Worms in the Brain.. || Reddit Readings || Two Hot Takes Podcast

[@RedFreaderd]

"Who do you think shrek is in terms of the bible" was not a sentence i was emotionally prepared for

[@sagepressley7351]

same though lol

[@devfrancis7666]

I havent even gotten five minutes in but this was at the top of the comments and now my interest is absolutely PEAKED 💀

[@jray5907]

😂😂😂

[@isskolam2767]

😅😅😅❤❤❤❤❤

[@edenstanding8676]

Shrek is an outsider who questions the ruling authority and loves himself despite his flaws and enjoys his lifestyle choices. Imagine being trying to keep a child under your thumb and they see Shrek and say, "Oh, maybe it's okay if I am different!" Terrifying prospect for those types of religious groups. Remember the Welcome to Duloc song??? How we all laugh about how unhinged and stupid it is? Duloc is THEIR perfect town.

[@KM-kv9yt]

Jar story: "Everything is perfect, except for the jars" Jar story edit: "He's actually a sociopath." IT'S NOT ABOUT THE PASTA (jars)!!!!

[@shaylevene6754]

I love understanding this pasta reference 😂

[@talesfromtheforest2385]

I love seeing VPR references in the wild

[@autumnal2894]

the jar one really is giving psychological warfare. he’s TRYING to drive her insane

[@autumnal2894]

he’s probably using a tool to tighten them

[@sarahm3931]

@@autumnal2894 I was talking to my friend about this story and we both wonder if she has ever tried a jar opener... but I would bet anything it would *mysteriously disappear* if it actually helped her to open the jars

[@twistedtailie580]

Yes! Wether it's intentional or unintentional, he is using this one thing as control. Wether he just wants to feel needed, or is enjoying the phycological aspect of it, the whole thing feels manipulative some way or another. I don't blame her for wanting a divorce even tho it sounds wild. This one weird thing has created a breech of trust

[@HaloAubreeMariee]

My partner use to squeeze the toothpaste tube in a way that drove me crazy. She saw my frustration, and then made an effort to not squeeze the tube like Hulk anymore. I didn't even ask her. I just explained why I bought my own tube of toothpaste. This husband is doing SOMETHING on purpose. If your wife is having frustration after frustration about an issue and you STILL don't fix your actions, then you need to go. Whether he was doing it on purposely tightening the jars or not, he didn't love her enough to fix that "habit". And that "habit" was driving her literally insane. It doesn't take a whole lot of effort to do something that means a lot to your partner. He put no effort into fixing his "habit" of tightening jars, and I totally am on her side for wanting a divorce. A silly reason on paper, but extremely necessary in action.

[@ladymorrigan5950]

Yes. It’s like some sort of passive aggressive control/manipulation tactic. Psychological warfare for sure.

[@laleona1221]

Jar guy is definitely driving her crazy on purpose. It’s the consistency of ALL the jars being overly tight ALL the time. For years! She’s cried and begged him not to do it. There’s a coldness there that’s spooky. This is enough for her to leave, 100%

[@laleona1221]

Coming up with explanations for why it’s happening is carrying the jar-tightening husband’s water.

[@laleona1221]

In a jar with a very tight lid

[@dollyeyeball777]

the 4th story was, without a doubt, a real life example of gaslighting. I know the internet has overused that term to the point of it having as little meaning as "just lying", but this is the actual real definition of it. When someone changes something little by little, and calls you "crazy" or asks what you're talking about when you bring it up, the intention is to make you second guess yourself to the point of insanity, to that you will not trust yourself anymore, and only the person you are with, who is doing it to you. That lady got out while she could, and I'm so glad that she did.

[@MrSssaaaaaaddd]

The woman in the 4th story wasn’t divorcing her husband over overtightened jars. She divorced him because of his lack of consideration and lack of respect.

[@thatonearoace]

Any time I see something where a divorce/break-up/cutting-contact occurs after a very minor event I always think of the “My wife divorced me after I left a cup next to the sink” story. After the title it explains it wasn’t just because one cup was left next to the sink, it was because the wife repeated expressed that doing that bothered her as it made the house feel messier and it would take less than a minute to just put the cup in the dishwasher. It then ends with the note that it wasn’t the cup, it was the fact that the husband showed that he wouldn’t just spend at most a minute to not bug her, and that’s how little value he was showing that he saw in her

[@oxyroid]

he was definitely trying to make her 100% rely on him and probably eventually isolate, then abuse her. this is how most cases of abuse happen with narcissist. they are smart and play the long game.

[@cassiemta]

I had my husband listen to this story and his first thought was some type of compulsion on his part. This could be a malicious compulsion or as far as undiagnosed OCD. I'm not a therapist but I feel like therapy should at least be an option if for no reason other than to get him to go

[@smartandlovely3890]

@@thatonearoacea lady literally divorced her husband because he kept buying the wrong dog food on purpose

[@mietteadkisson8329]

The fact she had such extreme meltdown like vomiting means he was doing it to the extent of emotional torture.

[@captaincronchus]

I work at a doggy daycare and I completely agree with Morgan. Some of the dogs who come to my work don't want to be there (crying, excessively panting, repeating scratching at the floor, etc.) We have a german shepherd who comes every single day. He needs the exercise and he love being there. We also have a 13 year old lab who used to come everyday until his anxious tendencies kept getting worse and we were scared for his health. We asked the owner if this was normal for him. They had no idea what we were talking about: "he doesn't do that at home". He still comes, just not as often, and he is much more content while he's there. Most dogs do not need daycare everyday. Overstimulation is worse for your dog than it being home alone for a couple hours.

[@DamselOnDrums]

Former daycare worker here -- I learned pretty quickly that people really don't understand dogs as a species, let alone the one they live with.

[@greenginger6668]

Omg yes, some old dogs came to the daycare I worked at and literally just slept the entire time except when younger dogs would mess with them and they would have to wake up and correct the younger dogs. It’s also not safe for the dog to be in the front seat!

[@balonecarpenter-de1nr]

I do not agree that it's a generational thing that somebody younger thinks of their pets as children because I'm middle-aged and my babies have always been my babies you're either an animal lover or you're not animal lovers understand and wouldn't have a problem sitting in the backseat

[@greenginger6668]

@@balonecarpenter-de1nr I also view my pets as my babies, though I am in the younger generation. I will say however that the front seat is not safe for our babies, human or canine, because the airbags are built for an adult human and can fatally harm a child or a dog in an accident. The safest place for our fur babies is in the back either buckled in on a crash tested harness or in a crash tested crate. The front seat is the most dangerous place for them

[@katrinascarlet5637]

Honeymoon: Maybe I'm fixating on the wrong thing but it stood out that she *refused* to come home to be with him but she did come home to fight with him.

[@cassididemercado8507]

Yeah if I were him I would end the relationship. She obviously doesn’t value him. She could have called her sister daily on the honeymoon

[@s.a.4358]

I completely understand wanting to be with her sister just after the birth, but it sounds like the honeymoon was for something like 2 weeks (as OP says he had 2 weeks off work) and the wife was still not back when he return from the trip, which in OP’s place would make me feel really not valued by my partner. And the sister has other people around who can support her, so unless she or the baby are still in a critical state, the wife really should make time for her new husband at that point. It was not even an option for them to go to the sister together?! Surely they could have both rented a hotel close by where the sister lives and spent both some time as a couple and with the sister - I don’t think the wife really needs to be around 24/7 when the sister also has a partner and other people around.

[@s.a.4358]

⁠@@cassididemercado8507or gone to be with the sister for a few days and then joined the honeymoon. If the sister or baby were in a life threatening state I would completely understand not leaving them, but it doesn’t sound like that is the case.

