Small Talk: The Polygamous Cul-de-Sac

[Teafortwo]

I got a new laptop and now I'm seeing not only advertising images, but also advertising videos on the sidebar. Has this been there for awhile and I'm just noticing it now? Wondering if there's a feature in the new laptop that allows for ad streaming. 

[SunnyBeBe]

On 4/21/2023 at 11:12 PM, Teafortwo said:

I got a new laptop and now I'm seeing not only advertising images, but also advertising videos on the sidebar. Has this been there for awhile and I'm just noticing it now? Wondering if there's a feature in the new laptop that allows for ad streaming. 

How’s the new laptop doing?  
 

I think there was some discussion around here a little while ago about taking the Penicillin Challenge.  I had been told I needed to do it for several reasons.  (Long story, but I got an antibiotic resistant infection in my finger.). As it turns out, I’m glad I did it. I’m no longer allergic to penicillin!  The doctor sent notes to my primary and we’re removing it from my charts as an allergy.  I can’t believe how freeing it feels.  

[Yeah No]

6 hours ago, SunnyBeBe said:

I think there was some discussion around here a little while ago about taking the Penicillin Challenge.  I had been told I needed to do it for several reasons.  (Long story, but I got an antibiotic resistant infection in my finger.). As it turns out, I’m glad I did it. I’m no longer allergic to penicillin!  The doctor sent notes to my primary and we’re removing it from my charts as an allergy.  I can’t believe how freeing it feels.  

That's phenomenal!  I wonder if that would work on a sensitivity to penicillin.  I am sensitive to it but not allergic.  I get very sick to my stomach and diarrhea from it which is different from an allergic reaction.  I'm sensitive to a lot of medications but only as far as I know allergic to aspirin and all salicylate based drugs like ibuprofen.  A true allergic reaction involves life threatening symptoms such as inability to breath, hives, skin rash, swelling and anaphylactic shock. 

[SunnyBeBe]

12 minutes ago, Yeah No said:

That's phenomenal!  I wonder if that would work on a sensitivity to penicillin.  I am sensitive to it but not allergic.  I get very sick to my stomach and diarrhea from it which is different from an allergic reaction.  I'm sensitive to a lot of medications but only as far as I know allergic to aspirin and all salicylate based drugs like ibuprofen.  A true allergic reaction involves life threatening symptoms such as inability to breath, hives, skin rash, swelling and anaphylactic shock. 

I’m not sure.  I completed a very detailed history of my health, especially about allergies.  I read about the challenge, but the doctor explained it further.  I hadn’t realized that having to avoid penicillin impacts your care and treatment.  Here’s a link about it.  I hadn’t realized that most people end up not being allergic, as they had believed for years. 
 

https://www.mayoclinichealthsystem.org/hometown-health/speaking-of-health/why-should-i-test-for-a-penicillin-allergy

I saw Duke Asthma and Allergy.  They treat all kinds of allergies.  I’d explore testing if it’s bothering you or think it will in the future.  I felt very safe.  Based on my history, a severe reaction was not anticipated, but they were ready, in case it did.  

Edited May 9, 2023 by SunnyBeBe

[Yeah No]

1 minute ago, SunnyBeBe said:

I’m not sure.  I completed a very detailed history of my health, especially about allergies.  I read about the challenge, but the doctor explained it further.  I hadn’t realized that having to avoid penicillin impacts your care and treatment.  Here’s a link about it.  I hadn’t realized that most people end up not being allergic, as they had believed for years. 

I saw Duke Asthma and Allergy.  They treat all kinds of allergies.  I’d explore testing if it’s bothering you or think it will in the future.  I felt very safe.  Based on my history, a severe reaction was not anticipated, but they were ready, in case it did.  

That's interesting.  I haven't needed to take it but I am sensitive to so many drugs and not just a little bit either.  Bad reactions, although not allergic reactions.

