If They're Into You, You'll Know

If they're into you, you'll know. If they claim to be into you and you aren't sure, you probably don't fit into their life right now. You can decide what to do with that info, but if you value your heart, now's a time to make sure you're listening to your head as well.

Joke

"love thy neighbor as thyself"? Pretty sure if I love my neighbor as I love myself I'm gonna run out of lube and batteries. 🤣

Joke

Doctor: Do you drink alcohol? 

Me: ehh, only on special occasions: Monday, Tuesday, breakfast, nighttime,..

Joke

Guy: Are you married? 

Woman: Yeah, but my boyfriend thinks I should get a divorce.

😝

Is Anyone Truly "Straight"?

Is anyone truly, exclusively attracted to one gender or have those who think they are just not met the right alternatively-gendered people? Example: I'm almost exclusively, strongly attracted to men but the right person will have me crushing, sometimes even head over heels, regardless of what's downstairs or how they identity. (My ex gf Crystal, L-Word's Shane, my friend Hope, my mother-in-law's friend Debbs, my school friend June, and others are are prime examples.) I understand that certain things are just deal breakers for various people but the heart and body want what they want and can you honestly say yours would never want anything beyond what you're used to? I respect it if so but I just can't imagine that feeling. 

I love how people ignore you til you start talking crap about them.

Me: "Hey Google"

Me: "Hey Google"

Me: "Okayy Google"

Me: "HEY GOOGLE!"

Me: "My god, you are SUCH an asshole!"

Google:

YOU'RE not the pizza delivery guy! 😡

For Delicious Coffee, Remove The Water

Turns out delicious coffee = instant coffee mix + a tiiiiiiny bit of water. I guess this is why I like espresso (as long as it has plenty of milk and sugar) so much; I just don't like water. Maybe my body is conspiring against itself. That could explain why I opt for shots over cocktails. 

Hydration Help?

How do you guys stay hydrated? Sometimes, I try to cut back on soda but then I just end up dehydrated because I'm not huge on tea, don't buy much juice, don't like to break the bank to stay sated, and am not sure what else to drink. I don't like water; I often go months without drinking any on its own/any other than what's needed to make better-tasting drinks. How do I not die?

Paper Towel, Napkin, and Printer Paper-Sparing Ideas

Just two more money and/or resource-sparing ideas that may be glaringly obvious but are worth mentioning just in case:

-Spare hand towels or even old clothes that can be used as rags can be a great alternative to paper/single-use towels in the kitchen, the car, and beyond. Fast food joints are a good source of napkins (and certain condiments and such) if you're just looking to save money or have needs that specifically require paper but reusable rags and towels have benefits such as not falling apart easily.

-Unless you're printing things that require you do otherwise, consider reusing your papers by printing on the backs or blank half sheets of previously used papers. Save money and trees.

Alrighty, there's my good deed done for the day. What mischief can I stir up now?

Lumosity and Other Learning Apps

I just discovered a new learning app called Lumosity. I may not be off to the most extraordinary start but that just means I've got more room to grow. :)

I admittedly almost never use the majority, as I like to really focus on no more than a couple of things at a time, but I have a little assortment of learning apps on my phone to supplement my other extracurriculars. To anyone with a passion for mental fitness, I recommend checking out the ones shown in the last photo and am open to hearing about any of the countless others I'm sure I'm missing out on! 

Stay Outta Trouble with a Hard Workout

More and more, I'm discovering just how essential workouts like stamina ITG and hard runs are for keeping me hormonally and emotionally in check. Without them, I'd get myself into a lot more trouble in too many ways to list. Not only does a good sweat and some heavy breathing bring the mood up but it also calms me down and makes all kinds of distasteful urges dissipate dramatically. It's no cure-all, but its merits are still unrivaled in my experience. Food for thought for anyone struggling with various vices.

