S14.E07: This is My Decision Day

[gingerandcloves]

6 minutes ago, Yeah No said:

I love pets but what I don't understand is all these active young people with so many pets.  When I was their age I didn't think it was fair to pets to be out working all day and often in the evenings and on weekends.  Those pets are home all the time when their owners are out.  And they have to find people to sit them when they go away.  I couldn't have managed pets when I was their age with all I had going on and I would have felt bad not being home enough for them either.  It seems like every season we get people with more and more pets.  First they had one, then two, now often both partners have at least 2 or 3 pets each.  It's out of control.  Is that something to do with the young generation today?  Most young single people I knew when I was young didn't have pets in an apartment (most of the time they weren't even allowed) and waited until they were married and someone was home more often to take care of them.

I think it's kind of weird, too. We've always had pets, but when we had a dog I took it to work with me most days (veterinary hospital), and with the cats, I was a stay at home parent and the kids were homeschooled so the cats were rarely ever left alone for more than a few hours. I don't know how people go and leave their pets, especially dogs, all day long. Now it seems like these MAFS participants have dogs for the most part. Do they all send them to doggy daycare like Jasmina does?

[Racj82]

5 minutes ago, gingerandcloves said:

I think it's kind of weird, too. We've always had pets, but when we had a dog I took it to work with me most days (veterinary hospital), and with the cats, I was a stay at home parent and the kids were homeschooled so the cats were rarely ever left alone for more than a few hours. I don't know how people go and leave their pets, especially dogs, all day long. Now it seems like these MAFS participants have dogs for the most part. Do they all send them to doggy daycare like Jasmina does?

At this point, pets are treated like actual kids to the point where there is doggy daycare (even at jobs in some cases) sitters, etc. 

Some do leave them home alone though. I've come up on many places as a courier where there were clearly pets home but no humans.

[gingerandcloves]

I'd love to see Lindsey and Mark work out, as I think they do have potential. Their communication styles are really different though. Lindsey is going to have to learn to give Mark space, and Mark is going to have to learn to keep the lines of communication open and not shut down. We didn't get a really clear picture of the apartment situation, and what was making the landlady so upset.

Chris seems like a very nice guy, and I'm glad he told Alyssa he was done. She is so full of crap. "I worked so hard to get here, wah wah wah." Well, yeah, if you consider shopping for multiple wedding dresses and getting a face full of injections, hard work, then I guess you did. And no, Alyssa, you are NOT a good person. I can't believe she tried to make us believe she's allergic to dogs.

I'm not holding out hope for Jasmina and Michael. I think they will coast along until Decision Day and then decide to split.

[Ms.C.]

Dab, dab, dab those phony tears Alyssa.  Persecution complex.  Good decision, Chris. 

Does anyone else think this is going to be a long six weeks?  

[LennieBriscoe]

It will hit Alyssa at some point, and maybe 20 years from now, but she will have a moment  of realization of what she rejected out of hand: a man who was prepared to be a husband and a father. A stand-up guy. This epiphany will be after Alyssa dates more frogs. 

[Ms.C.]

6 hours ago, Auntie Anxiety said:

I think this show needs an entirely new slate of experts. You know, people who actually know something about relationships? 

Seems to me the experts have largely checked out.  Pastor Cal may be the exception but ecen he seems at a loss this season on “Unmatched.”

[Ms.C.]

6 hours ago, JenE4 said:

Pastor Cal walks in and Noi and Steve are like we’re perfect! We agree about everything! Now it turns out they completely disagree on “the biggies”—kids and jobs/money! But you both like to dance, so there’s that.

I love Steves confidence re getting employed when he’s ready. He must have skills and experience that has proven that out.  He’s a catch IMO.  

[Ms.C.]

5 hours ago, Straycat80 said:

And next week Mark and Lindsay implode. And maybe Noi and Steve. Still think this season will be a 5/5 failure. 

Gonna remain a hold out for Steve and Noi making it.  The spark is there and they want it. Still no spark with others … honestly, not sure about MTS and L.  Spark? or two outliers who are ready to settle?

[Desert Rat]

On 2/16/2022 at 7:29 PM, Gator Stud said:

 Boston is not expensive.

https://www.trulia.com/p/ma/mattapan/35-goodale-rd-mattapan-ma-02126--2001508466

I don't think the price of this home represents the true value of real estate in Boston. The ad says the house is deed restricted and the price cannot exceed the amount allowed by the city. Also, the city must approve any buyer. 

