greendots

Same. I don't care for diamonds. I prefer jewellery with gemstones anyway. 🙂

Get well soon, Seraphim! xx Very sweet of your neighbour.

Me too! I find that I'm more productive when working from home as I don't have to be interrupted with drivel, and I can efficiently manage my time. Plus, the hours you gain each day that you don't spend commuting — priceless!

Lucky you! Fortunately, in my line of work wearing denim is appropriate, so I don't have to worry about formal wear. Your post reminded me of Mad Men, where drinking for execs was the norm at work, lol. They did exaggerate though. I think that having, for example, a beer when working from home is like having a glass of wine during lunch time. As long as you're doing so responsibly, why not? Of course, should you need a strong bevy for breakfast you might want to consider professional help.

Interesting to read everyone's experiences. Well, my philosophy is that getting dressed in the morning is good for you. Sure, we all have 'off' days. Generally, though, it's nice to make an effort. It feels good when you smell nice and look presentable. Plus, should there be an impromptu online meeting, you know you're ready and are able to give others a good impression. Regarding alcohol consumption at work, the drunken office after-hours shenanigans weren't ever alluring so I generally avoided attending such events — and I really enjoy a drink or two in the right circumstances. What increased is my coffee intake, lol, but I am curbing that.

I think it depends on the nature of your job. In some places it's common to have a drink during lunch or when meeting an important client. As for me, I don't like to drink whilst I work as I need to remain focused.

You're finding ways to revive a connection that's broken or thinking of ways that you could've avoided the break-up. That's where I feel you're bargaining from a position of weakness. You haven't healed yet. Once you've fully gone through the whole stages of grief, and have worked on yourself, that's when you'll have gained the clarity needed over this relationship and thus you'd be in a better (stronger) position to bargain with him - were he to contact you again. ETA: To clarify. You're rehashing the 'what if's' of a guy who has mistreated you. Which happens. But imagine another poster came to you for advice and said that their guy left them often. What would you tell them she should do?

Desperation. Being the 'dumpee' meant I was willing to forgo some of my ideals in order to return to normalcy. I was desperate for some sense of normalcy. Well, fortunately this bargaining didn't work out. When we bargain from a desperate position we're bound to lose. Bargaining from a position of strength gives us a better perspective. I'd recommend you take some time for yourself. As I mentioned on another post: hang out with your friends, volunteer or join a club. Change the direction of your thoughts by having something else to focus on.

How about taking a break from social media? Disconnect from that world to focus on your healing. Hang out with your friends, volunteer or join a club. Change the direction of your thoughts by having something else to focus on. All the best! 🙂

I'd look at it from the following angle: Him and his girlfriend broke up. So, depending on how amicable the break-up was, he's most likely vulnerable and in need of emotional support. Now, here's this woman, you, who is working in social justice for a cause that he is fervently dedicating his life to. How many women are as devout as him about the cause? You are fully committed to it and he admires your passion - albeit a tad too much. Plus, you're responsive towards him in a friendly way. No wonder he's wanting to connect with you even further. Time will tell as to whether he's genuinely romantically interested in you. I'd set boundaries if he's making you uncomfortable.

The joys of reading a a fabulous book! 🤓

Cobra Kai season 5 was quite attention grabbing. I'm so happy they focused more on actual fighting scenes. Can't wait for next season! Wax on, wax off. ☺️

Sneering at an aide? Oh, boy! Indeed she did.

That's a good start to a new era. 🙂

Never heard of Irish oats. Will google it now. 🙂 Oooh, steel cut oats! Didn't know they were called Irish oats.

Hey, Alex, what your doing is commendable! You know I had some oatmeal yesterday with cinnamon and peanut butter. Would have never paired the two together but someone recommended it. Turned out to be delicious! Now I want some bagel with crispy bacon and egg. ☺️

I learnt something new about the different types of queens! I wonder how the new reign will be like. Queen Elizabeth II was very beloved across the world.

Peanut butter, made purely of peanuts, is healthy for you (in moderation). It contains healthy fats, it's a good protein source, it's rich in antioxidants and it's also fairly rich in vitamins and minerals. I feel that from a health perspective, we need to opt for food that benefits our (own) body. What worked for us may not work for someone else. Competent nutritionists and doctors exist for a reason. Bottom line, eating healthy (in the long-term) is a lifestyle, read food labels, and don't merely rely on fads. Competent medical practitioners / nutritionists should be able to give you a professional opinion. 🙂

I'm not a nutritionist, but whilst natural peanut butter is made of peanuts only, some brands list sugar as their second ingredient which really irks me. Added sugar is also found in some commercial white toast bread, yogurt, granola, and some instant oatmeal varieties. As for fruits, some are high in natural sugar. And don't get me started on brands that tout themselves as healthy, however add artificial sweeteners to their products. Anyway, Alex, hope you are having a good day today. 🙂

This. Some medical conditions make it difficult to lose weight, thus best to get a full medical checkup. Anyway, great to hear about your progress!

Your story reminded me of a resent headline. The Finnish PM, Sanna Marin, was scolded by some citizens for partying one night. A debate ensued as to why due to her job role she has to publicly behave in a certain way. Is there a happy medium you could strike? Sadly, some people will always judge you as apparently they've got nothing better to do.

OT - thanks to you I started looking into it. ☺️ I wish I had know about this breathing technique eons ago. Yup, learnt this the hard way. Anyhow, I hope OP has good news to share. 🙂

So sorry. Please keep talking to us. It's a lovely and supportive community. Other than that, do follow the advice given to you above. Thinking of you, your mum and your family. xx

This! I've been there before - ridden with anxiety. Not pretty when your mood is predicated by whether a man texts you back or not. Listening to uplifting / calming music as well as talking to a friend is something that has helped me deal with it in the past. Alternatively, maybe a 4-7-8 breathing technique might help calm nerves down?

He remembered your bridal shower - that's a good sign. Don't worry too much about texting, you don't want a texting buddy anyway. And to be honest he might be just a tad busy at the moment. Should he be interested he'll ask you out again. Having said that, why don't you ask him out for a cup of coffee or something? You've got nothing to lose. Besides, more dates keeps things moving forward. 🙂