Discussion on Christmas coming up, how things are going and where I'm at vs. where I've been.  This pic is one I saw of Pop figurines of Cousin Eddie and Clark Griswold from National Lampoon's Christmas Vacation.  I plan to watch that with the cats before I go out of town since it's a classic worth seeing & so the one kitten will see why you don't chew on electrical cords.  Hopefully these kittens will listen to me on this point. --- This episode is sponsored by · Anchor: The easiest way to make a podcast. https://anchor.fm/app Support this podcast: https://anchor.fm/monica-trombley/support

I hadn't considered this topic in years and read about it more recently.  It seems more people are on board with it now but I say it depends on your family dynamics and situation.  I'm against it if your family refuses to see you as an adult, your family is dysfunctional (so not fiscally responsible or rich enough to save a dime for your future nest egg) or you could do better getting a roommate and paying a real landlord. This is a Pop Funko of Josh Baskin (Tom Hanks's character in the movie "Big").  Josh just wanted to be "big," that is not being subject to parents dictating everything he did & having everyone stop him from doing things he wanted to do because he was just a kid.  I had similar wishes as a child and battled for years to finally get seen as "big" within my own family.  This pic felt appropriate. --- This episode is sponsored by · Anchor: The easiest way to make a podcast. https://anchor.fm/app Support this podcast: https://anchor.fm/monica-trombley/support

It's long been a theory of mine but recent events have made this topic even more real to me.  Yes, you absolutely will create violence in people and I tell you exactly how that happens without medication and what you can do if you actually want to change that vs. engaging in theater where you pretend to care about reducing random shootings. Saw this on a trip to I believe a weekend flea market in NYC; ignore Warhol's face since he's irrelevant to this topic. --- This episode is sponsored by · Anchor: The easiest way to make a podcast. https://anchor.fm/app Support this podcast: https://anchor.fm/monica-trombley/support

A LOT has been going on, hence the delay in episodes.  However, things are slowly calming down.  This is an update on my life generally and why you don't tell someone to "get over" a trauma when they are STILL having to deal with the ramifications of (such as living in a homeless shelter after being driven out of their home or still having nothing of their own after their ex took everything). I took a pic of this artwork at the Musee de Orsay when I was in Paris last July.  The symbolism is probably rather obvious and definitely true to my life right now. Plus, I'm a fan of impressionism so I had fun going to the museums on my own and generally taking pics of art that spoke to me. --- This episode is sponsored by · Anchor: The easiest way to make a podcast. https://anchor.fm/app Support this podcast: https://anchor.fm/monica-trombley/support

A lot has been happening since the last season, including the implosion of my housing situation (though something really needed to give).  Total strangers and people who barely know me have been more supportive and kind than alleged friends and an ex who claimed to want to be my friend.  When that happens, it's time to do some housecleaning.  As I use some choice words, I figure I should label this one "explicit." This is a pic I took of a building that burned down a while back in my neighborhood and was subsequently demolished.  Yes, this is symbolism. --- This episode is sponsored by · Anchor: The easiest way to make a podcast. https://anchor.fm/app Support this podcast: https://anchor.fm/monica-trombley/support

It seems the gray kitty was older than we thought he was.  He definitely didn't act it and was purring when I petted him even up to the end, hence him being the Betty White of cats.  This pic is from when I first met him in 2020 when I came back to NYC to assess if there was anything left to bother staying for or if it was too much of a hellscape to bother.  Those were happier times for him. I also discuss "The Wonder Years," melting cynicism and how the Lord Almighty works (at least if you're saved, which isn't a complex process). --- This episode is sponsored by · Anchor: The easiest way to make a podcast. https://anchor.fm/app Support this podcast: https://anchor.fm/monica-trombley/support

This isn't even my full soapbox on it since I forgot to mention the lack of accessibility to voluntary sterilization but figured it was appropriate to do this episode in light of the recent Supreme Court leak (which is also a separate topic I have views on). The pic depicts how abortions happened when they weren't legal.  The coat hanger has become symbolic with unsafe abortions. --- This episode is sponsored by · Anchor: The easiest way to make a podcast. https://anchor.fm/app Support this podcast: https://anchor.fm/monica-trombley/support

Just as it says: I can finally speak freely about some things with the Energizer Bunny deciding he'd rather block me than actually accept some relevant facts of life (such as any friendships you have with an ex post-breakup are totally at the leisure, time table and control of the dumpee, not the dumper), engage in any meaningful self-reflection or recognize that he may not be operating with all the relevant facts (such as why I asked what I asked recently).  I definitely saw some psychological projection in there. In short, men are stupid and I finally have a real chance at healing from this man's cluelessness.  Can't help but wonder whether his ex and/or his kids have seen some of this stuff. I took this pic at a restaurant I went to in NC.  This might have been the same day my nephew's grandparents showed up for lunch and they + my sister publicly embarrassed him. --- This episode is sponsored by · Anchor: The easiest way to make a podcast. https://anchor.fm/app Support this podcast: https://anchor.fm/monica-trombley/support

I'm sure everyone is familiar with that quote "Everyone is fighting a battle you know nothing about."  It's been applied in everything from discussing addicts to sex abusers; I'd like to know why children living in those situations are supposed to "be kind" and enable the ADULTS who failed them.  For context, I grew up with an alcoholic father and while I was a very smart child, I wasn't exactly capable of getting a job and my own place to live at 7 years old (when I told my mom she should get a divorce after we had to flee our home from my father while he was in another drunken rage).  This is just one example of where that ethic is not so great when applied to real life. The image is of this infamous quote and is apparently by a Wendy Mass, who obviously was never a child living with a substance abuser or the target of a hate crime (because bigots are also "fighting a battle you know nothing about"). --- This episode is sponsored by · Anchor: The easiest way to make a podcast. https://anchor.fm/app Support this podcast: https://anchor.fm/monica-trombley/support

The title says it all: don't minimize or lecture someone else about their lived experiences if you want anybody to not do the same thing to you or believe that you are worthy of human consideration.  Trying to change this basic reality just furthers the same things you hate. The pic is of a guy I saw protesting outside the Westchester Supreme Court (which also houses the Westchester Family Court) back when I was doing court appearance work; I think I had morning and afternoon cases that day.  He clearly had a grievance but I have no idea who asked him further about this or acted like they cared.  He wasn't there long enough to get approached by law enforcement. --- This episode is sponsored by · Anchor: The easiest way to make a podcast. https://anchor.fm/app Support this podcast: https://anchor.fm/monica-trombley/support