Edited February 18, 2022 by Desert Rat

[Gator Stud]

9 hours ago, candall said:

I guess that was literally the only power he had over her.  "Your television career is over."

He showed amazing restraint.  I'm a very mild-mannered person and I want to slap her.

 

 

I would be happy to watch the Afterparty show, because I'm enjoying the Livechat, but I refuse to be roped into "My Killer Body."    Goodnight, snarkers.

I watched Geege and then Adults Adopting Adults.  They were horrible. The 2nd one was really about men convincing their wives to adopt 2nd sister wives.  But the men were like 50 and the women being adopted were early 20s with large breasts. Really creepy, and I have a high tolerance level.  No wonder it got cancelled.  Also Alyssa will probably only get really desperate men to date her.  No hot men for Alyssa.  No rich men for Alyssa.  The best she could get now is maybe...........Chris!  Maybe O would sleep with her in a threesome, but it would one and done.

[JenE4]

7 hours ago, Yeah No said:

I think some of Mark's reaction is justified but I'm not buying that Lindsey being "a lot" is the entire story with him.  He seems to have some unfinished business with his landlord and now a roommate that was never mentioned until this episode.  Nothing was said about the roommate so I have no idea what's behind that story, but I think Lindsey is pissed off that he seems to have boundary issues and complicated "situationships" and emotional entanglements that are coming back to bite him in the ass right now and showing her that perhaps he was not quite ready to get married.  I don't think she would be coming down quite so hard on him if that wasn't on her mind.  If it was just taking care of his mother and having issues with Lindsey herself I don't think he'd be acting the way he is.  And I think that Lindsey would be more willing to let up on him if that's all it was, but I think she senses that it's more than that and it's making her angry.

 

6 hours ago, Yeah No said:

It was in the scene about an hour and 20 minutes into the episode when Lindsey confronts Mark in the apartment.  She says, "I'm having a really hard time with you, Mark.  I feel like I'm getting two different versions of you since the honeymoon and your phone started blowing up from Denise and your roommate."  I'm presuming Denise is the landlady.  Who the roommate is is anybody's guess.

Mark has mentioned the roommate. Even at the wedding he told Lindsey that he has 3 cats—but one of them is his roommates’s. Every time they talked about these 5 damn cats they were going to have he slipped in about one belonging to his roommate—so I kept wondering why he was counting that one. I guess either the roommate ditched it on him, or they just thought it would be more dramatic to keep the roommate’s cat, too? I’m pretty sure Mark said he had a female roommate, actually, but maybe it was Michael and we knew before Jasmina? I’m not sure. Now the big conspiracy theory could be is the “roommate” and the “landlady mother-figure” the same person? I didn’t assume so, but that would add a whole different spin on it if he was living in the landlady’s home WITH her. Lindsey also mentioned a female best friend who kept calling/texting throughout the honeymoon, so that could potentially be Denise? But the best friend is married so presumably not the roommate.

Edited February 17, 2022 by JenE4

[ByTor]

27 minutes ago, Gator Stud said:

I watched Geege

I am personally sending you a trophy for getting through that LOL

28 minutes ago, Gator Stud said:

No hot men for Alyssa.  No rich men for Alyssa.  The best she could get now is maybe...........Chris! 

😂😂😂😂😂

6 hours ago, Racj82 said:

I know pet lovers won't love this but why do you even have pets in a cramped place like that?

It's because I love pets that I agree with you, I would never do that.

[Gator Stud]

9 hours ago, Rightside said:

Why do I think Chris will be looking better than ever on the reunion show??

He probably will have braces, Invisalign, or veneers.  And he probably will work out.  That is all he really needed to do.  Alyssa could not see the big picture. 

[Jax7917]

8 hours ago, Koalagirl said:

Alyssa only cried because she wanted to be the one to do the dumping. I’m glad Chris beat her to it. 

No I think she cried fake tears because she wanted to pretend to be upset about the situation so she can drag this out and play the victim card. "IIIIIII was trying. IIIIIII am a good person. He was the one who gave up on the marriage." She needs mental health help STAT. The girl is a narcissist. I am glad that Chris said today was his decision day but I was really hoping he would throw more digs in and ask her in front of Cal why she wanted the apartment just to have the "experience" with the girls when this is called Married at First sight? 

