till he gets here and see what he's moving in to! 

Michael's living conditions in Nigeria seem better than AngZilla's overcrowded trailer. I've got nothing against trailers but that's a lot of mess makers running around there and AngZilla's mother included.  Elderly do soil themselves and their surroundings quite thoroughly.  The kitchen part I noticed in the background was sad and depressing looking. 

[Spike]

16 minutes ago, Kdawg82 said:

Michael's living conditions in Nigeria seem better than AngZilla's overcrowded trailer. I've got nothing against trailers but that's a lot of mess makers running around there and AngZilla's mother included.  Elderly do soil themselves and their surroundings quite thoroughly.  The kitchen part I noticed in the background was sad and depressing looking. 

If she took the money she spends on cigarettes, Botox and travel she could upgrade from that hovel.

[Kangatush]

5 hours ago, Tuneful said:

 

Just live long enough like I have (mid-60s), "only" an apartment becomes a blessing. In fact I'm getting ready to downsize to a smaller one, all on one floor. 1 BR, den, 1.5 BA is about as big as I want to go (I live alone). And no more stairs! Never thought I'd say that...I work FT and felt like I spent SO much of my limited free time trying to deal with the home, and never succeeding. 

 

My father, mid 70s, just moved into a loft with his partner, mid 80s.  His best argument was why should he be building equity at his age, and why worry about things like snow removal and mowing?

 

3 hours ago, Spike said:

Slightly off topic, but the trailer for next season of Before the 90 days has been released.  More Darcey and Tom hijinx and a bunch of new couples.

I am here for it.  Darcey is an emotional wreck, always fun to watch.  Especially since her girls are a bit older and seem immune to her nonsense.  

I love that there's a same sex couple.  And I'm already horrifascinated by the short dude with no neck.

 

[HorrrGoodnight]

10 hours ago, Neurochick said:

10 hours ago, Neurochick said:

There might be people here who never watched "Mob Wives."  I for one wished I had never watched that garbage.

 

I realize this now, and it sucks that I didn't effectively convey my faux rage about the Big Ang thing. I'm a little rusty you see, as I've been missing from Primetimer for many moons now. I should have pulled out some emojis at the end...... like 😂🤣😂 or something 

Edited December 21, 2019 by SlutAssBitchAssHor

[Spike]

40 minutes ago, Kangatush said:

My father, mid 70s, just moved into a loft with his partner, mid 80s.  His best argument was why should he be building equity at his age, and why worry about things like snow removal and mowing?

 

I am here for it.  Darcey is an emotional wreck, always fun to watch.  Especially since her girls are a bit older and seem immune to her nonsense.  

I love that there's a same sex couple.  And I'm already horrifascinated by the short dude with no neck.

 

Just like on Bachelor in Paradise they went with women though, a much safer choice.  

 

[magemaud]

On 12/19/2019 at 2:12 PM, SlutAssBitchAssHor said:

Can we PLEASE cease and desist calling Grangela "Big Ang"?

I have Pillow Talk on in the background and ironically, that's what Danielle's friend Beth just called Angela. Pot, meet kettle. 

UGH! Big Fat NOT Fabulous Whitney is back and we're supposed to believe a handsome new guy is proposing to her in Paris? 

Edited December 21, 2019 by magemaud

[RealReality]

5 hours ago, Spike said:

Slightly off topic, but the trailer for next season of Before the 90 days has been released.  More Darcey and Tom hijinx and a bunch of new couples.

That trailer looks fantastic. 

[RealReality]

2 hours ago, Kangatush said:

My father, mid 70s, just moved into a loft with his partner, mid 80s.  His best argument was why should he be building equity at his age, and why worry about things like snow removal and mowing?

 

I am here for it.  Darcey is an emotional wreck, always fun to watch.  Especially since her girls are a bit older and seem immune to her nonsense.  

I love that there's a same sex couple.  And I'm already horrifascinated by the short dude with no neck.

 

I was LOL when he said have been "less than candid" about his looks.....all I could think is that he photoshopped a neck on himself 

I cannot wait for him to get mad that a beautiful 20 year old from an impoverished country doesn't love him unconditionally. 

Also, 70% !!! I was dead!!!

[Wollstonecraft]

20 hours ago, Rt66vintage said:

My brother never wanted children, especially not stepchildren, so as he got older his playing field became smaller and smaller. At age 38, he married a woman 8 years his senior, who had no kids. John M, I think your stance is fine, but hopefully when you're around kids in the family you refrain from sneering or eye rolling. Kids can always tell when an adult hates them. 

I cringe when Pao talks about how much she hates Oklahoma. It's been my adopted state for  the past 30 years, and the grapes of wrath, dust bowl image is far from accurate. 

