Hey everyone, this is my first ever post on Reddit.
I'm 28 currently living in Portugal, and I could really use some advice regarding my long-distance relationship. I met this amazing girl from Russia online, and we've been together for three years (We both speak russian). We've met in person twice during this time (two weeks each time). Those meetings that we had were truly amazing and unforgettable. We've spent countless hours together on Discord everyday, even falling asleep on voice chat every night for three years (and 3 months). We played games, watched movies, series, anime, videos on Youtube, Tiktoks. We deeply loved each other, but we've been struggling to figure out our future together.
The main issue in our relationship was that we couldn't decide what to do next, how to bridge the distance between us. She couldn't come to Portugal for an extended period due to personal reasons, including sick mother and financial constraints. She proposed various solutions, like trying to move to a third country together, maybe somewhere in the Baltics, or waiting another two years and then her coming to Portugal. However, the solution she really wanted was for us to move to Kaliningrad (a city in Russia located in Europe), live there for a couple of years, and then potentially move to Portugal or another country. I wanted her to come visit for a month or two, and then, being together, we could figure out what to do next. But she couldn't just come for a short period because of her job; she couldn't afford to lose it due to financial reasons.
I rejected all her suggestions at the time, but I couldn't fully explain why. Perhaps I was afraid. After many discussions, we decided to break up. However, we tried to spend less time together online, and I even refused a couple of times. But it was difficult without her, and I would often invite her to spend time together, just like she did many times. During the month after our breakup, she once suggested getting back together, but I refused, fearing we'd end up back in the same situation of uncertainty about our future. She hinted a couple more times that we should get back together, but I ignored her.
Over time, I began to realize that our breakup was a huge mistake and that I love her deeply and I'm willing to do anything for our future together. I realized I was afraid to take any serious steps towards our future. Exactly a month after we broke up, I decided to tell her how much I love her and how much I've reconsidered in my life, and that I'm ready to do whatever it takes for our future together. But she refused. She said I should have done it sooner and that she's afraid to trust again, afraid that I might change my mind again, as we almost broke up a year ago for the same reason (I was very worried that it would be difficult for us to start a life together). This rejection hit me very hard, and I'm incredibly hurt and devastated that I missed my chance at happiness and I know that i made her incredibly hurt and devastated.
I've been trying to talk to her, trying to explain that I was a fool and I was wrong, that I love her very much and I'm willing to do anything for us to be together. And for the past week, I've been trying to make things right, but she's very clear and straightforward in her refusal, and I don't know what to do.
I would appreciate any advice or insight you all might have. Thank you.

Hello everyone,
I spend some time trading with futures before, but since this is not allowed in The Netherlands anymore the only possibility to trade with leverage is via spot margin. I got an issue this morning i didn't have before and don't know how to solve it.
BTC/USDT - Short
Current price: 62700
Order price: 62299
TP: 62005
SL: 62501
The trade started immediately and ended too. Normally the 'order price' would be a trigger price. I did a test and also without TP and SL this happened.
It makes sense because i sell something for a lower price than the current price, i'm just not aware of a solution. I always prefer to place a trade with a trigger price and to fill in the TP and SL too, so i can have a good night of sleep when the order is still open.
https://preview.redd.it/8lwyowl4nf0d1.png?width=292&format=png&auto=webp&s=458f219232a1136f704a8d3b72fc81f98bd38b00

Hey, fellow Redditors!
I'm thrilled to introduce Valu Genie, a Chrome extension designed to revolutionize how you shop for computer components. Are you tired of endlessly comparing products to find the best deals? Well, say goodbye to that hassle because Valu Genie is here to make your life easier!
With Valu Genie, you can effortlessly compare prices across the market and make smart shopping decisions without the stress. Our intuitive extension swiftly identifies the most cost-effective computer parts tailored to your requirements, saving you time and money.
Here's what Valu Genie offers:

• Seamless Search Feature: Instantly discover the optimal hard drive and memory options for your needs and budget with our seamless search feature.
  
• Meticulous Price Comparison: Activate the Valu Genie extension while browsing product pages, and watch as it meticulously compares prices across vendors, ensuring you snag the best deals effortlessly.
  
• Dedicated Support: Encounter any hurdles along the way? Our dedicated support team is here to provide swift assistance. Just shoot us an email at [support@valugenie.com](mailto:support@valugenie.com), and we'll be happy to help!
  

At Valu Genie, we're committed to making savvy shopping decisions accessible to everyone. Currently, we are focused for Canada to start, so whether you're upgrading your rig or building a new PC, Valu Genie is your go-to solution.
We're excited to hear your thoughts and feedback on Valu Genie. Give it a try and let us know what you think!
Check out our website here for more information, and feel free to reach out if you have any questions.
Happy shopping!

I know it was your first relationship. At 28, you had already been through so much, having been on your own for 13 years. You were forced to grow up too fast, and had to prioritize yourself, building a life from nothing. I get it. It was your fierce independence that made me fall for you in the first place.
I always knew that trying to build a life with you was going to be a struggle. I thought it would be worth it, for both of us. You deserve to have someone in your corner, that always has your back. You shouldn’t have to be alone. I don’t know if you believed the same.
I think I gave up too much of myself for you. Was that my mistake or yours? Did you really ask for too much, or did I give too freely without expectation for anything in return? Maybe both. Probably more on me. I’m not perfect by a long shot.
Compromise. It really does all come down to that. I tried to show you its importance, but in the process I ended up being the only one willing to do it. Me getting to pick what movie we watched or getting to plan a date became something I only got to do on special occasions. You said you felt like you didn’t know me, but so many times in so many ways I offered up little pieces of me to you. I share myself by sharing the things I love with the people I love. But more and more towards the end, all you’d say was “no”. Ignoring any context. Ignoring those pieces of me.
I know you don’t like movies about kids. I know asking to watch Home Alone during Christmas was a big ask. But it was a tradition that I shared with my dad, who I lost just over a year before. I know you think that traditions are pointless, but it was important to me. My earliest memories are of that. I needed to continue on, but I couldn’t bring myself to do it alone. I needed you there, your support. It was such a small gesture I was asking of you, but all I got was “no”. Instead we watched a movie you picked: Harry Potter and the Sorcerer’s Stone. A movie made by the exact same people that made Home Alone, and with even more kids.
We wanted to go to Ireland. Personally I’ve been wanting to go for years, but couldn’t because of my dad’s illness along with everything else going on. You knew that in the last 3 years I lost all of my grandparents, two uncles, my dad. I couldn’t risk going so far away for so long while everyone was sick. My mom saw me giving up the latter half of my 20s for my family, when she was hoping I would be enjoying life and seeing the world. That’s why she was happy to give us the money to have the trip of our dreams. I explained all of this to you while you were struggling to find a way to save for the trip. All my mom wanted in return was a single nice photo of us. That wasn’t even a requirement for the money. She just wanted to see me with the person that I love making our dreams come true. I know you hate having your picture taken. The only attention your dad ever gave you was when he wanted to test a new camera. It’s a trauma trigger. But I was only asking for one picture. You’d compromise for your friends, you’d compromise for your sister. You’d take pictures with them. Why wouldn’t you compromise for your partner, and the other most important person in your partners life? After a year, we have 3 pictures together, none of which are very good. I know that I was asking for a lot, but I felt so less important than everyone else in your life. Maybe you felt that as your partner, I was to be held to a higher standard? I honestly don’t know. All you said was “no”.
You admitted yourself I was so supportive. I always prioritized you. From always making your tea before mine, to giving you the better looking plate at dinner, to planting all of your favorite flowers in my garden. I always complemented you, how smart you are, how beautiful you are, how driven and independent you are. Your friend needed a ride to a 5k and someone to cheer them on? I was there. You needed someone to drive you around while your car was in the shop for 2 months? No problem. Accidentally overdrew your account again, and you couldn’t afford the late fees? Here’s $50. Need to move on short notice? I’m the guy tearing apart and moving your furniture. You have a migraine so bad you can’t eat? I’m bringing you pedialyte and sleeping on your couch, even though I didn’t actually get any sleep. I learned all your rituals so not to trigger your OCD. There are countless other examples. I never said no. I never complained. You rarely said so much as “thank you”.
The big one. The thing that ended us. You’re right, we did sit down like adults time and time again and talked things out. You said you needed me to anticipate your needs. You’d get overwhelmed, and couldn’t articulate what you needed from me. You couldn’t stand being asked what you needed. You just needed me to start helping. “Mental loads” and all that. I took that to heart. But I’m not perfect. Sometimes I’d miss the mark. Tried to support you, but in the wrong way. Even in my failures I showed effort, but you never seemed to see that. You only focused on how I failed.
We recognized that this was a problem caused by both of us. The communication wasn’t getting through. But I had already adapted to your communication style as much as I could. My exited, rambling, almost impulsive way of generating ideas became slow, methodical, thoughtful. I put intention behind everything so not to overwhelm you. I learned not to jump at the obvious solution.
Yes, we sat down like adults and talked things over time and time again. You told me what you needed from me, but I also told you what I needed from you. If I was missing the mark, please just guide me to what you needed. I’m not a mind reader. I did it for you all the time. You were honestly awful at anticipating my needs too. If I was venting, had a bad day, all you’d say was “I’m sorry”, and pat me on the back like a puppy. No effort to dig deeper. No words of support or encouragement. So I had to show you how I needed support. I just needed you to do the same for me. “No”. Again.
One final time, I sent you words of support when you were having a bad day. It wasn’t enough, you wanted more. A phone call? For me to come over so you could vent in person? Did you actually want me to directly help for once? I don’t know. You never told me. Instead of guiding me to what you needed, you immediately shut down. Full silent treatment. I’ve been in abusive relationships where the silent treatment was welded as a weapon. I know you didn’t mean it in an abusive way, you were just overwhelmed again. But I never expected it from you. I didn’t see it for what it was. I only ever asked one thing from you to save us. I put in the work, got us 80% of the way there. I knew I couldn’t bridge the gap on my own. I wasn’t even asking you to put in effort on my behalf, it was for your benefit. I begged you time and time again for help. To communicate. Not to put it all on me, because I couldn’t do it on my own. But instead, you did the opposite.
You said that you felt like you were putting more effort into the relationship than I was. I’m sorry, but I can’t see that effort. I’m trying to give you the benefit of the doubt, but I can’t. Maybe you mean you put effort into forgiving me every time I messed up? Maybe you mean that you were always planning dates, always picking what we watched, where we went, what we ate, what we drank? Again, mental loads and such. But I had things that I wanted to do and share with you that you always turned down. You only had to plan everything after my plans were rejected. It would have been more efficient for you to show love, patience, and compromise. Maybe we would have worked out then.
But then you left.

