Funny, I think you are the one taking a very narrow view, so I guess this is where we agree to disagree.

I think there is an important difference between "an ascetic" and the general concept of asceticism in opposition to vice or overindulgence. And I think the latter is what is invoked in the article, and I also think it's not an entirely ridiculous way to frame the issue.

I think this kind of works both ways. I can't really spend a lot of time with someone who wants to go out for beer and pizza every time we hang out. But I assure you, I have plenty of time to read and to work out. ;)

I think it's absurd to be so literal, but okay.

I would say it still means that. American culture is obsessed with asceticim, though, in a sort of backwards way. We have this cultural idea that people who need nothing are somehow superior. It's not enough that you restrict your diet, the highest ideal is the kind of person who also doesn't miss it or never…

What, in your view, did it used to mean that it no longer means now?

To be honest with you? I would take my flat abs over drinking or eating carbs just about any day of the week. That is the truth. I don't care if no one wants to hear me talk about it. It's enough to just have it. The things I like are, having a flat belly. It is my hobby. It makes me feel good to see results…

AWK is absolutely delightful and indeed a goddamn treasure.

In some towns, sadly, yes.

This never made any sense to me because even if you look at it from their twisted perspective, it just means that only the rich white ladies will be able to access it and aren't rich white people the only people they really want to reproduce?

What I love about him is his face and mannerisms, like everything he is going to say to you is SUPER IMPORTANT AND EXCITING. He's just adorable.

That doesn't mean the girls are happy with it.

I have a very similar attitude and reaction to those medications. I also have a very difficult time recovering from anesthesia, and I've concluded that I must just be very systemically sensitive. I will only take antibiotics if I'm literally going to die, and most pain and allergy suffering is not as bad as how the…

I don't know, I never found anything very satisfying about having a bunch of junk dripping out of you once you tried to move. That annoyance must have balanced out any happy neurotransmitters it caused.

Hey, that was a fat & crazy pill for me, too. It is validating to know that it isn't just you.

Hello, this is me. Condoms are honestly the least terrible method. And that's saying something because they're not super-fun. But they do not make me fat, crazy, pimpled, or bleed for weeks. So, yup.

I actually live in the northwest corner of Mass so I don't even benefit from being near a big city like Boston :(

I am not hardy enough for Maine.

Oh, people think I am THE WORST because I won't eat fucking chicken wings. Like, I'll eat a chicken wing when you do a juice cleanse, buddy. Or, like, eat a green thing. In other words, it's not gonna happen.

Oh, I also cannot sing the praises enough of Good Girl Dinette, which is on one of the Ave 50s. The pho will cure what ails you and everything is delicious.