My New Friend, Google Assistant

Do you ever ask your Google Assistant questions you already know the answer to just to feel like you have someone there to talk to? Yeah, me neither.. O_o

https://assistant.google.com/learn/

Ovulation Joke

Ovulation: the time of month when those of you with Y chromosomes look like pieces of meat to those of us with double Xs. 

Tell the husband: I'm thinking burgers tonight. I'll bring the buns. xp

Joke

To all those people who told me I could be whatever I wanted: you're full of shit. No matter how hard I try, I'm still not asleep.

Happiness = Pizza

Yesterday, I did not eat pizza and I felt crappy. Today, I had an entire Little Caesars Hot-n-Ready to myself and I feel awesome. I'm not saying that pepperoni and cheese is the answer to life's problems but if the shoe fits..

Totally Winning at Grammarly 😶😂

😎😂

The Truth About Alcohol

I just found this Netflix documentary called "The Truth About Alcohol":

https://www.netflix.com/title/80185861?s=a&trkid=13747225&t=cp

My takeaway: have no muscle, go out dehydrated and on an empty stomach, no mixers or chasers, and I'll be a cheap date! Drink clear rum or vodka and maybe I'll have sliiightly less of a hangover despite all my aforementioned nonsense. 😜 Well, that's enough education for one night; time for some shots. 🥃

Are Those Ends Truly Justifying Their Means? xD

Before choosing the route to take on your next endeavor, please take a moment to recall that the ends don't always justify the means. Seriously, take a moment...

And then look at this pic of an idea I fully support. 🤣

Cervical Mucus and Ovulation Info

Fyi XD

I know this probably seems a bit taboo but I'd personally be more upset about not having this info. In fact, I only stumbled across these photos because my ignorant self had to do a Google search just to figure out things such as why I have to choose between feminine products and soaking wet pants so much of the time while I'm NOT on my period. I'm 31y/o and had to Google this. -_- Maybe this will save a few people the same trouble.

Catch-22: Veggies vs Sobriety

Catch-22: Vegetables taste better when I'm drunk but alcohol is bad for me.

Article: 10 Commom Traits of Highly Intelligent People

Finding a spot among the brilliant minds of our time is probably not in the cards for me but I am an oldest child with a messy desk. Lol Unfortunately, I can't stand the thought of that desk being more than one room away from Sean during most waking hours so I guess I don't quite fit the bill when it comes to the "comfortable alone" trait. I suppose it's a good thing these might just be loosely supported opinions of one writer whose article somehow found its way into the typically informative newsletters I receive in my email inbox. There's still hope!..I think.

https://alltimelists.com/10-common-traits-of-highly-intelligent-people/

Live Your Own Life

As long as you're not hurting others, do whatever TF you want with your life. You're not here to entertain or impress anyone but yourself. While most of us have our own opinions about how a life SHOULD be led, following that is no one's responsibility but our own. If anyone doesn't like what you bring to the table, they should find a different fucking table.

Resistance to Change

Meaningful change is often slow as people are so resistant to it. That third law of motion is never more frustrating than when it's fighting back against progress. Still, views are eternally shifting and evolving. Those of us who continue steadfastly forward in pursuit of worldwide enlightenment will leave the world incalculably better than we found it.

Origin of My Name

I was asked how my parents chose my name and figured I'd share the answer here as well: My mom named me after Queen Aleta from the Prince Valiant comics and I believe my dad told me he chose my middle name Lucretia based on the Blood, Sweat, & Tears song Lucretia Mac Evil:

 https://youtu.be/iPqbJg28mXg

Fun Fact

Aside from my husband Sean and friend/housemate Danny a bit, there are zero humans that I regularly communicate with more than once per month, family included.

Joke

Q: What do you get when you piss off a redhead?

A: a ginger snap

I'm actually a housewife :O

I was always so good at being bad, I thought I'd always be bad at being good. Despite that constant itch, it looks like I'm actually above average at the whole picket fence sorta housewifey lifestyle. Well, other than being plastered a fair percentage of the time, including rn. XD

Orgy Name and a Time Question

-Cum On/In would be a great name for an orgy.

