# The Omnibus Good News Thread **URL:** \ **Category:** Miscellaneous and Personal Stuff I Must Share\ **Created:** [February 16, 2023, 11:48pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-omnibus-good-news-thread/979923 "2023-02-16T23:48:38Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 4
**Author:** ![Spice\_Weasel](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/spice_weasel/32/5435_2.png) [@Spice\_Weasel](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Spice_Weasel)\ **Post date:** [June 11, 2023, 3:32pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-omnibus-good-news-thread/979923/61 "2023-06-11T15:32:32Z")
Today I celebrate my seventeen year wedding anniversary with **Spouse Weasel.** I think we’ve officially passed the threshold where we’ve been together longer than we’ve been without each other. We first met in 2001 at age 18 during freshman orientation at college. It took us another year to start dating. We married in 2006, both survived graduate school (he’s a psychologist, I’m a nonprofit development professional) and fully 19 years after getting together, we had a child. That child is now three. The kid is the absolute best and my husband is a stellar parent. It makes such a difference when both parents are 100% committed. Throughout the years we’ve definitely had our share of challenges, the latest becoming parents to an autistic child with substantial support needs, but one of our strengths has been supporting one another when we had nobody else. It has created a kind of “us against the world” mentality, but whatever it takes to survive. Now because of our son we have one more person in our close and loving little family. Now it’s the _three_ of us against the world. The plan today is to go to Belle Isle Aquarium in Detroit. We were going to wander around a bit and maybe see a jazz jam session, but it’s raining today, so I see the new _Spiderverse_ movie in our future, followed by a low-key dinner. We are simple people who enjoy simple pleasures. I’m sure we will play Diablo IV together tonight after the sprog is in bed. The sprog is also very lucky because the babysitter is one of his favorite people. ---
**Author:** ![WildaBeast](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/wildabeast/32/6_2.png) [@WildaBeast](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/WildaBeast)\ **Post date:** [June 11, 2023, 4:48pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-omnibus-good-news-thread/979923/62 "2023-06-11T16:48:01Z")
> [@Spice\_Weasel](#): > > What do you have planned now? No specific plans. I got the certification because I work in the defense industry and the DoD has been saying that soon they’re going to require contractors who work on certain programs to have that certification (no word on exactly when “soon” is). So having it will make me qualified to work on more programs in the future, whenever that requirement goes into effect. And my employer provided all the training, and paid for the exam, so I figured why not take advantage of it. ---
**Author:** ![Love\_Rhombus](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/love_rhombus/32/10694_2.png) [@Love\_Rhombus](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Love_Rhombus)\ **Post date:** [June 23, 2023, 2:58pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-omnibus-good-news-thread/979923/63 "2023-06-23T14:58:37Z")
Just in time for Pride: [Same-sex marriage is now legal in Estonia](https://www.bbc.co.uk/newsround/65973260), bringing the number of European countries where that is true to 20. ---
**Author:** ![JohnT](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/johnt/32/15048_2.png) [@JohnT](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/JohnT)\ **Post date:** [July 9, 2023, 9:14pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-omnibus-good-news-thread/979923/64 "2023-07-09T21:14:00Z")
A friend of mine called a few months ago - her parents suffered a flood in their home (hot water heater) and InsureCo was lowballing them, something like $7k or so. I talked to her sister (this was in CA and sis was closer to the situation), gave advice. They went ahead and had repairs done, fighting with InsureCo the entire time. Found asbestos. Had to have that taken care of, with InsureCo saying “no, uh-uh, not in _this_ contract”. HOWEVER, I read the policy and noted language which said asbestos removal would be covered _if necessitated by repair activities_. Told them to fight this (and to consult with an actual attorney, not just some smart guy who reads contracts). Anyway, I just found out _today_ that they’re getting reimbursed for it all (less deductible). Over $25k! And the asbestos removal was covered! #Winning ---
**Author:** ![Spice\_Weasel](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/spice_weasel/32/5435_2.png) [@Spice\_Weasel](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Spice_Weasel)\ **Post date:** [July 10, 2023, 5:31pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-omnibus-good-news-thread/979923/65 "2023-07-10T17:31:30Z")
That is great! A home repair like that can wreck a person financially. ---
