Cubby storage and seat plan

I'm going to be moving to the US to be with my husband soon, and I'm downgrading from my custom Ubuntu creative studio build I made myself. The trouble is going from desktop to laptop is a difficult transition because good hardware + small plastic box isn't the greatest idea generally, and can lead to a lot of reliability issues unless you're buying insanely expensive laptops.
The basics of what I need is something in the 400-1k GBP range, good reliability, integrated graphics as I'm an artist (I use stuff like Krita) and casual gamer (anything from stardew to more intensive games like kingdom heart and Rockstar games). I need 16 GB ram minimum, or at least expandable memory and storage. USB-C and a few USB 3.0 would be nice also. I'll accept fixer-uppers and 2nd hand machines if they are easy to work on, upgrade, and do not require too much soldering (big ask I know). Older machines could be viable is all with the fact I want to use Linux.
Linux compatibility is a must, so as much as I love Nvidia and have been able to get my GPU to somewhat work on Linux, it can be a bit dodgy at times. AMD might be a nice change?
I probably will not go with Ubuntu creative studio again, due to plasma and deamon being pissy, unless they release a new LTR with more stable builds of these. So something like Arch might be a go to?
With stuff like wine, proton, and lutris compatibility should be fine. Fairly decent color accuracy and 1080p minimum.
I keep getting recommended the legion 5-7, but how is it with linux? I also plan to buy the laptop first and then put everything I care about on my external SSD, install linux, then sell my build either as parts or as a whole machine. None of this is hard fast, just throwing some variables out into the world and seeing what comes back haha

I’m planning to start doing events at the book shop but I was hoping to get some ideas on what my neighbours would be most interested in. Events would be held on Tuesdays and Thursdays 5.30pm after closing time.
I’ve set up a cozy seating area with tables in the back of the shop, the area can hold around 12 people at tables but there is room for more if anyone wants to sit on cushions.
So the options so far are:
1) Book club (basic all round club. was done before but this will be the new and improved club.)
2) Poetry reading (We will read classic poetry and people will be free to write and read their own poetry)
3) Cook book club (people will each try a recipe from a selected book and bring their dishes to share each week)
4) Blind book dating (similar to book club but 1 book to each two people then they will meet on the next week in pairs to discuss the book, then each will give their dates their own favourite book for the next week, couples will be matched by picking names out of a hat)
5) Wicca group ( we will read and study Wiccan books)
6) English literature club (we will read and discuss all the classics)
Suggestions are welcome!

I’ve been debating for over 2 weeks now weather I should get fallout 1st and I’ve been putting it off up until now my stash box is almost full last time I checked it was at 1100/1200 weight. Personally the only benefit I see to fallout 1st is the unlimited stash box and ammo box. I don’t plan on using the survival tent or the private world nor the armor it comes with so I’m only it it for the storage. Would it be a good idea to buy one month of 1st and during that month grab every piece of junk and ammo I can find and cram it into there storage containers then once that month runs out I’ll have all the scrap I’ll ever need. Thoughts?

Career Jobs Work
I turned 30 late last year and found myself in an extremely toxic job. I realized I was burnt out and struggled with anxiety/depression after i got fired a few months ago. Prior to this, I was planning on going to business school but now decided to decline admission into a top 20 school to take at least a year off and then come back to the US for Fall 2025 for b-school.
I come from a WestAfrican country and plan to put my things in storage with close friends and leave the US to reconnect with family who i have not seen in person in more than 10 years. My heart says it is the right thing but the anxiety of lost earnings plus relatives back home seem to think i won't survive well for year in new socio-economic conditions bothers me with the uncertainty that i may not make it back into the US. I am 30, no debt with more than 400K in invested assets. 6.5 years in FANG companies both as a software engineer and product manager.
Any thoughts on this? Will taking such a break affect my career negatively?
edit: reposted to fix heading

I recently acquired a RODECaster Duo. I plan on using my pair of Klipsch speakers and a Steel Series Nova Pro Wireless headset.
On the back of the RODECaster Duo are headphone ports 1 and 2. In both ports, I've inserted Amazon Basics Gold Plated 6.35mm 1/4 Male to 3.5mm 1/8 Female Stereo Headphone Adapters (https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B087KG4C1H/), ensuring they are fully seated.
Port 1 is designated for the speakers, while port 2 is for the headset. Both ends of the cables resemble this (https://www.amazon.com/Amazon-Basics-Speaker-Subwoofer-Gold-Plated).
I've observed that audio only comes through the left side of the headset, and occasionally, only the left speaker receives sound while using the speakers. I often have to adjust the connections multiple times to resolve the issue, and unfortunately, I'm unable to have both devices plugged in simultaneously without one of them only have left side audio.
Any suggestions or recommendations on how to address this issue?

I am planning on working away from my family home and I am looking at studio/1 bedroom apartments (based on price/availability). Given that I am conscious that the space in studio/1 bedroom apartments can be limited I am trying to think/learn about multi-use furniture. I focused currently on a bed as it is necessary for me to get a good nights rest. I looked into high loft bed (which would give quite a bit of space under it) however, their stairs tend to be thin metal rods and they tend to dig into my feet. Low loft beds tend to have quite a bit of space un-utilized unless they are exorbitantly expenisive such as this one from Pottery Barn called the BeadBoard Low Loft Bed for 2,399 dollars (full bed size) on sale now (but it is still very expensive). My feet tend to stick out slightly on full size beds and the railing would make it a bit difficult for me to fit. I am looking for a compact bed option that allows me to have significant storage under it, as well as sleep on it/use it as a couch. Any suggestions on this matter for a multi-use bed would be greatly appreciated as well as any other options people can recommend for storage and that is multi-use.
I hope to have an apartment which will allow one small to medium sized dog. This means that I would not want furniture that can fall over and hurt a small animal. I have never rented an apartment therefore and guidance about what multi-use furniture would be useful for a studio/1 bedroom apartment would be much appreciated.

I’m looking to upgrade the hardware of my Unraid server. The server was built (not for unraid) back in 2012 and it’s time for an upgrade. I don’t do that much with the server (had been just Plex and file storage) however I recently installed Immich which I’m loving but the processor isn’t up to the task of my 40k photo and video library.
I think I need to upgrade the CPU, motherboard and the RAM. I’m not sure if I should update the power supply or not. I plan on using my old drives for storage.
My big issue is that my old motherboard has 8 SATA ports and I’m using 7 of them (1 Parity HDD, 5 Data HDDs and 1 Cache SSD). It looks like to get 7 or 8 SATA ports I would need to get a top of the line Z790 board. I can’t decide if I should do that or look into a SATA expansion card (either m.2 or PCIe). I guess I could also try and replace the SATA Cache SSD with an m.2 cache drive.
My main goal with this was to make it as simple as possible. I thought I would just replace the hardware and boot it up with as few changes as possible. To that end I guess the motherboard with 8 SATA ports would be simplest, adding an expansion card would be next and finally changing the cache drive. I guess one other thing I could do is try and eliminate my smallest HDD. It is a 3tb drive and my array does currently have about 15tb free.
I’m not that familiar with Unraid configs and upgrades so I don’t want to bite off more than I can chew. Everything with the server has been working fine with the exception of my new Immich library being slow to load all the pictures (especially when using facial recognition).
Am I missing something that I should do? Thanks for the thoughts.