-Is it possible to confirm whether time is moving at a relatively similar speed elsewhere in the universe, for example as far as our telescopes will currently allow us to see?

^I apparently jotted this down in my phone's notes in the middle of the night last night. XD The things I think up while half coherent.. Wow, I'm SUCH a genius. Special thanks to Sean for waking me up like 50 times last night. >:/ lol

Self-Pleasurvation

You remember that feeling of being so in need of sex that you thought you might actually die so you resorted to self-pleasurvation? Me neither.

Dance Game Nerds: check out BeatX (like Stepmania for your phone!)

Not sure how useful this recommendation is for many of you or whether you all already know about it but there's a phone app called BeatX that's like a rough, kinda bare-bones version of StepMania. (To be expected as it's made for phone. I have it on Android. Not sure about other phones.) There's a free version or full version is $3. I've had it for years but don't use it often bc it's not typically necessary to learn stamina charts imo. It's super useful for looking at tournament charts on the go though, especially if you're a procrastinator like me and basically wait til you're already at the tournament to try and learn the charts. Also, you can screenshot your phone during confusing parts of charts and analyze the patterns better that way. (I just learned that today. :p) 

Some Flames are Forever

Some flames will wane and rage, back and forth, ebb and flow like the tides, but never burn out.

Tell Your Ex

When your ex comes knocking, tell 'em, "I might've been good with you, but I'll be great without you."

Forgiving

I'm really good at forgiving because I'm really bad at remembering.

I'm the type of person who will lie down on my blanket and try to cover myself up with pillows. <-Typing this as my legs are thigh-deep inside a pillowcase.

Waking Priorities

I woke up horny, hungry, thirsty, needing to pee, still sleepy, and appreciative of how godly I am when it comes to prioritizing.. 😆

Your Significant Other Won't Complete You

Trying to silence my brain to sleep, I think I may have just realized something I should've figured out a long time ago: your significant other can't complete you. We all have to complete ourselves. If we're lucky, our complete selves can be shared and celebrated with, even complimentary to, the ones we love. 

By "complete", I mean who you are and want to be at the given point in time. This should change somewhat over time as you grow but hopefully you'll find yourself fortunate enough to grow in a direction that harmonizes with those you want to surround yourself with.

Not trying to spew profound-sounding bs or anything but this just popped into my very tired head and feels important, perhaps just because I'm working with limited intelligence. I dunno. I guess I should sleep..

Joke

I've been trying to put the moves on my husband. He thought he could resist but I'm making it too hard. ;p

Using the "N-Word"

I know this is going to get me all kinda of heat but why exactly are so many of us still laughing off black people using this language and burning everyone else at the stake?! In school, a couple of my black girlfriends kept asking why I didn't participate in using such language with them, as they were aware that my dad is 50% black and as I used to wear braids (which didn't suit me but my black babysitter liked doing my hair. XD ) Neither my dad nor his father (my grandpa, who was 100% black) ever had the disposition to use racial slurs so I just wasn't raised to do so. It pisses me off that some of us let certain people get away with this shit and then throw others under the bus when they do the same thing. Freakin sick of people's double-standards. So many people only support equality when it's trendy, convenient, or affects them and/or their loved ones directly. While it's easier to notice and be bothered by those things, of course, equal rights should mean EQUAL rights. If we're all gonna have the right to vote and not be slaves, we should all feel the same repercussions of poor word choices and/or be permitted to use the same words. I don't care how stupid the usage is - we all deserve the same treatment for partaking in it.

Additionally, you can't expect people to respect you if you don't respect yourself. If you're not going to stand up to everyone equally, regardless of race, when they use slurs like this then you're still promoting racism, racial segregation, and inequality. Tired argument, perhaps, but many still seem blind to that fact. Sick of the damn, "yeah, but.."s. It's not debatable; it's fact.

