My dad cannot turn their neck due to a medical condition (Ankylosing spondylitis, bones have fused), and has limited mobility to turn his body. So looking left and right at junctions is very hard, yet he is still able to drive.
Motability has been unable to help, and there are no products on the market really to help solve this problem. Only trash cameras from China (which are made for trucks), and look like a pain to install.
We've tried mounting a camera to the door window and running the feed off a phone, but it's unreliable.
He's also asked inside Halfords, and every time he's been at the garage having work done on the car to no avail.
Does anyone know of any genius solution to this problem?

I understand this would be a very “out-of-order” path; just curious if anyone has experience with it or thinks it’s fundamentally dumb.
I think I have a much better mba profile, and it’s the most logical and financially rewarding path immediately in front of me - yet I can’t help but think I have so much more to learn on the math/quant side and don’t want to call quits on future quant-learning just because of a golden MBA chance.
Leaning toward doing an MBA FT, but wanting to consider the possibility of doing a quant masters part time afterward (obviously wouldn’t be viable in a role with IB hours, which I’m considering), probably more out of passion than logic - also may change my mind. I’m not expecting to magically break into a hedge fund after.

To my favourite group of five: I thank you! When I started uni almost 5 years ago I was scared out of my mind. Scared to start over alone in this new town, scared to have made the wrong decision moving here, scared to end up lonely and isolated. Again. Like I had been in highschool. Like I had been for most of my adolescence. Although starting university and this new adult life, I was still nothing more than an insecure lost teenager back then, still shouldering my old school bagpack and seeking solace in my moms best wishes and the possibility of opting out after the first week if things didn‘t go well. Then somehow I met you. Or you met me. And I was shocked how easy it all was. Chatting, finding similarities, smiling, laughing, meeting up. The first two weeks or so I was holding on to you for dear life, not yet trusting that this loose but promising connection would stand the test of time, fearing the initial euphoria and interest would soon fade. But it didn‘t. And I was finally what I have always, like any outcast school kid, dreamed of: part of a close-knit, stable group of six friends. Allthough I‘ve spent many moments in these past years baffled by my own luck, trying to take it all in, I fear that I still didn‘t appreciate it enough. Will I ever get the chance of experiencing something like this again? The intense laughter, the deepest conversations, this feeling of invincibility with you as my safety-net. Five years went by in a blur and now I’m almost back again at packing up all my belongings into card board boxes trying to figure out where life is going next. One thing is for sure: It‘s going away from you, at least geographically. And as much as that certainty breaks my heart, I know all the things that I‘ve learnt with you by my side are going to stay with me forever. You have no idea what you mean to me! You‘ve helped me find a new sense of self worth, courage to step out of my comfort zone, the knowledge that I can do things– hard things– and this new found trust that life is going to be okay. And for that i will always thank you. Lots of love Your friend

/WoT's official read-along is coming to an end soon. On the day of the final trivia post, I would like to provide the newbies with an updated, as complete as possible, Wheel of Time resource page.
For a long time, /WoT's sidebar has included this link, which does a good job of collating external resources for people who have finished the series. I would like to expand upon this post and create a wiki page to build the ultimate list of external resources. This is part of a wider plan to build a FAQs and better utilize our wiki pages, once the read-along has finished.
So please share any resources you may feel are appropriate to include. This can include articles about the Wheel of Time, podcasts and other read-alongs, particularly engaging or insightful posts that you've seen in /WoT or /wheeloftime (especially character analysis), useful YouTube channels, or interesting Jordan/Sanderson interview quotes. Anything remotely or tangentially related to the Wheel of Time, share them below so that I can compile them all in one place.
Thanks for your help!

