Old book slogans

i’m making a vampire “themed” book and i really need name suggestions for the female mc. She’s over 7000 years old, so an old uncommon name would be best. She’s very morally grey and extremely seductive, her whole thing is that she doesn’t see the point in falling in love with the male mc. she’ll be in the human world so normal yet daunting names would be best. i have a few options that are Sybil, Seline, Myra or Lilith. I could do with other male names but the mc name is my top priority. i really hope someone can help, thanks 🫶🫶

Buckle up, this one’s gonna be long. I (24F) have always known that I liked women, but thought I preferred men (🙄). My first ever kiss was with my best friend (a girl) when we were 13, and afterwards I FREAKED out and ghosted her. Like literally would not talk to her cold turkey for like 2 years. And the thing about it is that I refused to think about it, I wouldn’t let myself think about why I was treating her this way.
My friend group growing up was very tolerant, many of them being openly queer. When I was 15, we were at a sleepover of all girls and played spin the bottle… So basically I kissed like 7 girls before I ever kissed a man 😂 I don’t remember it being particularly earth shattering, just little teenage pecks but still. But another thing about me is that I was boy crazy growing up, I had a crush on every boy that was nice to me. When I was 16 and got my first boyfriend, we made out a few times and I was so not into it. I dumped him 3 months in. At the same time I was going to a concert with my bestie and suggesting we “pretend to be gfs so guys dont talk to us” (sorry these thoughts are just coming as I write)
The rest of high school I was “in love with” the same guy my best friend had a crush on… So I didn’t have another boyfriend in high school. When I got to college, I was excited to date new people and went on lots of dates with men, but I was always too scared to date a woman. I always knew one day I would build up the nerve to go out with a girl and then… I met my boyfriend.
So, my boyfriend and I met at a really weird time in my life. I was really uncomfortable at my dorm with tension from my roommates, I was feeling out of place at my dads and my mom and i weren’t speaking. When he and I got together, it escalated really fast because I stayed over ALL the time. I felt safe and comfortable at his house, he quickly became my best friend. We would watch movies and smoke weed and order food. The first few times we kissed and had sex, I felt like something was missing. I honestly didn’t even really like him romantically, he wasnt a very good boyfriend, but he was the best option. Shit went down with my mom, she was on drugs and losing it, my dad and i weren’t getting along and i ended up moving in with my bf at the ripe old age of 19. As soon as I moved out my stepmom gave my room to my brother and I was officially out of options (so it felt like). I was estranged from both sides of my family for about 6 months. during that time my bf and i fought a lot and i wanted to break up with him but felt like I couldn’t. I really did start to love him but at this point I am struggling to remember the feeling. We would have sex a lot, and it was exciting because he is the only person I have ever slept with. It very often wasn’t great, and I would end up crying myself to sleep not knowing why. We have significantly less sex now (5 years later) and I still struggle with an unease afterwards. We have gone through so many of my hard times together and I developed a very codependent relationship with him. I would get severe anxiety being away from him and he became my rock. I went through a very dark year were I was depressed and didn’t work. He was as supportive as he could’ve been and got me through it. He supported me when I went back to school and worked a job he hated. He is so wonderful and thats what makes this hurt so bad. I love him with all of my heart, he is my best friend, but I am not sure if im in love with him.
A few months ago, I read Tryst Six Venom and it consumed me. It was the first w/w book I had read (i pretty much only read m/m before). I haven’t stopped thinking “oh shit am i a lesbian?” since. Then I read this stupid comphet shit and have been crying my eyes out for days. It feels too real now. When I close my eyes and think of reaching out and touching a body, its a womans. I feel curves and breasts and soft hair and soft skin. My boyfriend is my home, where i’m comfortable, but i’m terrified I am missing out on what i’m meant for. I dont know, basically what im trying to say im about 90% that im a lesbian but scared shitless. I dont want to blow up my life. What if im wrong and ruin lives for nothing? He will be devastated. This fucking sucks.
PS If you were wondering about my attraction to other men, its been at almost a zero since i have been with my bf. Im a certified man hater actually.
pss sorry for the grammar i partook in a lil too much devils lettuce

I have been a manager of a new residential service department for 6 months. The company currently is very successful in the new construction business. I was really proud of myself, and felt like I had really accomplished something. I worked really hard to get hired as a manager and always wanted to get to this side of the business. I live in a very competitive market in Florida. We have a call center located in the Phillipines that takes ALL incoming calls. They are also expected to book our calls. Everything. They are ruining this business and honestly killing it before it can even become successful.
It is absolutely painful for me to listen to these interactions on service titan. Its embarrassing. I cannot even refer my family and friends because I would have to explain the situation. Techs quit after 4-6 weeks because they see it is going nowhere.
Has anyone ever seen or heard of this? It’s absolutely bonkers and really makes me feel like my career is being derailed. My old boss called me to offer my spot back in the truck (after he hired away one of my guys away for NO RAISE) because he said I am on a sinking ship. My head hurts. I work so fucking hard at this. But the call center undermines it all. I take calls all day anyday, always say yes, and always try to show the positive attitude towards my guys. Everyone that has ever worked for me, has told me they loved me but hated the business I work for.
Anyone have any advice or suggestions? Does this call center shit ever start to work? What can I do to combat this? I feel like it is the worst idea EVER. I asked my owners March 1st to fire them and voiced why they would never work. I know my industry, market, and customers.
Has anyone ever went back to the van? It will hurt my ego, I will feel like a loser & failure. I want to make it on this path. But I feel fully defeated right now.

Hi, I'm 23 years old (turning 24 in a few months) and I'm a first year student of a college-like program in Europe. I'm still looking for an internship for this first year. Today, I had a technical interview with the owner and a senior employee of a very small company (about 10 employees, total revenue 500k). They started with questions aimed at paid juniors or students looking for a paid internship: definition of class, Hibernate, Spring, Servlet, HashMap/list/vector, the MVC pattern, the Singleton pattern, etc. I managed to answer 6 out of 10 of these questions, not because they taught me at school, but because I did two simple Spring projects and knew some of these things.
Then, they had me do a very simple exercise on paper. Honestly, it was a very simple exercise, but on paper... I really didn't expect it, and I had never done exercises like that. In the end, I couldn't give a sufficient answer. From there, the owner started talking to me very badly, saying things like "for me, you're a burden", "what do I gain if I take you", "if something happened to you while you're at my company, I would be responsible". Finally, he even started insulting me about my age: "you're already 23 years old, you're a man, you've chosen this path, but you can't do these basic things. You need to understand that you've already lost all these years, and to do this profession, you have to work much, much harder".
Lastly, he suggested some Java books to look at and told me "we'll talk again in a month or a few months", suggesting that they're willing to take me when I have a more solid foundation, when I can do exercises on paper as he wants.
I wonder, is this normal? I can't understand and I feel really bad about all his offensive remarks. And excuse me, it's a consulting company that uses obsolete technologies and is desperate to find personnel to learn these obsolete technologies. It's very small and located in an inaccessible area. Is it normal for them to demand and treat me like this, being a first-year "college" student who only wants an unpaid internship?

