u/FearTheMomerath

I was thinking about it for some reason today: the hard slog of saving your money, the decision of which one to buy without actually knowing more than one or two songs off the album that had had radio/rage time, the thrill of getting it home and sitting down, pulling the cover out to see if there were lyrics or anything in there, then playing it to absolute death. I swear my mum would have murdered me if she'd had to listen to Hanson any more than I actually did.

Now it's all on spotify which is convenient but just lacks that certain... magic.

For some ungodly reason this song has been stuck in my head for about 3 hours. I figured, if I have to suffer then you should too! Now go pick up 3 pieces of rubbish!!

Hi all,

So for context, I gave up drinking back in February of 2025 for mental health reasons. I’m a passionate home cook and there are certain dishes that I have mastered (in my opinion, naturally). One of which is a beef rib ragu.

Now I haven’t made it since I made the leap to sobriety, but my mum has requested it now that the weather is turning cool here in Aus. I love the richness that a good red wine brings to the sauce. I know that the alcohol burns off as you cook it down, so I’m not worried about that part - what I am worried about is my current inclination to pour a dirty great big glass of the bottle once it’s open, you know? So what I’m asking for is your best substitutions for a good red wine. Beef stock could do the job for deglazing, but there’s just something that a nice punchy cab sauv brings to the party that I don’t know how to replicate.

Thanks in advance for your help!

Howdy all,

So for context, I gave up drinking back in February of 2025 for mental health reasons. I’m a passionate home cook and there are certain dishes that I have mastered (in my opinion, naturally). One of which is a beef rib ragu.

Now I haven’t made it since I made the leap to sobriety, but my mum has requested it now that the weather is turning cool here in Aus. I love the richness that a good red wine brings to the sauce. I know that the alcohol burns off as you cook it down, so I’m not worried about that part - what I am worried about is my current inclination to pour a dirty great big glass of the bottle once it’s open, you know? So what I’m asking for is your best substitutions for a good red wine. Beef stock could do the job for deglazing, but there’s just something that a nice punchy cab sauv brings to the party that I don’t know how to replicate.

Thanks for your help!

Hi guys,

Thanks for the kindness you showed me on Friday night, re my mental health spiral. Yesterday wasn’t what you would call a stellar day, but I made contact with the acute care team at my local hospital and they are keeping tabs on me until they can make contact with my psychiatrist on Tuesday (bloody public holiday). I filled my mum and dad in on what’s going on, watched the first Captain America movie with a cat on my lap, and crashed into bed at 6.30pm. Today has dawned a little brighter.

Thanks again, sincerely.

I'm sorry to do this on a Friday night but I'm in a bit of a pickle. I'm not in crisis just yet but things are a bit dicey. I don't much like lifeline, and I'm not ready to present to my local ED.

Can anyone offer some suggestions?

I don't know where else to turn... I've been fighting for so long and I'm just tired. I have my plan all sorted and it's supposed to be this weekend. So why am I so nervous and scared? What do I do?