Hey all, at least once a day there seems to be a post in this subreddit complaining about the quality of matches or teammates. In those posts there seems to be a split on whether or not there is a problem or player behavior is justified. I'm going to leave most of my opinions at the end of this post, but from my point of view it's obvious that there is a problem that is clearly illustrated by how often players choose to forfeit, but most players are unwilling or even mentally blocking themselves from the idea that they might be part of the problem. I had already taken up note taking in video games as I played Dark Souls for the first time, so I decided to continue this when I came back to Rocket League and record stats and tallies by hand of instances when my teammates vote to forfeit.
​
For context, all of these matches were in the 3v3 competitive playlist from the Diamond 1 to Diamond 2 range. I wanted to come up with a system that made it easy to record quickly during games, so I kept tallies of the basic stats in the first table, and in terms of forfeiting I recorded the time of the first vote, the score, and notes (things I wanted to keep track of but ultimately didn't deserve their own tallies). Right off the bat we can see that it only took 311 matches for me to reach 100 instances of forfeiture, this means almost one third of my games are going to include a teammate forfeiting. Out of those 100 times where a teammate voted to forfeit, 34 times also included the teammate idling or hard throwing. That means almost 1 out of every 9 matches I played was ruined solely by someone on my team not playing the game as intended. It's also extremely important to note that I only recorded instances of this happening on my team. I'm making the assumption that all of this happens at a slightly higher rate on the other team because I personally don't vote to forfeit or throw my matches.
​
Here are the results of what I recorded:
​

Games played	Wins	Losses	Vote to ff?	idle or hard throw?	OTW (includes W)	OTL (includes L)
311	153	158	100	34	31	27

​

	Time left at first vote	Score	Notes
1	0:07	2-1
2	0:37	3-1	toxic in text
3	0:42	3-2
4	3:30	3-0	immediate throw after ff vote
5	2:23	3-0
6	0:07	4-0
7	1:25	up 2-0	conceded immediately after, still won
8	0:35	2-1
9	0:47	4-1
10	1:42	2-2	led whole game then lost
11	2:51	4-1	toxic in text
12	1:26	4-1
13	1:28	3-0
14	3:20	3-0	mid-play vote, teammate threw
15	2:58	2-0
16	2:00	3-0
17	3:17	4-0	teammate quit at 2-0 with 4:00 remaining, ff accepted
18	2:23	2-0
19	0:14	4-2
20	0:15	3-1
21	3:22	3-0	player left the match
22	1:30	4-0
23	3:30	4-1	almost came back
24	3:22	3-0
25	1:07	5-1	teammate left match
26	1:50	3-0
27	1:20	3-0	teammate left immediately after ff vote
28	0:45	3-1
29	2:34	4-3
30	1:55	1-0	mid-play
31	0:36	3-1
32	0:23	5-1
33	2:27	3-0
34	1:26	4-0
35	3:26	1-1	was leading, teammate quit immediately after ff vote
36	2:02	2-2	OT win, teammate voted mid-play
37	1:37	2-1	voted as the enemy team ball rolled into goal to be 3-1
38	0:45	3-1
39	1:08	2-0	mid-play, teammate later left match
40	2:55	3-1
41	2:41	4-0
42	0:52	2-2	mid-play, other team eventually won, teammate left early
43	0:24	5-1
44	0:44	3-3	ff vote @ them tying, we won
45	1:52	up 4-1	ff when other team first scored, we won, this is the only ff vote i feel bad about including here
46	0:09	3-1
47	1:04	3-0	immediate throw after ff vote
48	0:54	3-1
49	0:03	5-3	mid-play
50	0:15	3-1
51	0:07	2-4
52	0:15	0-1	mid play, idle after vote
53	1:49	3-1	was told to kms by probably the only player that got banned during this experiment
54	0:21	3-1
55	2:47	2-1	all downhill after one bad goal
56	0:50	5-1	idle after vote, still got one goal back
57	1:02	4-0	made it 2-4, one guy seemed IRL distracted during portions of the match
58	0:02	5-1	teammate idled and quit after opponent scored a quick goal in 5 seconds. remaining teammate and I played the 2v3
59	0:32	2-4
60	0:06	4-2	mid-play vote, then we conceded, game took longer to end because of the goal and replays than if we'd just played it out
61	0:06	3-1
62	2:20	3-0	teammate threw then left at 4-0
63	2:40	3-0	team played worse after ff vote, 7-1 final
64	3:15	4-0	teammate threw
65	0:15	2-1
66	3:22	3-0
67	2:51	2-0	teammate quit at 2:23 3-0
68	0:06	2-4
69	0:55	4-0
70	2:40	2-0	mid-play, both teammates quit at 2:05 3-0
71	0:01	3-3	mid-play, won in OT
72	2:03	4-0	idle before and after ff vote
73	1:06	3-5
74	2:00	3-3	won in OT
75	1:42	3-0
76	2:25	3-1	first 2 goals because teammate was idle
77	1:26	3-0
78	2:58	1-0
79	2:46	1-0	mid-play, we won 4-2
80	1:52	5-0
81	2:24	4-0	teammate left after we scored to make game 4-1
82	1:24	2-0
83	0:06	3-1
84	0:44	2-4
85	0:35	3-1
86	2:50	0-0	mid-play, we won 4-1
87	1:07	3-2	we won 4-3 in OT
88	0:11	2-0
89	0:32	3-1
90	1:12	3-0	teammate quit at 4-0 0:47
91	0:15	1-0
92	0:36	2-0
93	0:53	3-1
94	1:46	3-0
95	3:18	3-1
96	0:17	3-1
97	2:29	3-0	idle and quit after 4-0
98	2:23	4-4	losing 3-0 at 4:15, ff vote at tying goal, one teammate goading the other to ff in chat, we won 5-4
99	0:49	2-2	won in OT
100	1:38	3-0

​
As an information dump, here are some of the statistics I found interesting with these instances of forfeiting.
​