(This is just background context on my decision if you are curious TLDR at bottom)
As a single mother she’s always been protective, but a little overly protective. there’s always invasion of privacy includes understandable safety reasons like going through your phone messages/emails and location tracking at 15 but when I went to relatives of my dad who lived in another country to try to restart life she bombarded them with questions and messages all the time, requested that they give contacts to all the people in my school (or found them herself if they refused) and proceeded to bombard them with questions about me. And also any medical professionals even if it was just a dentist for dental cleaning.
I did try to explain throughout my teens but she doesn’t seem to understand. Her stalking freaks me out sometimes she pulls up old messages and conversations from friends and shares them to everybody and also taunts me by subtly referencing stuff claiming that her favorite colors suddenly changed to the favorite colors of my friend’s (at first I thought it was just coincidences but it happened to much with other things) /wrote down and took pictures of all of my alt email accounts/looked through all my YouTube comments and shared funny ones she found with her friends without telling me or stuff like “I know you’ve been mediating recently“ with a smirk after she found a self help book in my tab and just walked away like the intention wasn’t to have a conversation. She interrogates everybody who’s interacted with me like friends and relatives sometimes it seems normal and but when it gets extreme she tells them to record our interactions then rely back to her everything because she’s convinced I have illnesses and need to be taken care of (a story for another time but TLDR I saw multiple doctors and they said i didn’t have anything she was claiming)
Anyway I tried to say I’ll be going no contact when I turn 18 this year and surprisingly she accepted though she acted all sad about it and constantly guilt tripped me and my relatives. I’m taking this once chance and getting tf out, but I have to make sure my tracks are clean which possibly means I have to also distance myself from my relatives and making new friends right?
I need any tips. I don’t know where to start.(Any subreddit recommendations for this are also appreciated.)I want to change my name but I wonder if that can be tracked down and she also taught me that some medical shot records can be publicly searched online through social security so who knows what other things she can search up? Would she be notified if I applied for a copy of my birth certificate? Those websites which share address, work and phone numbers if you pay creep me out too. It’s hard to appeal for them to remove if so how can I prevent them from happening in the future? And I can’t, well it’s difficult get a restraining order because there’s not enough evidence her texting records probably just sound like a normal concerned mom and she made almost everybody delete the convo after anyways. More stuff happens in phone calls and irl but I don’t even wanna spend the time trying to gather all my relatives and secretly record the conversations she already suspects I’ll do this and will drag it out before actually saying anything alarming and it might not even sound alarming to normal people but after years and years of this shit you seriously get paranoid..please help

Hi, I'm 23 years old (turning 24 in a few months) and I'm a first year student of a college-like program in Europe. I'm still looking for an internship for this first year. Today, I had a technical interview with the owner and a senior employee of a very small company (about 10 employees, total revenue 500k). They started with questions aimed at paid juniors or students looking for a paid internship: definition of class, Hibernate, Spring, Servlet, HashMap/list/vector, the MVC pattern, the Singleton pattern, etc. I managed to answer 6 out of 10 of these questions, not because they taught me at school, but because I did two simple Spring projects and knew some of these things.
Then, they had me do a very simple exercise on paper. Honestly, it was a very simple exercise, but on paper... I really didn't expect it, and I had never done exercises like that. In the end, I couldn't give a sufficient answer. From there, the owner started talking to me very badly, saying things like "for me, you're a burden", "what do I gain if I take you", "if something happened to you while you're at my company, I would be responsible". Finally, he even started insulting me about my age: "you're already 23 years old, you're a man, you've chosen this path, but you can't do these basic things. You need to understand that you've already lost all these years, and to do this profession, you have to work much, much harder".
Lastly, he suggested some Java books to look at and told me "we'll talk again in a month or a few months", suggesting that they're willing to take me when I have a more solid foundation, when I can do exercises on paper as he wants.
I wonder, is this normal? I can't understand and I feel really bad about all his offensive remarks. And excuse me, it's a consulting company that uses obsolete technologies and is desperate to find personnel to learn these obsolete technologies. It's very small and located in an inaccessible area. Is it normal for them to demand and treat me like this, being a first-year "college" student who only wants an unpaid internship?

Hello everyone! I am going on a trip with my boyfriend to the Old Port of Montreal from June 1st to the 6th. I already have quite a few things booked and planned. We are going to spend a day at La Ronde, go to an evening light show at the Notre-Dame Basilica, and spend an afternoon at the BOTA-BOTA spa. I was wondering if anyone else had any recommendations on places to visit or things to do. Thank you in advance :)

Adding new books every week! Added an inventory list (newly arrived issues in bold at the top) then you can scroll further for more details on condition and key facts. I’m always open to bundle deals and reasonable offers.
I’ve also taken on a lot of random fillers as I fill inventory, so I’ll be including a random comic valued around $10 in each order. Just some examples of the issues I will randomly include in packages:

• Marvel Super Heroes Secret Wars #4 (iconic Hulk cover)
• What If #37
• Our Army at War #238
• From Beyond the Unknown #13
• House of Secrets #109 (low grade)

I’m selling off a portion of the collection to fund the next portion of the collection. Still looking for enablers! These prices include shipping (Gemini mailers whenever possible). I've tried to provide condition explanations, photos of everything (even the ones below $100) and detailed photos.
Please take a look. Up to 8 imgur albums at this point to cover it all:
https://imgur.com/a/4Vs2PvN (Newly Listed Items)
https://imgur.com/a/Oq8vHnw
https://imgur.com/a/atKGE1G
https://imgur.com/a/eu9hXc9
https://imgur.com/a/CbVrE6w
https://imgur.com/a/3RtKPXR
https://imgur.com/a/rowfZD9
https://imgur.com/a/YfgSMEa
Inventory (new items since last post at the top in bold, scroll below list for details on each):

• Amazing Spider-Man #33 - $190
• Amazing Spider-Man #98 - $66
• Amazing Spider-Man #121 - $200
• Amazing Spider-Man #361 Newsstand (slice damage) - $38
• Journey into Mystery #125 - $49
• Early Man-Thing lot: Astonishing Tales #13, Adventure into Fear #11-13: $80 (willing to split this lot up)
• Flash #113 - $75
• Werewolf by Night #8 Mark Jewelers Insert - $26
• Werewolf by Night #18 - $22
• House of Secrets #91 - $32
• Amazing Adventures #13, #16 & #17 - $42
• Invaders #31 (Nazi Frankenstein) - $17
• Action Comics #263 - $33
• Giant Size Chillers #1 (1975 not 1974) - $20
• Daredevil #184 Newsstand - $22
• Astonishing Tales featuring Dr. Doom & Kazar #1 - $15
• Detective Comics #355 and 2 copies of #375 - $25
• Adult Comics / Crumb:
  • Zap Comix #5 1st Printing - $15
  • Big Ass Comics #2 1st Printing - $50
  • Gasm, Feb 1978 issue - $19
• Green Lantern #59 - $125
• Wolverine (1988) #1 - $65
• Amazing Spider-Man #29 - $140
• Amazing Spider-Man #40 - $185
• Amazing Spider-Man #64 - $90
• Amazing Spider-Man #72 - $35
• X-Men #221 - $75
• X-Men #4 (1992) - $20
• Daredevil #157 - $15
• Daredevil #164 (Newsstand) - $55
• Plastic Man #1 (#19 free with purchase) - $41
• Detective Comics #259 - $175
• Batman Annual #14 - $15
• Detective Comics #324 and Batman #410 - $32
• Amazing Adventures #11 - $100
• Incredible Hulk #105 - $45
• Incredible Hulk #179 - $15
• Incredible Hulk #250 (Newsstand) - $38
• Tales of Suspense #94 - $50
• Captain America #110 - $60
• Flash #129 - $95
• Flash #147 - $95
• Aquaman #11 - $95
• Mystery in Space #68 - $25
• Strange Adventures #138 - $18
• Golden and Silver Age Lot of 12- $85
• Tower of Shadows Annual #1 - $25
• Dead of Night #1 - $35
• Tomb of Dracula #27 and #63 - $23
• Sub-Mariner #15 and #31 - $22
• Marvel Feature #1 - $49
• Fantastic Four #150 - $25
• Tales to Astonish #58 - $19
• Marvel Team-Up Annual #2 - $30
• Spider-Man vs. Wolverine #1 - $19

