I grew up in a northern version of the same kind of place. Year after year, the local GOP/Conservatives got up and preached about how our lack of jobs and our lack of property appreciation was due to black folks downstate being on welfare and driving up taxes. And every year they coasted to reelection even though that…

I’m not able to say I don’t despair over my debt, but in some ways it’s like my property taxes...no matter what I do, it’s still there, so I just set up the autopay and hope loan forgiveness works by the time I qualify. 

Yes, but anyone not making seventy-seven figures is chastised for having a humanities degree instead of STEM, even if someone is making $40,000 as an entry-level engineer in the only engineering job in town. Facts don’t matter to those preaching the Gospel of the STEM. 

My spouse’s parents were Boomers who paid for college via the GI Bill and grandpa’s money/academic scholarships for full tuition. My spouse paid for her whole undergrad and grad in grandpa’s money. When they found out I had six figures in loans they treated me like I’d admitted to smoking heroin.

More power to her and I appreciate her comment about this working for her but recognizing she followed a path that not everyone could.

And here we sit waiting patiently for Billy’s take on last night’s US-Can game...

I have to admit I still have issues with Foudy, despite liking her in her playing days, for her clueless “I’m a pretty white girl with endorsements who married a surgeon and we never complained about equal pay!” comments. 

That’s been my beef with Lloyd for years, since the last World Cup. She can still be an effective scorer, but she’s not effective as the focal point of the offense or the controlling 10. Too many times I’ve seen the team have to shift everyone into new roles on the field to make room for her.

The Houston Dash really went heavy on building a not-going-to-France roster and it did not work out well. I wonder if that moved Campbell, Huerta and Ohai even further off the radar. 

I’m hopeful that Vlatko’s experience with going through 32 gk this year lends itself to bringing in some fresh faces. Or bringing Barnie back to get a meaningful cap that she never got as Solo’s backup, but that’s just me being nostalgic.

Yes. Lloyd and Morgan have allegedly a strained relationship because Lloyd feels her work ethic should trump Morgan’s marketing push, at least according to the gossip sites. And four years ago I’d have mostly agreed with Lloyd, especially with Morgan’s required +1 eating up roster space, but Carli’s performance of…

You nailed my thoughts on this. Too many times I saw a USWNT disrupted by not fitting Carli into a slot, but revising their whole shape and gameplan to make room for how she wanted to play. And she’s not a gamechanger anymore who should have that happen when she arrives. 

She (or her people) blocked me on Twitter a long time ago for my complaints (never tagging her, in my recollection, just uswnt hashtag) that when you watched her being subbed in and the entire formation changed to accommodate her declining abilities, it was not good for the team.

I’d say “get out of my head” but I’m willing to let someone else drive for a change. 

I am an incredible awkward person. I know it, I try to change it, and the fact is I’m middle aged and we didn’t have a spectrum when I was a kid or I’d be on it. I also come from a family rife with addiction and mental illness, with all the mental gamesmanship that comes into play, and that’s the environment where I…

Yeah, similar situation, but I think of the little things, too. Like my mom (set your wayback machines, because this is dating me) saying something about Shari Belafonte being pretty. Where I grew up, anyone saying a person of color was attractive was unthinkable and a woman saying a woman could be pretty was a…

Tangential, but I come here because I don’t have real friends...

In no particular order:

I appreciate this POV and your work with your mom. I’ve had to work with my parents a lot—and myself, being middle aged—but the funny thing I’ve found is that there’s a ripple effect. I’m not changing the world, but when my parents understand, they talk to their friends and family and spread the idea that acceptance…

I appreciate you saying this. I’m 45 and grew up with older parents in a decidedly regressive area...my attempts at being a supportive ally are limited given how little I understand and I’ve had to stop my parents, who were trying to be helpful and supportive, from making things worse with their comments on occasion.