One of the reasons I got a smartphone was because my supermarket of choice was giving shoppers discounts and free things for using their app. This coupled with ebay occasionally giving me a coupon when I purchase with their app (which I uninstall after), my phone will have paid for itself within 12 months. But I do all this carefully, such as by turning off notifications and location sharing.

I havent been calm enough lately to put it as cogently but this is exactly right. plus, the corporate feudal state is not going to allow Dump Truck to overhaul the economy like that. the other shoe has yet to drop, but when it does, trump will find it's the Money, not the government, that rules the country.

Wish I had more of an input, I'm also GenX, but I tend to steer clear of anything politcal, I went down that road, and all I ever found was, no one cared about my views, and depression. I can't even have a conversation with my mother anymore, 'cause all she ever talks about is how much she hates our president. She is so consumed by it, it's all she thinks, and talks about. Life is to short in my opinion.

Very good read, and thank you for recommending those channels. I love the phrasing of "youtube being your personal poison". It's so hard lately to stay in the know, as you watch/read something about the current political scene and then it opens the floodgates of so much content, a lot of it negative. I constantly feel overwhelmed by what's going on the world and how it's being discussed. Stay strong, friends.

@badgraph1csghost - thanks for reading and for also saying it was cogent! I'm never sure I am and especially with this, since I was pretty much typing it out as I thought it.

@enflicted - oh man, I'm sorry. I hate to say, I'm a little like your mom when it comes to my local Congressional representative (who has promised to make us more Florida than Florida). My poor son has listened to me rant too much about that person. And you're right - life is too short! This is important stuff but it shouldn't be all consuming.

@mrszenigata - Thanks so much for reading! I think one thing you have to look at with content is what is the motivation of the creator? I mean, they all want views but is their content ONLY about generating views? Is it all clickbait titles and ranting? Or is there something worthwhile in there? I think we are ALL overwhelmed these days!

@divergentrays I won't hold that against you, lol. It's fine to talk, or even be passionate about your state, or politics in general. But when the other side (my mother) doesn't want to hear my opinions, and tries to overshadow anything I have to say, it loses it's balance, if you know what I mean. And am I just now learning, your in Florida? Or..did I already know, and forget? =x

@enflicted - I am very much not in Florida! But apparently my joke of a congress person likes what DeSantis has done with the place and wants to do the same. And I do know what you mean.

I was going to say, 'cause that's where I am, and I hate it here. Way..way too many people.

Your stitching is so neat! Cat-ris is awesome!

Thank you, @manonamora!

I don't know if I can still call myself a gamer, I used to be, I never got into EQ, but I was a huge WoW nerd, I started playing when blizzard launched the beta, and kept playing for years, but i havent played in about 12 years now. Ill occasionally play LOTRO, and a few games with a friend on the weekends, but having kids makes it hard to be a gamer like i used to be.

There are some new kitties in Kitty Friends!

Taskmaster mention! :o S14 was my first too (chose it because of Sarah Millican, discovered Fern Brady in the process). It's such a good comfort show! <3

(and oh, taskmaster also has two official podcasts, both pretty fun to listen to - just throwing it out there in case you're interested)

We have had more new kitties join up with Kitty Friends! Come say hello!

Love the cross stitch! I tried getting into a few times, but cant seem to grasp it, yours looks great!

@enflicted - thanks so much! Have you tried any other fiber crafts? I've tried crochet but I just can't get the hang of it. I think I need to practice more but I just get impatient.

Oh yea, I've tried crochet to, and that seemed to be more confusing to me than cross stitch. Maybe I'm not cut out for it, but I enjoy others creations.

We have a new kitty in Kitty Friends! Come say hello to Squeaky!

There's another new kitty in Kitty Friends!

Hey, don't forget to check out both Kitty Friends and Pocket Town! There are a couple new entries on each page.

Excited to rebuild and build new pixel club pages and art, bigup for keeping it going!

I love your kitty cross stitch so much, he's so bright and happy and fun!! ;w;

Incredible cross stitch skills, the final cat piece came out fantastic!

Thank you so much, @inkcaps and @mrszenigata for the cross stitch compliments! And thanks, too, to you @ppaaiinnttkkiilleerr!