Amazing Spider-Man #33 - 1966 - Classic story and iconic cover. You know it, I know it.: $190
This iconic book is in good to great shape, see the photos for the details. Solidly attached and great colors.
Amazing Spider-Man #98 - 1971 - Non-Code Approved Drug Issue, Green Goblin cover: $66
Great condition. Some minor wear and ticks on the spine, but overall a great, beautiful, solid book.
Amazing Spider-Man #121 -1973 - Death of Gwen Stacy: $200
The cover is worn, has some holes but despite that the staples are attached,colors are good, and everything is attached and complete. The inside looks good, too. See photos for details.
Amazing Spider-Man #361 Newsstand - 1992 - First appearance of Carnage - Slice at top, $38
Here's a tragedy. This otherwise beautiful high grade major key book has a clean scissor cut at the top through the whole book. Included photos and closeups.
Journey into Mystery #125 - 1966 - Iconic cover and last Journey into Mystery before Thor title change: $49
Very good condition, has a small chip out of the bottom left cover but other than some cover wear it’s just a solid book with great colors.
Early Man-Thing lot: Astonishing Tales #13, Adventure into Fear #11-13: $80 (willing to split this lot up)
Third cover appearance of Man-Thing in awesome condition. The Fear 11-13 are in good condition, but a little more worn than the Astonishing.
Flash #113 - 1960 - First appearance and origin of the Trickster: $75
This one looks good until you realize it has tape up the spine holding the loose staples on. Included pictures of the staples and tape. It is complete and has good colors otherwise, but still low grade because of the tape/staple issue.
Werewolf by Night #8 - 1973 - Has Mark Jewelers insert included: $26
Is in great shape and includes a Mark Jewelers insert making this regular issue a little more rare.
Werewolf by Night #18 - 1974 - $22
Worn condition but great colors. See photos.
House of Secrets #91 - 1971 - Iconic Neal Adams cover: $32
Book is in great condition. There is some minor chipping on a portion of the bottom edge of the cover but other than the wear on the cover it is a beautiful book.
Amazing Adventures #13, #16 & #17 - $42
Good to great condition on these Beast issues, including the Juggernaut vs Beast cover. Bundle with Amazing Adventures #11 (first furred Beast) and I'll give you a great deal.
Invaders #31 - 1978 - Frankenstein is a Nazi. Come on: $17
In awesome condition. Also did I mention Captain America fights Nazi Frankenstein?
Action Comics #263 - 1960 - Last appearance of Bizarro world. End of Bizarro world not told. Not good deal.: $33
Cover has pen on it and is worn but interiors are good, complete and attached and colors are great.
Giant Size Chillers #1 - 1975 - John Romita art: $20
Not the more valuable 1974 with Drac but this is in awesome condition and still some great classic horror.
Daredevil #184 Newsstand - 1982 - Iconic cover: $22
In fantastic condition. Newsstand variant that has been very well kept.
Astonishing Tales featuring Dr. Doom & Kazar #1 - 1970 - First issue in series: $15
In great condition. Great colors and quality. Doctor Doom.
Detective Comics #355 and 2 copies of #375 - $25
Some classic old Batman. Good but a cleaning is needed on 355, two copies of 375 one clean and great condition one worn in but complete and attached.
Adult Comics / Crumb:
I know very little about these but did research on comps and to confirm first printing. All I know is there's a lot of nipples and bush to be had. See photos for condition.

• Zap Comix #5 1st Printing - $15
• Big Ass Comics #2 1st Printing - $50
• Gasm, Feb 1978 issue - $19

Green Lantern #59 - 1968 - First appearance of Guy Gardner: $125
Worn but complete. Attached at top staple, bottom staple detached.
Wolverine (1988) #1 - 1988 - Can’t have the 1982? Take this instead!: $65
Also in awesome condition. Very, very clean.
Amazing Spider-Man #29 - 1965 - SLAB CGC 4.5 - Second Scorpion: $140
Slabbed. See photos.
Amazing Spider-Man #40 - 1966 - Origin of the Green Goblin, Iconic Cover: $185
Looks great, clean, bright colors. Complete and solidly attached. See photos
Amazing Spider-Man #64- 1968 - Romita Spider-Man vs. Vulture Cover: $90
Great condition. Bright awesome colors.
Amazing Spider-Man #72 - 1969 - Shocker cover: $35
Is a bit worn and the centerfold is detached (see photos). But it is complete and still has good colors on the interior.
X-Men #221 - 1987 - First Appearance of Mister Sinister: $75
Awesome condition. Just a couple of minor spine ticks. Other than that, beautiful. See photos.
X-Men #4 - 1992 - First Appearance of Omega Red: $20
Awesome condition. Not even any spine ticks. See photos
Daredevil #157 (Newsstand) - 1979: $15
Awesome condition. No spine ticks, creases, color breaks or bends.
Daredevil #164 (Newsstand) - 1980 - Iconic Cover: $55
In awesome condition. Great colors on cover despite all the white. No spine ticks, creases, color breaks or bends.
Plastic Man #1 (#19 free with purchase) - 1966 - First appearance of Plastic Man (son of original): $41
Hole in cover, worn, needs a cleaning. But come on, it’s Plastic Man!
Detective Comics #259 - 1958 - First Appearance of Calendar Man: $175
Worn but expected for its age. Solid staples and fully attached. Great colors.
Batman Annual #14 - 1990 - Iconic Neal Adams Two-Face Cover, Origin of Two-Face: $15
Amazing condition, almost unused. See photos.
Detective Comics #324 (1964) and Batman #410 (1987) - $32
324 in good condition but could use a clean and press. Batman 410 is in awesome condition, but considering the prices of these I figured I’d just throw them together.
Amazing Adventures #11 - 1972 - First furry beast: $100
In awesome condition. Minor, tiny blemish (possibly a tape pull?) on the bottom of the A on cover. See photo, but very tiny blemish.
Incredible Hulk #105 - 1968 - First appearance of Missing Link, iconic cover: $45
In really good condition, with minor wear to the cover and some breaking on it. White interiors, solidly attached, great colors.
Incredible Hulk #179 - 1974: $15
In great condition.
Incredible Hulk #250 (Newsstand) - 1980 - Iconic Hulk vs. Silver Surfer cover: $38
Awesome condition. See photos.
Tales of Suspense #94 - 1967 - First appearance of M.O.D.O.K.: $50
In good condition, with a little edge wear and marks on the cover in places. Other than that it has bright clean pages and good colors.
Captain America #110 - 1969 - Rick Jones dons Bucky Costume, first appearance of Madame Hydra: $60
Iconic Jim Steranko cover and art. In OK condition, a bit worn, could definitely use a cleaning. See photos.
Flash #129 - 1962 - First team-up of golden age Flash and silver age Flash; first appearance of golden age Green Lantern and JSA in silver age: $95
Good condition! Very solid, great colors, complete and attached.
Flash #147 - 1964 - Second appearance of Professor Zoom: $95
Good condition! Very solid, great colors, complete and attached.
Aquaman #11 - 1963 - First appearance of Mera: $95
Worn condition but solid, complete and attached.
Mystery in Space #68 - 1961 - 10c Comic Goodness: $25
Cover is detached, but hey, it’s a 10c comic. Otherwise good colors and pages.
Strange Adventures #138 - 1962: $18
Good condition, good colors.
Golden and Silver Age Lot of 12- $85
Came into a lot of worn golden and silver books I know little about. Would like to offload them all together, so take a look at the album. Includes Little Lulu, Cheyenne Kid, the Flintstones, Tarzan, some other Gold Key and Dell stuff and an Adventures book from 1945. Did some research to get prices, take a look.
Tower of Shadows Annual #1 - 1971 - Romita cover and Neal Adams art: $25
Great condition. Good colors, solid book.
Dead of Night #1 - 1973 - Romita art: $35
Really great condition, with a minor color rub or stain or something (can’t tell what) to a spot on the bottom of the front cover and top of the back. Fantastic colors, white pages.
Tomb of Dracula #27 and #63 - $23
Non-key issues in great condition, just throwing together to move.
Sub-Mariner #15 and #31 - Silver Age Namor bundle: $22
Great colors and interiors. Fading on spine cover on #15, #31 in great condition, see photos.
Marvel Feature #1 - 1971 - Origin & First Defenders: $49
Has tape pull on cover, subscription crease color break (see photos)
Fantastic Four #150 - 1974 - Wedding of Crystal and Quicksilver: $25
In awesome condition. No spine ticks, creases, color breaks or bends.
Tales to Astonish #58 - 1964 - Silver age Giant Man: $19
Worn condition but complete and attached. See photos.
Marvel Team-Up Annual #2 - 1978 - Spider-Man & The Hulk team-up: $30
In awesome condition. No spine ticks, creases, color breaks or bends.
Spider-Man vs. Wolverine #1 - 1987 - Death of First Hobgoblin: $19
Awesome condition. Pressable non-color breaking crease on back cover. See photos

