Been drinking alot for too long, try to make pauses, and I do. But, PTSD, severe abuse, severe bullying and loosing three kids makes the nightmares return, and the numbing of the pain, and the stopping of the nightmares, only thing that really helps is the deep end of a bottle, or, getting stoned out of my head.
I was severely bullied throughout the school years, damned with a photographic memory, so I can replay all those years in my head like a video when I need to go to sleep, answer, alcohol or sedatives.
I have lost three kids, had a severely abusive wife, answer, alcohol or weed.
My mostly daily issues are, I can remember most moments of pain like a video, and too often, as I try to sleep, the brain goes "Yeah, remember THAT moment??".
To sleep, I have been in therapy, got Theralen, but, don't want to ask for it. I had antidepressants, but they also have a side effect, it killed my sex drive, which ended up with me in more depression. SSRI's, can't remember the brand/type though.
So, with my wife, who'm with I lost three kids (she also had multiple affairs after, and before), now I needed Viagra or Cialis. Yay.
The last 20 years have been pretty decent, but I am stuck in the past, stuck blaming my wife, and I drink way to much. Way, too much.
I do not like SSRI's, as I still like to have a sex drive. I like weed, as it really super duperly helps me sleep, without the nightmares. But, weed is illegal here, and I can't get a hold of it too often, maybe twice a year, but then I sleep like a prince. Instead, alcohol is readily available.
Which I try my best to self medicate with. I also have researched how to as in the longest not to ruin your liver, cats claw, magnesium, vitamin supplements and turmeric with black pepper (turmeric really works well, makes your lymphatic system step in, turmeric + black pepper, you will not get hung over).
Where should I start, to get help? I live in Sweden, but every time I have asked for help, all I get is Theralen.
Always I am active, 1 hour of hard exercise every day, I do not eat breakfast or lunch, but have cat claw tea, or Hibiscus tea, with vitamine pills, fish oil, nattokinase, and passion flower, alongside turmeric with black pepper.
Anyone got any suggestions as to, how do I get off the damn juice. I have so many things I want to do, but, I sleep half the day away, and spend the rest, drinking and being upset.
51 years old, so probably also living on borrowed time with the liver. I just as you can probably read, tried alot of things, but the damn nightmares, I can't get them to stop. Where should I look for allevation?
Treatments, medications, life affirmations, anyone göts any suggestions? The lack of sleep is just driving me nuts, and, I know the drinking is going to put me in a early grave.
Sorry for the long post. Someone recently told me that victims of severe abuse have a problem with asking for help, and never do. I realized, wtf, that might be me. I don't trust anyone.
But, there it is, where the heck, should I start? Apologize for the long rant.

Okay, fourth rewrite, I'm making this in hopes that their is someone who can help me in some way. Maybe someone knows the answer to it all and can guide me, though unlikely. I'll just list out all my issues in seperate paragraphs and hopefully their is just someone out their to help, if you can help me just please do, I really need help or at least someone and you reading this and giving me advice would truly mean a lot to me. Anyways
I feel stupid: I honestly feel braindead, I hate my mind so much. Sometimes it's hard to think or do, sometimes I can't think or do. My mind is so numb, everything about my mind just feels wrong and dead. My mind has felt dead for a year or two now and I just wish it was alive, I want my mind to be normol, I want it to actually work. I also want confidence in my mind, any failure or lack of underatanding makes me defeated and feeling like a dunce. Anything I can do I say was just luck or something anyone should know. I don't know if I'm stupid or not but dam I feel like I am the dumbest in a room. I would give it all to be intelliegent, I wish I was smart, well read, well informed, well versed. I so desperately want to know, so desperately want to be smart. I wish I could understand stuff. I just want to be smart and have a bright alive mind, but my mind is so dead and desolate and compared to the rest worthless. I hit myself in my head whenever I'm mistaken or just feel so stupid, and I honestly deserve it. If I were to kill myself my mind being numb and stupid would be the reason or a big reason why, I just want to be smart. You can likely tell just how much of an idiot I am by reading this via grammer, spelling, complaints. That "likely" was meant to be "probaboly" but I'm just stupid and worthless to spell. If there was just a way to be smart and not such a moron, I fucking hate my life.
I have body issues: I without doubt have body issues, the biggest of which is my weight. As of now I am 5,9 (1.7M) and 211lbs (95.7KG), I was 246lbs (111kg) to begin with and it was also my heaviest. Despite losing a good amount of weight I am not happy and have no pride, I'm still fat and thats all I see sadly. I don't want to be fat or skinny, I want to be muscular:big arms, built chest, flat stomach, no abs (don't like them) that sounds appealing, it's what I want. Unfourtunely I as of now can't work to this goal, I don't have money for a gym or equipment, famliy funds can't do it ethier and awhile ago I turned down a weight bench since I wasn't confident, now I regret that choice. I hate being fat so much, and this deep hatred and desperation has led to a embarassing cycle, for two years now I have been downloading images of muscular bodies. They're all drawings or from videogames since I'm to embarresed to have real images and as mentioned it's a cycle, Download and store -> have them and look at them for awhile -> get ashamed of myself -> purge it all -> regret -> repeat. Like stated this has been going for two years and as of now I have ten different images. Apart from weight I also have some other physical insecurites, acne being a big one. I been suffering from acne for years, fifth grade, early sixth grade is when it started so five years of this. It mostly effects my chin and cheeks badly but also effects more of my face, sometimes the acne hurts and it often even bleeds. I hate touching my face and feeling grime and ripping off a bunch of skin and dried shit. I wash every night and try to be frequent with morning witch-hazel but it dosen't relent. I also hate it when it gets mentioned, it is irratating to be reminded and noticed and nobody points it out more then my own mom who also cliams it would go if I just washed. I do, I fucking do! It's not working and you don't understand that! I also have body acne I don't know how to fix, I like sleeping shirtless which I know is the reason, also inconsistent with bedding which isn't right. Even if I did wash sheets weekly it wouldn't be enough, I would still get acne on my body. I just want to sleep shirtless and not get acne, I wish I could find a way. Another insecurite but not really is my height, I don't mind being 5'9/5'10 I mean it's about average height and I beat out my 5'4 father. But I'm sixteen which mean I still have possibilty to get taller and I wonder, will I? If I do, just how tall? Could I reach 6'0+? All of this speculation makes me a bit insecure, also with being fat I look short and round in the mirror which is defeating. I'm secure besides speculation and weight but at the same time I truly want to be taller, I think any man tall or short wishes they were taller, I wish I could break 6'0 that would be cool (to me). But I don't think that will ever happen, my dad is 5'4, my mom is 5'6 I made it 5'9/5'10 and my chart is stagnating, should just stop thinking I'll get taller. Another phsyical insecurite and likely the last one I'll mention unless I think of another worthwhile one is my hair, I'm insecurie of my hairstyle. Or lack of hairstyle, my mom says I have independence in this choice but whenever I make a choice she complains about it. Any agreement is one sided or changed up a little so she likes it. I have always hated my hairstyles over the years, even now and as of now it's ethier her way or a unorgainzied thick mess that will soon be her way. I hate it, wish I could make my own "independent" choice, even if I could my mom would likely hate it and always bring it up which is something I don't want to deal with. My mom is more for short cuts and fades etc, I hate fades and while I do admire short hair have always taken liking to shagger and longer styles, more rugged style. I have also always liked long hair and even wanted it. I used to openly want long hair for a long time but my mom opposed, I tried to convince her but she was opposed. She wasn't only opposed to it she made sure to express that it was gay and feminine etc, etc. She made me close off and forgot the desire but even now she won't let go. She is so sure to tell everyone: famliy, her friends, the hairdresser, hell maybe even strangers, she tells everyone about how much I wanted it and what she thought of it etc. Often I have been embarresed like this while I was right there, I have expressed that this embarreses me and want it to stop mutiple times yet she'll continue almost as if it's purposeful, she will also bring up an old friend T who had long hair as an example of it looking bad. But he didn't take care of it or do anything, most he would do is give into his moms begging and have her brush it. If I had long hair I would actually take care of it and do stuff to it! She also claims I got the idea from him, but no I liked it since elementary being inspired by personal inkling and rock. I no longer want hair but am starting to find styles I really like, but first I need to get my mom to fuck off. And second I would want to grow a beard, which is another issue of mine. I'm sixteen I shouldn't expect a full beard but I have seen peers with actual good facial hair, patchy beards, five o'clocks, some actually have a beard. Then there is me, with some sideburns and a bunch of peachfuzz, I want to be able to grow a beard and the peachfuzz plus sideburns bother me, I want it to actually devlop, I want a beard. I am also worried about devlopment, worried acne will hurt or even stop growth. I'm upset about my lack of growth though I definetly have unrealistic expectations. Lastly with hair is my chest hair, I'm quite hairy and I like it. And I have chest hair but barely and I just wish I had more over a greater coverage, more of a funny insecurite, lol. One more insecurity I forgot about is my voice. I'm loud when talking and my voice isn't as deep as I wish so that sucks.
(copy and paste from older write) I wish I had a father: I don't have a father or any form of father figure, I'm fatherless and it hurts a lot. My father has been out of my life since I was elevenish/twelveish (the peak of covid passed), we kicked him out because he is and was a meth addict in and out of the jail. He was a fuctioning addict so not violent and not as obvious of an addict but the meth still took him over. My mother says she kept him around and gave him so many chances because she wanted him to be in my life as a father. But he was no father when he was around, he didn't parent me, he didn't play his role as a father and guide as a masculine role model, hell he likely didn't even truly care for me. My only memories of him really are going to McDonold's with him, after which he dumpster dived behind the plaza as I begged for us to go back home. Or me wanting to bond with him so he sets up the brilliant idea of dragging me around with his skechy friends, to skechy places, even at skechy times. I don't understand why I knew sooner, guess I was a stupid basterd but I started picking up that my dad was a bad person around fifth grade. By then I quickly found out more and more and tenstion was growing, by eleven we we're going to kick him out but covid struck it's height and our household seemed palpable. But very quickly we said fuck it and threw him to the curb, we weren't going to have it no longer. Soon after around thirteen I was happy that he was gone but slightly disappointed that I no longer had a father (even if he was useless) and I hoped my mom would find someone, not only for herself but for me. By fourteen this really layed in heavy on me and the lack of a father really bummed me out, I got really stupid and desperate using bitlife to create guys then add me and my mom in to create step father famlies even adding step siblings and shit. By late fourteen it was made clear to me by my mom that "we don't need no man" and that she was done with dating. I very well do need a father figure, every child needs one. Hell I as a guy truly need(ed) one, there are so many lessons and things that come from a fatheson relationship that are crucial to a boy and I missed out on them. Hell even when my dad was around I missed out on lessons, I still remember he was tasked to teach me how to tie my shoes but got mad at me struggling and walked away. He refused to help afterward and I refused to try and never to this day learned the proper way to tie, instead I have my own far less efficent method. I missed out on so much by not having a father and it hurts to know that and I just wish I had the knowledge, without a masculine role model I have definetly missed out what it is to be a man and likely am even a loser of a man. I just want a father so badly, I want what a father provides so badly, I want the bond that it comes with. I wish I just had a guy to talk to and bond with, I want a dad just so badly. I wish I had someone who taught me how to change a tire or fish and all that shit, but I'll never have it and it angers me, I am angry to be fatherless, I am angry and lost without a father figure, and I'm jealous. I kind of want to have children when the time comes, I wonder if I'll fail them as well.
Friends: Growing up I was always a bit introverted, I think it was of my nature but was amplafied by life. In elementary I often acquainted myself with people never having any close friends outside my after school program. Jumping to middle school I had a good friend-group but it turned out my good friend T was really an ass and I was pushed out by him in early nineth grade. Later in nineth I met my good friend, my best friend M. This year in tenth I was introduced to a friend named D by M. These are my only two friends and I'm happy with them, though there are a few issues. Not anything major but just a few things, like how we never do anything outside of school. The only thing I really miss about my old friendgroup is that we actually did shit: springs, houses, events, parks, attractions, food. Now me, M and, D don't and have never done anything outside of school and the computer. M likely couldn't do anything because of his famliy and D just seems completely disinterested and worried about money. But I wish we could really do something, sure videogames are fun but it would be fun if we could just goof off somewhere, be stupid. This is really the only general "issue" apart from that no major strain or issue in the friendgroup. But I do have a few personal grievences, starting with D. I think D has a darker side of him, he seems to not respect or care for me and will sometimes show it in nasty ways. He had told both me and M to kill ourselves, he attacks insecurites, he says rude shit, etc. Also with D, we have never truly connected, never gotten to know each other personally. Without M we would be mere acquaintance, M is the only reason why me and D are friends and being alone with each other is mostly silence and maybe him showing me a TikTok. Then M, I have no personal issues with M only small factors of our friendship I'm upset or worried about. Starting off with is school, halfway through this year (tenth) M started a FLVS-hybrid. I am happy for him and it's something we both expressed wanting but now I never really see him. I could see him at lunch but he dosen't really come in and only other time I can see him is leaving campus. I ethier catch him and barely have a conversation worthwhile or he's to far ahead and I got to give up trying to reach him. The only way to talk to my best friend nowadays really is Discord, and that isn't even reliable since his parents are often controlling the WI-FI or taking his stuff away. This means when I do talk to my friend it can suddenly be ended as he disconnects or I can't even. This sucks, it feels like I can't even talk to my best friend that much. But that isn't all, because I'm worried for my friend M. His parents don't sound the best from all he's told me, I won't share his issues but just as an example he didn't have a bedroom for two months. Hearing what we gose through is alreadly dishearting but something that I worry deeply about is him talking sucide. He has talked and half joked about it several times and it's worry, I been trying to discourage but he continues with it so now I'm just trying to ignore it. That is likely the wrong way of handling it but I just don't know what to do. I hope it's always bluff and he moves out and moves on with he can, I don't want him to kill himself.
I'm lonely: I'm sixteen but I'm lonely. I am the only one of my friends who hasn't had a relationship, I am not the most worried about that, I don't want to date just to date, I want to date to love. But hell I still wish I had a relationship, even just a sterotypical high-school one. But what I truly want is true love, I want a woman I love with all my heart and a woman who loves me with all of hers, I want a woman to provide for, to protect, to matter to. I want to marry and possibly have kids. I want to love someone, be there for someone. But will I ever even have that? I'm alreadly a loser who no woman would want and even then from what I've heard, "modren dating is terrible" so what chance do I even have? Will I ever have someone to love? I hope.
School: School makes me so misereble and dead, this place makes me genuinely want to off myself I hate it so much. And it seems to revolve around my whole life, even at home it's all my mom wants to bring up. I just need a break from it all but it seems like it's the only thing in my life, I don't really have anything else. I failed my nineth grade year, I failed since I'm a stupid, worthless peice of shit. But they "passed" me onto tenth, gave me tenth grade classes, test, etc but say I'm still nineth, tell me do nineth grade "remedation" online. Now I'm failing like a worthless peice of shit once again! I wish they held me back to try again but they didn't they just pushed me on, still likely would've failed like a worthless bitch but I could have had a chance. I fucking hate myself I'm so stupid and I hate my school for pushing my stupid ass onward and onward, I should just kill myself at this point. And when I try to reach out to my counselor in any hope for some chance of help the piss poor communcation at this school means it'll take days for a response, I can't even get reliable help over school. Back in middle school I had a GPA in the high 3s, I made honor roll every other quater or so, I had high grades and sucess. But in high-school, in nineth grade I failed with straight Fs and got a GPA of 0.7, now in tenth I have a 1.7 and sometimes get high grades but mostly fail. I just wish I wasn't so stupid, I just wish I was smart and successful at school. But I'm not, I'm a fucking idiot and an embarssment at school. And maybe it would all be okay if it wasn't for the assholes I am surrounded by, my fellow peers of this overcrowded hell hole. Just seems like I can never catch a break with having to deal with people. I just want to be left alone but they're is just always somebody wanting to bother me, harass me. Can sit at a desk then have a bunch of cunts around me, harass me, call me burgundy because of my shirt. Can sit down and be snickered at by the guys in front of me for whatever reason. Sit down and have paper, pencils, even ice hitting me. Sit down and have some imbecible pull up a chair and use my desk as his and block me in my seat because fuck me, am I right? Just want to be left alone but never am, nobody ever dose it's always something. I can't even get respect, not a single bit, just always mistreated. Hell just the other day when I was given my packet I was also mistakenly given the packet of a nearby girl, I get her attention and hand it to her and she just snaches it and mumbles something, because I can't even be respected, I'm worthless. And even when I'm not being directly bothered I got to deal with slow walkers, idiots who don't know how to inconvience everyone else in the halls, the over crowded school. It all fucking sucks I hate it all, everyday I think I'm on the verge of snapping but somehow just have more patience, I don't know how much more of this shit I can or have to endure. At least my mom finally reconsidered my old forgotten pleads for online school and reopened the idea, maybe by some miracle online school will save me and "help me get caught up and ahead" but I doubt it, I'm an idiot who deserves to die. Why am I so fucking stupid, why am I like this? Why must I exist this way?
No hobbies or interest: I used to love a lot of things: reading, history, coming up with things in my head, videogames and, anything really. Now I have grown apathic to it all except videogames and even that dosen't bring much joy. I want to have my old hobbies back but lack the will to return. And I want new hobbies but yet lack will but also lacking knowing what I want to try. I'm lost with my freetime, it's all bleek and I want to fill my life with pastion. I still love videogames, always will but I need more then just gaming, I want more then gaming. I just want something, anything. I don't want to have such a lack of interest, God I fucking hate my life.
I have no future career goals: I'm sixteen and have no idea on what I want to do as an adult, some may say thats okay but it's not, not for me at least. I want to have a goal in the adult world, and even if that goal led to a path I don't like then I can always go down another path. Despite having no idea on what to do I at least know I don't want to be in an office. I could handle an office job, and be content with an office job but an office job isn't me, it isn't what sounds interesting, I would likely do blue collar or be my own boss. Some jobs I've considered and would do still are: police, SWAT police, house flipper, 911 operator, port worker, mechanic or something tinkeassemble like, enterpuner my book, film and games ideas or, open a store or bar or something. These are some jobs I've considered in the past that I would still see myself doing, I have also pondered over military/reserve but not sure. My childhood dream career that I still have a desire for is SWAT but I don't think I have what it takes, in fact I don't think I have what it takes for anything. I think all my life is destined to is dying homeless on a street corner, it's all I'll ever be "worthless".
I had so much planned, now failed: At age fourteen I planned to by now have a license, a job, a banking account, start savings. I planned to lose weight, I planned to have an idea outside of school, I had a plan. But I'm just a worthless peice of shit and a failure to myself, I don't even have a permit, no job, no savings, still fat, have no idea about the future, I failed myself.
Fidgeting: I can't stop but want to, at school I can't help but twiral a pencil around. I do it all the time at school but been trying to stop, I hate doing it. Worst part is I'm being immated by worthless cunts by it which is annoying. I want to stop this.
Masterbation addiction: I have a severe and low life addiction to masterbation. I do it at least once a day and sometimes mutiple times a day. The longest I was ever able to refrain was just a little over a week and only failed because I got bored. I need to jerk it to be able to sleep unless I'm desperately tired but even then. Also since I "need" it to sleep I regulary soil my sweatpants then sleep in it which is nasty. I can't control this vice, this low appetite and I'm deeply unhappy about it. Also unhappy that I might be ruining my endurence, a bit TMI but just another reason why this is harmful. I want to refrain or atleast drasticly cut out this pratice and fix myself.
I likely have more issues eating me inside as I waste away as a shell of a person but I can't really think of them. I am told my mom is looking into thearpy so that might be nice. Please just help me, I'm so lost and broken, I sometimes consider just ending it all but I just hope it can get good.