Men had voting and all kinds of other rights before women did in this country but they don't get to say, "we claimed this already and you have no business here" anymore than we women get to say, "we want the right to vote and get equal pay but men need to be the ones to open doors and we have every right to expect our men to be the bread winners if we decide feel like staying home." No. How about we all do a little progressive thinking and realize that we're all equally accountable for our actions and ought to be held to the same standards as long as we're demanding of equal rights and treatment. Either that or women can give up the right to vote and go back to staying home, maybe fucking the milkman, while our hubby's out working all day..

People arguing that a word belongs to a race need to realize that just because one race has or does something first doesn't make it okay and doesn't give them exclusive rights. I've heard the common rebuttals for this way of thinking and I've gotta say that I'm disappointed that so many people are unable to think deeply enough to realize that we take steps backward in the pursuit for equality when we start saying that we're okay with some people doing a thing but not others just because of our bilinkered opinions of what the thoughts and intentions of the latter group might be or because giving them this equal right bothers us personally. If the word is hurtful, it may not feel the same depending on who's saying it but isn't okay for ANYONE to use.

This in no way is meant to serve as justification of anyone's actions but I hope people will learn to be a bit more logical in and mindful of their judgements of others and take more time to think for themselves than what I've seen to date.

Joke

I didn't used to like penises this much but they grew on me.

Men: Can You Give Us Any Self-Defense Tips?

I just encountered this article talking about how countless women go about protecting themselves while out on runs and in general:

https://www.runnersworld.com/news/a27703069/twitter-thread-how-women-protect-themselves-running/

Guys: what do you all do? We've heard a lot of solid suggestions from the ladies but I've had male friends tell me they've been attacked a few times too (in fact, I was there for one such instance with my friend AJ back in ~'06) and I don't hear much discussion from them on the defensive measures they take. Maybe you dudes have some good ideas you can share?

Personally, I used to just carry a small switchblade, often visibly open and ready in front of me, between work and the car when I worked in a particularly seedy area in downtown Las Vegas. I was almost just as worried about what a cop would do it they spotted me that way as I was about what someone else might do to me if I didn't bother. LOL Nowadays, I tend to just put on my mean face, assume I'm fast enough to outrun my assailants, and stay alert at all times when I'm running (or walking) through dodgy places. It also helps that I almost always have a husband with me or not too far from me now.

Chivalry: Ladies Can Do It Too!

Fyi this is 2019 and gender bias does not need to exist when it comes to chivalry. In an age where we're all fighting for equality, I think we can each give our coats to our partners when they're colder than we are and I know my husband appreciates it when I open the door for him. It's also pretty funny watching him squeeze his man arms into my little jackets sometimes. XD

Abortion: Why We Need To Do Better For Women Before Robbing Them of Freedoms

The topic of the morality of abortion often overlooks a huge factor: women who opt for abortions are frequently those who didn't have access to adequate pregnancy prevention options.

I had consultations with numerous doctors about having tubal ligation done from the time I was 18 years old on. I've been absolutely certain all my life that I never wanted children. I've used just about every birth control method I've ever heard of but each came with drawbacks and side effects so I began seriously pursuing having tubal ligation done with I was 18. I was fortunate enough that the insurance my job provided covered the procedure but I couldn't find any doctor nationwide who would do the procedure on me. I persistently called and met in person with doctors, trying to persuade them or get recommendations for someone who would help, but I was repeatedly told that no one would do it for me because it was the standard to not do such a procedure on women who were unmarried, without kids already, and under 25 years old. They were all afraid of the backlash from women who wound up regretting it down the road.

