Cover letter examples

Resume & Cover letter Tips

2016.08.17 11:02 kickresume Resume & Cover letter Tips

Follow in the footsteps of those who already know the way. Learn from real resume examples and cover letter examples, sorted by profession and company. Have questions about resume, cover letter or career? Check our tips and land your dream job! Visit us at Kickresume.com
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2022.01.11 13:18 adene911 WellCareer

ResumePocket.com, professional resume examples, cover letter examples from expert resume writers, and professional resume assistant.
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2009.06.14 12:00 epicRelic Resumes

A place for people to give and receive resume-related advice.
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2024.05.14 19:32 Longjumping_Will7936 Cómic manga artist looking for work

Cómic manga artist looking for work
Hi everyone 🙌🏻✨ I’m Mouri and I’m looking for work and a new proyect to do starting in JUNE!! If u are looking for and artist just hit me up and talk about your ideas on mind 🔥
I specialize in horror and dark art 🕷️🕸️ but I can adapt to different styles ‼️ if u are looking for an ilustration, character design, manga-comic page or cover art there are some of examples of my work 🙌🏻
If u are interested send me a DM or to my mail; Drmouri.ilustra@gmail.com
-Cover art (front) $70 usd -Color cover $85 usd -Comic/Manga page (inks and screentones) $65usd -Character design $50 usd -Layout 5 usd ‘per page’
Payment only via PayPal ‼️
Hope you are all doing well and have a nice day 🤞🏼✨ Thanks for the space 🖤 Greetings to all 🫶🏼
submitted by Longjumping_Will7936 to ComicBookCollabs [link] [comments]


2024.05.14 19:31 jazir5 The Ultimate Wordpress Pagespeed Guide

https://docs.google.com/document/d/1ncQcxnD-CxDk4h01QYyrlOh1lEYDS-DV/edit?usp=sharing&ouid=114514252262811175804&rtpof=true&sd=true
Hello again folks! Your resident performance obsessed Redditor here, with my updated Pagespeed guide! It's gone through significant revisions since the last time I posted it. It is now with more than double the content up from 94 pages the last time I posted to the guide having over 200+(!!) plus pages of content.
Major content additions, expansions on everything that was previously in the guide, significantly better and more logical organization, revamped table of contents, grammar and spelling fixes, many new optimization strategies and much needed additional specificity.
Don’t forget to check the table of contents, it is not expanded by default! The icon is on the top left side on desktop
Included is a breakdown on how to analyze and interpret Speed Test reports to identify optimization opportunities.
There's an extensive amount of optimization information and resources for server stack configuration for NGINX, Apache, Varnish, Object Caching, PHP, HAProxy, MySQL, SSL, and VPS configuration.
Wordpress specific optimizations: It now has sections on how to optimize common features including Ads, Forms, Woocommerce, Analytics, Fonts, SEO plugins, Anti-Spam, Cookie Notices, Backup plugins; in addition to one size fits all optimizations(Images, CDN, SSL, CSS, JS, etc), and tons and tons more.
Every optimization opportunity has a free plugin option (or multiple) listed. Some paid plugins are included as I find them very useful(Perfmatters and Asset Cleanup Pro for example). However I've included alternatives for all paid options. Every single thing in my guide can be implemented for free.
I've done my best to cover all of the bases you’d find in any page speed guide, in addition to a focus on adding uncommon optimization strategies and solutions that you won’t find in any off the shelf guide. This is a compilation of all of my research over the last 6 years delving into performance optimization.
I'm confident that if you follow every single step in the guide, almost any site you maintain can score 90+ on a Pagespeed Insights Mobile Speed Test.
If this guide helped you out, please consider buying me a coffee! (Everybody likes coffee right?)
If you notice anything missing from my performance guide that you think I should add, or if there is some information you believe needs to be amended (or expanded on), please let me know in the comments and I'll be sure to add a section or revise the content on the topic (if necessary) as soon as possible!
If you feel that the guide is too overwhelming and you'd prefer to have someone else optimize your site’s performance or need a consultation, feel free to DM me.
If anyone wants to be able to import a large set of free optimization plugins (and you can selectively choose which ones to download/install), download WP Favs. I do need to update the collection since I've added tons to the guide since the last time I posted this, but it's still comprehensive:
https://wordpress.org/plugins/wpfavs/
The code to import them is: JAuOGP5BZICR5LmBsPANN9kpKHfiie
https://imgur.com/a/nU1v5CU
For now the roadmap is to work on the load balancing section, and anything else I can think of. I have added a ton of content since the last time, so I'm positive that there are still gaps which need to be plugged. I plan to continue adding content as I review it, so keep an eye on the guide as it will continue to evolve over time!
If anyone would like to help me develop a premium optimization plugin with some unique strategies I've been thinking of, please pm me!
submitted by jazir5 to Wordpress [link] [comments]


2024.05.14 19:29 wlady4000 Better content, better life

Once upon a time, there was a young woman named Maya (imaginary person) who loved spending her evenings scrolling through social media feeds, binge-watching random videos, and flipping through mindless gossip magazines. However, she often found herself feeling unfulfilled and lacking motivation after hours of consuming this content.
One day, Maya decided she wanted to make a change. She realized that the content she was consuming was not enriching her life or helping her grow as a person. So, she made a conscious effort to seek out content that would inspire and educate her instead.
Maya started following social media accounts that shared uplifting stories, motivational quotes, and valuable life lessons. She subscribed to podcasts and YouTube channels that covered topics like personal development, psychology, and entrepreneurship. She even joined online communities where she could connect with like-minded individuals who shared her interests and aspirations.
As Maya immersed herself in this new world of meaningful content, she noticed positive changes in her life. She felt more inspired, motivated, and confident. She discovered new passions and interests that she never knew she had. She began setting goals for herself and taking steps to turn her dreams into reality.
With each passing day, Maya grew wiser and more fulfilled. She realized that consuming content that nourished her mind and soul was not only enjoyable but also essential for her personal growth and happiness. And as she continued on her journey of self-improvement, Maya became a shining example to others, inspiring them to choose content that would make them better, too.
So, the next time you find yourself reaching for mindless content, remember Maya's story. Choose content that will enrich your life, broaden your horizons, and help you become the best version of yourself. Because in the end, the content we consume shapes the person we become.
submitted by wlady4000 to u/wlady4000 [link] [comments]


2024.05.14 19:28 Single_Marsupial_166 ISO MSL-specific CV and Cover Letter Review Specialist

Hello All, I am seeking to find a reputable individual/business that would be able to provide MSL-specific CV and cover letter input. I recognize that the job market can be discouraging and breaking into this area is not for the faint of heart, but as a soon-to-be PhD graduate (biomedical science), I need all the help I can get to make it past the ATS (and land an interview). I've searched LinkedIn but have yet to find any pharmaceutical industry-specific CV/Cover letter experts. I am open to CRA, Clinical Trial Project Manager, and pharmaceutical sales positions as a way to gain experience and build my network within industry, but, again, need some input on my applications since I have not received any useful feedback from any of my applications. Thanks in advance for your input.
submitted by Single_Marsupial_166 to MedicalScienceLiaison [link] [comments]


2024.05.14 19:28 cashewcan Fix this one thing and you will solve so many of the problems of CK3...

CHARACTER AGENCY

It's ridiculous how passive and honestly "NPC" the other characters in the world are. For an installment in the series that wanted to dip deeper into the "Roleplay" side of things, it's absolutely crucial that CK3 find a way to make the other characters in the world feel like real, living, breathing, and independent people, and it currently falls flat on that.
Here are just some ways that you could improve character agency in the game:
The fact that almost none of these features exist in a meaningful way in the game is kind of ridiculous, for a game that tries so hard to be role-play centered and story-driven. Think about how much we are missing out on because of the lack of agency of characters in the world. Imagine if other characters in the world acted like us as the player character. Think of the story opportunities if features like the above were implemented to make for more independent AI characters.
submitted by cashewcan to CrusaderKings [link] [comments]


2024.05.14 19:24 lepidu My Experience: Job Search in Berlin [Detailed Post]

My Experience: Job Search in Berlin [Detailed Post]
https://preview.redd.it/r7jfwloeff0d1.png?width=1200&format=png&auto=webp&s=9f595df7fdb7a6048505ec2ddcb29cee0b64bc47
Hi, I hope this is considered relevant to the sub. I wanted to post this on the berlin sub but my diagram keeps on getting removed. Reddit's been such a great resource for my job hunt and I'd like to give something back.

My background:

MSc in Social Science from a non-German university, 29 years old and 3 years of work experience, not counting work experience gained during uni and not counting internships. I'm an EU citizen, but not German. My German is pretty much fluent - I didn't grow up here, but my dad is a native German speaker. Basically, I speak it without an accent and understand everything with no issue at all but am not very eloquent and can't express myself as well as I can in English. I make minor grammatical errors here and there.

Duration:

The whole process took 2 months; I started looking for a job around mid March and signed my contract yesterday.

Job searching process:

I went through LinkedIn, Xing, Indeed and Stepstone every day. I applied for English as well as German-speaking jobs, based in either Berlin or the EU (remote). I applied both for jobs in industry as well as ÖD, although ÖD was not my preference. I only applied for permanent and full-time positions. I didn't focus on a specific type of job or field, but more on my own skills, experience and interest. Broadly speaking most jobs I applied for were in analytics (but not data analyst jobs).

Applications:

I think I had a good rate of interest taken in my applications. For 1 in 3 jobs I applied for, I was invited to a first interview. The jobs that I was rejected for outright were mostly those that I was underqualified/not experienced enough for and was not expecting to get anyway. I tailored my CV to each specific job, highlighting previous experiences and responsibilities that seemed the most relevant and removing things that didn't seem important at all. I also wrote a cover letter for almost every job, provided they did not explicitly specify that they didn't want one, and even if the cover letter was only an optional part of the application. I didn't get ghosted too much, so that was nice, only about 1 in 4 times.

1st Round:

The first round interviews were a breeze, there isn't much to say here. I received a rejection for 2 out of 13 first interviews. One was because I didn't have experience working with a certain program (was listed as optional on the ad though), the other was a really difficult first round that was more a second round interview than anything else in the sense that it was really technical and I was interviewed by a panel instead of just a person from HR. Still a positive experience, though. The withdrawals were due to: coincided with received offer, salary too low, or just not into the job after all.

