u/SureAssumption7367

I think I had the same thing you're seeing when I first upgraded to iOS26 on my iPhone 14 Pro. I checked my settings and saw that I had "Increase Contrast" on (Settings > Accessibility > Display & Text Size > Increase Contrast) -- once I toggled it off, I finally saw the "glass" effect that everyone was talking about.

But as a UX/UI designer, this glass design is HORRIBLE for accessibility -- all the cloudy semi-transparent layers make it really hard to focus on content. And the "Increase Contrast" setting, while definitely better in regards to legibility and contrast, LOOKS hideous. So do I have an interface that looks cool, but functions horribly, or functions well, but is horribly ugly? Come on, Apple, you can do better.

Material UI has THE WORST form field inputs. They're horrible for accessibility (especially the "filled" style) and do not work well for any sort of enterprise application where you have a page with many inputs. People who are just trying to do their job don't need fancy animated labels; it's an unnecessary distraction, and in a scenario where some fields may not need to be filled in, it creates a very visually-chaotic and unaligned page that's difficult to scan/read. And it's nearly impossible to tell the difference between a standard input and a disabled one. Everyone thinks MUI is the "golden standard" but there are so many better frameworks, design-wise. I am sorely disappointed in Google for putting out such a poorly designed framework, or not updating it to be more accessible out-of-the-box.

Glad I’m not alone on this. I’m onto season 2, and I hate to say it, but I cringe every time she’s on stage. Love the show and the other characters, but something is off about her acting. It feels very novice or like she’s trying too hard. 🫤

I was today years old when I realized it’s The Hook, and not The Heart 😆😅

Thank you for the suggestions! Do you have any recommendations that would include a pitch wheel and maybe more instrument sounds? (And also supports connecting to Garage Band via a tablet. In-house speakers are nice but not critical; we have amps we can use or headphones) I’ve looked at/researched some keyboards that had very noisy (click-clack) keys — which we want to avoid.

I’ve been looking on FB marketplace, but I’m not sure what I should even be looking for. I think I’ll have to take my daughter to Schmidt or Guitar Center and have her play on some keyboards to find a sound she likes that’s as good as her Casio. And I fully realize $400 isn’t a lot for a good instrument, but it’s all I can do for now. This was supposed to be her Christmas present, and the one I bought was poorer quality than I hoped, so now I’m scrambling. ☹️

Despite what you think, this man is NOT the love of your life. And you’re never gonna find the REAL love of your life by staying with this guy. It will be hard, but you need to leave this guy. You will mourn the relationship and the man. That’s ok. Give yourself some time to get over it, but keep reminding yourself that this breakup is a blessing — the universe is trying to align things so you find the real love of your life. Maybe it’ll be the next man you date, maybe it’ll be the 10th man after this one, but all this is happening for a loud and clear reason — this is not the best life you can live — your best life is still out there. Find the courage to go find it! ❤️🤗

Stay strong, girl! You CAN do this! (And once it’s all over, you’ll be so much happier and can start living the life YOU want, for you AND your kids!) One piece of advice for when you do get divorced— get a lawyer. I thought I could do everything without one, but it was just too much. And even though my ex and I get along, the whole divorce process was too emotional and involved for us to handle it ourselves. Let a mediator help you fairly divide assets; they’ll get you through it without any nonsense. It’s shocking how easy it is to get married (and can be inexpensive, if you don’t have a big wedding event) compared to how difficult and expensive a divorce can be. ☹️ I didn’t get officially divorced right away; I told myself I was giving my ex time to adjust to his new situation, and I don’t necessarily regret the long separation (~3 yrs), but in the end, putting off the divorce gave him hope that we could work things out and get back together. (Hell no!) So, take the time you need, but don’t co-habitate (I’m so excited for you to buy that condo!), and file for divorce as soon as it makes sense financially. You are stronger and more capable than you think! Hugs!

