Kit

Hopefully this doesnt double-post, I accidentally uploaded the wrong picture before.

I need to use-or-lose 30 days of vacation by the end of the year and have no idea what to do. I've never taken a vacation before but want to get out of the city. Can anyone recommend dog-friendly activities or locations within a few hour's drive of Pittsburgh, preferably leaning towards cheap?

We both hate crowds, and I'm scared of hiking trails because irresponsible dog owners tend to leave their dogs off leash. I don't drink alcohol so breweries/wineries are out.

So far the only thing I've come up with is taking a weekend fishing trip to Ohio.

This really surprised me. I had been experiencing major gastrointestinal issues for years while I was drinking, and my doctor said it was lactose intolerance. I cut out dairy entirely and it helped a little, but I had diharrea every day regardless and nothing helped. I'm happy to report that after getting sober I can now drink milk, eat cheese, and enjoy a milkshake without any side effects whatsoever. I suspect it's something to do with my gut microbiome or whatever it's called.

Figured this might be a tiny sliver of hope for some folks, so I wanted to share. IWNDWYT!

I snagged a 2025 Ioniq 5 to replace my 2021 Chevy Bolt yesterday and already put 150 miles on it. I'm kind of blown away and wanted to share some things that stood out.

1. The car is wide. Much wider than the Bolt. Gonna take some getting used to.
2. Not sure how I lived without a power lift gate until now. It was great when loading laundry and groceries into the trunk.
3. The driver seat can lay completely flat - flatter than the zero gravity mode that you may have seen. Perfect for napping while waiting at the laundromat, and I'm looking forward to trying it while car camping.
4. You can pull the car forward and backwards with the keyfob while standing outside of it. Already used it twice - once to pull out of a tight parking spot, once to center myself after street parking a bit crooked.
5. The surround view is incredible. It made parallel parking an absolute breeze.
6. Autopilot is scary but works. I was only brave enough to use it on the highway with no other cars around.
7. Auto-parking doesn't seem to work very well, but I'll have to play around with it.

Overall I'm super happy with the car and keep looking for excuses to go somewhere. Happy to answer any questions.

I have a 70lb ebike that I love, but it's been difficult and dangerous to get it up and down the stairs to my apartment's basement bike storage room. The HOA refuses to install (or allow me to install) a bike ramp to make it easier. Any tricks or anything I can buy to accomplish this?

I haven't been able to see upvote counts since the latest update, and I saw a few other people mention the same issue. Is this on the radar to be fixed?

I've never taken a vacation, and I'm determined to take on this year in Spring. I'm in Pittsburgh area and would like to bring my dog along (he is too anxious for boarding or a dog sitter), and don't want to put him on an airplane. Any ideas?

The best I've been able to come up with is renting a small island with a cottage on the Great Lakes. My pup could run totally free on the island for a week and live his best life chasing squirrels and swimming. I'm not much of a nature fan, though, so it might be a bit boring.

401 Penn Ave, Wilkinsburg, PA 15221

It sits right next to the busway at the Wilkinsburg station.

I'm an older transguy and "pass" very well but I'm considering detransition due to the dangers of the world. I'm in the US and it's no secret that trans people are being targeted. I've been considering if it would be worthwhile to stop testosterone, don a wig, and play dress-up as a woman until this trans witch hunt is over.

I'm solid in my identity, not depressed or panicked. I've been in many dangerous situations in my life and know how it feels to make decisions strictly for survival. I know I can withstand detransitioning temporarily or permanently if needed. Not being on T and dressing a certain way won't make my identity any less true or valid.

I'm at the age where I really don't care what my outer appearance is or how people perceive me as long as I'm safe.

I could use some feedback from the kind folks here, especially any older transguys.

Disclaimer: no part of this is meant to imply that there is a right or better path for my other trans bros, sisters, and siblings. There is no right way to be your true self beyond what you deem it.

Good feels rant post.

I had pretty much given up on romance as dating is nearly impossible as an older transguy. I managed to meet a nice geeky guy on a dating site and we chatted for a while. On our first date last night, he handed me a wrapped gift. "I saw this book and thought you'd like it." and it was a book in my favorite genre. "And I got a toy for your dog. I put it in my laundry for a day so he can get used to my scent before I meet him." Bros and sisters, my heart melted.

We ended up having a ridiculous fun time then making out in the snow, and it was super cheesy and cute and romantic.

Don't give up on love! Good folks are still out there. ❤️ Figured I'd share some positivity since the Earth is literally burning.