2nd Round:

4 out of 6 rejected me after the second round, tbh these rejections kind of stung a bit. One of the unexplained rejections I got was actually after an interview that went extremely well - I really left thinking that I was their unicorn and that the job was mine lol. I still wonder who ended up getting that job.
But generally speaking, the main issue I encountered was how hard it was to interview in German (I already described my language skills above). The first rounds were always easy, but the second rounds were tougher. Coming up with good answers to situation-based questions spontaneously or just BS'ing in German was quite hard. There was still no interview that I completely bombed, luckily enough.
2 out of the 4 companies that rejected me offered feedback calls which was really nice. Just 10 minute phone calls, no video, where they explained to me why they made their decision. The overall feedback I got was pretty vague but boiled down to some of the responses I gave not being detailed enough. I appreciate companies that take the time to do this.

3rd Round:

I only had 2 of these, but my impression is that if you get to the final round (I didn't encounter a company or job that required more than 3 rounds of interviews) your chances are already pretty good.

Final offer and Salary €:

I'm not in love with the job I ended up accepting, my main issue being that the work sounds boring, very bureaucratic and also meaningless. At the same time, everyone I met throughout the process was very nice, they have an office here but they're cool about WFH and additionally I'll be able to work remotely from abroad for 6 weeks a year. So I'm excited to start and overall happy with the opportunity. The salary they offered me is 60k, which I think is good but is probably not according to Reddit's standards. But honestly, as helpful as reading through job-related posts here was, it was also helpful to touch grass, speak with real people that I know and understand that not everyone can be earning 70k+ in their mid twenties, even people in tech. The jobs I was able to get interviews for were all mid-level and had allocated budgets in the range of high 40's to low 60's, which I thought was really broad, but maybe this info could still be helpful to other people with a similar background. I didn't negotiate because the offered salary was already higher than what I was expecting, and also because I needed a job, and also because I genuinely think it's a good salary and is definitely more than enough for me. I've put it into various brutto-netto calculators and expect that I'll easily be able to save almost ~1.5k a month.

Conclusions:

I think I underestimated how how hard it was going to be. My main problem was that there were just not that many jobs to apply for in the first place. I browsed through a lot of job-related subs and noticed how many applications other people are able to churn out, but that was simply not my experience. It was the worst feeling ever to wake up, spend hours browsing various job platforms but have to end the day without sending off an application. My previous job here in Berlin was a freelancing gig that ended unexpectedly, so I didn't qualify for any assistance from the government and was living purely off of my savings, which was very stressful. On the upside, being unemployed meant that I was at least really flexible when it came to making appointments for interviews.
I have a lot of friends who live in more rural areas (Germany and EU countries generally), and I have the impression that they have an easier time getting hired. None of them have had a job hunt that lasted more than a month. I was always under the impression that people move to bigger cities because finding a job is supposed to be easier there, but I guess it really depends on your line of work.
Anyway, I ultimately I think I got lucky! Finding a job really is a numbers game.
submitted by lepidu to berlinsocialclub [link] [comments]


2024.05.14 19:24 Individual-Manner-67 STA rewrite attempt

A couple of years ago I tried writing my own version of Stones Abbigale. I never got past the first couple scenes, but I'm considering returning to it. I wanted to basically rewrite and change up a lot of things, mainly focusing on Abbi and Davis and changing some elements. Let me know what you think!

1
It's almost four in the morning and Seth is threatening suicide again. Good. Fuck him. I hope he does it. I don't text him that because I read about this girl who told her boyfriend to kill himself. The irony was that when he actually did it she got charged with second degree murder. My life is fucked as it is I don't need to make it worse. It's almost two in the morning and I have to be up for school in a few hours. I’m shivering under my comforter because we’re halfway through November. I think about the turkey that won't get made this year and the family I won't see. I think that's swell. Seth is still texting.
Its like u dont even care after everything that happened and after everything we did together i saved ur life and i stayed with u when u cried and i hugged u and i did everything for u but that wasn't enough was it? i try so hard and all u ever are is a bitch to me that's not fair u want me to die and u hate me and u dont even care and im sick of it abbi why is is so hard for u to care about me?
I don't respond. I don't like how I feel about this. This should be easy. He won't actually do it. He won't. He’s too self involved to kill himself. I put my phone face down on my bed. The sheets shake around it as he sends message after message. I was sleeping on a ticking bomb so I got off of it. My feet stick to the floor, I struggle to step. I might as well have been standing barefoot on ice. I trudge to my window so I can see my street at night. Winter is really coming. You can't hear as many birds as you used to. They've all gone. They've all flown away. I can see three streetlights from where I’m standing. If you can from right to left you can see the concrete fracture into the sand. I open my window and brace for the chill. I stick my head outside. The ocean is not far away. I hear it hitting the shore over and over. Waves of water splashing incessantly, almost beating out my text notifications. The street lights flicker. I think of last summer. When Seth and I got really high after the news broke that my Mom was cheating on my Dad. I was making out with that bong. Emptying bowl after bowl, clanking the glass on the road to empty it out. Just thinking about it makes me feel the street pole against my back again. I was laughing and crying. Seth leaned in and hugged me. “I’m a sure thing,” he said. “I love you and I always will.” I caught my reflection in his sunglasses. I looked awful. I shiver at the memory. My phone is still buzzing. I try to catch my breath. I shut my window and start to walk back to my bed. A room always looks different in the dark. Maybe you think you know where you are, but there is always something that can jump out at you on the floor. Like a ghostly paper bag or a vengeful shoe. Objects that seem to move on their own with the sole drive of tripping you. I crawl back into bed. There's the phantom of Dad’s snoring . I know he's not sleeping in his room, he fell asleep on the couch after finishing his seventh fifth. Sometimes my brain fills in the gaps so I can hear it everywhere. Funnily, I haven't actually heard him snore since Mom left. That's the one thing I ever heard them fight about. Before she turned out to be a whore, I guess. BZZT.BZZT.BZZT. I can't bring myself to read any of his messages. They're coming so fast all the paragraphs are lost to motion blur. Seth’s arms wrap around me and I think about the beating of his heart and the warmth of his lips against my skin. I open up the texts, ready to respond.
I love you
I text this over and over until I fall asleep.
Davis was the only senior on the bus. Somehow, everyone else had a car or a ride. It’s all right, though. James would probably give him one if he had a car, but he skated to school every morning. That's why he barely ever rode the bus with him. The bus thumped along the under paved roads. Davis forgot his earbuds at home, so the only music that accompanied him was his racing thoughts. Two sophomore girls popped their heads over. “Ohmigod, Davis!” One of them shrieked.. “As I live and breathe,” he smiled. “Nice,” she said. “I’m so excited to see your finished painting.” Davis took the lower level art class for a requirement. Like most things, he's not taking it very seriously. For their pop art unit, he's painting a portrait of the art teacher with a warthog face. It's one of his funny disruptions. He knows Mrs. Stanley is going to have a real field day with it, but it doesn't matter. Artistic liberties, he’d profess. “She's such a bitch, isn't she?” The sophomore girl turns to her compatriot, who only nods in response. “She's just jealous,” Davis says. “It must be depressing to teach art and see the youth soar above her.” “For sure,” the girl doesn't get it. Class clown is a semi-heavy burden. Davis doesn't really feel like talking to these girls, but his position demands it. Comedy informs everything about him. To the giant thrift store jeans, to the loud Hawaiian shirt. He and James are the ultimate combination, at least he likes to think so. Quiet brooding begs for bright distraction. The girl is still trying to talk to him and Davis is saying his preprogrammed lines. The bus stops in front of James’s street. Surprisingly, James is standing there. “Like I’m this close to just filling my hydroflask with vodka, yaknow?” says the chick. Maybe she's just trying to get a rise out of him. “Better be prepared to give me more than a sip,” Davis is watching James grumble towards the bus. The sun is beating down on the forming ice puddles. James stomps through them with small shattering steps. James turns up the bus aisle and plops in the seat next to Davis. Davis’s smile is genuine now, but he fights it from getting too wide. “Crash your vehicle?” Davis asks. “Something like it,” there's something off with him. Davis doesn't want to push it. “Well damn, hope insurance covers it,” Davis wants James to break and laugh. Is it just another mood or did something actually happen this time? “It won't, I got bad credit,” James grins and it's like heaven. “What's the move for you today?” “Surviving art and physics for me,” says Davis. “Those bastards love to keep me down.” “Who doesn't,” James eyes the girls who have since returned to whatever they were doing before. It's the judgement stare, as Davis calls it. James likes to observe his peers like a zoo-goer. Breaking them down to taxonomic types. Davis likes to think that James doesn't do this to him, but he knows he probably does. “It sucks you decided to be bad at school and take baby art,” James is still dissecting the sophomore girls down to their tropes. “We could have done Art II together.” “I wouldn't want to get between you and Alex. I know how you love it when people piss in jars next to you.” “That's disgusting,” James breaks his glare at the girls. “It's performance art, it's beautiful,” Davis gets up out of his seat to yell. “Everyone witness the wonderful work of Alex Madov! Disengage yourself from the shackles of capitalism by shouting with me: Poopy, pee pee, poop!” Davis gets a few chuckles from the other kids on the bus. “Sit down, fatso,” mumbles the bus driver. “I will not be silenced! I’m a messenger of the good word, sir!” “More of this shit and I’m skipping your stop!” “Fine, but I will make Alex remember on the day of judgement,” Davis sits back down. James is full belly laughing. “You're so retarded,” James wheezes. Davis can't even come back with a response. He's high off of it.
The bus pulls into the school lot with a short stop. The mobs get up and begin to race out. Davis follows James down the line. “You know Abbi?” James asks. Davis feels a little pit form in his stomach, but he doesn't change his expression. “Vaguely, what about her?” “She's in my art class,” James begins. “And I think … well you know, I’m going to talk to her.” He walks down the steps and out the door. “Doesn't she have a boyfr-” before Davis can descend the driver's arm blocks him. “I’ve had enough of your shit, kid,” he says. “If you keep being obnoxious, I’m gonna find a way to make you pay for it.” James looks back, but he can't stay. Davis knows that he's gotta get to class. James does a little wave goodbye and Davis salutes him. “Are you even listening to me?” the bus driver seethes. “Yes, sir. Divine retribution, got it.” Davis ducks underneath his arm and exits the bus. James has already disappeared into the crowd.
I pass the bong to Ashley. She starts another bowl. She’s the transport and I provide the material. The little things that keep our friendship afloat. I look at the clock in her car. “It's 8:45,” I pick a piece of bagel out of my teeth. “So that's it, we officially missed first period,” Ashley tops it off. “They won't mark us, you know. It's a study.” “Yeah, but when's the last time we signed in? I heard they're changing the policy again. Do you still have the lighter?” I toss it to her. I don't get it. It's always her idea to pick me up so we can smoke before school, why now is she suddenly caring about attendance? “We're pretty girls, we can get out of it. I’m next,” I tap on the clock. “Are you sure it's not fast?” She shakes her head as she takes a snap. We're parked in the pond area a block or two from the school. It's our designated smoking spot. I like it, even at the end of fall it's pretty. I’m so engrossed that I don't realize her tip out the bowl and put it back in the cup holder. “I don't know if it's wise to keep up the activity, we should probably get going soon,” she starts up her car again. “Okay,” I say. She reverses and swings out of the lot. We lean into the silence and it's super weird. “Seth texted me last night,” I wait for her reaction. “Oh,” she grimaces. “What did you say?” “That I loved him.” Silence again. Ashley's trying to put together something well-meaning while understanding that I’ll probably ignore whatever she has to say. “Abbi, I’m not trying to tell you how to run your life, but …” Her expression is now quizzical. She's said what she is about to say a number of different ways all ready. She thinks and thinks and decides to say nothing. Good call, I would have screamed at her. Not because what she thinks about my situation isn't true, I’m just in a ‘screaming at people mood’ because of it. “I’m going to dye my hair again,” she changes the subject to avoid conflict. Classic Ash. “Oh yeah? What color this time?” “I don't know,” she checks her reflection in the rear view. “The red has faded out, maybe blue or pink this time.” “You should go with a softer pink,” I say. “Since you're a soft spring.” “Yeah, maybe.” We enter the school lot. “Listen, do you want to get together when I do it? Maybe you can dye your hair too.” “I don't know, I might be busy,” I say. “Seth might want to do something,” I pause for her to protest. “Okay,” she says. She parks and we get out.
I barrel into art class. I don't care if I reek, out of all the teachers I can tell Mrs. Stanley smokes the most. It would be hypocritical of her to care. It looks like I’m the first one. Weird. I check my phone. It's 8:45. Well, fuck. Looks like Ashley needs to fix her clock. Mrs. Stanley is at her desk. She looks at me knowingly. “Eager to create today, Abbi?” I just nod and sit at my desk. I’m really feeling it. I open up my precalc notebook and just start sketching. Birds, eyes, trees, whatever. Kids start coming in. Their chatter echoes around me, I try to focus on what I’m doing. Someone bumps into my table. I look up. It's this lanky blonde kid, I think his name is James. He presses his hands underneath the desk as he leans up to talk to me. “Eww!” He shouts. Some kids turn and laugh. I don't. I just stare at him. James goes red and sits next to the kid who pissed in a jar. Once an adequate amount of students are in the room, Mrs. Stanley starts her lesson slideshow. On the screen is a dirty urinal. “How many of you are familiar with this work by Marcel DuChamp?” she asks. At this point, Jason, the designated meathead jock, enters the room. “Sorry I’m late, Mrs. S,” he booms. He looks at the slide. “We building bathrooms today?” Mrs. Stanley glares at him. “Wouldn't you like that? Considering you spend all of your time in there.” “Whatever,” Jason brushes his mullet behind his ears. “No, not whatever. Would you like me to move you into the sophomore class with Davis? Believe it or not he's getting much better marks than you are getting in here.” Jason rolls his eyes and takes his place in the chair next to me. “Up to a little extra curricular activities before art, Abbi?” he motions a joint in his fingers. I scoff and go on my phone. There's another text from Seth.
sorry about last night
and
im reading it all right now that was fucked im sorry
I start to respond, but before I can Mrs. Stanley outstretches her hand. “Give me your phone, Miss Hagerty. I’m sick of giving you warnings.” I don't have the energy to fight, I just give it to her. “You can pick it up at the end of the day.” My jaw actually drops. Jason must have really set her off, she's not usually such a cunt to me. “Anyways, found art. What is it? Well, found art is the use of everyday objects to convey an altered meaning. It can be something you find on the street or something that once held value to you. For example, My Bed by Tracey Elim.” She pulls up a picture of a messy bed that looks suspiciously like my own. “So for your final unit of the semester, you will be making your own found art. I really want you to take this project a little more seriously than most of you have been taking this class. I’m giving you the privilege of picking your own partners, but I’d like to remind you to be thoughtful with your choice. This will be worth more for your grade.” I look around. I don't have any friends here. I toy around with the idea of asking Jason for convenience and he looks like he's about to pull that move. Behind me there's that James guy. He’s sheepishly looking at me. He seems kind of nice. Okay. I don't feel like getting up so I just turn around in my chair. “Hey James, wanna be partners?” He balks a bit and then smiles at me. “Yeah, totally,” He's beaming and it's somewhat endearing. Alex and I switch seats and now I’m next to him. “I’m gonna be real with you …” I begin. He stops and shifts a little. “I have no idea what we're supposed to be doing for this.” He regards me oddly. Like he's trying to piece me together. It doesn't bother me. “She said we have to bring in an object that's special to us and present it artistically basically,” he rubs his chin. Damn, I must be baked to hell. I didn't hear her saying that at all. “So got any stuffed animals we can cut up and make Lovecraftian monstrosities out of?” “I got a hamster cage, hold the hamster,” I say. It comes out kind of weird and I probably sound stupid, but he doesn't seem to care. “Let's make a fucking zoo.” “Perfect!” He’s kind of cute actually. In a way. Something about this feels fun. I realize the bell will ring soon. “So um,” I rip out a page of my precalc notebook, still fresh with my drawings. I scrawl out my number and push it to him. “Call me so we can figure out the project some more.” I pack up all my stuff and start to head out. I can feel him watching me and it's not that bad. “I sure will,” he says. Everything feels really groovy. There's a lightness now. I’m halfway out the door when I remember my phone. I can't believe that I just forgot about Seth. I think about begging for my phone, but I feel too above that. Still, something shakes the good feeling as the bell rings.
submitted by Individual-Manner-67 to Onision [link] [comments]


