The Caffeinated Millennial

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My 2021 Reading List

by Shandean Reid on December 21, 2021

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As a bookworm, let me share my 2021 reading list with you. Despite the busy year, I found the time to squeeze in a few books. In fact, whenever the heat got too high for me mentally, diving headfirst in a good novel fiction does wonders. I can explain it,…

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The Caffeinated Millennial 2021 Year in Review

by Shandean Reid on December 20, 2021

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It is crazy that we are at the ending days of the year and it’s time for a 2021 year in review! When the new year started, we had no idea what to expect from 2021. Sure, we were all hoping Covid would go away, but very quickly I think…

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Budget Christmas Decorations

by Shandean Reid on December 19, 2021

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I decided to spruce up my new apartment by using some budget Christmas decorations since I don’t have any decorations at all to start and I’m watching how much I spend. When I was a child, we didn’t have Christmas decorations at my house and that made me sad. At…

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Jamaican Grand Market: A Millennial Flashback

by Shandean Reid on December 17, 2021

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As a Jamaican kid growing up in the 90s in Linstead, I looked forward to experiencing what I now know to be a Jamaican Christmas eve tradition called grand market. Grand market or as it is less often called by actual Jamaicans, Christmas market. It is, however, nothing like the…

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4 Types of Vision Boards You Can Make

by Shandean Reid on December 16, 2021

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Have you ever given any thought to the kinds of vision boards you can create? Most people I know don’t think about doing more than one type of vision board, but given how useful they can be, I was thinking, why tmake some things separate. I recall when I made…

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My Stovetop Christmas Dinner Menu, for One

by Shandean Reid on December 15, 2021

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When my friend asked me what was on our Christmas dinner menu this week, I said nothing. I had no plan to cook. For the first time in my 30+ years, I plan to spend Christmas day alone. As with many other things, I wondered if it would lift my…

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Blogging Equipment I Use as a Blogger

by Shandean Reid on December 14, 2021

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The blogging equipment I currently have are things I have picked up over the five years I have been a blogger. They have served me well and even gone on to support my launch into a freelance writing and communications career. Granted, some equipment blogging can be expensive if are…

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My Holiday Playlist Collections

by Shandean Reid on December 13, 2021

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For me, Christmas is never Christmas without my holiday playlist. I’m not even kidding. For me, joyful holiday music does something for the soul, and that something tends to be amplified when I am with my family. So I like my holiday playlist, loud, as background music while I clean,…

Job hunting in Canada on laptop searching Shandean Reid, Public Relations Consultant in Canada

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What is Blogger Burnout? Tips to Avoid It

by Shandean Reid on December 12, 2021

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Blogger burnout is real, and I thought this post was fitting, given how many of us are busy trying to crank our 25 posts in 25 days. In my case, I write in several aspects of my life. I have to be particularly careful what projects I am taking on.…

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7 Reasons to Shop Local for the Holidays

by Shandean Reid on December 11, 2021

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There are so many reasons to shop local now more than ever. The world is rebuilding our lives one day at a time as we head towards recovery from the Covid19 pandemic. It will take each and every one of us making simple day to day decisions to help our…

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6 Ways to Update Your Blog for the New Year

by Shandean Reid on December 10, 2021

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Should you update your blog? Of course, you should! I’ve been hard at work the last several months making updates on my blog and backend upgrades in addition to the many apparent changes. I highly recommend the process. I can’t believe it’s already been a year since Blogmas 2020 shocked…

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20+ Date Ideas for the Holidays

by Shandean Reid on December 9, 2021

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Depending on where you live, date ideas for the holidays can be hard to come by. However, dates can literally be anything so long as they enable you to spend quality time with your partner and foster friendship and bonding. Hubby and I finally got some kid-free alone time recently…

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5 Ways to Stay Marketable as a Stay at Home Mom

by Shandean Reid on December 8, 2021

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You might want to stay marketable as a stay-at-home mom if you decided to focus on your kids for a time while they are young, but intend to go back to working in your career field after the kids get to a certain age. It’s not uncommon for stay-at-home moms…