• The median time when forfeits were first voted on was 1:25.5 left on the clock. 34 times there were 2 or more minutes left, and 10 times there were 3 or more minutes left
• 60 votes occurred with a 2 goal or less deficit, an additional 15 votes occurred at a 3 goal deficit
• 18 votes occurred with 15 seconds or less on the clock. 4 times the deficit was 1 goal, 11 times the deficit was 2, and one vote occurred in a tie game
• 19 votes occurred with between 30 seconds and 1 minute on the clock, 16 of those votes were a 2 goal or less deficit
• 27 votes occurred with between 1 and 2 minutes left on the clock, 11 times the deficit was 2 or less, 11 more times the deficit was exactly 3
• 44 votes occurred while my team was getting shut out
• 10 matches with votes were won, but this includes the only "joke" ff, 2 games where we were leading and 7 when we were tied. In other words, every game where I was losing at the moment and a teammate voted to ff was lost
• 10 votes happened as the other team tied the game, we lost 3 (see above)

​
I'm pretty terrible when it comes to Excel/Google Sheets, but if anyone wants to mess around with this data set to find any other cool stats I'd be very interested.
​
My Thoughts
​
My original purpose when I started to keep track of my games was to try and prove that most games when my teammates vote to forfeit are still winnable, but I no longer feel that is the case, although for different reasons than I expected. Now, I feel like a lot of matches are lost the moment my teammate voted to forfeit either because of the idling/hard throwing, or because of what I perceive as passive throwing by my teammates. I never recorded "passive throwing" because there isn't a reliable way to do so, but a lot of the time it feels like certain players are mentally out of the game once they've hit that vote to forfeit button. Those players make a habit out of forfeiting, which causes them to lose the ability to see a path to victory in matches that are winnable (example: 4-1 with 1:30 on the clock), and this creates a self-fulfilling prophecy where a large portion of the player population just doesn't see the value in playing matches where they are more likely to lose than win.
​
I don't expect most people to have the self-awareness to realize the self fulfilling prophecy they've created, which is why I believe something has to be done to restrict or remove players ability to forfeit in competitive and tournament playlists. Personally, I never plan on forfeiting and I don't want to know when my teammates have voted for it. Why isn't there an option for me to disable the "vote to forfeit" text on my HUD just like people do with quick chat? Additionally, I think one good idea would be to only allow players the ability to initiate a vote a certain number of times per day, and disable the option entirely in tournaments. I didn't record my tournament games on paper, but several times my team would win 3-4 games, go down by 2 goals in the next game, and then one of my teammates votes to ff and checks out of the game. It's ridiculous that this kind of thing happens so regularly in game modes that are advertised as "competitive". I don't want to pretend like I know the perfect solution, I just think in the game's current state it is far too easy for players to give up, and barriers need to be put in place to keep games competitive, therefore something has to change.
​
I know a lot of people will believe players will act this way even if forfeiting wasn't an option, but I think the option of an easy way out affects mentally weak players' gameplay in matches where they are losing. I played Overwatch for many years, a game where matches are much longer and forfeiting is not an option. That game can be toxic as hell, but I've never seen the amount of throwing or giving up in Overwatch that I do in Rocket League. Even when Blizzard was having problems with people leaving quickplay matches after one lost fight, I rarely saw people stop trying in competitive matches just because they got their ass kicked in round 1. In Overwatch, there was a sense of commitment once you got into a competitive match that straight up doesn't exist in Rocket League. I believe the fact that forfeiting has never been an option in Overwatch and always an option in Rocket League has contributed to how willing players are to give up in these respective games. To me, there really isn't ever a good reason to forfeit in RL, but there are still instances that are more ridiculous than others. 22 times my team voted to forfeit with under 30 seconds on the clock, and 18 of those times the deficit was 2 goals or less. Why wouldn't you play out 30 seconds or less just to see if you can get 2 goals? The worst that can happen is it takes you less than 30 seconds to get into a new game, in the best case you might be able to get a goal at the kickoff and then a 0 second goal to go to OT. Yet so many players in this community would rather deny themselves an opportunity for something amazing just because it isn't likely to happen, even when the time cost is absolutely minimal.
​
I hope that this post inspires some discussion and helps players realize how detrimental habitual forfeiting is in modes that want to call themselves "competitive". I also want to tell the players who want to play out every game that you don't owe anyone on either team a forfeit if you don't want to. I know a lot of people feel pressured when someone tells them to forfeit or when they see 2 teammates vote for it, but any reason you want to play out a game is valid, even if you're getting destroyed 10-0 and just want to get one goal. 5 minutes + replays is not an unreasonable time commitment and if anyone tries to pressure you into forfeiting, they aren't worth considering. I hope this can change in the future, because I want to be put on teams that want to try and overcome a 3 goal deficit, and I want to play against teams the make me fight to hold a 3 goal lead. Instead we have a community that is hyper focused on trying to determine when a match isn't worth effort anymore, and competitive playlists and tournaments have suffered because of it. This makes me sad because Rocket League is so simple and elegant that I consider it to be one of the best multiplayer games ever made, but this community-created problem is big enough where it makes me want to play other games.
​
TL;DR Habitual forfeiting is a major problem in Rocket League, and I hope we can actually have an honest conversation about it

I know it was your first relationship. At 28, you had already been through so much, having been on your own for 13 years. You were forced to grow up too fast, and had to prioritize yourself, building a life from nothing. I get it. It was your fierce independence that made me fall for you in the first place.
I always knew that trying to build a life with you was going to be a struggle. I thought it would be worth it, for both of us. You deserve to have someone in your corner, that always has your back. You shouldn’t have to be alone. I don’t know if you believed the same.
I think I gave up too much of myself for you. Was that my mistake or yours? Did you really ask for too much, or did I give too freely without expectation for anything in return? Maybe both. Probably more on me. I’m not perfect by a long shot.
Compromise. It really does all come down to that. I tried to show you its importance, but in the process I ended up being the only one willing to do it. Me getting to pick what movie we watched or getting to plan a date became something I only got to do on special occasions. You said you felt like you didn’t know me, but so many times in so many ways I offered up little pieces of me to you. I share myself by sharing the things I love with the people I love. But more and more towards the end, all you’d say was “no”. Ignoring any context. Ignoring those pieces of me.
I know you don’t like movies about kids. I know asking to watch Home Alone during Christmas was a big ask. But it was a tradition that I shared with my dad, who I lost just over a year before. I know you think that traditions are pointless, but it was important to me. My earliest memories are of that. I needed to continue on, but I couldn’t bring myself to do it alone. I needed you there, your support. It was such a small gesture I was asking of you, but all I got was “no”. Instead we watched a movie you picked: Harry Potter and the Sorcerer’s Stone. A movie made by the exact same people that made Home Alone, and with even more kids.
We wanted to go to Ireland. Personally I’ve been wanting to go for years, but couldn’t because of my dad’s illness along with everything else going on. You knew that in the last 3 years I lost all of my grandparents, two uncles, my dad. I couldn’t risk going so far away for so long while everyone was sick. My mom saw me giving up the latter half of my 20s for my family, when she was hoping I would be enjoying life and seeing the world. That’s why she was happy to give us the money to have the trip of our dreams. I explained all of this to you while you were struggling to find a way to save for the trip. All my mom wanted in return was a single nice photo of us. That wasn’t even a requirement for the money. She just wanted to see me with the person that I love making our dreams come true. I know you hate having your picture taken. The only attention your dad ever gave you was when he wanted to test a new camera. It’s a trauma trigger. But I was only asking for one picture. You’d compromise for your friends, you’d compromise for your sister. You’d take pictures with them. Why wouldn’t you compromise for your partner, and the other most important person in your partners life? After a year, we have 3 pictures together, none of which are very good. I know that I was asking for a lot, but I felt so less important than everyone else in your life. Maybe you felt that as your partner, I was to be held to a higher standard? I honestly don’t know. All you said was “no”.
You admitted yourself I was so supportive. I always prioritized you. From always making your tea before mine, to giving you the better looking plate at dinner, to planting all of your favorite flowers in my garden. I always complemented you, how smart you are, how beautiful you are, how driven and independent you are. Your friend needed a ride to a 5k and someone to cheer them on? I was there. You needed someone to drive you around while your car was in the shop for 2 months? No problem. Accidentally overdrew your account again, and you couldn’t afford the late fees? Here’s $50. Need to move on short notice? I’m the guy tearing apart and moving your furniture. You have a migraine so bad you can’t eat? I’m bringing you pedialyte and sleeping on your couch, even though I didn’t actually get any sleep. I learned all your rituals so not to trigger your OCD. There are countless other examples. I never said no. I never complained. You rarely said so much as “thank you”.
The big one. The thing that ended us. You’re right, we did sit down like adults time and time again and talked things out. You said you needed me to anticipate your needs. You’d get overwhelmed, and couldn’t articulate what you needed from me. You couldn’t stand being asked what you needed. You just needed me to start helping. “Mental loads” and all that. I took that to heart. But I’m not perfect. Sometimes I’d miss the mark. Tried to support you, but in the wrong way. Even in my failures I showed effort, but you never seemed to see that. You only focused on how I failed.
We recognized that this was a problem caused by both of us. The communication wasn’t getting through. But I had already adapted to your communication style as much as I could. My exited, rambling, almost impulsive way of generating ideas became slow, methodical, thoughtful. I put intention behind everything so not to overwhelm you. I learned not to jump at the obvious solution.
Yes, we sat down like adults and talked things over time and time again. You told me what you needed from me, but I also told you what I needed from you. If I was missing the mark, please just guide me to what you needed. I’m not a mind reader. I did it for you all the time. You were honestly awful at anticipating my needs too. If I was venting, had a bad day, all you’d say was “I’m sorry”, and pat me on the back like a puppy. No effort to dig deeper. No words of support or encouragement. So I had to show you how I needed support. I just needed you to do the same for me. “No”. Again.
One final time, I sent you words of support when you were having a bad day. It wasn’t enough, you wanted more. A phone call? For me to come over so you could vent in person? Did you actually want me to directly help for once? I don’t know. You never told me. Instead of guiding me to what you needed, you immediately shut down. Full silent treatment. I’ve been in abusive relationships where the silent treatment was welded as a weapon. I know you didn’t mean it in an abusive way, you were just overwhelmed again. But I never expected it from you. I didn’t see it for what it was. I only ever asked one thing from you to save us. I put in the work, got us 80% of the way there. I knew I couldn’t bridge the gap on my own. I wasn’t even asking you to put in effort on my behalf, it was for your benefit. I begged you time and time again for help. To communicate. Not to put it all on me, because I couldn’t do it on my own. But instead, you did the opposite.
You said that you felt like you were putting more effort into the relationship than I was. I’m sorry, but I can’t see that effort. I’m trying to give you the benefit of the doubt, but I can’t. Maybe you mean you put effort into forgiving me every time I messed up? Maybe you mean that you were always planning dates, always picking what we watched, where we went, what we ate, what we drank? Again, mental loads and such. But I had things that I wanted to do and share with you that you always turned down. You only had to plan everything after my plans were rejected. It would have been more efficient for you to show love, patience, and compromise. Maybe we would have worked out then.
But then you left.
​
​
​