[@edelleaa]

@@s.a.4358 yeah it definitely seems like she might have an unhealthy attachment to her sister

[@elise5338]

I actually have a different take The story itself make it sound like the wife is the AH however the wording of it kinda gives me the ick…! OP clearly does not accept/like the wife/sister relationship However he clearly downplayed the sister and baby situation !! On the last sentence he mentions then that the baby is in the NICU!!! And the sister gave birth during the wedding which implies that she was not due for some time still If the baby is in the NICU, it means that there is a risk he may not make it I think this clearly changes the way we see the situation! If you sister just had a baby that has a risk of dying any day then for sure you would be the AH going on your honeymoon while your family is going through it and OP not supporting his wife during this ordeal The entire situation sounds off to me

[@pig3292]

Jar story reminds me of that other Reddit story where the dude told his wife she stank constantly (even though she didn't) in a weird attempt to get her to stay with him.

[@hayamirin6795]

Also reminded me of the dudes who fed his girlfriend slugs, sawdust, and the other who keep jars of diarrhea

[@ramonasevxra]

Also of the other dude hiding his girlfriend’s keys and glasses and stuff because he thought “she looked so cute when frustrated” 🤮

[@YuriPlisetskyKinnie]

And of the olive oil guy

[@erinbrianne8562]

worms in the brain, rat in the cage, and squirrels in my pants

[@teamlining7685]

s to the i to the m to the p

[@directorjake]

so true bestie

[@RealBradMiller]

The Real Life Story of Brad Miller, audiobook narrated by Sir Stephen Fry.

[@madilynvienna]

this is the ultimate comment

[@tinkere7243]

A G L E tea

[@mandalaymonsanto7117]

For story 6 to answer your comment Morgan if she’s chopped liver? Yes, the coworker is chopped liver. OP stated that the coworkers not even nice to her at work, but she still out of the kindness of her heart decided to give her a ride. She’s always been chopped liver, she spoiled liver now after the way she spread rumors and drama at work

[@aylarios11]

FUCKING THANK YOU. This person wasn't OP's friend, she doesn't even like this person. She owes her absolutely fucking nothing.

[@ninamuli4961]

Agreed! Why do I need to drive someone I'm not close with? And yes, dog comes first before her. Her dog makes her happy, she doesn't.

[@alisawonka8652]

Yess! Also she wouldn’t be an asshole if she didn’t say anything upfront. It’s her car and her dog.

[@edenstanding8676]

The jar story reminds me of a friend who left her generally wonderful boyfriend because he constantly bought her milk chocolate when she kept telling him she hated it and liked only very dark chocolate. He would tell her flat out, "Milk chocolate is better. Dark chocolate is gross." And everyone thought she was being really picky since her other bfs had been very abusive and this guy seemed great. Now I know she just finally recognized the early signs of abuse.

[@Taewills]

It’s either abuse or extreme & untreated OCD. His brain can’t stand having any jar (whether he uses it or not) loosely/reasonably tightened. It def sounds like an impulsive issue.

[@edenstanding8676]

​@@TaewillsDoes the OCD extend to wrecking her two cars and raging over her getting an IUD? I am very personally familiar with OCD, because I have it. While the jars alone could reflect an OCD behavior, the other behaviors mentioned by OP lead me to believe it was intentional. Just the jars? OK. I have annoying quirks, too. But all together? No.

[@kt-zn4yu]

@@TaewillsOCD is not an excuse for abusive behavior. just because you understand why the person hurting you is doing it, doesn’t mean they’re allowed to keep hurting you.

[@Taewills]

@@kt-zn4yu where did you read that I was excusing his behavior? Pretty sure everyone is speculating as to what the reason is behind his antics. Morgan spent 20 minutes doing it.

[@Taewills]

@@edenstanding8676 yeah I wrote this before she read more edits. The jars are so bizarre that I think he has multiple issues

[@AshlieJermaine]

Somebody said the same thing I was thinking concerning jar-tightening guy: I think he’s doing it to make her “need him around”. But after further listening, he’s totally gaslighting her and trying to control her and she should bail out asap. This is as crazy as that story of the girl who was sneaking nicotine patches on her boyfriend while he slept (while she was sleeping over) to make him addicted to having her there.

[@shelby_button]

I’m pregnant (almost 9months) and I’m telling you RIGHT NOW there is absolutely no way that woman ate 8 burgers and 10 hotdogs in under an hour. I get WILDLY hungry at times; don’t get me wrong. But first of all, that’s a ton of food, and secondly if I were told I could take some leftovers not only am I taking like 2 burgers and 2 hotdogs max but I’m taking it because I’m DONE being there. Leftovers mean the end of my hangout. I’m not headed home and then coming back later for more food/company. That’s almost the craziest part for me.

[@piinkxo]

i’m almost 9 months too & agree

[@carladakotafranco2056]

I bet she took the left overs for her kids so she didn’t have to cook and if that was the case , she could’ve been honest and apologetic. She has no home training lmao

[@chelseacheckington7421]

I feel like it's pretty easy to guess at what could have happened. Here's the most charitable interpretation I can come up with. Pregnancy hunger, hormones, and tiredness probably did contribute to a dumb decision, but it doesn't excuse it obviously. I do believe that she might have made that mistake not realizing people hadn't eaten and she was probably being a bit selfish in the moment but not malicious. I don't think it matters that she was by the grill. That doesn't mean she kept tabs on who had eaten. OP called her husband, who talked to friend, who called his wife. We don't know if OP's husband didn't say his wife hadn't eaten or even if he did and the other guy left it out. I'm sure either one of them might have left out that detail due to the awkwardness and not wanting anyone to feel bad about the food being taken. I think when the pregnant girl's husband called, he didn't mention that two people hadn't eaten, so she didn't know until OP called her out. I bet he just asked what happened to the food or what she took or if there was any she could bring back. She lied about the amount she took and said it was gone because she was probably embarrassed when kind of called out, but I bet she thought it was relatively harmless because she didn't know that she prevented others from eating. She might have even incorrectly rationalized when she took it that she "needed" it more because of being pregnant, assuming she thought they were just leftovers and not still being eaten on. I bet the kids then wondered about cake, so she went back with them, not knowing that people knew how much she took and not knowing that she caused others not to be able to eat. Who in their right mind WOULD go back if they realized they were caught and fucked people over? She has to be someone who either didn't care at all or someone who didn't know. So, I'm betting she went over with the kids not expecting any drama then was very surprised and defensive when OP called her out. OP said, "I'm pretty sure you've eaten plenty," which not only calls her out for taking the food, but also could cause the pregnant person to feel some body insecurity as well with the increase in food intake and weight gain associated with pregnancy. Being caught off guard and defensive, she tried to justify instead of apologize because it's really hard to regulate your reaction in a surprise moment like that, and she also probably wanted to alleviate the sudden shame, so to her, she felt "targeted" for being pregnant, because she didn't see herself as malicious and did see it as a mistake that was directly related to being pregnant that she now feels unfairly judged too harshly for. Even though it was a bit selfish, to her, she maybe didn't know people hadn't eaten, did kind of get permission to take things, then took more than a fair share thinking being pregnant made it acceptable. I could see it being kind but not necessary to give the leftovers to someone who is pregnant. Cooking could be harder for her, especially when she is looking after other children, and she probably has an increased appetite and decreased energy. I think she tried to do something a little dickish, but that she "technically had permission to do", and it ended up being much more dickish than she intended, and she embarrassed herself and was directly confronted, which is even more embarrassing, so she felt like she had to justify her actions out of embarrassment. Now, IF this interpretation is true and there was no prior knowledge or malice and just a bit of selfish pregnancy brain stupidity. I think that would deserve an "everyone sucks here" instead of "not the asshole". The problem is that we can't know for sure what happened, so there's actually no safe determination. OP could have just given a bit of benefit of the doubt about intention rather than assuming the lady knew, and instead of being petty she could have taken her to a room without the children and said, "I don't want to say that your kids can't have cake, but I honestly find it a bit hurtful that my son and I didn't eat and now you're here asking for more food after not leaving us anything. I understand that it's probably challenging to cook and to manage cravings when pregnant, I know you did ask my husband and get permission to take some leftovers, and I'm sure you didn't mean to prevent us from eating, but right now I am hungry because I didn't get anything, so I would like to point that out, so you can understand how I'm feeling." You can't control how the lady would respond, but it would have given a better opportunity for there to be a mutual understanding of the situation and possibly an apology if she decided to be honest about how she was feeling rather than reacting in a petty way that awkwardly resulted in the lady leaving out of embarrassment with the kids getting no cake. It's not the kids' fault, which OP clearly realizes because she only denied pregnant lady cake and not her kids, AND this is the wife of one of her husband's coworkers. They don't have to be friends, but they don't have to be enemies either and this person handled it like "an eye for an eye" instead of with some grace. Don't invite them over again if you need that boundary, but OP embarrassed this pregnant lady in front of her kids instead, which sounds like a great way to create MORE drama.