Sometimes I think I'm being too overly worried about taking risks. I'd never booked anything but a well known hotel chain but recently tried Air BnB as it looked so cosy and in a great location.. Never occurred to me the owner would be a heavy smoker in the upstairs rooms. It was such an uncomfortable night as the air was foul.. You forget though don't you. Nearly booked an old farmhouse today and then remembered the last time. Limestone walls - asthma attack . It's hard having to think of these things all the time isnt it. Camping is great and much cheaper so I'll stick to that!

I (29F) have been married to my husband (37M) for 9 years. We have a 5 year old together.
I had a forced/arranged marriage. My parents are quite young and I never thought they would force me. Part of me still holds a grudge against them, but now that I’m older I have realised that they only did what they thought was right.
I never really liked my husband, he’s not a bad guy or anything but I just didn’t feel like we were compatible. I thought that might change once we were married and I got to know him better but it’s been 9 years now.
In the beginning I really did try and I thought I could do it, until I found out he was talking to another woman. I think that’s when I actually gave up, and this happened around a year into the marriage. After that I went back to my parents but my mum told me I should go back and that my husband made a silly mistake. So I went back and realised I was never getting out of this so I just need to be content with whatever Allah has given me.
I’ve always wanted a big family but my husband doesn’t like kids. My father in law basically forced him to have a baby, so then after 4 years Alhamdulillah my son was born. I live with my in laws and they seem like they hate each other. I don’t want that future for myself. I feel guilty that I will be messing up my son’s life, but I feel like it would be better in the long run. My husband literally doesn’t do anything with my son. He’s never taken him out on his own or even read a book to him.
Is anyone in a similar situation? Does anyone have any advice? There’s obviously so much more to the story but I don’t want to write a whole novel on here.😅

