Aww thanks for the shout out! So fun also to hear about the stories of your love life and how you got to the stage you currently are at- it’s all an adventure! :)
Wait, let me comment AS I READ before I forget things. First: omg a double mention? I am so honoured and listening to you was such a pleasure!! Really!! 2: clicked on every recommendation because I know I can trust your taste. 3: I often thought about my Aussie citizenship and how a lot of it was about sharing the values of the Australian people, which I did and still do (freedom, respect, fairness, and equality of opportunity). How did you cope with having to pledge allegiance to something you might not believe in? I am thinking individualism and guns... 4: hearing you mention the army wife expectations and the chipped polish deal is making me shiver. I guess it must have felt so different and 'secure' compared to your past dating life, more chaotic and where things happened as a consequence of your own choices. Now most choices were made for you and there were little negative outcomes, actually there was leisure time and the luxury of getting bored! 5: those are some HARD questions that Alison is asking and I am glad you addressed them (even years later). These are important conversations to have!
I see why I made this choice for sure and I did think I was happy but yes, definitely some of these “expectations” didn’t align with my “values” and who I am. I am very much part American because I spent 16 years of my life there but my ethos doesn’t align with American life and I think American life is only good for the financially secure which is why post divorce I never wanted to live in America again! I wouldn’t live there so yeah, I don’t align with some American values for sure. Some are okay, though, about achieving anything you put your mind to. So many Americans don’t see the American dream is a false construct not possible for those on the bottom rungs (or possible but through sheer luck and hard work and capital etc — there are obvs rags to riches stories but what percentage of the population?). I’d say overall the quality of life is better for the average Brit and they have more human rights but it’s far from perfect. I know many Brits flock to Australia and Nee Zealand though as the quality of life there is meant to be superior if not incredibly expensive. Thanks for listening. 🤩 I hope in Italian “Barbs” doesn’t have some exotic pronunciation? 🤣 Also, Honeycutt not being your real surname. 🤪🤔 Is it inspired by Miss Honey?
I get what you mean about the American dream favouring those with enough means to make it happen. I've never witnessed it as I don't think a trip to Vegas was enough to catch these subtleties. Haha no exotic pronunciation ;) you did very well! The fake last name actually comes from some random MMA fighter, or BJJ...
I personally like the non chipmunk normal speed and, like I mentioned before, Elaine, since I do like to listen, I always appreciate when an author enables the AI voice. This, though, is much much better! What a treat…hearing you read your words… (thanks @barbshoneycutt for suggesting that).
I am always disappointed when posts don’t have the AI voice option. I didn’t know opting out is a thing but people shouldn’t opt out. 🤣 Thank you for listening as it is very very long. 🫶🏻 How do you properly pronounce your chosen — do we call it screen name, Steve? Like Kodak? What’s the story behind it? 🤔
That’s how I pronounce it, yes, it’s short for South Dakota. It would be a funnier story, wouldn’t it, if in fact my folks had called me that?
You have such an interesting way of telling your “story” I so much appreciate your writing. Have you by chance read Eleanor Anstruther’s serialization of her story “Fallout”?
Sorry, Elaine, I missed your question somehow. “Fallout” is a novel about interesting relationships (and characters). The story is centered around the 1980’s women’s protest (Greenham Common) against bringing American Cruise Missiles to be deployed in England. At one point the entire perimeter of the target airbase (9 miles) was encircled by thousands of women holding hands together in protest! It’s a captivating read. Eleanor Anstruther is an incredibly talented writer/storyteller.
I subscribed to her Substack and mostly read her interviews which have been compelling. Thanks for the recommendation. The notifications in the app can be easy to miss! 😅
It's always a fairy tale in the beginning. Until you get to know each other REALLY WELL. Only then do we figure out whether this other person is 'the one.' Living together certainly speeds up the process, but I'm all about a long courtship so the couple makes an informed decision based on facts and not fantasy. (Wish I had done that!) 🙄
I think you are absolutely right! The only way you get to know people is time and communication and growing together (which I can thankfully say happened the second time around 😅). We didn’t get married until we’d been together for five years. ☺️🙈
I did enjoy the voice over! And I know you have an American English accent, but aaaaaaaahhhh I could listen to that accent all day long! English has the most beautiful vocals if you ask me.
Omg thanks so much. 🫶🏻 My voice is far too muddled but you’d maybe not have found my original Lancashire accent quite so pleasing… 🤣🤣🤣 Google that one!
