To paraphrase the Beatles “they get high with a little help from their friends”

Anything that makes housing affordable would also remove a significant amount of wealth from the elderly, who outvote and (I think) out donate other demographic groups.

Pretty hard thing to do politically.

I dunno, I think especially in older generations, the earnest conversation is something to be avoided at all costs. For my dad, that’s just how he was raised and I think his worst nightmare would be talking about feelings or something.

So take that and then put a hobby/passion that clearly means a lot to your folks and yeah, those can really combine in unfortunate ways.

Personally, when we’re not talking politics (my parents’ version of sports) I will sometimes throw more serious or interesting questions at mom (as said, dad hates that so I don’t push) and sometimes get interesting answers. It’s effort and mostly a one way street but I try to remember they’re not from a super healthy emotional era and even if they might at times be open to it, it does not come naturally to them (or me if I’m being honest.)

Don’t know if that early morning ramble helps but I hope it does.

Forgot a lighter which has so far led to 2 weddings and 5 kids?

In the first week of school, a buddy and I wandered around with beer and joints to various dorms but forgot a lighter. Asking around for one, we made a new friend. Fast forward a couple years, “new friend” let me know about a home for rent opening up. I rounded up some folks (including original buddy) and we rented it. Except one guy was gone for the summer. So, a gal came from out of town to live with there. We became friends, she fell in love and ended up moving here. Between her, her best friend and sister they’ve had 5 kids with partners mostly from that original friend circle.

So, if I had remembered a lighter way back in first year, we wouldn’t have put a house of folks together, wouldn’t have met gal and her pals and thus a few weddings and kids would’ve happened differently or not at all.

I’m not young but I still missed out!

Onhockey.tv

All the hockey.

Like everyone else says, depends what you want.

If you can afford it, Vancouver is amazing (though, I am a biased Vancouverite.) In a good season, there are local ski mountains about 30 or 40 minutes from downtown, Whistler is a couple hours away. There’s awesome food all over the place, the underground scene is a blast and even some of the licensed etc venues can be pretty awesome. In the summer, everyone wants to be outside and if you’re into sporty stuff, there’s a boatload to do. The weather is generally pretty mild (though climate change is messing with that.)

The transit system can be amazing, depending on where you live. (In the suburbs, like most other cities, it’s kind of trash.) But there are trains, rapid busses etc if you live near any hub. And of course, bike paths galore!

“But I read a book written by one of the few people who were privileged enough to read and write, and things didn’t seem so bad!”

Generally, social justice is at best, a distraction from real issues, albeit with very good intentions.

(We talk about human dignity, representation in film etc but not say, the fact most of our stuff is made by children who occasionally burn to death making it. If I were one of the billionaires running things, I would be overjoyed that people were so distracted about what a comedian said versus how our entire economic model is structured.)