I probably could've earned a doctorate with the amount of time I spent chasing after boys :)

Some smart, liberal women need to raise some smart liberal children, too 😭 Lots of them, preferably.

Not necessarily.

I'm a very smart and progressive woman and I am a teacher outside of my activist work (and my activist work also involves a lot of teaching/educating).

And teachers can have a very strong influence on kids and teens. Believe you me - many children and teens know when their parents are bigoted, racist, misogynistic etc. So they are open to other role models. Never forget that it takes a village to raise a child - and that village isn't limited to just their parents.

You are right.
Good teachers are the salt of the earth.
I thank you for your service to the kids, and to the world.

I look at it from this perspective:

I chose to be child-free because I chose to focus on my feminist work. When I started teaching part-time almost 13 years ago, I gradually realised that I will help shape and influence more children and teens than any parent who only has their children to raise.

Technically, this means teachers and educators have a much wider influence on the sort of human beings children may grow up to become.

That is why I raise my eyebrow when people who are parents tell me that I'm somehow deficient because I don't have kids, that I am somehow not a real grown-up because I never made "having children" a milestone of adulthood for myself.

Usually, such sanctimonious parents get real quiet when I point out that my anti-violence against women work is work that will make the world a safer place for their daughters and granddaughters.

Let's just go extinct. 😂🤣

tabong @enriquequierecagar Let’s do it, the Earth would thank us.

Something I am very conscious of now that I'm retired, is that younger societies are more energetic, innovative, more willing to take an active approach to crisis situations. On the bright side, that means the continent of Africa--with Nigeria, Chad, South Sudan as countries with the youngest population in the world, have better prospects for the future. I really have hopes for Nigeria, in particular, because I've watched a few "Nollywood" films on Netflix, including a couple of rom-coms, and I've enjoyed them. That shows what a serious world historical analyst I am!

But, to be more serious, those countries, and a lot of the "global south" are starting so far economically behind countries whose development occurred in the last century or before, and still face such handicaps from their colonial history, that its going to take time for their youthful societies to thrive. Meanwhile, countries like the U.S., China, Korea, Japan, Germany etc. are growing more and more conservative, and less and less innovative, as they age, and actually might continue to hinder the development of younger countries.

Yet climate change is going to require, at the very least, a willingness to abandon old destructive ways of doing things, and I see no indication that any the major world powers are willing to act.

So I guess what I'm saying is, old people like me have let the human society down, and created huge problems, and while rampant population growth is not at all what we need, if young people in all but a few societies decide not to have any more kids, than the chance for solving these problems goes down as well. Humans will obviously not go extinct, but the quality of their lives will decline precipitously.

But at least we'll have ndramas to replace kdramas!

Really it's just the patriarchy that needs to die. (And other kinds of repressing, indignant and self-justifying -archies).
But like with that famous monkey tribe, where a new generation of males learned that you'd only be accepted if you were nice and helped out with the kids, so we could hope for progress to go in one direction, uhm, forward, together with time, like it already does in our imaginations.
This re-action is killing me. (Figuratively. Others are killed more literally by the backlash to the urge for equality, respect, and justice).

Also I have two lovely kids with my husband, who admittedly at times is really annoying, but TBH probably not as annoying as I am.
And I would love to have grandkids some day but I don't think it will happen, long story why.

Well, whoever wishes there were little 9TailedVixens running around is sh*t out of luck.

I mean, even my mother could not strongarm me into having grandkids for her.

I am child-free for many reasons BUT one of them is giving my middle finger to the my elders (including my late grandfather who was a alcoholic batterer who terrorised his kids) and the Confucian patriarchal culture that treats women and girls as second-class citizens.

My child-free status is to break the cycle of domestic violence that my grandfather created and which has lasted 2 generations so far. It's the easiest (though some would say the most brutal) way of doing it - refusing to propogate my grandfather's genes or further his legacy.

It's a very 4B reason.

Anyway, I'm just waiting til I reach that menopause and that will be the end of that.

In the meantime, all the nosy Aunties/Ahjummas and Uncles/Samchons will just keep telling me during the Lunar New Year that "it's not too late, you can still have one" and I will just take the hongbao from them and shrug. It's the tax I pay for free cash once a year LMAO!

