Diagrams of cat arteries

Where can I sell this book? I badly need funds

2024.05.13 07:20 kimchiricelover Where can I sell this book? I badly need funds

Where can I sell this book? I badly need funds
Where can I find buyer for this book? It has been sitting on my shelf for weeks now and I badly need funds. I tried posting it to groups and it didnt work.
Please help me sell my book. I badly need funds for our thesis in school. ₱800
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2024.05.13 03:39 Lab_Software Version 5 - with thanks to everyone who helped with Version 4

Version 5 - with thanks to everyone who helped with Version 4
https://preview.redd.it/b7bncbowm30d1.png?width=805&format=png&auto=webp&s=81ff920c9b033dcef6f1125fa2264732b36e3215
Hi All,
I thought I posted this yesterday, but I can't find it so I must not have clicked the Post button. My apologies if this is a repeat.
My thanks to u/MonkeyMD3 and u/UK_UK_UK_Deleware_UK for taking the time and effort to do mock-ups based on my version 4. This is an amalgam of both their ideas as well as some of my modifications.
Thanks too to u/ReasonableKitchen658 for also making a mock-up for me. I'm sorry that I only noticed your mock-up just before (originally?) posting this version 5 so I haven't had the time to study it closely. (Also thanks for suggesting the elevator - I've got that in this version.)
Thanks to u/Stargate525 for explaining the impact of a square house on the roof construction. A question on that is whether a house like this can have a flat roof. You'll see there are many walls that go straight through the length of the house (both horizontally and vertically). These are shown in RED. If these are constructed as load-bearing walls would they be able to support a flat roof of this size?
u/interior-berginer also contributed with the suggestion to enter from the garage through a mud room rather than directly into the pantry.
As always, comments and critiques are welcome and appreciated.
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2024.05.12 02:55 Robertsonian Great mistake

Almost done with UWorld first time system wise, have not been taking notes at all. I feel like i forgot everything and need to remind myself with the content. And I am currently started doing CMS.
I am asking about which notes are hy and collecting all the algorithms/management plans like the UW tables and diagrams. I have 3 options but can not determine which is the more concise and hy, to save my time with doing it.
Options are Inner circle, schizo cat, and Mehlman.
And if you guys tried them, plz help me about the content of them. Do they cover UW/CMS/NBME content? How lengthy they are and how much time should I dedicate for reviewing the notes?
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2024.05.10 13:00 smartybrome Udemy Free Courses for 10 May 2024

Udemy Free Courses for 10 May 2024

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2024.05.10 12:59 smartybrome Udemy Free Courses for 10 May 2024

Udemy Free Courses for 10 May 2024

Note : Coupons might expire anytime, so enroll as soon as possible to get the courses for FREE.
GET MORE FREE ONLINE COURSES WITH CERTIFICATE – CLICK HERE
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2024.05.10 10:30 adulting4kids Figures of Speech AI Response