Author note: The Cryopod to Hell is a Reddit-exclusive story with over three years of editing and refining. As of this post, the total rewrite is 2,204,000+ words long! For more information, check out the link below:
What is the Cryopod to Hell?
Join the Cryoverse Discord server!
Here's a list of all Cryopod's chapters, along with an ePub/Mobi/PDF version!
Want to stay up to date on TCTH? Subscribe to Cryopodbot!
...................................
(Previous Part)
(Part 001)
A few days after Neil and Hope's meeting.
Henry Cliff walks alone down the hallways of the Labyrinth. He wears a purple-colored T-REX, a status symbol put in place by the higher-ups as a sign of his newfound prestige and military ranking. Its color, as well as the other new colors among the army allow for a quick idea of the ranking of any human soldier at a glance, especially among those who don't know the humans well, such as their allies for today.
Henry's feet quietly plod against the Labyrinth's compacted dirt floor. His breathing remains even despite having walked for over thirty minutes. Thanks to his newly enhanced body, he could run for a thousand kilometers without breaking a sweat. Even he isn't entirely certain just how strong he is. Perhaps, if he were to come to blows with a Demon Emperor, he might roll them out like a sleeping bag.
As he walks, Henry's newfound clarity of purpose mixes with the voices and thoughts of ten thousand other members of Jepthath's Legion. No, more accurately, they are Henry's Legion, now. While their power might be derived from Jepthath, it was the Hero-King's decision to give Henry command of them and become his Voice.
Each person who joined on that day possessed their own thoughts, feelings, and talents. Their combined cumulative experience, which could now be tapped into at will, easily amounted to more than 350,000 years. If the age of every person who merged had been 10, that would have given them 100,000 years, but the fact the average turned out to be 35 elevated their cumulative total dramatically.
And that was to say nothing of the people who had once been a part of Jepthath's Legion in the past. When Henry first became inducted into the Legion, he was shocked by just how much wisdom Jepthath possessed. While he did not have the truly unfathomable and vast breadth of knowledge Solomon possessed, Jepthath was amazing in his own way. What he lacked in raw information, he made up in with mastery of combat.
If Solomon possessed the combined cumulative knowledge of humanity, Jepthath possessed its raw hand-to-hand fighting prowess. And that served to bolster Henry's state of mind significantly.
Just by integrating into the Legion, Henry's ability to peer into the essence of combat increased ten thousand-fold. Over the last few days, he had happened to pass by several different training grounds for humanity's soldiers on Maiura, most of them having been erected at some point by Neil Adams in the past six years. Henry was not impressed by what he saw. If anything, he was disgusted.
[Their movements are so crude. So lacking in refinement.] He would often think, while conversing with the ancient Hero-King. [I want to train them. I can't stand to imagine them using their sloppy combat skills against old demon monsters.]
[A waste of time.] Jepthath would chide gently, whenever he and Henry had this conversation. [The knowledge you have obtained effortlessly cannot be communicated through words or demonstrations. The only way one can become as proficient as the members of Our Legion is by directly transferring Our combined knowledge through Our souls and minds.]
[Then we have to convince more to join Us!] Henry would exclaim. [These fools are wasting their time flailing about, trying to reinvent the wheel. If they joined Us, they would gain all of Our power in the art of war and become capable of adding to Our collective consciousness!]
Jepthath shakes his head. [I made a deal with the Wordsmith. We will not forcibly recruit anyone. If you wish to convince more to join Us, you must demonstrate Our power. Not only do you possess knowledge of countless schools of fighting, but you also possess intimate knowledge of battlefield tactics and guerrilla warfare. By demonstrating that Knowledge is Power, you can enlighten the foolish masses as to what they are missing out on.]
Henry nodded sincerely at that time. He looked up at the night sky and clenched his fist with determination.
Humanity was wasting its capabilities! If other humans only knew how small and frail they were, they would jump at the chance to join the Legion!
Less than a week before, Henry had been a disgraced soldier, a mere civilian, a person who might never even get the opportunity to shine the boots of those he had once trained with.
But now he was an officer, an elite warrior many would come to fear and respect.
This realization made his heart leap and his throat dry. In many ways, he sometimes felt he didn't deserve this position. He certainly hadn't earned it.
Not yet. Someday he would. Someday soon.
His thoughts come back to the present. He continues walking, ultimately falling into step beside an ordinary human commando also donning a T-REX. A small artistic flourish on the side of her armor, a pink rose, hints to him the other soldier might be a woman.
The grey-armored soldier turns her head to look at him as she walks. "Oh! You startled me. And you are?"
Unable to see her face, Henry looks at her helmet instead, and her name and other information pop up in his HUD, allowing him to see her identity.
"I'm Lieutenant Henry Cliff." He says. "You're Private Ashley McCarthy? Aren't you the lady who can transform into an orc?"
Immediately, her previously formal tone turns cold. Ashley snaps her head forward, no longer looking at him.
"Every time. Every time! Is that all I am anymore? Just the ugly bitch who turns into an orc?!"
"Whoa, whoa!" Henry exclaims, taken aback by her response. "I'm sorry, uh, Miss McCarthy. I didn't mean to apologize- I mean, I didn't apologize- mean to offend you! I- I uh, sorry!"
He stumbles over his words, feeling suddenly ashamed that he spoke so bluntly without considering the other person's feelings. Then again, how could he have known it was such a sore subject for her? That thought also makes him feel unfairly slighted, as he committed a blunder without meaning to.
"No, no I'm sorry." Ashley quickly says, suddenly realizing how rudely she just spoke to a superior officer. "It's not your fault, Lieutenant. I, I just... it's a long story. I never asked for this ability. I hate it."
"You hate it?" Henry asks, as they round a corner, passing a dozen goblins who carefully press against the side-wall to avoid the giant humans. "Pardon my bluntness, but why? In this time of war, possessing an orc form must make you pretty strong. Valuable. You could be on the fast-track to a higher rank if you have any ambition."
"Higher rank." Ashley mutters under her breath. "As if that's something I'd want. I'm not some big brained Terran from Old Earth. I'm just a normal girl from one of the Wild Worlds. I only want to be pointed at an enemy so I can hurt them."
That sounds an awful lot like something an orc would say, Henry thinks, but wisely keeps to himself.
"Does turning into an orc make you stronger?" Henry asks, choosing to turn the discussion down a more positive path.
"Oh, sure. A bit stronger." Ashley concedes. "You know how the Body Booster improves a human's baseline physique, putting some of us on par with certain low-ranking Demon Lords? Well, my Orc transformation stacks on that, sort of. I can pick up and throw boulders pretty far."
She pauses, before adding, "I mean, it is really fun being that strong."
Henry reaches up to rub his chin, only for his hand to clank against his T-REX's helmet. He gives up on the idea and lowers his arm again.
"I recently got a, uh, a pretty substantial boost to my strength. You remember how Commander Hope offered for people to merge with the Hero Jepthath? I did that, and it made me a lot stronger."
He turns to look at the woman beside him, but she simply gazes forward, her helmet offering no insight into her current expression.
Her words, however, definitely give away what she's thinking.
"Oh. You're one of the cultists."
Her disappointed tone makes Henry's heart skip a beat.
"No, no, no!" Henry exclaims. "Not a cultist. Who told you that?? Jepthath's Legion have simply unified Our minds and bolstered Our bodies, making Us a lot stronger."
She remains quiet for a few moments.
"Yeah... that's... what a cultist would say."
"We're not a cult..." Henry protests feebly, but his words fall on deaf ears.
This isn't the first time someone has directed a look of disgust his way, or visibly cringed when he proudly declared himself one of Jepthath's Chosen.
Jason's words during the Great Debate made a lot of people immediately strike becoming a Parahuman off their list. They'd rather be ordinary soldiers in body armor rather than part of a weird, unified hive-mind.
Dismayed, the young man falls silent. He doesn't say anything for a full minute, and perhaps feeling bad about dismissing him so easily, Ashley decides to reignite the conversation as they draw closer to their destination.
"So what's it like. Being inside a, uh... hive mind? Is it weird?"
"We're not a hive-mind." Henry says, his mood deflating even further. "We're... we're like brothers and sisters. We understand one another. We share thoughts, insights, wisdom."
This time, Ashley tries to exercise a little tact. "It just doesn't sound right for me. I guess everyone has their own preferences. Me, I think I'd die of shame if everyone around me could hear my every thought. The embarrassment alone..."
She trails off and shakes her head.
But this time, Henry doesn't just back down.
"It's not what you think at all." Henry says. "Do you know why you feel fear at the thought of sharing your thoughts? It's because you're self-absorbed."
"What?!" Ashley exclaims, pausing her walk to look at him. No doubt, her helmet hides an expression of disbelief. "What do you mean by that... sir?"
Henry also pauses. He turns to face her, resting his hands on his hips. "You have friends, right? Maybe even a best friend?"
"O-of course!" Ashley says, her tone defensive. "What, you think I'm friendless just because I'm not a part of some bee-hive?"
"That's not what I'm getting at." Henry says patiently, holding out his hand and modulating his tone so he'll come off less aggressive. "Think about your friend, or your best friend. Really think about it. What's the most embarrassing thing you remember about him or her? What's the worst social gaffe they've made that you can't get out of your head?"
Ashley pauses. She lowers her head and falls into thought for a moment.
"I don't know. I can't think of anything. Why?"
"What about other people?" Henry asks. "Has anyone else you know made any serious social fuck-ups recently?"
"Social ones? No. There have been a few generally bad events recently, like finding out Baron Mara killed a bunch of people. But she's not my friend anyway, so..."
"THAT is my point." Henry states emphatically. "You don't think about the weird and embarrassing things your friends do. So why do you believe they're so fixated on yours?"
Ashley lifts her head to look at him. She remains silent, digesting his words, so he continues to press the issue.
"Do you know why you find things about yourself embarrassing? It's not your fault. Most people are extremely self-conscious about their own insecurities. Now that I've become a part of the Legion, I experience everyone else's insecurities all at the same time as I experience mine. In doing so, I realize that mine never amounted to anything at all. When you have ten thousand other people worrying about what they're wearing, or if they look fashionable, or some other tedious bullshit, you quickly realize that all of them amount to white noise. They don't matter."
He throws his hand up dramatically.
"I'm not picking on you. It's just a fact of human consciousness. All people are held back by their fear of social pressure, but much of that is because we don't know what goes on in the heads of our fellow men and women. If you could see their deranged sexual fantasies all at once, you would realize you're not weird at all. Everyone has a kink. If you enjoy looking at gross bugs, guess what? Someone else is unbothered by bodily fluids. We're all weird, and joining the Legion just made that clearer to me."
He pauses, unable to see the look on her face. "Sorry, I hope I'm not coming off as condescending. Does any of this make sense to you?"
Ashley slowly nods. "Mmm. Yeah, it does."
Henry heaves a sigh of relief. "Well, great! Great. I was worried I was starting to sound a little long-winded."
Ashley turns away and resumes walking. "You're definitely in a cult."
"Goddammit." Henry grumbles.
...
Before long, the two of them make it to the meeting location, where they arrive inside a massive, hollowed-out area inside the Labyrinth. There, they find, of all things, a new Volgrim Warpgate installed, its destination some unknown desert on a planet Henry can't immediately identify.
As they enter the massive arena-like staging area, Hope becomes momentarily disoriented. His newly enhanced senses pick up surges of spiritual energy, all spread out across the humans, demons, monsters, and other creatures inside. The powerful Demon Emperors, only a few of whom have yet to Ascend to Demon Deity, stand near the portal, using their strength as a show of force. Despite their proud expressions, Henry's keen senses detect a hint of fear in their eyes, as they seem to be unable to properly stand as strong as they always have. It's as if they are being suppressed by something...
"Whoa!" Ashley gasps. "I can't believe it. Why are the Volgrim here?"
"The Volgrim?" Henry asks, following her gaze based on the direction her helmet is pointed.
Somewhere in the mass of the crowd, a handful of decidedly alien-looking creatures with tentacles writing under their mouths and heavily-armored bodies stand at attention, looking like proud leaders and commanders. Their postures indicate a level of arrogance bred into their bones by millions of years of dominance over the Milky Way. Compared to the slightly fearful Demon Emperors, these Technopaths truly stand out as cream of the crop, with unknown augmentations that likely elevate their combat prowess to the peak.
"Those are Volgrim?" Henry asks. "Huh. The only one I've ever seen was that one female, the one who didn't have a mouth. She was presiding over my, uh, my tribunal..."
"Your tribunal?" Ashley asks.
She pauses, then turns to look at him strangely.
"Cliff... Henry Cliff? What the- you're that traitor! What- how even...?? You're a Lieutenant now? I didn't even recognize your name- no, forget that. Why are you in uniform? Weren't you banned basically forever from rejoining the military?"
"I was banned from rejoining the main military." Henry says, lowering his head in shame. "But, uhm, Hope's Parahumans are... different. It's a different jurisdiction."
Ashley takes a step to the side, pulling away from him. He can't see her expression, but based on her voice, she suddenly seems disgusted by him.
"All this time, I was talking to him." She mutters to herself, as she turns and walks away without another word.
Henry stands there, silently. He watches her depart, a feeling of bitterness welling up in his heart. He could pull rank on her, write her up for insubordination. Given his new status as a high-ranker, it would be easy to do.
But he doesn't.
In truth, he doesn't blame Ashley for her feelings. Because of his actions, Neil Adams was captured and humanity likely lost far more people during Stormbringer as a result. He indirectly caused the deaths of hundreds, perhaps even thousands.
How can he demand respect from her when he feels he doesn't deserve it?
As that thought wells up in Henry's mind, the thoughts of the Legion feed back into him, suppressing his negative emotions. All of them comment on his feelings and insecurities, offering kind words to help him feel better.
[You cannot and should not demand respect, no, but you can earn it back through your actions.] A 52-year-old Legionnaire says. [People like her will come around in due time. Perform admirably and make the Legion proud.]
[That woman is a mere Private.] Jepthath chimes in. [Do not allow your emotions to be tangled up by the feelings of a random soldier. You will need to bolster your Willpower if you seek to reach the peak of what you can achieve.]
[Right. My willpower.] Henry says, as his mood drastically swings back up. He hardens his heart, casting aside Ashley's comment and instead meditating for a moment to clear his mind. [Thank you, everyone, for the support.]
With his thoughts clear, Henry strides toward the front, keeping his gaze fixed on the Volgrim Technopaths. Having never seen these creatures before, he finds their horrid-looking tentacle mouths fascinating and yet creepy to look at. While all of them appear to be gender-ambiguous, certainly at first glance, as he comes closer, he does manage to make out one or two female-sounding voices among them. Or perhaps they might be higher-pitched males. He isn't entirely sure, and it seems a taboo subject to breach.
"-the Task Force will be working alongside these Technopath Envoys." Demon Emperor Yardrat says, his tone even and unbothered by the Technopaths to his left. "Naturally, full command of this operation will still go to the Archdemon, as the ranking Cosmic. However, because he will be busy dealing with the highest level threats, control of the ground forces will go to one member of each species, chosen via several votes of consensus. Today's operation is a test, and its purpose is to ensure we all work together properly. NO friendly fire. Our enemy is the Plague and nobody else. Save your personal grievances, vendettas, and petty squabbles for after we take our galaxy back from the Kolvaxians."
He gestures to the ten Technopaths. "The Volgrim have dispatched an army of 100,000 Technopath soldiers, and they will be commanded by this High Technopath named Loputo Jidelor, a high ranking commander of Clan Symmetra's ground forces."
Each of the Technopaths possesses their own combination of flesh and blood bodily parts mixed with metal limb replacements, armor-addons, and other such things. In Jidelor's case, he stands on two flesh and blood legs. However, in place of his right arm is a long, metallic limb with dozens of razor-thin threads waving to and fro where his 'wrist' ends. Each one moves independently, much like the tentacles on his left arm, but their movements appear far more precise. Dozens of metallic pieces are attached seemingly at random to his skin and skull.
Jidelor nods. "I am an experienced battlefield commander, but I am not a frontline soldier. I will be controlling our siege weaponry and directing our soldiers from the back."
Yardrat nods, then continues. "For the Demons, it goes without saying that just like with the last ten operations, Emperor Serena will be commanding our forces. Her ability to link souls together has proven instrumental in rapid battlefield communications, and her ability to sense souls allows her to keep up with the emergence of new Plagueborn until the point Diablo steals the world core back."
A beautiful demoness with sightless eyes nearby waves her hand delicately. "I will be in your care, everyone. Let us make it to the end without losing any demons this time."
"For the monsters, Fairy Princess Melia will take point." Yardrat says, nodding to another beautiful woman with green hair, fairy wings, and a look of boredom permanently etched onto her face.
Unlike the previous two commanders, Melia doesn't give a speech. In fact, she only rolls her eyes, crosses her arms, and looks away.
"Alright, and for the humans, General Chadwick will be taking charge." Yardrat concludes. He gestures to a massive Norwegian man who has now donned a Rhino T-REX variant and rests his hands around the shaft of a massive battleaxe. Its head rests on the ground, and he supports his massive armored frame by resting on the weapon's handle.
"Everyone." Chadwich says. "It is my honor to lead this mission. Naturally, Commander Neil is not happy about having to work with the demons, and I cannot imagine all of our soldiers are either. However, I pledge on Hope Hiro's honor that we will not commit any cowardly deeds of treachery, any backstabbing, or anything else of that sort! It was Hope Hiro who pushed for this arrangement because he wants humanity's soldiers to get real battle experience against the Plague. Let's be sure to make good use of this time to bury as many hatchets as we can!"
The crowd nods along to Chadwick's words. Some of the humans vocalize their approval, but many more remain silent.
The humans here are not normal civilians. They are military personnel, countless many of whom have not forgiven the demons. They may never forgive them, if their leaders are being honest.
Perhaps sensing the tenseness in the air, Yardrat briskly moves the pace along.
"In thirty minutes, we will begin. Transfer your forces to my world so that I can begin preparation to open the Intragalactic Portals. The Swarm has begun adapting to my tactics of late, so the moment those portals open, we'll need boots on the ground. No delays! If the Plague has its way, it might flood through the portals back to us, and that would be a whole bloody devil-damned mess."
The other leaders nod solemnly. They spread apart to talk to their forces, and Henry heaves a sigh.
In thirty minutes, we'll find out just how stable this alliance truly is.