As the title says I am really struggling right now with my job search. I have been looking for the past 2 months since my last job laid off multiple departments due to bad past investments they made. I see all the time about how people can't even get interviews, so I know I must be doing something right. But the problem is once I get to the interview stage I think I'm doing well, but then I get told they are not moving forward with me.
Here is an example of an interview I just did:

• Interviewed on Thursday after applying on Monday.
• Position is remote (which I have been for the last 5 years) but they have an office location in my city (which means I can be hybrid if they need me to be) which seems like and advantage.
• The position asks for 3-4 years of experience. I have 7.
• Interviewer has to push the meeting by 30 minutes, I oblige and say that is fine.
• Interviewer and I have a good conversation, she asks about my experience.
• I'm concise and go over my 7 years of work within 2 minutes.
• She asks what my favorite accomplishment was.
• I mention the latest accomplishment on my resume which relates to the job (Brought in over 30,000 new customers in 2024 using exactly what I would be doing in the job).
• She asks for my salary expectations. The pay rate is 75k to 125k. Because I live in a cheaper part of the country I ask for 80k (which is MORE than competitive for my experience and the position).
• She asks if I have any questions about the job, I ask her questions like where she sees the company being in 10 years (she says they will continue to grow and expand into offices all over the United States).
• I then ask her what a typical workday would look like and how the job is structured (would this be territory based, industry based, etc.). she gives a detailed response.
• She then thanks me for the interview and says I will hear next steps either the next day (Friday) or Monday next week. The interview lasted 20 minutes instead of the normal 30.

I then get an email today saying they will not be moving forward with me and that they are moving forward with other candidates.
I just don't understand what the issue is. I HAVE to be saying something in the interview that is getting me disqualified as this is probably the 6th interview I have had where they eliminate me after the first round. This is for positions that are on-site, hybrid, or remote. It doesn't seem to matter as I still can't get past the first round interview.
I'm thinking of hiring a practice coach, but even then it seems like I'll be missing out on something.
Any recommendations on how a good interview is supposed to go and how I should answer?

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Here is an article I recently published on my Substack. If you'd rather read (or listen to an audio version) it outside of Reddit, you can do so here.
Why jump rope isn’t already touted as a leading running drill tool is completely beyond me. But then again…
I'm by no means an "experienced runner"—having started running in 2021 at the age of 34. So, at the time of this writing, about 3 years.
Despite this, I managed to silver-medal my age group in my first race ever.
And it was a 10k. And I was wearing barefoot-shoes.
And I had only been running before that race for about 3 months.
How the heck did I manage to pull this off?
The answer eluded me for a while. Then I remembered—ah, I’ve been jumping rope nearly every day for 2 years.
But how do those connect?
But first, why the heck would some guy start jumping rope at age 32?
About 2 years before I started running, I took up jump rope really just as a fun outdoor hobby.
Even though I was pretty inactive and a bit overweight, that’s not the reason I started skippin’.
One day, I came across some footage of boxer Lulu Hawton doing some jump rope training.
In addition to her seemingly effortless rope handling skills and rhythmic footwork, what caught my eye was a giant grin that spread across her face about 45 seconds into the video. While she was probably skipping to warm up for a match or a training session, something was abundantly clear.
She was having a blast.
And this was from a prize fighter! None of the usual boxer mean-mugging—she looked more like a kid on a carousel.
So, after buying a $10 jump rope on Amazon, I took to the driveway in my swim trunks (yes, I was so inactive, I didn’t own gym shorts).
And…whoo, did I suck.
After a few months of making puddles of sweat in my driveway as well as wheezing sounds so loud that I’m surprised the neighbors didn’t whistle EMS, I eventually got pretty decent at it.
And I lost about 45 pounds in 6 months—probably also from making some lifestyle changes merely to make jump rope less of a slog. Not the original plan, but hey, not too shabby.
After about a year, I found myself constructively critiquing other people’s beginner jump rope videos.

• “Unlock your boxer skip. Then you’ll be able to skip forever without getting tired.”
• “Here’s how to do Double-Unders, though they’re overrated.”
• “You’re skipping like it hurts. Relax and skip easy. Smile every once in a while and you’ll feel it all over.”

But how did that turn into running?
Though jumping rope is inherently enjoyable, 30-minute skipping sessions of staring at the wall without something in your headphones can be a bit drab.
One fateful day, about 2 years into being student of the jump rope, I began listening to the book Born to Run: A Hidden Tribe, Superathletes, and the Greatest Race the World Has Never Seen by Christopher McDougall.
Even before I got to the end of the book, running—just like jump rope— sounded fun**.**
Yeah, I know that sounds counterintuitive—unless you’ve read the book.
“I knew aerobic exercise was a powerful antidepressant, but I hadn’t realized it could be so profoundly mood stabilizing and — I hate to use the word — meditative. If you don’t have answers to your problems after a four-hour run, you ain’t getting them.”
Ok, ok—I’ll bite.
I proceeded to dive into all of the normal “Couch to 5k” running programs I could find and took my jump rope to a nearby park with a 1k walking path—sprinkling in running between jump rope sessions.
But something wasn’t adding up.
There was a lot of advice about walk-running to build endurance until one could run a block, two blocks, a mile.
Not to brag, but I wasn’t experiencing most beginner snags.
**“Ah, I know why—**I did most of my newbie wind-sucking two years ago!”
This isn’t to say I wasn’t still periodically sucking wind but after two years of consistent boxer skips and double-unders, getting gassed felt like part of the fun and not a medical emergency.
I also felt much springier than the average beginning runner—able to run for miles all over the city in the most minimal of footwear.
And so, I tried my hand at my first race—a donut-themed 10k. And silvered in my age group.
(Ok, there was only two of us…but my time was still respectable. 😂)
Running became an amazingly freeing activity, like getting my driver’s license for my legs.
But I still didn’t understand why running was coming easier to me than the average newcomer.
Digging still deeper, I unearthed another exciting revelation—this time from multi-decade sub-3-hour Boston Marathon runner and one of the foremost running experts on the planet, Dr. Mark Cucuzzella.
“Running with a jump rope is also an amazingly simple drill for posture, balance, and rhythm.”
In other words—form. Overall technique.
Digging a little keeper and experimenting on myself, I discovered just how similar proper running technique and proper jump rope technique were.
Both require:

• An upright, chest-leading, elbows-back, joint-stacked posture
• A soft mid-foot landing directly under your pelvis
• A quick loading and unloading of “leg springs” from your tendons and ligaments to reduce “stickiness” and wasted energy
• A proper supination (roll out) followed by a quick pronation (roll in) of the feet to help launch one’s body
• A steady core without dropping hips from side to side to reduce energy “leakage”