Current Hardware (to be replaced)
CPU - Intel Ivy Bridge Pentium G2120 (stock cooler)
Mboard - ASRock H77 Pro4/MVP
RAM - G.Skill Ripjaws 4GB (2x2GB) DDR3 1600
Power Supply – Seasonic M12II 650 80 plus Bronze (possible replacement

Current Hardware (to still be used)
Case – Ark-4u-500a
HDDs – three 12tb Seagate Ironwolf, two 8tb WD Red, one 3tb WD Red
SSD – one 500gb WD Blue
Intel NIC Card Gigabit (probably not needed with new mboard)

Proposed New Hardware
CPU – Intel 14500, 13500 or 12600
Mboard – Uncertain
RAM – G.Skill 32gb DDR4 or DDR5

I thought this might make for an interesting discussion. I used to strictly be a pantser, having no idea exactly what I would write until I sat down to write it. I was never one for outlines of any sort, and this stayed the case for a while. Somewhere along the line, though, I started making plans for my fics in advance.
It started with just a bullet point list of the main plot point for each upcoming chapter of my longest fic. Then, I made a real, genuine outline document for my first plot-heavy fic because I wanted my plot to be coherent. It was a lot of work, but it was extremely helpful in carrying out the vision for the fic. Ever since then, I've at least written brief summaries of each chapter in advance for a lot of my fics. There was a fic I started with no outline, but I've returned to it now and I found myself writing up an outline for the next 12 or so chapters so I could pace the reveals I want to drop throughout the story. I didn't used to be like this, but I'm now a believer in the power of outlines (at least for plot-based fics, or fics with a lot of moving parts that I don't want to lose track of tiny details on). I don't think I'll outline every single one of my fics or anything, but I never thought I'd be the person who was outlining any of them to begin with!
Have you ever experienced a shift like this with your own writing? Or are there any of you who might have gone in the opposite direction, where you started as a plotter but became more of a pantser over time? I'm really curious to see if this is something that changes for a lot of people.
EDIT:// Just in case you're unfamiliar with the terms, a "plotter" is someone who outlines or plots out their fic in advance, while a "pantser" writes by the seat of their pants (no outlines/minimal to no planning).

https://imgur.com/a/31mWvM5
Selling an almost new Western Mountaineering Alder MF 6FT Sleeping Bag 31oz. I used it for a one week backpacking trip last year and do not plan to do anymore backpacking. It is very clean and does not have any weird smells to it because I used a liner bag with it. I will also included the liner bag too if you want it.The stuff sack and storage bag that came with it will also be included. The tags will also be included. Looking to get $400 for it and will be glad to cover the shipping expenses as long as you live in the US. If you have any questions, please feel free to direct message or to shoot me a reply on here. Thanks.

https://imgur.com/a/31mWvM5
Selling an almost new Western Mountaineering Alder MF 6FT Sleeping Bag 31oz. I used it for a one week backpacking trip last year and do not plan to do anymore backpacking. It is very clean and does not have any weird smells to it because I used a liner bag with it. I will also included the liner bag too if you want it.The stuff sack and storage bag that came with it will also be included. The tags will also be included. Looking to get $400 for it and will be glad to cover the shipping expenses as long as you live in the US. If you have any questions, please feel free to direct message or to shoot me a reply on here. Thanks.