When I was a child, no older than 7; I would see a pannel appear in front of me at random occasions 3 times. This would be a black pannel with circural moving lights moving counter clockwise. There would be green lights flashing on the top and bottom of the pannel and in the bottom corners there would be two little screens. They would flash one and off with static between skulls that would stare at me and the smiling faces of Robert Reed and Florence Henderson from the Brady Bunch. They wouldn't do anything but sit there and stare like they did on the 3 by 3 grid in the intro. But this was different. Instead of the calm happy smile, they would have this sinister evil grin and when the static changed their face to a skull you could tell the skull was theirs. I would hear voices. It was a female voice echoing over what sounded like an intercom. She would repeat "This is the end, the world is spinning." Every time the lights made a full rotation I would hear a beap that sounded like a radar. The scariest part of all of this was not the pannel, not the Brady Bunch, not the voices, but the spinning. Everything in front of me would start spinning in the same direction as the lights moved. Nothing shook or fell. Even when sitting down in this phenomenon I would stay glued to the floor or my bed when I would go upside down.
The three memories came in my room, my parents room, and my pre-school classroom. Every once in a while it would appear to spawn in front of me when I was in a room where I could read what was on the wall in front of me. Lets say 20 feet. The vision haunted me for years on end. I was in and out of therapy and the doctors thought I was showing premature signs of schizophrenia. Despite not seeing the pannel in years the idea that it could come when I least expect it frightened me. I had the constant worry that if I didn't think about it then it would happen again. I was 13 when I stopped therapy. I have accepted that I was a kid seeing things, or that it was a lucid dream you have as a kid that you think is real when you remember it as you get older. That was until last week.
I was driving home on I4 at about 2:04 in the morning; just like I do every night; when I felt my eyes getting tired so I pulled over to take a power nap. I set an alarm on my phone to wake me up. By the time I woke up; I4 seemed to be abandoned which was very uncommon. I didn't think anything of it though. Then I saw flashing lights behind me of a police car. Probably just an officer making sure I was okay. As he approached my window as I rolled it down, he didn't say "Are you okay sir" or anything I thought a cop would usually say. Instead he slightly leaned through my window to point at my winshield. "What is that?" I turned to look at where he was pointing. All of a sudden, the black pannel in front of me. The lights flashing and appearing like they were moving in a counterclockwise motion. Robert Reed and the now deceased Florence Henderson with the evil grin. Worst of all, I was spinning parallel to the lights giving the illusion of moving in a circular motion in the center of the pannel. But just like the other 3 times it eventually stopped. I looked to me left to see no cop, no car, and nobody on I4. I just started driving back on my route home.
I haven't told anybody about this vision. I do not know the purpose behind it but I know one thing. I was not a crazy kid making something up. I was spinning. The voices were real. And I was gaslit by "professionals" to thinking I was seeing something. Though what I was seeing was real.

