I have friends I've had for decades who ask me if I've been talking to my family again when I call to confirm events I went through. Because they know that me calling and saying "you remember when X happened to me, right?" is the result of my bringing up something and being met with blank stares or flat-out denials.
You…

But you're *not* a somewhat neutral observer. You're a very biased observer. You've even said that you have no idea why they've chosen to do this.

"...anyway, i ask my nephews how they would feel if their daughters did to them what they're doing to their mother and for whatever reason they can't bring themselves to…

I believe you because there are so many of us who have been in the same position. It's not that no one will believe you, it's that only people who have been in your shoes will. Because we've been on that side of the equation and had people look us in the eye and ask why we are lying.

It's the absolute conviction with…

You need to find a way to draw that boundary sooner rather than later. Otherwise you'll find yourself saying "well, I'm partially responsible because I never told him I wouldn't be there for him..." or worse, he'll say that and it will sit in your heart.

Children aren't retirement plans. He chose to have kids, you…

I've always kind of liked being born in the 'overlap' years of the mid-60's. No one really wants to claim us as part of their 'Generation Fill-in-the-Blank' group.
My parents were early 'Boomers, so I don't identify with their generation.
But yes, the narcissism seems overly prevalent there. Vagnoni epitomizes it. "My…

Exactly. It's not a decision we make without trying many, many times to "fix" a relationship that isn't just broken, it's toxic.
I made the same choice but end up doing the 'limited contact when other family members insist' strictly to minimize the damage that comes from other people insisting that I will miss their…

Good to know it's not just me - even if we are probably a small Venn (Vin?) diagram here.
Never really been into the 'muscle bound' kind of guy - but both of them have that goofball, I-don't-take-myself-too-seriously, humorous and smart, ergo sexy thing.
And yeah, Vin's admission to being a huge D&D player in high…

It's not much of a help - but tell your sister to consider moving her phone number to Google voice. http://www.google.com/googlevoice/ab…
That way she can keep the established "networking" number, get a new mobile number and forward/screen calls from the old one to keep the trolls and whackos away.
It's not a solution,…

I knew it would follow my forever if I didn't, though I'm still terrified it'll get traced back to me someday, and the people I love whom I've been able to hide it all from will find out.

On the "homonormative" and "heteronormative" front - which bar is supposed to be safe for women?
The phrase "Well no, not really; my vulnerability doesn't take a fucking night off" in the OP's comment resounds particularly in this point. In either type of bar, she is apparently supposed to be okay with being…

In my early 20's, I was eating dinner at a Perkin's restaurant with one of my roommates. His ethnicity included Native American, Scottish, African, Hispanic and a bunch of others, but appearance-wise? He usually got lumped into "black" by people who lump. His introduction to another friend of mine, straight-up…

I have too many stories to chose from effectively. Whichever I choose makes the dozens of others seem overlooked.

I went through something very similar pre-FB (yep, that old) and it wasn't until years later that I found out that my "platonic friend Ex" had used me to keep the girl off-balance and insecure throughout their whole relationship.

What kind of sick, sadistic parents give their child the name "the public" without even capitalizing it?
Wait... Maybe she's a rapper who idolizes e.e. cummings?
Whatever the case, I'm glad you can "assure (us) not" about this experience of hers!

I've told all of those closest to me "if I haven't introduced you to someone by name in the first 2 sentences? It's because I have no idea what this person's name is." My brain doesn't ever hold the right information. I can tell you where we met, what kind dog he has, who her favorite celebrity is, and something they…

The first time I found out he was the son of Tom Hanks all I could think is "are you sure? Maybe the hospital accidentally switched him at birth." Somewhere out there, there's a family just like him with a talented, polite, warm, funny, engaging son who everyone else looks at and says "doesn't he remind you more of…

The only person who would think this name was "fun" is someone who has never been raped.
But my thoughts went the same line yours did... "this beer must taste horrible and make you ashamed that you were stupid enough to trust the brewery."

Too many people here reading the out-takes and not the article. In her world? Women hide indoors all day and scamper off to the field at night to deficate when men can't see them. The concept that a woman might be out at any time, let alone with someone she isn't married to is foreign to her.
It is a statement on how…

That summed it up for me as well. Because it might be satire, but it's sadly the way a large portion of the world actually sees it. Thus the "... ?!" reaction.

WTF is up with "Lady Astronaut" in that title? Was she knighted by the Queen? Or is this the 1970s?