Just discovered Lemmy while browsing for Reddit alternatives, so let’s break the ice with this first post.
What was it like riding a boneshaker to the mill to work fourteen hour days?
Couldn’t tell you since I never worked, let alone at a mill.
What have you been doing since you were 18?
I got married at 16 in 1968. Had my first and only child in 1971. Focused on taking care of my family and house, practicing my hobbies and being sociable. Doing what I loved.
I envy you.
A good friend told me her mum was similar always stay at home. She briefly got a job at Sears about 40 years ago and quit “because it was getting in the way of my life”.
Sometimes the clarity of a SAHM helps you realize how fucked up the corporate world is.
Uphill both ways, of course.
Do you think today is better or 1960/70? And why?
For me 1960/70 because youth. Objectively probably now - the world has never been freer: socially, economically, politically, etc.
What has helped you get through the hardest/most painful times in your life most?
What brings you joy day to day?
Nature and solitude + my husband except for that one time when he was the cause (he had an affair). Music, good food, company of loved ones, books, a good night’s sleep… the simply joys.
I’m interested to hear more about how you worked through your husbands affair, if you’re open to talking about it
Sure. I found out about it from some mutual friends. Honestly my first reaction was, what a dumbass… if you’re going to cheat at least do it smartly and properly so that no soul knows about it. Funnily enough at first I was more disappointed in him for being stupid, I believed he was an intelligent man. I wanted to know every detail and he came clean about everything. Cut off all contact with that woman and put in the work to rebuild trust… a bit of a surveillance period. Either way, I knew I would never leave him just over a one time stray away; but of course he couldn’t know this. I appreciated he didn’t lie when confronted about it or try to victimize himself, justify it, make excuses, etc. He was very frank.
Your husband is a lucky man
What was your first experience with the internet? Where you an early adopter or did you discover it later? How did you find out about the existence of the internet?
My husband telling me his MCI Mail started using the Internet, so late 1980s. My first personal experience wasn’t until AOL though, so 1996-1997. From my husband.
What advice would you give your 18 year old self?
My 18-year-old self? Enjoy every moment (even the bad times), it’ll all pass by so quickly. Fully take in things, not just superficially get through them. But I highly doubt my 18-year-old self would listen to anything I’d have to say, so…
I’d add to that to avoid loud noises because tinnitus is a pig. But he’d just say “get lost fuddy-duddy!”
Oh gawd yes. “Invest in some nice earplugs and WEAR THEM TO EVERY METAL SHOW YOU GO TO, if your ears feel weird after the show its TOO LOUD!”
“…what?”
That’s just what a fun-hating fuddy-duddy would say!
- How long do you expect to live?
- How long do you want to live?
- What do you feel about the legacy of your generation?
I’m 54 and people are constantly surprised when I tell them that I expect to have, max, 20 years left and that I’m not interested in doing a bunch of stuff to prolong it.
Interesting questions! • At least 85. I’ve lead a healthy, active, relatively stress-free life. Plus good genes from family. Felling very mentally and physically able. • At least 100. I don’t know why but I’ve always had a fascination with making to a century. • Haven’t really ever thought about that. Truth be told I’ve lived my life in a bit of a bubble.
What are your thoughts on the blue zones and Loma Linda?
What advice would you have for couples who love each other but can’t seem to find the right balance?
Effective communication is the solution to all problems in my eyes. No playing games. Be upfront and honest. Find or create that balance together. I got married in 1968 at 16, still happily married.
What made you start looking for reddit alternatives? What subreddits are you hoping to find analogs for?
I liked Reddit because it was like a forum. Forum = socialization. An over-moderated platform like Reddit and socialization don’t mix well together. So many rules, the karma / account age system which allows / restricts your access to different communities - censors you… I like the ask old people one on Reddit. In general I like the Q&A ones. Plus whatever’s on the front page. I’m not picky.
How was internet access over the years?
1000 times more addicting.
What is your favorite Linux distribution?
I don’t use Linux…
You’re always welcome to try out Elementary OS ;)
That’s obviously okay :)
If you want to change that you’ll find many helpful people here.
Our Lord and Saviour, Linus Torvalds, will always welcome you with open arms.
What is your favorite operating system?
Of all time, it’s between Win 7 and XP.
This answer is acceptable
Sorry, the correct answer is Windows 3.1. Welcome to Lemmy!
What do you like and dislike in Lemmy compared to Reddit?
At 40, I am convinced that we cosplay as adult characters to hide our inner child, mostly from ourselves. Some seem to allow the stresses of life and responsibilities to make the mask indistinguishable, but I doubt any truly make it real. Do you wear the mask of age over the eyes of your inner child? Does age hold a meaningful value to you beyond the comradery of shared experience?
Do you occasionally play videogames ? I’m asking because my parents are younger than you (they are in their early 60s) and tech literate but for some reason it never clicked with them, nor did “internet culture”. Like, I would be extremely surprised if one day they started expressing interest in stuff like Reddit (let alone Lemmy) and I’m trying to understand why. So I guess my followup question is how did you get into Reddit ?
I don’t play video games. I liked the format of Reddit and I like socializing, that’s how I got into it. Just randomly came across it one day.
Ok, thanks, this gets me one step closer to finding the “missing link”.
Where are you from?
Do you have children?
What do you think about your country’s current political situation?
The US. Born and raised in Massachusetts. Husband is from NYC, studied in Boston 1965-1971. We got married in 1968, lived together in Boston until 1971 when we moved to NYC. Him and I have been living in Thailand for years now though, on a very advantageous 20-year visa (Thailand Elite Visa). Yes, 1 son born in 1971, who’s living in Switzerland. Depressing.
Why do you find it depressing? Because he doesn’t visit or?
The way I see it, the son moved away and is clearly living an exciting life
Depressing was my answer to the political question.
What was the reason for moving to Thailand?
Great culture, great climate, so much to see and do, amazing long-term visa, well connected to the rest of Asia and the world through Bangkok, close to world class healthcare (Singapore). Couldn’t ask for more.
Do you both speak Thai? Or just winging it?
Trying but it’s difficult.
Okay, cool. I live very close to Switzerland (close enough that my wife works there.) As I am also an anglophone living in a non-anglophone country, Lemmy is basically my sole source of English language news and whatnot. It’s sometimes very difficult to be surrounded by another language and culture, and this place has become my escape in a way. Reddit was great back in the day, but I can no longer support the enshitification it has suffered.
Welcome home!
Are you prepared for endless doom scrolling, Linux nerds yelling at you, and engagement with the most angry nerds, socialist, anarchists, and tankies? Do you have any idea where you’ve landed here?
God speed on your first day!
Mate, you’re the guy who called the ban on menthol cigs a “nanny state” move that causes the rise of “fascists”. You’re literally part of the problem.
That’s where the home page and filters come in handy. Subscribe to the things you enjoy, filter out the junk. Anything news related, I don’t subscribe to. I’ll come across it on All.
So you see like 4 posts a day? These tools don’t fix any problems around little content. I can be in here maybe a half hour before I’m getting 2-3 porn posts for every repeat or news from languages I cannot read.
It really depends on what you describe to and what you click on. I seee mainly nice conversations. And habe too much content to See all.
Well a NSFW filter exists for a reason. Since enabling it, I literally get none of it on any feed.
And like I said, my Home Screen and subscriptions are catered to topics I enjoy that show none of the shitty news. Sure maybe tech articles or stuff like that, but no doom and gloom. I get to see plenty of fresh content. Also depends on what sort setting you use.
And frankly, if I’m scrolling for anywhere near half an hour, it’s time for me to get up and do something productive for myself.