Chapter 1

Concept art for Sybil
Of Men and Ghost Ships, Book 1: Chapter 17
------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
First, Carter met an AI who looked like an old-earth pirate, and now he met an alien who looked like an old-earth viking. Well, if that viking stood nearly eight feet tall, had fangs and claws that could put some daggers to shame, and a bony carapace armor seemingly covering most of his vital organs. He wasn't sure if he just had some odd luck when it came to encountering the weirdest entities the universe had to offer or if he was at the butt of some galactic joke.
Carter showed Erik how to use the goo dispenser, to which the larger alien made a face but managed to politely keep any complaints to himself as they both got a bowl and sat down at a table with Sybil's two robotic guards passively waiting not far from the table. As he sat down, Cater couldn't help but ask. "So, Erik, huh?"
Before he could ask his question, the behemoth of a man laughed. "Yes, it's a human name. I was 'raised,' for lack of a better term, by pirates who gave me the name. No, I don't know where I came from or even if there are more like me somewhere out there. Long story short, I got my freedom the hard way, and ever since, I've just been trying to get by in this galaxy!"
That answered several of Carter's questions without him having to ask them. " Get asked those a lot, do you?"
Erik nodded while he tried a spoonful of the much, then looked down at the bowl with surprise before taking another bite. "You could say that! Probably the most common questions I get right after people screaming incoherently or begging for their lives. Not that those are questions, but I kinda feel like they're implied, if you know what I mean!"
Carter nodded cautiously. "Do you get that a lot? People begging for their lives, I mean?"
The bigger alien grinned. "Well, yeah! And more than half the time, I didn't even do anything to warrant it! Guess I'm just too big and scary for my own good!"
Carter made a show of taking a bite of his own mint-flavored sludge. "And the other half of the time?"
Erik shrugged, but Carter couldn't help but notice his grin became just a bit more predatory. "Well, let's just say I don't start many fights, but I sure do end a lot of them! Guess I seem like an easy mark or something!"
Carter suspected it was the "or something" but decided not to push the issue. Instead, he figured maybe he could bring up some common ground. "So, not a big fan of pirates then?"
The larger alien shook his head., "No, I like them just fine! Why, they're just about my favorite thing to test the sharpness of my axes on!"
Carter looked at his dining companion skeptically. "Axes? Really? In this day and age?"
Erik laughed. "Yeah, yeah, I know, they're not the most efficient weapons out there, and I'm not above using some more traditional armaments in a pinch, but I tell ya, there's nothing more satisfying than cleaving through a battle suite in hand-to-hand combat with a good heavy axe! Sides, I got used to them back when I fought as a gladiator."
Carter supposed he should have been ready for a crazy story, but he still found himself surprised for the umpteenth time in one conversation. "Wait, wait, wait... You were a gladiator? Like as in an arena, fight to the death kinda thing?"
Erik laughed again. "Yeah, pretty much! However I ended up fighting monsters more than people. There weren't many pirates willing to get in the ring with me, even with a battle suit, and I wasn't willing to kill any ordinary folk who got thrown in with me. Thankfully, I was too big a draw for them to just execute for refusing to kill normals, though I'm sorry to say they didn't get out of the situation any better than if I had. Still, I've killed more than my fair share of wild beasties! They even managed to bring in this giant wolf-like monster with a bladed tail. It was the size of a moose! I kid you not! I got no idea where they found that monster, but it would have killed me for sure if it hadn't been for Vanessa backing me up. Even then, we were both out of commission for the better part of a month after that one. Well, we might have been fit to go a bit before that, but that was the one that made us decide it would be considerably better for our health if we got out of the gladiator business sooner rather than later!"
Oddly enough, Carter found himself grinning along with Erik despite the nature of the story. There was just something about the guy that made listening to him ramble on about stuff kinda fun. Despite his thick accent, or maybe partially because of it, the man was a heck of a storyteller. However, now that the story seemed to have come to an end, the larger alien seemed to think for a moment before asking his own question. "So tell me, captain, where's the rest of your crew? The only ones I've seen since coming aboard are you and your robotic monsters!" He pointed back at the two escorts Sybil provided.
Carter looked askance at the alien. "I invited two aliens who look like they might be able to pick a fight with a full squad of commandos and come out on top, and you're wondering where my crew is?"
Erik kind of nodded and laughed again. "Yeah, I guess that tracks! No sense puttin' everyone at risk when you don't know nothin' about us, and we won't be here very long, is there? Speaking of, how much longer is my friend's treatment gonna take?"
The word "friend" was a surprising choice. Was Erik just using it as a general term, or did he really consider the kid he'd hauled onboard the ship a friend? Carter supposed it didn't matter. Instead, he figured he might as well find out. "Hey, Sybil, how's the treatment going?"
The girl appeared. "Well, the patient looks like he'll pull through. However, given the nature of his injury and how long it's been since he received it, we cannot save his foot. We're discussing whether he would like a temporary replacement or if he'd rather a replacement be grown in a better-stocked facility."
-
Alen looked at the disturbingly attractive woman in shock. "What do you mean you're gonna lop off my foot?"
The woman in red just looked annoyed with him for some reason. "I mean just that. Your foot is too badly damaged to save. I can fit you with a temporary replacement, but that'll come with some unpleasant side effects while you adjust and again if it's removed. Alternatively, you could just wait and have an organic replacement grown at another facility and bypass the side effects, but you will be short a foot for however long that takes. Now choose. It'll determine where I cut through the bone and nerves."
Having just woken up from his drugged sleep, Alen had assumed the surgery was over, but apparently, they were still in the middle of treatment. His head was still somewhat groggy as he fought through the haze to understand and decide. "Um, well, I don't know when I'll be able to get anything better, but...uh...how unpleasant are we talking here?"
The attractive woman crossed her arms and glared at him as if he was wasting her valuable time. "It varies from one individual to the next, but the side effects can range from mild discomfort to occasional sharp pains strong enough to require medical intervention."
That was when another voice spoke up from behind Alen. He quickly realized it was Vanessa. "Is it not possible for you to deaden the pain receptors in the area while leaving enough nerve function to enable the use of the replacement?"
The woman in red shook her head. "Pain is an essential tool, especially if we're fitting him with a temporary replacement. It'll let him know if something's gone wrong. Without it, he could get an infection or even tear something without realizing it. It's better to err on the side of leaving too much sensation than too little. It can always be adjusted at a proper facility as needed."
On the one hand, that really sounded unpleasant. But on the other hand, who knew how soon Alen could get a replacement grown? What would he do in the meantime? "Uh... I guess...if I have to pick one... I'll take the temporary replacement..."
The lady in red gave only a brief acknowledgment. "About time." Then, before Alen could have second thoughts, the world went dark again.
-
The girl nodded as if receiving some unheard report. "Well, that settles it. He'll be getting a temporary replacement. It'll take a bit longer as we'll have to fit him with some attachments for the augmatics. A rough approximation puts the remaining time at an hour and a half. We should finish cannibalizing the pirate vessel shortly afterward."
Carter turned toward his guest. "Well, there you have it..."
However, the girl interrupted him again before he could finish his thoughts. "Sir, we've got more incoming. There are more of them, and they're more dispersed this time..."
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Poor Alen! That dude has definitely not had it easy as of late!
My Wiki has all my chapters and stories, including the short series and stories that I write for an occasional change of pace or style!
As a reminder, "Of Men and Dragons" Books 1 and 2 are available to purchase in e-book or physical form. (Both softcover and hardcovers are available!) Book 3 is almost done being edited, so I'll just have to get the cover art and formatting done, and it will be available to purchase as well! Hopefully, in no more than a month or two! (Barring more Amazon drama like last time... fingers crossed!)
OMAD Book 1: https://www.amazon.com/dp/B09NCPP3PP
OMAD Book 2: https://www.amazon.com/dp/B0CQ7FQ1ZJ

Having some behavioural issues with our dog and noticed he was a bit stiff, so was advised to try hydrotherapy (cleared by our vet). The physio assessed him and wrote a report that has me feeling concerned - it seems it’s a lot more than general stiffness.
Would love thoughts on what may be going on here - I’ve already booked his appointment with our vet, and assuming they’ll suggest x rays, but turning it over in my mind in the meantime and feeling worried this could be something quite serious. ☹️ thoughts v much appreciated. Dog is. 6.5 year old cockerpoo, not overweight. General good health.
Report says:
On static assessment, dog stands base wide at the back with the right pelvic limb placed cranially. He is quite kyphotic when standing and upon sitting this is more noticable.
In dynamic assessment, dog has very restricted hip extension bilaterally and stifle flexion restricted bilaterally more so in the left pelvic limb. When in walk, the right stifle laterally rotates and the right pelvic limb with abduct sometimes can circumduct. When in trot or run, he adopts a very obvious 'bunny hop' gait with very little to none hip, stifle or hock movement, the pelvic limbs are held in extension. Most of the propulsion into trot or run comes from the thoracic lumbar region causing quite a lot of tension in the Latissimus Dorsi, Longissimus dorsi and the Iliocostalis muscles. When landing on the left pelvic limb the hock is quite unstable and will slightly lose balance and causes the hock to drop or rotate laterally. Dog has a very low head carriage as well as swaying the tail more to the right.
In palpation assessment, the biceps brachii is hypertonic bilaterally and the brachial triceps are atrophic bilaterally. Upon spinal palpation there were a few fasciculations noticed on the right between T12-13. When trying to palpated or elicit passive range of motion hip extension the right pelvic limb was very sensitive and dog gave a few pain displacement signs such as lip licking, staring and trying to move away or sit, I could not do any passive range of motion on either pelvic limb as he seemed quite defensive.
When swimming, dog will adduct the right pelvic limb and the left pelvic limb will abduct. Hip extension bilaterally is very restricted, more so the right pelvic limb. The thoracic limbs over extend in the elbow and the left thoracic limb will abduct on protraction.
Doing a thorough analysis of dog’s gait, palpation and swimming there have been a few pain displacement signs shown throughout the initial consultation such as lip licking, moving away or sitting down when the right pelvic limb was touched, whining and staring. I believe there is something going on other than just stiffness and have suggested to the owners that this should be further investigated.