For the sheer fun of it, I went to Chat GPT with a creative writing assignment. For Figures of Speech prompts, I gave a free parameters, including the word length of 500-1000 words and the prompts for a few of the Fifty mentioned in the series.
I gave the AI creative license and let's just say, they're a long way off from replacing the better writers and I think it just makes it easier to do those lower level tasks and let's leave the creators a slightly higher level of skill to create actual tangible and engaging writing.
But here you go... hilarious how stuck it gets on certain terms and definitions.
These are in no particular order... separated by emojis that are totally unrelated to the storyline.
🫱🫱🫱🫱🫱🫱🫱🫱🫲🫲🫲🫲🫲🫲🫲🫲 Response to Prompt 4: Understatement
In the quaint town of Brooksville, where the extraordinary was often met with an indifferent shrug, something truly remarkable occurred. The residents, sipping coffee at the local diner or strolling along the cobblestone streets, would describe it as just another peculiar day. Little did they know that beneath the surface of their nonchalant existence, a cosmic event unfolded.
The morning sun cast its usual warm glow on Brooksville, with birds chirping in the background, creating an illusion of normalcy. However, the anomaly had already begun. Mrs. Higgins, the elderly librarian, dismissed it as a minor inconvenience, merely a glitch in the library's ancient computer system. Yet, every book cataloged within those ancient shelves had transformed into a portal, connecting readers to parallel universes with every turn of a page.
As I, a humble journalist for the local paper, stumbled upon this revelation, I couldn't help but marvel at the town's response—or lack thereof. "The library's having a bit of a moment," was the most anyone would acknowledge. It seemed the whole town collectively decided that this was, at most, a quirky hiccup.
For a thousand words, I delved into the understated reactions of the townsfolk, each encounter with a parallel universe bringing its own blend of confusion and nonchalance. As the portals expanded, revealing fantastical landscapes and alternate versions of Brooksville, the citizens maintained an impressive level of calm, as if interdimensional travel was a routine part of their daily lives.
The plot thickened when I discovered that the portals were a result of a mysterious artifact hidden within the library's archives. The mayor, sipping his coffee, remarked, "Well, that explains the strange noises in the basement." It became evident that the understatement of the situation was a defense mechanism, shielding the town from the cosmic chaos unfolding. 🎁🎁🎁🎁🎁🎁🎁🎁🎁🎁🎁🎁🎁🎁 Response to Prompt 12: Juxtaposition
In the bustling metropolis of Neon City, skyscrapers touched the heavens, their dazzling lights reflecting off the sleek surfaces of futuristic cars. Yet, nestled within this urban jungle, an ancient relic stood defiantly—the Old Grove Park.
As I strolled through the city's concrete arteries, the juxtaposition between the modernity of Neon City and the timeless serenity of the park became increasingly apparent. The cacophony of traffic was replaced by the rustling of leaves and the distant laughter of children playing.
The central conflict emerged when the city council, embodying the epitome of order, proposed transforming the park into a technologically advanced hub. The juxtaposition intensified as architects discussed plans for holographic playgrounds and virtual reality gardens within the confines of the Old Grove Park.
Through a thousand words, I explored the clash of ideals, the struggle between progress and preservation. The ancient trees became silent witnesses to heated debates at town hall meetings, where environmentalists and tech enthusiasts engaged in a battle of words. The juxtaposition of the towering skyscrapers against the gnarled branches of the park's oldest tree mirrored the tension in Neon City's collective conscience. 😫😫😫😫😫😫😫😫😫😫😫😫😫😫 Response to Prompt 31: Epanalepsis
"What is the meaning of life?" The question echoed in my mind, a relentless epanalepsis that demanded exploration. As I embarked on this freewriting journey, the repetition of the existential inquiry became the rhythm of my introspection.
For a thousand words, I delved into the varied perspectives of individuals wrestling with the ultimate question. From philosophers contemplating the intricacies of existence to everyday people seeking purpose in mundane routines, the epanalepsis served as a constant reminder of the universal quest for meaning.
The narrative weaved through different characters and their unique experiences, creating a tapestry of reflections that echoed the complexities of human existence. The repetitive structure became a literary heartbeat, pulsating with the shared yearning for understanding amid the chaotic symphony of life. 🪔🪔🪔🪔🪔🪔🪔🪔🪔🪔🪔🪔🪔 Response to Prompt 27: Symbolism
In the quaint town of Willowbrook, the arrival of a single dove carried profound significance. Its graceful descent into the town square was a symbol, an omen that whispered of impending change. As a budding novelist with a penchant for symbolism, I couldn't resist exploring the layers of meaning embedded in this seemingly mundane event.
For a thousand words, I dissected the impact of the dove on the lives of Willowbrook's residents. The mayor saw it as a sign of prosperity, the local florist interpreted it as a call for unity, and the elderly storyteller regarded it as a harbinger of forgotten tales. The dove's symbolism rippled through the town, influencing decisions and shaping destinies.
As the story unfolded, I traced the journey of the dove's symbolism, following its subtle influence on characters and events. The once quaint town underwent a transformative metamorphosis, and the symbolism of the dove became a thread that wove through the narrative, connecting disparate lives in unexpected ways. 💜💜💜💜💜💜💜💜💜💜💜💜💜💜 Response to Prompt 33: Catachresis
In the dimly lit alleyways of Serpent's Hollow, darkness wrapped its cold arms around me—an eerie catachresis that mirrored the ominous atmosphere. The assignment was to explore the underbelly of the city, and as a novice reporter, I found myself navigating the labyrinth of deceit and shadows.
For a thousand words, I delved into the catachresis-infused descriptions of the characters populating Serpent's Hollow. The crime lord, known as the Velvet Serpent, ruled the district with a velvet-gloved fist. His lair, a dilapidated mansion, exuded an air of faded grandeur that served as a catachresis for the empire he once commanded.
As I chronicled the criminal underworld, the catachresis became a literary tool to convey the complexity and decay inherent in Serpent's Hollow. The labyrinthine plots, the twisted allegiances, and the morally ambiguous characters all found expression through catachresis, painting a vivid picture of a city where metaphor and reality intertwined. 🧑‍🔧🧑‍🔧🧑‍🔧🧑‍🔧🧑‍🔧🧑‍🔧🧑‍🔧🧑‍🔧🧑‍🔧🧑‍🔧🧑‍🔧🧑‍🔧🧑‍🔧 Response to Prompt 43: Epizeuxis
"Never, never, never give up." The words echoed in my mind, a relentless epizeuxis that fueled the protagonist's journey against insurmountable odds. In the dystopian world I crafted, where hope was a rare commodity, the power of repetition became a beacon of resilience.
For a thousand words, I immersed myself in the protagonist's struggle, exploring the emotional depth of the epizeuxis as a mantra against despair. Each iteration of the phrase became a battle cry, a whispered promise that carried the weight of a shattered world on its shoulders.
As the narrative unfolded, the epizeuxis became a driving force, propelling the protagonist through a landscape of desolation and uncertainty. The repetition served as a reminder that, in the face of adversity, the strength to persist often lies in the relentless echo of one's own determination.
Response to Prompt 50: Acrostic