Hey everyone! I back again with some more funny shenanigans with our good pals Lerson and Silversmith. Thank you all for the great feedback for the last chapter, it really made my day. I'm excited to hear what you all think about this next one. Hope you all enjoy!
And again a special thanks to SpacePaladin15 for the NoP universe! __________
[First] [Next] __________
Memory Transcription Subject: Lerson, Undercover Farsul Date [standardized human time]: October 24, 2136
How did I get here? Just yesterday I was running for my life through the forest on this backwater planet and now I am sitting in the back of a vehicle with a predator, who thinks that I am some kind of hunting beast. Well… what do I do now?
The first part of my plan went off without a hitch. The simple minded predators had not realized I was not one of their slave beasts, so they released me from their holding pens. However, I am now trapped in a car right alongside my new predatory master.
Maybe I could try to take it down. It doesn’t seem particularly dexterous at least compared to the other predators I have seen. It is not looking at me now, so I would have the upper hand, but it is nearly twice my size. I will probably have to hold out for a little bit longer before I make my move.
I am suddenly pulled from my thoughts when the predator in the front seat begins to growl, “Car, can you bring me to the pet store, please?”
‘Pet Store,’ what is that? My translator says that it is a place for the sale of animals. Is it going to sell me already? Maybe I am just being sent to my new prison. My heart races as I watch the vehicle begin to slow down and come to a stop in front of the building. The elderly predator gets out of the vehicle and walks around to the door next to me. Oh no! This isn’t part of the plan. I thought I was finally out of that place, but now I am just about to get locked up again. The door opens.
“Okay bud, we’re gonna get you some things,” it said. Huh. I am not getting sold? The predator grabbed the end of the rope around my neck and beckoned me out of the vehicle. I chose to oblige and we slowly made our way towards the nearby building.
It was a small structure that looked like it was in disrepair. It makes sense that the predators would not upkeep their buildings all they care about is killing and eating. I was surprised to find that they even have buildings to begin with.
The old one pushed the door open, which produced a soft jingle as we walked in. First thing I noticed was the intense smell. It was almost overwhelming with how many different scents there were. Looking around the aisles of the shop were very narrow and the shelves were packed with different items. “Um, so the lady at the shelter suggested that I get food, bowls, a bed, and… I don’t really remember what else. That’s probably fine to begin with, we can always come back later.”
We walked down one of the narrow aisles, which had dozens of bags of ‘kibble.’ My translator says it is “ground meal shaped into pellets, especially for pet food.” That does not sound very appetizing. The predator stops and starts looking through the different options. I also start to look around. The bag nearest to me has an ingredients list. Luckily I opted for the built in visual translator. Scanning the ingredients it contains mostly different grains and other fillers, which is surprising from predator food, but it also lists ‘animal byproducts’ which sounds horrifying. I guess whatever the Terrans do not end up eating gets tossed to the lesser predators.
“Let’s get this one. It says it’s for ‘senior’ dogs. Ha! That’s something we’ve go in common”
Really?! Do I look that old to everyone? By the Tenants, maybe I need to dye my fur after I get out of this mess. We continued going around the store picking up items until we got to the counter near the front.
Speaking to the predator behind the counter my ‘master’ says, “Good afternoon Bobby. How’s everything going?”
The young predator behind the counter responds, “Not too great, Mr. Silversmith.”
“Oh. I spose that was a bad question to ask, sorry.”
“It's okay sir, there is just a lot going on. I’m glad that my parents and I are all fine, being out here in the country, but my brother works in the city and we still don’t know if he’s alright.”
“I’m sorry to hear that. I hope for the best.”
“Thank you. Now what can I do for you?”
“Oh I’m just buying some supplies for old Buddy over here,” he gestures down to me.
The clerk looks over the counter towards me, “Uh… Mr. Silversmith…” The old predator cuts him off, “I know he aint the best lookin’, but can’t say much about myself either, so I don’t need to hear it.”
“Sure… Well… let me ring that all up for you then.”
Spekh! That one has to know, right? Perhaps these predators are not as dense as I thought and the one I got is just really stupid. Well at least that helps my plan, but I will still have to be careful around other Terrans.
The old one finishes paying and we head back down to the vehicle and it drives off. After about [~34 minutes] we reach what I think is the elderly predator's den.
It is at the end of a very long dirt roadway, tucked among the trees, that I see the structure. Just like the pet shop it is a small building made out of simple materials like wood and stone. I suppose the predators really are as primitive as I thought.
The vehicle comes to a halt next to the building and the old one steps out. After he opens my door, I step out of the vehicle as well. I follow him to the entrance of the den, which is a simple wooden door painted bright red. And if I remember correctly that is the color of blood on this planet. So savage!
Upon entering, the interior looks very similar to the outside with wood adorning the walls and floors. Though I was surprised how similar the layout was to the living quarters back at the guild. The room at the entrance looked to be some kind of lounging room with a small couch and rug in the center of the room facing a screen mounted on the opposite wall. To the left of the door was what I could only assume was a kitchen with storage cabinets covering the walls.
The elderly predator returned to the car to retrieve the items it purchased at the ‘pet shop,’ which makes this the best time to do some sleuthing. I made my way past the lounge room into the depths of the den. Past the entrance room was a hallway leading further back. It was adorned with photographs filled with predatory snarls. I did my best to ignore them and worked my way further down the hall.
Up ahead there was a door and upon opening it I found a room which, by the smell of it, must be a lavatory. That really reminded me that I had to go to the bathroom. My cell did not even have a waste pit. I made my way quickly into the room and relieved myself with haste. Once I finished I thought about flushing the ‘evidence,’ but that’s when I heard the front door open again, so I was forced to hurry out of the room.
“Hey Bud! Where did you go?” it growled from the other room. I made my way back to the entrance as quickly as I could manage on all fours. “There you are. So do you like the place?” the predator asked. I did not respond and just looked towards it. “Ha ha, great!” it growled. I did not say anything?
“So I got your food and water bowls over here. Let me go fill them up. You’ve gotta be hungry.”
It walked over to the kitchen with the bowls in hand and filled one with water from the sink. The other bowl, the predator filled with the ‘kibble’ from earlier. Then it placed them both on the floor. It looks like the food situation might not be any better than my previous arrangement at the holding pen.
“Well, I spose I should eat dinner as well.”
It opened the large metal cabinet and began looking through it. I snuck a little closer to get a better look. When I approached I could feel the chill coming off of it, so I could assume that it was some kind of refrigerators unit. Must not be that primitive I suppose. After a bit of scrounging around the refrigerator, the elderly one pulled out a clear plastic container. It was green on the inside. Is it really going to eat rotten flesh!? I guess that is expected of a predator.
As it opened the container I braced my nose for the putrid smell of rotten flesh, but it never came. I watched as the predator poured out leafy greens into a bowl. Huh, a predator is eating plants?
Wait, I do remember that during the Terran’s deceptive talk at Aafa, they had said they were [all-eaters]. I guess that must be true. Watching it eat the greens is making me even hungrier than I was before.
I watched as the elderly predator finished its salad. It brought the bowl and utensils to the sink to begin washing them. I waited in the corner of the kitchen for him to finish and leave. My stomach was killing me and I could only think of the amazing taste of a crisp salad. Finally the predator finished his task and turned away from the sink. It looked towards me and then at the bowls on the floor. “Aren’t you hungry boy? You haven’t touched your food at all… I hope you’re alright. Maybe I need to take you to the vet tomorrow?”
Vet? My translator says that that means ‘animal doctor.’ Even though the average human is pretty oblivious, a doctor will be sure to realize that I’m not really a ‘dog.’ I can not let this Terran take me there. I know what I have to do, but I do not like it. I steel myself as I walk over to the bowl and stare down at its contents. Am I really going to do this? You have to! So, I lower my head and bite down on a mouthful of ‘kibble.’
It… is not that bad? I honestly expected worse.
I suppress the thoughts of the ‘animal byproducts’ in it and swallow. Immediately I wash out my mouth with the water in the second bowl. Then I turn to look at the human who is now snarling at me. I freeze. Did I do something wrong? Did it figure me out?!
“There you go. Ha ha. I was worried for a second there.”
What? Is it happy that I ate? Then why is it snarling at me? Maybe maybe that means that it is happy? These predators are so weird. At least it seems like I have avoided detection once again. Nailed it!
The old predator, having been satisfied, let out a yawn revealing all its sharp teeth… well… most of them were surprisingly quite dull. “Okay bud it's getting late, so I think it's time for me to turn in, but let me get you your bed first,” it said. Reaching into the biggest bag from the pet shop the elderly predator pulled out a round fluffy bowl. It looks similar to beds I saw when working on the Iftali and Sulean homeworld, though this one is a lot smaller. It placed the bed down in the living room next to the couch.
It paused, “Oh wait. I should probably take you outside before turning in for the night. Don’t want a mess in the morning, come on.”
I follow the predator as instructed, wondering what it wants me to do now. It leads me out a side door into a grassy area. “Okay… do your business,” it said.
What? Does it want me to do something? I just look around seeing if there's anything to give me any clues.
“I guess that didn’t work. Go potty.”
What?! Is it commanding me to defecate?! Outside! I guess he does think I am an animal. But there is no way I am doing that especially with it watching me. Why is it watching? Is it some kind of pervert? Grr, Screw the plan!
“Okay… uh… I guess come back in when you’re done,” it says as it turns to walk back to the house.
Thank the Tenants! I wait [a few minutes] and then slip back into the predator’s den. On my return it spots me, “Oh good you’re back!”
It walked over to the side door and locked it. Then the predator shuffled to wall switches and turned off most of the lights. Thankfully it left a singular lamp turned on. It is already bad enough that I am stuck in a predator's den, but being in the dark with a predator would be too much even for me.
“Okay goodnight bud, see you in the morning,” said the old one. Then right as it entered the hall it stopped and looked down at a nearby table, “Good night Ella. Good night Ben. Good night Martha.” Then it walked out of sight.
Who was he talking to? Are there other predators here? I don’t smell anyone else and I think I would have heard them earlier. Spekh! Did I get a crazy one?
Okay craziness aside, I need to eat some real food. I finally stood upright. Ah my back! It was already getting bad enough when I was back home. Hopefully I can get used to this because walking on all fours is killing me right now.
I walk over to the refrigeration unit and slowly open the doors trying to stay quiet. Looking around the inside I am surprised to find so many vegetables. However, I did spot a slab of flesh towards the back, which I did my best to ignore.
Now, I can not just eat anything, it might notice if food is missing. Scrounging around for a [minute] my eyes eventually find a plant in one of the lower drawers. It looks like a big bundle of large leaves. I take it out and pry off one of the ones on the outside. It comes off relatively easily with a crunch. Hopefully this is edible. I bring the leaf to my mouth and bite down. It makes a very satisfying crunch as a do. There really is no distinct taste, but I am so hungry that I don’t even care if it is bland.
I scarfed down the rest of the leaf quickly and then grabbed another and then another. Before I knew it, the bundle was only a third of the original size. So much for being sneaky. Finally satisfied, I returned what remained of the bundle to its proper place and closed the refrigerator doors.
After finishing my raid on the refrigerators, I thought about what the old predator had said earlier. I walked over to the table near the entrance to the hallway. There must be something interesting here. However, there was nothing but a handful of photographs. Looking at them in the dim light I was able to make out the wide snarls that adorned the faces in the photo. I guess It makes more sense now since the snarl is a ‘happy’ expression. It is still very strange to me.
The photo closest to the front had the old predator standing next to a much younger predator, which appeared to be wearing Terran military pelts. Strangely, the young one has very bright orange hair on the top of its head.
Next to that one there was a similar photo, but the old predator looked slightly younger. The other Terran in the photo looked similar to the first. They did share the same bright orange hair, but the enlarged mammaries indicated that this one was a female.
I then spotted another picture including the same female, but this time she was next to a different predator and she was holding a Terran pup, which had the same orange hair. Perhaps the female was the mother of the other one. Most of the other photos appeared to be different combinations of the same four predators: the old one, his offspring, his offspring’s mate, and then their pup.
I moved over to the other side to see if I could find anything more useful. There was a photo that stood out to me. It pictured the old one, but he looked significantly younger even more than the other photos. Standing next to him was a female, which had the same orange hair as the others. Who was this? I had not seen it in any of the other pictures.
I searched around to see if I could find any more with this female in it. Towards the back I saw two pictures next to each other. The one on the left had the female again with the old predator. Laying in a bed she was cradling a newborn pup in her arms. However, the photo on the right was the old one with the pup in its arms. The pup appeared to be a year or two older in this one, but where was the mother? Looking at the older predator I saw the look in his eyes. I know that look. Cerci…
No! They are predators! They are not like us! You know they can not think like us! It's not the same!
Grr, you are tired… just… just go rest. I walk over to the bed. I curl up and try to let sleep take me. __________
[First] [Next] __________
So much for being comedic and lighthearted. I promise that the rest of it won't be so depressing, but I wanted to add a little more substance to some of the characters. Thanks again for reading! Feel free to leave any feedback or suggestions, I really appreciate it.

