Sure, but I think the point is that raising minimum wage didn’t cause that. Inflation (read: corporate greed) really harmed grocery, food, etc. prices, especially during the pandemic. It truly became a game of how much can we raise these prices until people consider not paying for it

That if you weren’t part of “our” religion (my family’s religion, Catholic), you were basically living your life wrong and were an awful person. When I went to college I met people who believed different things, including in nothing, and I realized they were not, in fact, terrible, almost subhuman, people. I quickly changed for the better and that’s one of the best things to ever happen to me. It’s amazing how accepting you can be when you just accept people for who they are

What they’re saying is that the assistance is so little that, even with it, people are still dying from malnutrition.

How? Because nearly everyone who is poor enough to qualify for food stamps doesn’t have extra money to buy other food.

After rent, renter’s insurance, internet, utilities, household toiletries, maybe a new (used) piece of clothing sometimes as things wear out, car insurance (bc good luck affording to live somewhere with any decent public transportation or having your work/home near enough to use it), car payment (because try saving up for even a used beater while being poor enough to qualify for food stamps), health insurance (even if the actual insurance is free from the marketplace, there are still copays, medicine costs, vaccinations, etc.), haircuts sometimes, etc. etc. etc. there’s just no money left.

And this is assuming that people have time and energy to cook for their kids because food stamps doesn’t cover fast food or prepared food. What it does cover is cheap food (and more expensive healthy food, but when money’s tight, you buy the high calorie per dollar foods, not the $4 container of lettuce). This cheap, bad-for-you food is less nutritious. And now we’re back at malnutrition.

For some people who aren’t too picky, it might be a one-stop shop. Also true for some basics, like bread, milk, eggs, some produce, or common frozen stuff.

If you are looking for extra variety or less-common ingredients, you’ll have to also shop at a bigger supermarket. But since we usually use cars in the US, it’s not too big a deal to do both the same day

The two big problems for me are (1) increased slowness and lag, and (2) phantom notifications (a red 10 dot in the bottom notifications but I click in and see that it’s empty)

Kerrygold (and other imported-to-US/European, “fancy,” etc.) butter just tastes better. It has more fat content than land o lakes, for example, which contributes. The unsalted version is also cultured, and that makes a difference too. It’s definitely worth the price in any use where the butter flavor is important. In baking, maybe it’s not as worth it, but even then I’d still use it over a US brand.

Cottage cheese with granola. Similar to yogurt but I think cottage cheese is more palatable. The low fat version (often 1% or 2% instead of whole/ full fat) doesn’t have as strong a taste to me and is covered pretty easily by granola if you don’t like the flavor of cottage cheese. I also recommend store brand for the same reason—the taste is less strong, it seem, than name brand. For example, I think Daisy cottage cheese tastes a lot like their sour cream and just doesn’t work as well as whatever store brand is available (and often cheaper) right next to it.

Sometimes I add a little jam or something too, which is also good

Cancer. Sure, people realize you undergo treatment for a while. You may be in the hospital for a bit. You’re very sick but you do your best. Eventually (maybe) you get to some state termed “remission.” You’re probably no longer being admitted to the hospital at this point. So you’re basically all better right?

No. Not at all.

There are lingering problems that vary among patients. It’s hard to explain. Very few people understand what it’s like to feel under the weather for days, weeks, months. To live with the fear of relapse. To wonder if the chemo you underwent will cause you to develop a secondary cancer later. To have bone damage from steroids. To have increased sensitivity (read: pain) in many senses/ places from the courses of radiation. To have to fight harder for jobs if you lost yours (or didn’t have one) and now have a gap. You may be such a determined, hard worker, but it doesn’t take much to be seen as a liability.

Even if someone thinks they understand, they really probably don’t. You dont even fully understand what’s happening—today you wake up and just can’t. You’re tired. You’re trying but you’re so tired.

I can’t get too upset, I guess, with people who don’t understand. But I wish they could. Things may get better, but they’ll never really be back to “normal,” whatever that even means.