Update for Everyone VI: What Is and What Should Never Be

[Cold War Liberal]

I was flat-out rejected by the guy from work I like, oh well. Work will be awkward but I'll make it through.

I think one of my good-ish friends likes this girl I know. I'm not sure how I feel about it because I care about him and, previously, I've stayed back and watched as that girl has caused emotional pain to two of my other friends. I'm trying to tread a line between not letting her hurt another one of my friends and minding my own damn business because it doesn't directly concern me. Am I too nosy, or a good friend?

Also, came out as bisexual to my parents last night. Was shocked at how well it went. They have pretty much accepted it. There's some quirks that I think we'll have to work through, but this is a stunning step I never thought I'd be taking.

I envy your bravery, good for you. Can't imagine coming out to my parents, I'm glad yours took it well.

[Cold War Liberal]

You're a good friend. Nontheless, if he really wants to go with that, you can't really stop him. Emotions are irrational. Warning him would be fine, though, if you believe he'll take it well.

That's what I was thinking I'll do. Warn him, then leave it be and help him pick up the pieces if it comes to that. Thanks for the input.

Also, I'm thinking that it might be time to download Tinder. I mean, I'm in a university and I'm sure that there are many high-quality guys here, but I don't really meet new people so I'm not tapping (no pun intended) that pool of potential. Also, I learned that I feel natural in a relationship (especially when my ex was actually good in our first month together) and I definitely don't seek one-night stands, so I don't want to get Grindr or something like that. Am I desperate enough for Tinder, though? Hm...

I'm the same way, tbh (or at least I think I am, I'm still closeted so I've never tested it with guys before). Actual relationships >>>>> hookups. I've never used online dating but I've heard that Tinder is only marginally better than Grindr as far as relationships go? IDK

[Cold War Liberal]

If all goes well I'm going to be not posting on Atlas anymore.

Any particular reason why?

Yeah? Idk why people treat this as some place for losers that you should get rid of once your life is decent. I feel like my life is fairly good and I don't see a reason to stop posting here, this place lets me talk about politics without bothering people and enriches my knowledge of the intricacies of American politics.

I agree. I'm in the best place in my life that I've ever been. I've got great grades, a stable job, a handful of actual friends for the first time ever (and I'm making new ones, and getting closer to one or two of them; I value closeness over quantity of friendships so that means a lot to me), and I'm starting to seriously find out and accept who I am, after 18 years of measuring myself by other people's opinions and denying/ignoring that I'm gay. I'm also single which is either great or not awesome, depending on how I'm feeling on any particular day.

Atlas is a place where I can go and talk about politics. I can and do do that in real life, but there is a wider range of opinion to interact with on here, along with more people who care about politics than I have access to IRL. I also love writing my timeline, which helps get my creative juices flowing. Atlas supplements my "real" life, not supplants it.

[Cold War Liberal]

I called my authoritarian Chick-fil-A manager a "dime store Pinochet" tonight to his face and suffered no repercussions because he's an imbecile who has no idea who Augusto Pinochet is.

I think one of my good-ish friends

Update on this, that friend from work became an even better, even closer friend of mine. We had this really great conversation the other day and, like, "clicked," which is what I call when I bond with someone in an unusually short period of time. It was great.

Then, 30 hours after that conversation, he abruptly quits effective immediately and I didn't even get to say goodbye. And then he's moving to North Carolina soon (which I already knew). This sucks because its hard for anyone to lose a friend (at least I assume it is) but it especially sucks because I never really had any good friends until relatively recently (like ~2 years ago) and so I place a high value on friendships that go beyond the surface level like ours. Ugggh

One good thing to this is that I immediately turned to another close friend of mine, which struck me because until like 6 months ago I didn't have multiple close friends. Yay?

[Cold War Liberal]

I just watched The Good Place for the first time. I watched all 26 chapters in less than 30 hours, even setting up two new email addresses since most of the second season isn't on Netflix/Hulu and you can watch up to three episodes for free per account on the NBC app. It's now my favorite show, especially since I am essentially the same person as Chidi except slightly more decisive and a political nerd (though I also love philosophy and ethics)

I've never laughed so hard and so long at a TV show, cared so much about the characters, AND had a massive existential crisis at the end of the second season before!

[Cold War Liberal]

I've been feeling some sort of dull pain in my chest for the past week or so. I barely felt it but in the past hour or so I've been feeling it pretty seriously. I know I don't have any blood problems or something, my physical fitness is great and I'm feeling otherwise good, so no idea what it is. I have a holiday starting from next week so if I keep feeling it until then I'll tell my parents (who'll freak out because that's what they do) and go to the family doctor to check it. I really, really, really hope it's nothing because I like my life right now and would like it to keep going smoothly, especially in the health department.

Hope everything is ok

[Cold War Liberal]

I have seen the light and become a conservative Republican. In my heart, I knew Barry Goldwater was right, and now I'm embracing it!

(Obviously April Fool's)

[Cold War Liberal]

My dad may have had a precursor to a stroke (a TIA) last week (he's 44).