I'm sure Pao is all that in Florida with vanilla, obsequious Roos & her phony blonde hair. 

Pao doesn't have a bona fide modeling career does she? She's a topless swimsuit model. Not a Victoria's angel or even a fashion model. 

[blubld43]

16 hours ago, RealReality said:

I've heard he used to go door to door b/c he was a Jehovah witness.  Id die of absolute joy if I opened my door and badass prince was there in all his finery to try to convert me. I'd give up all my belief in ancient aliens. 

After Prince died, a man told the story of Prince appearing at his door on Superbowl Sunday. The man turned off the game to listen to him witness, I would have too.

[calpurnia99]

On 12/18/2019 at 1:59 PM, BallisticNikki said:

It's Christian. But the name is simply Ukranian Orthodox. It was once part of what is now Roman Catholicism but the RC and Orthodox churches split into two separate churches about 1000 years AD. Charlamagne had something to do w/ it. Roman Catholicism and the Orthodox Church are the two oldest forms of Christianity. There are many of these old Orthodox Christian churches in various countries (Greek, Macedonian, Russian, Ukranian, Romanian) and they are sometimes called "Eastern Orthodox." The Christian part does not need to be specified.

Don't forget Latvian- George Costanza converted to Latvian Orthodox!

[sasha206]

19 hours ago, configdotsys said:

I've always found it beyond bizarre that there are expectations for breakfast like it has to be cereal and milk or oatmeal or bacon and eggs or whatever. What the heck difference does it make if you have soup vs a bowl of cereal or eggs? Or a hamburger on a bun vs a sausage patty on an english muffin? Do people think that the time of the day dictates what one eats because anything other than "traditional" breakfast items have a poor affect on one's health? I've had soup for breakfast plenty of times. It's just another one of those things that "has always been that way" so people think anything outside of that is wrong. So odd. 

 

We were DINKs and my husband passed two months after I turned 50. This was a few years ago and it's still awful. That it happened this month makes the holiday season mean very little anymore. I will say that we had a quarter of a century of such a wonderful marriage. I would never get married again and here I am, 4 years later without the slightest desire whatsoever to date anyone. The landscape has changed so much since I was in the dating pool way back. So many can't come up with a grand in cash for an emergency. Look at the people on this show? So many of them have no stability with regarding to housing, career, future, money for a rainy day, etc. It's a walking advertisement for staying single and living a stable life than having a warm body next to you that doesn't have a pot to piss in.

Mursel is a jerk but the majority of my anger is at Anna. She is so full of shit. If her kids meant everything to her, she would not be putting them through this. From what they have hinted at on the show, every relationship she has had winds up down the toilet so now she's added in a language barrier and hate for her kids into the mix. Yeah, that's a step in the right direction. 

Sister, I am with you on this.  Mine passed Dec. 11.  I was determined to make sure my daughter had a great Christmas that we baked cookies while he was in hospice.  We also this year started a new tradition to go to our favorite fancy restaurant that decorates so beautifully for Christmas on the anniversary of his passing.  I hope you have family and friends around you that can help you through this time.

On dating, I hear you.  I've only dated 2 people . Boyfriend is my high school crush who I reconnected on FB with.  His wife was a cheater and they divorced.  Fortunately a very responsible guy who is financially secure.  We broke up for about 4 months the first year we dated; he was really struggling with his new normal and I had some challenges with my daughter.  Then I started dating my hockey teammate, 38 years old to my 51 at the time; actually well off.  We had a great time and are still great friends. 

Personally, I think connecting with people the organic way is better than dating sites; granted, boyfriend and I connected on FB but he wasn't on until he went to dinner with a mutual friend, asked her about me and then joined just so he could catch up with me.  I made him wait almost 2 months to reconnect with me in person.

I have friends who did dating apps and never had good success.  If they weren't immediately attracted, it was over before the date started. Often, in my single days, some of the men I crushed on the most weren't the most handsome men; their personalities where the attraction and I didn't get attracted until I knew them for a while!  

In my friend's dating through apps, most of the time, the profile pics didn't match the in person photo. And sometimes my friend would have correspondence with these men and they'd actually told their kids about her before they ever met!  Hell even my friend told one of them, "I'm going to take an active role in their lives..."  before she met him and realized the guy was a bad drunk!  To me, bringing in kids to a relationship early is not a good idea, but even worse where you haven't even met the person!  After 2 years of dating, my 17 year old daughter just met boyfriend a few weeks ago!  I didn't want her getting attached to anyone or having him take on a fatherly role either.  

Anywho, way off topic, but just wanted to say I'm thinking of you and know your struggle!   Date when you are ready and if you are perfectly happy not dating, that's even better.  Being alone has never bothered me!