My (34F) and my fiancé (26M) are doing a very small wedding, courthouse adjacent with our parents, our one brother each, those few who would be in the wedding party, and their dates. Total of 22 people involved. Someone who we’d consider a groomsman is also saying the ceremony. We are following it up with a small seated dinner and then opening a tab at a local bar for any friends and family to join us as the “reception” (yes we are giving the bar plenty of advance notice).
My brother had a semi-messy divorce a few years ago. He is a great dad but neither he nor his wife were good partners to each other. They have two kids (4M & 3F) and share 50/50 custody. They will be our ring beareflower girl as we happened to pick a weekend that is naturally my brother’s with the kids.
I did not know his now ex until they started dating, but we became friends. I was a bridesmaid and attended her bachelorette. We’ve kept in touch a bit but it’s definitely her reaching out more. She has been manipulative in the past with my mom, trying to get info on how my brother is doing with work and has talked about trying to take him back to court for more money, so I avoid conversations when possible but am always very friendly in my replies. Info: one of the reasons they split is because she is very financially irresponsible; my brother pays for all of their kids sports even if they are ones not on his days and makes sure that they are not noticing a different lifestyle between the two houses.
the problem: my brother (and mom) do not want her invited to the little ceremony. She’s been known to make sure everyone knows they are “her kids” at joint events and the kids are less behaved/more emotional when she is around. They will cling to her because they know they will get attention while they would be more independent and social if she were not there.
I feel that it’s mean to not invite her, as her kids are part of the ceremony. I’m also getting regular texts from her asking if wedding plans are progressing. She asked about a bachelorette (I’m not having one) and seems very excited to attend a wedding that she has not been invited to (zero formal invites went out; we asked our little tribe in person).
I sent a message to my mom and brother today to give them a heads up that she was asking me again today and that the kids have been telling her they get to dress up for my wedding when as far as she knows there isn’t one planned yet. I let her know today that we are planning this tiny little thing (didn’t give a date) and she mentioned the kids will be disappointed since they wanted to dress up for my wedding.
My brother responded that I should tell her the whole truth and that she just isn’t invited. I told him it’s mean to not invite her and I’m only not because it’s his preference and so he should have to deal with that conversation. Also for info, when the ex first heard from the kids that I’m getting married and they would be part of it, she was doing a handoff with my mom, who panicked and said no plans were made even though they were.
AITAH to her if I don’t include her or and I the AH to my brother (and the kids who won’t have as much fun; and I guess me since it will alter their ability to be in the wedding) if I say she can come?

**What will you be doing with this PC? Be as specific as possible, and include specific games or programs you will be using.**

I will be using it for multiple different things that sort of tie into eachother
Art, streaming(including video editing), and gaming (nothing to bad, just stuff like overwatch, apex, minecraft, roblox, tf2, dead by daylight etc.) and occaisionally homework

**What is your maximum budget before rebates/shipping/taxes?**

trying to stay around $1500-2000 usd, but willing to go over.

**When do you plan on building/buying the PC? Note: beyond a week or two from today means any build you receive will be out of date when you want to buy.**

ASAP, but it will most likely take a long time for me to be able to afford everything.

**What, exactly, do you need included in the budget? (ToweOS/monitokeyboard/mouse/etc\)**

def include any good monitor suggestions pls!