On April 24 I had a pretty bad episode of vertigo.  I'd never had it before and it came on suddenly while in the shower.  Of course my husband wasn't home at the time.  Fortunately I keep my cell phone with me when I'm in the bathroom so I was able to call 911.  I could barely stand up and was afraid I'd pass out.  It was very frightening as I didn't know what was happening to me.  The 911 operator kept me on the phone until the ambulance arrived, which was only about 5 minutes or so afterward.  My hair was soaking wet and I could barely get my robe and flip flops on.  When I got to the hospital they wanted to give me antihistamines.  I told them I have a bad reaction to them but because I told them it was not an allergy but a sensitivity they gave me one anyway.  I don't know if it made things better or worse.  My husband came soon afterward.  The vertigo didn't go away for about 4 hours.  I couldn't focus on anything and felt sick to my stomach.  Even the Zofran didn't help my nausea.  I threw up bile 3 times when they moved me for the tests.  My stomach was a MESS for over a week because of that.  I've made great progress but I'm still not 100% back to normal

They kept me overnight at the hospital to do an MRI and CAT scan.  All my tests came out normal but I'm still worried I might have Meniere's disease.  I saw my Eye/ear/nose/throat doctor today and he told me he doesn't think I have it but is ordering tests for me to find out.  I couldn't get them scheduled any sooner than August!  Wow, that's a long wait for a few tests!  I asked to be put on a waiting list in case anyone cancels.

Anyway it took me about a week and a half to feel back to normal.  I still have moments of feeling "weird" and more easily tired (I read that this is not uncommon for a while) but for the most part I'm normal.  It's just frightening to worry that this might happen again and that I might have a disease that can cause deafness and repeated bouts of vertigo.  If I do have it taking antihistamines is one of the ways they treat it but they make me feel so bad.  They make me feel extremely drowsy and tired even in small doses.  

On the up side, having my blood extensively tested I learned that thanks to my 25 lb. weight loss my blood sugar is now back in the normal zone and my cholesterol has gone down significantly, although it is still slightly elevated.  I am just thrilled knowing I made that happen and my weight loss made that much of a difference.

[Absolom]

1 hour ago, Yeah No said:

A true allergic reaction involves life threatening symptoms such as inability to breath, hives, skin rash, swelling and anaphylactic shock. 

The allergists have changed their minds and now allow that dizziness, nausea, vomiting, diarrhea, etc. are all signs of allergy just not as bad as anaphylaxis.  I've been refused TDaP except given in the PCP's office or the ER because of it and only with the PCP's approval.  Then I get to stay with them for an hour or so.  One can definitely be allergic to something without it being life threatening.  

Edited May 9, 2023 by Absolom

[Teafortwo]

8 hours ago, SunnyBeBe said:

How’s the new laptop doing?  

I like it! It's a Dell XPS 13 with touch screen. There was a sale because it's last year's model. Still wasn't cheap once I added a few upgrades, MS Office, etc. But I haven't bought a computer since 2010 (!) Well, except for 2 other brands I tried and returned last year, due to some things I didn't like. The Dell is a keeper, although if I'd wanted to really splurge I would have gotten the newest model with a 4K (OLED) display. The display on the one I bought is so much better than I'm used to, though, that it's hard to imagine it being even better. The main thing is that it took almost no effort to set up. 

I had been using a 2012 Dell from my former job for Word/Excel; my boss never asked for it back when we all got laid off due to the pandemic. (The work computer I've been using since 2021 does not have Office). I'm going to offer to give it back to him; he'll probably just have me do a factory reset and recycle it. But it's been such a workhorse it convinced me to get a Dell finally. <End of Dell advertisement>

@Yeah No I hope you're okay and that it's nothing serious. Vertigo is very, very scary! Did you get tested for Lyme disease in addition to the other things? Not sure if that causes vertigo though. I assume they tested for signs of an autoimmune disease when they did the blood tests. Waiting til August to test for other things is indeed a very long time. Hope you get a cancelation. In my experience, calling every day is the best way to get in sooner.

[Yeah No]

5 hours ago, Teafortwo said:

@Yeah No I hope you're okay and that it's nothing serious. Vertigo is very, very scary! Did you get tested for Lyme disease in addition to the other things? Not sure if that causes vertigo though. I assume they tested for signs of an autoimmune disease when they did the blood tests. Waiting til August to test for other things is indeed a very long time. Hope you get a cancelation. In my experience, calling every day is the best way to get in sooner.