I also think when Chris got home from the honeymoon, he realized he didn't even want the apartment to live in by himself. He'd probably be more comfortable in his own home and being around his friends/back in his normal routine made him realize he just wants to move on from this situation as soon as possible.

The problem with Jasmina and Michael is that they both have no personality other than pouting. I do think Jasmina is hard on him but I was on her side with lying about having girl roommates. In one scene he said he's never lived with a girl, then she goes to his apartment and hes ... living with 2 girls lol . I had high hopes for them in the first episode but they both need someone who brings out some fun in them.

[Gator Stud]

9 hours ago, Yeah No said:

That's a house with restricted pricing because it's through an affordable housing program.  There are income restrictions on who can buy that, I think.

Boston is no. 7 on the list of 10 most expensive housing markets in the U.S. according to this page on rocketmortgage.com:

$760 per square foot

Median listing price: ~$770,000

Median selling price: ~$692,000

Average 5% down payment: $35,000

Seller’s market

With the third-highest price per square foot, Boston lands at No. 7 on this list. 

I guess my views are completely distorted living in LA. We are in the market and we need to come up with $800K as a down payment. In Houston that would be the price of the house with 5 bedrooms.  In Pearland (Hi Jose!) you could get 3 houses for that down payment.  My buddy had a place in Commonwealth and that was still sort of expensive.  I would kill for $760/sf. Caucasian Sex tried living in Santa Barbara to do their weed thing, but I think they are not back on the East coast.  You have to pay for your freedom.

[Gator Stud]

8 hours ago, Peachyqueen said:

Ah, where in Texas? San Antonio here! 

I used to live in Houston.

[brilliantbreakfast]

I was highly attuned to how I felt while Alyssa was doing her farewell whine and eye-dab, and it was rage. Why I felt SO angry is something to discuss with my therapist (LOL) but I am highly sensitive to gaslighting, and man, this bitch works in gaslighting the way Rembrandt worked with oil paint and light.  I would have liked to see Pastor Cal call her out on her bullshit more emphatically, but I agree with the others that for production, the goal was to just get rid of her as quickly as possible.

Chris dodged a bullet here. He's SO lucky she never spent a night with him, or even more than a few minutes with him in a room, because this is the kind of woman who would cry rape just to feed into her narrative. And I am a "trust women" kinda gal -- but not this one.

Does she not realize that Pastor Cal has seen every bit of video that was taken on that honeymoon and had long since gotten wise to her? I'm guessing that production had already decided to jettison her to spare Chris from going through any more of this, and his "decision" was a production decision -- hence Cal's refusal to engage them on how to resolve things. He won't have to pay a penny. They're lucky if HE doesn't sue THEM. It's unethical to cast for drama (which seems to be the case here), but to recruit a psycho narcissistic gaslighter like Alyssa is beyond the pale.

I don't much care about the rest of them, except that Mark seems to be a decent guy with a lot of baggage, both emotional and logistical, that he needs to work out. And for a flawlessly beautiful woman, Jasmina is a profoundly unhappy person.

[Rightside]

14 hours ago, kristen111 said:

Why all the talk about how many kids?  What about miscarriages or not being able to become pregnant?  Aren’t they jumping the gun too soon about how many kids they want?

I'll bet that conversation was producer scripted to create some drama between them.

Edited February 17, 2022 by Rightside

[Gator Stud]

8 hours ago, Yeah No said:

She is just a rigid downer all the time and I don't think it's just because she doesn't like him

Rigid downer.  I'm going to steal this one.

[Gator Stud]

8 hours ago, CSunshine76 said:

Htown! 😉

I posted the same last week. It makes no sense. Was his landlord IN his apartment while he was getting married or in Mexico? The story has holes, for sure!

I lived in the Museum District next to Rice.  If you want 1 dollar beers, go to Valhalla on campus.  Its a trashed out dive bar, but beers are cheap or free. Peeps from the Business School go there.

[Jax7917]

10 hours ago, kristen111 said:

Why all the talk about how many kids?  What about miscarriages or not being able to become pregnant?  Aren’t they jumping the gun too soon about how many kids they want?

I think that was Cal and Steve's point. To say you are set on having 3 kids is great, but the realities of life sometimes doesn't allow that. I always thought I wanted 3 as well, but now i have 1 and am so tired that I can't even imagine having a second one anytime soon. Things change. Just say you would like to have 3 but you will wait to see what happens. 