[@Kylaamonique]

Same!!! Almost 9 months. And I can’t fathom eating that much

[@briannasusette]

There's no room in there to eat that much 😭🫠

[@kellyhubbard3745]

As a baker, I would rather someone use my recipes than them just die off with me. I’m already planning to put one of my recipes on my gravestone. I bake to brighten people’s day. I think it’s so sweet for the bakery to do this for him and now he has a place to go for it every year.

[@kimberlyterasaki4843]

Story 4: the jars are the straw that broke the camels back. OP got out of an abusive relationship but will be written off as being “crazy” because it was a million controlling behaviors instead of one big thing like cheating or stalking.

[@ladymorrigan5950]

That’s what I thought too. There are likely other things going on. This is some weird gaslighting manipulation thing that finally broke op.

[@kimberlyterasaki4843]

@@ladymorrigan5950 Confirmed by the update, he was trying to baby trap her and was totalling her cars and sabotaging her work

[@nassia8533]

Exactly, "death by a thousand cuts" messy work. Happy she found the strength to pull the plug.

[@s.a.4358]

I am glad that OP realised that she is not crazy about jars but getting out of the relationship is the best thing for her. Especially with the update where she realised that there were other things - as opposed to what she mentioned in the original post about having an otherwise good marriage. The conversation with the neighbour seems to have triggered something in her and she realised that she needed to get out of the relationship, probably realising things she subconsciously had been trying not to think about. The neighbour probably did her a big service with the conversation they had.

[@BimboCommentary]

The term "gaslighting" was coined from the 1938 British play called Gas Light, in which a husband manipulates a wife into thinking she is crazy by slyly changing the intensity of the gas lights in their home when she is left alone. He does this in an attempt to make her believe she cannot trust herself or her memory. If anyone wanted was curious after she mentioned it

[@PatroclusNoAchilles]

Thanks for the info!

[@folliadeluomo]

I think he goes out every night and the light dims when he's not home. When he is home, he makes things to make her think she´s going crazy, like misplacing her things. Spoiler Alert: When he leaves the house, he goes into the attic, where her wife keeps all the things she inherited from her aunt, and by lighting up the attic the light in the entire house dimmed. He is looking for some jewels he wants. His plan was to make her wife go crazy, send her to an hospice and keep the aunts fortune.

[@sarahalford9530]

It was turned into a movie called Gaslight (1944) and is consider the origin of the term “gaslighting”!

[@MountainPearls]

@@sarahalford9530I think it may have originated (as a short story) as early as 1918 or 1928 (???)-when people still used gas lights. This may just be me being an English Major nerd. Now I have to go down a rabbit hole to find out. Yay! 🙄

[@consuelarodriguez5452]

In the movie it's not that he's messing with the gas light it's that he pretends to leave only to end up in the attic to look for the jewels that her famous actress mother or aunt that the female lead lived with when she was young. The fact that he used the gas light in the attic the gas lights she can see in the rest of the house dim as a result. I highly recommend watching the movie I believe it's like always on max

[@michelleburdan8233]

Oh, and the one jar that got broken because the neighbor couldn't open it ... he glued it shut. GLUED IT SHUT!

[@hayamirin6795]

Is this in an update?

[@the4remakes]

In story # 2 Yall didn’t even touch on the fact that it was OPs birthday and this lady didn’t even hangout with her or even tell her BYE. She hung out next to her husband the whole time while OP was in the pond watching all the kids

[@Becsski]

Sorry just listening to this now but wanted to bring to light that the HUSBAND said this woman could take “leftovers” yet the wife and his child(ren) hadn’t eaten… woman sucks 100% for taking all of the food, husband sucks for not being clear or allowing any food to be taken before his family had even eaten. There are only two families present and husband was okay with the guests leaving and taking food before wife and child had eaten. Not mad at OP for her reaction but I don’t like how she’s not realizing the husbands flop here.

[@leah3801]

For the last story - Morgan's point about it being so much harder that he can't get it right is spot on, from my personal experience. My dad died when I was in high school and he had a signature Christmas cookie recipe. I have tried the last decade and cannot get it right, even with a full, clear recipe. The first time I tried and they didn't come out well I had an absolute break down because it was just a reminder he was gone and I wouldn't have his cookies again. More power to him that he asked his kids, they said no, so he went to a baker to get it right.

[@itzzlayne7955]

not my dad but with my grandma she used to cook so many things and even did all this amazing candy at christmas time , my moms tried to recreate some and i tell her it’s good ofc. but inside it’ll just never be or taste the same unfortunately

[@Loveofmisery]

@@itzzlayne7955 we have the same with my great grandma and her scrapple recipe, except she didn’t write it down and while I did help her make it sometimes, I was really young and can’t remember. I’d do anything to get a number of her recipes, but she just… never recorded them.

[@StasyaWorm]

4th story is genuinely so scary, that sounds like a control thing from his part.. i think he is really gaslighting her into becoming dependent, especially with the stuff about the car and pregnancy. I hope she's safe now because I think that would quite quickly turn into physical abuse.

[@kylmbnerva145]

Exactly, cause why would someone that is supposed to love you not even be able to bea decent human being to you. It is so controlling and could absolutely lead to something worse. It also reminded be of the sick story about the guy saying their partner sticks to the point that she doubted even the people she asked, turns out he was told by his dad that THAT is how to keep "a woman".

[@StasyaWorm]

@@kylmbnerva145 I agree! I mean even if it's all truly a miscommunication from his part or something like that (which I don't really believe tbh), if your partner BEGS you to stop doing something, no matter how silly or little this is, if you truly love them you will stop doing that. She has all the moral right to divorce him even if this is not some kind of abusive case.

[@delaneykeller1389]

And him getting mad about her birth control makes me think it pissed him off because he wanted to baby trap her. That way it would be harder to leave him.

[@Scarletreaper511]

For the wife’s recipe story, as someone who lost their mom at 19, when I make fried potatoes just like she did, I’m taken back to being 10 again eating her special potatoes and life was good again. When I feel unwell, I make a recipe of hers and feel whole again for one night

[@zahrahp535]

Husband anger after op getting an IUD in story 4 is a giant red flag. Unlike pills and condoms, he can't sabotage her birth control. He seems to want to have her trapped and dependent on him

[@brittanybunn1518]

My thoughts exactly!!

[@ladymorrigan5950]

Scary to think he may have been messing with the previous birth control method.

[@s.a.4358]

The fact that she decided to get an IUD versus relying on the pill and condoms also made me wonder if she somehow was worried about him messing with things. Of course it could be a preference too, as not all women prefer the pill, but I did wonder.

[@Biusmenoi]

EXACTLY ITS ALL ABT POWER AND CONTROL BY MAKING HER FEEL HELPLESS AND DEPENDENTS SO SHE FEELS TRAPPED AND NEVER LEAVES HIM!!