No I don't think I was tested for Lyme disease although I haven't been outside much since it got warmer and up here in the "tundra" it's only just started to act like Spring, so I doubt it.  The internet is not sure it's a symptom either.  They did a lot of tests but I'm not sure if autoimmune was one of them.  I plan on calling them a lot because I've had to do that before.  Thanks for that advice, I should bring it up with my primary dr. when I see her later this month.

Not buying a new computer since 2010?  Wow, I've had 2 desktops in that time.  The one before this and this one.  I love Dell, my laptop is one and it's amazing.  This one is an HP "all in one" I got 3 years ago.  I'm doing my best to keep it going as long as I can.  I got it at Costco on clearance for a fantastic price.  Thanks to a friend's recommendation I have something called "One Support" which is like your own personal "help desk" to solve your computer problems.  It's US based and really not that expensive to join per year.  They are AMAZING.  I don't know what my husband and I would do without them.  And I am a tough critic of stuff like that, too, so you know they have to be good!  That's my advertisement!

[oliviabenson]

I’m looking for a new laptop. Will see what dell has lol. 
 

Not even sure what brand I want. 

[SunnyBeBe]

40 minutes ago, oliviabenson said:

I’m looking for a new laptop. Will see what dell has lol. 
 

Not even sure what brand I want. 

I’m sort of in the market myself.  I’ve been told there are good deals on Dell website with better savings if you get their sales on refurbished items. I haven’t tried it, but might. 

[Teafortwo]

It all depends what features are most important to you. I did a lot of research before figuring out which brand and model I wanted, then more research into Intel i5 vs i7 vs i9, sound, ports, RAM, display resolution etc. The one thing I don't like about my new Dell laptop is it only has two type C ports, so you have to use a "dongle" if you want to use type A flash drive or other peripherals. I had to compromise somewhere though. Above all, I wanted a super-lightweight model with great audio, so it was the right choice. As I mentioned above, there was a lot of trial and error, with two other brands I ended up sending back. I spent so much time on the research because it had been so long since I'd bought a computer.

[SunnyBeBe]

Good points.  I love lots of ports.  I also have a  CD drive, a SD card port, 4 USB ports and something else.  I probably won’t be able to get all I want on a new one. I’ll just get external devices. I still have a floppy disk external drive!  Ha! 

[TurtlePower]

So, I had to quit the job I just started in April due to unrelenting and debilitating panic episodes. I’ve been 4 times in the emergency room for it it is so intense. I’m now jobless and back on Long Island (but with much less panic episodes).

The good part on all this? I had a supervisor and co-workers who are stellar people and even though my leaving was a hardship on them, they were always like “what can we do to help”. Instead of guilting me for leaving them a person short, they said “the operation will be fine — take care of yourself.” So, really good people out there. I was sad it turned out the way it did because the place had good vibes but I had to leave for my psychological well being.

Not sure what I’m gonna do now. I just applied to grad school and am jobless 😳. Given my panic disorder and PTSD, I don’t know what’s out there for me in the interim. I just did a scary thing, I’ve never had to quit a job like that (not since I was a teenager anyways).

So, yeah. 🤷🏼‍♀️

 

[Yeah No]

16 hours ago, TurtlePower said:

So, I had to quit the job I just started in April due to unrelenting and debilitating panic episodes. I’ve been 4 times in the emergency room for it it is so intense. I’m now jobless and back on Long Island (but with much less panic episodes).

The good part on all this? I had a supervisor and co-workers who are stellar people and even though my leaving was a hardship on them, they were always like “what can we do to help”. Instead of guilting me for leaving them a person short, they said “the operation will be fine — take care of yourself.” So, really good people out there. I was sad it turned out the way it did because the place had good vibes but I had to leave for my psychological well being.

Not sure what I’m gonna do now. I just applied to grad school and am jobless 😳. Given my panic disorder and PTSD, I don’t know what’s out there for me in the interim. I just did a scary thing, I’ve never had to quit a job like that (not since I was a teenager anyways).

