Maybe it helps that they are savvy about Photoshop, less likely to be duped by the images coming at them.

It is because of the cake persecution.

Thank you. The term "wife beater undershirt" is now gone from my vocabulary.

Take a walk down memory lane then lol. https://www.etsy.com/listing/178714569/80s-bright-pink-forenza-v-neck-sweater-m

It was an awesome sweater lol. It was just flattering on everyone. I preferred the V in front over a wife beater (sorry, what else would you call those undershirts? I would like a better name for them).

Anyone remember this sweater? https://www.etsy.com/listing/171754252/sale-vintage-80s-yellow-knitted-sweater?ref=market I had it in turquoise. My sister had raspberry pink. There was one fall where I swear EVERYBODY on campus had one or even more of theses sweaters. You could do the V in front or back.

So there is already the legal secular part that is about things like taxes and a religious part where people follow their own beliefs. I think it is fine the way it is. And again, this idea that gay couples will be able to force pastors to marry them (when not even heterosexual couples can do this) is a scare tactic to get people stirred up. I can say, as a totally secular, gay rights supporting agnostic, that I do not, and would not, support making churches marry anyone who walks through the door. You get your marriage licence and then decide what kind of ceremony you want. We found a minister who was fine with us and she did not care about the fact that we were not part of her congregation or even her denomination. If she had said that she couldn't do it we could have found someone else. As someone pointed out earlier in this thread, it is not that hard. We have friends who were married by some one with and internet qualification lol. They did the legal part and were satisfied with their ceremony. They were legally married. They certainly do not seem to feel less married than we do. And the religion DH and I were both raised in would never recognize our marriage and I don't care. I also do not believe that making a cake or arranging flowers is the same as performing a marriage and is an entirely different matter.

Social security, estate taxes, custody issues, health insurance

Correct me if I am wrong (like I need to ask lol) but we were married by a minister (at a country club lol, not a church, but I digress) and there was a form or something for the state. It seems like we had to do something besides just have her declare us man and wife, I mean from a legal point of view. A justice of the peace was what we had originally planned but the family went ape---- so we found a minister. In fact we definitely had to get some paperwork from the county, marriage license, before the ceremony. OK, I remember. We had a girl friend of mine come with us because we needed a witness. And when the person at the courthouse asked who was the witness DH said that he was. This was before gay marriage was legal here. She looked a bit taken aback lol.

I can't walk into any church as a heterosexual and expect the pastor to marry me, to a man I mean lol, not to the pastor. A church is qualitatively different than a bakery. A church is a religious institution and I do not believe that churches are going to be forced to marry gay couples. I think it is a scare tactic. A bakery is a different thing, and as I have stated in a previous discussion on this topic, I don't think following nondiscrimination laws required to sell goods or services to the public means you condone gay marriage. I know others disagree, but to me baking a cake for a paying customer is not condoning anything. A cake is not a marriage. The marriage happens regardless of the cake. The cake is just dessert.

If the law says that you would be forced to do it, whether that is marry someone of your same sex or use birth control or whatever, you of course should vote against it. And I would join you. But if it is a law that says that the choice belongs to the adult person making the decision, even if it is not the same one you would make? How would that be going against your beliefs? That is what I don't understand, really. I do not get it. I do not get how people use their religious beliefs, the beliefs they use to make decisions for themselves, to try to determine what someone who does not share those beliefs should be allowed to do or not do. And if you, for example, do not oppose other people having the option to marry someone of their same sex even though you would never do it yourself because it is against your beliefs, how is that you not being true to your beliefs? It is just you recognizing that others who do not share your beliefs should be free to follow their own.

I think of him as the ultimate rabble rouser lol, in a good way. I think of him as an outsider who was able to empathize and love others who were outsiders, or even outcasts. He wasn't afraid to challenge the rules and expectations of his time or call out those in authority who were corrupt. I admire much about him and think that many people who profess to follow him (not thinking of anyone specifically here btw) would be shocked and dismayed by what he would say to them if he did come back somehow. I think he might start with the crowds of of ---holes who think it OK to yell hateful things about traumatized immigrant children. I would love to be a fly on the wall when he took on the preachers of the gospel of prosperity lol.

