If it’s a lane closure, yes, you zipper merge at the end-- imo, because you need visual confirmation of what’s happening but also because it’s predictable and usually both lanes are already matching speeds and zipper merging ahead of you. There’s no need to complicate things with an early swap. Granted, I rarely see a lane closure warning more than 100 meters, if at all… in my tiny car, the best indicator that we’re merging is sudden lane changes of everyone in front of me.

Where I draw the line is when there’s an exit only lane on a freeway and people are zooming along and suddenly want in. Did they jump into that lane just to get ahead? Or are they a helpless victim of circumstance from the latest onramp and unable to merge until now? I let them in, but I’m usually bitter about it.

It’s rare, but I think they’re referring to when it’s open enough and running at optimal speeds. It happened the other day on a side street during an off hour, the free lane couldn’t cut to the front without going like 70mph in a 40mph zone.

Of course a muscle car did just that, but still.

Good way to put it; I’ve been a subs person for anime as long as I remember but I make an exception for games, I think in large part because they consult the devs more during localization. When anime does that, it seems to hit those two points.

What about kicking the tires? They’re forgetting to kick the tires!

Hell, I plan for the week, even. I’m the kind of person who doesn’t tend to write things down so it helps me organize my thoughts. I used to do it with homework assignments but now it’s like “kid needs to see her speech therapist on Thursday.”

If it helps, I recall reading something that suggested that even if you’re not asleep, laying there with your eyes closed will still help you feel somewhat rested. But, admittedly, knowing I have to get up at 6am or something still sucks regardless.

Never, but I like conversing with my internal monologue in my head. I’m not quite neurotypical, but I have been pretty good (trained?) to rein in any out of control thoughts if they ever wander by using bait I know my brain can chill with.

When I was a teen, it was sexy stuff. Young adult, plot points for a novel setting I’ll probably never write. Lately, it’s just plans for the day (I sleep so much faster now than I used to, though, since I changed my sleep habits after having kids).

Plus, my own monologue makes sense of how I’m feeling and gives me pep talks! That’s probably a product of coping with abuse, but it’s nice none the less.

I bet there’s a way to literally have NPR mixed in every hour with the live broadcast version I hear on FM, maybe using their podcast link (NPR News Now). They seem to have an Apple music link, so maybe there’s a way to get it to play on the hour every time it’s updated.

I’d look into it but I don’t mind just listening to my local FM, lol. KCRW kinda already has my weird vibe of music.

Now do it with a fried chicken bun!

I bet it’s not even officially licensed, smh

I feel that one in my soul, as a fellow part time academic with good teaching evals. Our hiring system sucks and people less qualified get in for no good reason, typically.

My cope is knowing I still would be devaluing my time with that role and that my free time not having to do a full course load (+ attend faculty meetings, advise students, etc) is still valuable, to my family and to myself. I’m still bitter about the jobs I don’t get, but my partner got promoted in large part because I could support them so I guess that’s the way things panned out.

I learned to rest my hand on my chin so I make the thinking face. Resting thinky face.

Le Miaou, mon frère. And with a loud HON HON HON after, while I twirl my moustache.

Sure as hell ain’t my students; it’s been a steady decline since ChatGPT came out and I think I may have failed more students than ever over unfinished projects. You can’t GPT the semester long project, there’s a paper trail and data to collect can it becomes super clear who is AI brained now…

Edit: PS, grade inflation has been a thing for a few decades now, btw; the As aren’t the problem so much as the mush brain.

It’s more that I was not particularly good at it yet by 14, and Smash is particular. Plus I haven’t declined (yet), but maybe when I hit 40, hehe.

Even better (by 14 yo me standards), I met a pretty girl online, whom I later married and got into the industry (albeit, less cultured? Lol).

When questioned by my childhood self why I am not making games myself, I point to my backlog and we both nod in agreement before I thoroughly wreck him in Smash Bros.

I’m one of the few people who’s 14 yo self would fucking admire, mostly for stupid teenage horny reasons but also video game industry reasons.

I’ve interacted with her on Bluesky and it’s my understanding that she still bases the cartoon on her kids but they are like, teens now (?) so the cartoon kids tend to do things a little old for their age; I believe their cartoon kids are a little older than you suggest though, like 7 and 3? But I don’t think it technically matters.

The interaction I had was in particular to one comic she did in regards to Terraria, Minecraft and Animal Crossing, as her rl son was going through all that. The behavior was very 13 or 14 years old vibe to me, but could be younger or older depending.

“Haha, so funny Mom! Can you bring down more chips? I’m in the middle of raid.”

Near me, only mediocre chains do this. Everyone knows the hole in the walls are where the real foods at (and that, we have plenty of).

That said, they often do cash only because fuck 3% credit card fees, lol.

That just be what the firmware and Wi-Fi access is for, on demand sharpening and anti-oversharpening features. Lol