And so many other commonalities. The list unraveled before me on every run.
And like running, without proper technique, jumping rope just doesn’t work—though the consequences are different.
For a jump roper, due to the lower impact, the risk of injury is quite minimal.
Most newbie rope slingers will report sore calves, slightly tender Achilles tendons, and the odd shin splint if they go full Rocky at it. No need to worry, though—most of these injuries see themselves out as the skipper becomes more experienced.
However, for runners, the injury story is more severe.
The next time you’re at a park with a good path, take a seat on a bench and watch the runners. See if you can spot folks reaching far out in front of them with straightened legs—smashing heels into the pavement.
This style of running results in everything from screaming knees, plantar fasciitis, lower back pain, to hips issues.
But why do all of these occur to new runners, but rarely to new jump ropers?
Most new runners commit a major physiological no-no when they begin their running journey: they treat running like fast, aggressive, airborne walking.
“Well, what is it supposed to be?”
Synchronized jumping.
Simply put, proper running is nothing more than a series of coordinated single leg jumps through space with each landing compressing the springs for the next stride.
To compare this synchronized jumping to the aggressive airborne walking of heel-led running, you can test these in just a few seconds.
Step 1: Stand up.
Step 2: Kick off your shoes.
Step 3: Jump up and down three times.
How did you land?
Probably on your mid-foot, knee bent slightly, with your weight stacked above your pelvis.
And did you use your compressed “leg springs” to launch you into the following two jumps?
Oddly enough, if you were to add a jump rope to this, you would on your way to spinning side swings like Lulu Hawton.
If you were to take this same technique one foot at a time moving forward, you would be running in a way that increases speed, preserves stamina (springs!), and drastically decreases your likelihood of injury.
Let’s try the same test with a few tweaks.
This time, jump, but land on your heels.
Your knees probably remained fairly straight and you felt the impact in your ankles, knees, hips, and possibly even your lower back.
Now, imagine attempting to jump rope this way.
It simply doesn’t work.
Not only would there be no second jump due to the lack of spring but the pain would stop you in your tracks—even in cushioned shoes.
But if jump rope technique and proper running technique are nearly identical, what are aggressive heel landings doing in running?
While a jump roper landing on their heels would resemble Frankenstein’s monster in an express lane to an orthopedist, this is how many people perform the aggressive airborne walk—aka, a heel-striking, over-striding run.
But why do we run this way? Well, our shoes let us get away with it.
Thick heel cushioning and a bit of forward momentum do a great job of masking the pain of repeated blows against every joint up the chain—for a while, anyway. Eventually, the chickens come home to roost in the form of stress fractures, meniscus tears, plantar fasciitis, “runner’s knee,” IT-band syndrome, and more.
Not to brag (and maybe to knock on some wood), I have never experienced any of these injuries in my three years of running.
Is this because I’m some kind of running genius with all of the cheat codes? Haha, I wish! It’s simply sheer luck that I started out with jumping rope before running—an activity that shares the same injury-preventing techniques.
So, are the shoes totally to blame? No.
It is possible to run with proper form in shoes with raised, cushioned heels. But it’s not as easy.
When your heel is totally cushioned, you will be able to run with a heel strike in the same way you can hit your head against a brick wall while wearing a football helmet. And in both instances, it will eventually become less about the forces outside of the foam and more about the forces inside the cushion against each other that do the most damage.
“So, how can getting a jump rope help me become a better runner?”
Jump rope is a tremendous training tool for runners for the same reason why running barefoot can also be helpful—the feedback is immediate.
Though running with inefficient and injurious form is possible, the feedback from doing so isn’t so immediate. When it comes to jumping rope, however, you won’t get through too many skips if you don’t learn to utilize the springs in your legs. The rope doesn’t pull punches.
So, get a rope and get started.
If you’re new to jump rope, I would recommend acquiring two pieces of equipment.
Firstly, find a jump rope with a little bit, but not too much, weight to it. The weight will help you feel the position of the rope during it’s entire rotation and remain in better sync with your wrist spins
My favorite rope for this purpose is a 7mm PVC model called the Hererope, which costs a whopping $15. If you find this to be too thick or heavy, a cheap 5mm PVC model will work as well.
Secondly, to protect your rope and provide a nice jumping surface, I would recommend a large foam-rubber exercise mat. My favorite is a massive 78” mat for $32—which is probably the cheapest jump rope mat you will find.
When it comes to footwear, barefoot is ideal. This will help strengthen and mobilize your feet—including your likely overly-supported neglected arches.
And just how does one begin to jump rope?

• Keep a tall posture—imagining a string pulling you up from the crown of your head.
• Your chest should open, elbows back, hands about a fist’s width from your pockets.
• Jump from the balls of your feet, only high enough to clear the rope. When landing, let the skin of your heels “kiss” the floor—touching without taking on weight.
• Keep your knees slightly bent, using every landing to load your springs for the next take-off.
• Keep the cadence quick to maximize spring recoil. To help, listen to a song that’s at about 160 beats per minute, such as the song “Hey Ya” by Outkast (or a song of similar tempo) to get a feel for the speed for skipping rope. (For running, many recommend using “Rock Lobster” by the B-52s for cadence tempo reference.)

Start with short seasons hopping with both feet—maybe 30 seconds on, 30 seconds rest. Aim for minimal muscular activation, instead, using the recoil of your tendons and ligaments for suspension and launch as much as possible.
From jumping with both feet, move onto learning an alternating leg bounce—essentially a jog skip. Right, left, right, left—all while keeping an imaginary belt level with the horizon.
By now, you’re essentially running in place with an extremely efficient technique.
Now, apply your jump rope skills to your running!
This is going to seem quite bizarre, but it is possible (and even beneficial) to take your jump rope for a run.

• Start skipping rope on a road or path with the alternating leg bounce. Remember to keep your elbows back, shoulders relaxed, head pulled up as if tugged skyward by a string from your crown and your imaginary belt level with the horizon.
• Then, as though leaning forward just enough to give someone a kiss or have an imaginary umbilical cord lightly tugged, begin to jump rope forward.
• Remember to continue to land and load on your mid-foot—aiming to keep your weight under your pelvis just like skipping rope. Landing on your heels will likely snag the rope and keep your foot on the ground too long.
• As you proceed with this, remember how it feels—the quick foot turnover, the posture, the recoil in your leg springs, the core stability, and the lightness of it.
• In the middle of doing this, simply toss the handles behind you and keep running as though it was still there—still pretending to spin the handles.
• At a comfortable stopping point, run back to your rope—now using your hands in a wood-chop motion to counter balance your leg bounces while keeping your pelvis (imaginary belt) level and stable.

And there you have it!
You may find it quite helpful to return to this drill once or twice a week. Also if you find your form slipping a bit or becoming slugging mid-run, feel free to skip imaginary rope to try to correct your technique mid-stride. It will restore lightness and springiness to your running.
I still find myself bringing my wrists to my pockets and spinning imaginary jump rope handles if I feel my technique is collapsing a bit or if my running is becoming less springy.
And remember, most importantly—have fun. 👍
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DISCLAIMER: This theory uses text from the leaked 2.3 relics, Firefly's signature light cone, the current Glamoth planar relics, and relevant lines from dialogue in the story. I'll do my best to cite my sources for everything!
Let's get down to business! Who, or what, is Titania exactly?
According to both planar relics, she's the "Empress". That's about the only thing they agree on though, because the sphere describes her as a benevolent ruler who brought civilization to Glamoth's outer colonies, while the rope actually tells us that she's got no power (but I think they mean political power, since it also claims she telepathically commanded the Iron Cavalry and that seems kinda powerful), and that the ruling council created her in response to the Swarm's attack. Here's a longer excerpt from the rope's description:

"In the dreams that these warriors are woven into, the sole meaning of their existence is to guard Titania and her 'empire'. In their short lives, they studied, fought, received the Empress' commands, faced the enemy fearlessly, and died with honor."

It's pretty damning evidence that "empire" is written in quotation marks like this in most of these relics, and I've got theories about what kind of state Glamoth was (cough cough. Interstellar colonizers, cough), but that's another discussion. What matters here is that Titania definitely isn't a real Empress. Maybe she's a puppet ruler, or a symbol but not a person, or even some kind of war tactic AI skynet situation to direct troops, or whatever floats your boat.
I don't think she's Firefly, though. IMO it'd be a little tacky to get another identity reveal after Sam, but I wouldn't be making this post if I didn't have a stronger argument than that. Before 2.2, there were a lot of theories about her identity as Sam, the Stellaron Hunter... specifically theories that wanted to separate that identity from "Firefly", either by claiming Sam might be an AI or a second personality, or by claiming that Firefly is an ordinary girl (or Titania) who found the armor and decided to wear it. Lemme go over my counterarguments for both these points, and then I'll get to my own theory.
After her first "death" to the meme, Black Swan helps us investigate what Firefly was doing in the hotel, and a certain line of dialogue raised many questions. To quote:

Firefly: "Let's get going..."

(Here Black Swan proposes that she's with another person)

Firefly: "Why did you...!? This isn't what we agreed on..."

(Here Black Swan proposes that somebody betrayed her)

Firefly: "Mecha...!? Why..."

(Here Black Swan points out it's weird of her to say 'mecha')
Thing is, Black Swan's memory magic never shows us this second person, so we can only assume she's talking to the armor, right? Except... we've never seen her and Sam in the same place together. I know that sounds cheesy, but it's actually pretty big proof here. When she transforms into Sam, or back out of Firefly, the armor just appears and disappears in a bunch of flames. Of course it's probably that her transforming device is the reason why, but even without it there's a line in Genshin that could explain this too. In one of the Traveler's profile voicelines, Paimon confirms that weapons and personal items simply appearing out of nowhere is a regular thing that happens in-universe, and it's likely HSR uses this same rule. I don't think there's any hard evidence to suggest the armor even exists physically until she uses her transforming device, so we can rule out this mystery person being Sam.
IMO, it was probably more like an upset reaction to somebody else who brought up the 'mecha' thing first. Maybe something like this:

???: "Sorry Firefly, you can't go off-script. You have to activate your mecha."
Firefly: "Mecha...!? Why..."

It could've been Silver Wolf on the phone, or maybe even Elio, but it doesn't really matter.
Another thing I've seen people argue is that her personality when we first meet Firefly in Golden Hour just doesn't match up with Sam. Voicelines from the Stellaron Hunters, dialogue from SW visiting the Express, and one of Blade's story chapters all describe him as the ruthless and cold-blooded muscle of the group, which is very different from the sweetheart tour guide we met. I think people can't understand how these two versions of her coexist, but they're not mutually exclusive at all. What if Sam's efficiency is because she dislikes being a weapon, and wants to get her jobs over with quickly? What if her mission in Penacony is Firefly's first chance to actually explore herself as "Firefly", without her scripts asking her to cause destruction? It's not like she's living a double life, more like she's still in the process of growing into her actual self. Maybe texting us stickers from Blade's phone was a baby step for her to experiment, since TB hadn't met Sam yet and she could be less serious, or maybe her armor's fingers have trouble typing, who even knows?? I think the "inconsistencies" in her behavior can be explained pretty easily once you realize she's still figuring herself out, y'know?
There's also tons of dialogue before and after her reveal that implies she's pretty familiar with combat, too. Her accurate description of Sampo is the obvious one (that man is NOT 5'9 though), but she also mentions that a baseball bat isn't an efficient weapon, and later in the story if you picked the Hanu trial for the auditions thing, she complains about not having her armor, brings up that it'll be hard for her to let go of the bazooka, and compares Hanu's rocket launcher to something called the "Soaring Locust II" (some kind of weapon attachment for her armor maybe?), so it's pretty clear that she's not a stranger to fighting. I don't think she's just some ordinary girl who picked up the mecha.
Finally, there's an inconsistency between her and Sam when talking about dreams. On the balcony, Firefly describes her dream about the scorched earth and the sapling, while Sam outright says he was "born without the ability to 'dream'." Thanks to her upcoming light cone, we've got an answer to this problem:

"Dreams remained too distant for her, as she gazed into the infinite darkness. Even as she sensed her consciousness slipping away, her mind replayed the same lingering memories over and over again..."

I think the simplest solution is that Firefly's 'dream' was a metaphor to explain her wish to the Trailblazer, like a visualization to help her and others understand those feelings. The light cone kinda implies she doesn't dream at all, instead she relives her memories from being in the Glamoth military. The rest of that paragraph goes on to describe a Swarm attack and her fellow Cavalryman dying around her without anybody to honor their sacrifice, which is a memory she'd only have if she fought alongside them.
So dreaming isn't an issue anymore, and her two personalities aren't mutually exclusive, and she wasn't talking to her armor in the hotel. But I hear you, none of that really proves she isn't Titania, right? Because at least the Empress has the same origin as the Iron Cavalry pilots... And that's a good point, but I've got evidence against it too.
According to Firefly's drip marketing, she was "Born as a weapon", and is "afflicted with the agony of Entropy Loss Syndrome due to genetic modification.", both of which line up perfectly with our understanding of the Cavalry pilots so far. One leaked relic says "Identical-looking warriors were birthed from the incubators", the rope says "the ruling council threw down the gauntlet and resolved to alter the essence of humanity", and even Firefly herself says "[Sam] is the cradle of my vitality, and the meaning of my birth." when asked about it in Dreamflux Reef. These statements only make sense if Firefly is one of these lab-grown humans, and literally born to pilot her armor.
If you're still not convinced, that line about Entropy Loss gives us another clue: since it's due to genetic modification, that means her "altered essence" is what causes it, so how exactly is she different from a regular human? Another leaked relic says "The armor deeply synchronized its sensory organs with that of the pilot", which is very weird phrasing until you remember that Welt told us Sam has superhuman perception after we got SW's message. That ability kinda contradicts everything Firefly said about her condition, so what if her genetic modifications are meant for that "synchronization"? Maybe it's supposed to increase combat effectiveness with some kind of symbiotic relationship between her and the armor? It definitely plays into more mecha anime tropes (NGE comes to mind), which she's already got a crazy amount of, and might even explain why she's naked while wearing her armor.
When she calls Sam the "cradle of [her] vitality", she means it's literally the only way she can guarantee her Entropy Loss won't flare up and cause her to dissociate. The armor keeps her grounded and conscious, even though it might be extremely painful to use it, given how Adin Rudd in the English dub almost seems to grunt out his lines, and how her kit and the boss' kit both include HP-draining mechanics. This is also why she appreciates the Dreamscape so much, as she told us in her secret balcony spot that she's able to "listen, and see, and touch, and think, and understand whatever I want with my body", as opposed to doing these things with Sam instead. Her cutscene with Blade suggests that it's not impossible for her to exit the armor, but I'm guessing she can't do this for long stretches of time, or that it comes with a risk of having her Entropy Loss worsen. The "icy medical cabin" she mentioned turned out to be Sam, after all.
This one's a bit more subjective, but I'll die on this hill so I might as well include it as a final argument. I honestly think her narrative themes benefit more if she's a regular Iron Cavalryman than if she's Titania. Her story is about an experimental soldier born to be a weapon, living only to kill bugs by the orders of a fake Empress she swore loyalty to, and never having a chance to experience life as a regular young girl. It's about recovering from war trauma, overcoming a medical condition and physical disability, and finally discovering an identity for herself instead of being defined by her use to other people. I'm so in love with this character concept, and while I plan to bankrupt myself over this girl no matter what direction Hoyo picks, I've got my fingers crossed that I'm right about her because it would be so amazing to see that story come to life about a character who stole my heart like this. ^w^
In conclusion? Firefly ≠ Titania, and I believe it's a more cohesive, impactful, and beautiful story if she's a soldier instead of an Empress.
Thank you for reading!
P.S. I'd love to hear anybody's thoughts in the comments, whether they agree with some of my points, or if they've got arguments of their own! Just remember to be civil, because at the end of the day we're all Firefly enjoyers and everybody's ideas are valid until we get more official information about her! :D

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Introduction to Mindfulness in a Biblical Context

Have you ever wondered how the ancient wisdom of the Bible connects with the modern practice of mindfulness? Living in the moment, with a full awareness of our thoughts, actions, and surroundings, is a concept that transcends time. The Bible, rich in wisdom and guidance, offers profound insights into living a mindful life. This article explores how biblical principles align with the idea of mindfulness, encouraging us to live more consciously and connected with our spiritual selves.