I recently suffered a data loss due to an overflow of nbt items. I want to make sure it doesnt happen again. How would i go about taking Items with NBT data out of my storage system? Im using both ae2 and Mekanism’s QIO. A solution for either would work. I know about An export bus with a fuzzy card, but is there any way to no have to set the filter for each item i want gone?

I was partially emboldened to ask for guidance in this subreddit because of the (very validating) post about certain medication leading to heat intolerance, but I’m also asking here because gardening and sensory issue subreddits didn’t seem like the appropriate place. I’m just hoping someone here has the same experience as me but with more insight and solutions.
I live in Alabama. The air is scorching hot, damp, and alive with all manner of swarming, buzzing insects that desperately want to get inside your eyes, ears, and nose. Even taking out the garbage and coming right back inside makes sweat roll down my back, and it’s not uncommon for me to see sweat dripping from my nose and elbows if I stay outside for a half hour in the summer.
During the summer months, I try to avoid being outside if at all possible. I’ve decided it would be great to grow a small garden, though, and that’s pretty incompatible with staying indoors all summer (no space for an indoor garden), so now I’m faced with:
1) the desire to go outside, and 2) the sensory discomfort of being outside.
Does anyone else hate the heat, feel suffocated by the humidity, want to scream from sensory overload when bugs crawl on them and STILL manage to garden? If so, HOW??
To get ahead of the obvious solutions, I already use bug spray, but it only cuts the bug issue in half. They’re still always around my face, and I always get some mosquito bites no matter how carefully I apply the spray. Of course I use sunscreen religiously to protect my skin, but the heat itself is still miserable.
Are there any pants you wear that are mosquito-proof? Or do you get up at 5am every Saturday to work in your garden to beat the heat? Do you use citronella torches around your yard?
Thanks for reading this far, and much appreciation to anyone who throws a thought or suggestion my way!

So as we all know The Master is one of the greatest villains in Fallout, being both evil and sympathetic. His methods are cruel, yet his goals of Unity are noble and when presented with the fact that his goals are flawed he gives up and is willing to tear down everything he built. However, I think the issue of the mutants being sterile is lesser compared to one major issue with his plan of unity. Now i must disclaimer here as some of my points are inspired by aspects that we learn in later games, im also not saying he is a bad villain because of these aspects and i even think my argument actually makes him even better as a villain.

1. Mutants being sterile has an easy solution: The master was planning on using humans who were untouched by radiation, notably vault dwellers, to be those chosen to become his master race of mutants. This is because they retain/increase in intelligence rather than losing it like with the second gens, but, as they are sterile they cannot reproduce in a traditional way putting a damper on his plan for evolving humanity. However, he could simply keep a population of pure humans as stock for his mutants, enough of them to not inbreed but not too many to undermine his plan of unity. He already intended to keep the wasteland humans around but just sterilise them. These humans could be brought up to see becoming a mutant as the highest honour with their society being engineered into worshipping the master. Obviously this is something that would take considerable time but the master always looked on the longterm anyway.
2. The mutants are not as unified as he presents: Whilst his plan seeks to remove differences in humanity regarding race, gender and class he inadvertently creates multiple classes of mutants all of which would probably cause friction with each other down the line. First we have the first gens, keeping or improving on intelligence and these are the main stock of the master race. Then we have the second gens, who are former humans tainted with radiation meaning they lose their intelligence, we see in New Vegas that whilst they are not opposed, there is a clear hierarchy with the first gens being considered superior. Now the master was not actually intending to create more second gens and they were mostly used as footsoldiers, but their very existence and the fact that they have the same longevity as the first gens this would inevitably create a hierarchy down the line. Then we get to the Nightkin, his elite and the very fact that he has an elite is contradiction to his unity. Furthermore, the nightkin are also plagued by mental health problems due to their use of stealthboys further exacerbating their differences, though this was something that appeared down the line and he may have not foreseen. Theres also the psychic humans he has but we probably know the least about his plans regarding them.

Now the counterpoint to this is the fact that they all still revere the master and he allegedly has psychic influence over them but that doesnt mean that they would not fight amongst themselves for the masters approval as they still show individuality even under his psychic powers. The master essentially sought to create a false unity, one which revolved around him and would lead to more division down the line and if/when he failed would create more division in the wasteland with there now being three different kinds of mutants, ghouls and humans who still have their internal divisions. I always found it weird how Marcus was fully behind the masters plan in both Fallout 2 and New Vegas even though in both games he is dealing with the fallout (hehe) of the masters flawed unity. Less so in 2 as they were caused by humans but especially in New Vegas where there is a division between the first/second gen's and the nightkin.
Please share your thoughts and i welcome any counter points/differing interpretations.
EDIT: I would like to add a real historical parallel to my post that i forgot to mention, The master has parallels to the Soviet Union. The Soviet Union following a Marxist-Leninist system sought to eliminate class difference and this was done through very brutal means especially towards the peasants. However, one of the not so brutal methods they used was by giving incentives to those who joined the Communist Party, this in turn backfired and had created more class division in the USSR by forming a new class the Nomenklatura who were those in the party. Both the Soviet Union and the Master created a false unity that revolved around the heads of state, they both created an elite (the nightkin and nomenklatura) and both justified their horrible actions with a philosophy that promised an end to the divide between humans and grant total equality even though they both undermined this goal.

