We don't even get this memo. I thought it was still 15, 18, and 20. And I'm wholey against mandatory tipping, but always do so because I don't want the underpaid staff to starve. I have enough friends in food service who can barely pay their rent with multiple roommates.

There's a health food craze in the US that stemmed out of rampant body shaming. Which might be largely because of American portion sizes. And they think that nutritional fat makes you fat. It doesn't. Excessive calories make you fat. And even that has caveats, but it's the best rule of thumb.

When did we start splitting milk? I know part of it is to make cream and high fat stuff while repurposing the skimmed off grass water. ::Googles:: WWII as a means of selling the byproduct of butter. Okay. Then in the 50s physicians started calling it health food despite the fact that the fat is used in your body during the digestion of many fat soluble vitamins such as A, D, E, and K, and thus skim milk is pretty close to the opposite of health food.

And the money thing is kind of rampant. It's a big reason why things with larger price tags, like Rolex watches, are thought to more impressive by Americans than equivalent or better watches. Rolexes do have a very high quality, but then the mark up on top makes it strictly something I do not respect, and others do not share that opinion with me. Same for a lot of things.

əəəə... What do you mean? /j

I don't believe I've read either. I'll put those on my list. I'd love to be proven wrong. Usually I'm more into light hearted things, which doesn't necessarily seem to be Steinbeck's wheelhouse (I can be sad in real life, after all), but that doesn't mean I can't enjoy more down to earth or down right depressing works.

You know what. I haven't read him in a very long time. I'll get back to you. Do you have a favorite? (I'm vetoing The Red Pony.)

Edit: Guessing The Grapes of Wrath. I remember not liking it as a kid. But at least it wasn't The Red Pony.

The one that sticks out for me is On The Sidewalk Bleeding. Wasn't even the most effed up thing we read in 9th grade, just had the most memorable name.

I still hate Steinbeck as an author. Don't think that would have changed if I had read any of his works later in life.

There are games I want to make. I caught long COVID and barely had energy for my job. I decided now that I got laid off for having an invisible disability, I can learn how to make games while I can't get a new one, but I'm having issues thinking long enough to learn... I've almost started my game and that's where I'm stuck.

I can tell you haven't dealt with drama before. If I'm wrong, please forgive me. Everyone has to deal with it differently, please be a little more patient. Maybe they could have worded it more carefully, but I don't think they deserved this escalation.

This is a problem we need to deal with in society. You acknowledged that yourself. This almost comes across as victim blaming, but definitely comes across as straw manning.

This is tip culture standard. The company is only required to pay enough such that tips plus pay meet minimum wage. CEO's should have to work for tips given by their employees in order to earn over minimum wage, change my mind.

Most boomers I know still can't use a mouse. Millennials and gen X fill most of the old Internet in my mind, but the original '91 Internet was a lot of tech focused boomers, but also was significantly Gen X. '95-'99 seemed to pick up more traction with my generation.

An overwhelming desire to never be taken seriously by the average user.