Do you just hit an age where you stop being able to comprehend you’re out of touch? Is that going to happen to all of us? I feel out of touch all the time already and I’m nowhere near the Congressional average…

I am of Italian descent but also Italian-American. Those are different things in my mind. Like, I am learning Italian and learning about Italian culture today (my father and I are trying to get our Italian citizenship although it’s a long road). That is separate from the Italian diaspora that my father’s family settled into as immigrants in the US. That community has it’s own cultural practices and nuances that may be roughly sourced from the same place as my ancestors from Italy, but they aren’t the same. I am proud of both, I see no reason to discard the Italian-American label just because Italians might make fun of me. I don’t pretend being Italian-American makes me Italian or able to speak for Italians or Italy.

That said, my mother’s side of the family is decidedly more WASPy and while I am no less accepting of that heritage, I see no real reason to deliberately celebrate it. It’s the dominant “culture” in the US and in no danger of being assimilated away. It may just be that those of us who came from a minority community (no matter how distant that status is from the present) feel driven to protect it on some level.

I thought Sheetz used it for bonuses though (not base pay and not for firing), which I would still not personally like but doesn’t seem as weird and stupid as this. I’m legitimately wondering if BK has enough potential employees to fire people for not being friendly enough. Seems like a self-own… but I haven’t been to a BK in probably two decades.

I have a 23 Mustang Mach E. Due to where I live, I felt AWD was necessary and that limited my EV options substantially (along with all the tax incentive changes happening at the time I ordered it in 2022).

Honestly though, while it’s bigger than what I wanted and doesn’t have as many manual features as I would prefer, it is a supremely fun vehicle to drive. I wish EV charging infrastructure was better so that taking it on a road trip was more feasible.

I sold my Fiesta before a cross-country move and if I’d known I was never going to be able to get a small car again I would have paid to have it shipped…

Also a soundtrack I can only describe as “baffling.”

Italy has recently changed their requirements and now language proficiency and residency are required. But yes, up until very recently heritage was mostly enough.

Italian ancestry can qualify you for citizenship, that’s not the best example.

Source: me, American of Italian ancestry working to get dual citizenship

I am not saying you’re wrong about the commercialism aspect, but I think of it a little differently. Many people are uncomfortable receiving a gift without reciprocating or if there is no “reason” like a life event. The holidays are a set time to do a gift exchange, and reciprocity is more likely to be possible. I buy gifts literally all year long, but often hold on to them until Christmas time if I know the recipient will be more comfortable doing a gift exchange rather than being surprised. Part of being a good gift-giver is sussing out the type of gift receiver you are dealing with (I don’t tend to give Christmas present to folks who have made it clear they hate Christmas).

Undergrad in History and International Relations, because I intended to become a diplomat. Realized an anxiety disorder was probably not going to make that a good career choice. Decided to go to nursing school, got an associates in “science” working on the pre-reqs and then decided to go to grad school for public health and epidemiology instead.

Honestly I love school, I don’t regret any of it except that I was too nervous about quitting my job (I worked my way through to cover what grants and loans didn’t) to do a term abroad. I should have taken the five weeks in Berlin.