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Drive-by Christmas Lights Viewing

by Shandean Reid on December 7, 2021

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A couple of days ago, an acquaintance invited my husband and me to go look at the Christmas lights. Though I had no idea what that meant, I was excited to get out of the house and go see something that I had never seen before. So, off we went…

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How to Apply for a Canadian Study Visa

by Shandean Reid on December 6, 2021

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Between family life, my spouse’s profession, I’ve been a stay-at-home mom/wife for the past five years. Sure, I’ve occupied myself substantially during that time, but for all intents and purposes, my husband and I agreed that while he was in residency and our child was an infant, I would be…

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Netflix Christmas Movies: My Cheesy Favourites

by Shandean Reid on December 5, 2021

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I thought I would share my favourite Cheesy Netflix Christmas movies. Last year during Blogmas, I shared some classic Christmas movies the family might enjoy. This time I’m sharing some of my favourite corny, romantic holiday picks from Netflix. Now is the time to admit it does not need to…

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Mom Guilt: Handling It in Real-Time

by Shandean Reid on December 4, 2021

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Mom guilt. I’ve experienced more of it in the past weeks than I have in the last five years, and believe me, I’ve experienced it plenty. It’s ugly, messy, inconvenient and real. I’ve learned though that it’s a normal part of motherhood. It shows up when I see her quietly…

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My Christmas Wishlist

by Shandean Reid on December 3, 2021

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I’ve never had a Christmas wishlist before. As a matter of fact, I’ve never made any gift wishlist before. Even after ten years together, my husband just might think this blog post is a gift to him in itself. It’s certainly a leap from the forever “I don’t know” he…

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DoubleTree by Hilton, Toronto Review

by Shandean Reid on December 2, 2021

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My husband and I stayed at the DoubleTree by Hilton, Toronto (Chestnut St.) for a few days in November. I’d been looking for a hotel in Downtown, Toronto that I feel safe (and clean) staying at. I landed on DoubleTree. The hotel is about a 20-minute drive from Pearson International…

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Welcome to Blogmas!

by Shandean Reid on December 1, 2021

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Welcome to Blogmas 2021, ladies and gentlemen! Eek! I’m too excited. The truth is I’ve been looking forward to this all year, pretty much since I participated last year. If my relatively early Blogmas Ideas post was no indication, I am ready, baby!

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Life Update – I’m Moving to Canada from Jamaica

by Shandean Reid on November 30, 2021

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It’s been a little while since I’ve done a family life update. What better time to do it than now, since I’m moving to Canada. Family life has been especially tough these past few years with imposed restrictions courtesy of the pandemic. Blessedly though, we seem to be on the…

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Quick Dinner Recipes For The Family

by Shandean Reid on November 27, 2021

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During lockdowns, I got so bored I tried all sorts of things, including quick dinners I’d never made before. I did fancy recipes and baked bread, too, but since cooking isn’t really my thing, I got tired of the cooking pretty quickly as supplementary take-out we were used to wasn’t…

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6 Tips for Shopping Abroad for The Family

by Shandean Reid on November 14, 2021

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If your family is anything like mine and you do the majority of your clothes shopping for the family abroad, then you can benefit from a few tips for making the most out of a trip. I was never big on shopping, but I’ve had to do more of it…

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One Year Natural Hair Growth Update

by Shandean Reid on November 11, 2021

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This month marks two years since I had my last relaxer and one year natural hair growth. I’ve been completely and wholly natural for a whole year. To say that I’m surprised, even as I write this post, is an understatement. I thought for sure I would have folded by…

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5 Reasons to Do Holiday Shopping Early (November)

by Shandean Reid on November 7, 2021

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Holiday Shopping at the last minute. Whew. I love Christmas, but honestly, this is one thing I don’t enjoy. Shopping for gifts. Bt I love to give them, so it’s a Catch 22. I do think, though, that there are ways to maximize the effort, and one of those ways…