Edited December 21, 2019 by sasha206

[Kangatush]

22 hours ago, configdotsys said:

I've always found it beyond bizarre that there are expectations for breakfast like it has to be cereal and milk or oatmeal or bacon and eggs or whatever. What the heck difference does it make if you have soup vs a bowl of cereal or eggs? Or a hamburger on a bun vs a sausage patty on an english muffin? Do people think that the time of the day dictates what one eats because anything other than "traditional" breakfast items have a poor affect on one's health? I've had soup for breakfast plenty of times. It's just another one of those things that "has always been that way" so people think anything outside of that is wrong. So odd. 

I saw a program that discussed how a lot of it goes back to an ad campaign from like, the bacon people, saying what you "should" eat in the morning, and it just kind of became a thing.  

Marketing has power.  Ever hear that carrots improve your eyesight?  Nope.  It was a British campaign to get people to eat more veggies during WWII, when most everything else was heavily rationed.

[Iguessnot]

On 12/16/2019 at 9:05 PM, Gigglepuff said:

I like some children but not all. I especially can't stand it when they're too precious, like that brat in the dishwasher commercial "so what does the dishwasher DO?" And don't get me started on the care.com kid. Like, no, kid, I don't think you're cute. 

Saying that, I do feel really badly for the kids of 90 Day people. It's unfair that they have to start off life burdened with an idiot for a parent. 

That child's upper lip is like an expanding worm.

[RealReality]

1 hour ago, Kangatush said:

I saw a program that discussed how a lot of it goes back to an ad campaign from like, the bacon people, saying what you "should" eat in the morning, and it just kind of became a thing.  

Marketing has power.  Ever hear that carrots improve your eyesight?  Nope.  It was a British campaign to get people to eat more veggies during WWII, when most everything else was heavily rationed.

It's true.  I remember watching a program that posited that the popularity of cheese in the US was linked to increased dairy production and farmers not wanting to waste milk fat.  

[judylo]

On 12/20/2019 at 6:37 PM, QueBueno said:

OT:

"You don't have to be rich to be my girl

You don't have to be cool to rule my world

Ain't no particular sign I'm more compatible with

I just want you to be a Jehovah's Witness!"

I'd listen.

OT 2:  Marketing folks call me a PANK - professional aunt, no kids.  My youngest "kid" is in her mid-20's now, but how I loved spoiling those kids, and then giving them back to their mom.  I get how people could think single people with no kids have tons of free time and are rolling in dough, but neither of those are really true.  The money situation is really complicated;  yes we are just supporting one person, but there is the insecurity of having just one income, housing costs are about the same, and we have higher taxes and fewer benefits.  I earn what most people would say is an upper middle class salary, but my house and lifestyle are pretty modest compared to my married peers.  I read an analysis several years ago that stated the lifetime cost of being a single woman was $1M.

On topic:  Y'all covered just about everything, and one of my weekly pleasures is reading this forum.  All I can think of at the moment is that I have a really hard time believing that Glenn Close Natalie went from normal and likable to BSC in just a few episodes and I think it has to be production shenanigans.  I find it hard to swallow that if religion was so important to Natalie, it took this long for the subject to come up and for Mike to start talking crazy alien shit.  Really?  He's visited her before, did they not go to church then?  I also didn't get a Peloton Wife vibe from her getting him to run with her.  Hopefully that will be a fun hobby for them.  

Yes. I live in nyc. I was a writer and editor. I never made a lot of money. I got laid off three years ago after 29 years at the same company, and jobs before that. I’m 65. I took early Social Security. Yes, I have some retirement income and I do a tiny bit of freelance editing. No husband and no kids. It isn’t easy!

[KateHearts]

On 12/18/2019 at 12:09 PM, MajorNelson said:

I recall Natalie explaining that believing in God allows one to believe that He helps you.  And I think the flaw in a lot of Christians' thinking is that they have a magic carpet ride through life with no troubles etc, and of course most people do run into some troubles.

Anyway for her, she can use her logic that since God arranged her best friend to marry in the USA and for Mike to be that guy's best friend, that God will magically fix up this relationship...and Mike will of course convert.  So he needs to get with her (big G's) plan!

I don't think that faith "helping" translates to "no troubles" for most faithful people. It's kind of lousy to generalize that persons who believe in God feel they are immune to any of life's problems, or that God steers them blindly through life.

I DO believe that people find comfort in knowing that there is an ultimate bigger plan than they may understand in the here and now. And as Natalie kind of said, it's a way to guide one's decisions and teach morality to their kids.  Nothing bad about that. As others have said, she is a little late to the game of bringing this all up to Mike, who has decided that there is another explanation for things.

I want to know why CT Michael always looks guilty or like he smells something bad when he is talking. His discomfort is so palpable I feel icky by association  

Anna might be realizing- too far and too late- that Murcel is a wet rag with no personality and feels like he did her a giant favor for just showing up here in the States. I cannot imagine them having fun, having a conversation, or doing anything people do in a meaningful relationship.