2024.05.14 19:20 Guide_to_the_Galaxy_ Just a regular day in Yokohama

A man in his 40s materializes in front of a cafe . Apart from having long dark blue hair and wearing a striped towel as a cape, he looked completely ordinary. If one were to take a closer look at him, they would notise he was holding a pair of children's sunglasses. He looks around for a bit before quickly adjusting the strap of his his shoulder bag, tossing the sunglasses onto the street and walking into the cafe.
The man orders himself a cup of tea and goes to sit down at a free table. He opens his bag, which was stuffed full with papers and notebooks, and pulls out a gray notebook with the words "DON'T PANIC" written on its cover. He sets the notebook down on the table and turns back to his bag. He furrows his brows in annoyance as he struggles to find a pen from the paper-filled bag. After some time he finally manages to find one at the very bottom of the bag. He pulls the pen out of the bag, causing some of the papers to fall on the floor. He curses before getting up and crouching down to pick up the papers. He picks up the nearest papers and puts them on the table in a neat pile before reaching for the ones that fell farther under the table.
On top of the pile of papers was a stack of dark blue business cards, tied together with a rubber band. The cards had "Douglas Adams" along with his email an phone number written on them with golden letters.
[OOC: Introducing Douglas Adams (the other one with no connections to a certain Syndicate member of the same name). He's a freelance writer who's travelling around the world to finish one of his personal projects.
Ability: The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy
When he touches an object he can see a list of places the objects has been in within the last 24 hours along with some information about those places. He can then choose to teleport to one of those places.
I definetly didn't forget to post this. Nooo, of course not. That would be silly.]
submitted by Guide_to_the_Galaxy_ to BungouSimpBattlesRP [link] [comments]


2024.05.14 19:20 DANJCOLEMAN1991 Sound Like ASIAN KUNG-FU GENERATION Pt.2: Kensuke Kita (2024 version)

Sound Like ASIAN KUNG-FU GENERATION Pt.2: Kensuke Kita (2024 version)

Introduction

Kensuke Kita performing live, 2017
^(\This article is an updated version of my "Sound Like" article from 2021. I have reposted this article due to difficulties editing the original version*, and have included additional information and recommendations based on the increased popularity of amp simulator pedals*)*
Hello fellow musicians and Ajikan fans!
I have been a fan of ASIAN KUNG-FU GENERATION for roughly 16 years and as a guitarist was greatly inspired by the band's alt rock sound.
After a few years of research I have written a series of "sound like" articles for ASIAN KUNG-FU GENERATION. The purpose of these articles is to provide context on how the band create their signature sound, and to support beginning musicians or tribute acts who may wish to replicate it.
At the end of each article I have drafted a Budget Rig, which you could use for both at home and in a live environment. I have also provided some general amp settings to tweak and try, which are based on the band's live sound and be can used to help replicate their tones.
This is a 3-part series and if you enjoy this article I would recommend checking out the other articles:
Sound Like ASIAN KUNG-FU GENERATION Pt.1: Masafumi Gotoh (2024 version) : AsianKungFuGeneration (reddit.com)
ASIAN KUNG-FU GENERATION Sound Like Part 3: Yamada : AsianKungFuGeneration (reddit.com)
To help you recognise the individual guitar tones, Gotch's guitar parts are normally panned to the left earphone and Kita's are panned to the right earphone on the band's albums. (On 2016's Sol-Fa, Hometown and some of the Planet Folks singles the panning was swapped, with Gotch instead in the right ear and Kita on the left)

Kensuke Kita

Kita during the Hometown UK/FR tour 2019
In this article we are focusing on lead guitarist and backing vocalist Kensuke Kita. Responsible for many of the band's iconic melodies and riffs, Kita's rig setup is a classic rock setup: A Gibson Les Paul into a Marshall-esque amp.
Inspired by 90's alt rock and Brit Pop groups such as Supergrass, Blur, Manic Street Preachers and Radiohead, Kita has constantly evolved as a musician and became more involved with the song writing process from Fanclub onwards. (Kita has writing credits on Blue Train)
This evolution can be seen clearly when you compare the punk rock style of Houkai Amplifier with the more experimental, pop inspired Planet Folks. While the earlier records reflected a focus on riffs and octave chord melodies, Kita now prefers playing major and minor third chords, triad chords and arpeggios, reflecting his "melody-maker" role in the band.
A triad chord is a chord made of 3 separate notes. They are commonly played on the higher strings and Kita uses them a lot, in tracks such as Aru Machi no Gunjou, Sayonara Lost Generation and Gekkou. Major and Minor third chords are sometimes referred to as Dyads.
During live performances Kita will experiment with ambient tones, but remains the lead guitar sound, with Gotch acting as a anchor for the overall band.

