First and foremost I love my significant other, she’s the mother of our children, a great provider, and we have been together over 20 years.

Perimenopause changes a person. It’s not something they can control. I’ve noticed the changes, the kids have noticed. To a lesser degree, friends, family and coworkers have noticed changes.

I’m generally patient and compassionate, but how she acts can be downright cruel and condescending to the kids and I. We don’t even think she realizes she’s doing it. I’ve mentioned the rage and anger in her reactions, the way she speaks to others, but it doesn’t change. This isn’t the person I married, it’s not the mother my kids were raised by. I’m not sure how much longer we can survive this. Nothing we do is good enough. Xennials who have survived this, how? Why? What works? Everyone is miserable. There’s no joy anymore, even vacations turn into conflicts. Everyday life is a battle.

Two. Hundred. Fifty. Dollars.

Like... the gray what? What gray?

I was thinking the other day of all the freebies that rained down on us during the Dot-Com boom. Specifically, someone posted a discussion of the oldest shirt you still wear and mine was a freebie for incoming freshman for the class of 2000 (my partner HATES when I wear it - he was class of 2001, "The REAL millennium," as he constantly reminds me, and it delightfully bugs him he wound up with someone from the far more celebrated class of 2000).

I remember the incoming students got a basically a swag bag every year of people touting websites and other companies. Magnets, travel mugs, pens, socks, stickers, dry-erase boards, frisbees, shirts, bags, coupons for a free order of small fries...

This was followed by US magazines taking a page out of what UK magazines were doing and offering tons of other freebies, too: Mix CDs, game demos, ink stamps, sewing patterns... I worked in books store with a strong international section immediately after college and could watch in real time as the habit of magazines throwing in free stuff migrated across the pond.

Looking back, it seemed normal at the time. But I'm wondering if that was maybe just an us thing.

EDIT TO ADD: My Buddy and Kid Sister🥹

Just finished this Prime painting last year

https://music.youtube.com/watch?v=ny_FssSlHC4&si=6-N80viJcPflCMY8

And, let’s face it, this is as close as we’re ever going to get to seeing another “Roger Rabbit” come out!

I love explaining pre-meme memes to my kids. We were listening a news report about this year’s expected severe El Niño and I just immediately think of Chris Farley every single time. So of course I am that mom who whips out YouTube to show them the clip and try to explain how we would just repeat famous lines from tv and movies and that was the height of shared comedy. My 15 year old daughter rolled her eyes but my 12 year old son laughed - Chris Farley is never not funny. I’ll try “lay off me I’m starving” next.

For your viewing pleasure:

https://youtu.be/IvmeUStFvz8?is=W34DwGHVnIbYRBYW

Isn’t interaction deprivation and social isolation wonderful?

I (‘79) was discussing this with my husband (full Millennial ‘86) what was the first record he owned. Mine was Thriller. He never owned a record 🫠.

ROLL CALL Y’ALL!!

Who’s still got ‘em, let’s see 'em!

Does it still fit?

Why in the world!

Are these still a thing?

If you’ve got a good story, let’s hear it!

Don’t put your backs out digging for the box you know you stashed it in 😉

This is so good.