[OFDgal]

11 hours ago, Gator Stud said:

 Boston is not expensive.

https://www.trulia.com/p/ma/mattapan/35-goodale-rd-mattapan-ma-02126--2001508466

Mattapan is not a place most Bostonians who are familiar with that area would want to live.  It's an inner city neighborhood with high crime.

[Mindthinkr]

19 minutes ago, Gator Stud said:

Rigid downer.  I'm going to steal this one.

Same here 😊

[Gator Stud]

5 hours ago, Ms.C. said:

I love Steves confidence re getting employed when he’s ready. He must have skills and experience that has proven that out.  He’s a catch IMO.  

I totally relate to Steve.  I've been used and abused by Corporate America when living in Houston, chained to my desk 90 hours a week, sacrificing my complete personal life.  Then when they needed to make their stock price go up 5 pennies, they laid good workers off, and did it in a bad way. I was loyal; they were not. Office politics were far more important than your work product. Then I decided to pack up all my shit and move to California, where I literally was a beach bum for 5 months with no job. I found out that Black people could get sunburned badly.  It all worked out for me. My stint in Houston scarred me and I was never going to do that again.   Steve will be fine.  He has marketable skills in high demand.  He just doesnt want to go through the, layoff after giving your soul to a corporation thing again.

[Empress1]

14 minutes ago, brilliantbreakfast said:

And for a flawlessly beautiful woman, Jasmina is a profoundly unhappy person.

I always think she looks miserable. I don’t think she’s smiled since the wedding.

2 minutes ago, Jax7917 said:

I think that was Cal and Steve's point. To say you are set on having 3 kids is great, but the realities of life sometimes doesn't allow that. I always thought I wanted 3 as well, but now i have 1 and am so tired that I can't even imagine having a second one anytime soon. Things change. Just say you would like to have 3 but you will wait to see what happens. 

Yes. Noi got on my nerves with both her insistence that her dog sleep basically on her head (Steve wants no parts of that; I don’t think he wants a dog, period) and her insistence that they have three kids, period. Life happens. What if they can’t? What if they have one or two and Steve says he’s done? To Steve’s point, what if one kid has health problems and they don’t have the time to devote to another kid? Also I don’t know how old Noi is (33?) but Steve is 38, which means he’d be having kids in his 40s - he probably wouldn’t have the first one before 40. Maybe he doesn’t want to be dealing with newborns in his late 40s. Noi seems kind of childish to me.

Five fucking cats is my nightmare. I hate cats. Like, they’re the couple I wouldn’t visit because of all those cats. We could hang out in the park or something.

2 minutes ago, Gator Stud said:

Steve will be fine.  He has marketable skills in high demand.  He just doesnt want to go through the, layoff after giving your soul to a corporation thing again.

Yeah, I think more is being made of Steve not working a traditional full-time job than is necessary. I believe him when he says he could get another job whenever. I also know that tech contractors/consultants do very well. At no point has Steve said he’s going to plunge them into poverty. He just doesn’t want to do the full-time grind - and it doesn’t seems like he has to. It sounds like he wants more life and less work (me too; I plan to change jobs this year) and that his skills are such that he can have that and earn a good living. He’s in an enviable position, really.

[Yeah No]

1 hour ago, JenE4 said:

Mark has mentioned the roommate. Even at the wedding he told Lindsey that he has 3 cats—but one of them is his roommates’s. Every time they talked about these 5 damn cats they were going to have he slipped in about one belonging to his roommate—so I kept wondering why he was counting that one. I guess either the roommate ditched it on him, or they just thought it would be more dramatic to keep the roommate’s cat, too? I’m pretty sure Mark said he had a female roommate, actually, but maybe it was Michael and we knew before Jasmina? I’m not sure. Now the big conspiracy theory could be is the “roommate” and the “landlady mother-figure” the same person? I didn’t assume so, but that would add a whole different spin on it if he was living in the landlady’s home WITH her. Lindsey also mentioned a female best friend who kept calling/texting throughout the honeymoon, so that could potentially be Denise? But the best friend is married so presumably not the roommate.