Ahhh! South Dakota makes sense now! 🤣🤣🤣 I couldn’t figure it out. 🙈
Aww thanks for the shout out! So fun also to hear about the stories of your love life and how you got to the stage you currently are at- it’s all an adventure! :)
It is indeed an adventure and yours is still unfolding. 🤞🏻🫶🏻
Wait, let me comment AS I READ before I forget things. First: omg a double mention? I am so honoured and listening to you was such a pleasure!! Really!! 2: clicked on every recommendation because I know I can trust your taste. 3: I often thought about my Aussie citizenship and how a lot of it was about sharing the values of the Australian people, which I did and still do (freedom, respect, fairness, and equality of opportunity). How did you cope with having to pledge allegiance to something you might not believe in? I am thinking individualism and guns... 4: hearing you mention the army wife expectations and the chipped polish deal is making me shiver. I guess it must have felt so different and 'secure' compared to your past dating life, more chaotic and where things happened as a consequence of your own choices. Now most choices were made for you and there were little negative outcomes, actually there was leisure time and the luxury of getting bored! 5: those are some HARD questions that Alison is asking and I am glad you addressed them (even years later). These are important conversations to have!
I see why I made this choice for sure and I did think I was happy but yes, definitely some of these “expectations” didn’t align with my “values” and who I am. I am very much part American because I spent 16 years of my life there but my ethos doesn’t align with American life and I think American life is only good for the financially secure which is why post divorce I never wanted to live in America again! I wouldn’t live there so yeah, I don’t align with some American values for sure. Some are okay, though, about achieving anything you put your mind to. So many Americans don’t see the American dream is a false construct not possible for those on the bottom rungs (or possible but through sheer luck and hard work and capital etc — there are obvs rags to riches stories but what percentage of the population?). I’d say overall the quality of life is better for the average Brit and they have more human rights but it’s far from perfect. I know many Brits flock to Australia and Nee Zealand though as the quality of life there is meant to be superior if not incredibly expensive. Thanks for listening. 🤩 I hope in Italian “Barbs” doesn’t have some exotic pronunciation? 🤣 Also, Honeycutt not being your real surname. 🤪🤔 Is it inspired by Miss Honey?
I get what you mean about the American dream favouring those with enough means to make it happen. I've never witnessed it as I don't think a trip to Vegas was enough to catch these subtleties. Haha no exotic pronunciation ;) you did very well! The fake last name actually comes from some random MMA fighter, or BJJ...
You never fail to surprise! 🤣 So you watch MMA/Brazilian jiu jitsu, too? 🤨🤔🤓
You give me too much credit!! XD the bf did, I just happened to glance at the tv and saw a name I liked (and took it unceremoniously)
🤣🙈 That maybe makes more sense. 🤪
I personally like the non chipmunk normal speed and, like I mentioned before, Elaine, since I do like to listen, I always appreciate when an author enables the AI voice. This, though, is much much better! What a treat…hearing you read your words… (thanks @barbshoneycutt for suggesting that).
I am always disappointed when posts don’t have the AI voice option. I didn’t know opting out is a thing but people shouldn’t opt out. 🤣 Thank you for listening as it is very very long. 🫶🏻 How do you properly pronounce your chosen — do we call it screen name, Steve? Like Kodak? What’s the story behind it? 🤔
Aww thank you 🥰🥰🥰🥰🙏🏻
That’s how I pronounce it, yes, it’s short for South Dakota. It would be a funnier story, wouldn’t it, if in fact my folks had called me that?
You have such an interesting way of telling your “story” I so much appreciate your writing. Have you by chance read Eleanor Anstruther’s serialization of her story “Fallout”?
Sorry I forgot to say I have not read Fallout. I’ll have to look into it. What’s it about?
Sorry, Elaine, I missed your question somehow. “Fallout” is a novel about interesting relationships (and characters). The story is centered around the 1980’s women’s protest (Greenham Common) against bringing American Cruise Missiles to be deployed in England. At one point the entire perimeter of the target airbase (9 miles) was encircled by thousands of women holding hands together in protest! It’s a captivating read. Eleanor Anstruther is an incredibly talented writer/storyteller.
I subscribed to her Substack and mostly read her interviews which have been compelling. Thanks for the recommendation. The notifications in the app can be easy to miss! 😅
It's always a fairy tale in the beginning. Until you get to know each other REALLY WELL. Only then do we figure out whether this other person is 'the one.' Living together certainly speeds up the process, but I'm all about a long courtship so the couple makes an informed decision based on facts and not fantasy. (Wish I had done that!) 🙄
I think you are absolutely right! The only way you get to know people is time and communication and growing together (which I can thankfully say happened the second time around 😅). We didn’t get married until we’d been together for five years. ☺️🙈
I did enjoy the voice over! And I know you have an American English accent, but aaaaaaaahhhh I could listen to that accent all day long! English has the most beautiful vocals if you ask me.
Omg thanks so much. 🫶🏻 My voice is far too muddled but you’d maybe not have found my original Lancashire accent quite so pleasing… 🤣🤣🤣 Google that one!
I did! AND I LOVED THAT ACCENT TOO!!! I mean it was thick and heavy, but soooo cool. Then again, Deep South Georgia has some interesting accents too
I do love a good Southern accent too. 🤩