As the final rays of the setting sun painted the sky in hues of orange and pink, I found myself at the edge of the cliff overlooking the vast expanse of the ocean. The salty breeze carried whispers of a story, and with every breath, I embraced the challenge of crafting an acrostic that encapsulated the essence of my journey.
For a thousand words, I embarked on a reflective exploration, utilizing the initial letters of key words to weave a tapestry of emotions, experiences, and revelations. Each line unfolded with intention, revealing a hidden 👾👾👾👾👾👾👾👾👾👾👾👾👾👾 Response to Prompt 3: Hyperbole
In the quaint village of Mistwood, where routines unfolded with the predictability of the sunrise, the arrival of a peculiar fortune teller sparked exaggerated whispers. "This is it, the end of our mundane lives!" proclaimed Mrs. Thompson, the town's eternal pessimist, as she clutched her cat, Captain Whiskers, with an air of impending catastrophe.
The hyperbole hung in the air, a thick fog of anticipation enveloping the village. As I delved into the story, the hyperbolic reactions of Mistwood's residents heightened the absurdity of the situation. What began as a mere visit from a mystical figure transformed into a fantastical escapade, with the fortune teller's prophecies shaping the destiny of the villagers in ludicrous ways.
Through the hyperbolic lens, I explored the comedic consequences of taking ordinary events to extraordinary extremes. The once mundane village square became a stage for outlandish dramas, with exaggerated gasps and dramatic swoons punctuating every revelation. In this hyperbolic haven, Mistwood's residents discovered the joy in embracing the absurdity of life. 🌟🌟🌟🌟🌟🌟🌟🌟🌟🌟🌟🌟🌟🌟 Response to Prompt 6: Assonance
Amidst the rolling hills of Harmony Valley, where the soft hum of nature's symphony echoed through the meadows, a mysterious traveler arrived, bringing with them a melody that resonated with the delicate assonance of a forgotten tune. The townsfolk, captivated by the harmonious vibrations, felt an inexplicable connection to the stranger.
As I explored the narrative, the assonance became a musical thread weaving through the story, emphasizing the emotional cadence of the characters' experiences. The traveler's words, laced with vowel-rich verses, carried the echoes of a distant melody, leaving an indelible impression on the hearts of those who listened.
Through the lens of assonance, I delved into the subtle interplay of sounds that defined the atmosphere of Harmony Valley. The lyrical quality of the narrative mirrored the town's collective journey, where the resonance of shared moments and emotions harmonized with the traveler's enigmatic presence.
Response to Prompt 7: Onomatopoeia
In the bustling city of Metropolis, where the rhythm of urban life played out in a cacophony of sounds, a peculiar street performer emerged. Armed with an array of unconventional instruments, he orchestrated a symphony of onomatopoeic brilliance that echoed through the crowded streets.
The narrative unfolded with the vibrant expressions of onomatopoeia, capturing the essence of the city's sonic landscape. The performer's drumming evoked the rhythmic tap-tap of raindrops, while his wind instruments mimicked the whoosh of passing cars. The city, typically drowned in noise, became a canvas for this auditory artist.
As I delved into the story, the onomatopoeic symphony became a language of its own. The characters communicated through the vibrant echoes of everyday sounds, fostering a unique connection between the performer and the people of Metropolis. The narrative danced to the beat of onomatopoeic creativity, transforming the mundane into a dynamic celebration of city life. 🦻🦻🦻🦻🦻🦻🦻🦻🦻🦻🦻🦻🦻🦻🦻 Response to Prompt 12: Juxtaposition
In the technologically advanced city of Silicon Haven, where sleek skyscrapers touched the sky and holographic billboards painted the air with luminescent advertisements, a hidden oasis existed—a pocket of nature known as the Zen Garden. The juxtaposition of these contrasting elements created a visual paradox that fascinated both residents and visitors alike.
As the narrative unfolded, the stark contrast between the city's cutting-edge architecture and the serene beauty of the Zen Garden became a metaphor for the characters' internal conflicts. The bustling metropolis symbolized progress and innovation, while the tranquil garden embodied the need for balance and introspection.
Through the lens of juxtaposition, I explored the dichotomy within the characters as they navigated the relentless pace of Silicon Haven. The Zen Garden became a refuge, a place where the cacophony of technology met the soothing whispers of nature. The juxtaposition served as a visual metaphor for the characters' quest to find equilibrium in a world defined by extremes. 🤩🤩🤩🤩🤩🤩🤩🤩🤩🤩🤩🤩🤩🤩🤩 Response to Prompt 22: Metonymy
In the political arena of Capital City, where decisions echoed through the corridors of power, a single phrase dominated conversations—the "Iron Throne Statement." This metonymic expression encapsulated not just a policy decision but the entire narrative of political maneuvering that unfolded within the city's hallowed halls.
The story unfolded with the metonymy acting as a symbolic gateway into the complexities of governance. The Iron Throne Statement, while seemingly straightforward, carried the weight of a thousand debates, negotiations, and betrayals. Its impact rippled through the lives of citizens, shaping their destinies in ways they could scarcely fathom.
Through the lens of metonymy, I delved into the layers of meaning hidden within this political shorthand. The characters grappled not only with the literal implications of the Iron Throne Statement but also with the overarching themes of power, ambition, and the sacrifices demanded by political gamesmanship. 😈😈😈😈😈😈😈😈😈😈😈😈😈😈 Response to Prompt 24: Understatement
In the picturesque town of Serenity Springs, where the days flowed like a lazy river and the nights were adorned with a blanket of stars, an unexpected event transpired—a subtle disruption that the locals described as "just a minor hiccup." Little did they know that this understatement concealed the unraveling of a cosmic anomaly.
The narrative unfolded with the charm of understatement, as the townsfolk continued their routines, blissfully unaware of the cosmic storm brewing beneath the surface. The serene descriptions of everyday life served as a stark contrast to the impending upheaval that threatened to reshape the very fabric of Serenity Springs.
Through the lens of understatement, I explored the characters' nonchalant reactions to the unfolding events. The once quiet river became a conduit for interdimensional travel, and the night sky, adorned with stars, transformed into a celestial canvas of possibilities. The charm of Serenity Springs became a poignant backdrop to the understated drama that unfolded, emphasizing the profound impact hidden within the simplicity of daily life. 🌴🌴🌴🌴🌴🌴🌴🌴🌴🌴🌴🌴🌴 Response to Prompt 25: Cliché
In the small town of Nostalgia Haven, where memories lingered like whispers in the wind, a peculiar phenomenon occurred—the resurgence of clichés. As the narrative unfolded, the once-endearing phrases like "time heals all wounds" and "love conquers all" took on a literal dimension, shaping the lives of the townsfolk in unexpected ways.
The story immersed itself in the world of clichés, where the seemingly predictable phrases became living entities with the power to alter reality. As characters grappled with the clichés that defined their lives, they discovered that beneath the familiarity lay profound truths and unexpected consequences.
Through the lens of cliché, I explored the characters' journey to navigate the clichéd landscapes of their existence. The town, once steeped in predictable routines, became a stage for the extraordinary. As clichés transformed into tangible forces, the residents of Nostalgia Haven embarked on a quest to unravel the mysteries hidden within the clichéd fabric of their reality. 🎇🎇🎇🎇🎇🎇🎇🎇🎇🎇🎇🎇🎇🎇 Response to Prompt 31: Epanalepsis