A few days after Neil and Hope's meeting.
Henry Cliff walks alone down the hallways of the Labyrinth. He wears a purple-colored T-REX, a status symbol put in place by the higher-ups as a sign of his newfound prestige and military ranking. Its color, as well as the other new colors among the army allow for a quick idea of the ranking of any human soldier at a glance, especially among those who don't know the humans well, such as their allies for today.
Henry's feet quietly plod against the Labyrinth's compacted dirt floor. His breathing remains even despite having walked for over thirty minutes. Thanks to his newly enhanced body, he could run for a thousand kilometers without breaking a sweat. Even he isn't entirely certain just how strong he is. Perhaps, if he were to come to blows with a Demon Emperor, he might roll them out like a sleeping bag.
As he walks, Henry's newfound clarity of purpose mixes with the voices and thoughts of ten thousand other members of Jepthath's Legion. No, more accurately, they are Henry's Legion, now. While their power might be derived from Jepthath, it was the Hero-King's decision to give Henry command of them and become his Voice.
Each person who joined on that day possessed their own thoughts, feelings, and talents. Their combined cumulative experience, which could now be tapped into at will, easily amounted to more than 350,000 years. If the age of every person who merged had been 10, that would have given them 100,000 years, but the fact the average turned out to be 35 elevated their cumulative total dramatically.
And that was to say nothing of the people who had once been a part of Jepthath's Legion in the past. When Henry first became inducted into the Legion, he was shocked by just how much wisdom Jepthath possessed. While he did not have the truly unfathomable and vast breadth of knowledge Solomon possessed, Jepthath was amazing in his own way. What he lacked in raw information, he made up in with mastery of combat.
If Solomon possessed the combined cumulative knowledge of humanity, Jepthath possessed its raw hand-to-hand fighting prowess. And that served to bolster Henry's state of mind significantly.
Just by integrating into the Legion, Henry's ability to peer into the essence of combat increased ten thousand-fold. Over the last few days, he had happened to pass by several different training grounds for humanity's soldiers on Maiura, most of them having been erected at some point by Neil Adams in the past six years. Henry was not impressed by what he saw. If anything, he was disgusted.
[Their movements are so crude. So lacking in refinement.] He would often think, while conversing with the ancient Hero-King. [I want to train them. I can't stand to imagine them using their sloppy combat skills against old demon monsters.]
[A waste of time.] Jepthath would chide gently, whenever he and Henry had this conversation. [The knowledge you have obtained effortlessly cannot be communicated through words or demonstrations. The only way one can become as proficient as the members of Our Legion is by directly transferring Our combined knowledge through Our souls and minds.]
[Then we have to convince more to join Us!] Henry would exclaim. [These fools are wasting their time flailing about, trying to reinvent the wheel. If they joined Us, they would gain all of Our power in the art of war and become capable of adding to Our collective consciousness!]
Jepthath shakes his head. [I made a deal with the Wordsmith. We will not forcibly recruit anyone. If you wish to convince more to join Us, you must demonstrate Our power. Not only do you possess knowledge of countless schools of fighting, but you also possess intimate knowledge of battlefield tactics and guerrilla warfare. By demonstrating that Knowledge is Power, you can enlighten the foolish masses as to what they are missing out on.]
Henry nodded sincerely at that time. He looked up at the night sky and clenched his fist with determination.
Humanity was wasting its capabilities! If other humans only knew how small and frail they were, they would jump at the chance to join the Legion!
Less than a week before, Henry had been a disgraced soldier, a mere civilian, a person who might never even get the opportunity to shine the boots of those he had once trained with.
But now he was an officer, an elite warrior many would come to fear and respect.
This realization made his heart leap and his throat dry. In many ways, he sometimes felt he didn't deserve this position. He certainly hadn't earned it.
Not yet. Someday he would. Someday soon.
His thoughts come back to the present. He continues walking, ultimately falling into step beside an ordinary human commando also donning a T-REX. A small artistic flourish on the side of her armor, a pink rose, hints to him the other soldier might be a woman.
The grey-armored soldier turns her head to look at him as she walks. "Oh! You startled me. And you are?"
Unable to see her face, Henry looks at her helmet instead, and her name and other information pop up in his HUD, allowing him to see her identity.
"I'm Lieutenant Henry Cliff." He says. "You're Private Ashley McCarthy? Aren't you the lady who can transform into an orc?"
Immediately, her previously formal tone turns cold. Ashley snaps her head forward, no longer looking at him.
"Every time. Every time! Is that all I am anymore? Just the ugly bitch who turns into an orc?!"
"Whoa, whoa!" Henry exclaims, taken aback by her response. "I'm sorry, uh, Miss McCarthy. I didn't mean to apologize- I mean, I didn't apologize- mean to offend you! I- I uh, sorry!"
He stumbles over his words, feeling suddenly ashamed that he spoke so bluntly without considering the other person's feelings. Then again, how could he have known it was such a sore subject for her? That thought also makes him feel unfairly slighted, as he committed a blunder without meaning to.
"No, no I'm sorry." Ashley quickly says, suddenly realizing how rudely she just spoke to a superior officer. "It's not your fault, Lieutenant. I, I just... it's a long story. I never asked for this ability. I hate it."
"You hate it?" Henry asks, as they round a corner, passing a dozen goblins who carefully press against the side-wall to avoid the giant humans. "Pardon my bluntness, but why? In this time of war, possessing an orc form must make you pretty strong. Valuable. You could be on the fast-track to a higher rank if you have any ambition."
"Higher rank." Ashley mutters under her breath. "As if that's something I'd want. I'm not some big brained Terran from Old Earth. I'm just a normal girl from one of the Wild Worlds. I only want to be pointed at an enemy so I can hurt them."
That sounds an awful lot like something an orc would say, Henry thinks, but wisely keeps to himself.
"Does turning into an orc make you stronger?" Henry asks, choosing to turn the discussion down a more positive path.
"Oh, sure. A bit stronger." Ashley concedes. "You know how the Body Booster improves a human's baseline physique, putting some of us on par with certain low-ranking Demon Lords? Well, my Orc transformation stacks on that, sort of. I can pick up and throw boulders pretty far."
She pauses, before adding, "I mean, it is really fun being that strong."
Henry reaches up to rub his chin, only for his hand to clank against his T-REX's helmet. He gives up on the idea and lowers his arm again.
"I recently got a, uh, a pretty substantial boost to my strength. You remember how Commander Hope offered for people to merge with the Hero Jepthath? I did that, and it made me a lot stronger."
He turns to look at the woman beside him, but she simply gazes forward, her helmet offering no insight into her current expression.
Her words, however, definitely give away what she's thinking.
"Oh. You're one of the cultists."
Her disappointed tone makes Henry's heart skip a beat.
"No, no, no!" Henry exclaims. "Not a cultist. Who told you that?? Jepthath's Legion have simply unified Our minds and bolstered Our bodies, making Us a lot stronger."
She remains quiet for a few moments.
"Yeah... that's... what a cultist would say."
"We're not a cult..." Henry protests feebly, but his words fall on deaf ears.
This isn't the first time someone has directed a look of disgust his way, or visibly cringed when he proudly declared himself one of Jepthath's Chosen.
Jason's words during the Great Debate made a lot of people immediately strike becoming a Parahuman off their list. They'd rather be ordinary soldiers in body armor rather than part of a weird, unified hive-mind.
Dismayed, the young man falls silent. He doesn't say anything for a full minute, and perhaps feeling bad about dismissing him so easily, Ashley decides to reignite the conversation as they draw closer to their destination.
"So what's it like. Being inside a, uh... hive mind? Is it weird?"
"We're not a hive-mind." Henry says, his mood deflating even further. "We're... we're like brothers and sisters. We understand one another. We share thoughts, insights, wisdom."
This time, Ashley tries to exercise a little tact. "It just doesn't sound right for me. I guess everyone has their own preferences. Me, I think I'd die of shame if everyone around me could hear my every thought. The embarrassment alone..."
She trails off and shakes her head.
But this time, Henry doesn't just back down.
"It's not what you think at all." Henry says. "Do you know why you feel fear at the thought of sharing your thoughts? It's because you're self-absorbed."
"What?!" Ashley exclaims, pausing her walk to look at him. No doubt, her helmet hides an expression of disbelief. "What do you mean by that... sir?"
Henry also pauses. He turns to face her, resting his hands on his hips. "You have friends, right? Maybe even a best friend?"
"O-of course!" Ashley says, her tone defensive. "What, you think I'm friendless just because I'm not a part of some bee-hive?"
"That's not what I'm getting at." Henry says patiently, holding out his hand and modulating his tone so he'll come off less aggressive. "Think about your friend, or your best friend. Really think about it. What's the most embarrassing thing you remember about him or her? What's the worst social gaffe they've made that you can't get out of your head?"
Ashley pauses. She lowers her head and falls into thought for a moment.
"I don't know. I can't think of anything. Why?"
"What about other people?" Henry asks. "Has anyone else you know made any serious social fuck-ups recently?"
"Social ones? No. There have been a few generally bad events recently, like finding out Baron Mara killed a bunch of people. But she's not my friend anyway, so..."
"THAT is my point." Henry states emphatically. "You don't think about the weird and embarrassing things your friends do. So why do you believe they're so fixated on yours?"
Ashley lifts her head to look at him. She remains silent, digesting his words, so he continues to press the issue.
"Do you know why you find things about yourself embarrassing? It's not your fault. Most people are extremely self-conscious about their own insecurities. Now that I've become a part of the Legion, I experience everyone else's insecurities all at the same time as I experience mine. In doing so, I realize that mine never amounted to anything at all. When you have ten thousand other people worrying about what they're wearing, or if they look fashionable, or some other tedious bullshit, you quickly realize that all of them amount to white noise. They don't matter."
He throws his hand up dramatically.
"I'm not picking on you. It's just a fact of human consciousness. All people are held back by their fear of social pressure, but much of that is because we don't know what goes on in the heads of our fellow men and women. If you could see their deranged sexual fantasies all at once, you would realize you're not weird at all. Everyone has a kink. If you enjoy looking at gross bugs, guess what? Someone else is unbothered by bodily fluids. We're all weird, and joining the Legion just made that clearer to me."
He pauses, unable to see the look on her face. "Sorry, I hope I'm not coming off as condescending. Does any of this make sense to you?"
Ashley slowly nods. "Mmm. Yeah, it does."
Henry heaves a sigh of relief. "Well, great! Great. I was worried I was starting to sound a little long-winded."
Ashley turns away and resumes walking. "You're definitely in a cult."
"Goddammit." Henry grumbles.
...
Before long, the two of them make it to the meeting location, where they arrive inside a massive, hollowed-out area inside the Labyrinth. There, they find, of all things, a new Volgrim Warpgate installed, its destination some unknown desert on a planet Henry can't immediately identify.
As they enter the massive arena-like staging area, Hope becomes momentarily disoriented. His newly enhanced senses pick up surges of spiritual energy, all spread out across the humans, demons, monsters, and other creatures inside. The powerful Demon Emperors, only a few of whom have yet to Ascend to Demon Deity, stand near the portal, using their strength as a show of force. Despite their proud expressions, Henry's keen senses detect a hint of fear in their eyes, as they seem to be unable to properly stand as strong as they always have. It's as if they are being suppressed by something...
"Whoa!" Ashley gasps. "I can't believe it. Why are the Volgrim here?"
"The Volgrim?" Henry asks, following her gaze based on the direction her helmet is pointed.
Somewhere in the mass of the crowd, a handful of decidedly alien-looking creatures with tentacles writing under their mouths and heavily-armored bodies stand at attention, looking like proud leaders and commanders. Their postures indicate a level of arrogance bred into their bones by millions of years of dominance over the Milky Way. Compared to the slightly fearful Demon Emperors, these Technopaths truly stand out as cream of the crop, with unknown augmentations that likely elevate their combat prowess to the peak.
"Those are Volgrim?" Henry asks. "Huh. The only one I've ever seen was that one female, the one who didn't have a mouth. She was presiding over my, uh, my tribunal..."
"Your tribunal?" Ashley asks.
She pauses, then turns to look at him strangely.
"Cliff... Henry Cliff? What the- you're that traitor! What- how even...?? You're a Lieutenant now? I didn't even recognize your name- no, forget that. Why are you in uniform? Weren't you banned basically forever from rejoining the military?"
"I was banned from rejoining the main military." Henry says, lowering his head in shame. "But, uhm, Hope's Parahumans are... different. It's a different jurisdiction."
Ashley takes a step to the side, pulling away from him. He can't see her expression, but based on her voice, she suddenly seems disgusted by him.
"All this time, I was talking to him." She mutters to herself, as she turns and walks away without another word.
Henry stands there, silently. He watches her depart, a feeling of bitterness welling up in his heart. He could pull rank on her, write her up for insubordination. Given his new status as a high-ranker, it would be easy to do.
But he doesn't.
In truth, he doesn't blame Ashley for her feelings. Because of his actions, Neil Adams was captured and humanity likely lost far more people during Stormbringer as a result. He indirectly caused the deaths of hundreds, perhaps even thousands.
How can he demand respect from her when he feels he doesn't deserve it?
As that thought wells up in Henry's mind, the thoughts of the Legion feed back into him, suppressing his negative emotions. All of them comment on his feelings and insecurities, offering kind words to help him feel better.
[You cannot and should not demand respect, no, but you can earn it back through your actions.] A 52-year-old Legionnaire says. [People like her will come around in due time. Perform admirably and make the Legion proud.]
[That woman is a mere Private.] Jepthath chimes in. [Do not allow your emotions to be tangled up by the feelings of a random soldier. You will need to bolster your Willpower if you seek to reach the peak of what you can achieve.]
[Right. My willpower.] Henry says, as his mood drastically swings back up. He hardens his heart, casting aside Ashley's comment and instead meditating for a moment to clear his mind. [Thank you, everyone, for the support.]
With his thoughts clear, Henry strides toward the front, keeping his gaze fixed on the Volgrim Technopaths. Having never seen these creatures before, he finds their horrid-looking tentacle mouths fascinating and yet creepy to look at. While all of them appear to be gender-ambiguous, certainly at first glance, as he comes closer, he does manage to make out one or two female-sounding voices among them. Or perhaps they might be higher-pitched males. He isn't entirely sure, and it seems a taboo subject to breach.
"-the Task Force will be working alongside these Technopath Envoys." Demon Emperor Yardrat says, his tone even and unbothered by the Technopaths to his left. "Naturally, full command of this operation will still go to the Archdemon, as the ranking Cosmic. However, because he will be busy dealing with the highest level threats, control of the ground forces will go to one member of each species, chosen via several votes of consensus. Today's operation is a test, and its purpose is to ensure we all work together properly. NO friendly fire. Our enemy is the Plague and nobody else. Save your personal grievances, vendettas, and petty squabbles for after we take our galaxy back from the Kolvaxians."
He gestures to the ten Technopaths. "The Volgrim have dispatched an army of 100,000 Technopath soldiers, and they will be commanded by this High Technopath named Loputo Jidelor, a high ranking commander of Clan Symmetra's ground forces."
Each of the Technopaths possesses their own combination of flesh and blood bodily parts mixed with metal limb replacements, armor-addons, and other such things. In Jidelor's case, he stands on two flesh and blood legs. However, in place of his right arm is a long, metallic limb with dozens of razor-thin threads waving to and fro where his 'wrist' ends. Each one moves independently, much like the tentacles on his left arm, but their movements appear far more precise. Dozens of metallic pieces are attached seemingly at random to his skin and skull.
Jidelor nods. "I am an experienced battlefield commander, but I am not a frontline soldier. I will be controlling our siege weaponry and directing our soldiers from the back."
Yardrat nods, then continues. "For the Demons, it goes without saying that just like with the last ten operations, Emperor Serena will be commanding our forces. Her ability to link souls together has proven instrumental in rapid battlefield communications, and her ability to sense souls allows her to keep up with the emergence of new Plagueborn until the point Diablo steals the world core back."
A beautiful demoness with sightless eyes nearby waves her hand delicately. "I will be in your care, everyone. Let us make it to the end without losing any demons this time."
"For the monsters, Fairy Princess Melia will take point." Yardrat says, nodding to another beautiful woman with green hair, fairy wings, and a look of boredom permanently etched onto her face.
Unlike the previous two commanders, Melia doesn't give a speech. In fact, she only rolls her eyes, crosses her arms, and looks away.
"Alright, and for the humans, General Chadwick will be taking charge." Yardrat concludes. He gestures to a massive Norwegian man who has now donned a Rhino T-REX variant and rests his hands around the shaft of a massive battleaxe. Its head rests on the ground, and he supports his massive armored frame by resting on the weapon's handle.
"Everyone." Chadwich says. "It is my honor to lead this mission. Naturally, Commander Neil is not happy about having to work with the demons, and I cannot imagine all of our soldiers are either. However, I pledge on Hope Hiro's honor that we will not commit any cowardly deeds of treachery, any backstabbing, or anything else of that sort! It was Hope Hiro who pushed for this arrangement because he wants humanity's soldiers to get real battle experience against the Plague. Let's be sure to make good use of this time to bury as many hatchets as we can!"
The crowd nods along to Chadwick's words. Some of the humans vocalize their approval, but many more remain silent.
The humans here are not normal civilians. They are military personnel, countless many of whom have not forgiven the demons. They may never forgive them, if their leaders are being honest.
Perhaps sensing the tenseness in the air, Yardrat briskly moves the pace along.
"In thirty minutes, we will begin. Transfer your forces to my world so that I can begin preparation to open the Intragalactic Portals. The Swarm has begun adapting to my tactics of late, so the moment those portals open, we'll need boots on the ground. No delays! If the Plague has its way, it might flood through the portals back to us, and that would be a whole bloody devil-damned mess."
The other leaders nod solemnly. They spread apart to talk to their forces, and Henry heaves a sigh.
In thirty minutes, we'll find out just how stable this alliance truly is.