Understanding Mindfulness through a Biblical Lens

Mindfulness, in its essence, is about being fully present and engaged in the moment. It’s about tuning into our experiences, thoughts, and feelings without judgment. While the term ‘mindfulness’ might not appear in the Bible, the principles underpinning it certainly do. Scripture encourages us to live with awareness and intention, urging us to focus on the present while trusting God with our past and future.

• Be Still and Know: Psalms 46:10 (“Be still, and know that I am God…”) invites us to pause, quiet our minds, and recognize God’s sovereignty over our lives. This invitation to stillness is a call to mindfulness, encouraging us to ground ourselves in the reality of God’s presence.
• Give Thanks in All Circumstances: 1 Thessalonians 5:18 (“…give thanks in all circumstances; for this is God’s will for you in Christ Jesus.”) reminds us to maintain an attitude of gratitude, focusing on the blessings of the present moment rather than dwelling on past regrets or future worries.

Practical Steps to Integrating Mindfulness with Faith

Adopting a mindful approach to life doesn’t mean turning away from your faith. On the contrary, it can be a path to deeper spiritual connection. Here’s how you can weave mindfulness into your daily routine while keeping your faith at the core:

1. Start Your Day with Scripture: Begin each day by reading a passage from the Bible. Let the words guide your thoughts and intentions for the day ahead.
2. Practice Gratitude Prayers: Throughout the day, pause to give thanks for the small blessings. This cultivates a mindful appreciation for life’s gifts and challenges.
3. Embrace Silent Moments: Find time for silence in your day. Use these moments to meditate on God’s Word, allowing His peace to fill your mind and soul.

Mindfulness and The Mindful Day: A Biblical Guide

Integrating mindfulness into our daily lives allows us to experience each day with a heightened sense of clarity, joy, and purpose. The Bible provides a roadmap for this journey, offering timeless wisdom and guidance. By focusing on the present, practicing gratitude, and embracing stillness, we cultivate a mindful lifestyle that honors God and enriches our spiritual well-being.

Conclusion: Embracing a Mindful Life with Biblical Wisdom

Incorporating mindfulness into your daily routine doesn’t have to be complex. Start with small steps, guided by the wisdom of the Bible, and you’ll soon notice a profound difference in your mental, emotional, and spiritual health. Embrace each day as a gift, live intentionally, and let the biblical principles of mindfulness illuminate your path to a more fulfilling life.
Are you ready to explore a more mindful approach to life, grounded in the wisdom of the Bible? Dive deeper into God’s Word, and let it shape your daily practices for a richer, more intentional life. Start your journey today!
If you want to want to research more Bible Answers on your own, please try our Bible Answers GPT. It’s easy to get lost in the interesting responses you’ll find… every search is like a new treasure hunt 🙂
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Red brick castles stacked the suburban streets. Divided by side yards and dogs barking. The sun laid crisp over the spliced horizon, spilling yolk over the withering lawns.
Henry waited in his lawn chair beside the mailbox. As his body had taken recent liberties, he'd remained fit from his army training. His throat rumbled as he checked his silver watch. Finally, the postman flushed the corner, and stumbled to Henry's curb, to his bag, then to his letter.
"...you're late, Lenny," Henry pulled his readers.
Lenny, the paperboy, regained his choppy breath. Coke-bottle glasses stored his tortoise eyes. They surveyed the concrete corridor they called Gerben Street, "I'm sorry, Mr. Bronson, I really am. I never meant to keep you waiting... I'm sorry, Henry."
Henry didn't answer the boy, tore the envelope with ape's elegance. Pranced the script of his lover's ink. The letter had traveled from Paris, France, skidded the black waves of the Atlantic Ocean, hitched buses, bikes, and buggies, all to kiss the smooth of Henry's palms.
The words were from his lover, Amélie, he'd met at war in an escapade to Bordeaux. It was here he'd kissed her cherry cheeks, and they'd made love only a year before.
Amélie talked of finer things, life and love and silver tastes. She yearned for Henry, and hadn't taken a lover since. Sleeping all alone, cold as the sleepy ocean in between them.
Love,
Amélie
Those four letters, strung together. Followed by that name, that haunted, horrible, beautiful name. The music of Henry's life, a distant harp in a sway of windy trees.
Henry spent all night beneath a dancing candle. Scribbling, nixing, finding the perfect words. Rifling through Shakespeare, and Plath, and Wilde. It was at the page's end, Henry wrote, what he knew he'd write in the weeks and weeks before:
"Oh, Amélie, won't you visit me? Here in the States? I know you don't like the food. I don't either, but with each other, me with you, and you with me, we'll ever, never notice."
He entered the post office that morning, and his reply was off to France. The weeks and weeks had passed again, crawling to November's end. Henry waited by that same mailbox, and waited, and waited, but nothing arrived in the days after.
He entered the post office that cold evening, and met the clerk, who's eyes tired with crescent glints. Henry demanded his mail be delivered to him, scolding the patient clerk, providing his address thereafter.
The clerk, a powdered, faded beauty of a woman, "we had a change in paperboys. We're putting a new employee on that route by Gerben Street."
"Oh no, that's a shame," Henry dampened. He enjoyed the paperboy, Lenny, and his weekly company. He'd felt shame for their final, frustrated exchange. The clerk retreated to a backroom, and returned with a letter from France.
Henry couldn't help himself. He ripped and ripped the note naked. Read the first and fourth and tens of lines.
"There isn't a night I don't think of you. I wander stars wondering if you do too. Your touch, your breath, your arms. I receive the memory fondly in a summer's dream, and I don't forget a word you've said along the way. I love you, Henry Bronson. And this ocean, though far and wide, won't stop the heart from sailing. Because our children will know silver dreams too, and what parents we'd be to not make them true. You are the love of my life. The music of my night.
I'll arrive in Savannah on the evening of Christmas Eve.
Love,
Amélie"
The words strummed his chest. Henry rose his eyes to the world anew, because Amélie, his beloved Amélie——was coming to visit at last.
Henry was paralyzed in weeks to come. His lawn, unattended, his sink, stacked with dishes. He stared his only photo of Amélie, smiling at her blushed eyes for hours and hours and hours. In this love he'd been born again, a new meaning in every little thing.
It was finally time——Christmas Eve. Snow peppered the sheets of the crystal tarmac. Henry entered the airport, propelled by the stride of anxious confidence. He coursed the halls, until he'd arrived at the final gate:
PARIS, FRANCE [ARRIVING IN 4 MINUTES]
Minutes became years, years decades. He walked to the bar and asked for a glass of water. Flushed his throat with fretting sips, and noticed the custodian who mopped spilled coffee. A familiar face, though, Henry couldn't pin him. He approached, and to his surprise, it was the old paperboy, Lenny.
They shared a laugh and began to catch up. Henry's eyes flirting with the gate:
[ARRIVING IN 2 MINUTES]
Lenny rambled, "they canned me without warning, right before the holidays. I've struggled to make due, but——I guess it's all worked out okay," he paused, "funny enough——I was en route to deliver on your street before I got the call. Gerben Street, right?"
[ARRIVING IN 1 MINUTE]
Henry's heart thumped like a derby horse. He glanced the snow that flaked the window.
"Yeah, Gerben."
"Gerben, yeah, I thought I remembered," Lenny nodded, "you know, Mr. Bronson, I think I left your letter in my backpack, actually. Would you like me to check?"
"Sure."
Lenny was off, and as he left, Frenchmen, women, and decadent Americans flooded the gate's entrance. Pulling luggage, sighing stretches, lending hugs. Henry watched carefully for his cherry, silver dream. To each face, he paid his attention. Lenny nudged Henry, handed over the envelope.
"Thanks," Henry took the note, "Merry Christmas... I'll see you around, I hope."
"Sure," Lenny shuddered in embarrassment. His somber step parted from Henry, he replied with a mumbled, "Merry Christmas."
In the later minutes, Henry didn't see Amélie, or even a confused resemblance. He waited till the plane was empty, till the Spain-bound passengers began to board. He even checked the desk, where a pretty-faced lady exclaimed, "no Amélie here, I'm sorry." With great disappointment, Henry exited the airport, never leaving the sight of his fluttered feet.
Even for Henry, a man of hope and perseverance, it was too hard not to cry. He hailed a taxi, directed the driver with snotty tremble, and soon enough, he was home in his red brick house, at home where the houses stacked the streets, and the streets tickled with frost.
In that dark room, where Henry wrote Amélie, was where the music died. Where the wind had swallowed the galloped harp. Henry cried, cursed himself a fool. A fool, a fool, a fool. He'd hoped as a child, now damned a hopeless recluse. His sorrow turned to confusion, confusion to frustration, frustration to rage anew.
He leapt from his chair, struck a match, lit a wick, plucked a pen, placed his paper, and before the ink would paint the page, before he'd damn Amélie to Hell, her and her cherry cheeks, he remembered the letter the paperboy had given him.
Henry removed the crumpled letter from his coat, peeled the stick of the envelope. Slipped the letter from its sleeve, pulled his readers, and began to prance the ink in reading.
Amélie, again, talked of finer things. Gifts, and gods, and golden fountains.
She couldn't wait any longer, to meet her beloved Henry.
She couldn't sleep another night, with this space between.
The black waves, the buses, bikes and buggies. All the things from her to he.
It should not wait. No, it could not wait any longer.
Henry dabbed his eyes clear and clean, as he read the final words:
"Henry, oh, Henry, I never meant to keep you waiting. You never quite knew what you meant to me."
Henry lowered his eyes to the page's end, to the bottom of the longing letter:
Love,
Yours Truly,
Lenny

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• What do you do as a job or as a career (if you have one)? Do you like it? Why or why not? I recently had a job as a math tutor which I enjoyed very much. Trying to become an engineer, not sure if I will like all of the hands-on stuff but I am a big fan of math and physics.
• If you had to spend an entire weekend by yourself, how would you feel? Would you feel lonely or refreshed? I wouldn't say I would feel refreshed but I would handle it very well and I can keep myself entertained on my own easily for long periods of time.
• What kinds of activities do you prefer? Do you like, and are you good at sports? Do you enjoy any other outdoor or indoor activities? I don't play sports but I am pretty athletic and I enjoy a little competition. I spend a lot more time inside and I like to solve puzzles (jigsaw/word games), I enjoy reading and also researching random things.
• Would you enjoy taking on a leadership position? Do you think you would be good at it? What would your leadership style be? I think I'd make a good leader but I don't like being the person that everyone looks at when something goes wrong. I'd be very open in hearing other people's ideas and I'd treat everyone as my equal.
• Are you artistic? If yes, describe your art? If you are not particular artistic but can appreciate art please likewise describe what forums of art you enjoy. Please explain your answer. I can't draw, paint, or anything like that to save my life. I do love music, however, if that counts as art, and I am quite proficient at the piano. I also like looking at art and I could spend a day at a museum. I also love listening to music and attending concerts- but who doesn't!
• What's your opinion about the past, present, and future? How do you deal with them? I think about the past a lot, reminiscing on good times and bad ones, thinking about what I did well and what I could have handled differently. I think a lot about the near future but not so much the far future. I have an idealistic plan for my far future that I don't want to over-analyze. I enjoy living in the present as well. I have a love for new experiences and I try to live life to my fullest.
• How do you act when others request your help to do something (anything)? If you would decide to help them, why would you do so? I feel so honored that they would want my help and I would do anything in my power to help even a little bit. I would want to do so because I like making people happy and I would want to be seen as reliable and helpful.
• What is your learning style? What kind of learning environments do you struggle with most? Why do you like/struggle with these learning styles? Do you prefer classes involving memorization, logic, creativity, or your physical senses? I learn by doing lots of practice and I dislike learning environments that try to get you to come up with your own conclusions and try to get you to find the answer on your own. I prefer memorization and logic.
• What are your fears? I fear that I will be forgotten or disliked or lonely.
• What do the "highs" in your life look like? Usually moments where I felt really connected with people or succeeding at something I love doing.
• What do the "lows" in your life look like? When I let my thoughts go too far and they distract me from the reality of a situation.
• Imagine you are alone in a blank, empty room. There is nothing for you to do and no one to talk to. What do you think about? An interpersonal interaction I recently was a part of.
• How long do you take to make an important decision? And do you change your mind once you've made it? A long time, and I rarely change my mind.
• How important are emotions in your life? I use emotions as a stepping stone to reasoning myself through a situation. I like to think through all the possibilities that are causing a certain emotion and I rarely act off of emotions alone.
• Do you ever catch yourself agreeing with others just to appease them and keep the conversation going? How often? Why? Yes, all the time, because I see where they are coming from so I don't see the point in disagreeing if I haven't fully considered their side of things.
Some other important things about me:

• I prefer listening over speaking. I like being the friend people can go to ab their problems although I wish I was better about making them feel better about them.
  