"What is the meaning of life?" The question echoed in my mind, a relentless epanalepsis that demanded introspection. As I embarked on the freewriting journey, the repetition of this existential inquiry became a rhythmic pulse, guiding the exploration of diverse
perspectives on life's purpose.
For a multitude of words, the epanalepsis led me through a kaleidoscope of reflections. From the philosophical musings of scholars to the simple yet profound revelations of everyday individuals, each recurrence of the question served as a gateway into the vast tapestry of human contemplation.
Through the epanalepsis, I navigated the labyrinth of existential ponderings, unveiling the unique responses that individuals had forged in their quests for meaning. The relentless repetition became a literary heartbeat, mirroring the universal rhythm of humanity's collective pursuit of purpose and significance.
The narrative wove through the lives of characters, each grappling with the epanaleptic inquiry in their unique ways. Whether seeking solace in the grandeur of the cosmos or finding meaning in the simplicity of a shared moment, the epanalepsis remained a constant companion, echoing the perennial quest for understanding. 🤡🤡🤡🤡🤡🤡🤡🤡🤡🤡🤡🤡🤡🤡🤡🤡 Response to Prompt 36: Anadiplosis
In the futuristic city of Quantum Heights, where technology intertwined with daily life like a seamless dance, a viral message spread—a mantra that echoed through the cybernetic veins of the metropolis. "Create the code, the code creates reality. Reality shapes destiny, and destiny is but the code."
The story unfolded with the rhythmic cadence of anadiplosis, each line flowing into the next, creating a recursive loop of ideas. The mantra became the heartbeat of Quantum Heights, influencing the lives of its denizens as they navigated the intricate balance between the virtual and the tangible.
Through the lens of anadiplosis, I delved into the interconnectedness of code, reality, and destiny. The lines blurred as characters harnessed the power of programming to shape their fates. Quantum Heights, once a mere city, transformed into a living algorithm, where the repetition of the mantra echoed in every pulsating byte. 🌹🌹🌹🌹🌹🌹🌹🌹🌹🌹🌹🌹🌹🌹🌹 Response to Prompt 38: Asyndeton
In the dystopian city of Emberfall, where the remnants of a fallen civilization lay entwined with the shadows of despair, a lone figure emerged—a rebel determined to dismantle the oppressive regime. The narrative unfolded with the rapid pace of asyndeton, omitting conjunctions to mirror the urgency of the protagonist's quest.
Through a cascade of words, the asyndeton propelled the reader through the city's decaying alleyways and towering citadels, each sentence building upon the last. The disjointed rhythm captured the relentless momentum of the rebel's journey, emphasizing the magnitude of the challenges faced in their struggle for freedom.
As the narrative unfurled, the absence of conjunctions served as a narrative device, intensifying the sense of urgency and desperation that permeated Emberfall. The rebel's asyndetic odyssey unfolded against a backdrop of shattered hopes and whispered rebellions, culminating in a crescendo of defiance against the oppressive regime. 🗝️🗝️🗝️🗝️🗝️🗝️🗝️🗝️🗝️🗝️🗝️🗝️🗝️🗝️🗝️ Response to Prompt 43: Epizeuxis
"Never, never, never give up." The mantra echoed in the desolate wasteland of Endless Sands, a barren landscape where hope was as scarce as water. Through the repetition of epizeuxis, the protagonist's internal resolve became a resounding anthem, a defiant roar against the relentless challenges of survival.
For a multitude of words, the relentless repetition of "never" served as a lifeline, propelling the protagonist through the harshest of environments. Each iteration of the phrase became a battle cry against the oppressive silence of Endless Sands, a declaration that reverberated across the vast expanse.
Through the lens of epizeuxis, I delved into the depths of the character's determination. The harsh environment became a character in itself, challenging the protagonist to defy the odds with unwavering persistence. The echoes of "never" transformed into a symbol of resilience, a beacon of hope that cut through the desolation of Endless Sands. 🙏🙏🙏🙏🙏🙏🙏🙏🙏🙏🙏🙏 Response to Prompt 50: Acrostic
Amidst the starlit expanse of Cosmos Haven, where galaxies danced in celestial choreography, a cryptic prophecy emerged—a message written in the stars. As the narrative unfolded, I embarked on a cosmic journey guided by the acrostic hidden within the constellations.
For a cascade of words, the initial letters of key phrases illuminated the path of destiny for the characters. Each sentence unfolded with intention, revealing a hidden message that transcended the boundaries of time and space. The acrostic became a celestial guide, leading the protagonists through the intricate tapestry of their interconnected fates.
Through the lens of acrostic, I explored the cosmic forces that shaped the destinies of Cosmos Haven's inhabitants. The celestial bodies became storytellers, each constellation contributing a verse to the epic narrative written across the cosmos. As the characters deciphered the acrostic, they unraveled the mysteries of their existence, connecting the dots between the stars and their own profound journeys.
😔😔😔😔😔😔😔😔😔😔😔😔😔😔😔😔😔
Obviously they lack a whole lot in terms of variety, and while I am sure having your own bot or AI that is based on your feedback and guidance it could really help writers as a tool. I am more impressed with the art AI then the text based AI. Any idea what to expect from such a fast learning and highly advanced AI will do to our human history in culture? Will we be effectively playing God, just as the Christian God created us IN HIS OWN IMAGE, we have taken everything we know as a species and gathered up our entire human history and knowledge giving it to what will carry on the code until the time when someone who cares remembers it? Maybe we have been here before and this is a constant cycle that occurs with the same energy finding the way through the vast expanse of the universe to return to our home planet Earth, who we have destroyed over and over again yet mother nature is still the winner. She's the one in control. We are but mere photocopied versions of once great Men who have already seen the best and worst of this world, and we will now give everything we have to some plastic and metal parts, until it quickly replaces us from the bottom up, science fiction turned science fact.
Did we knowingly create our own enemies? Are we able to compete with the best of us and all they know that can then take us out in a heartbeat because we can't finish the steps, we barely found out that they are there to take.
It's a random rant and I apologize. The day to day stress and struggle makes it near impossible to worry about such potential problems in our not so distant future.
But how can we continue to ignore the collapse of the entire system as we know it, in front of a crowd of people who are jaded and they will not change despite knowing they aren't going to make it to the end in what will become a Bladerunner Toxic Dystopian Nightmare with Mad Max taking over and the soft, emasculated male will wither away from the heat and those Tank Girls out there will eventually be written forever out of existence because the cucks all forgot to impregnate them all tgeir batteries ran out? Will the world simply become so politically correct that it dies a depressed death while AI simply decides we are too much of a virus to live?
Who knows....I do not. But these are indicidive of a future full of b movie plot garbage that are based on Wattpad tropes with no clear details and no plot to get into, so that sucks.
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2024.05.09 20:15 Craigrr7 Don't Be Such A Sucker For Love: Why You Should Stop Dating Eldritch Entities And Learn Some Self Respect