I really wanted to cry, I should've choose Usyd😭😭
Some of my tutors in UNSW barely speak english hence unable to explain or help the students well.
I understand they must be smart, but teaching requires more than just intelligence. You have to be able to explain, be willing to help students, understand the subject well, give clear feedback, etc., as part of the job requirements. Not barely speak English, read slides, and call it a day.
It's not like they volunteered. They got paid for it🤡
Students also have the right to complain since we are paying a lot to a university that proudly claims to be top 20 in the world.
They could've hire better tutors.

On June 1st I (30M) finally came out to my friends and family. I wasn't planning to, I just did it in the spirit of Pride. It felt right.
I have for years sat unlabelled because I wasn't really sure what to call myself, I think Bi suits me best so that is what I have gone with.
Started with friends and they basically said they already knew. My brother was the same even though I don't think I have said anything previously, I guess we are just close.
I had no fear with telling each of my (divorced) parents because they were already allies back in 80s and 90s, sadly attending many funerals of their friends that lost their lives to AIDS and HIV. My father had assumed I was gay so it was surprise but not unwelcome. My mother is very transphobic so her immediate concern was whether I was trans, a disappointing reaction but not surprising. She doesn't know that I cross dress on occasion and I will keep it that way. But the response was still loving and positive. They both accept me for who I am.
I share this in part because of how much coming out has helped me accept who I am and because I see so much negativity on here surrounding the coming out experience. It has sparked a part of me that I have not fully explored but I look forward to both the ups and downs of this journey.

I got married to my best friend two weeks ago. I didn’t have a wedding planner and leading up to the wedding, I was super stressed out about every little detail - especially because we had an outdoor wedding and there was severe weather forecasted for our day. Wanted to encourage all of you that it will be okay by sharing all the little things that went wrong during our wedding week!

• bridesmaid found out her dress didn’t fit 5 days before the wedding and decided to let me know about it- she was able to find a dress off the rack somewhere that actually fit the color scheme and worked
• flower girl forgot her basket - a bridesmaid got one from goodwill for her the night before
• ring bearer forgot to bring his tie- he borrowed one from a family member that fit the wedding colors and honestly I didn’t even notice
• groomsman picking up the cake forgot to get the cake stand as well- we borrowed one from the venue
• there was a torrential downpour that flooded the reception tent 2 hours before our ceremony- the venue was able to completely dry out the water and clean every seat (I wouldn’t have even known if my nephew didn’t run in to tell me- yes I did completely panic but the venue staff was very professional and did a great job!)
• my bridesmaids got a flat tire on the way to the venue, 2 hours before the ceremony start time - my dad was able to pick them up and they got the car towed
• because of the rain and the flat tire, we weren’t able to do the bridal party photos until after the ceremony- I thought it was more fun after the ceremony because I wasn’t as stressed out!
• the DJ played the wrong song for when my husband walked down the aisle - this is actually a hilarious memory because the song was very intense with a heavy drum beat rather than the classical song we had picked out, so my husband basically ran down the aisle. I was laughing so hard behind the scenes, it completely cut the tension.

Despite all my fears and worries, it was perfect. The weather cleared up an hour and a half before our ceremony, so we were able to have it outside- my dress got a little wet and muddy, but I didn’t even care. I actually bought white rain boots to wear in the grass, and I got so many compliments on them! My only advice would be to pick a venue and vendors that are willing to help out when things don’t go according to plan and surround yourself with people who will support you. Also, if you’re going with an outdoor wedding, make sure to pick a venue with a good rain plan so you’re not freaking out if rain is on the forecast. You’ll spend so much time planning every detail, but at the end of the day, you won’t remember every table decoration or the seating chart. You will remember the good memories with your new spouse, your friends, and your family. Good luck everyone!