Judging by my dd and her friends, and remembering myself and my friends at that age, I think things are better. But I guess I have pretty small sample size to make that judgement.

I believe you. But what I think they care about is my soul, not the person I am. And I understand that from their point of view it is my soul or salvation, or however you would say it, that is the more important. So I get that from their perspective they care. I also feel the need to say that my family is a mixed group of Christians, of different denominations, and I love them all and respect their beliefs even though I no longer share them. And they accept that I have no interest in sharing them and love me and respect that I get to choose my own path. I have had friends who are very Christian (one who worked for Campus Crusade for Christ, so very, very Christian) and none of them ever made me feel uncomfortable or pushed anything on me. So I am talking about being approached by people who I do not know, either at home or in a public place. And that is not something that I have to deal with frequently where I live. And I feel really lucky about that after reading about other people's experiences. I do live close to a college campus so every once in a while someone shows up who wants to scream at people about hell and damnation. Them I just ignore. It seems to me, based on my exposure to them, that they have some mental health issues. That is just my impression, not saying all street preachers, or whatever you call them, are mentally ill. So please, just saying that they seem unstable, maybe it is the angry tone.

I am not the person you are asking but am responding anyway. I hope that is OK. What I say is that I am not interested, which is the truth. But I find it insulting. I know it is nor intended to be insulting and I am not rude. But it is sort of like suggesting that whatever I believe or don't believe isn't good enough, that I have not thoughtfully considered things and come to conclusions that are just fine thankyouverymuch. I would also point out that spreading the word, or whatever you want to call it, is about them practicing their faith. It is part of them being a good Christian, of whatever denomination, so they can reap whatever rewards that entails. It is not about me. I am just a way for them to continue their journey with no thought to MY journey. When others have talked about expressing their faith through kindness, generosity or, you know, being a good friend... Well, that is a whole different thing because it recognizes that I am a person and not just a point to be made for saving someone else from hell. Or actually, a point for trying lol, because I am not interested in being converted.

I hope you find a home for him! That is how we got our cat, friends who live in the country.

Both my kids loved the board book "Goodnight Gorilla". I had it in a box for goodwill last week and dd16 grabbed it and has it stashed in her room now.

I have had cats and carpet and never a problem. We did have one cat who was a frequent hairball puker and the vet gave us a medicine for him. It squeezed out of a tube and I had to put it on my finger and wipe it on the roof of his mouth. He was a very sweet cat so it was worth it. I also didn't have kids lol. I don't know if I would be up for that now. I had to do it once a week. But it did help. You could also get a furminator (or furminater?). I use that on the cat we have now and it really helps with the shedding so I am thinking it would help with the hairballs too and she likes it a LOT lol. I have no idea how to stop a cat urinating in the house other than vinegar maybe. Ours have always been fine to use the litter box. I am thinking that is a tough one but hopefully someone else can help.

Ok, but how many weight watcher points would a serving, or two, or maybe the whole pan, be?

If it has just been this past week you could just have a virus. I am a year into menopause and the fatigue issue has been more gradual, and hot flashes during the night are part of it. It sounds more sudden, what you are describing.

Phyllo dough you say? :drool5:

You forgot to point out that they could always choose not to be Christians and switch to Judaism or Islam or whatever...

Do you get any exercise? I know, counter intuitive, but exercise if you can make yourself do it really helps. Just getting out for a walk first thing in the morning helps too, but after coffee.

This reminds me of a story about a woman I know who is Jewish and moved to rural Kentucky. People were trying to be nice and welcoming by inviting her to their churches and she would thank them and say "No thank you " that she was Jewish. And people responded with "I'm sorry". She never called it persecution, probably just they were taken aback and didn't know what to say but they did not stay there very long.

If it is blood sugar, which I also struggle with, increasing your protein might help. A heavy on the carbs breakfast catches up with me pretty fast. Pancakes = nap here.