• I think part of the reason people trust me is because I am really open-minded, empathetic, and I never will disagree with someone if I see where they are coming from (which most of the time I do). I like to help people feel recognized and understood. And I guess part of that is because I want to be recognized and understood too.
  

I think I'm either an ENTP or an INFP. My father (INTP) seems to think I am an ENTP. Most personality tests characterize me as INFP (IDRLabs, Personality Junkie, Socionics, 16P) although the MIchael Caloz said I was an ENTP.

So I am not sure if I have abilities others don't or if I am more sensitive than the average person,
Background, I grew up in a haunted house but never experienced anything really outside of feeling like someone may be watching me, I had heard from other family what they had experienced when I was too young to remember.
As I got older I have always been different from most, however I have some mental issues, bipolar,ptsd,anxiety,addiction
I've always had vary vivid dreams from a young age, as I've gotten older I was very depressed and stuck to myself being homeschooled after the fith grade, I got into drugs at 17 and became addicted to various substances plus my mental illness went wild, however I no longer take substances outside of cannabis and mushrooms. I'm also as stable as I can been on medications.
As I moved out of the house at 13 to another I would get nightmares being in the old house and I would be getting tormented by spirits, It started as just a haunted house trying to scare me, then I got mad because of the occurrence and would be in a vivid dream taunting it, never really winning it would laugh or only show itself when it wanted to not me.
In my dreams I will see my loved ones like normal but be able to tell that isn't them and will notice and then my dreams get weird and I either wake up or try to get away, I'm aware now and don't get them as often but it was terrifying at a point.
I got into reading the satanic bible, lucifieran bible and necronomicon, at one point, during this I had a vivid dream I wasn't on this planet and went to a place that was dark with odd terain and glowing green water, however I had a dream I was going into a church and instead of a normal pastor it was a demonic one and had a cloak over his face , I had a rosary with a bone and gave it to him, accepting that I don't have power in my dreams and am sorry for taunting the spirits in my reoccurring nightmares, it went down to know I only have them rarely and know what's going on everytime it happens again.
During my addictions I have experienced sleep paralysis and it was terrifying, like a demonic smoke figure in a cloak looking at me feeding of the fear,
I have had my aunt pass and visit me in my dreams, I have had my grandpa pass and visit me in my dreams, I didn't get to say goodbye, and got closure in my dream, I woke up feeling like the hug was real.
I knew the night before my grandpa passed he was going to had a gut feeling but I decided not to follow that instinct, next morning I woke up to uncle banging the door however my dream was a old guy in a room that didn't have anything, just sitting infront of me no conversation, woke up and my grandpa was gone, feel it was him but didn't wanna show me it was him yet.
Anymore my nightmares if I have them are usually still in the old house and has to do with a spirit trying to take the shape of my loved ones, I have never seen the spirit responsible, only felt it in my dreams and heard laughs when I try to be more powerful than it.
Not super long ago I had a dream a tornado was coming for me at my current house, we had stroms not super long after and while it wasn't my house it hit 30 minutes away from me and my girlfriends step dads house got hit.
I feel like I am sensitive to energy, I can sense the feelings of being watched at times, getting goosebumps and hair standing up not due to the cold but somthing around, especially when I talk to people or give them tarot card readings, I can end up with my hairs standing or goosebumps if the conversation felt like it resonates with me.
I have an amazing relationship with my girlfriend, we I belive are twin flames, so similar, almost like we can read eachothers minds at times and say the same things at the same time often or can guess what she's about to say at times, but I also feel whenever her energy shifts and so does she if mine shifts.
I can sense if a person is good or bad, I can also at times sense somthing bad a long time in advance before it actually happens. Unfortunately.
One of the best new experiences I have had was taking mushrooms with my girlfriend for healing, I do it somewhat often, helped with grief , addictions, mental health, spirituality,
It brings us closer together and helps us both to heal, I didn't know it was possible but we managed to be able to use our energy on eachother while tripping and have what feels like full on sex without any touching involved, it can last for a long time too, this has happened the last 3-4 times we have tripped once we discovered how to tap into each other's minds. It's almost better than having actual sex, I feel like we leave our bodies and full on merge together as one during this time.
Now this is were it gets weird , a few days back we went to a place in amish country and once inside I noticed it felt off, however to not waste money and with everyone posting such good reviews figured we would stay and take mushrooms for healing as we do about once every month - 2 months,
I had the feeling in this house that the loft and basement were bad places to be, like being watched and feeling like there was somthing in this house, not sure what but something the first floor felt the best but still uneasy,
We had grabbed a clock from downstairs, plugged things into this one outlet next to the stairs and clock prior to taking mushrooms, they were charging, clock worked. Outlet worked, downstairs had a weird sad vibe to it ,weird musty smell also Sulphur smells randomly and even the water smelled like Sulphur there was a hornet in the toilet when we got there and had to flush it, also was 2 stains on the cieling in basement, not sure if it was water leak or if someone may have passed in the house and it soaked thru the ceiling of basement.
We wanted to paint eachother as we took the mushrooms, we did this until they started to kick in and once they kicked in we went and started fear and loathing in lost vegas, once I started getting closed eye visuals and working on my innerwork, my girlfriend felt like she wanted to go downstairs to lay in bed,
We stayed in bed holding eachother , bonding, eventually tuning into eachothers energy having sex without actually having it, then we couldn't hold back anymore and actually had sex, however we stayed down there until the trip wore off, it was about 3 am and everything switched on us.
She was feeling really sad and like she wanted to leave this place, I felt like I was being watched down there and somthing bad had happened in the past, I went to go upstairs was kinda afraid to alone but eventually went upstairs because she wouldn't at the time, tried to charge my phone and the outlet and clock didn't work anymore, I had been talking about leaving the house because she was feeling targeted and I felt like it didn't like either of us but like it wanted to feed off her if she went to sleep.
We went upstairs at a point and when I was asking if there were spirit's in the house and that if so I meant no disrespect and will only be staying until we could leave in the morning safely, as I would talk about the spirits seemed like my girlfriend would feel sick, same as being in the bed, very sad while downstairs.
I opened a bible and it was weird it didn't even feel like real paper , it also was moving by itself somewhat like working against me or moving for me to point out things, the clock on the wall was moving way faster than normal after this,
I tried getting her to leave , I didn't want to stay anylonger but knew we had to wait until sunlight atleast, she fell asleep and I was sitting next to her in this erie basement, had to turn the fan on because felt like if it was quiet I would loose it, what's not normal is the fact that she went to sleep and didn't really move, make sounds or anything like usual. I felt like I could hear people upstairs as she was asleep, almost like music was playing or a man signing and it was on repeat it would come and go, such low volume but also loud , the fan in the mix didn't help but I didn't wanna hear it anylouder.
I ended up trying to sleep and kinda did for a few hours but no dream I was hoping I would have a vivid dream of what happened in this house.
In the morning got our stuff packed up and left, before leaving I had used a ghost box. Told the spirit we were about to leave and as my girlfriend was going to the car it talked, then when she came back inside I left the ghostbox going and it talked while we were both there. I told it that we are leaving and this is your house but you are not welcome to come with us. Right as I opened the door I got a whiff of sulphur and as we left the house sulphur smell followed for a while.
Went to a shop got sage, used it before we got home, then yesterday unpacked from our trip and I made the joke about hopefully nothing came back with us from there. I went fishing and used the scissors from the house, i forgot to put them back so I have them. I saged our room, bags, clothes and once I found it left it outside in our burn barrel, didn't wanna risk it being in the house.
Last night we should have gotten good rest tho and we did not so I wonder if it had to do with those scissors coming from that house. 🤔
Anyways, long story but honest opinion would be helpful and on top of that if theres a way to strengthen my senses and all that would love to know!

So my fiancé and I of 8 years got engaged lst Feb . My friend, Sara, and I have been close friends since we were in high school together and for the past year we have worked together. Before we worked together, I noticed there were things that made me wonder if the friendship was off balance. I’ve made an effort at her implied request to be close with her friends and family, all of whom I’ve gotten to know. Her father passed away 2 years ago and I attended her wake and hosted the get together afterwards at my house. Often times, when we’re in groups I’ve noticed she will have a two way conversation with another person and completely leave me out of the conversation , leaving me to sit there alone despite attempts to join the convo. She is also the kind of person who will dump, then as soon as she is done and you begin to share she will pick up her phone and start texting someone else Recently, since getting engaged these things have become more pronounced. Since wedding planning and festivities started, it became more pronounced that Sara has made no effort to build relationships with my friends or family, all of whom are close. I invited her siblings and friends to my engagement party to simply ensure she was comfortable.
Recently we have both been struggling more at work. Historically, Sara is a person who cares a great deal of what she comes across like to others and I have always done my best to offer support in moments she struggles with a protective person to those I care about and I find that when she expresses feeling slighted me, I React and feel protective of her. This recently happened at work, where in which I defended her to my manager, which resulted in my manager yelling at me and now bullying me to the point where I am now off work on stress leave. Since then, I have been informed by colleagues she has been siding with this manager in this behaviour, biding to her direction for things such as inappropriately writing me down as a no show.
Moving on, I’ve noticed that Sara will get upset with me when she does not get her way, then I will disengage and afterwards she will often send me a text Essentially turning the scenario around and Change the narrative to me being upset and her “understanding”. If I am not supporting the way she expects m to be she will often say something snarky as well
In terms of the wedding, I was speaking with my maid of honour the other day, my sister, and she expressed surprise that Sara was even in the wedding party. She mentioned that Sara has not been involved in any planning whatsoever and she has not spoken in their chat they’ve had for 7 months. The only dialogue Sara is interested in having with me regarding the wedding is about her dress. She has purchased about 13 different dresses, and I have spent probably 14 hours in conversation discussing which dress, all of which I said are great, would look great on day of. I also asked her several months ago to let me know if her partner is coming, which she refuses to answer.
I am at a loss. Every day gets harder with her and frankly I’m feeling really devastated that it’s come to this and that this is the way things have unfolded. This is a friend I care a lot about, and the loss of this friendship will be hard, although I do feel it’s time to part ways.
My challenge is that the bachelorette and wedding is coming in 2 months. How do I navigate this to avoid people getting feelings hurt/further stress but also preserving myself - do I tell her to step down?

The first one I noticed was on the mission where you have to disable the warhounds. There is a rappelling rope prop just stuck in the ground. You would think they would remove that.
Recently I have had,
An invisible wall that you can only see from one side (west of Metro Ruins). Got me killed by getting stuck on it.
Enemies able to send explosive drones through the ceiling and thick walls (the building where you do the constitution mission) that target you.
Unable to step up on a 6 inch step that sees you being unable to move to cover (during a bounty, causing KIA and having to restart).
Unable to take cover in a lot of areas, against walls, pillars and so on. (happens in too many places to mention). Literally, under heavy fire and trying to take cover and there is no code on that wall that allows the character to stick.
Enemies able to shoot through walls and hit you (happens inside and outside).
You would think that after so many years of constant play that these things would be registed and fixed, even on a large map (many other games do just this) but I find these types of things every one couple of sessions and I've only been playing for a few months.