So i got a nintendo switch for traveling purposes last month and got a few games in the meantime, i'm not exactly broke now but i really don't want to spend more than a tiny bit of my income on games, anyway that brings us to the matter:
i need some opinions on buying (both options at the same price on sale) Dark Souls (played a few parts when i was a kid, but never since) vs Dead Cells AND Ashen (havnt played both). Tell me what would u guys do. thanks for the help

Argument backstory:
My boyfriend had a very busy week with work. There’s a lot on his plate, and he had a night of feeling pretty worked up.
I asked him if he needed help, he said yes. So I helped him write a list of all the things he had to do, then rated them from High to Medium to Low priority. He started working away, though I kept seeing him get caught on his phone. We both have the tendency to doom scroll (ADHD), and because I knew he had to finish deliverables that night (it was 10:30pm already) and had to be up at 4am for a ten hour work day, I figured I’d nudge his focus back onto work. So I asked him (in a sweet voice) what he was doing. It really bugged him and he got super defensive & annoyed. I told him I didn’t actually care if he was on his phone but that I was trying to help. He didn’t listen and kept repeating how he couldn’t believe I’d act like that with him. I was very confused, considering he constantly does that to me when I’m trying to study and get off track. He takes my phone away sometimes (after asking me) bc your girl can get derailed easily & so can he.
I then got frustrated because he wasn’t listening to my clarification, and kept getting elevated. So I just got up and walked away. He followed me and I stopped doing my part to contribute to a healthy conflict resolution at this point bc I was angry & upset. He wouldn’t accept the fact that I wasn’t trying to judge him, that I did not care what he did and that I was only trying to help. So I walked away. He followed me and kept saying that I needed to fix it because he can’t handle the additional stress I had caused. I didn’t know how though bc he wasn’t listening to me. Maybe I could have empathized more?
Line crossed:
I eventually said I couldn’t talk about it anymore bc he was elevated and went into the bedroom. He whipped something at the door after I closed it. I opened and asked what happened & he said he threw a pop can at the door but then deflected onto how he couldn’t believe I’d created this. I was really upset at this point bc throwing/breaking things crosses a line for me. I told him that this was not okay with me and unacceptable. I locked myself in the bathroom until I calmed down. When I came back out, he was waiting and said we needed to talk about it. I said no, that he’d crossed a line and I no longer felt safe. He then slammed the door and called me a fucking lunatic.
Am I the asshole here? Should I have been more empathetic at the start? I feel I got defensive because I was only trying to help and he didn’t accept that explanation so I shut down a bit.

i've been with my girlfriend for about 3 months officially (8 if you count the 5 months of ridiculous pining that included a short stint of "dating" and where we were "basically a couple", her words not mine) and i'm not sure how to get over the fact that i think i'm not pretty enough for her
she's absolutely gorgeous. jaw-droppingly gorgeous. i've told her as much. i've never met someone who was pretty, hot, and cute all at the same time. she takes the compliments in stride because she gets told that often. she's very confident in herself and i love that about her
i am not. it's not that i've been called ugly, just that people other than my immediate family don't tend to call me that. i can tolerate my face but i avoid pictures like the plague because looking at my body, especially in photos, in any capacity makes me uncomfortable. when we have sex, i always take the lead to avoid being touched. she knows this and never makes me feel bad about it. i've actually stopped sex because i couldn't stand looking at my own body
my girlfriend is amazing and will compliment me unprovoked, although rarely because i'm uncomfortable with compliments and i honestly don't believe her, which is ridiculous - she always happily announces me as her girlfriend at any opportunity. she's never embarrassed to show her friends at home what i look like, she's never made me feel ugly, she's the one that initiated the relationship in the first place so questioning if she's attracted to me SHOULD be out of the question but that doesn't help
i didn't start having body dysmorphia this bad until about a year ago and i just don't know what to do. i feel gross all the time. she's never made me feel bad for bringing up similar insecurities (she has body issues of her own) but it feels like a failure on my part. it should be easy to talk about with her, she is my best friend. we're long distance until uni starts again in August and we're both busy until Sunday, i'm just struggling on how to bring it up without sounding like i'm fishing for something (i already don't enjoy compliments that much - i can imagine how it would sound to be upset about not GETTING compliments)
the fact that i am self-aware of the ridiculousness of my feelings makes it worse. any help would be appreciated. i'm about to be 19

My 'boss' is out this week. I have been second in command, but this week am in charge, so to speak. So I have been super busy not only cause it is the busiest week for my department but also doing his job and dealing with issues that need to be fixed so EVERYONE else can do their jobs. Except they are not grateful, are lazy as fuck, and just generally selfish, self-absorbed pieces of shit. They are the only ones who exist in their universe and everyone else is either an obstacle or is only important when they're doing something for them.
I am just feeling very discouraged even though I handled everything really well, especially some bigger issues that came up early in the week that I have never even touched before. No one says thank you, have a good weekend, fuck you, nothing. They just move on with their own stupid lives. And the best part is 90% of them do little to nothing on a daily basis and have the nerve to undermine me. This week has really made me realize no one gives a shit about how helpful and fast I am to respond/assist. So from now on, they can all suck my dick and wait their turns. No more help from me.

Hello,
I rented a car a month ago in the Middle East, more precisely in Oman and had an accident. Nothing serious happened, the headlight was broken and the front bumper got a bit. Of course, it was not my fault, but after a few hours the police let us off with a receipt and said that all costs would be covered by insurance.
On the other hand, the owner of the rental company said that I should pay more than 700 euros for the damage. After a few days, we met kind people who also work at the car rental company and they told us that they were trying to cheat us because they themselves do that with tourists. Also, I would like to add that those people who helped us from another insurance company saw to it that the policeman gave completely different information from me and from the conclusion it appears that I am responsible for the accident. I don't want to go any further into this topic because it is very extensive and the whole thing has been unclear to me from the beginning, but there is nothing to expect this is not Europe.
We were also not sure if we signed any contract with the insurance company because the contract was you could say on a large sheet of notebook paper in Arabic and a few sentences in English. The website says that the car is insured, meaning it has CDW, LDW, but there was no such information anywhere on the contract. But under the Arabic code they told us that the car is fully insured, as anyone who rents must fully insure the car. They also explained that the insurance works in such a way that it covers all costs, similarly, the police officers said. They advised us to either leave the car in front of the rental company and leave the keys or argue with them. When we left there was no one there, so option
A came out. Of course, they tried to take money from me from the bank, but the transaction was rejected and blocked automatically due to suspicion of extortion. Many people complained in the reviews that they took money from everyone's account as they went home. After a month, I received an email from a company in Cyprus who operates their bank transfers and asks for 700 euros.
The story is a little long, but I wanted you to know the background of the events. My question is, what can this company do to get this money from me ? I don't think it will do that because it is trying to scare me into giving it back, but I prefer to prepare myself for plan B. As far as I know, in order for a company or person from another country to collect money from me, they must file a request and the court must approve it in my country, Poland. Then the debt collection company or bailiff will enforce the judgment issued, or do I misunderstand?

Okay I’ve convinced my father to move to Red Deer from another province to be closer to me!! WOO! The unfortunate part now is he is looking for a rental For the beginning of July with possibility to move in beforehand. Im reaching out to my RedDeerians to help a gal out on finding a rental for my dad! His house is the nicest on the street where he lives currently and takes ultra pride in the way the home looks. He’s owned homes before & knows what it takes to keep a house in top shape and how to fix things up. Do you have any leads, are currently looking for an amazing tenant who actually takes care of things? I look forward to getting in contact with you 😊😊🙏

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Natural Approach: Uses natural ingredients for a gentle solution. Convenient Dosing: Liquid drops are easy to incorporate into daily routines. Multifaceted Support: Targets blood sugar, appetite, energy, and cognitive function. Financial Security: The 60-day money-back guarantee provides some protection. Quality Assurance: Made in an FDA-registered facility, ensuring adherence to standards. Cons:
Effectiveness Unclear: Limited independent verification of effectiveness. Varied Results: Individual experiences may differ. Limited Availability: Only available through the official website, affecting accessibility. Unveiling the Formula Sugar Defender is positioned as a dietary supplement for blood sugar management, boasting a blend of natural ingredients aimed at promoting healthy blood sugar levels and overall metabolic health. The primary goal is to regulate blood sugar, potentially curbing cravings and aiding weight management. It also claims to enhance energy levels and cognitive function. However, it's crucial to remember that Sugar Defender is a supplement, not a miracle cure. Its effectiveness and the validity of its claims require careful consideration. This review provides a balanced perspective on its potential benefits and drawbacks.
The Mystery Behind the Creator
Unlike many supplements that highlight their creators, Sugar Defender's origins are somewhat mysterious. There's no readily available information about the individual or team behind it. This lack of transparency might be concerning for some users, as knowing the background and qualifications of the creators can build trust. However, this doesn't necessarily negate the product's potential effectiveness. Some companies focus more on the science behind the ingredients rather than the creators. For those seeking transparency, this anonymity might be a point of hesitation.
If you're considering Sugar Defender, research the ingredients and their potential benefits for blood sugar management. Additionally, look for independent reviews from verified users to get a broader perspective. The decision to trust Sugar Defender, despite its mysterious origins, ultimately rests with you.
The Science Behind Sugar Defender
Sugar Defender features a blend of natural ingredients aimed at supporting healthy blood sugar levels. Here's a closer look at the science behind some key components:
Chromium: May improve insulin sensitivity, aiding blood sugar control, though evidence is inconclusive. Alpha-Lipoic Acid: An antioxidant with mixed results on blood sugar regulation. Gymnema Sylvestre: Contains gymnemic acid, which may reduce sugar cravings and improve insulin sensitivity. The exact dosages and the combined effects of all the ingredients in Sugar Defender aren't well-researched, and the product itself lacks extensive clinical trials. This doesn't negate its potential benefits but highlights the need for further research and a critical approach.
Detailed Ingredient Analysis
Eleuthero (Siberian Ginseng): An adaptogenic herb that may help manage stress and improve stamina, though its impact on blood sugar is limited. Coleus Forskohlii: Contains forskolin, which may aid weight management and blood pressure, but its effects on blood sugar are unclear. Maca Root: May boost energy and mood, but more research is needed on its impact on blood sugar. African Mango (Irvingia Gabonensis): Could help suppress appetite and improve cholesterol, with emerging evidence on blood sugar effects. Guarana: High in caffeine, it may increase energy and suppress appetite, though its role in blood sugar management is unclear. Ginseng: May improve energy and cognitive function, with some studies suggesting it could help regulate blood sugar. Gymnema Sylvestre: May reduce sugar cravings and improve insulin sensitivity. Alpha-Lipoic Acid: Plays a role in glucose metabolism, with mixed research results. How Sugar Defender Works Sugar Defender claims to work through several mechanisms:
Blood Sugar Regulation: Ingredients like Chromium and Gymnema Sylvestre may enhance insulin sensitivity and reduce sugar cravings. Appetite Control: African Mango and Coleus Forskohlii might help suppress appetite and manage weight. Energy and Metabolism: Eleuthero, Maca Root, and Ginseng may boost energy and support a healthy metabolism. These are theoretical mechanisms, and the actual effectiveness remains unclear.
Instructions and Considerations Dosage and Administration:
Recommended Dosage: One dropper (1 ml) three times daily. Method: Take drops under the tongue, hold for a few seconds before swallowing, preferably with meals. Consistency: Use consistently for at least three months to see potential benefits. Lifestyle Modifications:
Healthy Lifestyle: Maintain a balanced diet and regular exercise. Sugar Defender should supplement these efforts, not replace them. Consulting Your Doctor:
Medical Conditions: Consult your doctor if you have pre-existing conditions or are on medication. Pregnant/Breastfeeding Women: Should seek medical advice before use. Be Cautious and Realistic:
Approach Claims Critically: Independent research and reviews can provide a balanced view. Individual Results Vary: What works for one person might not work for another. Potential Side Effects Sugar Defender is generally safe but may cause mild side effects like:
Digestive Discomfort: Bloating, gas, or diarrhea. Headaches: Mild headaches due to changes in blood sugar levels. Nausea: Occasional nausea. Dizziness: Slight dizziness or lightheadedness. Allergic Reactions: Rare allergic reactions. Sleep Disturbances: Changes in sleep patterns. If any side effects persist or worsen, discontinue use and consult a healthcare professional.
Is Sugar Defender Safe? Sugar Defender is generally safe for most people when used as directed. It's made with natural ingredients and adheres to quality standards. However, pregnant or breastfeeding women, and those with pre-existing conditions or on medication, should consult a healthcare provider before use. Individual responses vary, so monitor how your body reacts and make informed decisions.
By following these guidelines and consulting with your doctor, you can decide if Sugar Defender is a suitable option for you.
Who Should Avoid Sugar Defender?
While Sugar Defender is generally safe for most individuals, specific groups should exercise caution or avoid using the supplement altogether:
Pregnant and Breastfeeding Women: Limited research exists on the safety of Sugar Defender's ingredients during pregnancy and lactation. Pregnant or breastfeeding women should consult their healthcare provider before using this supplement.
Children: Sugar Defender is formulated for adult use and may not be suitable for children. Parents should consult with a pediatrician before giving Sugar Defender to children.
Individuals with Medical Conditions: Those with pre-existing medical conditions, such as diabetes, cardiovascular disease, or gastrointestinal disorders, should consult a healthcare professional before using Sugar Defender to ensure it is safe and appropriate for their specific health needs.
Allergies: Individuals with known allergies to any of the ingredients in Sugar Defender should avoid using the supplement to prevent allergic reactions.
Medication Interactions: Some ingredients in Sugar Defender may interact with certain medications. Individuals taking prescription medications should consult their healthcare provider before using Sugar Defender to avoid potential interactions.
By considering these factors and consulting with a healthcare professional when necessary, individuals can make informed decisions about whether Sugar Defender is suitable for their individual needs and circumstances.
Sugar Defender: Sifting Through Customer Reviews (4.8 Rating with a Cautious Eye)
Sugar Defender boasts a high customer rating of 4.8, but it's important to evaluate this critically:

Visit Official Website To Order Sugar Defender Click Here

The Positive Side: Many customer reviews highlight positive experiences, such as improved blood sugar control, increased energy levels, and reduced cravings. Users often appreciate the ease of use (liquid drops) and the natural approach. A Cause for Caution: A near-perfect rating (4.8) can be suspicious. Genuine reviews tend to reflect a mix of positive and negative experiences. There is a possibility of biased reviews influenced by marketing or affiliate programs. Looking Beyond the Ratings: Focus on the content of reviews rather than just the star rating. Look for detailed reviews describing the user’s experience, both positive and negative. Consider the reviewer's background and potential biases. Sugar Defender Customer Reviews: A Journey Through User Experiences
30 Days: Sarah M. (4 stars): Noticed increased energy and fewer afternoon slumps. David L. (3 stars): Found the taste manageable but saw no major changes in blood sugar yet. Emily K. (5 stars): Experienced significant reduction in sugar cravings and healthier food choices. John T. (2 stars): Disappointed with no significant change in energy or blood sugar levels. Maria P. (4 stars): Liked the convenience and felt slightly lighter, hoping for more progress. 90 Days: Sarah M. (4 stars): Significant improvement in energy levels and positive changes in blood sugar readings. David L. (3 stars): Cravings less intense, but blood sugar readings still inconsistent. Emily K. (5 stars): Managed to lose weight and stabilize blood sugar levels. John T. (3 stars): Slight improvement in energy levels, unsure about continued use. Maria P. (5 stars): Lost weight and improved blood sugar control, very positive results. 180 Days: Sarah M. (5 stars): Consistent healthy blood sugar levels and improved energy, essential part of health regimen. David L. (4 stars): Stabilized blood sugar readings and managed cravings better. Emily K. (5 stars): Dramatic improvement in energy, sleep, and overall health. John T. (4 stars): Significant improvement in blood sugar control after six months. Maria P. (5 stars): Maintained weight loss, high energy levels, and good blood sugar control. Where to Buy Sugar Defender?
Sugar Defender is exclusively available for purchase through its official website. Buying directly from the official source ensures authenticity, special offers, dedicated customer support, and secure transactions.
Sugar Defender Pricing:
Single Bottle: $69 Three Bottles: $177 ($59 per bottle) Six Bottles: $294 ($49 per bottle) Refund Policy:
Sugar Defender offers a 60-day money-back guarantee. If you're not entirely satisfied with your purchase, you can request a full refund within 60 days of receipt.
Bonuses:
Customers may receive complimentary ebooks, guides, or additional products to support health and well-being as part of their purchase.
FAQs About Sugar Defender:
Ingredients: Eleuthero, Coleus Forskohlii, Maca Root, African Mango, Guarana, Chromium, Ginseng, Gymnema Sylvestre. How it Works: Claims to regulate blood sugar, control appetite, manage weight, and boost energy. Benefits: Blood sugar management, appetite control, weight management, increased energy, improved mood. Usage: Recommended dosage is one full dropper taken three times daily, preferably with meals. Side Effects: Generally safe, but some may experience stomach upset or headaches. Purchase Location: Available only on the official website. Cost: Varies, with bulk purchasing options offering cost savings. Reviews: Positive reviews on the official website, but independent reviews should also be considered. Scam Concerns: No definitive evidence of a scam, but transparency issues and limited clinical trials raise concerns. Alternatives: Other blood sugar support supplements with established brands and clear ingredient information are available. Final Word on Sugar Defender
Sugar Defender appears to be a promising supplement for blood sugar management, but it's important to approach it with a critical eye. While many users report positive experiences, the lack of transparent ingredient dosages and limited clinical evidence should be considered. Always consult with a healthcare professional before starting any new supplement.

Visit Official Website To Order Sugar Defender Click Here

I am originally from Eastern Africa but I have lived in a rainy part of Scandinavia since 1987. We're lucky to have a sunny and hot summer like every two or three years. Last year it rained all of July, which sucked. lol. No sun, no tan, no beach. It honestly doesn't bother me since I'm used to it by now, but I would like to go to the beach at least ten days a year, or be able to wear a summer dress and enjoy the warm sun.
I take cod liver oil, vitamin D (20 mcg) and vitamin K every day. I have tried to find recommendations about vitamin D for people of darker skin who live in the northern hemisphere, but I've only found studies regarding deficiencies, nothing about recommendations.
I've only found on Reddit one post regarding this topic, and it was a Somalian guy who was worried about vitamin D deficiency after moving to Finland (I think). But are there other people of colour who live in northern USA, Canada, Nordic countries, the UK, etc. who take vitamin D? How much do you take? Have you noticed that it has helped you in your overall health? I really don't notice any difference since I started taking these supplements a year and a half ago.
Thanks!