**Which country (and state/province) will you be purchasing the parts in? If you're in US, do you have access to a Microcenter location?**

from the east coast, closests microcenter is about an hour or two away.

**If reusing any parts (including monitor(s)/keyboard/mouse/etc), what parts will you be reusing? Brands and models are appreciated.**

first build, so no

**Will you be overclocking? If yes, are you interested in overclocking right away, or down the line? CPU and/or GPU?**

uhh probably not, no. honestly i still dont fully understand what overclocking does.

**Are there any specific features or items you want/need in the build? (ex: SSD, large amount of storage or a RAID setup, CUDA or OpenCL support, etc)**

probably going to need a lot of storage art wise and also editing

**Do you have any specific case preferences (Size like ITX/microATX/mid-towefull-tower, styles, colors, window or not, LED lighting, etc), or a particular color theme preference for the components?**

a little cliche; but i would prefer an all white build, and the case im looking to buy is the NZXT h6 flow so stuff that will work with that

**Do you need a copy of Windows included in the budget? If you do need one included, do you have a preference?**

no

**Extra info or particulars:**

im a little conflicted because aesthetics are really important to me but so is performance, and this thing should last me quite a long time so i want to make it pretty since im gonna have to look at is all the time lol
thank you :)

**What will you be doing with this PC? Be as specific as possible, and include specific games or programs you will be using.**

I will be playing a few different games. Fortnite, helldivers, valorant, minecraft, watching some youtube/streaming services. Really basic stuff.

**What is your maximum budget before rebates/shipping/taxes?**

Max is 1500

**When do you plan on building/buying the PC? Note: beyond a week or two from today means any build you receive will be out of date when you want to buy.**

I will probably be buying in a month or so.

**What, exactly, do you need included in the budget? (ToweOS/monitokeyboard/mouse/etc\)**

Tower, os, monitor. I'll find M&k myself but any budget options would be appreciated. I may also continue on controller but, again, I'll take any suggestions.

**Which country (and state/province) will you be purchasing the parts in? If you're in US, do you have access to a Microcenter location?**

In the US but the closest microcenter is 3~ hrs away.

**If reusing any parts (including monitor(s)/keyboard/mouse/etc), what parts will you be reusing? Brands and models are appreciated.**

Don't have anything.

**Will you be overclocking? If yes, are you interested in overclocking right away, or down the line? CPU and/or GPU?**

I know literally nothing, I don't even know what this means but from my understanding no I won't be.

**Are there any specific features or items you want/need in the build? (ex: SSD, large amount of storage or a RAID setup, CUDA or OpenCL support, etc)**

Want to be able to run games on solid frames and solid quality. I want basically like the most slightly above average pc. I am not looking for something special here.

**Do you have any specific case preferences (Size like ITX/microATX/mid-towefull-tower, styles, colors, window or not, LED lighting, etc), or a particular color theme preference for the components?**

I like greyscale colors. I absolutely hate RGB. I don't mind a window but I dont care. NZXT H5 Flow Compact ATX mid tower is nice.

**Do you need a copy of Windows included in the budget? If you do need one included, do you have a preference?**

Yes I need a copy, no i dont have a preference.

**Extra info or particulars:**

Because I am not looking for anything special I don't expect it'll be 1500. I believe in buying quality products so I don't mind paying a little extra for quality pieces. But I am only going to be doing the most casual of gaming and video watching. Casual and quality are the keywords for this build. And black and gray, I suppose.

https://archive.is/BHRHs
Although there are no contested races on the ballot for the annual town election on Tuesday, May 21, voters will usher in a new Selectboard member.
Polls will be open from 10 a.m. to 8 p.m. at the Cowell Gymnasium, 51 Maple St. In-person early voting can also be done on Thursday, May 16, from 11 a.m. to 2 p.m. at Town Hall, 51 Bridge St.
Planning Board member Tricia Yacovone-Biagi is running for a one-year term on the Selectboard in hopes of filling a vacancy left following the death of longtime Selectboard member Robert “Bob” Manners earlier this year.
A Shelburne resident since 2018, Yacovone-Biagi has a background in public health. While working for the Texas state health department, Yacovone-Biagi volunteered as an emergency responder during Hurricanes Katrina and Rita. Now retired, she has since earned a master’s degree in security and resilience studies from Northeastern University.
As a Shelburne resident, Yacovone-Biagi was a member of the COVID-19 Emergency Task Force and a volunteer at flu clinics. She was an election worker in 2020 and, while on the Planning Board, she obtained a $15,000 Municipal Vulnerability Preparedness (MVP) grant to help the town assess its strengths and liabilities during catastrophic weather. She also helped the town obtain a Municipal Energy Technical Assistance grant for the Cowell Gymnasium and is an editor of the Buckland-Shelburne newsletter, Two Town News.
“I believe I bring strong leadership skills,” she said. “I’ve had a lot of experience working with different types of people. I have a capacity for building bridges.”
The ballot is as follows:
■Selectboard, three-year term — Andrew Baker, incumbent
■Selectboard, one-year unexpired term — Tricia Yacovone-Biagi.
■Assessor, three-year term — Joel Dwight, incumbent.
■Town clerk, one-year term — Joseph Judd, incumbent.
■Moderator, one-year term — Roland Giguere, incumbent.
■Shelburne Free Public Library trustee, one-year unexpired term — Tom Webler.
■Shelburne Free Public Library Trustees, two seats with three-year terms — Tom Hale and Emmalee Cross, incumbents.
■Planning Board, five-year term — Vacant.
■Recreation Committee, five-year term — Norman Beebe, incumbent.
■Recreation Committee, four-year unexpired term — Vacant.
■Tree warden, one-year term — James T. Richardson, incumbent.
■Constable, three-year term — Laura Manners, incumbent.

