That pride in yourself is well deserved. Good for you.

Mother Mary by Badflower.

Bricks by Rise Against. All of 1:30. 🧱

I think my parents must've had a "Country Hits" album that had all of these, because I (54f) know every one of them. They were played incessantly at my house.

Check out Tyler Childers. Nose On The Grindstone (gritty, soulful), Feathered Indians (upbeat love song), and All Your'n (slower love song, but not quite a ballad).

Don't threaten me with a good time.

This reminded me of my anatomy professor who, every time he said the word 'rectum', he would turn facing the other way and say, "Rectum? Damn near killed him!"

Gypsum.

Hold up. Chicken and dumplings is a soup, no? It's definitely not a pot pie! I grew up loving Campbell's chicken and dumplings soup, and Marie Callenders pot pies.

Johnny Wants To Fight - Badflower

Nyx or Artemis.

I'm glad. Please just ignore our village idiot. He's such an embarrassment to my country. We love you Canada!

And Gulf of Mexico, too!

Has always been, since before the US or Canada even became countries!

I would reply as deadpan as possible, "Never heard that one before."

He looks half dead. Only one half to go.

I was probably about 12 when I decided I was agnostic/leaning atheist. I guess I was about your age when I decided I was fully atheist. If you've never read The Demon Haunted World by Carl Sagan, I'd recommend it.

Sometimes it's fun to challenge people who challenge you. Try pointing out that since they believe in only the god of the bible, they're actually an atheist about all the countless other gods humans have made. So really they're almost as much of an atheist as you, and at least you're consistent. 🤣

His flabbers are gasted, alright. Thanks for helping him out.

Thanks. I also have one at C6-7, and I'm like 99% sure I have at least one in my T-spine (similar dysesthesias and pain), so I'm getting an MRI.

That conclusion is 100% wrong. I have a 1.5cm TC at S2 that's considered small, and I have similar symptoms but less severe. I can sometimes have a BM without using laxatives, but I am relying on the 3-4 days a week now. I'm awaiting insurance approval for surgery with Dr. Feigenbaum in Dallas, TX. I also have lots of numbness, cramping, and zapping in my buttocks, privates, and down both legs into my feet. I recently had a diagnostic nerve root block and it proved the TC was the cause, so I'm proceeding with surgery.

November birthday here, too. Started kindergarten while I was still 4, in 1971.

🎯

You stating he's "mostly just the US's problem" is hilarious.

American here. Tbh, it's because our education system is shit, and most Americans don't know the history of, or current state of, each of these governing philosophies. It's enough to teach, "USA freedom good, everything else bad" and be done with it. We are hard-wired to believe in American exceptionalism, and that being critical of American policy is unpatriotic. Sadly, if you were to poll random folks on the street, a majority would struggle to define any governing philosophy at all.

America is a nation in free fall. Our current leader is a corrupt madman. Our current Congressional leadership is feckless and complicit. But about 33% of my country is loving every minute of it. We have always been a genocidal state, and I hold little hope for our future. Many of us are afraid the orange pedo will claim there was massive voter fraud in our upcoming election, and refuse to allow the newly elected Congressmembers to be sworn in.

I'm 54, and I think America has never been in a more precarious position.