In light of the skepticism towards social democratic ideals in the US, largely due to historical biases and a misunderstanding of its principles, I propose a rebranding of social democratic policies to make them more appealing. Social democracy has proven successful in various countries and offers practical solutions that align with core American values.
Let's face it, the Cold War irrevocably tainted any ideology even tangentially related to the word "social", and one could argue that this deeply ingrained aversion to terms such as "socialism" or "social democracy" is a major contributor to Sanders' loss in 2016, even though his policies would objectively benefit the lower 50% of the population.
Rebranding social democratic policies and other social democratic safety nets in a way that makes them more appealing to demographics wary of the terms like "socialism" and "social democracy" involves a strategic communication approach that emphasizes shared values, practical benefits, and relatable messaging. Here are some key points that I think we should implement in order to successfully enact socialist policy that would overwhelmingly benefit the lower 50%:

• Use Inclusive and Familiar Language:

Instead of terms like "socialism" or even "social democracy," use language that resonates with American values, such as "freedom," "security," "opportunity," and "family support." Phrases like "economic security," "family benefits," and "health assurance" can frame these concepts in a more positive and accessible light. This is what the ultraconservative billionaires do with their private foundations and political non profits (Americans for Prosperity, etc.)

• Emphasize Fairness and Equality of Opportunity:

Many people are motivated by the idea of a fair playing field. Highlight how safety nets are about giving everyone a fair shot at success, not just providing handouts. For instance, explain how access to healthcare and education enables all citizens to contribute more effectively to the economy. Emphasize the fact that a lot of these "self-made" actually started out with significant family resources at their disposals (Jeff Bezos, Elon Musk, etc.)

• Highlight Economic Benefits and Efficiency:

Discuss the economic rationality behind safety nets, such as reducing emergency healthcare costs through preventative care or boosting economic productivity through better-educated workers. Show how these measures can save money in the long run and stabilize the economy. Investment in education = more efficient workers = more efficient economy; therefore, it is in America's advantage to make higher education more accessible.

• Use Success Stories and Relatable Examples:

People connect with personal stories more than abstract concepts. Share success stories of individuals and communities that have benefited from these programs. Highlight examples from conservative or traditionally right-leaning areas where social programs have led to positive outcomes. The New Deal policies enacted under FDR come to mind as they were remarkably beneficial to the lower class before being systematically dismantled during the Reagan Era.

• Focus on Family and Community Values:

Frame safety nets as a way to protect and uplift families and communities, ensuring that no one is left behind during tough times. This can appeal to communal and familial instincts, which are strong in many conservative areas. Republicans LOVE family values, so finding a way to promote these policies in the name of "family" is a must.

• Stress Independence and Self-Sufficiency:

Rather than presenting safety nets as charity, frame them as tools that help people become self-sufficient. For example, job training programs can be branded as "career advancement networks," emphasizing their role in helping individuals climb the economic ladder on their own terms. This one is huge. Self-sufficiency and independence are a major reason cars are still so prevalent as apposed to public transit in this country. Figuring out a way to emphasize the importance of social policies as pivotal to these ideals is crucial.

• Leverage Bipartisan Support:

Where possible, highlight bipartisan support for certain measures, demonstrating that they are not about partisan politics but about common-sense solutions to shared problems. This can help reduce the fear of a "socialist" agenda. This one is difficult due to how obdurate Republicans can be, but garnering Republican support is essential.

• Avoid Patronizing or Condescending Tones:

When communicating these ideas, it’s crucial to respect the intelligence and concerns of the audience. Avoid talking down or dismissing their fears. Instead, acknowledge their concerns and provide thoughtful, evidence-based responses. Look, I get it - it can be hard to deal with many conservatives without feeling an air of haughtiness. But rather than contempt I propose pity: these poor people lack the requisite critical thinking skills to recognize corporate propaganda, and patronizing them only leads to further division.

• Use Local Influencers and Leaders:

Messages are often more persuasive when delivered by familiar and trusted voices. Engaging local leaders, religious figures, and influencers who can speak to the benefits of these policies in a culturally resonant way can increase acceptance and understanding. Social media is also a must. TikTok, Instagram Reels, and Youtube shorts have proven invaluable in disseminating ideologies.

• Demonstrate Government Efficiency:

Many fears around social democracies relate to perceptions of government inefficiency. Demonstrate cases where government intervention has been efficient and effective, and highlight improvements and reforms that aim to enhance government accountability and performance. Again, think FDR's New Deal.
By addressing cultural values and speaking directly to the needs and concerns of skeptical demographics, it's possible to reshape perceptions of social democratic policies in a way that emphasizes their practicality, necessity, and alignment with broadly held American values.
Rebranding our core ideals as "patriotic" and renovating them with a big Red White and Blue veneer should be our sole focus. In order to effect meaningful change, we need to use tried and true tactics borrowed from the conservative billionaire ruling class. Using their strategy of adopting ambiguous and broad-sounding yet seemingly innocuous names is essential (think "American's for Prosperity", "Club for Growth" "Institute of Economic Affairs", etc.).

So, hello. This is a new account as I just got a new phone and today I've been doing a lot of reflecting and so I wanted to share it with people who can understand.
I accept now that my CPTSD and my inability to heal has ruined my life and relationships up to this point. It has stopped me for being a good human. Some may say this is just my personality and I'm just a bitch or whatever and they will never know how much that hurts my soul.
I have spent countless nights up to this point considering taking my life BUT NO MORE! I did not ask to be born this way and I sure as hell am not proud of my behaviour but today I decided once and for all I am determined to enjoy my life.
I have suffered and survived long enough. I don't know how I will make it all work out BUT I WILL. I'm done worrying about what other people will think. They are not me, they are not in my head.
I realise my narcissistic part is large, I now accept this. I accept my inability to control my emotions at times is also my responsibility to change.
But I also feel like I can't do this alone, therapists get bored of ny whinning and I don't blame them I'm bored of it too.
If anyone on here feels like I do and would like to come alone for the "heal from CPTSD"journey I welcome everyone and anyone.
Knowing that we are suffering from a similar trauma may make us more able to be compassionate to each other when others would just just.
After much soul searching this week I realised at the top of my list is to research and find a solution to shame spiralling. I have done enough damage to myself and others from crippling shame. NO MORE
I am not a terrible person and I'm not listening to that voice anymore that tells me I am. I am just trying to make it through life like everyone else and I will not apologise for the hand I was dealt as I had no choice in the matter.
Thanks for reading my rant if you did and feel free to hit me up if it resonated.
I'm 34..even I don't change now I never will and I'm not living another 40 years like this so

