I will once again put in a plug for heated steering wheels being maaaaaaaybe even nicer than heated seats. I had one in a rental car once and it was amaaaaaazing.

Brendon had a heated steering wheel and loved it dearly.

Even with the heat here I will use the heated seats if my back is aching. They are comforting.

I took the more or less traditional route, but with community college and being a transfer student. I think I got a decent education out of CC, though, although going to school with everyone's mom was not exactly a social bonanza.Usually had a cough drop when I needed one, though. And, because of structural factors, I'm not sure I ever got to do anything because of it but make my mother proud for a minute and follow David Simon's media-consolidation rants now and then. Sometimes it feels wasted. Definitely not sure I could tell a young cripling who wasn't just loving what she studied to Stay In School and all that.

I definitely did the expected graduate high school go right to college finish in 4 years, but if I’d had the opportunity to do a gap year that would’ve been awesome, as long as it wasn’t “stay home and work in a shitty job and deal with my family”—because that was a big part of my “work hard in high school and get the fuck out of Indiana and away from the fam” plan.

Atropa, your dad is all right now, yes? And hopefully making sure to tell you when something is going on?

Yes to both! I think my almost crying at him in the hospital room while explaining that he needed to tell me these things may have finally gotten the message through.

I didn't take time off after HS, but I did go to cosmetology school, which gave me something to do while I was trying to figure out what I wanted. And since cosmetology school was at the community college with a highly-respected music department, that made my decision pretty simple.

The post-high school decision may depend on where you're at. Pretty much everyone I knew went away to college mostly to get out of town. It was really the socially acceptable way to escape.

I don’t know what I would have done with a gap year. No money for travel, no car, no public transportation where I was living to get me to an entry level job. Might as well do college. It’s definitely not the only path. If I’d wanted to apprentice to a trade, my folks would probably have supported it. And I probably would have made more money, if my body had coped with it.

Pix and Drew, I hope the stressors get reduced soon.

Hec, much Christmas~ma to you, Matilda, and Emmet.

Atropa, I’m glad your dad’s doing better.

I get my lashes and brows dyed, as I can’t be bothered with mascara and they’re invisible without something. The last time I went it was a chilly day and the aesthetician had a heated pad on the table. It was so nice! I’m definitely on team Heated Things, especially in the winter.

I’m in a local astronomy club, and tonight I’ll be going to a Solstice star watching demo in a nearby town. It became really obvious to me that the club is mostly retirees, because the request was for people to get there and have everything set up by 4:45. I’ll be lucky to leave the apartment by 4:45, and have a half hour drive to the event. Not to be all inter generational warfare, but jobs are still a thing. Oh well, it’s still a good reason to get out of the apartment.

An excellent reason for serial posting:

That’s wonderful news, EpicTangent!

FUCK YEAH, Epic!!!!!! I shrieked a little when I read your Beep Me post, and woke up the kitty. Totally worth it.

WOOHOO EPIC!