On a much less important note than the terrible thing that happened to Lance, I despise the use of the phrase “two way street” in situations like this. It means something reciprocal! Are the molested women he talks about molesting men? Who is molesting each other? I know he means that it happens to men too, but that…

This is a good point - my first response was along the lines of “wtf, I don’t love them but I’m not that paranoid,” but I guess I can see how they do pose significant threats. I think I am also generally idealist about politics though, or the purpose of politics maybe. I tend to not assume that they are all inherently…

Seriously, some people are just Runners - like it is easier for them and it is in their blood or something. The rest of us can try - and could even be good at it with enough grueling and brutal work - but will not be Runners in the same way. It has never been easy for me, I am not particularly fast, and if I’m not…

Thank you, Erin, I just went and ordered the new pair of running shoes I had been procrastinating on. I’ve been trying to work through knee issues and inexplicable toe pain (seriously, wtf big toe) but I miss running in races so much.

That is an amazing time and I have gotten passed by SO MANY old people that I no longer even care. Like, whoosh, there goes the 70 year old, I’ll try not to die back here.

I second the run-walk idea and also have to say, some people just are not made to run marathons, or at least not with the ease that other people do. I don’t mean that in a bad way - I have run several halves but always fall apart some time during training for a full. Our bodies have different abilities, and if yours…

I just moved away from Syracuse, NY, one of the snowiest places in the US. I’ve done races in the middle of the winter there, because it’s got a big running community and apparently plenty of crazy people. As mentioned before, if you want to run outside, invest in some good cold weather clothing. I found having gloves…

Yeahhh I am in what is turning into a multi-year recovery from just pushing a little too hard in a half marathon. I’m no super athlete either - I just figured I could ignore my knee and run instead of walking. NOPE. It still becomes a problem a few miles in, two years later.

This is useful, after almost barfing on some horrible gel packet the last time I tried marathon training.

My husband’s aunt has a number of health issues which make it hard for her to make plans - sometimes she is simply not feeling well enough to do something she had planned on doing, or she has a flare up while at the event and has to leave early, etc. We invited her and her husband and they RSVPed, but called closer to…

I guess if the guest knew someone else going to the wedding or in the wedding party she could have told that person, who could politely pass along the information when it was appropriate - like when congratulating the couple or something - a simple “So-and-so is so sorry she couldn’t come but sends her…

That is frustrating, but it happens. I kept almost all wedding bitching off of fb because, you know, I had guests on there! My issue was people just not telling me if they were coming - I had to hunt some people down and ask.

Yeah, ours was buffet and the food was amazing. It worked out well. I had tried to do pizza, literally, but we had a venue conflict. I really just wanted gourmet pizzas and massive salads and piles of bread. That is my idea of a good time.

Well, not “silver” but definitely metal. I think it has the name of the restaurant embossed on it. It’s for eating a Hula Pie, which is a “Hawaiian” dessert that was entirely made up by restaurants for marketing (hotels give you a coupon for a free hula pie when you ask for a restaurant recommendation; when you eat at…

I assume restaurants expect a certain amount of tableware theft. I have a spork from a restaurant in Hawaii because I was amazed that they served my dessert with a spork. My husband got tired of my enthusing and just pocketed it. I actually tried to buy an amazing glass from a different restaurant but the waitress was…

I can see that I will not convince you in any way, based on your extended comments here. I will, however, encourage you to read Stephanie Coontz’s book “Marriage, History,” especially chapter two, “The Many Meanings of Marriage.” While I think your view shows an excessively limited view of marriage even in the West,…

I think the only thing that bothers me is that we know about this. If the boyfriend had a good relationship with her parents and quietly went to them and asked if he could buy a ring, and they were ok with it, and if they had planned on engagement, ok. I just don’t know why it has to be on social media and in the…

Wellll not all Christians actually believe in the whole “being saved” moment thing. I have been “born again” (twice, I was terrified the first time didn’t stick) as a teenager and later moved to a much, much more liberal church.

Well, new converts and especially new born-again Christians can be REALLY intense about their beliefs. I think it has to do with needing to belong and be a good member of whatever religion a person has found - which can be a really important and powerful experience.

It is so weird to me how people who don’t like gay people struggle so much with the definition of marriage. Not only has it evolved massively over time, it has had probably thousands of very different definitions based on culture, religion, and time period.