Hey 👋 I’m a 26-year-old girl who believes in the power of meaningful connections and genuine friendships. I’m on the lookout for a kind-hearted guy who is single and enjoys having engaging conversations. Whether it’s discussing our favorite books, exploring interesting topics, or just sharing what’s on our minds, I love diving deep into conversations that last long into the night. I have a serious sweet tooth and adore pizza—especially with extra cheese and all the toppings.
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I wanted to give back a bit after receiving some great information from folks on this sub before a (very short notice and sparsely planned) solo trip to Panama in late April/early May of 2024. I'm subtitling this post "I did a lot in Panama so you don't (necessarily) have to". Truth be told, I started the trip with 4 nights and one in-country flight booked and built the rest of my itinerary on the fly. I definitely could have used an extra week or so before the trip to do some itinerary planning, deeper research on where I chose to stay, etc. but I really enjoyed most of the trip and would absolutely recommend Panama as a solo trip destination.
Rough pre-departure itinerary:

• Panama City: Arrive at about 2 PM on a Thursday, stay three nights at Selina Casco Viejo, depart at 8 AM on Sunday via plane to David (Copa Airlines)
• Boquete: Arrive at about noon Sunday (after transit to town from airport), stay two nights at the Bambuda Castle
• Bocas for unknown amount of time/other stuff in the west off the country
• Return to Panama City from David via plane (Copa) Sunday Morning
• Return to USA on a redeye flight Tuesday night