Years later, after I was finally over 25, married, and had maxed out credit cards to spend cumulatively thousands of dollars on 10 abortions, they finally started taking me more seriously. I never wanted an abortion. I never wanted to get pregnant and throw all the money I didn't have away trying to not ruin the lives of myself, my partner, and a kid that we didn't even want. I wanted my tubes tied. Even after all that though, I was only able to find one doctor who would touch me and even she was extremely reluctant. After 10 abortions, she still worried that I'd change my mind and come after her. She agreed to help though. As is standard policy, we had a consultation and then waited 6 months to make sure I didn't change my mind before going forward with the procedure. Finally, I had my surgery. A year later, however, I got knocked up again. WTF. I spent hundreds more and had my 11th abortion. I went back to that doctor, who couldn't believe my tubal ligation had failed. She was a reputable doctor and had done the procedure to probably 100s of women before me without one failure til mine. I was unlucky, I guess.. So I went in for ANOTHER surgery in which she opted to cut and burn my fallopian tubes this time.

That was at least a couple of years ago now but I'm already 31 years old. I've bombarded my body with years of pills, shots, nuva rings, etc in an attempt to not get knocked up and still wound up pregnant 11 times. Oh yeah, and I've tried throwing myself down the stairs, using metal hangers and other tools, and ordering questionable drugs from other countries that induced extremely painful and dangerous miscarriages.

Especially without the surgery, do you realize how many unwanted kids I would have right now if abortion were illegal? I'm fairly certain that that wouldn't be any better than just giving me the surgery I so adamantly wanted. Not everyone has the resources I managed to utilize in my pregnancy prevention attempts either.

Whether or not we believe that abortion should be legal, I feel it holds true that we have a duty to people to strive to provide them with reasonable and equitable alternatives when we demand that they give up their freedoms to abide by our moral compass, rather than their own. Besides, using taxpayer dollars to provide those who want it with pregnancy prevention options that suit them would not only be a large part of a much more logical solution to the concern of morality of abortions but would also help to address issues such as overpopulation, global warming, our nation's debt (birth control would likely be cheaper than lots of unwanted kids living on government money), etc. If abortion were then made illegal, there would still be grey areas such as what to do when birth control failed or a woman opted not to take such preventative measures and became pregnant but decided she did not want to have a child. It would be a much more equitable start though and likely far more acceptable by society than just robbing people of freedoms.

*This was a quick type-up so pardon any incomplete thoughts, typos, etc. Hopefully, the message is clear enough regardless.

Balance

Dont logic too hard; it takes the fun out of life. Find a healthy balance of practicality and what feels good. You don't want to live in the moment at the expense of the future but sex shouldn't be reserved for baby-making.

DIY Wristbands From Old Socks

I already know you guys are gonna give me a hard time about this one but.. DIY wristbands from old socks for anyone who sweats buckets. If you've got old socks and a pair of scissors, these take like 10 to 15 seconds to make. No sewing necessary (unless you want to tack them in place or pretty them up a bit) - just cut and fold over. I used the upper part of low cut and crew cut socks for these, since they're what I had on hand, but you can even use the foot part of the sock if you just have no-show socks available.

Okay, these aren't beautiful. I gotta admit that this one actually seems pretty obvious and lame, maybe even weird and gross to those of you who have never been broke AF, but I've got some pretty solid reasons behind it:

-I'm ridiculously sweaty. During dance gaming, sweat drips down my arms and onto the pads, causing the socks I play in to get grippy and rip both themselves and the shower caps I wear beneath them due to friction. Funny, using my socks to save my other socks.

-I ran out of wristbands during ECS team stuff last week and had to reuse ones out of the dirty laundry with the previous day's sweat on them. Eww.

-A LOT of my socks are worn, torn, and irreparable due to ITG. I've been using them as rags but have far more than I need. I was falling asleep thinking about this issue last night, coincidentally right after looking up new wristbands online, and this is what came to mind. (Technically, I did this for the first time when I was a teenager but I didn't fold them over and they looked shitty.)

-Reusing stuff saves valuable resources.