GUITARS

Kita's primary guitar is a Gibson Les Paul. You want to capture the power and sustain of the humbucker pickups, so single coils will generally not work. Furthermore, I would not recommend active pickups, such as EMG pickups, and to avoid anything that creates too much gain. Remember, Kita sound is rooted in a traditional rock setup.
His most recognisable and iconic guitar is his Historic Collection 1959 Les Paul Standard Reissue. Kita bought the 59's reissue in 2004 and has been a mainstay ever since, using it on every Ajikan album from Fanclub onwards.
Kita's Historic Collection 1959 Les Paul Standard Reissue
Kita's backup guitar is a Historic Collection 1958 Les Paul Standard Reissue, which is also used for Eb/D# standard tuning for songs such as After Dark, Yoru No Call and Empathy. Kita's other standout guitar is his Gibson ES-335, which is used occasionally for songs with a capo.
A good example of this would be the live performance of Natsu no Hi, Zanzou from the 10th Anniversary shows and live performances of Juuni Shinhou no Yuukei and Maigo Inu to Ame no Beat.
Kita has also experimented with Fender Telecasters, Jazzmasters and Stratocasters on the band's albums, although neither have been seen on stage so far. In a interview with Guitar Magazine, Kita confirmed that he used a Fender Jazzmaster on Empathy.
Kita with his Gibson ES-335, during the Quarter Century Tour
If you are looking to capture Kita's guitar sound, a Les Paul style guitar with vintage sounding pickups would be the best place to start.
Between 2002-2007, Kita armed his Les Pauls with Gibson Burstbucker 2 in the bridge position and the Burstbucker 1 in the neck position. Since 2007, Kita has used Custombuckers in both positions. Like Gotch, Kita uses Tortex Flex picks and are most likely .73mm or .88mm variants

AMPLIFIERS

In the band's early years of success, Kita used a Marshall JCM 900-4100 head with a Marshall 1960A cabinet. In late 2005, Kita replaced the Marshall amp with the Bogner Ecstasy 101b and Bogner 4x12 Cabinet, which he has used ever since as his main live amplifier.
Kita's JCM900 amp, used during the early 2000's and Sol-Fa 2004 tour
The Bogner has 3 channel settings, with the "green" channel based on traditional Vox amp, the "blue" channel based on a Marshall JCM800 & Marshall Plexi and the "Red" channel as a higher drive channel. The Bogner also has a boost feature that Kita uses for solos.
Both the JCM900 and Ecstasy amps are based on vintage Marshall sounds, whereas the modern Marshall amps have a darker, more compressed sound.
Between 2000-2011 Kita would only use the Marshall or Bogner stack for live performances and simply switch between the amp channels. In 2012, Kita introduced the Shinos Luck 6V combo to his live setup.
The Shinos amps were set up by a former VOX Chief engineer and in general has a blend of Fender and Vox amps sound wise. They have also been compared to Matchless amps, which Kita has used occasionally on international tours.
Kita's Bogner Ecstasy 101b and Shinos Luck V6
Kita has experimented with more amplifiers in the studio and has been known to use JCM800's, VOX and Matchless amps on albums, but for the purpose of this article we will keep the focus on matching his vintage Marshall & Bogner tone.
Kita's clean sound can be heard on Angou No Waltz, Mustang and Yuugure no Aka, while his distorted sound can be heard on Standard, Re:Re: and Kouya wo Aruke.
Kita used 4x12 Greenback speakers in his Marshall cabinet (this was 2004 sound & since 2005 he has likely use Celestion Vintage 30 speakers. The Shino is likely set up with a Celestion Classic Lead 80 speaker.)

PEDALS

Alongside the amp pairing, Kita uses a wide variety of pedals that has only grown in recent years. Previously, Kita stuck to a small collection of pedals which included a delay pedal and a preamp pedal.
Kita's 2004 pedalboard, used during the Sol-Fa tour
This collection has since rapidly grown, but has generally included a compressor, phaser, wah and a delay.
During the Eizo Sakushin Shu Vol. 6 performance, where he used a Boss DD-20 Giga Delay, an MXR M-132 Super Comp, Boss PH-2 Super Phaser, a Guyatone WR3 Wah Rocker and VoxV847 Wah pedal. Kita also used a BOSS TR-2 Tremolo at this time.
Kita's 2009 Pedalboard, which was used during the Eizo Sakushin Shu Vol. 6 performance
The Super Comp is used as a boost for lead melodies and solos, and the Super Phaser can be heard in performances of Mustang and Shinkokyuu. The Giga Delay can be heard in tracks such as Night Diving, Re:Re: and Mugen Glider, as well as the band's ambient jams. The Wah Rocker can be heard in Kugenuma Surf & Enoshima Escar
Since 2010 Kita's pedal board has gradually evolved to include more delay & modulation effects. (Such as the Boss Harmonist and BOSS MD-200 Modulation) He has also used fuzz and distortion pedals from time to time. For example, he has added the BOSS Tone Bender and Earthquaker Transmisser for ambient noises between tracks.
In recent years, Kita has also used octave pedals for lead parts (which recreates what the guitarist plays but at a higher or lower pitch), such as Blood Circulator, Boys & Girls and Clock Work. The Electro Harmonix POG2, which can be seen on his current rig below, is used for the intro of Kakato de Ai o Uchinarase.
Kita's current 2022 Pedalboard: (1) FREE THE TONE/JB-41S (Junction Box) (2) Jim Dunlop/535Q Crybaby Multi-Wah (Wow Pedal) (3) Custom Audio Japan/RS 616 (Programmable Switcher) (4)MXSuper Comp (Compressor) (5) Electro-Harmonix/POG2 (Octave) (6) BOSS/TB-2W (Fuzz) (7)EarthQuaker Devices/Transmisser (Modulation/Reverb) (8) strymon/ZELZAH (multi-phaser) (9) BOSS/MD-200 (multi-modulation) (10)(11) BOSS/DD-20 (multi-delay) (12) BOSS/FRV-1 (reverb) (13) Electro-Harmonix/FREEZE (sustainer)(14) BOSS/FS-5U (foot switch) (15) BOSS/TU-2s (tuner) (16) RJM/Amp Gizmo (amplifier channel switcher) (17) FIREGLOW/PPS-05 (power supply) (18) Vital Audio/VA-08 Mk-II (Power Supply)
To help manage his massive pedalboard on stage, Kita has been using a Custom Audio Switcher to control his pedals, which also allows him to create "loops" of saved settings for each song. I've included a list of his pedals from the current board on the picture below.
The guitar runs into the Junction box (top right) and wah pedal before going into the switcher. Kita can control the Comp and reverb from the switcher, along with the amp settings.
The guitar line then runs from the Dyna Comp through the rest of the pedals, which are controlled in separate loops by the switcher, before running into an amp switcher for the Bogner and Shinos. You can see these loops below:
Loop 1: Dyna Comp Loop 2: Dyna Comp, POG 2, Tone Bender, Transmisser Loop 3: Dyna Comp, Zelzah Loop 4: Dyna Comp, BOSS MD-200 (using the tremolo effect) Loop 5: Dyna Comp, 2x BOSS DD-20s Loop 6: Dyna Comp, 63' Fender Reverb
Kita has a few additional pedals on the board, such as the Electro Harmonix Freeze, which can hold a note for a sustained amount of time and a separate BOSS footswitch to tap in a count for his delay sound.
While this may seem complicated (and it is!) bear in mind that many of the pedals are to recreate certain sounds from the band's 10 albums, or to allow Kita to experiment during live performances.
You do not need to build a pedalboard this big to sound like Kita.
Instead, I would focus on Kita's main pedals, which include the MXR Super Comp, his two Boss DD-20 Giga Delay pedals, the Dunlop535Q Crybaby Multi-Wah, the Strymon ZELZAH (phase) and BOSS MD-200. (phase/auto-wah/tremolo)

Sound Like Kita ...On a Budget

Kita, Quarter Century tour, 2022
To buy Kita's current rig would cost thousands of pounds (the 59' Les Paul alone could be worth £5,000) so much like the Gotch's post we have a few more affordable options that could get you close. The idea is to create a rig that can be used at home or in small venues to perform live.
Also bear in mind that information provided are based on Kita's Live setup, which is aimed at finding a medium between all of the sounds formed on the albums. Please also note that these are personal suggestions as a fan and if you find that works better for you, then great!
The main areas to consider are:
  • A 50's inspired Les Paul
  • A Boutique Marshall style amp
  • A compressor pedal
  • A Delay pedal and Multi-effect pedals
GUITAR
In terms of guitar options there are plenty of Les Paul copies, but for look and sound Epiphone is a no-brainer. The Epiphone 1959 Les Paul Standard is the newer, more expensive option but is based on the 59' Les Paul model, much like Kita's main guitar. You can buy one for around £749.
Epiphone 1959 Les Paul Standard
The more affordable option is the Epiphone Les Paul Standard '50s, which is also a solid pick and goes for around £500.
AMPLIFIER
In terms of affordable amps, Bogner have recently released the Ecstasy Mini 30W Head which costs around £349. You would need a speaker to plug the head into, this solid-state amp would get you close to Kita's sound and could be used for gigging with a big enough speaker.
Bogner Ecstasy Mini 30W Head
You could also try out the Marshall MG50 and Marshall Origin amps as affordable Marshall amps with a classic sound, closer to the JCM900/Bogner style.
Another approach you could take would be to use the Bogner Ecstasy pedals, which are pedals designed to emulate the Bogner Ecstasy amps. (Please bear in mind that you would need to tweak the settings more to work with the amp you use)
The BOSS Katana series and Blackstar amps (which have a dial to set a more British sound) have Marshall-esque settings and could also work, but would require more tweaking.
PEDALS
There are a wide variety of pedals to choose from, but to keep the pedal suggestions simple but versatile. Because of its importance to Kita's sound, I would recommend the MXR Super Comp.
MXR Super Comp
A great example of how this would sound can be on tako wasa YouTube channel, who demonstrated the pedal on this live stream. (tako also has a solid pedal board that is worth taking inspiration from!) An alternative approach would be to buy a Booster pedal to create the same effect, such as the Xotic EP-3 Boost
A delay pedal is also must for a sound like rig (Especially those keen to play the Re:Re: 2016 intro) and so the recommendation would be a Boss DD Delay pedals. The DD-6 or DD-8 are more affordable options that can definitely do the job, while the DD-200 gives you a more versatile option and the ability to save pre-sets for different tracks.
Boss DD-8
Cheaper alternatives that you could also consider are the Tone City Tape Machine and the TC Electronic Flashback 2 Mini, which are both good options for the price.
Another pedal for Kita's sound to consider would be a Wah pedal. As the Dunlop535Q Crybaby is quite a steep price for casual players, so I would recommend the Vox 845 Wah Wah Pedal. At £69 its considerably cheaper than the Dunlop535Q and should get close to Kita's original Wah sound.
Finally, we are going to focus on the modulation sounds for Kita, and ultimately this is down to preference and what songs you would like to emulate.
BOSS MD-200
If you wanted to have a mix of sounds, the BOSS MD-200, which Kita uses, covers many of the sounds he uses, including the phaser, auto-Wah and tremolo sounds.
For more specific roles, the BOSS PH-3 Phase Shifter will get you close to his original phase sound (try to avoid the Phase 90 style pedals for Kita's sound), while the BOSS Harmonist or a different Octave pedal would help capture some of his lead tones for the current era.
You could also consider a reverb pedal if you want to capture some of the ambient sounds Kita creates live or if the amp you choose doesn't include reverb.
AMP SIMULATOR PEDAL OPTIONS?
The final option to consider would be a Amp Simulator pedal. This type of pedal has become increasingly popular in the last few years and would be used in place of a traditional amp and effect pedals. You would then use the Amp Simulator with a IR Cabinet (a powered cabinet speaker) or with a Power Amp in between the Amp Simulator and a traditional cabinet.
They can be fairly expensive to buy and I would only advise buying one if you do intend to move on from your traditional amp/pedal setup, however the Quad Cortex DSP & Headrush Pedalboard would be good starting points. They are both aimed at capturing more traditionally hi gain amps such as the Bogner and Marshall amps, so should be able to do a good job at capturing Kita's sound.