"I am much more reconciled to the elimination of men"
That sounds like something the real Hitler would say...

Hitler would never say that, for obvious reasons, but I get your point.

The thoughts rattling around in my head like yours are terrifying. I am suddenly grateful neither of my kids seem interested in bringing more people into the world, into this country.

The state of education in the U.S. is already really damaged. I mean, while the U.S. is still producing many brilliant people, a lot of the general populace seems undereducated about everything from math to history to general knowledge about the world outside the U.S..

The GOP had been setting it all up to have a population that is easily controllable by-and-large because they never learned critical thinking skills or to question or be curious about anything outside their own communities.

I am SIDE-EYEING everyone who voted him in.

They don't care or realise that U.S. elections disproportionately affect the rest of the world. And the rest of the world has to pay the price for that part of the U.S. electorate's stupid and dangerous choices.

Why yes, here it is. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gE7xoHJkgvE

@bbstl
He was talking there to the silent majority, the Christian voters and in particular the Amish ones ( that do not vote usually in the elections due to not having a mode of transportation) . I don't know if your media told you but recently the Amish farms were raided because of their use/sell of raw milk. He was telling them to come to vote this year because he will fix their concerns and in four years JD will have enough support and they will not be needed.
The Amish did come to vote, Elon made sure of that by providing transportation. Their vot was crucial in Pennsylvania. The other Christians came too and it is what made his victory so important. And yes, if he will be able to chage many of the left crazy policies, including the no ID required to vote, they could go back being silent again because the country would be healed at that time.
I am sorry that your media is not giving you the whole story and is just scaring you and manipulate you emotionally.

@bbstl
https://x.com/simonateba/status/1855949011879944457?t=gLRsaRH2EQhDYX7rKQxpeQ&s=19

This is my last post about the election. But please watch this video that I came across just after I have wrote my last comment. It's from MSNBC, Joe Scarborough. Please listen and understand what we, the common folks had to deal with here. But Joe is lying because he promoted everything, including the defund the police (AOC and Kamala were the champions of the cause), the cancel culture, the promotion of white fragility, the biological boys in women sports and bathrooms, the latinix. They tried to enforce it and shove it down our throats although 85%, like Joe said, didn't like it. Yet, they called everyone else racists, sexists, fascists, garbage, etc. It is good that he can say it now, but he is not apologizing for being one of the people that pushed that wrong ideology on us and, frankly, misleading the people like yourself. You should be upset for keeping you in the bubble, not the normal voters that all they want is to work, raise their kids in a sade country and having a fair shot at the american dream.
It is the left media that tried to separate us and fight among ourselves. I hope that more people will see it and that we will be able to come together and change the world and make it more peaceful.

The USA elected a rapist, sexual abuser, convicted felon, habitual liar as president.
Again.
They could have chosen someone who is actually competent and good at the job.
But unfortunately that would have been a woman.
And that has nothing to do with racism or sexism?
Sure.

@AmnesiaYawns

Yes, there is very little to do with sexism in THIS PARTICULAR CASE OF Kamala Harris.
Do you really think KH was the best candidate for President's post? Don't play woman card if the candidate is not deserving enough. Don't you have enough women in the government, holding high positions; isn't America one of the first to give women right to vote.

The thing is, sexism may exist.. sure.. but KH's lack of meritocracy is way bigger... it is no joke to get back a man who was hated by the society with overwhelming majority, with women voting more for him than her... and as i understand her performance is worse than Hillary's.. so Did America just become racist in last 4 years of dems rule? NO!!

Anyway, what's done is done

1. The vice president is SUPPOSED to be able to step in when the president isn't able to. Because Biden stepped out at the time he did, she stepped in. She was qualified and it's not unusual for vice presidents to run for office. She may have been unpopular amongst those groups you mentioned but those groups aren't the ones that overwhelmingly voted against her.

2. No one is forcing anyone to do those things.

3. Trump's was worse as well filled with lies and divisive language.

4. This is touchy issue and I'm not gonna argue over it.

5. I don't understand what you mean by this.

6. And people think that's would changed under Trump? Fine, sure. I'm sure the antagonist guy who buddies up to other antagonistic & authoritarian leaders will get The States out of war by kowtowing to their demands and interests.

