I was trying to think of something that could defuse this with these types of people so it would seem unnecessary for this type of action, or preparation, or paranoia. Perhaps the HOA board can use funds to install more security or hire a security detail (if things seem to be escalating in your area). I mean, if this guy has been waiting his whole life to defend his castle, it won't make much a difference, but if the proper people are taking the lead on precautions, it may dissuade others from joining him. eta: don't know how I feel about this solution, either, just trying to think around the possibilities.

I'd be extremely uncomfortable with getting something like that. I'd probably report to any HOA or governing board for the community; don't know what they could do but maybe there is something in the reg book. It's not technically illegal so I don't know a reason to report to the police, and they aren't really in a situation to do anything right now probably, but I wish there was "someone" you could tell. Maybe your local representative, so they are aware of what's going on? As for actually contacting/going, I would want to stay as far away as possible from this but would probably go just for the knowledge and see what people are discussing (with a friend). But would be concerned they wouldn't welcome just onlookers into their little meetings.

Thank you for pointing that out, I hadn't heard that at all. If anything, this just highlights how systemic the problems are. As an aside, [In my limited experience*] Asians and light-skinned latinos and other minorities are often lumped into "white" or at least "not minority" when it is convenient to the narrative. Or perhaps just disregarded/forgotten. Not really sure which is worse. *Speaking as someone married to mixed-Asian, and who is half-Latina herself.

I'm currently in search of a brownie-pal. Kind of like a penpal, but much better: If you love edges and corners, I will send mine to you. In return, I expect all your middles. Willing to consider all frosting and non-frosting options. Serious inquiries only please. Space is not limited!

Yes! Writing a card to his mom can derail my DH for a day. It isn't just 15 minutes and a stamp. It's not just the time and money you are protecting, it's the entire person.

I wrote a whole long thing about my DH and his family. But the details are irrelevant, just know that I am coming from a similar situation. On the idea of "they gave him life so he owes them", life is supposedly a gift, and the best use of it he can make of it is to be happy. If limiting contact helps that, then so be it. I think he could help them find other people to step in (Uber, meals on wheels, social services), but never take on jobs himself. They will use that inch to insist on more: If he rakes the leaves, he should have cleaned the gutters at the same time and put everything into the trash... If he put stuff into the trash, he should have sorted the mail and shredded the junk for the trash first... If he sorted the mail, he should have opened the letters and made sure the bills were put to the side... If he put the bills to the side, he should have helped them figure out when they were due... They will get angry about it, but they were going to be angry about something anyway. At least this limits your husband's burden of having to deal with it. I would still look into moving. Good luck with this {{{{hugs}}}} It is a very very difficult position to be in.

Made this for your husband, lol.

Right, I'm not disagreeing that it is for the greater good in the current climate. But it's just been something that was being edged in (from my perspective) before any of this ever happened. But at the same time, I was often touched by Eucharistic ministers, so it seemed a bit incongruous to be told it was the safer option when they are potentially accidentally touching 50 different people, and passing stuff along down the line. I can't say I generally wash my hands before sitting down at church unless I had to go to the bathroom first. But, as your plan stated, the priest will be taking extra precautions about touching so that point is moot as well. Hopefully the hand sanitizer will make a difference yes. Okay, another tangent: I saw a little girl drink out of the holy water once 😱 since then I've always had a small hesitation before dipping my finger tips in, lol. She was cute though. So, the hand sanitizer certainly can't hurt! We will not be attending for the immediate future, either, so this is all academic to me.