So, yeah. 🤷🏼‍♀️

 

So sorry to hear all you're going through, Turtle.  Not that I want to play doctor, but I recently found out that certain vitamin and nutrient deficiencies can make one more prone to anxiety in general and panic attacks.  I had started to get weird out-of-the-blue/random panic attacks when driving on the highway several years ago.  And I'm usually a fearless driver, too.  When I found out I had iron deficiency anemia thanks to perimenopause and took vitamins and iron to overcome it the panic attacks stopped.  I don't think it was any coincidence.  I didn't even know about the connection until years later.  B vitamins are especially associated with it as is iron among other things.  Even if you don't test as deficient I think upping one's consumption of them can only help.  So anyway it can't hurt to look into that angle.  I hope you find some relief soon.  (((hugs)))  🤗🤗🤗

This article was informative:

https://www.rupahealth.com/post/a-functional-medicine-approach-to-treating-panic-attacks

[SunnyBeBe]

10 hours ago, Yeah No said:

So sorry to hear all you're going through, Turtle.  Not that I want to play doctor, but I recently found out that certain vitamin and nutrient deficiencies can make one more prone to anxiety in general and panic attacks.  I had started to get weird out-of-the-blue/random panic attacks when driving on the highway several years ago.  And I'm usually a fearless driver, too.  When I found out I had iron deficiency anemia thanks to perimenopause and took vitamins and iron to overcome it the panic attacks stopped.  I don't think it was any coincidence.  I didn't even know about the connection until years later.  B vitamins are especially associated with it as is iron among other things.  Even if you don't test as deficient I think upping one's consumption of them can only help.  So anyway it can't hurt to look into that angle.  I hope you find some relief soon.  (((hugs)))  🤗🤗🤗

This article was informative:

https://www.rupahealth.com/post/a-functional-medicine-approach-to-treating-panic-attacks

That’s a good link.  I’m checking it out.  I used to have panic attacks years ago. They are horrible!  Thank goodness I haven’t had one in a longer time.  I still have anxiety though.  Turns out, I was diagnosed with Vitamin B-12 deficiency about a month ago.  I’m on injections.  
 

@TurtlePower, I might get a legal consult with an attorney to check out disability rights.  Just for your own information.   Since, you aren’t able to work.  

[TurtlePower]

11 hours ago, SunnyBeBe said:

That’s a good link.  I’m checking it out.  I used to have panic attacks years ago. They are horrible!  Thank goodness I haven’t had one in a longer time.  I still have anxiety though.  Turns out, I was diagnosed with Vitamin B-12 deficiency about a month ago.  I’m on injections.  
 

@TurtlePower, I might get a legal consult with an attorney to check out disability rights.  Just for your own information.   Since, you aren’t able to work.  

I’m thinking about it. Mostly I just want a museum job (which I’ve had and am good at — objects in collections aren’t loud, mean or pushy). Working in the back or doing collections inventory is the kind of work I’m meant to do. 

I don’t have any deficiencies vitamin-wise and the panic episodes seem to have subsided. They were purely situational. I guess I just can’t people anymore on the daily. I appreciate everyone’s kind words. 

[Teafortwo]

Someone mentioned a polygamy or fundamentalist docu-series that is starting this month. Can anyone remind me what it's called or what network it's on please?

[Yeah No]

24 minutes ago, Teafortwo said:

Someone mentioned a polygamy or fundamentalist docu-series that is starting this month. Can anyone remind me what it's called or what network it's on please?

From the spoilers and speculation thread (which I just caught up on):

On 5/21/2023 at 10:58 AM, GeeGolly said:

Not sure where to put this...

Amazon Prime is doing a Fundy docuseries - Shiny Happy People. It appears the first episode will be about the Duggar family, Bill Gothard and the Institute in Basic Life Principles (IBLP).

I thought some of you might be interested because its basically about the abuses of conservative faith based patriarchy. I believe the air date is June 2nd.

 

[Orcinus orca]

Shiny, Happy People: Duggar Family Secrets is on Amazon Prime. It is four episodes devoted entirely to the Duggars.

Hard pass.

[crazycatlady58]

1 hour ago, Orcinus orca said:

Shiny, Happy People: Duggar Family Secrets is on Amazon Prime. It is four episodes devoted entirely to the Duggars.

Hard pass.

You can go to the Duggar thread and read about people's opinions who watched. It was not a positive documentary. 

[Teafortwo]

Thanks, I was under the mistaken impression that it was more of an expose of fundamentalism in general. I read a couple of synopses. Yuck

[xwordfanatik]

I watched it.  I'm both repulsed and fascinated by cults, and thanking my lucky stars I wasn't born into one.

IBLP and Scientology are similar in some respects.  Child labor, for one.  Gothard creeped me out.

[Roslyn]

12 hours ago, Orcinus orca said:

Shiny, Happy People: Duggar Family Secrets is on Amazon Prime. It is four episodes devoted entirely to the Duggars.

Hard pass.

I've watched the first two episodes.  It is more of an expose of stories from family and friends about the behind the "happy family" that was portrayed on their show. Also a lot more info on the guy who was the developer and head of their cult.

However, anyone who may be triggered by open discussion of child abuse and sexual assault may want to definitely skip it.

Also I think that everyone watching/following the Browns for the last 13 years would love to have a series just like this, with close family and ex-church members discussing Kody and being open about specifics.

[oliviabenson]

I found dill pickle popcorn… it’s delicious! 

[xwordfanatik]

1 hour ago, oliviabenson said:

I found dill pickle popcorn… it’s delicious! 

What brand is it?  I actually tried dill pickle potato chips, and they weren't bad at all.  What I really like are dill pickle sunflower seeds (the brand is Spitz.)  

Oh crap.  I just remember dill pickles are a Duggar thing.  I'll eat one in a blue moon, but I don't buy them very often.

 

[oliviabenson]

36 minutes ago, xwordfanatik said:

What brand is it?  I actually tried dill pickle potato chips, and they weren't bad at all.  What I really like are dill pickle sunflower seeds (the brand is Spitz.)  

Oh crap.  I just remember dill pickles are a Duggar thing.  I'll eat one in a blue moon, but I don't buy them very often.

 

I’m not sure of the brand. I found the snack size ones.

[Gramto6]

14 hours ago, oliviabenson said:

I found dill pickle popcorn… it’s delicious! 

I used to buy Giant's Dill Pickle pistachios in shell. They were really good, got them at the local grocery store. Unfortunately tooth issues preclude breaking open the shells in my mouth any more...some day hopefully again...

Edited June 4, 2023 by Gramto6
typo

[CalicoKitty]

I cook beef and pork roasts with dill pickles in the Instapot.  Come out great.  And cooked dills are delisheous

[Teafortwo]

21 hours ago, Roslyn said:

I've watched the first two episodes.  It is more of an expose of stories from family and friends about the behind the "happy family" that was portrayed on their show. Also a lot more info on the guy who was the developer and head of their cult.

However, anyone who may be triggered by open discussion of child abuse and sexual assault may want to definitely skip it.

Also I think that everyone watching/following the Browns for the last 13 years would love to have a series just like this, with close family and ex-church members discussing Kody and being open about specifics.

Thanks! I'd love a show like that about the Browns too. I never watched the Duggars.

19 hours ago, oliviabenson said:

I found dill pickle popcorn… it’s delicious! 

Since the Browns pronounce deal as "dill" does that mean they would pronounce dill as "deal"? And if so, would they call this Deal pickle popcorn? 

Mysteries of the universe... kind of like 'what is the sound of one hand clapping"

 

Edited June 4, 2023 by Teafortwo

[oliviabenson]

21 hours ago, xwordfanatik said:

What brand is it?  I actually tried dill pickle potato chips, and they weren't bad at all.  What I really like are dill pickle sunflower seeds (the brand is Spitz.)  

Oh crap.  I just remember dill pickles are a Duggar thing.  I'll eat one in a blue moon, but I don't buy them very often.

 

That’s the one I’m obsessed with!

[xwordfanatik]

I'll be on the lookout for it.  😊

[oliviabenson]

2 minutes ago, xwordfanatik said:

I'll be on the lookout for it.  😊

 

3 minutes ago, xwordfanatik said:

I'll be on the lookout for it.  😊

It’s sold online!

 

https://www.poptimesnacks.com/product-page/4-75oz-white-cheddar-box-of-6-bags

[TurtlePower]

All this talk of pickles, I love pickles!

I used to get whoppers without the meat or mayo and ask for extra veggies, especially pickles. It would be a delicious bun piled high with tomatoes, lettuce, onion, a little ketchup and a TON of pickles. Oh it was sooo good especially pickles that were warm.

But warm. The pickles need to be warm, I can’t eat them cold. 

[oliviabenson]

I can live on pickles and olives lol. 

[SunnyBeBe]

On 6/3/2023 at 1:47 PM, Teafortwo said:

Thanks, I was under the mistaken impression that it was more of an expose of fundamentalism in general. I read a couple of synopses. Yuck

I’ve watched all 4 episodes and it really covers a lot of angles of fundamentalism.  

[TurtlePower]

Have the ads on this site gotten worse? They’re covering half the page now for shit I don’t even want! 

It was never this bad when I traveled overseas, they ram this stuff down your throat in this country. Every ad I see has the opposite effect, I won’t go there. They can fuck off.

If I didn’t have ties here I’d move, I’m so sick of marketing and ads! It makes me hate each company I see. 

[MaddyMaeboxerbabe]

Yes the ads have been horrible the past two days!

[ginger90]

You can report ads under Site Business.

[lookeyloo]

I guess my AdBlocker is working.  I don't see any ads. Free on iMac. 

[Orcinus orca]

4 hours ago, MaddyMaeboxerbabe said:

Yes the ads have been horrible the past two days!

Monday was horrible, I finally stopped reading on my phone. I didn't have any problem on my laptop.

No problem today.

[Teafortwo]

I've been staying home. The smoke from Canada is terrible here in NYC. An acquaintance sent me this pic:

 

[Yeah No]

2 hours ago, Teafortwo said:

I've been staying home. The smoke from Canada is terrible here in NYC. An acquaintance sent me this pic:

 

It's been as bad here in CT off and on, mostly on the past few days.  I've been hunkering down at home catching up on housework and other projects.  My Spring has been totally destroyed first by an episode of Vertigo in late April, then a bad cold last month, then the smoke from all the wildfires in Canada finding their way here.  I just heard on the forecast that it should be getting a little better every day over the next few days.  Yeah, they've said that before so I'm taking a "wait and see" attitude toward it.  On the up side, at least my house looks great now!

I hope you're doing OK.  I tend to be sensitive to smoke so I'm trying to sit it out until it passes, but I will have to emerge to the grocery store soon.  And there's no guarantee that even if it does pass for a while it won't come back again.  🙁

[Yeah No]

11 hours ago, lookeyloo said:

I guess my AdBlocker is working.  I don't see any ads. Free on iMac. 

I use the free Ad Block Plus extension.  Works like a charm.  My internet experience is so very Zen because of it.  I know a lot of sites say they need you to unblock ads so they can pay their bills but the ads have gotten out of control and so intrusive it's enough to make anyone too dizzy and distracted to focus on what they want to see.  Plus they slow down and in some cases even prevent web pages from loading and just put lots of crap on your computer that may affect how it runs and violate your privacy in the name of "tailoring ads to your preferences".   

I've read arguments about how it supposedly makes people lose their jobs if you block ads but my philosophy is that I shouldn't have to endure a poke in the eye every time I visit a website to do something good for it.  If it's that prohibitive the site should push for a better way to advertise, not expect their visitors to endure them.  I have "whitelisted" a few sites that promise not to show annoying and intrusive ads and I can live with those, so I'm not against seeing ads nor am I cold hearted to the plight of websites that need to earn money to survive.  I just don't want to be driven out of my mind in the process!

[TurtlePower]

On 6/7/2023 at 9:00 PM, Teafortwo said:

I've been staying home. The smoke from Canada is terrible here in NYC. An acquaintance sent me this pic:

 

It was awful in parts of Long Island too. I don’t have lung problems luckily but heard that the emergency rooms were filled with people who have breathing problems. 

[Gramto6]

I wish I could send all the rain we are having here to Canada where the fires are!! 

Lived in CA through many bad fire seasons and here in MT it can get really bad too. Sending good thoughts for a speedy end to the fires and thus the smoke!!

[TurtlePower]

1 minute ago, Gramto6 said:

I wish I could send all the rain we are having here to Canada where the fires are!! 

Lived in CA through many bad fire seasons and here in MT it can get really bad too. Sending good thoughts for a speedy end to the fires and thus the smoke!!

I lived out west for 20 years also and am “used” to this kind of thing, but It’s a wake up call for many people out this way — we dealt with this sometimes every summer. I read that the politicians in DC were complaining about the air quality and it’s like, dudes, this is just a taste of what it’s like out west. Marble hall elitist pansies, the lot of them. 

[Teafortwo]

So, completely off topic: I just read a first novel by a young woman with whom I became acquainted over work emails last year. I was so excited for her, and the book sounded like it would be a fun beach read "chick lit" kind of thing. It came out to great fanfare a couple months ago, and I was looking forward to writing to her to say how much I'd enjoyed it. 

The problem? The book is absolutely terrible. I was appalled. The subject matter was unobjectionable, the characters a bit overdramatic - but the real issue was that it seemed completely unedited. There were so many sentences that just didn't make any sense.  Some examples for your enjoyment:

A description of 6 or 7 people sprawled on a couch enumerates "a dozen pairs of feet."  Another: "My phone buzzed announcing a new text on my phone." A character is described as whispering, but in the next sentence, his "voice morphed back down to lower decibels." A few pages later, "my stomach did a million backflips in reprieve." (In context, I think the writer meant to say "relief" although backflips generally suggest excitement. If you're going to alter a metaphor, at least find the right substitute!)

Brand names are everywhere: a stereo is "Bose" with music coming through a "Spotify app," to name just two. Hackneyed phrases in a potential wedding toast are described as "mundane cliches and platitudes" (as opposed to profound ones, it seems).  Entering a room feels "like walking into a powder keg." Another emotional situation is described as a "chemical explosion waiting to set fire." (If this were edited as "catch fire" it still wouldn't make much sense. Obviously someone thought this was a fancy way of saying "an explosion waiting to happen" but it just doesn't work.)

The worst? "We had all reached our emotional bandwidths." Outdone a few pages later by: "Worries were already zipping at the highest echelon throughout my every pore." 

If you've read this far, I look forward to your reactions!

[Absolom]

I once had an employee who tried to write business letters like that.  His objection when I told him to write in plain professional English?  They'd be too boring and he'd look stupid.  

I managed not to say you already do.  

[Teafortwo]

1 hour ago, Absolom said:

I once had an employee who tried to write business letters like that.  His objection when I told him to write in plain professional English?  They'd be too boring and he'd look stupid.  

I managed not to say you already do.  

My post reflects the level of respect I have for the posters here. I knew folks would appreciate it (and not in Robyn's understanding of "appreciate" haha).

[Yeah No]

1 hour ago, Teafortwo said:

If you've read this far, I look forward to your reactions!

I weep for the English language almost every day these days, and logic too.  I find all sorts of grammar and usage errors in places I never used to just a few years ago, like my morning TV news, which is hosted by a rather know-it-all-ish young anchor who makes more errors than can be dismissed as the verbal equivalent of a "typo".  My husband and I have taken to recording clips of these errors on our cell phones.  It's that often and that bad.  This anchor is not the only one on that station guilty of it either.  Almost all of the reporters do it too.  The malapropisms are as funny as any Archie Bunker could generate, but I just find them sad.  🙁  It's not just happening with language either, but with everyday stuff I'd expect any halfway intelligent person to know.  The level of general ignorance is truly astonishing.

I've even started seeing similar stuff in the New York Times!  My mother is rolling in her grave!  I have turned into that cranky COL that on occasion writes angry letters pointing out these mistakes.  Of course I never hear back.  I asked my husband, "Who is editing this stuff lately, crude AI bots?  Because I can't imagine that any editor with a working brain would let this stuff get through".

I try not to be ageist but the sad truth is that in my experience none of these errors are being made by anyone over the age of 50.  My apologies to anyone under 50 that knows better.  I know you're out there!