7. There aren't illegal voters. People DO register to vote by giving information about themselves to make sure they're eligible to vote. People also often show ID (even if it's not required) at polling sites.

@amnesiayawns
She was competent? LOL, she couldn't even do an interview if the interviewer didn't agree to edit it. That woman was not competent nor inspiring. Only word salad came from from her, and that was said by former Obama people on CNN. She never got any votes four years ago and now, placed there as VP by Biden to secure himself and thrown in the ring by him as a revenge for what the unDemocratic party did to him. To show you how incompetent she was, she raised over 1 billion dollars and ended up with 20 millions in debt. There was nothing competent about her and Thank God sane people saw that and voted her out.

Whatever US elected is majority's decision. Democracy is that. It isn't your way or the highway.

You should be questioning as to how bad was opposition that the man who was made fun of, who didn't win by as much margin ended up winning with such an overwhelming majority.

And, sexism is not the answer to that. People voted for Hilary and yet chose to not vote for KH.

Whether you guys accept it or not, KH was just a really really really bad choice for this election. You need someone who is likeable, has some pull. She has goofed up her interviews...

So why states and people who have voted for Dems chose not to this time.

That's the real problem. If trump is bad, exactly how unpopular was she for people, including women and LGBTQ and leftist and basically everyone to chose Trump!

This is hilarious...did he do that in his first term? I think he just appointed the first ever female chief of staff, an awesome woman, by the way. Is this what the liberals really think?

cannot be pushed under the rug*

I don't think you're taking into account that blatant cheating and voter suppression has occured. That's the only way to explain the "overwhelming majority".

Most people KNOW he isn't a good or qualified person for such a position. He's already said he was gonna get rid of certain people and position.

I somewhat get what you're saying but I'm saying that is an intersectionality that's responsible for this mess.

KH has literally won only in those states where voter id / identification did not exist except Virginia ...

And leftist cabal is being booted out by all countries across the globe..

that is also a cycle.. left has been ruling since long.. and there is rift within Deep State... technology and new businessmen are not aligned with George Soros, Clinton cabal... so yea.. interesting times.. things are so so so much more than just "being sexist"

Now that we see Hispanics voted heavily for trump, it will be interesting to see how quickly the “deport” movement changes.

@bbstl
I don't know if you talked to or lived around any Hispanics that voted. Because I live in an area where hispanics dominate I can tell you that you have an unrealistic perception of them. They do want the deportation of the illegals because they remember the chaos of the countries they left. They want law and order. They are crushed finanically because of the inflation, and to give you an example, the rent of a 2 bedroomapartment was about 1200 four years ago and now is no less then 2400. Most, if not all, are Christians with family traditional values, so they felt it most when they were called latinix. They see their jobs being taken away by the illegals. Also, they feel cheated that they had to wait for their turn to get citizenship while the illegals are given even money to come here. They also know that by not checking their background and by letting everyone come in, a procentage of them are going to be criminals. To understand better, listen to the videos when Trump did his McDonald's troll visit when a female Hispanic told him: "Please, Mr. Trump, don't let America become Brazil". Also, I hope that you do understand that the majority of illegals are just like the hispanics voters when it comes to Christian traditional values and nothing could change that, even a citizenship. I bet that when/if they will be citizens, there would join the cconservatives if the Democrats will continue to call them latinix or push their woke ideology on them. The biggest mistake of the left was to mess up with our kids and our values. Even the comunists did not do it.

Ha, goes to show how much I know. I just pick bits of information from their variety shows, as I avoid going deep and studying facts.

So I guess Britney and 9Tailed, ignore everything I said! 😂😂 Happy Friday!

I will just delete my comment, as it now just seems silly 😄😄

@midnight Wait! What did you say?

By the time I woke up on this side of the world you had deleted your mystery comment LMAO!

@9tailedvixen Aww don't worry about it. I had a question about choosing leaders too but then found out I didn't know anything about 2PM and my example was quite wrong so I deleted it😅😅

That reminds me of Misaeng! The lead character did something that wasn't *technically* wrong but somehow set fire to some relationships and his superior was expected to take responsible for it and resign. It's not funny but it's funny how the corporate folks kept circling around it when he asked them point blank "am I supposed to take responsibility for this? Am I supposed to resign?"
I think that happened like 3 times.