I guess was editing while you were typing. 🙂 Yes, that makes sense, it's just that I've seen this brought up before pre-Covid and have always been a bit puzzled by it. There is one deacon at my current parish that huffs and rolls his eyes and refused to give the Eucharist on the tongue (I mean, I was shocked and embarassed so just accepted by hand, idk if he would have actually refused if I had stayed in the other position much longer). I just go to a different line now (well, pre-Covid). Later I heard a teacher tell the kids that we receive by hand now "because it is easier to stay clean." Which, idk, have you seen kids' hands? lol Anyway, this is a tangent, that isn't really relevant. One of my specialties 😉

I find this idea of hands being less likely to touch interesting, since I have often had extraordinary communion ministers touch me if I had to receive by hand. By tongue, however, I've never been touched by a priest. I will move lines to get to a priest usually to receive so that I don't put a "regular person" through that as they aren't trained and usually grimace in a way that does not help my concentration on the event "at hand." (ha...ha...) Regardless of rite I guess I have been very lucky with my priests, though I was taught how to receive by an Old Rite priest and also attended a Byzantine church for a while, so perhaps I'm more trained in how to receive that way, and that makes a difference? Never thought about it before. eta: but I do understand that since the priest's hand can be breathed on when receiving on the tongue, that is the issue, not necessarily the touching.

At this rate, alien abduction sounds like a Godsend. Beam me up Scotty, get me out of here!!

If fraud was the real reason people were against vote by mail, then I would expect those people to be championing some of the other "more safe" alternatives to make sure everyone got their chance to vote: - more polling places -federal holiday - guaranteed time off to vote - take home ballots you can drop off with verification And I'm sure other solutions that would allow everyone to exercise their right to vote. If you don't like a solution, champion another one. Not just "lip service", really make it happen. That's what I would expect to see from all of the pundits and politicians that are whipping up fraud concerns about vote by mail, if their concern was genuine. Unfortunately my expectations are not met.

Showed this one to my husband. He got very still and then quietly asked if he was allowed to find it funny, LOL...

I'm sorry your husband is in the same position. But, Thank Goodness my mom isn't on Facebook! I can only imagine what things she'd find. It's bad enough with some of the websites my dad has found. I've kind of given up on the convincing them they are wrong and have started to focus on just sowing little seeds of doubt so at least it slows down the train a bit. She outright told me she wouldn't believe any other cable news source (or anything refuting something she has heard from her preferred) because she "knows they are just lying to me". This is the mindset I'm dealing with, yes. Though she has changed on one or two things (not Covid related, but in the past 6 months). It seems that whatever she hears, if given enough time and distance from the source, she can supplant as being from her cable source. Which then makes it obviously true. You know the movie Inception? That's what I feel like I'm playing sometimes: throw these seeds to the wall and see what will grow. Not that I'm trying to deceive her or anything, but I'm just hopeful that something I say in a few months she'll remember the info, just not that I said it. The issue I'm having with this tactic is that she KNOWS she doesn't know anything scientific, so she just argues from authority, but referencing these emails or talking heads as her authority. "Oh, I don't understand everything they said, but they said this and therefore it's true." Very frustrating approach. Emails are actually easier to reply to than live conversations because I can actually dissect it down for her. Real-time conversations can go nowhere. Unfortunately the last time I said this she took that as agreement. Because if I am researching it I will find it's true, right? So kind of before-the-fact agreement, which is simplified to just agreement. Otherwise I think this is a great deflection. And, I know my own limits on scientific understanding, lol, which makes it all worse. Especially since I'm not keeping up with stuff, I know I'm not qualified to really explain things, but I know what she is saying is wrong. --- This whole Covid thing has really exposed me to how far my parents have mentally declined. They seem so together and obviously can function just fine, but the critical thinking skills are just gone, they rely totally on the heuristic of trusting others (and only specific others). I'm starting to wonder who I've been taking advice from for my adult life. I really regret some of the guidance I took but I thought it was just bad luck or bad execution on my part, but now I'm wondering ... can't change the past, but at least now I'm on guard for the future. Thanks for the suggestions and help!

Yes, my initial reaction is to send memes, but she doesn't understand them at all and sometimes, worst case scenario, sees them as supporting her instead of showing the absurdity 😱

Oatmilk (water, oats), sunflower oil, minerals (see pic), sea salt. Here's he full nutrition panel for you, too, in case it helps!IMG_0823.HEIC