Remember this: if mom’s not happy, no one’s happy. I’ve known many kids (now adults) whose parents stayed together “for the kids.” And every single one of them say they wished their parents divorced earlier. It’s stressful and will make you short-tempered and cranky to stay in a marriage that your heart is no longer in. Kids are resilient and will adapt to the change. You have to do what’s best for YOU, in order to be the best mom to your kids. There will be a transition period while everyone gets used to new routines. Do your best to not bad-mouth your ex in front of the kids. You can explain that just like when people fall in love, sometimes they fall out of love, too. You care for their dad, but you’re just not happy when you’re with him. (Don’t place blame — don’t say “he doesn’t make me happy;” — that implies there’s something he can do to MAKE you happy. You could even explain to your kids that all adults are each responsible for their own happiness, and you’re doing your best, so you can be the best mom for them.) Not placing blame will be hard, but in the end, hopefully it’ll help you maintain a good co-parenting situation, and the kids can have a good relationship with their dad.

My kids were fine at first, struggled a little after a couple years of going back and forth between houses (but by this time they were older and we switched to 1-week with mom, 1-week with dad, instead of switching twice a week, which helped), and now as teens, they’re starting to see why I left their dad; they’re experiencing first-hand some of the same complaints I had before we separated. I also purposely bought my house in the same city as my ex so the kids wouldn’t need to switch schools, and it’s easier to switch back and forth between houses. That’s a sacrifice I made for them, because if I’d had my way, I’d be living in a different city (or even a different state!) But it’s all good — I love my house and I’m proud of everything I’ve done on my own. You can do it, too! Just trust in God/The Universe/Allah/ or whatever higher power you relate to. 😊

Ha! My current diet is gluten-free, dairy-free, and no oats, almonds, eggs, soy, cod fish, or nightshades (potatoes, tomatoes, peppers or eggplant). I wish I was only GF/DF! If I can do it, so can you. It’s just an experiment, after all — try it and see if you improve! Coconut aminos has been my soy sauce replacement, and buckwheat with hemp seeds and fruit has replaced my morning oatmeal. Schar breads have been my saving grace: no soy, eggs, dairy, oats, or almonds, and as far as GF bread goes, it’s one of the best (if not THE best) brand. (Actually, I just checked, and the ciabatta bread does have soy protein, but the white bread and hamburger buns do not.)

Yes! But it’s a GOOD feeling, too! I was also 40 when I reclaimed my autonomy; I had forgotten all the things I liked to do, just for me. And now I’m in a much healthier and balanced and RESPECTFUL relationship. I’m glad you found your peace!

Been there, done that, got the divorce papers.

I call my ex the “mother hen” — everything always had to be done together. And once we had kids, we had to do everything all of us together. I remember one day I wasn’t feeling well (I had a migraine and just wanted to take a nap), and he was disappointed because he had wanted us all to go hiking. I told him to take the kids and go without me, but he was like, “nah. We’ll wait for you.” No. PLEASE. Take the kids and let me rest in a quiet house! (As a stay at home mom at the time, I could definitely have used some “me” time, even if it’s just to nurse a migraine in peace.)

For more than 8 years, we never once had a night without the kids. The few date nights we had were because I’d make the plans, and we had to be home before the kids’ bedtimes, which meant afternoon dates and early evenings. On the RARE occasion I’d go out to dinner with a friend, I’d get a guilt trip — “fine…go enjoy your fancy dinner while I stay home, eat leftovers, and watch the kids” so that I never truly got to enjoy my girl-time. I’d WISH he’d go out to the bar after work with coworkers or friends, but he never left us alone. I lost touch with most of my friends, and the only people we’d have over were family. It was depressing and suffocating. (And I’m an introvert!)

I’m now with a partner who doesn’t get upset if I decide I need an “introvert” night, instead of going to his house. And he’s likewise not upset if I decide to hang out with girlfriends or my teenage kids without him. We are secure in our relationship and trust the other person 100%. Absence makes the heart grow fonder — and having some space to breathe prevents resentment. Space is healthy!