So this is a long one. Like, I'm going back over it and damn. This is longer than I thought it would be. Throwaway account, I've only made one other post to this relating to what's going on. Instead of updating the other post, I figured I'd make a separate one about the whole shit show I experienced, and the shit circus I uncovered and avoided. I'll try to keep this in as chronological an order as I can.
As the title says, my abusive/narc mom and pos/delusional/golden child brother started trying to reach out to me a few months ago wanting to make amends and build bridges with me again. There were a few people that commented on my previous post in another subreddit that may be a little disappointed in me for how I handled this, and a few that might enjoy that I handled it the way I did. Someone commented to not let them use my good nature. My nature is dependent on who I'm dealing with, and when it comes to that side of my family, I'm more stick than carrot. So their attempts did not go ignored, and did not go unpunished.
Growing up, I was always closer with my Dad than my mom. My brother was the epitome of "pampered mamma's boy". He started having seizures as a child and was diagnosed with epilepsy, which I thought was why my mom babied the absolute fuck out of him long into adulthood. He would go a year or 2 without any seizures, and then there would be a few months where he'd be having them every other day. At Anytime he got in trouble at home or school, my mom would find a way to blame me, for not making sure he knew whatever he was doing would get him in trouble, or she would blame my dad for not being "involved enough in their baby's life." My dad was in the Navy and I remember any time he'd deploy, I'd dread every day until he came back. My brother would taunt me that he knew whatever he did, I'd be the one to get in trouble for it. My dad would always make things up for me when he got back from his deployments though. We'd often have weekend trips just the 2 of us. And then around my 12th birthday, my mom insisted on sitting us all down and explain to that she and my dad were getting a divorce. We got the whole talk about how they still love us and they just can't be together anymore, etc. my dad told us both that he still loved us and he would be there for us whenever we needed him. He explained that he would be moving out, but he would be by to pick us up to spend the weekends with us. I was nervous and honestly scared of what it would be like without him. But I was looking forward to the weekend when I got to see him again. That never happened though, and that was the last time I ever got to see him.
Right before his weekend with us, my mom explained to us that my dad didn't want anything to do with us anymore. There was some news story about a father that killed his kids when he had custody of them and she used that to terrify my brother and convince him that our dad wanted to kill us to start his life over. We left damn near everything behind and moved in with my mom's brother in Florida (from Virginia) a couple days before my dad was supposed to come get us. After that, she went to great lengths to make sure we had no contact from him.
Years went on, my mom seemed more indifferent towards me than ever. She never seemed interested in anything I did unless my brother also seemed interested in it. She didn't show any interest in my wanting to learn guitar until my brother also showed interest in it. Then we got one guitar that we had to share, I'd take lessons on the condition that I taught my brother whatever I learned in them. My brother eventually wound up breaking the guitar and I was blamed for not storing it in the case it came with. I had to share my N64 with him whenever he wanted to play it. I was playing perfect dark one day and having a hard time killing the skedar leader at the end of the game. My brother burst into the room saying he wanted to play his MegaMan game, to which I just replied "give me a minute, this boss fight is hard, once I'm done you can have your turn" He didn't like that. He left the room and came back with a hammer and smashed the console while I was still playing. My fault for not letting him play it. The only thing I had that he could not use was a pair of roller blades my aunt got me for my 14th birthday. I specifically asked for roller blades to get around instead of a bike because my brother and I had different shoe sizes, so he couldn't wear them Because of constant shit like that, I never really put much value in having things growing up. I didnt want to buy something or get something as a gift just to have it fucked up in a few weeks or months. At some point, my "little" brother became the larger one, so my clothes all became "hand-me-ups" as he outgrew everything. So, because I didn't really have any distractions at home, I turned into a high achieving student, rarely got in trouble. made the honor roll all throughout school. But that wasn't something to celebrate as it was expected of me. I had long since decided that I was moving out as soon as I could once I turn 18. I got a job working at a Walgreens as soon as I could and started saving up for a car. My mom however took issue with this and would never agree to take me looking for one and absolutely refused to ever have it put on her insurance. This is where my Aunt comes in. She and her son are the only 2 on my mom's side that aren't some sort of degenerate. She had her son young, but put herself through college while raising him alone and eventually got her MBA and a cushy upper corporate job. She told me to tell my mom I had to go in to work on one of my days off, that she would pick me up and she would take me car shopping. So that's what we did. I couldn't quite afford a cash car, but she helped me with the financing. I put down what I had as the down payment, the arrangement she made with me was that 1- as long as I was in school, she would cover the insurance and payments for me, however, if I got into an accident, I was responsible for paying the deductable. And 2- as long as i was living with my mom, the car remained in her (Aunt's) name. And if anything happened to it, to let her know so she could get the appropriate authorities involved. My mom was PISSED when she found out I now had a car. Her reasoning (that she said in front of my aunt) was that she didn't think it was fair for one of us-either me or my brother- to have something the other couldn't use. Due to him being 13 and having epilepsy, he couldn't drive, so why should i have a car if my brother doesn't? That turned into a long shouting match between my mom and Aunt that basically ended with my aunt explaining that since it was her car, and all paperwork on her name, I was just on the insurance for it so I could drive it. But if anything at all happened to it while I was living at my Mom's, that the police and insurance companies would get involved. My mom still kept track of all the miles on the car to "make sure I was only going to work and school and wherever she told me I could go". Most of the time, when I hung out with friends, I wasn't the one driving. From that that point though, my mindset was very much "keep my head down and nose clean until I can leave." I graduated a month before my 18th birthday. After graduation, my mom and i got into an argument about me contributing to her bills. I eventually dropped the ball that I planned on getting back in touch with my Dad and leaving. She started laughing. Something about that laugh made me really uncomfortable. She then said "well, you can certainly meet up with him whenever you want! I'll supply the gun if you buy the bullet!" And told me my dad had died when I was 15. That. Fucking. Broke. Me. Later that night, i called my best friend and vented everything to him. He was in the DEP program for the Navy and would be shipping out in a few months, he told me to come by first thing in the morning and talk with him and his parents about the whole situation. I basically packed up all of my clothes and left the day after my 18th birthday. I just left my house key and a note that said "I'm not your problem anymore." I couch surfed for a little while until after my best friend left for boot camp, then I was able to move in and live with his parents (chosen parents basically). My only real rules were keep the house and my space clean and make sure I had a job and/or going to school. I spent a few months mourning my dad and kind of in a haze. Since he was in the Navy though, that meant I was reliable for financial aid for school. My second dad helped me get everything put together to start receiving that so I could start college.