And I just found out that a cyst I have is "probably benign" but could also be cancer (I'm 18). They will be able to definitively say if it is cancer after some blood work, but they won't be able to definitively say it's not for three months. Grrr.

Don't need this right now!

[Cold War Liberal]

My dad may have had a precursor to a stroke (a TIA) last week (he's 44).

And I just found out that a cyst I have is "probably benign" but could also be cancer (I'm 18). They will be able to definitively say if it is cancer after some blood work, but they won't be able to definitively say it's not for three months. Grrr.

Don't need this right now!

I can kinda understand what you're going through. My father also had a stroke, and my mother had breast cancer. It was a hard time, but we made it through. If it turns out to be cancer (God forbid) you'll need your family to lean on. Mom got through it by having an army of supportive friends and family to be there for her when she needed them. I'll pray for ya, and you can PM me at any point in this if you need someone to speak too.

Thank you

[Cold War Liberal]

Saw the new Avenger's movie tonight. I think I actually hated it.

[Cold War Liberal]

Saw the new Avenger's movie tonight. I think I actually hated it.

After some thought, I don't hate it. I just hate one aspect of it.

[Cold War Liberal]

I'm almost certainly going to flunk. I'm such a terrible person, no matter how much nobody wants to admit it.

Sorry, but this is bullsh**t.

[Cold War Liberal]

My doctor said that he's not certain I have cancer but that the least risky choice is to assume I do until proven otherwise. If it is indeed cancer it's stage 1 and "perfectly curable" via a surgery, so I'll be fine regardless. Might just have to take roughly the entire month of July off the forum due to disaster relief, my surgery, student government stuff for my college, and an actual vacation, which I haven't had since this time last year.

The worst part is that I told my boss and she didn't give condolences, choosing to say instead that my travel (which I can still do, and will, since I've already paid for all of it) and my surgery will force her to hire someone in my place while I'm gone. She was adamant how "inconvenient" that was for her, as if having literal effing cancer wasn't inconvenient for me.

[Cold War Liberal]

Roommate and his 90 pound girlfriend do a ton of a coke. Roommate and 90 pound girlfriend get into a fight. Roommate kicks out 90 pound girlfriend. 90 pound girlfriend then pounds on the door for two solid hours until 4:30 AM. Rooommate's 90 pound girl girlfriend then decides to throw months old rotten eggs she found in a bush at our door and window. Roommates 90 pound girlfriend then texts me threatening to "finks up all your shinks." Roomate's 90 pound girlfriend gets blocked on Sanchez's phone. Roommates 90 pound girlfriend then adds Sanchez on Snap and threatens to kick his ass. Roommate's 90 pound girlfriend finally empties our trashbags all over the front steps and leaves. Sanchez tired. Sanchez goes to sleep and wakes up at noon. Sanchez spend rainy afternoon wiping rotten egg off the door and puking into the neighbor's bushes. Sanchez out of marijuana. Sanchez is pissed.

>Florida

Sounds about right

[Cold War Liberal]

Going to Puerto Rico on Thurs for a few weeks so I'm temporarily changing my profile name and avatar while I'm gone to honor the unacknowledged dead.

[Cold War Liberal]

A moderately attractive guy around my age came into CFA tonight while I was working and he was wearing a Clinton/Gore '92 shirt and I couldn't contain my excitement at witnessing another political nerd* in the wild. Alas, I am both in the back of the store, and in the closet** so I didn't say hi to him or anything

(*Unless he just owned a Clinton/Gore '92 shirt for no reason, which would be disappointing)
(**though that might be changing soon, I told my close friend who I could see myself comfortably being out to that I have a secret, and I assume he'll guess eventually, especially since I'm reasonably certain he's also in the closet. I'm tired of lying to literally all my friends and family but also my parents are anywhere from moderately to vehemently anti-gay [the "pray the gay away" kind, not the Mike Pence "zap the gay away" variety] so I don't feel like coming out to them until I'm not living with them & I don't depend on them for my continued comfortable, privileged existence because while I highly doubt they'd disown me, they'd probably fight me about it all the time)

[Cold War Liberal]

Met Governor Hogan in the Albuquerque airport this morning (he's coming back from the governor's association conference). We're flying Southwest so there's no assigned seating, so I'm sitting directly behind him and his staff.

[Cold War Liberal]

Just came home from having surgery. They removed a cyst and now they are pretty sure it's not testicular cancer, contrary to what they thought going into this.

Under anesthesia I dreamt about Paul Laxalt like a true member of Atlas.

[Cold War Liberal]

Thank y'all for the well wishes

[Cold War Liberal]

A few weeks ago I came out to someone for the first time in real life. It was my best friend. It went really well and it was also immediately followed by him coming out to me as bisexual. The whole thing really helped my mental state.

Also, my surgery went well and upon further examination it appears likely that I did not have cancer, which is a relief. Still waiting on the final results though.

[Cold War Liberal]

That shooting in MD today happened like 15 minutes from where I live and 5 minutes from where I work. Not a great day for my county.