**Author:** ![JohnT](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/johnt/32/15048_2.png) [@JohnT](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/JohnT)\ **Post date:** [July 10, 2023, 7:49pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-omnibus-good-news-thread/979923/66 "2023-07-10T19:49:23Z")
Will say, don’t buy your homeowners policy from a person sitting at a table in Costco… ---
**Author:** ![Spice\_Weasel](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/spice_weasel/32/5435_2.png) [@Spice\_Weasel](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Spice_Weasel)\ **Post date:** [July 25, 2023, 12:58pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-omnibus-good-news-thread/979923/67 "2023-07-25T12:58:55Z")
Maybe this isn’t the biggest news, but it feels like it to me. I took my 3yo son to great-grandma’s house to swim in the pool last weekend. It was only his second or third time in the water and the previous time, he had been very nervous and stayed on the raft the whole time. But this weekend, I managed to coax him into the water… and he loved it! He saw us put our faces in the water to blow bubbles and he immediately started trying on his own, and then was trying to hold his breath and go under water. He put his head under even though he came up sputtering sometimes. He really got the hang of it fast. And you know not once during that 90 minute swim session did he mention numbers, his usual unceasing obsession. He didn’t want to get out of the pool. Things do not come easily to my son. He is resistant to trying new things and tends to give up quickly, so to see him enthusiastically persevere at something challenging makes my heart sing. I had a feeling swimming would be good for him, just this gut feeling, so I had signed him up for swim lessons the week before. Now I can see he really is ready. His first lesson is Saturday. I think swimming will help him with his motor coordination issues, his confidence, and just give him a way to have fun. He’s also made a lot of other progress, including with his speech delay. The other day he climbed in the car after daycare and announced, “eating cookies!” I said, “Is that what you did today?” “Yes.” “What color were the cookies?” “White.” Sure enough there were photos from the daycare center of them eating cookies with white frosting. He actually told us about his day! These little things can mean the whole world. ---
**Author:** ![OttoDaFe](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/ottodafe/32/356_2.png) [@OttoDaFe](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/OttoDaFe)\ **Post date:** [July 25, 2023, 2:36pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-omnibus-good-news-thread/979923/68 "2023-07-25T14:36:34Z")
> [@Spice\_Weasel](#): > > … These little things can mean the whole world. Indeed they can, and the cockles of my heart warmed a couple degrees on your behalf. During my younger daughter’s initial hospital stay with what turned out to be Crohn’s she was restricted to getting all her nutrition via a [PICC line](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Peripherally_inserted_central_catheter). One morning she called and said “Dad! I ate a piece of toast!” Just as well I was working remotely — it wouldn’t have been seemly for my co-workers to see me on the floor blubbering. (Sorry, didn’t mean to hijack your undisputed Good News. Just triggered a memory.) ---
**Author:** ![LSLGuy](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/lslguy/32/5813_2.png) [@LSLGuy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/LSLGuy)\ **Post date:** [July 26, 2023, 1:43am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-omnibus-good-news-thread/979923/69 "2023-07-26T01:43:29Z")
Those are both unequivocal good (great actually) news. One is just newer than the other. But they’re both new to the rest of us. So thanks for sharing. ---
**Author:** ![Spice\_Weasel](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/spice_weasel/32/5435_2.png) [@Spice\_Weasel](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Spice_Weasel)\ **Post date:** [July 26, 2023, 4:43pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-omnibus-good-news-thread/979923/70 "2023-07-26T16:43:56Z")
> [@OttoDaFe](#): > > (Sorry, didn’t mean to hijack your undisputed Good News. Just triggered a memory.) Not a hijack at all! I’m so happy for your daughter. ---
**Author:** ![I\_Love\_Me\_Vol.I](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/i_love_me_vol.i/32/521_2.png) [@I\_Love\_Me\_Vol.I](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/I_Love_Me_Vol.I)\ **Post date:** [July 26, 2023, 6:03pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-omnibus-good-news-thread/979923/71 "2023-07-26T18:03:02Z")
> [@LSLGuy](#): > > White skin + gray hair privilege has its privileges. Good on ya’. What happens if you’re pulled over in Blackface and jet-black hair dye? ---