Well, after a couple years of this, my brother, who had spent his time at school more as "forced socializing" instead of learning, was expelled from public schools for allegedly setting off a fire extinguisher in a classroom. He had to enroll at an alternative school called "the drop back-in academy" that was specifically for dropouts or anyone that got the boot from the public school system. My mom reached out to me and asked me if I would drive him to this school in the mornings, she'd pick him up in the afternoons, and she'd pay me $20 a week.I agreed to it thinking this was out of character for her, but she surprisingly held up to that agreement. I drove him for a couple years until I was ready to start my bachelor program. My second parents were getting ready to move back to their hometown and I was going to start school on the other side of the city. So, I was moving to that side of town and couldn't really drive out of my way to pick up and drop off my brother anymore. He continued his enrollment at this place for another 3 years (5 years total) and it turned out, he was never attending. I would drop his ass off there every day and he'd just walk home immediately after I pulled out of the parking lot. He'd just tell my mom that he finished his work early and decided to walk home instead of wait around for her. One afternoon, I'm coming home early from work and my brother is just sitting on the steps to my studio apartment. He tells me that he and our mom got into a really big argument and he needs a place to stay. I (reluctantly) let him in. I'm stuck thinking he must be really desperate if he's coming to me for help. But I start thinking at this point, he's 24, jobless, and probably needs to learn some self discipline and responsibility, and our mom just never did that for him. So I try to help. I ask him what their fight was about and he tells me that he started dating this girl at his alternative school. She was 21 and got the boot from the school system for being too old to attend (we actually have several relatives that were kicked out of the school system for the same reason) and that he accidentally got her pregnant and our mom did not take kindly to that. I called my landlord and explained the situation to him. He was okay with it, so I let him crash on my couch for a little bit (until the end of my lease, then I'd be moving) and just told him to clean up after himself, take care of himself, etc until we could all work this out. He crashed there for a few months and did Jack shit. He would complain that I didn't have a computer for him to use (I only had a laptop I bought for school) and I didn't have any video game consoles for him to entertain himself with. So he was stuck there bored all day. I got tired of the complaining and lack of effort and told him he had to go back to our mom's if he wasn't going to be an adult. We started shouting at each other until he dropped this little bombshell. He yelled "I can't go back to Mom's!" And when I asked why, he just blurted out "because it's to close to that elementary school!" That stopped the whole thing. "And why is that a big deal now?" I asked him. I already knew why that would be the problem, but 1% of me was holding onto the hope that he was got jumped by a gang of 5th graders and the trauma was too much for him to bear. I told him he could either tell me what's going on, or I could make a phone call and get every last detail I needed. He confessed that he had been leaving that school and going over to his "girlfriend's" house and waiting for her to get home. And that one day, her mom ended up catching them in the act. I explained to him that he was leaving out important details if that was the reason he couldn't be near a school.
He told me she was 14, not 21. I. Lost. My. Shit. Everything after that is kinda fuzzy, but he was arrested, mom posted bail, and since she lived right around the corner from an elementary school, he couldn't stay there. So they told his parole officer that he'd be staying at my address until his court date.. his PO had swung by a couple times, but I was always either at work or school or out somewhere. At this point, I told him the lease was up in 6 weeks, I couldn't stand to be around him. I packed my stuff early, moved out into a storage unit, and I stayed at an extended stay hotel until it was time for me to move. Called my landlord and told him what was going on, and if my brother was still there the last week of the lease, nail him for trespassing. My landlord was a good guy. I never had any problems with him. I paid up the last 6 weeks and threw him since extra cash for his troubles as I knew I wouldn't be getting my deposit back. That was the last time I saw my brother. After I moved out of state, I cut all contact with everyone in that family except my Aunt who was the only one that ever helped me out or even had my back. But even then, it was just through email. We'd mainly email birthday and holiday wishes to each other. Updates from my side on how life and career are going.
I never had a myspace or a Facebook growing up. I either never had a computer to check it on, or I was just so accustomed to not having any online distractions that I just never got around to making one. I did finally make a Facebook and I did get in touch with my dad's side of the family and reconnected with them. I hadn't seem most of them since I was 4 or 5. Some of them had been in contact with my brother (he fucking knew our dad died) and was spinning some sort of web about how he graduated high school early, had gone to college for pre-med and then got some sort of full ride scholarship to some prestigious medical school in Florida. He told them I wasn't on social media because I had been arrested for selling drugs and that he was taking me in after I got released. He was also using my senior portrait as a profile pic. They were surprised when they saw me and how I "looked just like my brother!" I had set the record straight. They looked dumbfounded when I told them that he couldn't get himself out of the 9th grade in 10 years, and now would likely never complete his high school journey due to the fact he can't be within 100 yards of a school.
So, fast forward to last week. I checked my email for the first time since late January (for my aunt's birthday) and noticed a few from her saying my mom wanted to reach out, then several emails from a new address. It was my mom's first initial and last name. Subject lines usually read "please respond" and "let me know you're okay" and stuff like that. I'd copy some of them over, but holy shit this is already a novella. Basically she got my email address from sneaking my aunt's phone (aunt did not sell me out). She's trying to apologize for how she treated me growing up and trying to excuse it by saying I reminded her of my dad and then she was going through menopause and just any excuse to dishes full accountability it seems. She acknowledges that it was wrong to hold me accountable for my brother's fuck-ups but dismisses that by saying he didn't know any better and she needed me to be a good role model for him. Things have been hard for her since I left, since she "had" to take my brother back in (I would've left him on the street or in jail), she had to sell her house (she was only 10 years into her mortgage) and buy another smaller one further from a school for him. He never did get a hs diploma or GED because how can he? And she's been going through breast cancer treatment for the last several months and just doesn't have the energy to take care of her 33yo baby anymore. She asked me if I lived close enough to them to take him in for a little bit while she focuses on her health. I left Florida 8 years ago and haven't even lived in the same time zone in 6 years. She can only check her email at work since she no longer has Internet at home. She had to cancel her home Internet service because of him. So, I decided to just put my brother's name into a search bar and the first thing that pops up is a FDLE sex offender's page. And holy shit has he gone downhill. He had a second arrest when he was 27 for the same thing, and then was caught in communications with another girl (like Chris Hansen sting) and was released from prison at the beginning of the year. And the mugshot.... You know the pale lady from the scary stories to tell in the dark movie? Think that, but with a patchy beard. Beady eyes, bad skin and all. According to the sheriff's office inmate search, he's been arrested 5 times in the last 10 years. Twice for lewd and lascivious battery of a minor (aged 12-15), once for solicitation of a minor, and twice for probation violations.
The TL/DR: abusive mom took all her frustrations out on me, blamed me for everything my brother did, hid my father's death from me until I was almost 18, and reaches out after 8 years of no contact and wants me to take care of her pedophile son while she's in poor health.
I'm attaching my response to her below.
Hi. I'm alive. I'm well. I'm also not okay with you contacting me, especially under the circumstances that you violated the privacy of your own sister to get my contact information. I have read your apologies and excuses and I do not accept either. You say I reminded you of Dad? He spent more time with me and showed more interest in my well-being than you ever did, and that's including the 6 years he was absent from my life by your own selfish design. Menopause? I find that hard to believe as this went on for the better part of half a decade and not once in that time did your attitude towards brother change. You always treated him with the same coddling infantile obsession and patience that one would show a toddler. It was and is clear that you have a preferred child as that adult-sized pile of shit is still living comfortably with dear old mama. I'm guessing no one else is willing to take him in? Are Uncle and Cousins afraid of him doing something to their daughters or grandchildren? I do believe you when you say you want to rebuild the bridge that you nuked from orbit years ago, but I can't believe it's not for your own selfish desires. And I can't find any reason or way my quality of life could be improved with your presence. The reality is, my life has been far better without you than it could be with you. I've never said this to anyone, but if there is a sense of karma and balance in the universe, your current situation is proof of that. The next time I see your name on my computer screen, had better be for your obituary. But since you and the monster you raised both decided to keep Dad's death a secret from me, and remove any choice I had to mourn or pay my respects, I'll return that kindness to you.
Please die away from me.