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The Cost of Having a Child in Jamaica (Kingston)

by Shandean Reid on October 29, 2021

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The true cost of having a child is sometimes sugar-coated. As a matter of fact, many people are ragged on for not reproducing. I can’t see why. We can’t all reproduce. We shouldn’t even attempt it, but that is another story for another day. Many things are typically glossed over…

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Tips for Balancing Motherhood and School

by Shandean Reid on October 8, 2021

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I’ve been balancing motherhood and school life for over a month now and it is one of those things that I’ve never considered until it was time to actually do it. I now think about how women are encouraged to have this plan (you know the one), where you get…

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Five Painful Pregnancy Symptoms

by Shandean Reid on September 29, 2021

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Pregnancy is a beautiful journey in its entirety, but we mom can agree that there are some parts that are anything but. Painful pregnancy symptoms can be very common. What’s not common is how much they are discussed. Why is that? Yes, pregnancy is beautiful, but it can also be…

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Don’t Be A Wife to a Boyfriend… Eh, Really?

by Shandean Reid on September 24, 2021

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‘Don’t be a wife to a boyfriend.’ Don’t give your boyfriend husband privileges’’.’ Don’t act like a wife.’ Yaddi, yaddi, yadda. In this Internet age, I could point to a million blog posts, articles and memes telling women not to be a wife to a boyfriend. Hell, someone even wrote…

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Cost of Living In Jamaica 2021

by Shandean Reid on September 17, 2021

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My home island Jamaica has a fair number of ex-pats or potential ex-pats who want to know the cost of living in Jamaica. It is something that isn’t always readily available through a quick google search and even might be lacking. You can ask around, but answers are likely to…

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Sweet Red Wine For Beginners

by Shandean Reid on September 4, 2021

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I have a divine preference for red wines when it comes to alcohol. Specifically, I prefer sweet reds. So today, I thought of sharing a list of my favourite sweet red wines for beginners. Now, I’m not knocking a good bottle of white wine (excluding Chardonnays, I find the taste quite…

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60+ Blogmas Post Ideas – A Bloggers Guide

by Shandean Reid on September 1, 2021

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Let’s talk about Blogmas Post Ideas! I know, I know. It’s only September. I’m not crazy, I promise. December 2020 was my first year participating in Blogmas. It was truly a joy that helped me fall in love with blogging all over again, but it was also a very last-minute…

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Back to School List + Life Update

by Shandean Reid on August 28, 2021

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“ Have you done the booklist for back to school yet?” This is what my mother-in-law called to ask me one hot day in early August and I immediately thought, ‘Smaddy come for this lady’. My peace was shattered because I realized, summer holidays aren’t as long as they felt…

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The Secret To Good Mental Health? Staying Ahead Of It

by Shandean Reid on August 24, 2021

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As a Feel Good Expert, I know a thing or two about how to achieve good mental health. Coming from someone who has experienced the lowest of lows and highest of highs as a millennial mother, I want to share my postpartum struggles with as many women as possible. Because…

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Chlorine Hair Damage: What I Didn’t Know as a Mom

by Shandean Reid on August 22, 2021

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When my daughter started taking swimming lessons earlier this year, I had no idea that I needed to be protecting her from chlorine hair damage. She wore a swim cap, and though it still got wet around her hairline when I take her to the pool (And whenever my husband…

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Jamaican Bloggers With Active Blogs

by Shandean Reid on August 11, 2021

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Jamaican bloggers are a bit hard to uncover these days. When I say bloggers, I don’t mean content creators. If you’re wondering what the difference is, it’s in the content type. You see, all bloggers are content creators but not all content creators are bloggers. This means that content creators…

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I Got the COVID Vaccine – My Experience

by Shandean Reid on August 2, 2021

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After months of waiting my turn to be eligible for the Covid vaccine, I was finally able to get my first dose over the weekend. Up until now, the Jamaican government was focusing on specific priority groups, and though some people were able to still be vaccinated even if they…

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Juicy Oven Roasted Chicken (Quick Prep)

by Shandean Reid on July 20, 2021

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Have you ever made oven roasted chicken? Since the start of lockdowns of 2020, I’ve tried more recipes than a non-cooking lily like myself would probably have done for the next five years if all was normal in the world. However, lockdowns and early cut-off times for food delivered here…

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Money Myths Costing You Financial Freedom

by Shandean Reid on July 16, 2021

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Money myths. We’ve all heard them. In fact, more than anything else, they’re the starting point for most of us since financial education isn’t a priority on school curriculums. If our parents didn’t learn about financial planning and make it their priority to teach us, we had to learn as…

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Vogue’s 73 Questions | Bloggers Edition, Shandean Reid

by Shandean Reid on July 10, 2021

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Since TriniMomInDMiddle nominated me for Vogue’s 73 Questions and I enjoyed her post, I figured I’d take a stab at it. It’s been a while since I’ve nominated for tag posts in Blogland. When my blog was newer, I did quite a few. It was a lovely way to get…

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Summer Activities for Kids

by Shandean Reid on July 10, 2021

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I’ve never had to concern myself about summer activities for kids before. As a millennial mom, it’s been a long time since I’ve been bothered about what I was gonna do for the summer. Besides, back then, it was very simple. My Dad would pack my sister and I a…

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Tips for Managing Stress

by Shandean Reid on July 5, 2021

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I have, from the time I have known myself until now when I sit here writing this post, been terrible at managing stress. As if that weren’t bad enough on its own, I am equally terrible at identifying that am in fact, stressed. I can’t even lie, the last few…

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Millennial Mom Blog Update

by Shandean Reid on June 27, 2021

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If you’ve been a regular reader of my blog for a good bit of time, even as little as a year, you’ve noticed some major recent changes on the blog, but especially since December 2020. It’s a full-fledged millennial mom blog and lifestyle blog now. Why? Because I’ve finally given…

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Five Year Blog Anniversary

by Shandean Reid on June 21, 2021

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On June 9, 2021, I celebrated my five year blog anniversary. It makes me sad that I hadn’t even realised it until today when I am writing this, June 19, 2021 since I’ve been so mentally caught up these past few weeks. But this blog? I love this thing! I’ve…

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To My Husband and Father… On Father’s Day

by Shandean Reid on June 20, 2021

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Father’s Day is a celebration of Dads. It’s a day when we recognize the efforts of men who are father figures and actively raise children whether they are biologically connected or not. This post is dedicated to honouring my two lifetime favourites. My Dad and my husband.

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9 Family Financial Goals You Should Set

by Shandean Reid on June 19, 2021

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It goes without saying that when you start a family, there are bound to be some family financial goals that you will want to achieve. These goals require a team effort and typically include considerations for both individuals at the helm and any children old enough to have aspirations. Goals…

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7 Cleaning Hacks For Your Home

by Shandean Reid on June 17, 2021

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Sharing cleaning hacks for homes make me so happy! I mean, when you clean, and you can sit back and enjoy the awesome views, don’t you feel physically lighter? Is that just me? I refuse to believe it is! No way. Your visual and olfactory senses are in heaven and…

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So, You Want to Start a Blog

by Shandean Reid on June 14, 2021

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After reading all the posts about blogging and preparing yourself, you’ve decided you want to start a blog. That’s awesome. Let me be the first to roll out the welcome mat. By now, you understand this race is not for the swift but for those who can endure. And endurance…

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6 Months Natural Hair Growth Update: What I Learned

by Shandean Reid on June 7, 2021

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The month of May marked my 6 months natural milestone. I did my big chop after transitioning for six months in November 2020 and officially began my journey as a fully natural woman. And, whew! After being relaxed for the portion of 20 years, this has definitely been a learning…

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Things Dating Couples Should Have ‘The Talk’ About Sooner.

by Shandean Reid on May 17, 2021

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There are certain topics I believe dating couples should have the talk about sooner rather than later. For some reason, delaying important topics during the ‘getting to know each other’ stage has been romanticised to the point where individuals feel that it is too ‘heavy’, or ‘serious’ to discuss more…

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