[@turrter]

As someone who works at a doggie day care...THANK YOU. it's so hard trying to explain to pet parents that their dogs are starting to behave badly because they are coming too us too often. So many are like omg they just looove it here. And yes they do, but not that much. INCLUDING GOLDEN RETRIEVERS

[@teamlining7685]

You’re not a parent, you’re an owner. That dog is an animal, not a child.

[@heatherlivingston312]

⁠@@teamlining7685what an insensitive thing to say. My dogs are like my kids because I can’t have children. Why does the term pet parent bother you so much? It’s weird. My dogs are my kids..period. You can get over it.

[@s.a.4358]

I don’t understand having a dog if one needs to bring it to doggy daycare everyday. Of course every now and then is no problem, or if life circumstances change and the doggy daycare is becoming the only option, but I do not agree with getting a dog knowing one has to bring it away everyday.

[@simoneelbrecht689]

Omg I heard the jar tightening story on the radio and they 1. Didn’t read the whole story and 2. Laughed at her/made her seem crazy. I KNEW there was more to the story!! It immediately felt like an abuse tactic. I’m so glad you’re covering it!

[@katrinascarlet5637]

That's so weird. The story on it's own could entertain better than just calling her crazy. They could have a debate "It's just jars!" "But he doesn't use the pepper paste! Why would he go out of his way to overtighten a jar he doesn't use if he's really doing it by accident??"

[@Pandies-xb5ih]

I totally agree! I was so disappointed at how they kept on trying to come up with excuses for the jars being over-tightened rather than pointing out how abusive and controlling this behavior is and having a discussion based off of that. It’s soo important when reading stories like that to be wary of situations that could be abuse and not make OP sound crazy.

[@Talezassian]

I initially felt like the husband has some form of OCD where he can’t control the behaviour and also wondered if there was a device that could help her open these jars without going to her neighbour - then I listened to the updates. Reminded me of that guy who was telling his girlfriend that she smelt bad because his father told him that was how to keep/control his GF

[@caseyhaley2684]

Their are actually jar openers she could buy and who is she married to the frikkin hulk!

[@molltdoglover]

As a doggy daycare worker: THANK YOU! I see so many dogs that come daily get burnt out from daycare. Not to mention the absolutely traumatizing fights that happen and scar a dog mentality for life. If you really want to take your dog for daycare always opt for a smaller facility and get NOSY! ask all the questions and do your best to get to know the staff (they are the people who you're going to leave your dog unsupervised with all day) and really listen to them. We tell pet parents all the time when dogs are struggling and we're not doing as a personal attack on you or we just don't like your dog. Most everyone in this industry love dogs and want them to have the best, but the best for them isn't always the chaos of a doggy daycare. Also, keep in mind that ALL pet industries (besides pet med) are unregulated, meaning ANYONE can get into the industry with no licenses or anything. I myself don't have anything but a high-school education. Please don't take the decision of going to a doggy daycare lightly and really consider your dogs feelings, personally, and even recent life events. Thank you for coming to my TED talk

[@kyujee5360]

"You can't hide your children from the world so immensely that they're even hidden from Shrek. They're not going to be equipped to handle what comes next if they can't even handle Shrek." So true 🙏 Shrek is love. Shrek is life.

[@Drbritneyspears]

🧅

[@zelbiee]

They probably don't want their kids around shrek because of "shrek is love shrek is life" lol

[@bellarina]

it sooo reminds me of that "this christian mom hates garfield" meme 🤣🤣🤣

[@avandaughrity2114]

Disliked immediately for that horrible reference🤣

[@salinpratt328]

@@zelbiee😊

[@kaylammas]

I’d like to argue that shrek is the perfect movie. It has everything you could ever ask for in a movie. Action, romance, comedy, sacrifice, self acceptance, a DRAGON

[@selenaaah]

For the first story; there’s an episode of wife swap where a family was very religious, only did homeschool, no tv, etc. and one of the kids killed almost every member of their family

[@BrujaBarbie]

Do you remember the family? I’d love to look up the story.

[@the_wise_dill655]

​@@BrujaBarbieJust googling Wife Swap murder should bring up the case

[@loni1932]

@@BrujaBarbieit was an Amish family. Lookup the stockdale family.

[@maceymarler9064]

I was literally thinking about that case too!! Like you can't completely shut anyone off from the entire world it does things to your mental health.

[@maceymarler9064]

​@CuteNCraftyAli there is a true crime video about it you can watch on KZbin. Just type in Kendall Rae wife swap murders.

[@gelizabeth1896]

worms? in the brain. rat? in the cage. hotel? trivago.

[@heatherk1700]

For story 5, plastic and pizza in the oven, it’s also about how she reacted to smoke coming out of the oven. It sounds like she fled the house with the dog and was just letting the dog run wild. Literally all she had to do was turn off the oven, open the windows, and go sit outside with the dog on a leash to get fresh air and it would’ve been fine. This shows how poorly she reacts in an emergency. I couldn’t handle being with someone who just loses all sense of control in an emergency situation.

[@rachelhillman910]

Exactly. This will be OP's entire life if he continues this relationship. It will kill all love if you can't trust your partner to handle basic emergencies.

[@s.a.4358]

Especially the dog 🐶 I mean, I’m glad you are okay but if I cannot trust you with the safety and well-being of my pets, that’s a big issue. I also sounds like the girlfriend made it worse by panicking, not turning off the oven, not opening doors and windows. Either she lived a very sheltered life and doesn’t know how to take care of things, in which case she can learn, or she is a diva princess who plays the helpless card.

[@heatherk1700]

@@s.a.4358 yep, and what if they wanted to have kids in the future? I wouldn’t trust my kids with her

[@SiKedek]

@@s.a.4358 Or she's an idiot diva - and in that case, you can't do much to help that situation, unfortunately.

[@kellydarling1]

The cake story really got to me. Late in my grandpa’s life I talked to him about his childhood and his marriage. A big thing for him was he had a sweet tooth and he mentioned specific recipes his parents or my grandmother would make for him and I could tell he really loved those foods. I learned how to make some of the recipes for him like tomato soup cake and caramel pie. I thought to myself, this man probably misses these foods that remind him of people he loves and he can’t make them for himself because of health/mobility issues. The first time I made him caramel pie he wolfed it down like nothing I’ve ever seen before. It had probably been 30 years at least at that point since he had a piece of the legendary dish his mother was known for bringing to family events.

[@MakeupbyR3d]

for the 2nd story: not only did Jane leave without saying goodbye to the host, but she didn't even have the curiosity to ask OP (the person who's birthday they are celebrating) and her son if they had eaten anything!! i am almost certain that any birthday celebration people always make sure that the person that is being celebrated is being taken care of. if jane would've just admitted to her mistake and apologize then she wouldn't be an AH. but her doubling down and making excuses due to her pregnancy is not okay. OP in my book is NTA and did everything right

[@fralanasko2900]

I think the host is lying about the specifics of this situation.

[@ValthatBish]

Wow 😂😂😂​@@fralanasko2900

[@hayamirin6795]

​@fralanasko2900 Yeah...it's incredibly weird

[@Meldog1851]

@@fralanasko2900really? I mean, I’m ND, I’m hypersensitive to when I mess up…who TF takes all the leftovers HOME then comes back for cake? Even if I didn’t know any better, I’d sure as sh!t be trying to figure it out if I got the cold shoulder after having a great day. It’s entirely possible there was a miscommunication, but it seems like that mistake doesn’t belong to the OP or the pregnant person.

[@s.a.4358]

If it was just the 2 families there it’s also weird not to realise OP and the child had not eaten anything due to being in the water all the time. It’s 4 adults and 6 kids (if my count is correct), not a huge group.