**Author:** ![Love\_Rhombus](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/love_rhombus/32/10694_2.png) [@Love\_Rhombus](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Love_Rhombus)\ **Post date:** [September 18, 2023, 12:18pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-omnibus-good-news-thread/979923/72 "2023-09-18T12:18:06Z")
A wedding dress designer is donating more dresses after someone found one of hers at a local Goodwill. I think this is an excellent idea- everyone should have the chance to feel handsome/pretty or just well-dressed. [Wedding dress designer will donate more gowns to Goodwill following viral TikTok video - ABC News](https://abcnews.go.com/GMA/Style/wedding-dress-designer-donate-gowns-goodwill-viral-tiktok/story?id=103194652) ---
**Author:** ![Love\_Rhombus](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/love_rhombus/32/10694_2.png) [@Love\_Rhombus](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Love_Rhombus)\ **Post date:** [October 16, 2023, 1:03pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-omnibus-good-news-thread/979923/73 "2023-10-16T13:03:33Z")
It’s a little sad that this thread has so few entries compared to the ones that share bad or scary news. I’ll fully acknowledge my own tendency to look at the more terrible headlines first. ---
**Author:** ![Dung\_Beetle](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/dung_beetle/32/7945_2.png) [@Dung\_Beetle](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Dung_Beetle)\ **Post date:** [October 16, 2023, 1:23pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-omnibus-good-news-thread/979923/74 "2023-10-16T13:23:05Z")
I think about this thread sometimes. We should try to keep it up. What have you got? ---
**Author:** ![Love\_Rhombus](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/love_rhombus/32/10694_2.png) [@Love\_Rhombus](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Love_Rhombus)\ **Post date:** [October 16, 2023, 1:32pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-omnibus-good-news-thread/979923/75 "2023-10-16T13:32:01Z")
Understandably, most news sites are filled with the current troubles in Israel. I was able to find a sweet story: [Boxes of Pokémon Cards Were Almost Thrown Away But Have Since Raised $50,000 for Family](https://www.goodnewsnetwork.org/boxes-of-pokemon-cards-were-almost-thrown-away-but-raised-50k/) ---
**Author:** ![Dung\_Beetle](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/dung_beetle/32/7945_2.png) [@Dung\_Beetle](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Dung_Beetle)\ **Post date:** [October 16, 2023, 1:38pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-omnibus-good-news-thread/979923/76 "2023-10-16T13:38:23Z")
And they have more! That’s awesome. 🙂 ---
**Author:** ![Love\_Rhombus](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/love_rhombus/32/10694_2.png) [@Love\_Rhombus](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Love_Rhombus)\ **Post date:** [October 16, 2023, 1:46pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-omnibus-good-news-thread/979923/77 "2023-10-16T13:46:35Z")
Your turn! 😁 ---
**Author:** ![Dung\_Beetle](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/dung_beetle/32/7945_2.png) [@Dung\_Beetle](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Dung_Beetle)\ **Post date:** [October 16, 2023, 2:09pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-omnibus-good-news-thread/979923/78 "2023-10-16T14:09:44Z")
Ah crap. 😄 ---
**Author:** ![Dung\_Beetle](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/dung_beetle/32/7945_2.png) [@Dung\_Beetle](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Dung_Beetle)\ **Post date:** [October 16, 2023, 2:14pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-omnibus-good-news-thread/979923/79 "2023-10-16T14:14:56Z")
Here we go: > **[Baby beaver born in London for first time in 400 years](https://www.theguardian.com/environment/2023/sep/30/baby-beaver-born-in-london-for-first-time-in-400-years)** > > Arrival result of Enfield reintroduction scheme, started last year as part of natural flood defence project ---
**Author:** ![Love\_Rhombus](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/love_rhombus/32/10694_2.png) [@Love\_Rhombus](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Love_Rhombus)\ **Post date:** [October 16, 2023, 4:42pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-omnibus-good-news-thread/979923/80 "2023-10-16T16:42:04Z")
Too bad it wasn’t born in Birmingham or we could have the start of a good tongue twister. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-omnibus-good-news-thread/979923.md?page=3) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-omnibus-good-news-thread/979923.md?page=5)