Recommended Amp Settings

The following amp settings were based on photos from live performances and you should bear in mind that the volume may be quite loud for home use, so I would suggest bringing it down. Also bear in mind that every musician and amp will slightly differ so you may need to tweak with your settings to find the right blend.
My personal advice is to keep the gain around the middle and to use the volume to crunch up the sound. Kita does use a cabinet, so you may need to add more low end for a combo amp, and again bear in mind that the volume may need to be lower for home use.
Shino Luck V6:
Vol: 5, Treble: 5, Middle: 5, Bass: 3.5, Master: 3.5, Boost: 7, Level: 4
Bogner Green Setting:
Presence A: 8.5, Presence B: 8, Vol. 1: 5, Treble: 4:5, Mid: 4, Gain 1: 5.5
Bogner Blue Setting:
Vol. 2: 5.5, Vol. 3: 5.5, Treble: 5, Middle: 5/5.5, Bass: 5, Gain 2: 4.5, Gain 3: 5.5

Conclusion

Thank you again for reading this and I hope it's been insightful for you. Feel free to leave feedback below and any of your own tips
submitted by DANJCOLEMAN1991 to AsianKungFuGeneration [link] [comments]


2024.05.14 19:12 Burdwatcher I hate you Val Nichushkin

I'm Ukrainian. Rooting for a Russian who doesn't seem to be very thoughtful (like Panarin for example) was a little uncomfortable, but I swallowed it because I love my team. You were a key piece of it and you didn't go all "Putin Team" like Ovi did, at least.
I work with a nonprofit on assitance for trafficked individuals. What you got involved in with that girl sounds absolutely vile and it made me ashamed of my team that they appeared to protect you from consequences, but seriously mad at you for leaving her in such a vulnerable state as you tried to cover your ass. That she was Ukrainian makes it sting all the more for me. That you put my favorite team in a hole in the playoffs pales in comparison but it's all cumulative.
Then you went back to Russia and posed with all those guns on Instagram - great look as your country attacks my relatives and friends. Didn't see an apology to your wife, daughter, teammates or fans but you took them to post that.
Then you left us in a hole mid-season, exhausting your teammates and causing us to lose home-ice advantage. Again, no apology.
And now, given two earlier changes at grace and forgiveness, you have once again torpedoed your team in the playoffs.
To top it off getting rid of you will kill us on salary cap for years to come.
Fuck you, and screw any fan who still coddles and showers love on you after all the pain and problems you've caused, especially to your friends, teammates, family and at least one random young woman, to say nothing of the fans.
submitted by Burdwatcher to ColoradoAvalanche [link] [comments]


2024.05.14 19:10 Douglasjm Magic is Programming B2 Chapter 1: Catching Up

Synopsis:
Carlos was an ordinary software engineer on Earth, up until he died and found himself in a fantasy world of dungeons, magic, and adventure. This new world offers many fascinating possibilities, but it's unfortunate that the skills he spent much of his life developing will be useless because they don't have computers.
Wait, why does this spell incantation read like a computer program's source code? Magic is programming?
___
Here we go with book 2!
<< First < Previous Next > (RR) or Next > (Patreon)
Carlos lounged comfortably on one of the mayor's fancy sofas. At 23 years old with a healthy body he really didn't need cushioned upholstery, but he liked how it felt. Honestly, he was probably more comfortable with high quality furniture than someone of his relatively low-income background should be in this world. Spoiled by the mass production factories of modern Earth, I suppose. All of this stuff here is probably handmade. Er, make that definitely handmade. Unless they have magic factories I haven't heard about, or something. He mentally shrugged. There was no point trying to change his attitudes toward furniture now. While this world might have higher prices for a lot of things than he was used to, he was also a lot richer than he was used to thanks to having become a noble lord. People would expect him to treat fine furniture as cheap because of his station.
I might have the physical habits of a couch potato, but at least I don't look like one. Too skinny. Not as skinny as Amber, though. He smiled as he watched the young woman next to him on the sofa continue animatedly expounding on their recent adventures together. She was lanky, with few curves to speak of and spindly limbs, far from any conventional picture of feminine beauty. Her hair, a slightly lighter shade of brown than his own, was cropped short. He thought she was 18 or 19 years old, but wasn't sure. Have I really never asked her age before? ... Would that be a rude question here? Regardless of her age, she had grown her confidence a lot since their first meeting a few weeks ago. She'd found her footing in a new life that she'd seized with utter determination, and he saw no sign of the shyness that she'd first greeted him with. The way her potential was finally blooming was beautiful to watch.
Carlos turned his gaze to the sofa across from them and carefully held back from laughing at the expressions Trinlen was making as Amber wrapped up explaining the events and developments they'd gone through since their introduction to him at the Royal Mage Academy. Carlos had contributed a fair amount to the explanation at first, but Amber had taken to it with enthusiasm when she arrived, and he could tell she was enjoying it. The young man in front of them, newly graduated from said academy, was on the edge of his seat and leaning forward, hanging attentively on every word. His casual attire, plain and made of cheap materials, looked thoroughly out of place on the finely embroidered velvet of the sofa, but he'd shown no sign of even noticing the finery around him. Excitement warred for control of his face with surprise, disbelief, envy, and dismay.
Amber finished her impromptu monologue, and Trinlen slowly schooled his face into a neutral expression. His voice was tense and tightly controlled. "So... In short, you're telling me that in the mere two weeks since you met me, you discovered a mana-poaching conspiracy of nobles, were abducted right under the noses of two royal guards without them even noticing, absorbed mana so fast that you gained 6 levels in a day and a half - so unfair, by the way - somehow learned an obscure portal spell from just its name and description, found evidence of a conspiracy against the Crown, and personally met a princess." He paused, then threw his hands up as he wailed in frustration and disappointment. "And I missed it!?"
Carlos threw back his head and burst out laughing. He couldn't help it. Trinlen just sounded so much like a little kid who'd barely missed out on a candy store giving away its entire stock for free. It was such an incredible light-hearted contrast with how everyone else viewed these same events that the sheer ridiculousness of it was overwhelming. Amber joined the laughter a moment later, shaking her head in amused disbelief, and after a few more seconds Trinlen started chuckling too.
Carlos's laughter eventually trailed off, and he took a deep breath to settle down. "Thanks, Trinlen. It's been a very stressful two weeks, and laughing like that helped release a lot of it. Feels good. Anyway, what have you been up to? I thought you would take a whole month to graduate?"
"Technically I only said 'next month', not that it would be at the same point in the month. But yes, this is earlier than I expected. The normal graduation ceremony is still a week and a half away." Trinlen shrugged. "They didn't explain the reasons, but after what you said I'm guessing your meeting with the princess prompted her to do something. The vice headmaster called me to his office yesterday morning, a few teachers grilled me on my classwork, and they declared I'd passed my exams. Then they told me to pack because I'd be teleported to my new employers the next day, and here I am." He sighed. "Hmph. Now I won't get to humiliate Norla in front of the whole academy when she gives her speech." Then he perked up and grinned widely. "But it sounds like you two are going to be so much fun that I'll get over it in no time!"
"I'm not sure if I agree with your idea of fun, Trinlen, but if it motivates you to help us more then that's good enough for me." Carlos chuckled again. "Anyway, do you need some time to get settled in? You might need to think about lesson plans for us too. We don't need just catalogues of incantations to learn anymore, at least not for simple ones, but I believe you learned other things in the academy too. You mentioned creating your own spells, as I recall."
Trinlen nodded. "I did mention that, yes. I'm guessing your lack of need for a catalogue is because of your newfound ability to somehow pull entire incantations from thin air? You'll have to at least tell me about the limitations of that so I'll know what I still need to teach you, but yeah, there are other things. For one thing, there's your sloppy terminology! Why does no one outside of the academy care about properly distinguishing between the states of mana? Is it really that hard to understand that calling aether, mana, and essence all by the same term obscures your meaning and often causes confusion? Or are people so stupid that they can't even understand the difference?"
Carlos blinked and exchanged a look with Amber. His comprehension aid informed him about the distinction the instant Trinlen spoke the terms. That would have been nice to know earlier. The comprehension aid is a house secret, so we should let him explain. "At least for us, it's just ignorance. I don't think I've even heard the other two terms you mentioned, and certainly no one ever explained them. So, what is the difference?"
Trinlen paused, cocked his head for a moment, and slowly deflated after his impassioned rant. "Yeah, okay, that's fair. I don't think I ever heard about it before going to the academy either." He sat up straight. "Aether is what you've been calling ambient mana. It's thin like air, and it's everywhere. Its only use is converting it to mana or essence. Mana, using the term with proper precision, is thicker but still fluid like water. It exists primarily in people or creatures and is used as fuel to supply power for spells and magical effects. Essence is hard and solid. It is the material that soul structures are made of, as well as the forms of active spells and enchantments. Am I clear so far?"
Amber answered first. "Yes, I'm familiar with each of the forms you described. I have questions about more details - so many questions - but you should get properly settled in, and maybe eat lunch, before we really get down to it. Have you spoken with Mayor Stelras yet? Do you have lodging sorted out?"
"I went by his office first. He's having someone take my luggage to an inn. The Adventurer's Haven, I think? He said something about a 'low-value target' and having an empty suite already booked." Trinlen's eyes widened. "Waaait a minute. Is he putting me in the room you two were abducted from?"
Carlos shrugged. "Sounds like it."
"Nice! Think there'll be any evidence left of how it was done?"
"Haha! Probably not by this point, but you're welcome to look. Now go get unpacked, eat a meal, and start planning your lessons for us. I'm glad you're here, but we have some other things to do too."
Trinlen nodded and stood up. "Sure. I'll be back before you miss me."
Carlos waved as Trinlen sauntered out the door. He and Amber sat in companionable silence for a while as he felt the mana - or essence? - of Trinlen's soul moving off into the distance. "Well. That was interesting. It's good to have him, but I was expecting a bit more time to think and plan before he'd get here."
"Yeah." Amber stretched and then leaned back into the sofa's cushions, luxuriating in their soft firmness. "So, how much are we going to tell him? How useful will his knowledge even be for us, now that we have, what did you call it, the reference documentation? That bit about the states of mana is good to know, but is it really relevant and important, and how much more can there be that's not in the documentation?"
"Be careful talking about that out loud, remember?" Carlos relaxed and draped his arms across the sofa's back as he focused his mind on their mental bond through Purple, their friendly dungeon core. [On Earth, we made many languages similar to the language of incantations, and we had the reference documentation for all of them. We even published that documentation free for everyone to have. Teachers for those languages were still useful, and even critically important for many people. Having access to knowledge doesn't mean you automatically understand how to properly apply it. There may be related knowledge we have no idea even exists. There could be techniques and patterns for how to use the language that are simply outside the scope of the documentation. Perhaps most importantly, a teacher can use their experience to notice a student's mistakes and correct them before they become problems.]
[Hmm.] Amber bit her lip, thinking. [Like how I knew about making soul structures and synergies between them, but had no idea about the importance of being able to examine and fix them, I suppose.]
Carlos nodded. [Yeah. And that's a really simple example. I know some that are a lot more complex, though I'm not sure how many of them are even applicable for incantations. Inversion of control, dependency injection, factory patterns...] He shook his head. [Just the context knowledge needed to be able to fully understand those could take days or weeks to teach well enough for you to use them. I could maybe explain the basic ideas faster with some simplified analogies, but that would lose so many details that I doubt it would still be useful.]
Amber paused. [... Even my comprehension aid is baffled by the terms you just said. It translated the individual words that you said, but all I got for the phrases is a confusing jumble.] She chuckled. [Anyway, I concede the point. Trinlen will still be able to teach us important and useful things. We still need to decide what secrets to share with him.]
[A lot depends on how good he is at keeping secrets. We don't actually know him all that well yet. He's certainly fun, and he seems clever, but for assessing his integrity we're leaning pretty hard on just a janitor vouching for him.] Carlos frowned in thought. [In order for him to do his job, he needs to know that we can only "pull an entire incantation from thin air" if it's a simple one. He does not need to know the full details of help, however, and most certainly does not need to learn to use it himself. That secret is a very sensitive one, where even just letting too much knowledge of it spread would lose us a major advantage.]
[Definitely. No casting help where he can hear it, and don't say anything about it that's not directly relevant for his teaching, either. Not until he's earned our full trust.] Amber lapsed into silent consideration. [We should introduce him to Purple. We'll kind of have to at some point anyway, and the really valuable thing there is Purple himself, not just the knowledge of his existence.]
Carlos nodded. [True. I think that probably is the least sensitive of our house secrets, and being able to call him through a bond with Purple would be useful.] He chuckled. [And maybe his cleverness will end up producing some good ideas for Purple to use. See if he can find a more productive outlet than pranks for his creativity. And then... If he keeps that secret well enough for long enough, we can consider trusting him with more secrets.]
Amber sent back wordless agreement.
Carlos started sitting up, lifting himself out of the comfortable cushions. "Well, we should get some food ourselves, too. And maybe introduce Trinlen to everyone else along with Purple." He stood up and spotted a letter he'd set aside when Trinlen arrived. "Oh yeah, and what do you think we should do about Kindar?"
"Wait, what's this about Kindar?"
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submitted by Douglasjm to HFY [link] [comments]