[@laurenpaus1897]

Michaela is a queen for bringing up the origins of the term "gaslight" because as much as I love to use that word it is very specific. gaslighting is intentional and there are times where it seems like a partner is gaslighting when instead they really dont remember things properly. but the jar guy I have no clue

[@shawnaworkman5448]

The guy that just got married and his wife chose to hang out with her sister instead of going on her honeymoon now knows EXACTLY where he stands. A loving wife whose sister said she wasn't needed and should go on the honeymoon, SHOULD GO ON THE HONEYMOON!!! If the situation was dire and she was needed, then she should have happily sent her husband and suggested he try to find a friend/family member to use her tickets. Anyone who is willing to waste all the money they would have lost (and actually be angry he didn't throw the money away) is someone I don't think I could trust. He needs to run fast!

[@jemduck2278]

Also to add.... the baby was still at the hospital in the NICU!? Like.... you weren't even helping with the baby.... agreed run fast.

[@linaghoname6888]

And the fact her sister LITERALLY KICKED HER OUT AND TOLD HER SHE WASN'T WELCOME??? Not only was she not needed, but she was not WANTED as well.

[@mangopyxi]

Yah, I was confused. I like Michaela, and she seems pretty caring and level-headed, but she kept acting like neither one were assholes and were just incompatible. There were so many signs originally that OP's fiancee was unhinged about her sister, and they were all confirmed. Her sister and her sister's husband did not want her there. She sounds like she is very controlling with her sister. OP's wife needs -help-. Big time.

[@shanicedeslandes7686]

SPRINT AWAY

[@glorianicole7242]

I just have to say, Michaela is such a welcome permanent addition! Morgan and her both have such great voices and perspectives:)

[@carmen.a.mendiola]

The last update was a chef's kiss, amazing, great, and all other adjectives I'm forgetting. Yes, I'm waiting patiently for those screen shots, I live for this tea.

[@Raaslen]

Story 3: there is a comment from OP that I saw in another video were he says that the only reason they "married" before sining the pappers is because the fiance wanted to have the ceremony near her sister so she could attend, wich shows that this isn't the first time were she made OP's life revolve around the sister. And of course, the sister is pregnant and under normal circunstances it would be reasonable for her to want her family to be able to attend, but at this point it seems to be a pattern.

[@rachelhofmann8725]

That's exactly what I thought too! I'm shocked they said there's no a**holes. The wife honestly sucks for abandoning her parter not once but twice during one of the biggest life events they'll have together. Understandable to leave during the reception for the birth but not going on the honeymoon is awful. I'm sure she does this is many other ways and she's just prioritizing her sister over her own partner.

[@jatnnag.3008]

Exactly it seems like OP wife has an unhealthy attachment and it’s her responsibility to work on it… OP it’s her new nuclear family she is even causing problems with her sister family they didn’t even wanted her there (the sister and her husband) he is not to blame and/or have any unrealistic expectations for his fiance!!! It’s bizarre

[@happybunnyntx6496]

I feel like it was glossed over that the sister didn't even want her there. She flat out said that she had enough help and wanted her to go on the honeymoon. That she and her husband had a problem with OP's wife staying there and wanted her out.

[@rebeccaernette1749]

​@happybunnyntx6496 I agree. I also don't know what ops wife is doing to help with the baby if the baby is in the nicu?

[@happybunnyntx6496]

@rebeccaernette1749 Maybe helping with taking care of the house while her sister recovers? Either way it sounds like she's just getting in the way.

[@Mysterygirlish222222]

Need a Michaela and Lauren episode stat!! They’re my two favs

[@crystalsutphin9082]

Story 4: I think the husband is intentionally over tightening the jars as a weird control thing... like he likes the fact that she has to always ask him to open the jars

[@mcoyer08]

11:47 Barney can’t work pending if they believe if dinosaurs were real or not.

[@DiMagnolia]

That’s exactly what I thought 😂

[@flowergleamandglow9317]

Love Michaela! We need an episode with her and Lauren. Love both of them so much

[@Lampcat-m7x]

Jars were absolutely intentional and I don’t blame her for leaving- if he loved her, he would have loosened all the jars before he left to make sure she can open everything not the opposite

[@s.a.4358]

Agreed! Even if OP had very weak arms and struggled to open a normally tightened jar, it’s an asshole move not to consider one’s partner.

[@paige7871]

I LOVE Michaela as a co host!!! She brings such good energy and her voice and laugh sound so nice :)

[@emilypopham427]

Hi! SD means service dog! It’s also definitely safer to keep the dogs in the backseat not only bc of the airbag, but many dogs will jump in the drivers lap or distract them while driving, which can cause wrecks. A dog in the front seat is one of the reasons that a driver rear ended me last year (on top of being tired and wet roads).

[@LaceyandDagger]

Also I think a lot of people forget that an unrestrained dog, just like a passenger, can become a missile in a crash. This means your dog is either flung out the windshield, or thrown into the back of the driver/passengers heads. Look up crashes where people died from unrestrained objects and passengers if you don't believe it's that big of a deal. I highly recommend the OneTigris Dog Safety Vest Harness for all your furry friends. Their products are great quality, and the seat belt keeps my SD extremely secured. Have peace of mind, restrain your furry friends and keep everyone safe!

[@tanyastacy-haws993]

I would never put my little SD in the front, mainly because the airbag would probably kill her

[@emilypopham427]

@@tanyastacy-haws993 that’s very wise of you! I understand why SD dogs shouldn’t be completely confined to the backseat (aka a medical alert for the driver), but a majority of service dogs are trained to listen to commands until an alert is needed so keeping them in the backseat usually isn’t difficult for them. Regular dogs should be kept in the backseat or (if an SUV type vehicle) in the storage area of the back due to many dogs lack of training. Even large dogs can be killed by the impact of an airbag, airbags cause lots of injuries and broken bones to humans. People should watch the car crash tests they do with dog dummies! It’s scary to watch!

[@sunnyjoslynn851]

Came all the way from Apple Podcasts to say this! 😂

[@teamlining7685]

I see people driving with their dogs in their laps all the time and it’s crazy, that’s so unsafe. You’d think they’d care about their pets safety more

[@allisonunsicker1685]

LMAO standard doodle made me laugh Service Dog.

[@mok6680]

The honeymoon question is wild…her sister had a baby, the baby is still in the NICU, the sister has others around. She should’ve gone on the honeymoon! Priorities.

[@ritapaolantonio2444]

This^ I was waiting for someone to mention that the baby is in the NICU! The sister literally can’t do anything but sit around in the hospital with her sister. She can call and check in daily from the honeymoon and still have time

[@silas3956]

SD: Service dog | SDit: Service dog in training 😊

[@user-my8uf1yh5m]

My husband grew up in a CULT. A literal cult. There’s an HBO special about them. He grew up being treated like this kid who can’t watch Shrek. he wasn’t allowed to do ANYTHING. No tv, few video games, no team sports, no friends outside of school, church 6 days a week, lies about how the world actually is. He grew up with a rebellious spirit bent on questioning everything because he didn’t trust his reality. He was living a literal “cognitive dissonance” nightmare and it’s traumatic for him. As an adult he is learning so much socially and culturally. It’s very sad actually. He’s not religious as an adult, he’s more spiritual than anything now and is very nervous about sheltering our kids too much. We make a lot of fair compromises. I would consider myself to be very religious, and I was raised in a southern Baptist household, so draw your own conclusions about how religious my upbringing was lol even as a parent who is extremely cautious and conscious of what my children are consuming in media, I do not limit them to certain literary themes at all (unless it isn’t age-appropriate.) I believe that the way you raise your kids is the way that they’ll go in life, and the best that I can do is equip them with abundant knowledge of the religion that I know and love, and also other world religions so that they are more tolerant and understanding. Maybe they’ll choose to follow another path and that’s okay with me. It’s my job to expose them to any and all types of literature and media (with few exceptions for things I feel are OVER the line. They’re allowed to watch a lot of things I watched as a kid) that I can so that they can form educated opinions and be critical thinkers capable of taking on the real world. THIS is why we tell our kids everything to a degree.