Hi, can anyone help me get my server back up and running.
I had it running last night and now when I was going to play I saw that it had crashed. I'm not very good at reading server crash logs :c
I will leave the crash log below:
---- Minecraft Crash Report ---- // This doesn't make any sense!
Time: 2024-05-13 23:46:41 Description: Exception in server tick loop
net.minecraftforge.fml.config.ConfigFileTypeHandler$ConfigLoadingException: Failed loading config file lost_aether_content-server.toml of type SERVER for modid lost_aether_content at net.minecraftforge.fml.config.ConfigFileTypeHandler.lambda$reader$1(ConfigFileTypeHandler.java:47) ~[fmlcore-1.20.1-47.2.20.jar%23908!/:?] {} at net.minecraftforge.fml.config.ConfigTracker.openConfig(ConfigTracker.java:60) ~[fmlcore-1.20.1-47.2.20.jar%23908!/:?] {} at net.minecraftforge.fml.config.ConfigTracker.lambda$loadConfigs$1(ConfigTracker.java:50) ~[fmlcore-1.20.1-47.2.20.jar%23908!/:?] {} at java.lang.Iterable.forEach(Iterable.java:75) ~[?:?] {re:mixin} at java.util.Collections$SynchronizedCollection.forEach(Collections.java:2131) ~[?:?] {} at net.minecraftforge.fml.config.ConfigTracker.loadConfigs(ConfigTracker.java:50) ~[fmlcore-1.20.1-47.2.20.jar%23908!/:?] {} at net.minecraftforge.server.ServerLifecycleHooks.handleServerAboutToStart(ServerLifecycleHooks.java:96) ~[forge-1.20.1-47.2.20-universal.jar%23912!/:?] {re:mixin,re:classloading,pl:mixin:APP:lithostitched.forge.mixins.json:common.ServerLifecycleHooksMixin,pl:mixin:APP:croptopia.mixins.json:ServerLifecycleHookAccessor,pl:mixin:A} at net.minecraft.server.dedicated.DedicatedServer.m_7038_(DedicatedServer.java:162) ~[server-1.20.1-20230612.114412-srg.jar%23907!/:?] {re:mixin,pl:accesstransformer:B,re:computing_frames,pl:accesstransformer:B,re:classloading,pl:accesstransformer:B,pl:mixin:APP:lithostitched.mixins.json:server.DedicatedServerMixin,pl:mixin:APP:mixins/common/nochatreports.mixins.json:server.MixinDedicatedServer,pl:mixin:APP:tombstone.mixins.json:DedicatedServerMixin,pl:mixin:A} at net.minecraft.server.MinecraftServer.m_130011_(MinecraftServer.java:634) ~[server-1.20.1-20230612.114412-srg.jar%23907!/:?] {re:mixin,pl:accesstransformer:B,re:computing_frames,pl:accesstransformer:B,re:classloading,pl:accesstransformer:B,pl:mixin:APP:kubejs-common.mixins.json:MinecraftServerMixin,pl:mixin:APP:kubejs-common.mixins.json:inject_resources.MinecraftServerMixin,pl:mixin:APP:modernfix-common.mixins.json:perf.dedicated_reload_executor.MinecraftServerMixin,pl:mixin:APP:ae2.mixins.json:spatial.MinecraftServerMixin,pl:mixin:APP:citadel.mixins.json:MinecraftServerMixin,pl:mixin:APP:balm.mixins.json:MinecraftServerMixin,pl:mixin:APP:dankstorage.mixins.json:MinecraftServerAccess,pl:mixin:A} at net.minecraft.server.MinecraftServer.m_206580_(MinecraftServer.java:251) ~[server-1.20.1-20230612.114412-srg.jar%23907!/:?] {re:mixin,pl:accesstransformer:B,re:computing_frames,pl:accesstransformer:B,re:classloading,pl:accesstransformer:B,pl:mixin:APP:kubejs-common.mixins.json:MinecraftServerMixin,pl:mixin:APP:kubejs-common.mixins.json:inject_resources.MinecraftServerMixin,pl:mixin:APP:modernfix-common.mixins.json:perf.dedicated_reload_executor.MinecraftServerMixin,pl:mixin:APP:ae2.mixins.json:spatial.MinecraftServerMixin,pl:mixin:APP:citadel.mixins.json:MinecraftServerMixin,pl:mixin:APP:balm.mixins.json:MinecraftServerMixin,pl:mixin:APP:dankstorage.mixins.json:MinecraftServerAccess,pl:mixin:A} at java.lang.Thread.run(Thread.java:842) ~[?:?] {re:mixin} Caused by: com.electronwill.nightconfig.core.io.ParsingException: Not enough data available at com.electronwill.nightconfig.core.io.ParsingException.notEnoughData(ParsingException.java:22) ~[core-3.6.4.jar%2358!/:?] {} at com.electronwill.nightconfig.core.io.ReaderInput.directReadChar(ReaderInput.java:36) ~[core-3.6.4.jar%2358!/:?] {} at com.electronwill.nightconfig.core.io.AbstractInput.readChar(AbstractInput.java:49) ~[core-3.6.4.jar%2358!/:?] {} at com.electronwill.nightconfig.core.io.AbstractInput.readCharsUntil(AbstractInput.java:123) ~[core-3.6.4.jar%2358!/:?] {} at com.electronwill.nightconfig.toml.TableParser.parseKey(TableParser.java:166) ~[toml-3.6.4.jar%2359!/:?] {} at com.electronwill.nightconfig.toml.TableParser.parseDottedKey(TableParser.java:145) ~[toml-3.6.4.jar%2359!/:?] {} at com.electronwill.nightconfig.toml.TableParser.parseNormal(TableParser.java:55) ~[toml-3.6.4.jar%2359!/:?] {} at com.electronwill.nightconfig.toml.TomlParser.parse(TomlParser.java:44) ~[toml-3.6.4.jar%2359!/:?] {} at com.electronwill.nightconfig.toml.TomlParser.parse(TomlParser.java:37) ~[toml-3.6.4.jar%2359!/:?] {} at com.electronwill.nightconfig.core.io.ConfigParser.parse(ConfigParser.java:113) ~[core-3.6.4.jar%2358!/:?] {} at com.electronwill.nightconfig.core.io.ConfigParser.parse(ConfigParser.java:219) ~[core-3.6.4.jar%2358!/:?] {} at com.electronwill.nightconfig.core.io.ConfigParser.parse(ConfigParser.java:202) ~[core-3.6.4.jar%2358!/:?] {} at com.electronwill.nightconfig.core.file.WriteSyncFileConfig.load(WriteSyncFileConfig.java:73) ~[core-3.6.4.jar%2358!/:?] {} at com.electronwill.nightconfig.core.file.AutosaveCommentedFileConfig.load(AutosaveCommentedFileConfig.java:85) ~[core-3.6.4.jar%2358!/:?] {} at net.minecraftforge.fml.config.ConfigFileTypeHandler.lambda$reader$1(ConfigFileTypeHandler.java:43) ~[fmlcore-1.20.1-47.2.20.jar%23908!/:?] {} ... 10 more
A detailed walkthrough of the error, its code path and all known details is as follows: ---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
-- System Details -- Details: Minecraft Version: 1.20.1 Minecraft Version ID: 1.20.1 Operating System: Windows 10 (amd64) version 10.0 Java Version: 17.0.10, Oracle Corporation Java VM Version: Java HotSpot(TM) 64-Bit Server VM (mixed mode, sharing), Oracle Corporation Memory: 4734454720 bytes (4515 MiB) / 8589934592 bytes (8192 MiB) up to 17179869184 bytes (16384 MiB) CPUs: 20 Processor Vendor: GenuineIntel Processor Name: Intel(R) Core(TM) i5-14600KF Identifier: Intel64 Family 6 Model 183 Stepping 1 Microarchitecture: unknown Frequency (GHz): 3.49 Number of physical packages: 1 Number of physical CPUs: 14 Number of logical CPUs: 20 Graphics card #0 name: NVIDIA GeForce RTX 4070 Graphics card #0 vendor: NVIDIA (0x10de) Graphics card #0 VRAM (MB): 4095.00 Graphics card #0 deviceId: 0x2786 Graphics card #0 versionInfo: DriverVersion=31.0.15.5152 Memory slot #0 capacity (MB): 16384.00 Memory slot #0 clockSpeed (GHz): 4.80 Memory slot #0 type: Unknown Memory slot #1 capacity (MB): 16384.00 Memory slot #1 clockSpeed (GHz): 4.80 Memory slot #1 type: Unknown Virtual memory max (MB): 57510.62 Virtual memory used (MB): 34086.33 Swap memory total (MB): 24894.45 Swap memory used (MB): 102.54 JVM Flags: 20 total; -Xms8G -Xmx16G -XX:+UseG1GC -XX:+ParallelRefProcEnabled -XX:MaxGCPauseMillis=200 -XX:+UnlockExperimentalVMOptions -XX:+DisableExplicitGC -XX:+AlwaysPreTouch -XX:G1NewSizePercent=30 -XX:G1MaxNewSizePercent=40 -XX:G1HeapRegionSize=8M -XX:G1ReservePercent=20 -XX:G1HeapWastePercent=5 -XX:G1MixedGCCountTarget=4 -XX:InitiatingHeapOccupancyPercent=15 -XX:G1MixedGCLiveThresholdPercent=90 -XX:G1RSetUpdatingPauseTimePercent=5 -XX:SurvivorRatio=32 -XX:+PerfDisableSharedMem -XX:MaxTenuringThreshold=1 Server Running: true Player Count: 0 / 20; [] Data Packs: vanilla, mod:betterdungeons, mod:simplemagnets, mod:integratedterminals, mod:laserio (incompatible), mod:modernfix (incompatible), mod:evilcraft, mod:useitemonblockevent (incompatible), mod:yungsapi, mod:gateways (incompatible), mod:jumbofurnace (incompatible), mod:wstweaks (incompatible), mod:shrink (incompatible), mod:universalgrid (incompatible), mod:darkutils (incompatible), mod:apotheosis (incompatible), mod:clickadv (incompatible), mod:ldlib (incompatible), mod:create_new_age, mod:betterfortresses, mod:paraglider (incompatible), mod:cloth_config (incompatible), mod:durabilitytooltip (incompatible), mod:structure_gel, mod:industrialforegoing (incompatible), mod:handcrafted (incompatible), mod:repurposed_structures, mod:structurecompass, mod:botania, mod:spark (incompatible), mod:corail_woodcutter, mod:advgenerators, mod:yungsextras, mod:attributeslib (incompatible), mod:tombstone, mod:extrastorage, mod:cumulus_menus, mod:naturesaura (incompatible), mod:constructionwand, mod:mcwroofs, mod:littlelogistics (incompatible), mod:cfm, mod:chimes, mod:flib, mod:betterendisland, mod:nitrogen_internals, mod:potionblender (incompatible), mod:l2library (incompatible), mod:fastleafdecay, mod:sfm (incompatible), mod:despawntimers (incompatible), mod:mcwlights, mod:betterjungletemples, mod:smartbrainlib (incompatible), mod:rechiseled (incompatible), mod:attributefix (incompatible), mod:caelus (incompatible), mod:epherolib (incompatible), mod:botanypots (incompatible), mod:farmingforblockheads, mod:rechiseledcreate, mod:additional_lights, mod:fusion, mod:extradisks, mod:edivadlib, mod:mythicbotany, mod:integratedcrafting, mod:dungeons_arise, mod:logprot (incompatible), mod:terrablender, mod:biomesoplenty (incompatible), mod:cleanswing (incompatible), mod:corgilib, mod:sushigocrafting (incompatible), mod:domum_ornamentum, mod:flywheel, mod:bhc (incompatible), mod:justenoughprofessions, mod:securitycraft, mod:almostunified (incompatible), mod:structurize, mod:fastfurnace (incompatible), mod:lootr, mod:occultism, mod:allthetweaks (incompatible), mod:extremesoundmuffler, mod:cosmeticarmorreworked, mod:morered (incompatible), mod:ad_astra (incompatible), mod:rsrequestify (incompatible), mod:alchemylib (incompatible), mod:advancedperipherals (incompatible), mod:tinyredstone, mod:towntalk (incompatible), mod:betteroceanmonuments, mod:sophisticatedcore (incompatible), mod:glassential (incompatible), mod:prism (incompatible), mod:placebo (incompatible), mod:bookshelf, mod:sophisticatedbackpacks (incompatible), mod:littlecontraptions (incompatible), mod:uteamcore, mod:mcwdoors, mod:utilitarian, mod:macawsroofsbop, mod:absentbydesign, mod:konkrete (incompatible), mod:rsinfinitybooster (incompatible), mod:refinedstorage, mod:chipped (incompatible), mod:mcwbridges, mod:rebornstorage (incompatible), mod:tempad (incompatible), mod:hostilenetworks (incompatible), mod:endertanks, mod:jearchaeology, mod:fuelgoeshere, mod:simplylight (incompatible), mod:industrialforegoingsouls (incompatible), mod:memorysettings (incompatible), mod:blockui, mod:tiab (incompatible), mod:villagertools (incompatible), mod:mysticalcustomization, mod:lostcities, mod:elevatorid, mod:runelic, mod:twilightdelight (incompatible), mod:inventoryprofilesnext (incompatible), mod:aiimprovements, mod:moreoverlays (incompatible), mod:cupboard (incompatible), mod:voidscape (incompatible), mod:undergarden, mod:caupona, mod:betteradvancements (incompatible), mod:platforms, mod:dyenamics (incompatible), mod:thermal_extra (incompatible), mod:mcwpaintings, mod:clumps (incompatible), mod:artifacts, mod:toastcontrol (incompatible), mod:mininggadgets (incompatible), mod:mysticalagriculture, mod:craftingtweaks, mod:libipn (incompatible), mod:endermanoverhaul (incompatible), mod:eccentrictome, mod:mysterious_mountain_lib (incompatible), mod:enderio, mod:easy_villagers, mod:reliquary (incompatible), mod:pigpen (incompatible), mod:fastbench (incompatible), mod:fluxnetworks (incompatible), mod:buildinggadgets2 (incompatible), mod:minecolonies, mod:pylons, mod:ferritecore (incompatible), mod:functionalstorage, mod:modularrouters (incompatible), mod:notrample, mod:justzoom (incompatible), mod:charmofundying (incompatible), mod:valhelsia_core (incompatible), mod:create_enchantment_industry (incompatible), mod:flickerfix, mod:productivetrees, mod:createaddition (incompatible), mod:dynamiclightsreforged (incompatible), mod:supermartijn642configlib (incompatible), mod:quarryplus, mod:playeranimator (incompatible), mod:irons_spellbooks, mod:botarium (incompatible), mod:mcwwindows, mod:create_jetpack (incompatible), mod:ironjetpacks, mod:everythingcopper, mod:powah (incompatible), mod:cabletiers, mod:rangedpumps, mod:macawsbridgesbop, mod:balm, mod:jeresources, mod:shetiphiancore, mod:mysticalagradditions, mod:ctov, mod:athena, mod:stylecolonies (incompatible), mod:novillagerdm, mod:alltheores (incompatible), mod:glodium (incompatible), mod:ae2insertexportcard, mod:torchmaster, mod:botanytrees (incompatible), mod:ironfurnaces, mod:mcwtrpdoors, mod:supermartijn642corelib, mod:resourcefulconfig (incompatible), mod:ad_astra_giselle_addon (incompatible), mod:curios (incompatible), mod:searchables (incompatible), mod:measurements, mod:framedblocks, mod:angelring, mod:sparsestructuresreforged (incompatible), mod:mcwfurnitures, mod:flightlib (incompatible), mod:jadeaddons (incompatible), mod:infiniverse (incompatible), mod:bettermineshafts, mod:sliceanddice (incompatible), mod:darkpaintings (incompatible), mod:crafting_on_a_stick (incompatible), mod:elytraslot (incompatible), mod:harvestwithease, mod:multipiston, mod:lithostitched, mod:bdlib, mod:travelersbackpack, mod:naturescompass, mod:jumpboat, mod:libx, mod:utilitix, mod:jei, mod:mekanism, mod:gravitationalmodulatingunittweaks (incompatible), mod:mekanismgenerators, mod:pneumaticcraft (incompatible), mod:packingtape (incompatible), mod:forge, mod:cofh_core, mod:thermal, mod:thermal_integration, mod:redstone_arsenal, mod:thermal_cultivation, mod:appleskin (incompatible), mod:thermal_innovation, mod:silentgear, mod:thermal_foundation, mod:thermal_locomotion, mod:thermal_dynamics, mod:mcwpaths, mod:alchemistry (incompatible), mod:zerocore (incompatible), mod:mousetweaks, mod:immersiveengineering (incompatible), mod:usefulrailroads, mod:createoreexcavation (incompatible), mod:nochatreports (incompatible), mod:allthemodium (incompatible), mod:spectrelib (incompatible), mod:kotlinforforge (incompatible), mod:pipez, mod:integrateddynamics, mod:itemcollectors (incompatible), mod:croptopia (incompatible), mod:serverconfigupdater (incompatible), mod:polymorph (incompatible), mod:zeta (incompatible), mod:entityculling, mod:railcraft, mod:oceansdelight (incompatible), mod:connectedglass, mod:hyperbox (incompatible), mod:aquaculture, mod:cristellib (incompatible), mod:totw_modded, mod:cyclopscore, mod:blue_skies (incompatible), mod:betterwitchhuts, mod:netherportalfix, mod:aiotbotania, mod:geckolib, mod:creeperoverhaul, mod:ars_nouveau (incompatible), mod:ars_elemental (incompatible), mod:eidolon (incompatible), mod:aether, mod:lost_aether_content, mod:morejs (incompatible), mod:naturalist (incompatible), mod:connectivity (incompatible), mod:cookingforblockheads, mod:controlling (incompatible), mod:dankstorage (incompatible), mod:citadel (incompatible), mod:cataclysm (incompatible), mod:mixinextras (incompatible), mod:potionsmaster (incompatible), mod:twigs (incompatible), mod:create_dragon_lib (incompatible), mod:generatorgalore, mod:railways (incompatible), mod:twilightforest, mod:mob_grinding_utils (incompatible), mod:farmersdelight, mod:corn_delight (incompatible), mod:ends_delight, mod:entangled, mod:commoncapabilities, mod:crashutilities (incompatible), mod:getittogetherdrops, mod:endersdelight, mod:noflyzone, mod:mcwfences, mod:mcwfencesbop, mod:wirelesschargers (incompatible), mod:patchouli (incompatible), mod:ars_ocultas (incompatible), mod:thermal_expansion, mod:integratedtunnels, mod:gunpowderlib, mod:exchangers, mod:ftbultimine (incompatible), mod:betterstrongholds, mod:resourcefullib (incompatible), mod:mekanismtools, mod:deeperdarker, mod:architectury (incompatible), mod:bambooeverything (incompatible), mod:findme (incompatible), mod:observable (incompatible), mod:ftblibrary (incompatible), mod:ftbteams (incompatible), mod:ftbranks, mod:ftbessentials (incompatible), mod:ftbchunks (incompatible), mod:computercraft, mod:energymeter, mod:sgjourney (incompatible), mod:bigreactors (incompatible), mod:productivebees, mod:trashcans (incompatible), mod:inventoryessentials, mod:t_and_t (incompatible), mod:voidtotem (incompatible), mod:rhino (incompatible), mod:kubejs (incompatible), mod:gtceu, mod:cucumber, mod:matc, mod:trashslot, mod:jmi (incompatible), mod:blueflame (incompatible), mod:sophisticatedstorage (incompatible), mod:allthewizardgear, mod:additionallanterns (incompatible), mod:itemfilters (incompatible), mod:ftbquests (incompatible), mod:ftbxmodcompat (incompatible), mod:productivelib, mod:ensorcellation, mod:create, mod:ars_creo (incompatible), mod:delightful (incompatible), mod:ponderjs (incompatible), mod:waystones, mod:structory, mod:fastsuite (incompatible), mod:journeymap (incompatible), mod:comforts (incompatible), mod:dimstorage, mod:myserveriscompatible, mod:dungeoncrawl, mod:charginggadgets (incompatible), mod:mcjtylib, mod:rftoolsbase, mod:rftoolspower, mod:rftoolsbuilder, mod:deepresonance, mod:xnet, mod:xnetgases (incompatible), mod:rftoolsstorage, mod:rftoolscontrol, mod:betterdeserttemples, mod:mahoutsukai, mod:terralith, mod:bloodmagic (incompatible), mod:rftoolsutility, mod:moonlight (incompatible), mod:configuration, mod:toolbelt (incompatible), mod:titanium (incompatible), mod:silentlib, mod:mixinsquared (incompatible), mod:jade (incompatible), mod:ae2 (incompatible), mod:aeinfinitybooster (incompatible), mod:ae2wtlib (incompatible), mod:expatternprovider (incompatible), mod:ae2things (incompatible), mod:polyeng (incompatible), mod:arseng, mod:appflux (incompatible), mod:merequester (incompatible), mod:forbidden_arcanus (incompatible), mod:theurgy, mod:nethersdelight, mod:quark (incompatible), mod:supplementaries, mod:allthecompressed, mod:chemlib (incompatible), mod:enderchests, mod:jei_mekanism_multiblocks (incompatible), mod:appbot (incompatible), mod:modonomicon, mod:rsinsertexportupgrade, mod:solcarrot (incompatible), mod:moredragoneggs (incompatible), mod:refinedstorageaddons, mod:refinedpolymorph, mod:appmek (incompatible), mod:ae2additions (incompatible), mod:megacells (incompatible), mod:packetfixer (incompatible), mod:expandability (incompatible), Supplementaries Generated Pack, T&T Waystone Patch Pack (incompatible), builtin/aether_accessories, gtceu:dynamic_data, libxdata/mythicbotany:curios, voidscape_aether_compat (incompatible) Enabled Feature Flags: minecraft:vanilla World Generation: Stable Is Modded: Definitely; Server brand changed to 'forge' Type: Dedicated Server (map_server.txt) ModLauncher: 10.0.9+10.0.9+main.dcd20f30 ModLauncher launch target: forgeserver ModLauncher naming: srg ModLauncher services: mixin-0.8.5.jar mixin PLUGINSERVICE eventbus-6.0.5.jar eventbus PLUGINSERVICE fmlloader-1.20.1-47.2.20.jar slf4jfixer PLUGINSERVICE fmlloader-1.20.1-47.2.20.jar object_holder_definalize PLUGINSERVICE fmlloader-1.20.1-47.2.20.jar runtime_enum_extender PLUGINSERVICE fmlloader-1.20.1-47.2.20.jar capability_token_subclass PLUGINSERVICE accesstransformers-8.0.4.jar accesstransformer PLUGINSERVICE fmlloader-1.20.1-47.2.20.jar runtimedistcleaner PLUGINSERVICE modlauncher-10.0.9.jar jcplugin TRANSFORMATIONSERVICE modlauncher-10.0.9.jar mixin TRANSFORMATIONSERVICE modlauncher-10.0.9.jar fml TRANSFORMATIONSERVICE FML Language Providers: minecraft@1.0 javafml@null kotlinforforge@4.10.0 lowcodefml@null kotori_scala@3.3.1-build-0 Mod List:

Hi everyone. I am a Canadian citizen looking to obtain a K-1 visa to immigrate into the USA and marry my partner. My partner has submitted the I-129F and we are waiting to hear back and schedule the interview with the embassy in Canada. While we are waiting, I want to be as prepared as I can for the interview. I know there are many forms that will be required and a lot of evidence for me to bring to the interview, and that I will need a medical examination done. My question is, what should I expect of the interview? What types of questions will the officers be likely to ask? What sorts of details and depth will they expect from my answers? I've done lots of research into the process, but many websites seem to brush over the interview and focus on the other steps in the process.
Thank you for any advice you may have.

I’m grappling with a complicated inheritance issue here in Kentucky and could use some informed guidance. I’m lined up to speak with a local attorney, but I hoped to get some preliminary advice from this knowledgeable community.
Here's the background:

• My step-grandmother wants to leave her house to me. She's the widow of my grandfather, who passed away in 2008 without a will. At the time of his death, the house was still in his and his first wife's (my biological grandmother's) names.
• After my grandfather's death, it appears there was an informal understanding that the house would be for my step-grandmother's use until her passing, at which point it would go to my father to sell or keep whatever he chose. However, both my father and his brother (my uncle) are now estranged from the family due to their previous actions.
• My father has recently found out that my step-grandmother intends to leave the house to me instead of him. Both he and his brother are now claiming, based on Kentucky inheritance laws, that they are entitled half of the estate under dower and curtesy rights. They argue that since they didn’t receive anything when their father died, they should get their share when my step-grandmother passes, potentially forcing the sale of the house.
• My step-grandmother has significant debt (around $13k in car loans, $35k-$40k in credit card debt, and some medical debt), which further complicates the situation.

Given these factors, especially the lack of a will and my father and uncle’s claims, I'm trying to understand the best path forward to ensure the house can be transferred to me as my step-grandmother wishes, without falling into the hands of creditors or being forced into sale by my father or uncle.
Do they have any valid claims under Kentucky law that would enable them to demand their "cut" of the estate? And if so, is there a way to navigate or mitigate these claims in favor of honoring my step-grandmother's intentions?
It should be noted when my grandfather passed away in 2008, and at that time, my dad negotiated with my step-grandmother to pay $10,000 to my biological grandmother to buy out her share and transfer the house solely into my step-grandmother's name. Which it is today.
Any advice on how to proceed, legal mechanisms that might protect the property, or insights into Kentucky's inheritance laws in this context would be immensely helpful. Thanks so much for your time and assistance.

A month or so ago I busted my phone, and it was a huge pain in the ass. Aside from some lost data which was minor, the biggest PIA was resetting MFA, getting in touch with my US banks, and any other services that were tied to my phone. The experience also made me take a step back and realize I am pretty lax with security, and if someone had gotten hold of my phone and somehow god-forbid gotten the passcode, then I'd be fucked. They could do so much damage with unlimited access to my email + MFA SMS, even in just a few hours.
As a result, I kind of went down the ADHD rabbit hole hyper-fixating on how best to "optimize" my iPhone and iCloud configuration for two things:

1. If it breaks, the transition to a new device will be relatively painless. I won't have to spend several days stressing and trying to find the right international customer support number for a myriad of institutions and services to get into my accounts.
   
2. If it gets stolen and compromised, then there will be enough barriers such that the I'll have enough time to lock down the device and/or my accounts remotely before the thief can get key data or move funds.
   

So I put together this guide and checklist that I thought I'd share with others. I am a programmer but by no means a security guru, and so if any IT, DevOps, or SecOps folks want to chime-in with suggestions or improvements, please do.

Requirements

• an iPhone XR, iPhone XS, iPhone 11, iPhone 12, iPhone 13, iPhone SE (2nd generation), and iPhone 14 or newer for eSIM compatibility.
• a US-based carrier with eSIM support + a pay-as-you-go model for international travel (I use Verizon)
• iOS 17 or above (may not be strictly necessary, but I know my setup works with iOS 17.4.1)
• a password manager. I personally use 1Password because it works, is reliable, has cross-device support, and is easy and intuitive. It's also only $3/month.

Dual Sim Setup

I have been rocking an iPhone 12 for the past few years, and it's served me very well. I know the newer iPhones (14 and up) no longer offer physical SIM card support, but carriers in most developing countries are behind the curve. Even if they offer eSIM support, it's been my experience that it's a major headache to get setup, there is a lack of customer support in English, and they may even require a local ID to register the eSIM. It's way easier to just head to a shop and pay $5 for a SIM card, load some funds onto it, and then you're good to go.
The eSIM has been very helpful for maintaining a US phone number for which I can receive SMS texts from my banks and other financial services as well as continue to use iMessage with all my US contacts since hardly anybody is on Whatsapp.
Most, if not all, carriers in the US support eSIMs now, and so you should try to find a carrier that offers an international pay-as-you-go plan. Verizon offers two international plans - one is a "Travel Pass" where it's a flat fee of $10/day anywhere outside the US or Canada (even for just one text message). The other is "pay for what you use" which has a rate per text, minute, and mb. For my US plan, I only care about receiving SMS texts from my banks and the occasional phone call to a service that doesn't have an international, toll-free number. Data will always be cheaper outside the US, so I disable cellular data switching for my US line.
The last time I was in the US was for the holidays and I bought 2 used iPhone 12's for about $200 each. They have some scuffs, but they're perfectly serviceable. In LATAM, it also doesn't attract nearly as much unwanted attention in the street as an iPhone 14 or 15.
I brought these with me as extra devices. When my phone busted last month, thankfully I had a backup in iCloud and everything was loaded in a few minutes as normal. This was before I was using the eSIM, but if I had the eSIM I could just go to Verizon support online via chat and they could help me switch the line to the new device easily.

Basic Configurations

• Always use the latest version of firmware
• Require a passcode that's unique to that device.
• Use FaceID instead of passcode when possible (a thief can't snipe your passcode from a distance if you unlock your phone with FaceID)
• Set auto-lock to 30 seconds (lowest possible)
• Erase data upon excessive passcode failures note, this is complemented in a later step with daily backups. The odds of you putting in the wrong passcode 10 times is low, but in the event you do and you wipe the device by accident, you should be able to easily load in a back-up from the previous day)
• Turn off "Ask to Join Networks"
• Forget unused networks so that you don't rejoin automatically (airports, hotels, etc.)

Creating Backups

• Set iCloud backups to run automatically every night. This will allow you to load your entire phone as is (contacts, call history, iMessages, apps, even your wallpaper) onto another device during setup. The iCloud backup usually runs at 2am while I'm sleeping.
• You may need to pay for a higher tier in iCloud if you have too much stored on your phone. It's $3/month for 200gb of iCloud storage, and I find it worth it. Though I know some people with tens of thousands of photos for which 200gb might not be enough.