Prior to season 4 Historia was one of the best written characters in the show due to her character arc in seasons 2 and 3 which culminated in her standing up for herself and opposing her father, and then taking on the role of queen for her own reasons. However in season 4, not only is she sidelined, only having a handful of seasons during the entire season which is inexcusable itself, but the scenes that she does have goes against her previous character and character arc.
First off (and probably the most minor of her issues) is that her character arc being completed doesn’t justify her absence. Even characters with completed arcs can still have their own moments. Jeans character arc in seasons 1-3 was already completed but he still has his beliefs challenged by the events of the story when he had to choose between choosing the alliance or the Yeagerists (Historia had something similar with the dilemma to help Eren or follow the 50 year plan but this is executed much worse for reasons I’ll be stating later). Flochs character arc was completed in season 3 during the battle of Shiganshina where he formed his world view that it’s necessary to become a devil to protect the people, and wesee the results of that development in season 4 with his extremist behaviors and actions. Both of these characters already had their arcs completed, but they still continued to have great moments.
It can be argued that due to AOT’s plot driven narrative there’s no opportunities for Historia to do anything where as Floch and Jean were still integral to the plot. Although this is true the plot can very easily be expanded to emphasize Historia and her character, and there’s no better opportunity for this than the Yeagerist uprising arc which despite being about the government and political climate of Paradis, but Historia is absent from this except for the creation of the pregnancy plot line despite her being a key police’s figure on Paradis. There’s certainly more room to expand upon this subject. Some would argue that it would ruin the pacing, but I’d say that these additions would be the complete opposite of that. The Marley arc and Yeagerists uprising are by far the shortest arcs of the series each being about 8 episodes. Including more flashbacks and more scenes in the present time would solve other issues with season 4 as well such as the poor world building while still giving room to expand upon Historias character without compromising the pacing. There’s no reason for Historia to be sidelined the way she was. And I’ve seen someone argue that this is a season 4 issue rather than a Historia specific one because several other characters were also put to the side, but the difference between Historia and characters such as Levi and Hange which makes this far worse for Historia in particular is that Historias previous character is ruined as well.
To understand how her character was ruined, we first have to understand Historia as a person before elaborating on how season 4 Historia goes against it. Historias character arc was learning to live a life for herself which she can be proud of. She became Queen for her own reasons not because the military wanted her to, and her primary motive is to help people and it always has been. At first this trait might seem exclusive to Krista, but the primary difference between Krista and Historia is that Historia does what she wants for herself regardless of everyone else whereas Krista seeks validation and approval from others. In this regard Historia is selfish since she does whatever she wants to, disregarding the desires of others, but her goal (which is to help people) is selfless. They’re both kind hearted by nature which is shown countless times during the uprising and prior even as far back as her childhood when she says that she wants to be like the similarly kind Frieda and Krista, and Frieda responds by telling her to be herself. Historias character arc accentuates this trait even further rather than reduce it since Historia’s willing to do what she believes is right regardless of the opinion of others which is best exemplified in the Reiss chapel.
It’s easy to interpret her defiance of Rod as selfish, but once you analyze these scenes it becomes apparent that her goal was to help humanity as well and not just herself. Before her badass worst girl in the world moment she asks Rod why didn’t the previous Founders stop the Titans which shows that she had the rest of humanity in mind. If she didn’t and was thinking entirely selfishly then she’d have no reason to ask this question whatsoever since it wouldn’t affect her. And it’s only after Rod states that the First Kings will possesses the inheritors does she decide to finally fight back against Rod because she realizes that he was only looking after himself. She insults humanity out of resentment towards Rod because he used the “good of humanity” to try to manipulate her into eating Eren. She was opposing her father and his wishes during this moment rather than humanity itself which is supported by her later actions which shows that she still had others in mind. Immediately after this she tells Eren that whenever she sees someone saying that no one needs them, she wants to rescue them, and tell them that it isn’t true which shows her benevolent nature. It’s reinforced in the next chapter (chapter 67) that she was trying to help humanity when she says the Reiss family losing the Founder was a good thing for humanity. This provides additional insight into her thoughts while inside the Reiss chapel. And finally in chapter 70 when Eren states that she became Queen to help people which is shown by her orphanage, and she then explains that she got carried away during her speech at the Reiss chapel.
Given all this, Historia would never support the rumbling OR the 50 year plan. They both go against her views and beliefs (which is why ANR Erehisu sucks as well). She even says herself that she’d never be able to forgive herself if she supported Eren, and yet she concedes to Eren anyways within moments. Historia would never be able to accept either option easily, but this moral dilemma is glossed over with little to no internal conflict. These options would be a last resort, but she never tries to find another solution, she never tries to stop Eren, if anything the exact opposite happens which is shown by her compliance with Eren in chapter 130. Historia would never be able to live with pride after supporting the Rumbling due to the weight of her actions, but she still has a ‘good’ ending with the farmer where she happily smiles with her daughter as if she didn’t directly and willingly assist in the largest atrocity in history despite her previously saying that she’d never be able to forgive herself if she did. Not only is this strange for Historias character, but it’s in extremely poor taste considering the severity of the rumbling especially considering how Eren whos far more unhinged than her is broken and inconsolable by the weight of his actions, but Historia who’s far more humane and less extreme isn’t.
The other major issue is the relationship with the Farmer which has several issues with it. It’s depicted as a forced relationship which she only got into out of political purposes, and some would say that this is intentionally misinterpreting the relationship in a way that portrays it poorly, but this is suggested by the narrative as well. She never shows any love or affection for the man whatsoever, and if anything shows the complete opposite. She frowns and is clearly unhappy in literally every scene she shares with him with the sole exception of when she’s with her daughter which is why so many people theorized that he was a red herring to begin with (Although it can be reasonably concluded that this can be because of the rumbling). Historia has no choice, but to get with someone due to her circumstances. Both the 50 year plan and allowing Eren to commit the rumbling requires her to have a child. Historia only had a child because she had to, otherwise she would have been forced to undertake the 50 year plan, but Historia having a child out of necessity rather than because she wants to is obviously out of character. (Why Isayama took agency from a character who’s arc was learning to have agency I’ll never know) Prior to these scenarios Historia shows no desire to have children or a relationship. The subject is never even brought up and instead replaced with a half assed shitty mystery which was the pregnancy plot line. The only thing indicating that Historia actually wanted to be with the farmer is that she approached him herself, but this can easily be explained as her not wanting to have political bondage to another noble who might have their own agenda, and timeline wise she seems to confront the farmer after her talk with Eren.
This can be fixed by expanding on their relationship and making the farmer an actual character which is entirely possible since Niccolo and Sasha was good despite Niccolo being a new character, and again there’s definitely more room for expanding on this during Season 4 Part 1, but even if you don’t want to give Historia considerably more screentime these issues can still easily be fixed. Just minor tweaks to how the relationship is depicted can fix these issues such as Historia already expressing a desire to be with the farmer BEFORE the 50 year plan is proposed so it seems like she got with him willingly and not due to circumstance or even something as simple as her showing affection for the man, or him consoling her about impending rumbling which would make it clear that Historias depression is caused by the rumbling as well as showing some level of trust and closeness between the two rather than complete indifference which is how the relationship is depicted in canon.
Tldr: why did I write this?

Hey there, trying to build a one-shot with the possibility of becoming a side-campaign run by myself (a player at the main table). Our main game is very loosey goosey sandbox-style, so I'd like my game to be a bit more focused: theme, objectives, locations a bit more on the rails - but solutions up to the party.
It's a heist game a la Ocean's 11, The Italian Job, etc. where the rag-tag crew is made up of 5-6 specialists with previous work relationships or at least reputations (probably level 5). So here's my dilemma:
1) Every character would need to fit a distinct niche. Safecracker, Pickpocket, Muscle (for discreet takedowns of isolated mooks), Master of Disguise, Tunneler, Acrobat/Cat-burgalar, Man in the ChaiHacker, etc.
2) Every character would ideally be able to operate with 0 long rests during the heist. If a heist goes off the rails and lasts longer than 18 hours, the party will more than likely just acrue exhaustion.
I've made placeholder characters for my whole table before but I don't want to take their agency away if they'd like to make their own. So I guess my question(s) are,
Should I steer them away from and towards specific classes (rogues, warlocks vs paladins, barbarians)? Or can every class be reasonably useful in a covert, time-crunch where combat is mostly meant to be minimized and mitigated? Should I help them put the crew together and if so, how?

From the beginning of this year I(22f, 57 kgs, 5ft 4 inch) started preparing for February Gate (which I miserably failed tho) sitting all day in my room and stopped doing any exercise or anything. I gained 4-5 kgs during that. After that I am getting backpain now and then. Now the pain is not exactly on shoulder blades but the muscle below it, sometimes the mid back, sometimes it starts from behind the ribs, also my spine near that hurts a little. I consulted an ortho again, he didn't come up with any solution actually. Told me to sit straight while studying. Now I don't study that much, even if I try to study (even while lying upside down on bed) I get distracted or get backpain. This pain comes out of the blue anytime of the day, makes me suffer for half of the day or 2 days straight and disapppears magically. I get backpain even after sleeping sometimes. I quitted using pillow, because i felt like it makes the pain worse(ik sleeping without pillow is not recommended at all) but still it occurs. I remember I used to have this pain in all my school days before exams mostly due to prolonged hours of study. I used to sit on bed drooping down with all my back and neck over the book so I think that was due to bad posture. Consulted two orthopedic doctors, both of them showed me some exercises and that's all. Back then the pain was right on the shoulder blades. During my college days, the pandemic occurred and also lost few pounds(went almost aneroxic type skinny) I wasn't studying those days, all day I used to scroll phones lying on bed or workout a little bit. I don't know for what reason, but my backpain was gone. It was maybe because of I was working out or because I had no fat accumulation on back, or because I was lying down all day. I don't remember it was bothering me this much until last year,, I used to do very little(only high knees) to no workout then. how to treat this kind of pain?