2024.05.14 19:08 Grand_Reanimation Chapter 8: Four Turns

Chapter 8: Four Turns
https://preview.redd.it/xxzdgc26df0d1.png?width=564&format=png&auto=webp&s=f4621043cc7879c51a56a8bb0f02b66962860ca1

Chapter 8: Four Turns

Abhi is shaken to the core, his walk gains a bit of tremble, he starts to breathe and sweat heavily, his eyes constantly trying to look back.
“Am I being followed…” Abhi Gasped audibly.
Abhi ignores the man on his trail for the time being, as it's entirely possible for the man to have the same travel route as Abhi, even though it is unlikely that someone had the same bus route as Abhi the man could still be going somewhere nearby and there just happens to be a small overlap.
A few minutes passed, and even after a few more turns and minutes of walking, the man was still on Abhi’s trail. Abhi’s expression grew more and more anxious, he was looking back at the mysterious man more and more frequently as time passed.
Abhi suddenly stopped, he noticed a city map plastered on the building. It covered all of Nixtom High City but the regions below or beyond the high city were left blurred or anonymous. While keeping a subtle look out for the follower Abhi used his finger to point at something on the map, he was pointing at the nearest police station which was a kilometer to the west. The mysterious man soon passed by Abhi but didn’t do anything.
Abhi kept staring at the police station symbol on the map perhaps contemplating his decision to go there. He then looked around and saw a pendulum clock inside an antique shop.
“7 minutes till 7 pm,” Abhi said to himself while observing the clock.
Abhi started walking but didn’t follow the western path to the police station instead he went opposite, towards the east where his bus stop was. Abhi had just recently requested a change in his job timings because of his school, he changed his shift at his job from a full-time day job to a half-time evening job. This shift change was quite major as it essentially changed everyone Abhi worked with including his superiors.
Getting a negative first impression on his first shift wasn’t just not ideal, but it would also lead to Abhi’s supervisors, managers, and other superiors making an example out of him via harsh punishment; therefore, it was essential for Abhi to reach his workplace on time. Taking detours such as visiting the police station in the opposite direction would involve the risk of not catching his second bus which only comes around every 30 minutes. Knowing all this, Abhi kept walking. There wasn't much to worry about as Abhi was already at the edge of High City so the bus station was nearby. As the mysterious man following Abhi had already passed by him and he wasn't too late for the bus, there was nothing to worry about.
Abhi strolled freely humming an old rhyme. He was finally close enough to see the bus stand’s landmark a few towns apart. Abhi sighed in relief “I can finally reach the bus stand safely.”
Suddenly he felt the same ominous present he had felt a few minutes ago, Abhi’s walk became more restricted his posture less confident and he slowly turned his head back without stopping his walk and immediately saw the same mysterious man in the well-designed suit right on his trail. Abhi started shivering in fear and anxiety, breaking cold sweat on a breezy evening. The sun was already almost submerged in the horizon, the atmosphere was dim and the street lights still weren't on. In the faint remnants of the absent sun’s light, Abhi kept walking while constantly looking back to observe his mysterious follower.
Fortunately, he was finally close enough to see his bus stop directly, but before walking towards it, he suddenly stopped, Abhi kept staring at the ground as if he was drawing in deep thought. He subtly looked back and saw the same mysterious follower standing just a few meters behind, pretending to check the menu of a cafe. “No… I can’t go home; mom is home alone.” Abhi spoke to himself. Abhi seemed to have realized that if the mysterious follower kept following him even on his bus, then he might end up finding out where Abhi and his mom lived. No man will jeopardize his mother’s safety for his own sake or for work.
Abhi was out of breath, shaking and sweating from the fear and anxiety of being followed, yet he stopped walking. He looked up, towards the dark crimson sky filled with blurry emerging stars, his gaze didn’t shake nor blink and soon enough the twinkling stars reflected in his eyes as a glimmer of hope. His breathing became calmer and his eyes colder. Suddenly he diverted from the straight path to the bus stop and instead took a left turn. Abhi started walking again only this time his steps didn’t echo fear but it resounded determination.
A few steps later, Abhi looked down and murmured something to himself, and then he started to recite something far more clearly… almost in a robotic tone:
“En Passant: Caution, Chapter 6: Stalkers, point 4:
In case, you think you are being followed but cannot tell for sure, there is a method to verify your situation. Note your starting position then take four right or four left turns while walking. The idea behind this action is that whenever you turn the same way four times, you end up in the same place you started at. So in case you have a suspicion about someone following you, you can verify whether they just happen to have a similar route to yours or if they are in fact on your trail as no innocent person will circle back to the same spot with you”.
Abhi had recited a passage from an informative book he had memorized. Following the book’s advice, he started by taking his first left turn. While walking, he looked back to observe the mysterious man who was still checking out the café’s menu.
“Garlock Gobbler Gamers”. “What a weird name for a café” Abhi had noted the café as his starting point.
While looking at the café he suddenly made eye contact with the mysterious follower. He quickly looked forward and started walking, he took another left turn and kept walking, this time he didn’t turn or look back at all as that might end up alerting the follower. He instead starts walking slightly faster and only looks ahead, he still tries to observe the follower by looking at mirrors and other sources of reflections to subtly check the areas out of his field of view. He takes his third left turn while still keeping an eye out for the follower through reflections and such.
Abhi slightly slows down his pace as he doesn’t notice anyone on his trail.
“Did I lose him? Or was he just coincidentally going to the same bus as me.” Abhi says to himself, then he walks with a bit less intensity. He takes his fourth and last left turn and uses this opportunity to check the entire street behind him, not seeing a single person in the entire street gives Abhi the last bit of assurance.
Abhi walked towards the bus stop and saw the “Garlock Gobbler Gamers” sign in the distance. He walked a bit closer and realized that no one was outside the café. “I guess that man just happened to have the same bus route as me. I didn’t think anyone other than me had the same bus route, but guess I was wrong.”
Abhi was finally free of worry and relaxed calmly walking towards his bus stop, soon past the café and kept walking. Suddenly a hand touched Abhi on his shoulder. “Oi! Kiddo what is you doin?”. Abhi slowly turned back in horror to see the same mysterious man appear out of nowhere while he held Abhi’s shoulder in his rough hand.
Abhi shook the man’s hand off of him and jumped back a few steps.
“What the fuck do you want!? Why have you been following me for so long?” Shouted Abhi while not taking his eyes off the man for even a second.
“Yo Chill out cuh. I was just gonna ask you the same, why have you been following me?” Said the man while wearing an elegant suit.
Abhi who looked a bit perplexed after seeing a man dressed in such formal attire talk in slang language and turn the ‘follower’ accusation back on him, replied:
“What? I’m not following anyone you were the one constantly on my trail, also why would I follow you? Who the hell even are you?”
The man looked and Abhi’s eyes and calmly replied:
“Me? I’m the principal of your school homie.”


~……….~
submitted by Grand_Reanimation to GoldenFeathers [link] [comments]


2024.05.14 19:07 EmyTat2023 Mistake on DS260

Hello. I am currently waiting for my interview (CR1) which is taking place next week. I was reviewing the DS260 form today and I noticed that in the spouse information name field I wrote the family name of my husband incorrectly, it is missing one letter. For example: the family name is "Terry", I wrote it "Tery". How bad could this be? I am terrified 😔
submitted by EmyTat2023 to USCIS [link] [comments]


2024.05.14 19:07 Rude_Tomorrow7850 Marketing Senior searching for internships/jobs

I’m a Senior majoring in Marketing with a concentration in Digital Marketing. I have been actively applying for internships & jobs for over a year with no luck. I’m approaching my final semester in college and trying to secure a position to setup my future career in Marketing.
I’m interested in Content Marketing specifically, but at this point I just want to get a position to introduce me into the Marketing field.
My resume, cover letter, and website are all updated. I am certified in a few Marketing specific courses. Do you have any advice how I can get an entry level Marketing position? I would love for it to be remote, but I know I have to be realistic. Any advice/tips would be greatly appreciated!
submitted by Rude_Tomorrow7850 to marketing [link] [comments]


2024.05.14 19:00 Ill_Region_580 Shame and how to build self compassion.

Hello, I'm a 23-year-old male in his 4th year of college and will soon graduate in the next three months. I'm writing this entry because my life for the past four years has been that of repeated cycles and familiar shame. On the outside, people see me as a pretty social guy who is active and has it all together. But on the inside, I feel like a mess.
I often experience periods in which I go through the same cycles. In these past years, however, I've picked up on more journaling, meditation, camping, and even have had therapy for short periods. All of these have been super helpful in helping me understand myself better and deal with daily problems. However, I feel like I return to the same cycle. I've come to realize that I carry with me a lot more shame and guilt than I expected.
T This cycle involved making some changes at the start, slowly falling off, and being disappointed that I fell off. It was almost like I knew this was going to happen, and I would repeat the process, saying, "This will be the time I actually change."
For context, I have a condition called auditory processing disorder, a hearing condition that can take on many forms. My issue at a young age was confusing sounds from each other. For example, my brain thought the letters R and L sounded identical. This led to me not being able to speak/utter a pronounceable word until I was 5, and I had to go to hearing therapy for nine years to learn how to speak correctly. I have a speech inducement now, but for the most part, I sound standard except for sometimes messing up. Either way, this has always made me feel self-conscious and inferior to others, especially when they would laugh or make fun of how I spoke. I've gotten over it for the most part, but it still annoys me. Hence, I carry a lot of shame with me.
I felt like my shame had only evolved more throughout the years with my body, my sexuality, my social standing, my habits, etc. For a while, I was a self-improvement junkie wanting to constantly be better for others, even if it meant sacrificing things I liked or was interested in for other people. For my body, it meant skipping meals so that my six-pack could be available; my sexuality meant not being curvy or big girls from fear of what others might think of me.
I have a hard time accepting myself for who I am, and pretty much every time I've tried to change my life has been out of shame. Very rarely has it been out of self-love or care, and it feels gratifying and right when I do make a change on that front. However, when it comes to things I would like to change, like my porn use, time management, and overcoming fears, I feel like that desire for change stems from shame. I don't know how to stop the cycles from repeating and how to build self-compassion/love properly. I would appreciate any advice or personal stories anyone has.
submitted by Ill_Region_580 to spirituality [link] [comments]


2024.05.14 18:59 Ill_Region_580 Shame, and how to be free of shame

Hello, I'm a 23-year-old male in his 4th year of college and will soon graduate in the next three months. I'm writing this entry because my life for the past four years has been that of repeated cycles and familiar shame. On the outside, people see me as a pretty social guy who is active and has it all together. But on the inside, I feel like a mess.
I often experience periods in which I go through the same cycles. In these past years, however, I've picked up on more journaling, meditation, psychedelics, camping, and even have had therapy for short periods. All of these have been super helpful in helping me understand myself better and deal with daily problems. However, I feel like I return to the same cycle. I've come to realize that I carry with me a lot more shame and guilt than I expected.
T This cycle involved making some changes at the start, slowly falling off, and being disappointed that I fell off. It was almost like I knew this was going to happen, and I would repeat the process, saying, "This will be the time I actually change."
For context, I have a condition called auditory processing disorder, a hearing condition that can take on many forms. My issue at a young age was confusing sounds from each other. For example, my brain thought the letters R and L sounded identical. This led to me not being able to speak/utter a pronounceable word until I was 5, and I had to go to hearing therapy for nine years to learn how to speak correctly. I have a speech inducement now, but for the most part, I sound standard except for sometimes messing up. Either way, this has always made me feel self-conscious and inferior to others, especially when they would laugh or make fun of how I spoke. I've gotten over it for the most part, but it still annoys me. Hence, I carry a lot of shame with me.
I felt like my shame had only evolved more throughout the years with my body, my sexuality, my social standing, my habits, etc. For a while, I was a self-improvement junkie wanting to constantly be better for others, even if it meant sacrificing things I liked or was interested in for other people. For my body, it meant skipping meals so that my six-pack could be available; my sexuality meant not being curvy or big girls from fear of what others might think of me.
I have a hard time accepting myself for who I am, and pretty much every time I've tried to change my life has been out of shame. Very rarely has it been out of self-love or care, and it feels gratifying and right when I do make a change on that front. However, when it comes to things I would like to change, like my porn use, time management, and overcoming fears, I feel like that desire for change stems from shame. I don't know how to stop the cycles from repeating and how to build self-compassion/love properly. I would appreciate any advice or personal stories anyone has.
submitted by Ill_Region_580 to Buddhism [link] [comments]


2024.05.14 18:58 emeraldshimmer123 Recommendation for The 5 Best Air Purifiers on Reddit to Buy Now - Reviewed

Recommendation for The 5 Best Air Purifiers on Reddit to Buy Now - Reviewed

The 5 Best Air Purifiers for Home, Kids, Pets, and Clean, Fresh Air
This complete Guide will help you choose the Best one to Buy.

1. Coway Airmega 400 True HEPA Air Purifier - Best Overall Air Purifier

Coway Airmega 400 True HEPA Air Purifier excels in removing smoke, pollen, and dust particles, achieving a remarkable 99% removal rate in just 30 minutes on its highest setting. This purifier is powerful enough to clean large rooms, yet quiet enough to operate near sleeping areas. Around $349

https://preview.redd.it/kn063osfaf0d1.png?width=473&format=png&auto=webp&s=e45298aff5e87938035293d88325eb4251fd8cb2

2. Medify MA-112 Air Purifier- Best Air Purifier for Allergies

The Medify MA-112 Air Purifier is a powerhouse designed to provide exceptional air purification for large spaces. With a coverage area of up to 4,455 square feet in just one hour, this purifier is perfect for homes, offices, schools, and commercial settings. It features a True HEPA H13 filter that captures 99.9% of airborne particles as small as 0.1 microns, including smoke, pollen, pet dander, and odors. Depending the the unit and size. Price around $60 to $550

3.MORENTO Air Purifier - Best Budget-friendly Air Purifier

The MORENTO Air Purifier is an excellent choice for large rooms up to 1,076 square feet. It boasts a double-sided air inlet and a True HEPA filter that removes 99.97% of airborne particles, including pet hair and allergens. With an ultra-quiet operation of just 24dB, this purifier is ideal for bedrooms and living areas. Its air quality sensor and PM2.5 display provide real-time monitoring, ensuring optimal air quality. Around $130 to 250

4. BlueAir Blue Pure 311i Max - Best Air Purifier for Smoke and Odors

The BlueAir Blue Pure 311i Max combines performance and convenience with its voice controls, air quality indicator, and pollution-detecting particle sensor. It can quickly and effectively remove airborne particles, making it an excellent choice for various living spaces. Around $300

5. LEVOIT Air Purifier - Best Air Purifier for Large Rooms

The LEVOIT Air Purifiers for Home Large Room Up to 3175 Sq. that captures pet hair, dander, dust, and other allergens. Its high torque motor and large coverage area make it suitable for larger rooms or open spaces, while its sleep mode and quiet operation are ideal for bedrooms or nurseries.
When choosing an air purifier, consider factors such as room size, filter type, noise level, and energy efficiency. Investing in a high-quality air purifier can significantly improve indoor air quality, providing a healthier and more comfortable living environment Around $250
Good Runner Ups

  1. Winix 5500-2 Air Purifier with True HEPA, PlasmaWave and Odor Reducing Washable AOC Carbon Filter Medium Around $150
  2. PuroAir HEPA 14 Air Purifier for Home - Covers 1,115 Sq Ft - Air Purifier for Allergies - For Large Rooms - Filters Around $160
My recommendation is to go with the Medify or the Conway. They are really good units that can cover the needs of your home
***Prices are subject to change.

How to Pick the Right Air Purifier. Things to consider

Consider the Pollutants You Want to Target:

  • Allergens: Look for a purifier with a True HEPA filter, which captures particles as small as 0.3 microns, including dust, pollen, and pet dander.
  • Smoke and odors: Opt for a purifier with an activated carbon filter, which tackles smoke, cooking smells, and volatile organic compounds (VOCs).
  • Bacteria and viruses: Some purifiers use UV light or plasma ionization to kill airborne pathogens. However, their effectiveness and safety for long-term use are debated. Consider these features supplemental, not a replacement for true HEPA filtration.
Choose the Right Size for Your Space:

  • Air purifier capacity is measured in Clean Air Delivery Rate (CADR). Higher CADR indicates faster air cleaning in a larger room.
  • The Association of Home Appliance Manufacturers (AHAM) certifies CADR for smoke, dust, and pollen. Look for a CADR rating that covers your room size for the target pollutants.
  • A general rule: Choose a CADR at least 2/3 the square footage of the room. For example, a 300 CADR purifier is suitable for a 150 sq. ft. room.
Think About Noise Level and Energy Efficiency:

  • Air purifiers run continuously, so noise level is important. Look for models with decibel (dB) ratings that suit your preferences. Lower dB indicates quieter operation.
  • Energy Star certified purifiers use less energy, saving you money on electricity bills.
Additional Features to Consider:

  • Replacement filter costs: Factor in the cost and frequency of filter replacements. True HEPA filters typically need replacing every 6-12 months.
  • Smart features: Some purifiers offer Wi-Fi connectivity, allowing control through apps for scheduling, filter monitoring, and air quality checks.
  • Auto mode: This feature automatically adjusts fan speed based on air quality sensor readings.

What are the Benefits of Using Air Purifiers

Breathing clean air is essential for maintaining good health, and air purifiers offer a powerful tool to improve the quality of the air you breathe indoors. Here are some key benefits you can experience by using an air purifier:

  • Improved Respiratory Health: Air purifiers significantly reduce airborne pollutants like dust, pollen, pet dander, and smoke. This can be especially beneficial for people suffering from allergies, asthma, or other respiratory issues. By removing these irritants, air purifiers can ease congestion, coughing, and difficulty breathing, allowing you to breathe easier and experience improved overall respiratory health.
  • Reduced Allergens and Dust: If you struggle with seasonal allergies or dust sensitivity, air purifiers can be a game-changer. HEPA filters effectively capture allergens as small as 0.3 microns, including pollen, dust mites, and pet dander. This can significantly reduce allergy symptoms like itchy eyes, runny nose, and sneezing, leading to a more comfortable and allergy-free living environment.
  • Relief from Pet Dander and Smoke: Pet dander is a common allergen for many people, and air purifiers with HEPA filters can effectively remove it from the air. This can alleviate allergy symptoms triggered by pets and improve overall indoor air quality for pet owners and non-pet owners alike. Additionally, air purifiers with activated carbon filters can help reduce smoke particles and odors, providing relief for those living in areas with wildfires or those exposed to secondhand smoke.
  • Improved Sleep Quality: Clean air plays a vital role in getting a good night's sleep. Allergens and pollutants can disrupt sleep patterns by causing congestion, coughing, and difficulty breathing. Air purifiers can help by removing these irritants, creating a cleaner and more comfortable sleeping environment. This can lead to deeper, more restful sleep, leaving you feeling more energized and refreshed in the morning.
  • Reduced Risk of Airborne Illnesses: While air purifiers cannot eliminate viruses and bacteria entirely, some models with additional features like UV light or plasma ionization may help reduce their spread. Combined with other measures like proper ventilation and hygiene, air purifiers can contribute to a healthier indoor environment by potentially reducing the risk of airborne illnesses.
Other Related Topic Searches.
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submitted by emeraldshimmer123 to ConsumerAdvice [link] [comments]


2024.05.14 18:56 Ill_Region_580 Shame, and how to build self-compassion

Hello, I'm a 23-year-old male in his 4th year of college and will soon graduate in the next three months. I'm writing this entry because my life for the past four years has been that of repeated cycles and familiar shame. On the outside, people see me as a pretty social guy who is active and has it all together. But on the inside, I feel like a mess.
I often experience periods in which I go through the same cycles. In these past years, however, I've picked up on more journaling, meditation, psychedelics, camping, and even have had therapy for short periods. All of these have been super helpful in helping me understand myself better and deal with daily problems. However, I feel like I return to the same cycle. I've come to realize that I carry with me a lot more shame and guilt than I expected.
T This cycle involved making some changes at the start, slowly falling off, and being disappointed that I fell off. It was almost like I knew this was going to happen, and I would repeat the process, saying, "This will be the time I actually change."
For context, I have a condition called auditory processing disorder, a hearing condition that can take on many forms. My issue at a young age was confusing sounds from each other. For example, my brain thought the letters R and L sounded identical. This led to me not being able to speak/utter a pronounceable word until I was 5, and I had to go to hearing therapy for nine years to learn how to speak correctly. I have a speech inducement now, but for the most part, I sound standard except for sometimes messing up. Either way, this has always made me feel self-conscious and inferior to others, especially when they would laugh or make fun of how I spoke. I've gotten over it for the most part, but it still annoys me. Hence, I carry a lot of shame with me.
I felt like my shame had only evolved more throughout the years with my body, my sexuality, my social standing, my habits, etc. For a while, I was a self-improvement junkie wanting to constantly be better for others, even if it meant sacrificing things I liked or was interested in for other people. For my body, it meant skipping meals so that my six-pack could be available; my sexuality meant not being curvy or big girls from fear of what others might think of me.
I have a hard time accepting myself for who I am, and pretty much every time I've tried to change my life has been out of shame. Very rarely has it been out of self-love or care, and it feels gratifying and right when I do make a change on that front. However, when it comes to things I would like to change, like my porn use, time management, and overcoming fears, I feel like that desire for change stems from shame. I don't know how to stop the cycles from repeating and how to build self-compassion/love properly. I would appreciate any advice or personal stories anyone has.
submitted by Ill_Region_580 to Healthygamergg [link] [comments]


2024.05.14 18:50 Ill_Region_580 Shame, and how to build self-compassion.

Hello, I'm a 23-year-old male in his 4th year of college and will soon graduate in the next three months. I'm writing this entry because my life for the past four years has been that of repeated cycles and familiar shame. On the outside, people see me as a pretty social guy who is active and has it all together. But on the inside, I feel like a mess.
I often experience periods in which I go through the same cycles. In these past years, however, I've picked up on more journaling, meditation, psychedelics, camping, and even have had therapy for short periods. All of these have been super helpful in helping me understand myself better and deal with daily problems. However, I feel like I return to the same cycle. I've come to realize that I carry with me a lot more shame and guilt than I expected.
T This cycle involved making some changes at the start, slowly falling off, and being disappointed that I fell off. It was almost like I knew this was going to happen, and I would repeat the process, saying, "This will be the time I actually change."
For context, I have a condition called auditory processing disorder, a hearing condition that can take on many forms. My issue at a young age was confusing sounds from each other. For example, my brain thought the letters R and L sounded identical. This led to me not being able to speak/utter a pronounceable word until I was 5, and I had to go to hearing therapy for nine years to learn how to speak correctly. I have a speech inducement now, but for the most part, I sound standard except for sometimes messing up. Either way, this has always made me feel self-conscious and inferior to others, especially when they would laugh or make fun of how I spoke. I've gotten over it for the most part, but it still annoys me. Hence, I carry a lot of shame with me.
I felt like my shame had only evolved more throughout the years with my body, my sexuality, my social standing, my habits, etc. For a while, I was a self-improvement junkie wanting to constantly be better for others, even if it meant sacrificing things I liked or was interested in for other people. For my body, it meant skipping meals so that my six-pack could be available; my sexuality meant not being curvy or big girls from fear of what others might think of me.
I have a hard time accepting myself for who I am, and pretty much every time I've tried to change my life has been out of shame. Very rarely has it been out of self-love or care, and it feels gratifying and right when I do make a change on that front. However, when it comes to things I would like to change, like my porn use, time management, and overcoming fears, I feel like that desire for change stems from shame. I don't know how to stop the cycles from repeating and how to build self-compassion/love properly. I would appreciate any advice or personal stories anyone has.
submitted by Ill_Region_580 to ramdass [link] [comments]


2024.05.14 18:46 PanzerWatts Solar Net Metering takes money from the poor and gives to the rich.

For those of you who are not aware, Net Metering is usually a state level law where a consumer with solar panels gets full credit from the power company for all the extra power they generate. On the surface that seems fair. If the Utility charges you $0.18 for using a kwh of power then what's wrong with them having to give you the same amount of money for the extra power.
However, when you dig a little deeper you realise that this is a massive subsidy for the upper middle class and above. The average home with solar panels has a household income of $100K+. In the normal situation a power company may pay a power plant half of the retail price for the power. So, for example, if they charge 18 cents, then they are paying 9 cents for the wholesale power. Where does the rest of the money go? Mostly it goes to high powered distribution lines, sub-stations, transformers, residential power lines, utility meters and everything else associated with delivering power to its customers.
What happens in the case of solar net metering? Well in that case the power company doesn't get paid for every extra bit of power. In the past solar was pretty rare and most systems weren't sized a lot larger than the maximum load of the house. At the end of the day, not much extra power was produced and it wasn't a substantial cost. However, solar panel installers saw the potential market and started selling much larger units that would allow the user to net out to zero money (minus a montly service fee) for an entire year. They would provide loans that would cover a significant chunk of the costs, plus the governmental subsidies and the home owner would just have to pay a smaller monthly note and not pay much at all for electricity.
However, at the end of the day, the utitlies have to cover their costs, so they were forced to raise prices. Naturally people without solar systems were covering the bulk of the costs. This has led to a steady escalation in electricity prices in areas with high concentrations of solar power. Since poor households rent and can't afford solar panels when they own, this has essentially led to a transfer of money to homes with high household incomes.
The solution is obvious. Owners with solar systems should be paid for the wholesale cost of any power they provide in excess to the grid. Of course they can always personally install batteries, which would allow them to effectively use their own excess power. But in either case, they aren't shifting costs to other homeowners.
submitted by PanzerWatts to TrueUnpopularOpinion [link] [comments]


2024.05.14 18:41 AdTrick7283 My dad found my love letter.

Disclaimer:This is a part 2 to my story. Here is part 1:https://www.reddit.com/Crushes/comments/1cr3c21/my_mom_found_my_love_lette.
I met my crush when I was in high-school. I was 13 and she was 14. When I set eyes on her, I knew that she was the one for me. Her reflective skin was like gold waiting to be rubbed and loved. Her luminous eyes were like marbles designed for gazers. Her hair was like a sari, but as soft as silk, waiting to infatuate onlookers who fall in its honey-sweet trap. An example of the above is me.
I decided to test my valour via generating and sending a love letter to her. Unfortunately, at the time, she just said 'Thanks', which had left me devastated. Moreso, I had to duplicate my letter while pooping out biryani I ate on Sunday, in the highschool toilet, since my mother had stolen my original letter. I thought I did the needful to destroy it. Unfortunately, it was all in vain, which caused my letter to be found by my father.
My father was about to beat me with his belt, which was the worst thing that could happen to a 16 year old Indian teenager. However, fortunately, somebody in uaeteenagers gave me advice, which I used. I dissembled my stories and weaved a lie that states that my friend dared me to give my crush a love letter, and that I was not in love with her, which persuaded my father that I was not in need of a thrasing.
I was relieved, and to make my amygdala, my insula, my insular cortex, and my periaqueductal gray even more elated, she had put a love letter in my bag that apologised for her lacklustre response towards me. She has requested a date that will be taking place tomorrow, and since my parents will be out, of the house, I saw eye to eye with her metaphorically, to ensure that we could literally see eye to eye with each other tomorrow.
I am currently, very elated by this, and am thrilled by a new experience that I will be experiencing. Until now, the only acquaintance with dates I had seen so far were in Hollywood pictures, which cater to a westenr audience, and therefore, until now, have led me to believe that us Indians cannot get dates due to our conservative nature. However, I was proven wrong, and will extract the moral of the impossible being possible from this memorable episode.
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2024.05.14 18:39 w0tur Help me find French song

Hi! I heard a song on Spotify the other day but forgot the artist and song name. It was a French song that had a steel drum in it. I remember that the song cover was orange, the artists name was 3 parts (ex: Jean-Jacques Goldman) and the title of the song was 3 words, the last one being même, I remember the first word was short (something like ‘Les’ and the second word was 6-8 letters.
Note: it’s not Tous les mêmes by Stromae 😅
Thanks so much for the help 🙏
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