Being independent can be incredibly fulfilling.

It can also be fucking exhausting sometimes.

My car battery died, so I ordered a new one. I carefully checked the amperage, dimensions, and compatibility with my car model. It arrived, I removed the old battery (which was no small feat, and I was ridiculously proud of myself when I finally managed it) and then discovered that the terminals on the new battery were reversed and it wouldn't work.

So now I have to return it. Which means carrying a 15 kg battery to the post office.

Then I have to wait for the correct one to arrive.

And after that, I get to figure out why two of my tyres are flat (no problem, I have a spare tyre and ordered a charger/air blower thingy, hopefully it will work).

I am perfectly capable of taking care of my own shit.

I'm just getting a little tired of it. But lesson learned: buy the exact same model of whatever you need to replace if you can.

/rant

cross-posted from: https://lemmy.world/post/48301238

Lamp didn't love back. Cat did

Hey folks, I’m a freelance voice-over artist and QA reviewer working on training content, usually things like workplace harassment and diversity courses. Recently, I was asked to QA a course on workplace harassment—and noticed the client had removed all references to gender, replacing it with sex. Anywhere the word “gender” appeared, it was just… gone or replaced.

It seems like a subtle thing on the surface, but it’s not. It completely shifts the tone and scope of the training. It feels like a quiet rollback of DEI principles, and honestly, it made my stomach turn. The kicker? I need this job. Turning this down could burn a bridge I can’t afford to lose.

I have a good relationship with the lead on the project (who's just relaying instructions—they don’t have control over the content decisions), and I want to say something. At the same time, I’m scared that even a polite pushback could cost me.

Has anyone else been in this kind of situation? How do you draw the line when your ethics and survival are at odds? Would really appreciate your thoughts.

Those mushrooms have come and gone in my spider plant :) I really really really want to lick them.