a quick video i did of my build, plan In doing a more in depth one
https://youtu.be/mlDx4DWvGmE?si=tT1CNMkszQAaG6qPCar
specs
FRONT
SSD Rally light bar-Ebay
4-7 inch 51 W OEDRO Offroad lights-Amazon
42 inch Lightbar 240W-Amazon
Nilight led 60w ditch lights-Amazon
Lights are powered by a fuse box I wired up and a switch that is mounted in the fuse box tray
SUSPENSION2 Inch ironman spacer lift
Stock wheels (plasti dipped black)
4- Falken Wildpeaks 225/60/17
Primitive racing skid plates for the under armor
ROOF
Weize 54x34 roof rack-Amazon
AOFUXTI Tactical shovel-Amazon
LIANTRAL Camping axe-Amazon
X-Bull recovery traction Boards-Amazon
20L 5 Gallon jerry can and holder-bay
Plano Storage box-Academy sports
Hedgfox 3500lbs winch-Ebay

a quick video i did of my build, plan In doing a more in depth one
https://youtu.be/mlDx4DWvGmE?si=tT1CNMkszQAaG6qPCar
specs
FRONT
SSD Rally light bar-Ebay
4-7 inch 51 W OEDRO Offroad lights-Amazon
42 inch Lightbar 240W-Amazon
Nilight led 60w ditch lights-Amazon
Lights are powered by a fuse box I wired up and a switch that is mounted in the fuse box tray
SUSPENSION2 Inch ironman spacer lift
Stock wheels (plasti dipped black)
4- Falken Wildpeaks 225/60/17
Primitive racing skid plates for the under armor
ROOF
Weize 54x34 roof rack-Amazon
AOFUXTI Tactical shovel-Amazon
LIANTRAL Camping axe-Amazon
X-Bull recovery traction Boards-Amazon
20L 5 Gallon jerry can and holder-bay
Plano Storage box-Academy sports
Hedgfox 3500lbs winch-Ebay

a quick video i did of my build, plan In doing a more in depth one
https://youtu.be/mlDx4DWvGmE?si=tT1CNMkszQAaG6qPCar
specs
FRONT
SSD Rally light bar-Ebay
4-7 inch 51 W OEDRO Offroad lights-Amazon
42 inch Lightbar 240W-Amazon
Nilight led 60w ditch lights-Amazon
Lights are powered by a fuse box I wired up and a switch that is mounted in the fuse box tray
SUSPENSION2 Inch ironman spacer lift
Stock wheels (plasti dipped black)
4- Falken Wildpeaks 225/60/17
Primitive racing skid plates for the under armor
ROOF
Weize 54x34 roof rack-Amazon
AOFUXTI Tactical shovel-Amazon
LIANTRAL Camping axe-Amazon
X-Bull recovery traction Boards-Amazon
20L 5 Gallon jerry can and holder-bay
Plano Storage box-Academy sports
Hedgfox 3500lbs winch-Ebay

a quick video i did of my build, plan In doing a more in depth one
https://youtu.be/mlDx4DWvGmE?si=tT1CNMkszQAaG6qPCar
specs
FRONT
SSD Rally light bar-Ebay
4-7 inch 51 W OEDRO Offroad lights-Amazon
42 inch Lightbar 240W-Amazon
Nilight led 60w ditch lights-Amazon
Lights are powered by a fuse box I wired up and a switch that is mounted in the fuse box tray
SUSPENSION2 Inch ironman spacer lift
Stock wheels (plasti dipped black)
4- Falken Wildpeaks 225/60/17
Primitive racing skid plates for the under armor
ROOF
Weize 54x34 roof rack-Amazon
AOFUXTI Tactical shovel-Amazon
LIANTRAL Camping axe-Amazon
X-Bull recovery traction Boards-Amazon
20L 5 Gallon jerry can and holder-bay
Plano Storage box-Academy sports
Hedgfox 3500lbs winch-Ebay

It’s the middle of the schoolyear, the girl’s gym. One corner is doing the fitnessgram, while the rest of the gym is dedicated to … volleyball. Volleyball has taken the school, especially the girls, by storm lately. Almost every girl in the class of 2024 honors program has played volleyball in the gym or during lunch at least 5 times. With this popularity, it only makes sense to create a space where students can play volleyball during the summer.
My proposed plan is to create a summer volleyball club or camp. The program will last most of the summer, and will be split into a July program and August program; both will be the same thing and students can opt to join one or both. The program will be run by 1 or 2 teachers OR volunteers and utilize the schoolyard and gyms. There will be no fee to pay and hopefully, there will be 35-60 seats available. Sign-ups should begin in the middle of June and run throughout the last day of school. Also, a small poll conducted earlier gave surprising results: 7 out of every 10 students on average supported this new volleyball program. With this support, the program is guaranteed to fill at least 50% full.
The program will also support the NYC DOE’s efforts to boost physical activity and fitness among their pupils. This program will give similar results to personal fitness training, and will boost kids both physically and mentally. The program has already received positive feedback from many students, with one frequent volleyball player saying “It’ll give me something to do in the summer”.
That stated, the school should create a summer volleyball club/camp program, as it will benefit the participants both physically and mentally.

I do have a question, am I crazy for considering a trade-in for a hybrid CRV? but there are a lot of issues with this car. I mean I love it -it's new and shiny, has acceptable pick- up (but it certainly isn't my son's BMW). I got the all wheel drive and now I regret that somewhat, the mileage is pretty bad like 19 miles per gallon- maybe 25 miles per gallon. I don't know if the display is accurate. I traded in my 2012 Honda CRV that was in near mint condition. What I notice is that the 2024 is less well built than my 2012 Honda. The door gasket/seals seem nonfunctional. I drove to the desert and back a few times, I'm in Southern California and I went to Joshua tree a few times. In the rain and so forth. door jams get dirty, dusty and splattered. I have to hand clean them. I didn't have this problem with my 2012 -the door seals were really good, I never had to clean inside the door jams! The interior is a little different and the storage situation in the front seat is terrible compared to the 2012! now that the middle compartment is raised up and becomes the armrest, anytime I need to get some thing my passenger has to move their arm. The 2012, the compartment was lower down and had a sliding lid on it and there was one arm rest for the driver so if I needed to grab some thing in that compartment I didn't disturb my passenger and there just seems less places to put things like extra bottles or a notepad, losing the space on the dashboard because of the little screen has been super annoying. I've been driving it for five months and it's still bugs me that I have less space for small incidental stuff. Surprising that they would make it cheaper than the 2012 and that I'm dealing with dirt and dust and water spray getting inside under the doors when I never had to deal with that before. When you go through your car wash of course that doesn't get cleaned! Would love any comments or suggestions and trying to think of some crazy way to not lose a bunch of money trading in for a Honda hybrid to save on the gas and maybe get a little more power as well