Password Policy

• For any accounts that may contain sensitive data (payments, PII, etc), always generate a unique password with 1Password. Don't reuse passwords. Same goes for PIN codes.
• For core accounts, create a strong but memorable password and then memorize it. The odds of getting locked out of 1Password are low if you're diligent, but for 2 or 3 core accounts (where you access money, your primary recovery email, your iCloud, 1Password), it's worth it to create strong, unique passwords for each core service and memorize them.
• I try not to reuse passwords in general, but I still sometimes am lazy and use one of my handful of typical passwords if there's no sensitive data collected by the service and it's a service I don't use often.

MFA

Set up MFA with everything. Add multiple options if possible. My preferred MFA options are as follows:

1. One-time code that renews every 30 seconds. This is device agnostic and can be stored in 1Password. You could also use Microsoft Authenticator, Google Authenticator, Authy or similar, but there's just more overhead to now recover those accounts if your device becomes inaccessible.
2. One-time code to recovery email.
3. One-time code via SMS to my US phone number. On the pay-as-you-go Verizon plan, I only pay 5 cents per text message received. It's worth it to keep one consistent number.
4. List of recovery codes (stored in 1Password as an attached txt file for the given account)
5. Use another app for verification (Google does this a lot).

Lockdown your iCloud security

• Enable MFA.
• Create a strong, unique password.
• Remove any old or unused devices from the iCloud account (old phones, ipods, etc).
• Enable "Find My" for all of your devices.
• In Find My, configure all devices to send the last known location.
• In Find My, enable the configuration to remotely wipe a device.

In the event your phone is stolen, the idea is you could run back to any of your devices or even use a friend's device to log into iCloud on the web, go to Find My, and then in a single button click you can lock and wipe the stolen device. If the thief turned off the device or disabled wifi/cellular, then as soon as it comes back online it will be wiped.

Final Clean-Up

• Move any compromising photos to the "hidden" folder (which requires FaceID or passcode to unlock)
• Review the Files app for any documents containing sensitive info. If you need these documents to be accessible on mobile, then move them to 1Password and delete them from the Files app.
• Create a shortcut to trigger the lock screen (and thus require FaceID or passcode) when specific apps are opened (banking, email, photos, etc).
• Not sure if this is best practice, but I just keep everything in 1P and turn off apple keychain and the apple built-in password manager. I also don't save passwords in Chrome or Safari.

Extra tips

These aren't really iPhone tips but general tips. They are probably obvious to you if you aren't as scatterbrained as me, but I figured that I'd drop them here in case they help someone.

• Add thorough security measures to iCloud, primary email, and any banking or financial services. Review each account and make sure you have a strong, unique password as well as a unique PIN, MFA configured, login alerts, recovery codes, and an international, 24-hour toll-free phone number stored somewhere to contact the service in the event of a crisis. For banking services, add withdrawal limits, regional restrictions (if you bounce between the same few countries), and SMS notifications for charges over a certain threshold. Open up a second checking account with a separate debit card for trips to the ATM.
• Consolidate and close any unused bank accounts. I realized that on my phone I had Revolut, Venmo, Paypal, Nequi, plus 4 US banking institutions. I took this time to close my Discover account (which is pretty much useless outside the US anyway), close my Revolut account since I'm hardly ever in the UK/EU, and consolidate investment accounts from different institutions into just a handful that's easier to monitor.

Disclaimer: This is part Cry-For-Help, part New-User-Warning, and part Complaint. If you're the type of person who gets emotionally charged when others complain, you should probably ignore the ego and click the "Back" button.
I'm starting to feel a little worried about using TiddlyWiki to house my 'Personal Knowledge Database'. It is reminding me of software that used to have a good deal of support, but doesn't anymore? Examples:

1. Whenever I check this reddit, there are 2 people 'online', and almost no one making posts.
2. talk.tiddlywiki.org (TiddlyWiki Main Help Site?) appears to be just as dead.
3. Googling issues returns results from 5-16 years ago.
   1. When I google "tiddlywiki how to insert comments" the first result is: https://groups.google.com/g/tiddlywiki/c/O0AvfwN6ByM, (which is from 2008!) and is just a bunch of people NOT answering that question. "How to insert comments" should be an extremely simple answer. Yes I know it is listed elsewhere - that's not the point.
4. The Help Documentation on the Main Site (tiddlywiki.com) often completely lacks true example code, or has such incomplete code that it makes me think they made a "first pass" and then never actually went back to flesh it out. Documentation should always include various Use-Case examples to get people started. TiddlyWiki documentation basically just tells you the syntax, and the accepted parameters/options, and maybe 1 or 2 extremely basic examples that do not depict any real use-cases.
5. To top it all off, the few guides/tutorials that seem to exist on various topics are written by people who assume you already know what you're doing. Either that, or they just aren't very good at giving packaged examples. Here is one issue I had to google, and the corresponding poor 'How To" guide that didn't help:
   1. Wrapping Images: https://talk.tiddlywiki.org/t/floating-images-howto/7393 - this 'tutorial' includes code, but assumes you already know what to do. It may not be completely obvious why this "How To" is terrible, but, if it were a cooking recipe, it would look like this:

Example of a BAD Tutorial
So you want to bake a cake? Here's how to make that happen:

1. eggs and whisking are a part of the process.
2. you can use different types of eggs
3. have fun! ~Mario

That's not a tutorial. That is a person named Mario spending 5 minutes to throw out some code that will only help people who already know what they're doing. The ridiculous part is, I am familiar with programming (python, javascript, LUA, HTML, CSS) - but even with that advantage compared to a completely new user, I still don't magically know how to combine Mario's haphazard code blocks into TiddlyWiki's structure.
Tutorials SHOULD be written like recipes:
Intro: If you want to include one tiddler in the text body of another tiddler, follow the steps below:
A) Create a Tiddler note
B) Name it "My_Test_Note"
C) Copy and Paste the following text into it:
This is some example text. Paste me directly into the Tiddler you just created named "Test".
D) Save that Tiddler (Ctrl+Enter) or click Check Mark button.
E) Create another new Tiddler note
F) Name it "My_Output"
G) Copy and Paste the following code into it:
{{My_Test_Note}}
H) Save that Tiddler too.
Explanation: Notice how the text from My_Test_Note is 'transcluded' into the Tiddler named "My_Output". This is called "Transclusion".
Even the Grok TiddlyWiki suffers from the problem of having too many words and not enough copy-paste-able examples.
CONCLUSION
I'm going to try sticking with TiddlyWiki if I can, but I just thought it was useful for new users to be warned about what they're getting into here:

I believe TiddlyWiki has a huge amount of potential (for power-users who already know how to use it), but if you aren't familiar with programming, or don't want to google every single tiny issue and sift through post after post from 16 years ago, or read tutorials written by people who can't explain how to bake a cake, then it may not be right for you.

Welcome to the raspberry_pi Helpdesk and Frequently Asked Questions!

Link to last week's thread
Having a hard time searching for answers to your Raspberry Pi questions? Let the raspberry_pi community members search for answers for you!^† Looking for help getting started with a project? Have a question that you need answered? Was it not answered last week? Did not get a satisfying answer? A question that you've only done basic research for? Maybe something you think everyone but you knows? Ask your question in the comments on this page, operators are standing by!
This helpdesk and idea thread is here so that the front page won't be filled with these same questions day in and day out:

1. Q: What's a Raspberry Pi? What can I do with it? How powerful is it? A: Check out this great overview
2. Q: Does anyone have any ideas for what I can do with my Pi? A: Sure, look right here!^‡
3. Q: My Pi is behaving strangely/crashing/freezing, giving low voltage warnings, ethernet/wifi stops working, USB devices don't behave correctly, what do I do? A: 99.999% of the time it's either a bad SD card or power problems. Use a USB power meter or measure the 5V on the GPIO pins with a multimeter while the Pi is busy (such as playing h265/x265 video) and/or get a new SD card 1 2 3. If the voltage is less than 5V your power supply and/or cabling is not adequate. When your Pi is doing lots of work it will draw more power. Even if your power supply claims to provide sufficient amperage, it may be mislabeled or the cable you're using to connect the power supply to the Pi may have too much resistance. You can use a USB load tester to test your power supply and cable. Some power supplies require negotiation to provide more than 500mA, which the Pi does not do. If you're plugging in USB devices try using a powered USB hub with its own power supply and plug your devices into the hub and plug the hub into the Pi.
4. Q: I'm having a hard time finding a place to purchase a Raspberry Pi for an affordable price. Where's the secret place to buy one without paying more than MSRP? A: https://rpilocator.com/
5. Q: I just did a fresh install with the latest Raspberry Pi OS and I keep getting errors when trying to ssh in, what could be wrong? A: There are only 4 things that could be the problem:
   1. The ssh daemon isn't running
   2. You're trying to ssh to the wrong host
   3. You're specifying the wrong username
   4. You're typing in the wrong password
6. Q: I'm trying to install packages with pip but I keep getting error: externally-managed-environment A: This is not a problem unique to the Raspberry Pi. The best practice is to use a Python venv, however if you're sure you know what you're doing there are two alternatives documented in this stack overflow answer:
   • --break-system-packages
   • sudo rm a specific file as detailed in the stack overflow answer
7. Q: The only way to troubleshoot my problem is using a multimeter but I don't have one. What can I do? A: Get a basic multimeter, they are not expensive.
8. Q: My Pi won't boot, how do I fix it? A: Step by step guide for boot problems
9. Q: I want to watch Netflix/Hulu/Amazon/Vudu/Disney+ on a Pi but the tutorial I followed didn't work, does someone have a working tutorial? A: Use a Fire Stick/AppleTV/Roku. Pi tutorials used tricks that no longer work or are fake click bait.
10. Q: What model of Raspberry Pi do I need so I can watch YouTube in a browser? A: No model of Raspberry Pi is capable of watching YouTube smoothly through a web browser, you need to use VLC.
11. Q: I want to know how to do a thing, not have a blog/tutorial/video/teachebook explain how to do a thing. Can someone explain to me how to do that thing? A: Uh... What?
12. Q: Is it possible to use a single Raspberry Pi to do multiple things? Can a Raspberry Pi run Pi-hole and something else at the same time? A: YES. Pi-hole uses almost no resources. You can run Pi-hole at the same time on a Pi running Minecraft which is one of the biggest resource hogs. The Pi is capable of multitasking and can run more than one program and service at the same time. (Also known as "workload consolidation" by Intel people.) You're not going to damage your Pi by running too many things at once, so try running all your programs before worrying about needing more processing power or multiple Pis.
13. Q: Why is transferring things to from disks/SSDs/LAN/internet so slow? A: If you have a Pi 4 or 5 with SSD, please check this post on the Pi forums. Otherwise it's a networking problem and/or disk & filesystem problem, please go to HomeNetworking or LinuxQuestions.
14. Q: I only have one outlet and I need to plug in several devices, what do I do? A: They make things called power strips aka multi-tap extensions.
15. Q: The red and green LEDs are on/off/blinking or the screen is just black or blank or saying no signal, what do I do? A: Start here
16. Q: I'm trying to run x86 software on my Raspberry Pi but it doesn't work, how do I fix it? A: Get an x86 computer. A Raspberry Pi is ARM based, not x86.
17. Q: How can I run a script at boot/cron or why isn't the script I'm trying to run at boot/cron working? A: Try one of these numerous solutions
18. Q: Can I use this screen that came from ____ ? A: No
19. Q: I run my Pi headless and there's a problem with my Pi and the best way to diagnose it or fix it is to plug in a monitor & keyboard, what do I do? A: Plug in a monitor & keyboard.
20. Q: My Pi seems to be causing interference preventing the WiFi/Bluetooth from working A. Using USB 3 cables that are not properly shielded can cause interference and the Pi 4 can also cause interference when HDMI is used at high resolutions.
21. Q: I'm trying to use the built-in composite video output that is available on the Pi 2/3/4 headphone jack, do I need a special cable? A. Make sure your cable is wired correctly and you are using the correct RCA plug. Composite video cables for mp3 players will not work, the common ground goes to the wrong pin. Camcorder cables will often work, but red and yellow will be swapped on the Raspberry Pi.
22. Q: I'm running my Pi with no monitor connected, how can I use VNC? A: First, do you really need a remote GUI? Try using ssh instead. If you're sure you want to access the GUI remotely then ssh in, type vncserver -depth 24 -geometry 1920x1080 and see what port it prints such as :1, :2, etc. Now connect your client to that.
23. Q: I want to do something that has been well documented and there are numerous tutorials showing how to do it on Linux. How can I do it on a Raspberry Pi? A: A Raspberry Pi is a full computer running Linux and doesn't use special stripped down embedded microcontroller versions of standard Linux software. Follow one of the tutorials for doing it on Linux. Also see question #1.
24. Q: I want to do something that has been well documented and there are numerous tutorials showing how to do it with an Arduino. How can I do it on a Raspberry Pi Pico? A: Follow one of the tutorials for doing it on Arduino, a Pico can be used with the Arduino IDE.
25. Q: I'm trying to do something with Bluetooth and it's not working, how do I fix it? A: It's well established that Bluetooth and Linux don't get along, this problem is not unique to the Raspberry Pi.

Before posting your question think about if it's really about the Raspberry Pi or not. If you were using a Raspberry Pi to display recipes, do you really think raspberry_pi is the place to ask for cooking help? There may be better places to ask your question, such as:

• /AskElectronics
• /AskProgramming
• /HomeNetworking
• /LearnPython
• /LinuxQuestions
• /RetroPie
• The Official Raspberry Pi Forums

Asking in a forum more specific to your question will likely get better answers!
† See the /raspberry_pi rules. While /raspberry_pi should not be considered your personal search engine, some exceptions will be made in this help thread. ‡ If the link doesn't work it's because you're using a broken buggy mobile client. Please contact the developer of your mobile client and let them know they should fix their bug. In the meantime use a web browser in desktop mode instead.