@britney Yep, happens A LOT in dramas in various settings.

Yes I've noticed this, and it frequently makes me feel uncomfortable. Especially when the character taking responsibility does not even try to explain. For example something happens out of their control, like the bus they were riding on broke down, so they're late to a meeting and they're bowing low and saying it's their fault and will accept any punishment. Worst is when a superior makes an error and blames it on subordinate(s) with impunity.

I don't understand how the leader steers the group. I would think they're all just doing what the company tells them to do.

@britney Not in the case of BTS because they did not come from one of the Big Three K-Pop agencies which control their groups with an iron fist.

BigHit was a tiny agency that nearly went bankrupt while they were preparing to debut and Bang PD (the founder of BigHit) had the radical concept of letting the boys (as they were at the time) be themselves instead of dictating their behaviour.

RM steers the group because he's the leader and he sets the pace and figures out what they should do next in the band's career path. He looks after them on the professional side - discussing issues and choices that come up during their career with the rest of the members and weighing it all up to see what ultimately works best for them collectively. For example: when Hybe (the conglomerate that BigHit ultimately became) wanted to sell NFTs of BTS, RM gave a presentation to Hybe, essentially explaining to the execs about why NFTs are a huge no-no. He's right - NFTs are bad news. He caught that on time and steered the group clear of that career landmine.

Beautiful rendition of Hardworking People.
That song is so in his wheelhouse. Thank you for this posting.

That's a great pieced grey suitcoat. I so wish they'd shown the back of the jacket. Looks great on LYN. Wish I could see the fabric in person!

I'm watching Pearl Girl and enjoying it but gotta say, I'm most going to miss Melody Journey and your weekly commentary. As always, grateful.

@cliosservant1846 I'm waiting for him to record it, he has to!

Back of the suit must've been seen in some moving clips/interview cuts, I'll look if I can find it.

Already missing the show too, they'd better make season 2 and make it fast!

Melody Journey basically saved my week. I listen to the week 11 soundtrack every day. I'm so impressed with the song arrangements and the memorable renditions by these talented artists. It's a great concept brought to fruition by a masterful production crew and especially a tremendously talented music director and his orchestra.

I'm thinking that grey suit is either a very fine worsted wool or a combo of worsted and silk. It just lays so beautifully, a very impressive cut. Old and experienced seamstress here, and there is just nothing like a fine wool suiting.

Also, the necklace jewelry looks like Bulgari but it must be his other chosen brand. Nice.

@cliosservant1846 yep, all his jewelry that day (and pretty much every time now, with a few exceptions) are from the brand he endorses - Pomellato. Found the video showing suit from the back:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JvdmiMDmX7A

I've been suspecting a silk or something like that too, because it has this metallic shine that worked great on blazer but was slightly awkward for pants. Then again, maybe it's perfectly alright irl and camera flash was to blame.

Yeah the trousers aren't quite right but still it's a great cut for him. Maybe just maybe that's a fine grade wool/linen/silk? idk. That's not likely to be just silk because silk has sheen but doesn't usually have enough body to lay flat like in those lapels. There's gotta be some super fine wool in there for body and maybe some linen for the weave if you look closely. What great stylin.

@cliosservant1846 I meant that there is silk/something else with sheen in there, surely it's not 100% silk alone. Does the formal wear of caliber this high even use non-mixed fabrics nowadays? They're not that flexible in color/texture and, honestly, pain to both wear and work with...

Pretty much all his latest public outfits remind of this little dialogue from BLADE RUNNER (original one, ofc): "Must be expensive? - Very."

Happy Sunday! I'm busy as well and next week will be even more *sigh*

Nah, I'm still very far behind compared to some of his stans, esp long-term ones... Making fangirling a full-time job is not for me, I'm fine with being an unknown part-timer)))

Maybe it's for the better - when you're finally free, the worst part of it would be over already.

In my case this drama is giving me everything I like/love, at least for now. I have watched episode 17 too and I'm more than pleased 😊

@isagc these few episodes were the best so far indeed, but we're about to enter Angstville at full speed and I'm not sure I trust the show to deal with such ride in a non-annoying fashion. Perhaps if we had a few episodes of sugar more...

Let's brace ourselves for what could be coming 🙈

Sounds exciting. I love hair accessories on men. Thank you.