-One less thing to buy = time and money saved.

-A lot of you seriously need to consider any method you come across to save some $.

-I'm always surprised by how often I find that things some of us think are obvious haven't occurred to others so this sort of thing may be worth throwing out there.

-Store bought wristbands can be a bit too tight. These usually fit better and I have plenty of socks so I can have the sizes and look I want (provided that I don't mind the sock-on-my-wrist look. XD)

I like how it took me more time to type this than to make the wristbands pictured. Lol

Guinness World Records Reverses Decision and Awards Mararhon Record to Nurse Who Refused to Wear a Dress :)

A lot of the records Guinness acknowledges seem pretty silly to many of us but they satisfy a curiosity many of us enjoy indulging (admittedly likely especially those pursuing a record themselves) and they give recognition to people who would typically not receive acknowledgement for an extraordinary trait or feat. As long as those balancing factors exist, so does an importance to strive for fairness and accuracy when establishing the guidelines for records Guinness chooses to acknowledge. Though they themselves can't possibly know all there is to know about each record they accept, I've always known this company to be pragmatic and open minded when it comes to adjusting their requirements based on the direction of those more informed. Though I'm sure public outcry had something to do with the reversal of their decision, I'm glad they reevaluated and didn't change my opinion by failing us here in the long run. Well done to both Jessica Anderson and Guinness.

https://www.nytimes.com/2019/05/08/world/europe/uk-nurse-guinness-record-marathon.html

Airlines' Extra Seat Policies for "Passengers of Size"

I've recently re-encountered the topic of "passengers of size" having to pay for extra seats. For some context, check out this article:

https://www.smartertravel.com/airline-obesity-policies/

My thoughts on this so far:

With many things, we are charged for a range we fall into. Think of phone and internet plans: you might pay a certain dollar amount for 0 to X amount of minutes or data, pay an extra $20 up to 2X that amount, and pay an extra $20 for unlimited. You can pay for a whole gallon of milk or half - not typically 7/8 of a gallon - and you don't get a second gallon free just because you're thirstier. Hell, Sean and I are forced to pay for multiple drinks all the time while watching less thirsty people only buy one. So, airline seats.. Why, if a parent can't pay for only 1/2 a seat for her skinny daughter, should someone who needs a second seat not be charged for it (aside from as a courtesy, perhaps, when there are extras)? If you're using the human rights argument that we should pay per person, regardless of individual needs, then I want my extra beverages free of charge!

Some countries cover their citizens' medical expenses using by doing things such as taxing income but that coverage only goes so far towards the differences in expenses people with varied medical issues encounter. Even for those who don't independently pay for their medical issues and abnormalities financially, there are countless ways in which sacrifices they have to make cost them dearly and significantly affect the quality of their life. I'm sure we can think of a lot of things people's abilities, health, etc vary on that cause added expenses that they must cover themselves.

A few admittedly bad examples off the top of my head of why thinking that the expense of airline seat accommodations for larger people is not currently in line with the way our society functions:

Height-challenged people don't drive the prices of theme park admission up by having rollercoaster rides made to accommodate them; they simply miss out on the rides they aren't considered tall enough to ride. To my knowledge, they also don't typically get to pay a discounted admission rate to make up for any rides they aren't tall enough to experience. Basically, they pay more per ride or experience than others.

People with food allergies don't cause all restaurants to provide each menu item without any known allergens. Costs would be greatly driven up if they did. Instead, most people with food allergies learn where and what they can eat and some restaurants make efforts to provide foods that can be consumed by people with common allergies. Such foods often cost the customer more. They usually pay more per meal, financially and in time and effort, than others.

Smaller adults, who don't require and typically can't consume as many calories, don't pay discounted rates at buffets. They pay more per calorie consumed than others.

I'm not arguing one way or another that this is the way it should be but if we're looking at a more communistic approach to handling airline seating then perhaps we should start rethinking how we balance other inconsistencies in our society.