[RealReality]

I'm not even sure why Natalie is in arms over big Mike's alien beliefs.  He seems willing to go to Church with her, and will likely allow her to raise any future child in the Christian faith.  

She should be worried about his behavior because he is nearly 40 and you're not going to change his mind by just telling him he has to believe anymore than the people of England one day believed the catholic view of the world and then believed the Anglican or protestant view of the world. 

People just had to behave in the right way, go to the right church, take sacrament in the right way....but no one could possibly really change what your mind believed. 

I think Mike has been fairly accommodating when all things are considered.  If they break up, she needs to get on a Christian dating site and go from there, especially if she wants to have kids post haste. 

[Tuneful]

3 hours ago, RealReality said:

I think Mike has been fairly accommodating when all things are considered.  If they break up, she needs to get on a Christian dating site and go from there, especially if she wants to have kids post haste. 

We see in many cases someone living abroad who's desperate to go to America, and an American who wants to punch above his or her weight as far as attractiveness and "hotness." Yet with infatuation many don't seem to cover many important, basic facts--e.g., are you divorced [please send a copy of the papers]; kids (do you have them, do you want them); what is the custody arrangement and how is the relationship with your ex; religion and its importance; any criminal record; what you do for a living and do you have an actual job [verify]; what are your expectations about what you would live on if you moved here; does anyone live with you? And let's see photos of where you live and your home now.

If they get touchy when asked, red flag, move on. 

Natalie is convinced Mike will go to hell and she must save his soul. Black/white view. I have some extended family in another country who are very "old country" that way as well. 

Edited December 22, 2019 by Tuneful

[Spike]

1 hour ago, Tuneful said:

Natalie is convinced Mike will go to hell and she must save his soul. Black/white view. I have some extended family in another country who are very "old country" that way as well. 

Maybe she thinks they can spend eternal life together if he is baptized.  But she probably hasn’t put that much thought into it.

[Boston]

On 12/16/2019 at 8:05 PM, RealReality said:

I mean, she very clearly would have, right?  She prefaced her ballsy announcement that they probably couldnt get married unless he came clean by saying "my friends and family don't want us to get married"

I wonder how much of this entire scheme is fueled by Anna's need for validation from her friends and family?

Yes....THIS!!!!!!

I've never heard of another adult putting sugar over an already sugary cereal...or any cereal.  

I wouldn't put sugar in someone's sugary cereal even if I knew they liked sugar.  The whole thing is weird.  Maybe this is her just trying to get them to leave. 

My mother used to put sugar on our cereal.. yeah, too much.. but it was better than oatmeal..

[antfitz]

On 12/16/2019 at 2:49 PM, Kroliosis said:

People are different & love/hate different things.  What is there to understand?  I am firmly in team child hater.

 I have a feeling you are not a child hater because that is so drastic. But that you would hate to have children, BIG difference.

13 hours ago, KateHearts said:

I don't think that faith "helping" translates to "no troubles" for most faithful people. It's kind of lousy to generalize that persons who believe in God feel they are immune to any of life's problems, or that God steers them blindly through life.

I DO believe that people find comfort in knowing that there is an ultimate bigger plan than they may understand in the here and now. And as Natalie kind of said, it's a way to guide one's decisions and teach morality to their kids.  Nothing bad about that. As others have said, she is a little late to the game of bringing this all up to Mike, who has decided that there is another explanation for things.

I want to know why CT Michael always looks guilty or like he smells something bad when he is talking. His discomfort is so palpable I feel icky by association  

Anna might be realizing- too far and too late- that Murcel is a wet rag with no personality and feels like he did her a giant favor for just showing up here in the States. I cannot imagine them having fun, having a conversation, or doing anything people do in a meaningful relationship.

 I think Natalie needs to find another man. And he needs to find another woman. I believe in God and am religious, but she is too extreme.

[antfitz]

On 12/16/2019 at 2:49 PM, Kroliosis said:

People are different & love/hate different things.  What is there to understand?  I am firmly in team child hater.

 I have a feeling you are not a child hater because that is so drastic. But that you would hate to have children, BIG difference.

 

 I did not understand the one gal who wants to marry the Muslim. She has said over and over that she puts her children 1st, but who brings an unknown man into  their household when there are children there?  She is putting herself 1st .

On 12/21/2019 at 2:31 PM, RealReality said:

It's true.  I remember watching a program that posited that the popularity of cheese in the US was linked to increased dairy production and farmers not wanting to waste milk fat.  

 O the dairy people are a problem. Do you know we spend millions of dollars every year for like milk ads. Just programming us to drink more milk.