Hi there Context - Me and bf come from different communities of same state. We are equally qualified and financially independent. I had informed my parents two years ago about my choice of marrying him and have tried my best to give practical solutions for all sorts of issues - food differences, some cultural differences, adjusting to our lifestyles etc However, they are yet to accept. His are somewhat OK but I'm not the top preference ofcourse.
Now in the span of these two years, my SO's support has been quite inconsistent that I am starting to doubt whether it's worth fighting anymore. Initial 6 months, he was empathetic and would try to think of creative solutions. Then, he started focussing on his career more and more (which now ties him to the city where our families live) and I have told him plenty times that there's no way I would live in the same city as them because I really believe we need to stay away from them to make it work without petty issues everyday. I somehow pushed myself and found a way to relocate to a different city to avoid the pressure at home. I was really hoping that he'll make the shift as well which he has not done (his job is in my city if we ignore hybrid option), been more than 6 months. He keeps saying he will do it once we marry. But as he's back home, he spends so much time with his family and friends - while I'm here in the new city breaking my head on how to make this work and feeling terribly lonely. I communicated my feelings multiple times and he acknowledges that it's a difficult situation but he has not done anything extraordinary to make feel better. I had to push him to talk to my parents which he finally did on a phone call a couple of months back. He avoids talking about marriage often (maybe because he feels upset about the situation?) and I have to initiate every time. Got into multiple fights on these issues and he started improving a bit by calling me more often but I still feel low and neglected.
Questions - Is it unfair to expect more support from a partner when your family is not accepting? Am I wrong to expect him to put some efforts to talk to my parents?
Tldr - Trying to succeed in intercaste marriage but feeling unsupported by my partner lately
Tnx in advance..

I remember I used to have this pain in all my school days before exams mostly due to prolonged hours of study. I used to sit on bed drooping down with all my back and neck over the book so I think that was due to bad posture. Consulted two orthopedic doctors, both of them showed me some exercises and that's all. Back then the pain was right on the shoulder blades. During my college days, the pandemic occurred and also lost few pounds(went almost aneroxic type skinny) I wasn't studying those days, all day I used to scroll phones lying on bed or workout a little bit. I don't know for what reason, but my backpain was gone. It was maybe because of I was working out or because I had no fat accumulation on back, or because I was lying down all day. I don't remember it was bothering me this much until last year,, I used to do very little(only high knees) to no workout then. But from the beginning of this year I started preparing for February Gate (which I miserably failed tho) sitting all day in my room and stopped doing any exercise or anything. I gained 4-5 kgs during that. After that I am getting backpain now and then. Now the pain is not exactly on shoulder blades but the muscle below it, also my spine near that hurts a little. I consulted an ortho again, he didn't come up with any solution actually. Told me to sit straight while studying. Now I don't study that much, even if I try to study (even while lying upside down on bed) I get distracted or get backpain. This pain comes out of the blue anytime of the day, makes me suffer for half of the day or 2 days straight and disapppears magically. I get backpain even after sleeping sometimes. I quitted using pillow, because i felt like it makes the pain worse(ik sleeping without pillow is not recommended at all) but still it occurs. how do you treat this kind of pain?

Top 6 Updates of last Week:

• Meta launches AI tools for ad creative creation and paid subscription tiers.
• TikTok sues US Government over divest-or-sell law.
• Pinterest launches Media Buyer Certification Course.
• X will soon allow advertisers to use AI for audience creation.
• Youtube launches a promotions tab for Creators & SMBs to run quick ad campaigns.
• Reddit is planning to launch search ads and a mixed feed. * Using ‘keyword + reddit’ on google > using reddit search.

Trending

• Sam Altman debunks the rumours of gpt-5 and search engine launch, announcing new updates to GPT-4. The launch of GPT-4o.
• Google’s CEO responds to Search Quality Issues.
• Constellation Brands launches creative review for Corona Extra.
• Apple’s Safari 18 is expected to introduce webpage summarization, web eraser and more.
• Reddit’s Q1 2024 report showed strong user and ad revenue growth, 48% YoY increase in revenue.
• Jack Dorsey has left Bluesky Board sharing the company is making the same mistakes he and his team at Twitter.
• Ofcom is pushing for better age verification, filters and other checks in new online child safety code.
• Apple apologies for iPad Pro ‘Crush’ ad campaign.
• Ocean Outdoor and Battersea Power Station launch new premium DOOH network.
• OpenAI’s pitch deck for publisher partnerships gets leaked.
• Hubspot posts $617.4 million revenue for the first quarter of the year.
• Temu and Meta are being blamed by marketers for ruining performance and paid social marketing.
• Instacart and NBCUniversal’s new partnership connecting CPG with Streaming, changing retail.
• Sony and Apollo are in talks to acquire paramount.

TikTok 🎶

• TikTok is working on a collaboration feature similar to IG.
• TikTok shares new insights about brand and search experience on platform.
• TikTok to start auto-labeling AI-generated content to combat misinformation.
• TikTok is having ‘Creative Made Simple’ webinar for SMBs on May 16th.
  

  Instagram & Threads 🗂️

• Instagram continues to gamify content creation experience, to make people publish more.
  
• Threads adds view counts on posts.
  
• Instagram’s new ‘Meme it’ DMs feature capitalises on Gen-Z’s heavy use of DMs for chats and content sharing.
  
• Influencers see more Instagram engagement with still images than Reels.
  
• Instagram is teasing a new creator revenue program ‘Spring Bonus’.
  
• Threads is testing cross-posting from Instagram globally.
  
• Instagram is testing an new UI for Carousels, with no dots.
  
• Despite IG adding 3-minute reels, they were found discouraging creators from creating long reels.
  

Meta 😅

• Meta’s newly launched AI creative tools for advantage+ campaigns.
• The feature to create reels from existing content is coming to Meta Business Suite.
• Meta’s turn away from the news industry has lead to 50% traffic drop to publishers.
• Error: Meta shares detailed targeting exclusion alert sent to advertisers was a mistake.
• Meta Business Suite adds ‘review’ feature to request post to be reviewed by other admins before publishing.
• WhatsApp launches new UI elements, giving the platform a new look.
• WhatsApp makes it easier to find new channels with categories.

X (Twitter) 🕹️

• X working on Analytics for X communities.
• Nintendo ends their X integration for Switch.
• X’s new algorithm update has lead to prioritisation of smaller accounts, says Elon.
• Chat History is now live for Gork AI on web.
• X is adding a ‘cast’ button to the iOS app.

Youtube 🕹️

• YouTube outlines its measures to ensure EU Election Integrity.
• Youtube expands testing of ‘Jump Ahead’ premium AI feature.
• MrBeast is parting ways with Night Media, Talent Management Company.
• Youtube testing a new shopping feed in Youtube Shorts.

Google 🔦

• Google launches new ‘Saved Comparisons’ feature for Analytics.
• Google Shopping Ads get conversion annotations.
• Google Search results without SGE jump to 65%, up from 25%.
• Google hides search results count under tools section.
• Google shares Disavow link tool will go away at some point.
• Google is defending lack of communication around Search Updates.
• Google’s site reputation abuse policy enforcement started on Monday May 6th.

Agency News

• Issa Rae’s Hoorae Media unveils Ensemble, a branded entertainment company.
• Omnicom is shuttering Honey & Sparks and the talent is being distributed.
• Nestlé Canada appoints Citizen Relations as Confectionery PR AOR.
• GE Lighting, a Savant company appoints Bakery as Social AOR.
• Rocket Cos. Puts its media account in review.
• We Are Social US partners with Valerie Moizel, CEO of The Woo to form Hello US.
• Virgin Active appoints We Are Pi for global brand transformation.
• Famous Footwear appoints Yard NYC and THE MAYOR as Creative AOR.
• Warner Bros appoints BigSmall to launch streaming service Max.
• Lovesac appoints Hearts & Science as media AOR.
• BUNTIN appoints Trex as Media Agency of record.
• IPG Health consolidates agency brand roster, launch of new Rise & Run brand.
• THIRD EAR appointed by Nissan North America and INFINITI USA as Multicultural AOR.
• Indie Agency Boathouse creates supplier diversity program, expanding external DEI efforts.

AI 🤨

• OpenAI increase AI content transparency with launch of new detection tools.
• Etsy’s plan to improve delivery tracking using new ML model.
• Absolut & Copy Lab launch copyright-free diverse images for fashion content.
• OpenAI and Stack Overflow announced an API partnership.
• OpenAI introduces Model Spec to better the model behaviour and explores how AI can generate explicit content.
• Eleven labs preview their music AI model.

Reddit & Pinterest

• Reddit announces new Public Content Policy, setting new parameters for data usage.
• Pinterest hires Former Levi’s CEO to Board of Directors.

Microsoft & LinkedIn

• Microsoft is building a bigger and better LLM ‘MAI-1’ to fight Google.
• Bing tests clear distinction between free and paid search results.
• LinkedIn shares new insights on measuring B2B marketing campaigns.

