Forget my favourite books and read them again.

Dumped at the scrapyard… In a three-sided, concrete-walled bay in the yard, 30km from the nearest large body of water. I didn’t say anything about the ocean.

Cricket. There are many different roles in the team and you get to hang out outside with your teammates all day. Also, if it rains you go inside and have something to eat.

When I worked for a scrap metal recycler someone dumped a load of electronics and didn’t tell us there were EPIRBs in the mix. We found out when the cost guard, police, fire and ambulance turned up.

6½d. Would be 6.5 pence, or sixpence and hap’ne (halfpenny). 6s. 6d. Would be 6 shillings and sixpence, or 6 and 6.

Source: my parents and grandparents are/were English (Birmingham and Warwick) and I heard stories when I was growing up, as well as a couple of texts and TV shows. Sketchy sources, yes, but hopefully gets you started! Also, I’m probably wrong.

Not a traumatic brain injury…

It’s a change in perspective. It’s hard to explain without referencing the experience itself.

It’s like spending your whole life at the bottom of a valley. You have everything you need. Your life is whole. And then someone takes you to the top of a mountain and you can see a million valleys and a million mountains and an endless sky. Your valley is the same, it hasn’t changed, but suddenly everything is different. Your life is still whole, but that means something else, now.

That doesn’t do it justice, but hopefully you get the picture…

“Born with…?” We are born with nothing but potential. We are a product of our environment, right up until we realise that we are a product of our environment. Then we have a choice; continue as we are, or choose to be something different. It doesn’t matter which we choose, though… We can no longer blame our parents, our society, our environment, for who we are.

That is a strange question, though. If I was born with empathy and a drive to be a kind, gentle, teaching human then I think babies would be high on the list of people I would want to spend time with. Kindness begets kindness and we know the world could use more kindness!

When I was young I was a bit of an arse. Raised by narcissists, I definitely had narcissistic tendencies. It was all I knew. When my first son was born it was a profound moment. I saw the potential in that tiny, helpless baby and his possible futures… Based on what I was and what I had to teach, I realised that those futures weren’t great. So I changed. I have tried every day since to be the parent that I wish I had. I have embraced empathy and kindness. I have shed the anger and vanity… And I have forgiven myself for not doing it sooner. I’m not perfect. I make mistakes. When I see a baby I see the potential. It reminds me of how much I’ve changed, how proud of my kids I am, how much I love my family, how much joy I have in my life.

More or less…

Yeah. We have a small collection.

I like all babies. I do prefer my own, and I only moon over babies if I know the parents and have approval…

A baby. As soon as my son was born I knew we’d have another. And we did. Then I had a vasectomy because I knew we’d never stop. Babies are cool.

I appreciate your response and I don’t think you should be downvoted for it.

I agree that it is gross. As a 48 year-old myself, there is no way that I would date a 17 year-old and I would voice my objection if it were one of my friends or family…

The legality matters because the laws are usually aligned with the moral and ethical standards set by the society to which they apply. The moral and ethical standards in OP’s country are not the same as in mine and I cannot apply my moral standards to their situation.

But that is not the question. The question asked is “what should I do?” not “how do you feel about it?” They stated that they value the relationship with their father, therefore interfering or objecting are not possible without risk to that relationship. That leaves living with it peacefully or living somewhere else as the only two viable options.

As for grooming… Grooming (in this context) is the act of preparing for, not already engaged in, a sexual relationship. This relationship is beyond grooming and, like you said, gross (as seen through my moral lens).

I’m 48. A 48 year-old is like me. There’s no way I could keep up with a 17 year-old.

If it’s legal, then you’ve either got to put your morality aside and accept it or remove yourself from the situation. You can’t demand that others alter their behaviour to suit your moral code. There’s a better-than-fair chance that it won’t work out, anyway. She will want to do things that he’s not capable of due to his age, and he will want to do things that she’s not mature enough to process reasonably. If the relationship lasts, then good on them for finding happiness. From a personal point-of-view, I would be weirded out if my dad’s girlfriend was younger than me, too.

“Man, I wish I didn’t have a moral compass. I would have so much stuff!” - my brother after another coworker was fired for getting caught stealing.

The question was about movies.

• Alien, then Aliens, then stop. If you watch Alien 3 then watch Alien: Resurrection, too, to get the taste out of your mouth, but then definitely stop.

• Indiana Jones and the Raiders of the Lost Ark
• Indiana Jones and the Temple Of Doom
• Indiana Jones and the Last Crusade

• Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon
• House of Flying Daggers

If you watch Star Wars, then watch in this order:

• Episode 4 A New Hope

• Episode 5 The Empire Strikes Back

• Episode 2 Attack of the Clones

• Episode 3 Revenge of the Sith

• Episode 6 Return of the Jedi

You could try “I’m going to do this thing on this day. If you would like to join me, I’ll be there at this time. Let me know if you’re coming by (RSVP date) so that I can book you a spot/plate/room: it will be $this much.” And then make your plans and do them anyway.

This way it’s clear that you are doing the thing. If people say “can we do this or this instead?” you reply with “Hey, great idea! Maybe next time. I’ve already planned the other thing for this time.”

Sometimes it will be on your own. Sometimes others will want to join you. Sometimes you can join others on their quests, too, but remember to not try and change their plans to suit yourself.

Platypuses don’t eat fish. They eat worms and yabbies and insect larvae. I don’t know why the fish stay away from them, but they do… Maybe the platypuses are territorial as they’re competing for the same food? 🤷