[@teamlining7685]

I just wish people would separate the 2 more. Religion is not a cult, a cult is a cult. They mostly only say this about Christian because for some reason everyone is completely fine with Buddhism and Islam. They only like to disrespect Christianity. It’s fine if they had a bad experience personally with religion but they don’t have to go around spreading hate or bad mouthing. Plenty of religions give people hope and we have free will. They’re 2 completely separate things and one doesn’t have to be attached to the other.

[@candiedolives5340]

The same way that I grew up with no religion but my mom got me a few bible story books so I would understand references to Adam & Eve, the Ark, etc. I'm very grateful she did that.

[@R41n3-c3j]

@@teamlining7685 There are plenty of christian groups that are cult-like, but obviously not all, and this goes for any type of religious extremism. If a group is being very legalistic/strict about what people wear, do, say, read, play with, who they hang out with, who to shun, etc and it goes far beyond the official religious teachings, or adheres too closely to the teachings with 0 wiggle room for just being human (except for some people who get away with everything while their victims are shunned), then you are in a cult-like setting. Christianity is responsible for a lot more religious trauma than Buddhism is. There are conservative families that abuse or kick their kids out for being mentally ill, showing signs of abuse/making the family "look bad," being part of the LGBTQ+, getting SA'd, etc, and the cited reason is along the lines of the kid not being a good enough christian. There are higher rates of abuse in strict religious households of any type. It's not an extremely rare occurrence. The phrase "there's no hate like christian love" is a phrase for a reason, and one that many of us with religious trauma from christianity relate to very strongly. The predominant source of extreme conservative "values" in the western hemisphere is christianity, but other parts of the world would have most of their religious extremism coming from Islam (religious extremism of any type is bad, but not everyone practicing a religion that has extremists is an extremist). If people were simply being kind and loving, while also being christian or citing christianity as the reason for their kindness, that would be/is 100% fine. The issue is when it's used to abuse, hurt, and control others. Religious cults exist... many cults have weird religious excuses for why they're doing what they're doing. Also, your comment about "it's fine if they've had a bad experience, but they shouldn't go around badmouthing it" is EXACTLY the type of attitude that leads to abuse being covered up.

[@rox1485]

Love this

[@mommyk1111]

story 6: nta. she communicated her routine. you do not have to change your routine when doing someone- that doesn’t even really like you- a favor. my dog is very anxious home alone- so doggy daycare every day that we are at work is better than being at home alone. i live in a small town where rover isn’t available.

[@exuberantrat3779]

The way Morgan pronounces Diablo always kills me

[@kelseyfitzgerald872]

Almost everything she pronounces makes me giggle

[@Emjay.d]

And hammock 😂😂

[@Freeweightj]

it’s so cute 😆😆 “die-ablo”

[@aylarios11]

And she has a Hispanic best friend too 😭😭😭

[@zaraheart]

@@kelseyfitzgerald872She can read great but is awful with pronunciation 😂 and phrases.

[@PianoAndCartoonz]

“You can’t hide your children from Shrek” 😂😂

[@augustlunaonline]

Story 4: one other reason why the husband is intentionally tightening the jars is because he has an irrational fear of food in jars going bad so he put the lids on unreasonable tight to counteract that happening. HOWEVER, if that is so, the husband needs to get that checked out. EDIT: okay listening to OP’s other comments about her husband’s behavior clearly shows he is doing this on purpose so she is dependent on him. That is definitely abuse!

[@fuzzylittlespider]

I think the husband is tightening the jars so only he can open them and OP has to rely on him to eat.

[@Taewills]

I think your 1st theory is still correct bc that irrational fear could be exacerbated by OCD. He could have undiagnosed OCD and this is one of his “ticks”. He can consciously turn it off and try but 1 year was his limit. I feel two things exist in this case. I don’t blame her at all bc either way he still doesn’t want help. And he’s controlling to a petty degree.

[@ashleyhouston2010]

Morgans point about all Disney movies that came out while we were adults being better than ones from our childhood.. couldn’t agree more, Elemental truly changed my life!

[@victoriakelly5894]

Story 1: What’s funny is Veggie Tales is literally talking vegetables 😂 how is that not also magic based?

[@tanyastacy-haws993]

“But they’re talking JESUS vegetables” 😂

[@Steveve4123]

Omg that’s such a good point 😂

[@ashlyngolden18]

heard story 4 and immediately went “he’s gotta be doing it on purpose to feel needed or something stupid” 😂😫 how insane

[@Ouijakittykat]

The last story before the update: something very similar happened to my family! My grandpa used to make 80 dozen (yes you read that right) Christmas tree cutout sugar cookies for the entire extended family and the hospice facility that took care of his wife at the end of her fight with breast cancer. They were AMAZING and we were all so sad that that memory of him would be no more after his passing. No one really wanted to take up the mantle of making that many cookies but to honor him and that memory, we printed out his recipe and ordered dozens of his particular cookie cutter and handed them out at the funeral. It was a beautiful sentiment and I make his cookies every Christmas for my family and we remember him. ♥️

[@iz202]

This is so heartwarming ❤️

[@Taewills]

OP should have had a patent put on it, naming it after his wife beforehand in case his kids changed their minds.

[@libraryofkayla]

That’s such a lovely legacy ♥️

[@myataylor479]

Story 5, as a dog owner of a very anxious pup I completely think op is in the right for doing what is most comfortable and familiar for her dog because dogs like human get anxious and overwhelmed when their routine is changed. So changing the pick up/drop off time would be confusing or having them in the back could cause accidents and fear of the car completely. Also no matter the dog size they should be in the back seat with a seat belt or in a car crate because they can get serious injuries with glass breaking, air bags deploying, etc. Edit: dog parks are not good for dogs but daycare is important for some dogs who don’t get socialization or live in apartments and don’t have that access to exercise like other dogs. Most daycare’s separate dogs based on big vs small and if your dog is high energy or just wants to be alone. Daycares also have a lot more people attentively caring for the dogs so fights and things don’t break out.

[@YuriPlisetskyKinnie]

My first thought with story 4 is that he’s trying to control how much she’s eating, maybe I’m overthinking but I’ve been watching this series for way too long Edit: nevermind, I’m not overreacting, he’s doing this on purpose, everything about this post, he’s trying to control her, he pressured her to have a kid, got angry when she took precautions to not have an accident, he doesn’t want her to have a car, he’s controlling her food, he’s trying to control her

[@zahrahp535]

People usually don't eat spoonfuls of hot peppers paste and pickled spicy mango. He is simply a jerk who wanted her dependent on him. (Pregnant and without a car or possibly sabotaging her job)

[@fuzzylittlespider]

I was thinking the same thing, he might be doing it to have OP rely on him or it just makes him feel like a big strong man. Either way there’s something seriously wrong with him if a neighbor can’t open a jar with tools something’s not right.

[@Taewills]

My nephew has severe OCD and it actually sounds more like an impulse. He can’t help that this is what his brain has to do but he needs therapy and medication to regulate his behavior.

[@YuriPlisetskyKinnie]

@@Taewills it could be, but like they said, OP doesn’t mention him doing this with anything else and coupled with the car and the pregnancy thing, I just don’t trust it

[@Taewills]

@@YuriPlisetskyKinnie yeah I wrote this before they finished the edits lol. But his ideas are so bizarre that I think multiple things are going on with him. OP is at her wits end though, she deserves to be happy. I would’ve divorced him too

[@Kaitirich]

I don’t think the dog lady needs to explain or communicate anything. It’s my car, I’m doing you a favor, and told you what the situation would be. You accepted and decided i wouldn’t be doing what I said I would…

[@hawk3942]

The fourth story is exactly what my dad did to my mother for the 15 years of their marriage, this is gaslighting and psychological abuse in the purest form. In my parents situation it only grew more violent as time went on, she needs to leave him asap.