Marketing & AdTech

• Bluesky adds new features; DMs, Improved custom feeds, Video and more.
• Shopsense launches retail media platform for second-screen shopping.
• GAP names Fabiola Torres new global CMO.
• Ocean Outdoor becomes official OOH supplier to London Fashion Week.
• Curb, a ride/hailing app launches Curb journey Connect, one-stop ad solution.
• Constant Contact launches new AI feature for Brandkit and Campaign Builder.
• 160over90 launches Integrated Creator Commerce service with Lumanu.
• Omnicom announces major expansion in India.
• Kantar Media hires Lucy Bristowe as CEO for UK & Western Europe.
• Instacart and Uber Eats partner, allowing customers to order Uber Eats food via Instacart.

I hope this helps to plan your week ahead. Follow for more.

Top 6 Updates of last Week:

• Meta launches AI tools for ad creative creation and paid subscription tiers.
• TikTok sues US Government over divest-or-sell law.
• Pinterest launches Media Buyer Certification Course.
• X will soon allow advertisers to use AI for audience creation.
• Youtube launches a promotions tab for Creators & SMBs to run quick ad campaigns.
• Reddit is planning to launch search ads and a mixed feed. * Using ‘keyword + reddit’ on google > using reddit search.

Trending

• Sam Altman debunks the rumours of gpt-5 and search engine launch, announcing new updates to GPT-4. The launch of GPT-4o.
• Google’s CEO responds to Search Quality Issues.
• Constellation Brands launches creative review for Corona Extra.
• Apple’s Safari 18 is expected to introduce webpage summarization, web eraser and more.
• Reddit’s Q1 2024 report showed strong user and ad revenue growth, 48% YoY increase in revenue.
• Jack Dorsey has left Bluesky Board sharing the company is making the same mistakes he and his team at Twitter.
• Ofcom is pushing for better age verification, filters and other checks in new online child safety code.
• Apple apologies for iPad Pro ‘Crush’ ad campaign.
• Ocean Outdoor and Battersea Power Station launch new premium DOOH network.
• OpenAI’s pitch deck for publisher partnerships gets leaked.
• Hubspot posts $617.4 million revenue for the first quarter of the year.
• Temu and Meta are being blamed by marketers for ruining performance and paid social marketing.
• Instacart and NBCUniversal’s new partnership connecting CPG with Streaming, changing retail.
• Sony and Apollo are in talks to acquire paramount.

TikTok 🎶

• TikTok is working on a collaboration feature similar to IG.
• TikTok shares new insights about brand and search experience on platform.
• TikTok to start auto-labeling AI-generated content to combat misinformation.
• TikTok is having ‘Creative Made Simple’ webinar for SMBs on May 16th.
  

  Instagram & Threads 🗂️

• Instagram continues to gamify content creation experience, to make people publish more.
  
• Threads adds view counts on posts.
  
• Instagram’s new ‘Meme it’ DMs feature capitalises on Gen-Z’s heavy use of DMs for chats and content sharing.
  
• Influencers see more Instagram engagement with still images than Reels.
  
• Instagram is teasing a new creator revenue program ‘Spring Bonus’.
  
• Threads is testing cross-posting from Instagram globally.
  
• Instagram is testing an new UI for Carousels, with no dots.
  
• Despite IG adding 3-minute reels, they were found discouraging creators from creating long reels.
  

Meta 😅

• Meta’s newly launched AI creative tools for advantage+ campaigns.
• The feature to create reels from existing content is coming to Meta Business Suite.
• Meta’s turn away from the news industry has lead to 50% traffic drop to publishers.
• Error: Meta shares detailed targeting exclusion alert sent to advertisers was a mistake.
• Meta Business Suite adds ‘review’ feature to request post to be reviewed by other admins before publishing.
• WhatsApp launches new UI elements, giving the platform a new look.
• WhatsApp makes it easier to find new channels with categories.

X (Twitter) 🕹️

• X working on Analytics for X communities.
• Nintendo ends their X integration for Switch.
• X’s new algorithm update has lead to prioritisation of smaller accounts, says Elon.
• Chat History is now live for Gork AI on web.
• X is adding a ‘cast’ button to the iOS app.

Youtube 🕹️

• YouTube outlines its measures to ensure EU Election Integrity.
• Youtube expands testing of ‘Jump Ahead’ premium AI feature.
• MrBeast is parting ways with Night Media, Talent Management Company.
• Youtube testing a new shopping feed in Youtube Shorts.

Google 🔦

• Google launches new ‘Saved Comparisons’ feature for Analytics.
• Google Shopping Ads get conversion annotations.
• Google Search results without SGE jump to 65%, up from 25%.
• Google hides search results count under tools section.
• Google shares Disavow link tool will go away at some point.
• Google is defending lack of communication around Search Updates.
• Google’s site reputation abuse policy enforcement started on Monday May 6th.

Agency News

• Issa Rae’s Hoorae Media unveils Ensemble, a branded entertainment company.
• Omnicom is shuttering Honey & Sparks and the talent is being distributed.
• Nestlé Canada appoints Citizen Relations as Confectionery PR AOR.
• GE Lighting, a Savant company appoints Bakery as Social AOR.
• Rocket Cos. Puts its media account in review.
• We Are Social US partners with Valerie Moizel, CEO of The Woo to form Hello US.
• Virgin Active appoints We Are Pi for global brand transformation.
• Famous Footwear appoints Yard NYC and THE MAYOR as Creative AOR.
• Warner Bros appoints BigSmall to launch streaming service Max.
• Lovesac appoints Hearts & Science as media AOR.
• BUNTIN appoints Trex as Media Agency of record.
• IPG Health consolidates agency brand roster, launch of new Rise & Run brand.
• THIRD EAR appointed by Nissan North America and INFINITI USA as Multicultural AOR.
• Indie Agency Boathouse creates supplier diversity program, expanding external DEI efforts.

AI 🤨

• OpenAI increase AI content transparency with launch of new detection tools.
• Etsy’s plan to improve delivery tracking using new ML model.
• Absolut & Copy Lab launch copyright-free diverse images for fashion content.
• OpenAI and Stack Overflow announced an API partnership.
• OpenAI introduces Model Spec to better the model behaviour and explores how AI can generate explicit content.
• Eleven labs preview their music AI model.

Reddit & Pinterest

• Reddit announces new Public Content Policy, setting new parameters for data usage.
• Pinterest hires Former Levi’s CEO to Board of Directors.

Microsoft & LinkedIn

• Microsoft is building a bigger and better LLM ‘MAI-1’ to fight Google.
• Bing tests clear distinction between free and paid search results.
• LinkedIn shares new insights on measuring B2B marketing campaigns.

Marketing & AdTech

• Bluesky adds new features; DMs, Improved custom feeds, Video and more.
• Shopsense launches retail media platform for second-screen shopping.
• GAP names Fabiola Torres new global CMO.
• Ocean Outdoor becomes official OOH supplier to London Fashion Week.
• Curb, a ride/hailing app launches Curb journey Connect, one-stop ad solution.
• Constant Contact launches new AI feature for Brandkit and Campaign Builder.
• 160over90 launches Integrated Creator Commerce service with Lumanu.
• Omnicom announces major expansion in India.
• Kantar Media hires Lucy Bristowe as CEO for UK & Western Europe.
• Instacart and Uber Eats partner, allowing customers to order Uber Eats food via Instacart.

I hope this helps to plan your week ahead. Follow for more.

In today's competitive job market, finding and attracting top talent is essential for organizational success. Enter talent acquisition software – the cornerstone of modern recruitment strategies. But what exactly is talent acquisition software, and how can it benefit your hiring process? Let's delve into the key components, benefits, selection criteria, top solutions, best practices, and future trends in talent acquisition software.
What is Talent Acquisition Software? Talent acquisition software streamlines the recruitment process by automating tasks such as applicant tracking, job posting, sourcing, and analytics. It serves as a centralized platform for managing candidate data, improving hiring efficiency, and enhancing the overall recruitment experience.
A few pointers to keep in mind to choose the right TA software: Define Your Goals and Challenges: Identify your recruitment objectives and pain points. Identify Must-Haves and Nice-to-Haves: Prioritize features based on your organization's needs. Search and Evaluate: Research and compare different software solutions before making a decision.
Also Incase you missed out on our curated list of the best TA software's, you can check them out here: