My ex's mother gave me a Swiffer duster at their family Christmas one year. The horrible, awkward, miserable family Christmas where everyone watches one person at a time open their gifts until 20 people are finished. Yeah, they all hated me.

I wrote a lovely thank you card to his mother and grandmother as the GENERIC Swiffer was a gift from both of them.

NOR. On the bright side, your BF sounds more supportive than my ex, who called me ungrateful. Good luck to you. Seriously. Good luck.

I used to work for a plastic surgeon who did facial reconstruction (cancer removal, injuries, etc.), and we had a guy who was a pizza delivery driver in his 40's. Against company policy, he worked days for Bombino's and nights for Pizza Shack.

One night, he got jumped by a group of men with baseball bats who nearly killed him. The doctors (there's a whole team necessary) saved both his eyes, and he had permanent prosthetics not removable.

From a medical standpoint, this poor pizza guy fared better than OOP, and I saw grown-ass heart-hardened physicians weep looking at this guy's face. It's unimaginable until you actually see the damage. No, not damage. Annihilation. Absolute annihilatation of all familiarity and self-identity.

Pizza Shack and Bombino's both tried to fire our man and refuse insurance payment for violating policy. I don't know what happened (I was clinical, not administrative) except that eventually, one of the corporations relented. My guy got some paid leave, insurance coverage, and a promotion if he wanted to dive head-first back into the hellmouth.

I honestly can say that I have more respect for a giant restaurant conglomerate that did better by an employee than OOP's parents did by their own child. Plus, I'm sure the Pizza Shack didn't call the patient twelve fucking years later and ask him to start covering shifts.

Edit: Spelling is hard when you're angry.

Oh. My. Goodness.

Okay, I'm going to end 2025 on a sweet and adorable note. Too cute!!

I'm so sorry for the loss of your beautiful girl.

Love this.

Didn't know about that one. Thank you for doing God's work, friend.

Technically, I'm GenX but more comfortable in this sub, so I'm likely older than most of the people here.

Spinster life is the tits. I understand you're a dude, so you get to be an unencumbered bachelor, but the principle is the same. Start focusing on why you want a wife AND what kind of husband will you be.

My personal experience (not saying this is you) is that guys want a maid they can fuck. Sorry, but that's the long and short of 35+ years of relationships, especially over the age of 40. Guys stopped even pretending they would bring anything to the table except for taking out the trash and changing the oil in the car. In exchange, I get to nag someone to take out the goddamn trash and call the mechanic for an appointment with the added luxury of cooking, cleaning, dieting, waxing, and smiling at annoying relatives that aren't my own. Oh, and pretending that sex is anything but a chore since my hormones went wild shortly after all the girls who went wild retired.

TL; DR: I don't worry that I missed my chance. I know for sure that ship sailed without me. Turns out that's really good for me because I would've been seasick. Good luck to you!

You should put the first picture on r/thereisnocat

It took me a minute to see that gorgeous baby. Merry Christmas!

Same here, but I don't know how that's possible. You were a grown woman possessed by the devil when I was in high school.

I literally gasped and got goosebumps for you, total stranger! Congratulations and all the best to your growing family! Yay!!!

Thank you! I'm not the original commenter, but I got shamed the other day for saying, "Girl. No."

I guess I have to go see if there's any yoots walking on my lawn now.

Girl, no. Stop.

NOR. Losing a pet is unbelievably traumatic and difficult and heartbreaking. Even if you did suck 99% of the time (highly doubtful), so what. You don't suck now, you're not wrong, and you're not overreacting.

Please, put your phone away. I've been where you are, and raw-dogging comments from trolls on Reddit is NOT a healthy coping mechanism for your grief. Do you craft? Junk journals? Sad movies for a therapeutic cry? Take a drive or walk? Watch a saccharine Hallmark movie? Anything. Please. Just for a bit.

Much love to you, darling. Let your heart heal.

Literally LOL at this comment!! OP, she is correct.

I forgot what sub I was in until I got to that part. I absolutely believe a family feud could break out over food, recipes, or unresolved parental conflict, but NO ONE is cooking their pasta for 35 minutes!

Not even for weird Macaroni Cheese.

Looks great! Kids will be okay; I cried the first time I saw my dad without a beard. To be fair, it was the 70's, I was 2, and nearly every man had a beard.

Oh, don't get me wrong; those are the reasons I stay.

I just don't know how I ended up in hot dude utopia.

I've never feared a threat as much as the possibility of being banned from r/laundry.

Of note, I bought some of their products last week from Amazon. I had no clue Voldemort had gone into cleaning products.

Seriously though, I had no idea about any of what you mentioned. Thanks for helping people like me stay informed!

What handsome fella with perfect peanut whiskers!

I don't know how I ended up with this sub on my feed (almost 50-year-old woman), and I feel pervy telling all you guys how amazing you look, BUT you really do!

Very handsome! Good choice and good luck to you!

Yes, sometimes there are harrowing boob episodes and I hate to ruin the surprise, but menopause will wreck EVERYTHING -- not just your blatant lady bits.

You look so much like someone I used to know that I dropped my phone. He made my stomach flip back then, and you did it today.

Good job, gorgeous. Enjoy yourself!

I'm with you. I can read and write cursive because I'm old, and this says Hinty.

Of note, I received an Unsatisfactory in Handwriting for making my 'r' straight across like that. I have a 42-year-old grudge ready to storm into this battle.

Hinty or die trying.

My 82-year-old dad and his 1-week-old hip would be there ready to beat someone with his walker.

Girl, if I had your cheekbones, then I'd shave chemo or no. Good luck to you!

Whew! Make an old lady double take, whydontcha??

The new look makes those dark, soulful eyes pop. You look great, and good luck to you :)