After eating something with gluten, I’d get an almost instant headache, within 15-30 min my stomach would cramp up, and within an hour (or less) I’d be running for the bathroom. I’d start off with extreme constipation, cold sweats, and lightheadedness (I came close to passing out a few times). After the first round on the toilet (20-30+ min), I’d have to go lay down, but I’d be back on the toilet in 5-15 min with round two. Foul-smelling, softer, mushy stools this time, still with the worst gut-wrenching stomach cramps that’d have me doubled over and rocking back and forth on the toilet. After that round, I might stay on the toilet or go lay down again for a couple minutes before round 3 would hit, this time the foulest-smelling, nastiest, pure liquid poo exploding into the toilet. After being on the toilet for a grand total of 60-90+ minutes, I’d finally be done, and I’d get extremely cold (shivering), and would be completely wiped out for hours after. Brain fog, crippling fatigue, and headache would linger for a good 12-24 hours.

I used to have 24/7 migraines, but those didn’t go away completely until I went dairy-free as well. (Often times celiacs are also lactose intolerant; not sure why.) As a teen, I had also horrible acne (I now get frequent compliments on how great my skin is), and long heavy menstrual cycles, but I’m not sure if those are related to gluten or not. I’ve now been GF for 13 years; my eldest daughter was diagnosed celiac when she was 8 (she’s 16 now), and my mom went GF when my daughter was diagnosed, and that helped with her gi issues (same crampy, explosive diarrhea as I experienced). My daughter never had the explosive diarrhea, but would get stomach cramps and constipation and be in the bathroom for hours, which led me to get her tested.

I used to have 24/7 migraines. Going gluten-free helped with my gi issues, but not the migraines. Going DAIRY-free finally stopped the chronic migraines. Might be worth trying. (I went dairy-free all except for small quantities of real organic butter, which I could tolerate, and tasted better than vegan butter.) I’ve been GF for 13 years, DF for 12.

I dated a few guys before I met my current partner. My previous boyfriend and I dated 2.5 years, but I didn’t find out until after I broke it off that my kids never really liked him. Despite being an elementary/middle school teacher and having 2 kids the same ages as mine, he never connected with my kids; never really talked to them or made them feel important. My current partner, who’s never had kids of his own, will talk to my kids about the things they’re interested in, jokes with my kids (and they joke back), attends their school plays, makes up competitive challenges for my youngest, and gossips with my eldest about all her high school drama. I honestly don’t remember exactly how/when I introduced my kids to my partner, but I remember they took an instant liking to him. My kids had gotten accustomed to me dating the previous guy, so I didn’t wait as long to introduce them as I would have if it’d been the first guy after their dad. (And I went on a handful of dates with guys they never heard about or met before I started dating the teacher.) You have to know your kids and weigh when it feels right for you/them. I don’t think it’s wrong to wait several months to see if YOU like the guy, and see how the relationship is progressing before introducing your kids, especially if they’re young.

Ha! No… I’m a web designer. Wish I could land a cushy USG job! 😂

I just returned from a 2 week trip to Portugal. We stayed in Benagil in the Algarve, then Porto, then Lisbon. I found Porto to be dark and “moody” to Lisbon’s more light and bright energy. Porto is definitely cooler and rainier, and both Porto and Lisbon have VERY steep cobblestone roads all over the city; pretty much impossible to avoid. (According to my health app I was “climbing” the equivalent of 30-45 flights of stairs a day just walking around the city.) The Algarve area we were in was also very hilly, though I think there are flatter areas further east. Do your homework and research immigration requirements; I think these have changed recently. You may not be able to move there at the drop of a hat. But good luck! Portugal is on my short list of places I’m considering moving to after my kids graduate.