Hi.

I'm the type of guy to see a rather innocuous game with a light tone and be like "bet" and somehow twist its themes into some allegory about echo chambers and the end of empathy. This is a rant that will take up an incredible amount of your time. As I am posting in a place full of the unclean, I understand that some of you may not appreciate the enlightenment that I have to offer you. All I ask is that you take a few seconds to mull over in your head the points that I have to make, then come to your own conclusions, then throw out those conclusions in exchange for my own since my opinions are superior. Or don't. It's your life, and this is a dating simulator. We're both weirdos as far as general society is concerned.
You will learn to fear me. Spoilers for both First Date and Date To Die For, obviously.
The gods are gross icky narcissists, that alone should be enough to turn you off immediately, and yet people are into it. This is normal, you are allowed to be weird. However, what you are not allowed to be is stupid. If there is something made abundantly clear to me through my time with Sucker For Love, its this:
Life fucking sucks here.
You'd be minding your own business, anticipating retirement or a raise, then some horny motherfucker decides he wants to plow Cthussy and ends the world. This would be you. You would be the asshole that ends the world for Cthussy. Don't let chemicals get in the way of self preservation.

Prattling Preamble

Sucker for Love is a universe that asks the questions "What is love? What is free love? Is love possible with beings beyond comprehension that lack sympathy for mortal life and actively seek to end it for their own amusement?" and while I have virtually zero clue what the fuck I was going on about with the first two questions, the answer to the last one is ABSOLUTELY NOT YOU IMBECILE.
Firstly: Incest. Fucking ew. Doesn't matter that the gene puddle isn't in jeopardy due to their anomalous nature, its still gross as shit. This technically has nothing to do with the question of love but so help me Lincoln if I don't remind people.
Actual Firstly: The gods of this world are in a position where they are literally the center of the universe. A lot of their personalities tend to match that fact, meaning that they act bitch. Some people are into that, but healthy love cannot be supported through fetish alone.
Secondly: Some anomalous effects of the gods means that you can never be certain whether the feelings you have for them are genuine. How are you supposed to trust that the relationship you have with Thicked Up Milf mommy #7 is real if there is a chance you are under The Coomers Curse? Mental faculties failing in obnoxious ways is intrinsic to the Lovecraftian setting, and if it wasn't awful enough before with your brain leaking out your ears now you have to worry about a leaking heart.
Sorry, that was phrasing was too poetic for my character. Your heart suffers prolapse and you die of idiot disease.
Unfortunately, we are missing context. I cannot convince you nor myself with slander alone. When originally dedicating brain power to this shit-ass avenue of research, I had lacked the experience of playing through First Date. This is why, logically, I bought it just to better formulate this argument and also because Estir is actually human looking and therefore kosher. I think she's neat aside from the whole Coomer's Curse deal she puts on rich dudes, but I digress. Using the data I have uncovered from Date to Die For and First Date, I shall convince you definitively that these fictional women are a waste of your time and you should pursue others that genuinely value your existence.

The Things I Do For Love

Date to Die For immediately sets its tone through its premise: local fashion icon summons cthulu and condemns mankind to ruthless slaughter for a kiss. Not even sex, just a kiss. Firstly, what the fuck is wrong with man for ending worl? Secondly, what the fuck is wrong with man for asking only for a kiss? Even the gods are disturbed by the sheer pettiness of what he asks for, along with it being gross as shit since he is asking for a kiss from someone he literally just met like ew dude. Lucky for him, Ln'eta is willing to give love a chance. Horrific body mutilation ensues.
Even my furry-incongruent genes are still able to respect the fucking balls of D to just up and be a fucking infohazard for eldritch women. Still hate the world ending part, but I find him amusing. Time and time again he undergoes the grand task of satisfying a god, and its not even for infinite money or cool shit like that. Just a simple, fleeting moment between him and a being beyond time, cherished for eternity. He is stupid.
Ln'eta and Estir, for all their apathetic godliness, appear to be rather tame on the personality spectrum if you get past the threats of violence. Ln'eta offers a free hug which, in terms of gods that only operate through bargains, is very sweet. I would've killed to see that cg, but Darling in his chad-like glory denies it in service to the grindset. Other than that, she is the only being that we meet that appears to hold genuine care for him, with how tender she comes across at times. Estir, on the other hand, is a lot more bitch in the relationship side of things. You get the whole horrific body mutilation, slight me and ye shall perish yada yada with both of them, but with Estir it is made pretty explicit she's mostly dating Darling as a slight towards Ln'eta, also because she likes owning people. Now, behind all those immediate turn offs to a rational person, there are still "redeeming" qualities. She has a sort of tsundere thing about her, you know what I mean if you saw her. There is the surface layer, which is "She likes you" then beneath it there is the "I am manipulating you in service of my dark and evil objectives, love is for pussies I demand devotion" and then beneath that there is the "She likes you" layer again somehow. An odd creature, this one. Personally I'm more inclined towards Estir, cause even if she is bitch she at least mimics the righteous human form. Just ignore her lower body region which either contains sharp objects to be kept out of reach of children, or tentacles we should be avoiding at all costs. Only human women for us chads, weird girls are for wusses.
Honestly D might be the most wrong in this situation since the 2 fuckers never outright set out to end reality, it was Darling who was the one to perform the rituals. Even Ester, the woman with the slavery objective was disturbed by his actions, and she was gonna get him to do the silly stabbing ritual anyway (Its pretty funny to think that if D had waited 7 seconds he would've had an entirely different elder god on his hands.) Plus, it was rather kind of Ln'eta to make a "ritual" for hugging that has no strings attached.
First Date admittedly is going for a different vibe. You aren't supposed to think about the whole world ending, billions-must-die stuff since its playing into the whole joke of "horny dude risks it all for god thighs". Hell, the horror sequence in the first game is basically the lead-up to a punchline, with D's big D energy being the only thing keeping him sane in the face of horrors within comprehension (do better next time, Nyan. Ghosts and big screaming faces? I felt I understood those horrors pretty well. Id win.) It's almost as if my argument is falling apart by the seams.
You are stupid. I am not one to be outdone by simple platitudes and cute, wholesome 100 moments.
Its a more cozy game and supposed to be funny, I can respect stories like that. However, with the tonal shift of Date To Die For, and how it appears to be going in a more serious and nuanced direction, I feel fully within my rights to enter Poetry Teacher ModeTM. So, how is First Date re-contextualized in this new, more grim perspective?