Interesting that Mark has mentioned a roommate but it doesn't get across to the audience unless one listens closely.  It would explain how the landlady found out about the bedbugs and entered his apartment while Mark was getting married and on his honeymoon.  I think you're right that the reason may be that the roommate may also be the landlady and Denise is his female friend.  Even if not, we're not being given a clear picture of the situation.  Maybe Mark and the show don't want to go into that complicated situation because it doesn't support the image they want to present of him or to protect the privacy of his roommate or both.  Maybe there was bad blood between him and the roommate over the roommate suddenly not having someone to share the rent with them.  Then the bedbug thing only made it worse.  Maybe the furniture belonged to the roommate and that's why the apartment was pretty much cleaned out by the time Mark came back.  There is a whole lot more to this story and either Mark is being treated horribly by both the landlady and the roommate or he may also have some responsibility in it and he brought some of it on himself.  I wonder if we'll eventually find out.

[OFDgal]

9 hours ago, Yeah No said:

It also depends on the cost of living in an area, not just housing prices.  The price of groceries and salaries are both factors that go into this.  Boston routinely makes the top 10 list of cities with the highest cost of living in the US.  

You are right.  Everything is more expensive here in Boston.  Housing prices are through the roof and taxes are ridiculous.  I can see why the apartments these folks have are tiny because they want location and pay more for that than space.

[Yeah No]

8 minutes ago, Empress1 said:

15 minutes ago, Gator Stud said:

Steve will be fine.  He has marketable skills in high demand.  He just doesnt want to go through the, layoff after giving your soul to a corporation thing again.

Yeah, I think more is being made of Steve not working a traditional full-time job than is necessary. I believe him when he says he could get another job whenever. I also know that tech contractors/consultants do very well. At no point has Steve said he’s going to plunge them into poverty. He just doesn’t want to do the full-time grind - and it doesn’t seems like he has to. It sounds like he wants more life and less work (me too; I plan to change jobs this year) and that his skills are such that he can have that and earn a good living. He’s in an enviable position, really.

I was originally in support of Steve knowing how easy it is for people in his field to get good paying contract work, but the way he acted in this episode made me change a bit on that.  He is very used to being able to come and go from jobs as he pleases and not have any dependents to take responsibility for but himself.  The financial pressures of having a spouse and family will make doing things like taking off for a while between gigs not the best idea even if he could originally support himself and still do that.  The way he acted with pastor Cal made me think he hasn't figured out that he might want to change his attitude on that a little bit.  Unfortunately with all that he wants out of marriage and family he might have to get used to "the full time grind" or not be able to afford it.

[Gator Stud]

18 minutes ago, Empress1 said:

It sounds like he wants more life and less work (me too; I plan to change jobs this year) and that his skills are such that he can have that and earn a good living.

Good for you! Companies are desperate for workers now because everybody is quitting. When I did decide to start working again after moving to Cali, I was totally a mercenary. 

[Yeah No]

6 minutes ago, OFDgal said:

You are right.  Everything is more expensive here in Boston.  Housing prices are through the roof and taxes are ridiculous.  I can see why the apartments these folks have are tiny because they want location and pay more for that than space.

Exactly!  I live in the Hartford, CT area and go to Boston often.  My husband is in Boston for work on a regular basis.  We are originally from NYC and we know how Boston mirrors it when it comes to cost of living and housing prices (although NYC is even worse of course).  It's no wonder the apartments these people have are more humble and that most of them have roommates to afford them.  When we have watched MAFS in the Southern states we have marveled on how these young people can afford nice looking houses all by themselves with no roommates.  You'd have to come from some real money to be able to afford that in most big Northeastern cities.

[Yeah No]

7 hours ago, Racj82 said:

I've noticed that the world is obsessed with pets now. The amount of people that have pets now is crazy. It's a real high percentage. It was not always that high.

Some of that is this Instagram culture. Taking pictures all day, etc. Pets are good for that type of stuff. 

Some it's an accessory thing.

I've noticed a lot of women have pets. I think a lot of women have a problem living alone. I'm not trying to generalize. I've just noticed men being far more okay with being alone than women. I've also seen a lot of women get pets right after break ups which plays into my previous statement. 

I remember the guy that used to co host the mafs podcast with Tara never thought people with pets should be on the show and he had a fundamental problem with pets in general. The problem being that it feels like a lot of people use pets in place of a relationship. That's how you end up with shit like Noi who must sleep with her dog every night while ignoring her spouses feelings.