I was married for 16 years, together for 21, with 2 kids. My ex is a good man and a good dad, but he just wasn’t my person anymore. And I wasn’t ME after 21 years of compromising who I was for him and my kids. Leaving him (at age 39) was THE most gut-wrenching awful thing I’ve ever done in my life, but as soon as I walked out the door, I knew it was the right call. (My youngest had just started kindergarten and I had only just started a new contract job after being a SAHM for 8.5 years.) It was a tough year+ of sorting things out and filing for divorce, but I had never felt so alive and free! Fast-forward 8 years (now 47) and I’ve been with the man of my dreams for nearly 4 years (that my kids adore), I have a beautiful home that I proudly bought on my own, I’ve always been able to find work when a contract ends (still hoping to find the FTE job of my dreams, but it’ll happen, I’m sure of it!), and my ex and I are amicable and co-parent very well. (It was tough in the beginning, I won’t lie, but I’m happy we can be friendly with each other, for the sake of my kids; it was very important to me that they have a good relationship with their dad.)

The thing I constantly marvel at, is when you take a big leap into the unknown, and it’s the right thing, the universe will let you know you’re on the right path — all the little (and big) things will fall into place almost effortlessly. Leaving my husband was 100% one of the best decisions I’ve made. And I’m living the life I want now!

Life is what you make it! I’m glad you’re working on setting boundaries and getting your parents some outside help, because you’ve gotta stop living for others and start living for yourself. My strongest recommendation — step out of your routine and go on a solo trip abroad. You learn soooo much about yourself when you travel alone! It might be scary to think about, but you’re stronger and more capable than you think! You need to shake things up in a big way to get out of that rut you’re in. You don’t have to have your life figured out, but you can’t just sit there waiting for life to happen. Seek it out. Try EVERYTHING. It’s ok to fail. Try again. Or try something new. Sign up for interesting community education classes. Find the little things that bring you joy and figure out how to make a career out of it. Reinvent yourself! Decide who you want to see when you look in the mirror, and be that person. Be confident. Fake it till you make it. Confidence is sexy and empowering! A little goes a long way! And you’ve got a long life left to live!

Once you shake that snow globe of life, you’ll be surprised how things will fall together when you’re on the right path. You got this!

Woman’s perspective: You 💯do not deserve to be treated like this. Your gf has serious issues and needs professional help. But not YOUR help. Being with her is not healthy for either of you; breaking up with her could be messy, but it’s the best thing for you both. Good luck!

I’ve been GF/DF for 12+ years, and I don’t really do typical “fast food” anymore; I’m very sensitive and there’s too much cross-contamination. I also have a daughter that’s GF. (For the record, we live in MN.) Here’s the semi-fast food chains where we eat when we go out:

• Chipotle: burrito bowl (on rare occasions I’ll get mildly sick, but not bad enough for me to stop eating there!)

• Noodles & Co: pad Thai with shrimp (100% GF, no substitutions). Other dishes can be subbed with GF noodles, but ask about the sauces — some have gluten, most have dairy.

• Wendy’s grilled chicken salads. Some of the best fast food salads and I’ve rarely gotten sick from eating there. (It’s always a risk with any fast food; you never know what the cross-contamination might be like on any specific day)

• Sushi: Alaska rolls are one of my staples (think California roll, but salmon instead of imitation crab)

• LeeAnn Chin: Bourbon chicken is GF and my favorite. They typically have several GF entree options.

• My daughter likes Culver’s, but I get sick every time I eat there.

• Poke bowls: like sushi, in a bowl, and I usually don’t have any problems. (Loved the seaweed salad until I discovered it has gluten; it only gave me mild upset stomach, though)

• Grocery stores. When traveling through small towns, it’s easy to find a grocery store and pop in for some fresh fruit and cured meats. Sometimes you can find grocery deli that has potato dishes or rotisserie chicken that are GF. And most grocery stores you can find GF crackers or bread to round out your meal. I have better luck on the road with finding good GF options at grocery stores vs. fast food.