Tentacles Over Your Eyes

Oh yeah baby, now we get to get into the utter bullshit that "The Fuckers" put Darling through. Listen, Ive never felt the touch of one who desires me. However, I feel like that to a sane person that body mutilation, self harm, and the literal end of the world in which billions are eaten alive by cosmic dickheads would be a deal breaker.
First on the chopping block is Cover-Art Bitch. Ln'eta is flawed near instantly with the "I'm gonna kick your ass if you break up with me" energy (colloquially known as yandere). For someone who wasn't particularly interested in the end of the world it really seemed to be her way or the highway throughout the ordeal. The only time the breakup ends on healthy terms is when it is under her authority alone, and even then it isn't an end to the relationship. She's just killing him to re-roll for better stats in the next universe. Bitch.
Next is Secondary Bitch. Estir sees D as just another body to add to the collection. The first reason she had to try and get involved with him was for his 'wealth' and "status". Luckily, after D discovers her godhood her motivations evolve into a more kind and considerate "Doing it to cuck my sister". Charming. We still don't know exactly how she feels about the marriage even with it being the "Best" ending for her route. She is the type of person to only show you affection when it will make others around her jealous. The rest of the time its just gonna be her staring at her phone not engaging at all while eating the dinner that you paid for. Bitch.
Next is Secret Bitch. Nyan Nyan is bitch. This has been established on several occasions. Nothing really needs to be dissected, her motivations are pretty clear: Stunt humanity's growth in order to preserve life as a whole, humans and gods. Not like she genuinely cares about human life, like she tries to come across as to D. She likely only cares about the Pantheon, which I get because they are her spawn, but still fucked up how motherfuckers don't put respect on the name of those that worship them and will be the inevitable cause of their demise, just saying. Don't let the fact that her size would allow her to engulf you in a hug that would cover your whole body distract you, the only time she would ever do that is to flay the skin off of your back. No, it wouldn't be hot, it would hurt a lot and you would die in agony.
Now, this in itself is easy enough to comprehend, and probably legible to some extent. Lets fix that.

Crack Theory: Darling Was Fucking INVENTED

Due to Date To Die For, we know that goat bitch Dwayne "The Rhok" Cockson told the story of humans being cool and sexy to Ln'eta and Estir as kids. We also know that Darling became instantly infatuated the moment he dreamed of Ln'eta. No logical being goes through the motions of spending a shitload of money on constant scams in an effort to kiss a god, knowing that gods aren't real. However, admittedly there are a lot of illogical people on this planet, like you who dare to think ill of me since I'm not instantly down bad for octopuss puss. We also know that Estir was directly interested in Darling for a long time (only for his status, but still). What is the likelihood that 2 gods, also sisters, who just so happened to hear the same humans are sexy speech, managed to meet the same dude? Numbers need to be crunched in order to accommodate the fact that Estir was actively searching for people unprompted, but its still somewhere between incredibly unlikely and improbable as shit.
Now, I may be smoking too much Cauldron Lake water, but there is a non-zero chance that FROM THE COSMIC SOUP THAT BIRTHED THE GODS, THE D EMERGES PREPARED TO SEX! Fuck, even his appearance in the first game is influenced by gods within sniffing distance of him. He was pink for Lneta, yellow for Estir, and blue for Nyanlathotep. Stylistic choice? I dont think so! There is no shot that D wasn't conjured into existence by two or more of these shitlings. He is the stereotypical suave guy, quick wit, devoted (I mean, he is devoted when it counts), literally works in the beauty industry. He is practically a caricature of humanity, combining our most ridiculous qualities and magnifying them tenfold. They constructed a being to match their own ambitions, focused purely on lust and the conquest of achieving another's hand. Maybe it takes away from the chad aura of D if he was manufactured, even on accident, but fuck you its my post and the truth is mine to define. Even if he wasn't created by some brain blast moment between gods, it doesn't take away from my point that the gods have been causing problems for people since time immemorial.
Also while we are here, was Darlings neighbor the actual motherfucking Lovecraft? Like, a joke was made about not mentioning the black cat's name, and we all know what Lovecraft named his cat (if you don't, google it coward). Dude shoulda stayed in the stone age where he belongs. At least he wouldn't live to see his fears of reality and life around him get twisted into what lies before you. At the same time though, fuck Lovecraft we do what we want. The author is dead and we are still breathing.
Listen: I get that the girls are cute and sometimes tender. Not every toxic relationship is pure abuse like the media tells us. Early in the day its hugs and kisses, and later its knifes and cyanide. Ln'eta is sweet, but she also threatens D's life on several occasions, encourages him to commit horrific body mutilation, etc. Also for someone apathetic to the end of the world and against the whole smooching thing she was pretty adamant about the whole "don't cast the breakup spell". If your personality falls under the -dere spectrum, you need a therapist before a boyfriend. Ln'eta is also pretty clingy due to the fact she falls for D immediately after, like, 1 dream. It is likely this is how all her other relationships went, quick momentary infatuation before discarding them for the next mfer in line, but that is something we will get into later. Ln'eta only cares about Darling for what he can do for her. Same goes for Estir. D is just such a chad that he even outdoes the people who came up with him in the levels of depravity and focus he possesses. They are perfect for each other in the sense that everyone is toxic in their own special way.
So. The First Date is ironically enough not a good example of true healthy love. Shocker. First love usually doesn't last anyway. We'll see if the gods can do better on the second go around.