Yes autocorrect can be a pain. 🙄

it is very complex, indeed. the stump speeches felt like they were singing to the choir too much though. I'm not sure she succeeded in winning votes from the other side. she's also just not a great public speaker unfortunately to make more of an impact and present a better alternative. Gotta add "great with words" to long list of qualifications of presidential candidate.

oh I'm sorry to hear your healthy wholesome hobby was also negatively affected thanks to the election results as well... may we recover the fire within our souls with time! I really appreciate your writing and perspective. chai tea latte sounds even better in this season!

Watch "The Janes" on Netflix and start acquiring skills needed in the NGO resistance.
And I don't mean that you should imitate the 6th. That is for people who idealise violence.

yes, this is also a very good point that needs to said. many people died including in my family because Trump downplayed Covid and they saw him get a complete recovery and so they thought it wasn't a big deal. In other news, I wouldn't mind if your hobby temporarily transitions into writing posts on Dramabeans to enlighten beanies like myself :)

That's pretty sweet. But to be honest, the older I get the more I realize I know nothing. Knowledge has always been my addiction. I believe it was the great pair of scientists who discovered DNA that said, if you think you are the smartest person in the room, you are in the wrong room.

Lots of that going around out there.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Frances_Oldham_Kelsey

Honestly? I know people like this who work in civil service and are dedicated to the mission of serving the people who pay their taxes and support their government. To be dismissive of their years of service is just counterproductive, to be polite.

The promised removal of knowledgeable civil servants and scientists is top of mind for me as well. I am sick at heart over what feels like a contest to become stupider.

The government we got in DK at the turn of the century already promised "A goodbye to the realm of know-it-alls!"
They smashed the environment ministery that had been established as an important branch of government and who would have averted some of the crisises we have now.
I still get so angry when I think of it! Ignorance combined with compliance is not something a government should idealise.

Ooooh I hope they consult with you about topic ideas! 😄

"the character for whom you would leave your moral and values under the bed"

Thirsty Monday drama style?))) Folks, let's do this one, it's gonna be so fun!

"the character for whom you would leave your moral and values under the bed"</blockquote"

I can think of one, but the problem is he wouldn't let me.

Well the main story, and the main relationships were very sweet and well-told. I loved Kim Dong Wook's character as always, but I was most surprised that I loved SHJ's character too. She is a very good actress but I often end up disliking the roles she picks. Not here.
And as I said above, there is one scene that affected me so deeply, amazingly written, played, and directed, that it cemented the show in my loved dramas.
EXCEPT for those hideous stalker parts. Will definitely ff every single scene of it on rewatch.

I love to sing in concerts!

I think usually there are songs the singer lets the public to sing. It's kinda decided before.

At least, we know JYH and LHK never lipsync!

@kurama That is great to know!

That is exactly what I thought while reading these comments! 😄At least we can swear those 2 are always live! They are both so extra and hilarious on stage that a studio version audio wouldn't stand a chance!

it's okay you're not missing that much by not going to concerts and probably saved a ton of money. but I would say, if you get a chance, you might enjoy checking out the live music theater performances in your city. I find music theater actors are great singers, never lip sync, and have the best stage presence. way better than pop singers. this is not Broadway, but small off-Broadway venues which are a lot more affordable. it makes you realize that there are so many talented singers right in your city, singing their hearts out night after night for pennies, and how strange it is that the music business rewards only a few of them. then you realize that while there is a lot of talented voice, there are only a few talented songwriters. Thus, the best songs go to the top few. And lastly, if I had to spend money on concert tickets again, here is where music-loving Ajumma would put on her bucket list: The Hollywood in Vienna concert series (on pause since '22?) in Austria https://www.facebook.com/HollywoodinVienna and the Joe Hisaishi conducted concerts featuring Studio Ghibli music https://joehisaishi.com/concert_category/2025/ These are music experiences I feel would be even better in person, as professional as the Youtube recordings are. These types of concerts combine pop music classics from movies with live symphonies with musical theater actors = utter eargasm. Check out Hollywood in Vienna videos on Youtube, favorites are the ones honoring James Horner and Alan Menken, especially the Poor Unfortunate Souls rendition if you grew up watching Disney movies.

@ahjummaaa Thank you! I will!