[@Katxo1831]

I love seeing Michaela so much on here! When Two Hot Takes was a guest on her podcast years ago is when I found y'all. For the first story, I grew up pretty isolated. Rural area, homeschooled, only socialization was church. It set me back emotionally and socially until I moved away to another state to live in the city, which was really scary to do alone with that background, but SO glad I did. Not hating on religion, I'm still Christian, however some religious parents are delusional thinking they can keep their kids from everything bad or not agreeing in the world. Homeschooling is great for some, but the kids NEED to have forms of socialization to be able to function in society. Sports, dance classes, anything extra so they can meet kids their age and learn about the world.

[@DoubleDSheree]

Story 4 I think I heard the other side of this one! It was from the ex husband's perspective, and he basically said he would tighten the jars so she would have to ask him for help. He liked it when she had to ask him for help saying she's so cute when she's frustrated. He was kind of creepy, describing her in almost an infantile way, and how he has do things in order to feel like the "parent" of the relationship. In his post, he wanted to save their relationship but wasn't willing to admit fault. Everyone in the comments was telling him he was th a-hole and to leave her alone. I wonder if I can find that story and compare.

[@SWig4]

Omg please let Morgan know if you find that one!!

[@raspberryitalia3464]

Men like this make me want to scream. What a living nightmare.

[@kelseyfitzgerald872]

:/

[@DiMagnolia]

YIKES.

[@milL1822]

Was it jars though? I remember one where he said she looked really adorable when she was looking for something, so he kept hiding her things - cause she was 'so cute when she's all flustered'

[@gavinsnapdragon]

Michaela already feels like part of the regular cast! I love her takes, she literally says exactly what I’m thinking

[@ash-bob3398]

Okay so about story no. 1: I grew up in a VERY religious place and then joined a high control religious group (also known as a cult) when I was 18. I knew people who would let their child read a book about horses, but not unicorns. Because one was based in reality and was a “creature god made” and one was fantasy, a creature “not based in reality and that has magic, a source of power not from god and therefore demonic.” Yes I know how crazy this sounds to the average person, even probably the average Christian. But with Shrek there are a million reasons why someone who is hyper religious wouldn’t like it. The magic of fairytales being a big one, but also the semi crude humor. It’s hard to explain just how far you can go. We wouldn’t read Narnia because of the magic, even though it was written by an actual theologian and was a literal allegory for Christ. I’m not religious anymore but I know this mindset so well. That OP is doing a great job and should absolutely let her kid have a Shrek themed party! They will never truly please their family unless they convert back to the same level of religious as them and even then, it’s a constant battle of who is the most “holy” and “righteous” person. She’s doing great.

[@edenstanding8676]

Is there perhaps a link between how Shrek questions authority and lives an alternative lifestyle as well??

[@brittanybunn1518]

I feel you on this! I grew up in an extremely Christian and controlling household. My dad wouldn't allow us to watch the Little Mermaid or Pocahontas because the daughters were "rebellious and disobedient to their fathers" 🙄

[@ellie.ivanova]

I am from a country where people in general are not super religious, so this gave me a lot of insight. I was curious about what kind of themes would be acceptable for a small child's birthday - I am guessing animal themes, but are there any other ones?

[@Meldog1851]

#3…I’m pretty much in agreement. It feels like no AH here. Bride wants to be there for her sister and niece/nephew but doesn’t want to miss her honeymoon. Husband understands but also already has vacation time and the money spent would have been lost if no one goes…and he’s not even welcome to stay with his new wife prior to departure…I’m glad they are both seeking therapy.

[@husky8204]

Is there no room for creativity at all in Christianity? Like if a book was about a world where people were born with magic? What if the book stated God gave them magic for x reason?

[@RealBradMiller]

1:20:49 When my dog was alive, he was sitting up front whether there was another body there or not, in fact, if you'd hold him steady so he could keep his head out the window he would enjoy that. Passed away this past December 19th at 3:40 in the morning. One of the saddest times I will ever experience. My buddy, my best friend, my only companion, gone.

[@Gorentaya]

For the deceased wife’s recipe, I think the husband feels like he would be a bother for asking, because his children has consistently told him to “stop asking” for them to help them. I think he already feel like he is being a bother regarding this situation, so because of the behavior from his kids, he assumes the bakery will most likely give a similar response Its really sad honestly…😔

[@jujoyous]

Story 4 with the jars is the first story I’ve heard in a long time where it sounds like true gaslighting is happening: the manipulation is purposefully crafted to make their target doubt their own senses, their memories, their sense of self, etc. It’s a form of manipulation that is so calculating and used to destroy their target’s sanity. So glad OP’s done with him.

[@Raaslen]

Story 7: NTA, he didn't sell it for profit, he did it because he wanted to eat the cake, and since the kids refused to try and make the recipe he found someone who would. Also I doubt the recipe is an actual original recipe from the wife, that's very hard to come by nowdays.

[@stylebox1117]

You both are so similar! “Rope’s end” as the combo of ‘wit’s end’ and ‘end of the/their rope’ 😂❤

[@lastheavens]

I dated a kid in high school who was from a very religious family much like the one in the first story. He wasn't allowed to watch TV, didn't have a phone as a 15 yr old, and iirc was homeschooled for a several years before high school. He was the most manipulative, awful person I've ever dated. Sheltering your kids and not allowing them to be like a normal kid results in either horrible people or just incredibly unsocialized awkward people who will struggle immensely if they begin to deconstruct.

[@taypiper4534]

I had a similar experience in high school!! Granted he wasn’t as sheltered but still was very religious- and full blown manipulated me for what counts as sinful or not sinful. I was trying to figure out my own spirituality back then so I dabbled in different stuff but he didn’t allow me because it was “witchcraft” but constantly sexualizing me and the fact that I was bi was a-ok for him to do 🙄 toxic Christians are VERY picky choosey on what’s okay and what’s not

[@zaraheart]

Lol not having a phone at 15 doesn’t mean anything. But the rest is crazy to me

[@hannahkatakam3974]

For the jar story, if anyone finds themselves in a situation with a lid they cannot open, there are these rubber jar openers that you can use to open even the tightest jars easily. They just look like a square of flexible rubber with grippy surface. Fit easily into your kitchen everything drawer. It has made my life magical. Any jar or bottle with a metal lid, I can open immediately even if the men in the room cannot 😂

[@hayamirin6795]

This is bullshit. It's not about the jars It's about the DISRESPECT

[@hannahkatakam3974]

@hayamirin6795 hi! Sorry if you took my comment to mean I am in any way on the crazy jar tightener gaslighter's side. He is a weird, creepy person with no respect for his partner. What he did to disempower her was disgusting and I'm glad she decided to divorce him and get the heck away from his manipulation. But I don't want any woman to feel they need a man to ever open a jar for them. Especially a creepy guy like that. I am trying to empower women to be able to do things themselves with inexpensive kitchen tools, not justify the behavior of psychotic gaslighters.

[@FreshmenThesis]

The jar lids story is crazy!!!!! My husband is very strong and sometimes I can’t open things after he has used them and it’s funny I say ok Superman you’re strong I get it!!! He will try to rembember to loosen them a little after he closes them since he knows he’s just stronger and his default Tighten level is too tight for me. If he acted like I was crazy about it though it would be ooonnnnn

[@Taewills]

Ok I think it’s either a controlling psychological abuse thing OR a severe OCD symptom. He’s doing it out of “habit” but it’s bc he can’t have any jar in the house not tightened. Regardless it’s definitely deeper than it seems.