I arrived in Panama City on time and took an Uber straight to Selina (cost $28). The Selina there is in a decent location, kind of on the edge of Casco Viejo but walkable to everything. I checked in and was told there was a welcome happy hour with a free drink and a free walking tour every day at 10. The 6-person dorm had a dedicated bathroom, but wasn't much for the price ($30/night) and I'm just now realizing I booked a 4-person dorm then was put in the wrong lodging... There is a bar and allegedly a pool on the roof of the property, but the pool was not open when I was there. The welcome drink was an underwhelming event, though I did meet a few cool people I ended up doing more with later. There really isn't much in the way of common space at Selina Casco Viejo and I found it to be overpriced, underwhelming, and not a great place to meet people. I ended up booking the canal tour ($60ish) with them (which was via the personal vehicle of the guide, a small sedan cramming 4 of us in plus the driver), but I did a different free walking tour after hearing poor reviews of the one provided by Selina. While Selina felt like a huge waste (would not recommend this location), I really liked Casco Viejo. The food was surprisingly good, especially ceviche at Marea https://maps.app.goo.gl/MdWBJ1uw4mWLB7r2A and a nice stop for middle eastern at Estambul Casco https://maps.app.goo.gl/qFq8wAm5NEzJw84F8 . I also made a quick stop with some people from the hostel at La Fabrica https://maps.app.goo.gl/WdAG1KAhwmkj1TbS8 which had a decent tap list and cool vibe and the Pedro Mandinga Rum bar (highly recommend) for some beers and a rum flight https://maps.app.goo.gl/seXCnetthN18BbUB9 . I also, as a cigar smoker, made a stop at the official La Casa del Habano store https://maps.app.goo.gl/uhswvnFPe1Y1Uzbu9 where the staff was chill and the cigarum selection was good. I finished out my cigar and partook in a bit of happy hour across the street at Finca del Mar which had a decent outdoor area for a drink https://maps.app.goo.gl/kPSiTHdd2mJmtakGA but the food was not recommended so I didn't try it.
I was up early to get to David on Sunday morning, so I figured I'd just grab food and coffee at the airport lounge (mistake). It turns out the Copa flight to David departs from the "domestic" gate, which is a standalone area on the ground floor of the airport. There are no amenities, just a single vending machine, and you get bussed to the plane. Do not go early for a David flight, security was very easy and I ended up waiting in the small seating area for way too long. The flight was fine, but don't expect to access a lounge or coffee shop after security.
I got to David pretty early and hadn't done my research on transit, but knew there was public bus service to Boquete. I was trying to figure out how to get to the bus terminal when a taxi offered to drive me all the way to Boquete for $40 which seemed like a decent deal so I went for it. Boquete is pretty small, a little mountain town with a relaxed vibe. I spent quite a bit of time at the brewery which, if you know craft beer pretty well, wasn't the best on beer quality but had good live music and a fun atmosphere https://maps.app.goo.gl/EJFiRiwQsbJ89UPa9 . I worked from here a little bit too, definitely where I spent the most time. I got a delicious dinner at RetroGusto which was really reasonable https://maps.app.goo.gl/8gcU1GHqXrfbTCoX9 and a good lunch at Donde Giselle which was a little more expensive, but also delicious https://maps.app.goo.gl/uNsz1EqCDfnSpYfk8 . I did a coffee finca tour through Bambuda ($35) at Don Pepe. It was pretty cool, not a lot of walking but the guide was knowledgeable and we got to see the full operation in a small footprint. I bought one bag and was happy I did, they were 3 times the price in the airport on the way home. The Tres Cascadas (three waterfall) trail was a must, it does have a steep section that has ropes affixed to help but was otherwise a pretty straightforward trail. It did cost a few dollars to hike as it's on private property. I took a taxi there ($20) but took the bus back ($2.25). The bus comes by every 30-40 minutes and they generally wait a bit at the entrance to the trail from the road to see if people come down. We did end up picking up a whole bunch of kids leaving school, but it was pretty funny and we managed to fit everyone. I did do the Volcan Baru hike, which cost $18 for a taxi to the trailhead but was otherwise free. It is a grueling hike, it took a little over 5 hours for me to get to the top and I was not having fun. I was very lucky to encounter a couple who was dropped off at the same time at the trailhead and, while we did not hike together, we did take a few breaks together and it was nice to be within sight of their headlamps. It was COLD at the top and I was happy I had a light down jacket and a fleece. I did a good job of timing up my climb with the sunrise, only needing to wait at the top for maybe 30 minutes before the sun came up. You can go up in a jeep, and I was very lucky to beat the offroad vehicles up as they were very loud coming up the mountain. It did get pretty crowded at the top by the time all of the jeeps had emptied out and their clients climbed the last bit to the summit. The view was phenomenal, you can see both the Caribbean and the Pacific on a clear day and the sunrise was beautiful. It was a little annoying that the 6 of us who climbed it had to share with the 25 or so who rode up in cars, but worth it. One spot I wish I had visited, but it just didn't work out, was a wood fire pizza spot that came recommended by our coffee guide and by several travelers https://maps.app.goo.gl/T93KKqHxXoQ7AFhf6 . I got lucky at the Bambuda Castle as I booked a 3 bed room but had it to myself. It had a nice restaurant and common space within the castle itself that was a good working space and had a fantastic view. The food was pretty good, with a few vegetarian options and smoothies. It's a pretty decent walk from the center of town, and about $4-5 taxi ride from the Boquete center. If I went again, I would probably look to stay somewhere in the center of town but I don't regret giving the Castle a shot.
I traveled out of Boquete to Bocas del Toro the same day I did the Baru hike, leaving via shuttle at 1 PM ($37) which I arranged through Bambuda. I ended up using a discount QR code at Bambuda Castle to book their Bocas town Hostel for three nights. The shuttle was fine, but it's a quick trip through winding mountain roads so be prepared if you get carsick. A big bonus, that I would recommend you ask about, was that this shuttle did not go all the way to Almirante, but instead stopped at Chiriqui Grande and proceeded via small boat (lancha) from there. The longer boat trip was fantastic, much better than the long/boring road which runs the rest of the way. I got stopped right off the boat in by several people trying to sell tours and got one person's number for a potential $35 Cayo Zapatilla tour but didn't commit, choosing to get to Bambuda Bocas Town first and settle in before making decisions. While I wish I had spent some more time at either red frog beach or another island, with only 3 nights and having booked late my options were limited. For Bocas Town, Bambuda was great. The front desk folks were pretty helpful and the restaurant was good for breakfast (the vegetarian burrito option is better than the sandwich). The hostel deck goes right out to the lagoon, and it's always busy with people hanging out in the sun or jumping into the lagoon. It was a great spot to do some work over coffee and, frankly, I wish I had spent more time here or at the Bambuda Lodge. I ended up doing the Caya Zapatilla tour (highly recommend, if only for the stop at Caya Zapatilla) for $35 with the operator I met right off the boat. This included pick up and drop off from Bambuda, and they had a cooler that I threw a few Balboas of my own in for the trip. We did stop mid-way for lunch which was not included and was a little expensive. This was the only actual tour I did during my time there, I spent my other full day just kind of hanging out and went to Starfish Beach (not as nice as Caya Zapatilla, but worth an afternoon) with a group from the hostel. I also did salsa night at Selina (fun, but a bad instructor) and karaoke at Aqua Lounge (get there in time to get a round of the happy hour special, the screen is behind the stage so not ideal for karaoke but it's easy to get on the list). I did not do Filthy Friday, I ended up departing Bocas that day but I would have been on the fence about it anyway. I guess it's a "when in Bocas" thing, so I probably would have gone for it. I really wish I had spent another night in Bocas, I regretted not having another day out there as soon as I left. It turned out to be the best place on my trip to meet people, it's definitely a general party vibe, and actually the best place to get work done of the hostels I stayed at. I did dinner at Pier 19 which was pretty nice, if not a little expensive and probably not a good solo traveler vibe https://maps.app.goo.gl/6vJG1rdUPCqEf9W3A . I did brunch one day away from Bambuda at Casa Papaya, their typical Panamanian breakfast and it was a great deal/meal https://maps.app.goo.gl/9CPFCxu6woWwKuwM7 . I did hear from some people that the bird island was a fun tour, and worth the day/cost. I did some bonus late night, unofficial stuff like swimming after midnight at Selina and an impromptu midnight trip out to see the bioluminescence and the stars with a random lancha taxi from the Selina dock. Not sure how I'd direct someone to arrange that, but say yes if it's an option.
I took off from Bocas via shuttle for the Lost and Found Hostel on Friday around noon ($20) which I arranged at the main lancha dock. This shuttle did not include a boat all the way to Chiriqui Grande, it was the short boat with the long road segment. A few people did get car sick during the first leg of the trip, the road is in pretty rough shape so lots of speeding up, slowing down, and swerving potholes. Lost and Found really caught my eye because of how much I enjoyed Secret Garden Cotopaxi in Ecuador. In the end, it didn't live up to that lofty expectation and I should not have squeezed it in. The allure is that it's isolated in the jungle, you have to walk about 15 minutes up the trail from the road to reach the hostel property. There are several buildings, with one primary common area with a few tables and hammocks. A big downside is that everything is outdoors, under cover of roofs but open still, which wasn't ideal in the evening during the season I went where it rained in the afternoons. There is a community kitchen if you bring your own food along, or there is an option to get breakfast/lunch/dinner from the hostel. I had a few meals there: the smoothie bowl was good, the lentil curry was a little on the salty side. The hiking is pretty cool and I ended up going up over the mountain to the big tree, the lookout, and the river. I didn't bring water, but definitely should have brought a liter along. In the end, with only about half a dozen other people staying there and 2/3 of the staff being pretty insular and not really socializing with the guests, it just wasn't a great addition to my trip. It might be a better option for a group or during a different season, but it provided a logistical challenge to make my flight back from David to Panama City and it wasn't really worth the risk of making it work, so I hired a car ($30) to take me to David and just ate the price of my second night at Lost and Found. It was beautiful, but it just wasn't on the same level as Secret Garden Cotopaxi which inspired me to give this a shot. I think, all in, my stop at Lost and Found cost me about $76.
The combination of having scheduled a flight on election day (oops) and the lack of help from lost and found staff meant that my best bet was a night in David. I used Hilton points to book a night at the Hampton and had myself a recovery night. I got a hot and ready pizza from the Little Caesar's next door and two Sam Adam's Boston Lagers from the bar. Fantastic recovery night, vey nice Hampton, and a pretty nice little breakfast. It refreshed me at a point where I was not really enjoying the trip and pushed me to go for one more stop rather than laying low in Panama City.
After my flight back to Panama City, I took the metro all the way to the Avenida Terminal (less than $1 total, it is very easy to purchase a card and load it at the station) to grab the bus to Valle de Anton. It was fairly easy to find the window to buy the bus ticket ($4.25). It's important to buy for El Valle and not just Anton, a town which is not where you want to end up. There was a confusing bit of business related to a transit card (not the same transit card as the metro. I couldn't seem to find a machine to buy one from, and eventually the guy at the turnstile took pity and just used his own to let me in. I paid him back, but it was very confusing that you needed to buy the ticket then a card with which to pay an additional 10 cents to get to the bus at Gate 53. I can't really offer advice other than you should try to figure out how to get this card, or if you can just pay with a dime, right when you buy your ticket. I let the bus (not a very big bus, somewhere between a van and a bus) driver know where I was headed on the way and they dropped me right at Bohdi in Valle de Anton. The whole trip is about 3 hours, with lots of local stops the whole way. Bohdi was a pretty cool spot, with a great yoga space with a guided lesson on a TV every morning. It has a kitchen if you want to cook for yourself and free coffee plus breakfast every day from 7:30-10:00. Both breakfasts were pancakes, but it was free and they were pretty good. There are some cool lounge spots out back, a few cafe tables out front, and a loft space as well. It was a decent, but not perfect spot, to do work if that's what you're looking for. The dorm does have 3 levels of beds, and they aren't all that comfy, but I'd recommend Bohdi. The first night I was in town I went to the Golden Frog Inn on a recommendation and it turned out to be a great spot to watch the sunset and have some pretty good (although a small) vegetarian tacos https://maps.app.goo.gl/pzRuyYuwHZvMVnAo8 . One afternoon I chose to do the India Dormida hike, I left and walked all the way back to Bohdi, it was a few hours total. It's a quick climb up to the top and you can walk the whole ridge that forms the edge of the caldera. It was a beautiful view and you can really see the old crater rim formations from the top. It's clear up there, no trees and wide open, and the breeze was very refreshing. I ended up coming down about halfway across the ridge, starting from the north. I grabbed a vegetarian dinner at El Rincon Colombiano which I'd recommend https://maps.app.goo.gl/tRcAAnAm9fYni7Nv8 and some guacamole and a beer at La Ranita which was pretty good https://maps.app.goo.gl/BcdB8uCqaSRv1RyE8 . Overall, I really liked Valle de Anton and I'm happy I made it happen. It's a little drier and warmer than Boquete, with a lot less coffee influence, but I liked the vibe and wish I had done more hiking around the area.
For my last evening in Panama, I grabbed a room just to have a place to put bags and clean up before my flight at Hotel Caracas, a recommendation from someone I met in my first stop in Casco Viejo. I did not plan to work from here, nor did I spend a night, but for $35 it was a perfect spot to leave things as I went to knock out a few more items before my flight home. I popped into Tantalo for a quick bite to eat https://maps.app.goo.gl/9pA9Dmw8AE9doabT7 which I don't know if I'd recommend for food, but the view was good. I think I meant to go to CasaCasco, which was recommended for ceviche and sushi, but ended up in the wrong spot. I then went over to Element to get some cocktails https://maps.app.goo.gl/mwYt2D7X43ua4jGu6 . Element has an interesting vibe, kind of a steampunk theme to the décor. The two guys behind the bar, who I believe own it, were fantastic. They don't have a set menu but instead try to match a drink to what you're feeling at the time. I had a classic daquiri and an old fashioned, which both came with a little bit of a twist on the classic recipe. They also pulled down a few different spirits which we tasted together, overall I'd highly recommend a stop and it was especially fun as the only patron there. After two cocktails, I cleaned up and called an Uber and headed to the airport. Just a heads up, the Copa Club is pretty nice, has limited food, but tragically closes at 9 PM. I had a flight that left at nearly 11 PM, so this was a little disappointing.
Overall, I loved Panama. The people were friendly, even if the service in many places was pretty lackluster. It's more expensive than Colombia or Ecuador, but several people told me it's slightly cheaper than Costa Rica. It's a good stop if you're not sure about central or south America as it's extremely safe, if you use common sense, and it's not too hard to get around using shuttles/taxis/ubers if you don't want to brave public transit. It offers very good food options in Panama City, and it's easy to find a Hampton Inn/Hooters/McDonald's/Little Caesar's/Wendy's if you need a break from being adventurous. The Spanish isn't difficult, and most people speak at least some English. I would have dropped lost and found hostel from my itinerary if I planned it again, but did not regret any of the other stops. I do kind of wish I had focused on Bocas and Boquete, saving Valle de Anton and maybe San Blas together for a future trip, but I had already painted myself into a bit of a corner with my David-Panama flights by the time I realized this. I hope this helps someone as they plan their Panama trip, or helps them decide Panama is a worthwhile visit! Please do not make as many changes as I did, I absolutely did at least one to many stops and wish I had spent more time in Bocas and probably Valle de Anton. Anyway, feel free to ask questions in the comments and I'll try to address them as they come in!
Final Itinerary:

• 3 nights at Selina Casco Viejo (meh, not recommended)
• 2 nights at Bambuda Castle Boquete
• 3 nights at Bambuda Bocas Town (recommend)
• 1 night at Lost & Found Hostel (not my jam, would not do again)
• 1 night at Hampton Inn David (saved my trip, loved it, would recommend)
• 2 nights at Bohdi Valle de Anton (solid, would recommend)
• 1 kind of night at Hotel Caracas (did exactly what I needed)

I borrowed a book in 2018 from my library and I literally returned it only one day late. They put a 34p charge on my library card so I didn't go back. My exgirlfriend would get me the books I wanted to read instead. I'm now no longer with her anymore so I had to go back to the library. I want to reserve a book and there's only 2 copies available. The library won't let me reserve it - usually reservations are free but this one is outside the consortium so they are charging me. They won't process it until I clear the fine balance. I'm pretty sure debts over 6 years have to be forgiven, what are my rights.

Please give me your best and worst.
I 37F have been with my partner 30M for over 4 years. We have a 2 year old. We’ve both had long term relationships. I grew up with two older brothers and a father who was either very quiet but could be like a bear when lost his shit. (I got very used to tempers). My brothers aren’t checked and we all grew up pretty aggressive when needed but this has never gotten me into any issues. I have a stable and good career, friends, hobbies etc. My partner is generally a kind thoughtful and caring person who is a great dad. I don’t think many people have seen the side of him I’m about to describe.
He significantly outearns (he has a lot of debt also) me I’m in no poor financial position. We live in my home and rent his out as mine is bigger. He is impulsive and frivolous with money. I am the opposite. He talks like we are in a partnership with money but in reality I’m not allowed to comment on his spending which is perceived as critical.
So he is very volatile when he feels he’s right and has been wronged however small this issue is. This has pushed me to my edge on many occasions (so many lost count) and has caused me much upset and fear. I have been called a ct shouted at and had to listen for somtimes hours his loud monologues while he explains his reasons however valid or not. He point scores and bring the past into every argument or my family. If I interrupt the monologue out of sheer frustration it goes on longer and louder. If I have a drop of alcohol and we argue then i’m a pied c **t. In rages he’s threatened to take my child away and go through court. Though has not since 2021.
I can’t disagree how I feel or this will go on forever. I am quite a placid person when absolutely pushed to my limit I can come out verbally swinging especially when named called The dynamic is unbalanced due to our financial and family histories. I am estranged from my family due to their behaviors and our reactions to this which I feel was appropriate but that’s a whole other sub Reddit.
I have booked a nice holiday with friends and kids which I’ve paid for myself and as was my birthday and asked what I wanted I said please contribute to for spending money instead of a present (neither of which is important but would have helped). Caveat - he spent 500 on things I didn’t want or need. My friends who are coming are in different financial postions so their husbands have contributed more to this holiday for them and their kids which I will admit I had hoped for with the birthday. These money issues are always bubbling away never resolved.
So the latest incident which has prompted this question… Our daughter rarely uses an iPad it’s for emergencies like airports. It broke a week before the holiday and so agreed to get another. I wanted a second had one, he felt she needed a new one to last longer. Miscommunication arrives and he’s bought a really expensive one and I knew there was one a lot cheaper which I thought we were buying. I said we should return and get cheaper one and he’s adamant that I’d agreed to a more expensive one. He says fine f*ck you you buy it you ungrateful….’ And so the same argument we have on repeat about his experience being fact and mine being false turns into being shouted at in the evening and being told he’ll punch me in the face as I don’t listen. I get told I gas light him when I feel it’s a difference of opinion every time and not a manipulation. Is this cognitive rigidity to the max or just plain abuse? Am I taking it as I’m alone without family?
I’ve had enough of being spoken to what feels like 0-100 in volume and language and I don’t know what to to do. It’s so unreasonable, frightening and it upsets me to think my child will witness what I did growing up. I’m blamed and shamed like it’s my fault. The most ridiculous part about it is I’m in this type of work and talk to patients about it but can’t see the woods from the trees. I worry hugely if my daughter will wake and hear this but even when she is there he can’t stop himself. I will repair this when she is there but this is pacifying not resolving. I also worry my neighbour will call the police or refer him to safeguarding protection referrals. I have the balls to downsize and fight. I don’t need a partner
Help me please

OK folks, I am somewhat new to glasses and could use some help. For the past two years I have had a pair of readers with the following prescription:
OD: Sphere = +1.50, Cylinder = -0.75, Axis = 105 OS: Sphere = +1.50, Cylinder = -0.50, Axis = 088
These readers have worked very well for both reading and computer use and I really haven't had any complaints, but they have been banged up pretty good, so it was time to update my prescription and get a new pair. I also have pretty good distance vision, but was getting tired of constantly taking my glasses on and off when I'm out and about, so I wanted to move to a pair I can use full time.
So I recently got my eyes checked and updated prescriptions for readers and full time wear.
For the readers: OD: Sphere = +2.75, Cylinder = -1.25, Axis = 105 OS: Sphere = +2.50, Cylinder = -0.75, Axis = 085
For full time wear: OD: Sphere = +0.75, Cylinder = -1.25, Axis = 105, Near Add = +2.00 OS: Sphere = +0.50, Cylinder = -0.75, Axis = 085, Near Add = +2.00
I ordered a pair of glasses with progressive lenses and have been wearing them for about two weeks. I don't have any complaints and they are great for when I am out and about, as I can read things close up and have a little more clarity for distance. My problem is computer use, as I sit in front of the computer for about 8-12 hours a day and the progressives are not that great for sitting at my desk and looking at multiple displays, so I have reverted to using my old glasses when at my desk.
Here is what I am trying to figure out. I ordered a new pair of glasses online, using the new prescription for readers, and just got them today. When I am reading a book, or 20 inches or closer to my computer displays, they are great, but when I sit my standard distance of around 30-35 inches from the displays, they are too blurry. I do not have this issue with my old pair and 30 inches of distance seems to be the sweet spot.
So my question is, what adjustments would I need to make to my new prescription for them to work well for computer use? Is it the Sphere settings I need to adjust to get a little more distance out of them?