Getting this out there to stop ruminating - hoping for helpful perspectives.
TL;DR My boyfriend has lied a lot about his ex, now says she raped him 6 times. I want to help him but I’m scared he’s lying.
I (29F) have been in a relationship with a guy I deeply love (28M) for a year and some months. I met him (let’s call him Charlie) around six months after a relationship I was in for 6 years ended in a way fitting for a Netflix docuseries, with me realizing I really never knew the man I was engaged to and had lived with for five years. I wasn’t looking for anything serious, but Charlie came along and was really just gentle, and kind. There was no lovebombing, which I would’ve been really sensitive to, just easygoing falling in love. Things definitely moved quickly, but not in any overdramatic sense. I felt at peace for awhile.
I told him from the very beginning that I can’t handle lying. That he doesn’t even have to tell me the truth about anything - just please don’t lie to me. I had been so badly hurt and was trying to heal my ability to trust. And I understand that people lie sometimes without meaning to, to protect others/themselves, I really get it. Out of consideration for both of us, I set that boundary early so that if it was something he couldn’t do, he’d know I’m not the person for him and that’s okay. I just asked for the respect.
And I didn’t uphold my own boundary. That’s on me. I should’ve left at the first lie, but I just had this gut feeling that he really does love me. The lies mainly revolve around his ex (someone he was with for 9 months, around covid). Right after meeting him (2 weeks), he had lunch with her for ‘closure’, as she had just moved back from out of state. I had encouraged him to do this, because he had expressed not being sure if he’s over it. I really liked him, so I said hey, I totally understand, but I don’t want to continue with you if that’s an open door. Go see her, you don’t owe me anything but the respect of a clear decision. He went to have lunch and came right back, saying all the perfect things and grateful that he could now say he was sure.
A few months later, I started to notice inconsistencies about how he spoke of his past. This was really triggering to me, and he knew that. He went from saying she broke his heart when she broke up with him to he knew he never loved her while with her, found her unattractive and easy, and that they never spent time together. He said the entire thing was faked by them, made up to convince their friends and family that they were mature and had their lives together. He told me he was using dating apps the entire time, always to sext and snapchat other girls. He showed me the childishness of their texts, and I noted that he tried to initiate sexting and talked about sex a lot with her. She seemed disinterested, only really engaging for validation. It definitely did not read as intimacy, or like they knew each other at all. Just a lot of middle schoolish plays for attention and detached romance. Weirdly, he also told me that when they would talk about moments they shared, they had actually not even seen each other. The moments hadn’t even happened…he claims they were just cosplaying a relationship, essentially.
Fast forward - he went from saying that girl broke his heart when she broke up with him to that girl raped him multiple times. Now, big disclaimer - the doubt I am about to express is not by any means doubt that men are raped by women. I am a survivor myself, and know that victims and abusers can be any gender, size, sexuality, etc. I also know that the way victims cope can be denial, as well as many other things. But I have a really pervasive fear that my boyfriend is lying and accusing an innocent person of rape. He claims the only time they had sex consensually was the first time and he hated it, and that the rest of the times there was any sexual contact (6 times), she raped him. He said she wasn’t a sexual person, and that it was always very matter-of-fact and business-like. That she didn’t make a sound, just started touching him - according to him, he’d say no and try to push hand away, but she would silently just continue. She would then straddle him, pin him down, and also get a condom on him at the same time? He says all of this was without a sound, just more forceful if he tried to push her off or get up. And this happened six times, according to him. He said each time he froze more and more.
I remember from their texts that she talked about how she feels bad that she never orgasms when they have sex, and assured him that only one guy in her past was able to get her off. And over text, he was always the one bringing up sex - sex they had (that he now says were complete fabrications, though she just played along), sex he wanted to have with her, etc. And she just seemed to put up with it at best, but mostly bored. He was the one who wanted to hang out with her, the main initiator of contact. And after the relationship ended, that was still true. He seemed to idealize her, kept reaching out, etc. She would either ignore him or react when she wanted attention.
Something just feels so off. He ended up retracting that she raped him, then said the retraction was a lie because he could tell I have doubts and just wanted to put my mind to rest because he knows it doesn’t make sense. I don’t know what to believe. I want to help him through this…but what if he’s lying? It seems he is a compulsive liar, and I’m just so scared of being hurt. Does anyone have any experience with any part of this?

The latest Friday review and marketing insights are out on newsletter, one of the sections is below. Let me know what you think:

What did Internet say?

1. People, including some advertisers aren’t happy about unskippable ads on Instagram.
   1. In January, TikTok’s report came out sharing unskippable ads may harm engagement.
2. A new study from Pinterest is making marketers thirsty to join the platform. Why? It shares the platform generates 170% more total attention than other platforms.
   1. I love Pinterest but the platform gaslights you a lot. First, they need to highlight engaged audience on profile instead of total audience. The Total metric is similar to X’s post views. Having more total audience aka views means nothing if people aren’t engaging.
   2. About the study, Pinterest talking about a passive and active attention is important. Most marketers are only after attention as we discussed in a previous post, understanding attention theory is a must.
   3. Yes, People enjoy content on Pinterest as they claim in the study. But people aren’t happy about your ads, the study shows biased in that part.
      1. Most brands aren’t Pinterest-first, A lot of repurposing going. Making people hate the ad experience, Pinterest needs brands that follow more rules of creativity than performance.
3. Departure of Virginie Viard from Chanel is kind of being celebrated by fashion lovers.
4. GQ’s Article ‘Merch is dead’ is getting roasted by Internet’s best newsletters, short answer: Merch is very much alive. My Reads:
   1. Why is wearing merch so embarrassing? by emily north.
   2. Everything is Merch from Ana Andjelic and Eugene Rabkin.
5. Protests against AI training: Adobe and Meta are getting called out for their new terms of use.
   1. First a little rant: INSTAGRAM SUCKS FOR RESEARCH.
      1. There is a viral ‘add yours’ template where creators are sharing their anger against AI. I saw it once in a random story, I can’t find that story or template because there is no feature to do so.
      2. Hashtags no longer show the layout to see recent posts or stories.
   2. #metai #creatorsagainstai and few other hashtags highlight how artists are leaving Meta over AI terms.
      1. Part of the problem is opting out of AI training is not easy. EU’s Noyb has already filed complaint against AI, let’s see what happens in US.
6. Brand Collaborations getting love: Dunkin x Scrub Daddy and Vacation Sunscreen x Erewhon Smoothie.
7. Meta Advertisers: Music on Image Ads is a no + Meta’s test to have multiple objectives under 1 campaign is kind of useless and cash grab.
8. Against the Trend: Dr. Harini Bhat’s 20 minute-long video summary of Flight MH370 felt like a 5-minute video. A masterclass in engaging video storytelling.
9. 🍲 Chipotle: I feel bad for Chipotle’s marketing team, they created the perfect social media post. Only to have their CEO’s interview mess things up, people are now trolling his interview.
10. Recommendations: Christina Garnett’s podcast with copywriting legend, Vikki Ross + A mega post sharing e-commerce funnel creation and examples.
11. Updated Insight: The TikTok guide shared duets and stitches can help your content reach more relevant audiences, as the link juice travels from one video to other.
    1. This recent post from Joanna Williams hinted at another use-case, using amount of organic stitches and duets with creator’s video as a metric for Influencer selection.
12. The Worst: Spotify’s CEO tweets about cost of content being zero. The Online Community didn’t like that, probably because content isn’t free.
    1. Because of CEOs like him, the word ‘content’ is becoming meaningless.

Read the complete post here, and do upvote if you liked what was shared, see you on Sunday with marketing news version. 🧃

Wife had a dash cam and it was all caught on camera. Both cars were driving southbound on a multi-lane road. The other driver (Toyota Rav4) swayed in their lane and clearly came into my wife's lane. There is enough scuffing, which appears to be rubber, on my wife's front-left bumper to indicate there was contact with the Rav4's front right wheel, but it is not clear in the dash cam footage whether this contact occurred. We believe it was an extremely light hit, only enough to leave some rubber on my wife's bumper, but no further damage was done. What is clear, is that following the alleged contact, my wife hit a curb on the right and badly damaged a few suspension components and the tire of her front-right. We haven't gotten a repair estimate yet, but as someone who is very mechanically versed (in auto specifically), it will be at least $2000 in parts alone to repair.
We're a few days into the process with insurance. My wife's insurance company agrees that, from the video and photo evidence, the Rav4 driver is at fault. They also claim that they have surveillance footage (???) of my wife's car prior to the accident and the scuffs from the rav4's tires are not present prior to the accident and are present after. We submitted a claim with the Rav4 driver's insurance, and they just told us that they are ruling the Rav4 (their client) not at fault.
Unfortunately, my wife did not have collision coverage on her policy, an oversight which we will be correcting moving forward. However, this complicates our next steps. Is there any way to push back on the other driver's insurance? I assume that our insurance will not want to waste resources on mediation out of their own kindness. I assume that since we didn't have collision coverage, insurance is not responsible for repairs if, after mediation, it is still determined not to be the Rav4 driver's fault. Is this assumption correct?
This is all really upsetting and we both feel like the whole insurance system is failing us. Any advice would be much appreciated!

Detailed a lot of my situation on my last post: https://www.reddit.com/EstrangedAdultKids/s/5uNYuE5DWt . The gist of it is that a few days ago, I left my parents a note and left their house due to a disagreement around religion, especially when it came to me telling them about my long-term girlfriend that I am planning on moving in with. They didn’t realize I had left until I had already gotten back home, and I was hoping to establish some semblance of LC, but I am having trouble doing it.
I got back to my own place and the space has really helped to help me reassert my autonomy and adult personality, but I still feel really nervous and beholden to my parents’ “authority” over me. I could not go NC with them off-rip because they know where I live and they have come down on several occasions when I disobeyed them to either berate me or take me to their home. I also have some reservations going NC simply because I want to salvage some sort of relationship with them, although I figure it will be strained and sparse in any case.
Obviously, they have been blowing up my phone with calls and texts. I have responded to some of them, but their anger about me leaving without telling them and my theological differences have given way to them pleading for me to come back home for my sibling’s graduation party, which is tomorrow.
I am obviously wary of going back there, but I do feel an obligation to be there for my sibling. Rationally, I realize that I was present at the actual graduation and have been supportive the entire time, so my presence at this party (which is more for my parents’ friends than my sibling’s) isn’t a huge deal. It’s not even like I can go anyway: I am going across the country to visit the city I am moving to in a month. Despite all of this, I am physically shaking at the thought of disobedience. I have not been able to properly communicate my needs and boundaries to my parents because my mouth will not open while I am speaking to them.
My father just texted me to ask when I would be coming home tomorrow. I find myself unable to text back because the little kid in my head is afraid of some nebulous “punishment,” even though I know the worst of it will be some guilt-tripping accusations and other manipulative tactics. The funniest part is that I am subconsciously afraid of some physical retribution even though I am a big guy and the most accomplished and tenured bouncer at the bar I work at. A lot of the comments on my past posts have suggested I get counseling for this (which I wholeheartedly appreciate and agree with) but I can’t until my insurance switches over. I am not sure exactly how to go about this. What strategies do you all use or suggest to get through this?