[@abygailb6023]

I sent this story to my husband when I got it on Reddit, he would tighten things too tight and I would get ridiculously mad when I was by myself at home. I could never see it getting this bad though. I’ve been hitting the gym and can open them now (after a lot of effort). My husband says he’s making me stronger 😂

[@hailywilson3812]

As a professional baker and cake decorator if it was my recipe I would not mind it being passed on. My grandma is a retired baker and cake decorator that has taught me since I was a small child and I’ve worked in bakeries. Anytime anyone asks either one of us for a recipe we never saw it as a big deal. I love that his wife’s cake is now able to be made and enjoyed by so many and such a beautiful story behind it. I am going to make this for me and my kids and grandparents. I did make the family feuding carrot cake and it was incredible 🖤

[@SarahKaterpillar]

Story 4: I've seen so many men claim that women simply can't open jars and that's why they need men around. They like to say "good luck opening jars" when a woman says she's happy alone. It always makes me laugh because it's so ridiculous to imagine- I guess they think single women have big piles of jars sitting in a corner somewhere that they just never figured out how to open. I wouldn't be surprised if her husband has latched onto that concept and does it because he thinks it means she needs him for something. If so, it sure backfired. As for everything else in the marriage being good, I think those standards differ by couple and by culture. Sometimes people think it's a good marriage if they just don't have anything specific to complain about- which is a far cry from being passionately in love with someone. Also, there are several great tools available that help open jars that are closed too tightly. If you have a hard time opening jars, look into it. The right tool makes life so much easier.

[@katrinascarlet5637]

I got the vibes that if she got a tool for that he'd hide it somewhere so she'd still have to ask him for help opening jars.

[@rosyrr1012]

I just want to say I love how she reads these stories “I just can’t get past the hot pepper paste…” 😂

[@Claudiasitta]

For story 3, i don’t think he was the asshole. In all reality, the sister in law was most likely going to be in the hospital with her baby so his wife was just going to stay at her home alone.

[@Kelarys]

I had taken a break to let videos pile up and it was great to be able to watch all the Michaela episodes back to back, especially for that update at the end since the story was so fresh for me. The downside is that there just aren't enough of them to get a real binge going haha. I think she's immediately one of my favourite cohosts.

[@Daveyjonesvi]

Story 4: He is definitely trying to have her dependent on him period

[@1mizfits]

As an adult man I would be more excited for a Shrek birthday party than my child. Add Michaela to the Mount Rushmore of guests!!

[@tasha1357]

Me too!!! Shrek was everything when I was little

[@SevenCharmsTV]

Story 4 literally feels like my life. Like some people just really fucking suck and you literally can’t rationalize why you don’t matter to them

[@maggiedk]

I hope you're free of that situation now, and if you aren't, that you get free soon 💜 it's worth it.

[@DiMagnolia]

Hope you’re safe and away from whoever is treating you poorly ❤

[@theart5308]

I would definitely have sat in back for the dog no questions asked. And talked baby talk to the dog the whole time lol

[@lennonbrooks1083]

The jar tightening really does seem like some weird psychological torment tactic

[@catT5236]

Story 7: okay I've had to sit and think about why the kids behaviour in this one was making me mad, so it's gonna sound weird at first but hear me out. The reason is that their behaviour is giving possessive psycho ex vibes (again hear me out). You know those crazy possessive exes that say stuff like "I'd rather you be dead than happy with someone else!" it kinda reminds me of that, where they aren't willing to put in the effort to make you happy but they don't want you to gain that happiness elsewhere either. Like the kids would rather that recipe die with their mother than someone else have it & bring joy to others with it. They were very clear they weren't going to put in the effort, but when someone else does & their Dad is happy then they're mad?! This way they can use the recipe, they couldn't before. Jealously guarding the recipe so that no-one can use it is kinda ridiculous, especially as it's not just theirs - you could argue as the late wife made it for OP on father's day (from the way the story was written seems like that's the only times the cake was made) that the recipe should belong to him alone. It was made for him after all, but it certainly doesn't belong to the kids over him.

[@laurenstofel9837]

“SD” for dogs usually means “service dog”

[@annekeveltman]

not me thinking it was short for sausage dog

[@ashleymitchell7235]

My daughter was obsessed with boss baby. I took her to the theater to see boss baby 2 and I also laughed and cried. My kid was like mom are you ok?? 😂😂

[@rayneramlal7036]

as a jew “jewish guilt” refers to ur mom guilting u abt things because jewish mothers are infamous for it. like “ohhh i made this whole dinner for you and you want to go out with your friends??” catholic guilt is something majorly else its abt the shame associated w the purity teachings in catholicism as you age

[@sincerelysytiva]

SD is Service Dog. Also, the way Morgan pronounced "hammock" cracked me up. 😂

[@augustlunaonline]

Shrek part story: Shrek does have a bit of adult humor sprinkled in thought the movies. Its easy to understand if you are an adult, but you will miss it as a child. I can see some non-religious parents being against Shrek because of that. But religious parent are definitely against Shrek because of the magic and fairy tale elements.

[@Imjustkendall]

When I was younger I did NOT miss them. They’re not subtle

[@clarissathompson0103]

I didn't miss them, I just didn't understand them as a kid. However, I can't think of any kids movie that doesn't have adult jokes thrown in there.

[@Taewills]

I feel like SpongeBob broke the mold on the “subtle” adult jokes so it became the norm in kid animation. (I dont count The Simpsons bc I think it was geared towards adults).

[@edenstanding8676]

How about those donkey dragon babies?!?!

[@joevictor53]

This is what I instantly thought of. I'm betting these two haven't seen it in ages if they think it's on the same level as the older Disney fairy tale movies. Still don't agree with the parents but that's definitely one reason why ultra religious parents might not want their kids watching Shrek

[@nabaaeyddan7565]

I remember watching Shrek when I was 8 with my older cousin, and there were so many jokes that went over my head so I just decided to copy my cousin and laugh whenever she laughed. It wasn't until I rewatched it last year that I realised why my cousin was laughing at such random lines.

[@cloudysunsets]

I’m telling you, reheating pizza is best on low heat in a pan on the stove, it makes the crust really crunchy and doesnt dry out the toppings. Add a lid for increased efficiency😊

[@Toni_Pizza]

Michaela is right about gaslighting btw. It was a British play called Gas Light about a guy convincing his wife she was crazy by changing the gas lights. Idk the specifics

[@mayahjohnson6289]

I love Michaela her episodes are always my favorite! Totally not against making her a regular :)

[@jrock7518]

The jar thing, I fully believe this was some type of physiological abuse. It always starts with something small and progresses over time. My ex would do similar stuff and act like I was crazy. He got to a point where he would go to a show only I watched on our Netflix and fast-forward to the middle of episodes or skip to another season and fast-forward to mid episode. I'd ask, and he would claim I forgot I watched it or I should see a therapist about my meds for ocd. I really started to question my reality until I left him....it sounds insane to say outloud. I couldn't give a "valid" reason to friends and family for no longer wanting to be with him.

[@potatopancake9138]

It's an old control/ manipulation tactic. It reinforces the thought that she NEEDS him, and it makes him feel strong. It's also strange enough that if she complains then she sounds insane. It's an actual example of gaslighting and manipulation.

[@explore_with_em_x]

Just a little tip for all those who can’t open jars. Grab a knife (not a sharp one), put it under the lid seal and pull and you’ll hear the seal break and the lip literally pops off. 🙃

[@Felixpewpew]

Finally doing longer episodes!!! You can do a 5 hour one and I’d watch that immediately

[@Itsmeabbyg301]

Hi Morgan just to let you know my 1 year old is watching your video and gets upset when I turn it off I often watch and listen to your episodes I also love that he’s nodding and agreeing when you talk 😂😂😂😂 hope you love this ❤😊

[@nicoles2159]

DEAD @ Michaela mentioning crying during boss baby 2 😭 to be fair, I shed a few tears during puss in boots: the last wish

[@willabald]

Coco took me out, I woke up my husband because I was sobbing so loudly 😂

[@michelaadriana9342]

Oh I most definitely did. It was soo good lol

[@rosieoneill4355]

The pregnant lady from story two was so rude in so many ways. It's common etiquette that if you take food/drinks to someone's house- you leave the leftovers behind for the host unless the host specifies otherwise- especially if it's things that you didn't contribute!!

[@meimei51793]

1:24:15 my dog throws a fit and i assumed an adult human would not