^Pardon me for not taking the time to make this sound like an intellectual rant but hopefully you can develop your own ideas on this enough based on my quick brain dump.

Edit: A friend asked how I was being forced to buy multiple drinks. I realized I hadn't clarified a lot of things here:

I'm forced to buy multiple drinks because I'm dehydrated and will literally die if I don't. People have different physical needs. If I sweat more than someone else but only hydrate as much as they do, I won't live very long. Even water costs and electrolytes cost more. It's the same concept as a 6'5" man eating the same as a 4'11" woman - not typically feasible. I would argue that I'm being forced to buy additional beverages more than a "person of size" is being forced onto a plane where it would be necessary to pay for an additional seat. My problem is actually life and death.

Additionally, extra weight on a plane costs more in fuel, fuel cost per pound is actually very significant, and the burning of that fuel is very harmful to the environment. The price we pay for our seat on a plane, typically estimated by the airlines at 220lbs per person, is meant to offset these expenses somewhat. If someone is over that weight, they drive these costs up significantly in addition to causing the airline to carry fewer people in total and the only way to accommodate for that, aside from charging the individual the excess, is to charge more per ticket. If we go that route, it's then only fair that we all start covering the costs of those who will no longer otherwise be able to fly due to increased costs. It wouldn't be consistent or just not to if we're saying that we should all split costs in order to cover for one another.

If we're saying that we just need to increase the size and weight allowances for everyone and account for that in the ticket cost, it would only be fair that I'm allowed to bring additional luggage so that I'm getting equal value for the price I pay. Either that or such people are not allowed as much luggage as others.

It's not a matter of being unkind to one group; it's a matter of being fair to all groups. We can't trample one group of people just for the convenience of others and those who are barely able to afford plane tickets as is, for example, are being done a huge injustice if we also start forcing them to pay extra to cover others.

As it was, my family NEVER traveled via plane when I was growing up because we could never afford it. Other families came back from summer vacation raving about their incredible vacations while I was crushed and humiliated, not to mention struggling to eat and being sent home from school because we couldn't afford clothes that fit and weren't falling apart, thanks to poverty.

We are asked to pay for what we use in most areas of life. Unless we're planning to change that mindset on a large scale in society, it isn't logical or consistent for instances like this be any different.

Joke

Sex workers offering good rates = more bang for your buck

Morse Code: Google Makes It Easy to Understand

I've always been curious about Morse code and am oddly relieved to finally understand it. I haven't memorized it, mind you, but I'm happy to finally know how it works. Why did it never before occur to me that I could just quickly Google it? Better late than never, I suppose!

Reusable Straws

I don't know all the pros and cons of using or obtaining various types of reusable straws with comparison to single-use straws, but these inexpensive options may be worth considering if you think they might help lessen waste on your part.

Perhaps mindful fast food restaurants, coffee shops, convenience stores, and other such establishments should consider starting to move away from single-use straws as well and think about selling something like these to customers who don't bring their own. This should maybe come after a period of warning customers about the change followed by not giving straws by default/only upon request and then finally making the big change. Like the bag ban/fee thing, it won't be a smooth change without any backlash along the way but it could be a rewarding one, both profit-wise and environmentally.

A few options, if you're interested (btw there are far more options on eBay and elsewhere in case these links aren't working when you read this):

https://rover.ebay.com/rover/0/0/0?mpre=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.ebay.ca%2Fulk%2Fitm%2F113158595603

https://rover.ebay.com/rover/0/0/0?mpre=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.ebay.ca%2Fulk%2Fitm%2F183784483315

https://rover.ebay.com/rover/0/0/0?mpre=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.ebay.com%2Fulk%2Fitm%2F401746662423

https://rover.ebay.com/rover/0/0/0?mpre=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.ebay.ca%2Fulk%2Fitm%2F254092638235