I think you're right that pets are being treated like an accessory by a lot of people now, which speaks volumes because a pet is a living being with needs, not a glamor item that one can leave in the closet when they're not around.  My parents used to let the dog sleep in their bed, but that was a zillion years ago before people became more aware of germs.  The dog was being walked on dirty NYC streets every day and then jumped into bed with them at night.  Expecting your new relationship to sleep with your dog is kind of presumptuous IMHO.  And again, I love dogs.  If I had one right now I probably wouldn't be so keen on letting them sleep with me because of the germ issue.

[Empress1]

6 minutes ago, Yeah No said:

I was originally in support of Steve knowing how easy it is for people in his field to get good paying contract work, but the way he acted in this episode made me change a bit on that.  He is very used to being able to come and go from jobs as he pleases and not have any dependents to take responsibility for but himself.  The financial pressures of having a spouse and family will make doing things like taking off for a while between gigs not the best idea even if he could originally support himself and still do that.  The way he acted with pastor Cal made me think he hasn't figured out that he might want to change his attitude on that a little bit.  Unfortunately with all that he wants out of marriage and family he might have to get used to "the full time grind" or not be able to afford it.

Or he could stack his coins and take off between gigs for caregiving, if they have kids. He does a big project, Noi has a baby and takes 3 months maternity leave, and then he stops working for 3 months after that as paternity leave. It really is possible to make full-time money - more than, even - working freelance. He’s not talking about doing TaskRabbit (no shade, I’ve hired those folks before); he’s a tech guy with sales skills. 

2 minutes ago, Yeah No said:

It's no wonder the apartments these people have are more humble and that most of them have roommates to afford them.

Yes - I kept wondering if Olajuwon (who is fucking exhausting) lived in that house alone or with family, and where it is. I wasn’t surprised by the size of the places. The decor, yes. Wall quotes and LED lights in your late 30s?

6 minutes ago, Gator Stud said:

Good for you! Companies are desperate for workers now because everybody is quitting. When I did decide to start working again after moving to Cali, I was totally a mercenary. 

Thanks! Hoping to make a career pivot. I could almost certainly find a different job in the field I’m in without much trouble (a similar job in a different industry might give me more balance), but I want to leave the field. And I agree with you about company loyalty, as someone who has been laid off. Work is transactional. You work somewhere as long as your goals and the organization’s goals align. When they stop aligning, move on - because the second the org doesn’t need you, they will get rid of you. I’ve seen people who devoted their lives to companies marched out by security like they stole something. Your job does not love you, even if you love it (I don’t).

[JenE4]

Okay, I’m watching the recorded After show and was able to pause on one of Mark’s quote decals. The photo is too big to upload, but I found where you can buy this Steve Jobs quote decal on EBay: https://www.ebay.com/itm/Steve-Jobs-Heres-to-the-Crazy-Ones-Apple-Wall-Decal-Vinyl-Sticker-Art-Quote-A28-/172682066434?mkcid=16&mkevt=1&_trksid=p2349624.m46890.l6249&mkrid=711-127632-2357-0

 This is what one sees upon entering the front door. Between this and the Inspire Invent Innovate, somehow this guy has found the niche quote decor market between the Live Laugh Love moms and a company’s HR department. This guy took working from home to a whole new level with inspirational workplace quotes on every wall.

 

 

[Mr. Miner]

22 minutes ago, Yeah No said:

Maybe the furniture belonged to the roommate and that's why the apartment was pretty much cleaned out by the time Mark came back. 

It looked like the only thing left was the Steve Jobs quotes on the wall.

[Yeah No]

1 minute ago, Empress1 said:

11 minutes ago, Yeah No said:

It's no wonder the apartments these people have are more humble and that most of them have roommates to afford them.

Yes - I kept wondering if Olajuwon (who is fucking exhausting) lived in that house alone or with family, and where it is. I wasn’t surprised by the size of the places. The decor, yes. Wall quotes and LED lights in your late 30s?

Exaclty!  When I saw that kitchen curtain I froze the frame and told my husband the '80s called and wants its kitchen curtain back, LOL.  I'm 63 and even I would never put that on my kitchen window.  And yes it seemed like the biggest residence so far.  Maybe he lives with his grandmother?  LOL.  I think there's a lot we're not being told about the participants' living situations this season.

[Rightside]

5 hours ago, Ms.C. said:

I love Steves confidence re getting employed when he’s ready. He must have skills and experience that has proven that out.  He’s a catch IMO.  

I'm liking him more and more!!

[Gator Stud]

8 minutes ago, Yeah No said:

I was originally in support of Steve knowing how easy it is for people in his field to get good paying contract work, but the way he acted in this episode made me change a bit on that.  He is very used to being able to come and go from jobs as he pleases and not have any dependents to take responsibility for but himself.  The financial pressures of having a spouse and family will make doing things like taking off for a while between gigs not the best idea even if he could originally support himself and still do that.  The way he acted with pastor Cal made me think he hasn't figured out that he might want to change his attitude on that a little bit.  Unfortunately with all that he wants out of marriage and family he might have to get used to "the full time grind" or not be able to afford it.

Steve got really burnt out at his last gig and needs more time to figure out his plan.  But I agree, having a wife who is demanding 3 kids is not conducive to his lifestyle. I was just dating random women when I was doing my Cali beach bum thing, and I have no kids.

[Yeah No]

3 minutes ago, JenE4 said:

 This is what one sees upon entering the front door. Between this and the Inspire Invent Innovate, somehow this guy has found the niche quote decor market between the Live Laugh Love moms and a company’s HR department. This guy took working from home to a whole new level with inspirational workplace quotes on every wall.

Mark seriously needs to make an appointment with Dr. Rick.

[kristen111]

10 hours ago, Rightside said:

Why do I think Chris will be looking better than ever on the reunion show??

By then, I hope he has new teeth and is engaged to a new girl.

[Jax7917]

I feel like the very first question the experts should ask the participants is : "is not being attracted to someone off the bat a deal breaker?" And then go more into it. Because so far EVERY season, there has been one or more people who can't get past the looks aspect of their new spouse. It's to the point where it's ridiculous because if the person is willing to marry someone they've never seen before, they shouldn't put looks on such a pedastal. You go on tinder to find someone you think is hot, not an arranged marriage show. I get for the producers, it's good for the drama/ratings, but these poor people like Chris , Paige, Mindy, Kate etc. are wasting their time trusting that people have their best interest at heart when they clearly do not.

[kristen111]

1 hour ago, Gator Stud said:

He probably will have braces, Invisalign, or veneers.  And he probably will work out.  That is all he really needed to do.  Alyssa could not see the big picture. 

Chris will realize he did the best thing by divorcing Alyssa.  She would have been a thorn in his side forever.  She was a spoiled brat liar who would be no good for anyone.

[cardigirl]

Re: Lindsey's apartment.  I really liked it. It looked to me like it was in the South End of Boston (different from Southie), a highly desirable area of Boston to live in. And yes, a studio apartment goes for around $2300 in that area.  Shoot, to buy some of those places, you're paying over half a million for 400 square feet.  It's maddening but everyone wants to live in the Back Bay, the South End, Charlestown (a smidge less expensive), or Beacon Hill. There is still a lot of demand for living in Boston. And a lot of the apartments are OLD meaning they haven't been renovated in decades. Still, people want to be in the city. 

So I was impressed with her apartment and her ability to afford it. I think Mark's murmurs of it being small, etc., means he's uncomfortable with the neighborhood (i.e., high end).  Mark acts like he would be a lot more comfortable in Southie. 

My daughter lives in the South End, as does my ex, and my son lives in Somerville, another place where prices have skyrocketed in the last decade. I live in a desirable suburb near Boston, and my house value has tripled in the last decade. City living ain't cheap.  😄 

Edited February 17, 2022 by cardigirl

[Maccagirl]

13 hours ago, Gator Stud said:

 Boston is not expensive.

https://www.trulia.com/p/ma/mattapan/35-goodale-rd-mattapan-ma-02126--2001508466

I used to work in Cambridge, sister city to Boston.  Boston is indeed expensive.  Here's a couple of other listings for comparisons. https://www.trulia.com/p/ma/brookline/356-clyde-st-brookline-ma-02467--2002121194

https://www.trulia.com/p/ma/dorchester/16-athelwold-st-dorchester-ma-02124--2001486324

 

Edited February 17, 2022 by Maccagirl
Corrected my incorrect information given by another poster.

[Empress1]

14 minutes ago, kristen111 said:

Chris will realize he did the best thing by divorcing Alyssa. 

I don’t think Chris has any doubts about that. He was decisive and firm. 

I don’t think they’d have worked even if she weren’t so terrible. They have different political views and I honestly think he’s just a lot more intelligent than she is. 

[Racj82]

45 minutes ago, Yeah No said:

I think you're right that pets are being treated like an accessory by a lot of people now, which speaks volumes because a pet is a living being with needs, not a glamor item that one can leave in the closet when they're not around.  My parents used to let the dog sleep in their bed, but that was a zillion years ago before people became more aware of germs.  The dog was being walked on dirty NYC streets every day and then jumped into bed with them at night.  Expecting your new relationship to sleep with your dog is kind of presumptuous IMHO.  And again, I love dogs.  If I had one right now I probably wouldn't be so keen on letting them sleep with me because of the germ issue.

Totally fair. Obviously I'm not a pet person. But, I understand the love and closeness a lot of people have with their pets. While I think it can be a little to obsessive at times, I respect it. But, when you are as rigid as Noi is right now, I have a problem. I'm also sure that the pet really doesn't give a damn long term. Oh no they can't! They won't! You created this dynamic. It's fine when you are on your own but you aren't anymore. 

I will also have this same energy when it comes to how Steve handles his job situation. If he can't bend to her need for security, that's not good either.

[Racj82]

52 minutes ago, Empress1 said:

and LED lights in your late 30s?

That has nothing to do with age. It's becoming a new thing to accentuate your living space with different colors, via the lights. Usually it is for a room or certain area. Wrapped all around the apartment like that is a lot. I have the ones you put behind your TV. I love them. I wouldn't go further than that though.

[Yeah No]

I think Jasmina thinks that any time a man disagrees with her he's "yelling" and "being aggressive".  I have had people accuse me of yelling when I'm talking in a normal voice so I've seen this before.  Michael admitted his tone was negative but that doesn't constitute "yelling" or aggressiveness.  She is just trying to make him look as bad as she can to justify not liking him.  She is very similar to Alyssa in trying to throw her husband under the bus.

[Racj82]

37 minutes ago, Jax7917 said:

I feel like the very first question the experts should ask the participants is : "is not being attracted to someone off the bat a deal breaker?" And then go more into it. Because so far EVERY season, there has been one or more people who can't get past the looks aspect of their new spouse. It's to the point where it's ridiculous because if the person is willing to marry someone they've never seen before, they shouldn't put looks on such a pedastal. You go on tinder to find someone you think is hot, not an arranged marriage show. I get for the producers, it's good for the drama/ratings, but these poor people like Chris , Paige, Mindy, Kate etc. are wasting their time trusting that people have their best interest at heart when they clearly do not.

I would like to see them interview family members beforehand as well as what they already do. 

I would also like to see them set up a speed dating format for them. Give them all types of different people. See how they conduct themselves. 

With any interview process, you can say whatever you want. They need to see these people in action. How their home looks is not enough.

[Racj82]

1 hour ago, Yeah No said:

I think Jasmina thinks that any time a man disagrees with her he's "yelling" and "being aggressive".  I have had people accuse me of yelling when I'm talking in a normal voice so I've seen this before.  Michael admitted his tone was negative but that doesn't constitute "yelling" or aggressiveness.  She is just trying to make him look as bad as she can to justify not liking him.  She is very similar to Alyssa in trying to throw her husband under the bus.

I hate to make it a race thing but there is a stigma with the angry black man that Jasmina really needs to stop painting Mike into if it's not true. Removing race from it, just in terms of gender, it can may him look like an abuser of some sort. We didn't see it all so we can't know for sure. I just hope she keeps this in mind.

Edited February 17, 2022 by Racj82

[Katie111]

8 hours ago, Yeah No said:

I love pets but what I don't understand is all these active young people with so many pets.  When I was their age I didn't think it was fair to pets to be out working all day and often in the evenings and on weekends.  Those pets are home all the time when their owners are out.  And they have to find people to sit them when they go away.  I couldn't have managed pets when I was their age with all I had going on and I would have felt bad not being home enough for them either.  It seems like every season we get people with more and more pets.  First they had one, then two, now often both partners have at least 2 or 3 pets each.  It's out of control.  Is that something to do with the young generation today?  Most young single people I knew when I was young didn't have pets in an apartment (most of the time they weren't even allowed) and waited until they were married and someone was home more often to take care of them.

I totally agree with this. Pets seem to cause more issues on this show than people do.  And why would any 20-something want to have to come home after work to a dog?  We used to go out after work every Thursday & Fri when I lived in Boston.  No one ever said they couldn’t come because of their dog, because nobody had a dog unless they were still living at home with their parents.