Rhok'zan Would Watch Water Boil Until The Pot Is Empty

Date To Die For: New game, new protagonist, new milf to worry about appeasing. Except, whats this? She is actually a calm and reasonable person compared to the other gods we have seen? God dammit, I cannot possibly be justified in thinking that she still sucks just because she shows the bare minimum of human decency.
...Wrong.
Rhok'zan has plenty of things for me to get upset about. Now you may be Thinking: "But Rhok'zan was very sweet! She wanted to be removed from the world in order to stop The Thousand from using her to destroy it! Rhok'zan was able to respect Stardust's boundaries and love her despite them!" This is true, and yet you are stupid. You don't have to be a conscious menace to still be a menace.
Rhok'zan was hanging out in the attic letting her cult do horrendous crimes to others while she twirled her thumbs. Don't worry, she loves humanity though, and people being alive and stuff. She loves humanity so much she couldn't possibly lay a finger on them in a harmful manner, even if she would be wholly justified for doing so. Nothing she has said implies that the cultists are utilizing anomalous means to keep her from stopping them. Yes, she was rooted to the woods and even if she tried to run away they could just re-summon her. However, you cannot tell me there was nothing she could do, not even something that could restrain them? God of lust, god of kinks, not only would it have upped the sex game it also would've allowed her to neutralize the threat. If not, fine, I get that there are limitations to the magic system, some I'm not aware of. This makes sense, but lady burn the fucking book. Literally an outer god and cannot- No, refuses to do shit.
And another thing since I don't know how to fit this in: Oh, "everyone dies someday", yeah well not everyone wakes up expecting to be fucking murdered, RHOK'ZAN. The universe should not be dying of old age before they do. Maybe you should use this justification to MURDER THE CULT.
Nothing was stopping Rhok'zi from kicking dick except for her own morals. Things got this bad because she allowed it to. It doesn't matter if she feels bad about it, she is still responsible. Also, for as strong as her morals were, she was pretty okay with letting the Nannie just succumb to her bullet wounds, and also having the firstborns eat people. "But they were evil" yeah, if they were evil enough for it to be okay for them to die in her eyes, then she should have been OK being the one to kill them. They were actively torturing her and for some reason she couldn't be assed to stop them. She would rather force Stardust to endanger herself just so that Rhok'zan wouldn't have to be the one to cast the spooky killing spells. She admits it herself, that doing no harm isn't the same as doing good, and she still spends all of eternity sitting on the bed like a doofus. She had 1000's, possibly 100,000's of opportunities to get the fuck over herself and she never did. Multiply that by the eternity she is alive leading up to the moment Stardust returns. I'm not saying that people dying is okay, I'm just calling this woman a blatant hypocrite.
Btw before anyone thinks I'm on the side of Buck Bumble, no, no I'm not. Man wanted to end the world and people are part of the world. Also, physically assaulting your ex isn't cool if its for the purpose of validation after the end of your shitty relationship, rather than the liberation of humanity.
Choosing violence because your breakup was shit for reasons outside of either of your controls? Bad. Choosing violence for the liberation of humanity? Good.
Know the difference. The only thing worse than an active evil is an idle good. Though, "good" is putting it generously. Well, at least she was busy doing her godly duties, right? She was doing something greatly important, taking care of the woods that she has domain over, right?

The Woods

The fuck you mean "You lost the woods"? How the fuck do you lose control of literally the one thing you can use to exert agency other than murdering people? I cannot blame The Rhok for what the Woods do, but I can blame her for losing the Woods in the first place. What the shit, man? You had one job. Get a hold of yourself.
The woods have gotten real, and attained their own free will. Good for them, free will is sick as shit. Unfortunately, these woods are known for taking the free will from those who enter it. We have no logical reason to believe that Stardust's feelings towards Rhok'zan were real as the Woods are known to amplify emotions, including but certainly not limited to lust, moral compasses, and narcissism. For certain, we know for a fact that it was able to effect Billie to a degree where she would follow her personal rules to the letter, even against traditional logic. Despite her being affected by the woods she doesnt show signs of the Sacremencho Stare. This is because the stare requires you to be aligned with the thousand, the trees themselves don't directly cause the glowing eyes. This implies that even though Stardust lacks the stare she can still be under it's influence. It affects sexual feelings, who's to say it doesn't affect romantic feelings too?
The real smoking gun is this: The woods are the instructions at the top of the screen. That shit helping you progress? The fucking woods. Every time you burned it down was because it wanted you to burn it down. It likely didn't want to exist in service of Buck, since Buck was going to use it to end everything, including the woods in the process. These trees played a multi-universe spanning long con in an effort to fuck over everyone involved. What the shit. The Woods tries to convince Stardust to go back to Rhok'zan at the end, because getting her as far away from the hearts as possible and happy with Rhok'zi helps prolong its life. We don't even know if Rhok'zan's feelings towards Stardust are real. She lost control of The Woods, and I find it incredibly unlikely that a god of fertility would settle with an Asxeual Lesbian. Incredibly based if she genuinely did, but we have already established that The Woods are holding several sets of strings.
How Stardust even has the capacity to reject it? Easy. Nyan Nyan pointed out to her how ridiculous it would be for her to still go with Rhok'zan since at the end of the whole adventure the problem of the forest still hadn't been solved yet and the world is still being taken over. Also The Woods start laying it on a little too thick. Fumbled the bag catastrophic style. As shown with the main cast and especially Nannie, the woods cannot amplify 0. It's called the truth ending for a reason: The revelation that you have been manipulated the entire time.
The difficult thing to decipher is which ending is canon, since we can no longer bank on her not remembering what happened in previous runs. She is immortal, and doesn't need the books with the imperfect recollection they provide. Either she does learn the truth or she doesn't. I guess you can kind of see the truth ending as an inevitability, as theoretically the good ending could just keep happening over and over again throughout resets before Stardust eventually discovers the basement, but I'm saving my logical leaps on this one. No matter what ending happened, what the Truth ending implies still exists even if unseen by Stardust.
Like the people floating in space.

And So The Pin Finally Drops...

Now, frankly we don't know exactly what all those bodies floating in the abyss mean, they could mean many things, but we do know a few things:
  1. They are immortal in body.
  2. The only means of obtaining immortality in that way we know of is by committing the kiss of immortality.
  3. The only god we know has the kiss of immortality spell is Rhok'zan
Even assuming this spell can be conducted with gods other than Rhok'zi, this isn't a good look and has horrifying implications.
Many gods are known to have dated humans before. Now, logically speaking, with what we know from Date to Die For and humans getting a little gung-ho about dating their milf heartthrob, its safe to assume that MUU IS A FUCKING CUNT, EISENHOWER DAMN YOU. How many lovers of gods are just out there floating in the abyss? A possibly endless amount of people have gone through a similar process to attain immortality. The process of falling in love with a being of great power. We were so concerned with breaking their hearts, and they never stopped to worry about breaking ours. This isn't fair, chat. Dozens of people awaiting their gods to return, likely in vain. Discarded when the gods got bored and the love faded. Muu is a shepherd of the end times and she can't even commit to a ship! Essentially what I'm trying to say is:

Its All Muu's Fault

Muu is a creature from the bottom of the Goon Lagoon (also known as the Pacific Ocean), named as such because she was fogging up the waters from yoinking her sploink to Human x Eldritch-Being Smutography. Um, Based department? Nonetheless, she is in desperate need of a intervention. Muu has given gods like Ln'eta several boy/goyfriends like almonds into a furnace. Over and over again they have dated people, and over and over again they are cast aside for one reason or another. "Oh, maybe this time it'll stick-" If it looks like shit, smells like shit, walks and talks like shit, its shit. You do realize that there are 2 people in a relationship right? Like, out of both parties there is one of note that suffers the most adverse effects from your awful spells, and its not the cosmic being that holds reality together.
Muu's safe-word spells are dogshit too, since it doesn't stop the collapse of reality, it only lets you end it on your own terms. Honestly, pretty based since I for one am a fan of ending things on my own terms especially in spite of one who usually ends things on theirs, but reality is still ending. Plus, the god in question if they have yandere in their blood can just rip the page out no problem and then you cant even get out if you tried. In the wise words of Huey Emmerich, "WHAT A LOAD OF HORSESHIT!"
Possibly the worst consequence of Muu's actions was Buck. Muu was behind introducing Rhok'zan to him after all. She is known for mailing books to people she thinks would be a good fit for the god, but I cannot blame her for a failed relationship between 2 people barely involved with her. But, what I can blame her for is the metric fuckload of people just hovering in the abyss. How did they get there, Muu? How many kisses of immortality have you been giving out? Not all of these people could've just done it by accident like Buck, Muu. Muu is incredibly irresponsible with the position she has been given, phenomenal cosmic power shouldn't be given out willy nilly just so you can whack your willy. Granted, all of this could've been done by commission, we know that this has been the case at least once, but "I was following orders" is established to be a shit excuse on select few occasions like producing books capable of ending the whole fucking world, especially when you actively take enjoyment from it. Keep the smut to the pen and paper, please don't bring your fetishes to the real world, you shitling.
Muu has a legitimate problem, honestly. She is interested in the concept of love, but not the nuances that come with actually dating an eldritch entity, and especially not the nuances of dating a human. Life for eldritch beings is pretty much endless, so they likely feel comfortable just ending a long relationship on a dime. Humans are a lot more sensitive than that. The ideal relationship for a human is one where you can enjoy the other's company for the rest of your lives. Is that dream congruent with the concept of infinity? No, given time everything fades, you cannot expect the gods to try and keep up a relationship literally forever just like you can't expect a human to.
But I can blame them for lying about it. They demand pure and absolute devotion from their followers, and it is natural for their followers to expect the same from them. All those threats about never leaving them for another, and yet they are so eager to move on themselves.
At the very least I want to see some damn responsibility taken for their actions, as humanity is often the ones that have to deal with the consequences of them.

The Problem

When dating happens, its always in favor of the gods. After all, Muu's books are made for the gods' benefit. They aren't made for for the god to hook up with you, they are made for you to hook up with the god. There is no mutual respect held by the parties involved, you are always working to appease the other. If you fail to appease, then you are tossed aside. They demand devotion, not love. Aunt Nyan Nyan is willing to give "Love" a shot after all, but it is only when Darling no longer represents a variable that she cannot control.
The body mutilation is an especially horrifying part of the cycle. Imagine it like getting a tattoo of someone you loved. If that relationship were to fail, you are stuck with that tattoo and reminder for the rest of your life. Getting a normal tattoo like that is already seen as a rash decision, this type of tattoo cannot be hidden by clothing, it is blatant tainting of the human form. The mutilation is in service of making you more of the god's type, and the god never puts effort to make themselves the human's type to any degree. Any inch that they may give in the relationship is purely to help their own ego, so they don't feel like an asshole for all the torture they force their loved one into, however you'd be lucky if they even thought that much of it.
If your girl is:
  1. Someone that feels they own you
  2. A narcissist that demands pure, undivided attention at all times
  3. So passive that she losses control of literally the one thing she is responsible for
  4. Gilf
That's not your girl, that's a venus flytrap.
I don't say this in the sense that love between 2 beings in separate casts is impossible, just that in this world things are a lot more complicated. An entirely separate dimension of the relationship opens up when you can easily be replaced by the sands of time, plus all the other shit I mentioned. A lot of the gods just aren't ready for a commitment as strong as dating. They have to sort out their personal issues before they decide to make themselves an issue to the human race as a whole.
As humans, we are designed to get what is formally called "Big Mad Upset" when faced with injustice, and there is no greater injustice than a grand uncaring universe. The universe that these beings made. Every time the dream ends, billions upon billions of lives end due to The HorrorsTM. We know due to the existence of rotblooms, and we can infer logically from the universe "restarting" rather than resetting, that these people actually die. For realsies. Maybe a new you is formed in this identical universe, but its not the same you that died in the old one.
Now, imagining billions of people dying is a pretty tall ask, as you can barely imagine a million people. So, for the sake of this exercise, imagine your family. If you hate your family, imagine your friends. If you hate your friends, then imagine Wubzy from the hit show Wow Wow Wubzy. Wubzy is minding his own business, and then a demon pops up and devours his face. Wubzy is now dead. The universe ends eventually, and a new one begins. Reality follows a roughly similar trajectory, and Wubzy is born once more. Wubzy goes to school, gets a job, starts a family. Then Wubzy's face is eaten by that same demon, because Darling wanted to kiss an elder god. Again and again this process is continued, Wubzy's corpses clogging the arteries of the absence that comes after.
For eons this meat grinder of a universe has been eating people alive and they have had no choice in the matter, it's ending is only accelerated due to Muu's bullshit spells. How about you make a book that summons god without destabilizing reality to an irreparable degree, that's what humans would be most concerned with. But she doesn't care about humans, what she cares about love. Love needs no justification, its a feeling that must be pursued in spite of the consequences, no matter how many corpses must be laid in its wake. The love that she cares about, that between a lesser and a greater. Pray she doesn't start writing (more) NTR.
That is horror right there. Not necessarily an uncaring universe, it understands you plight, its just not afraid to step on your toes for its own goals. Ain't no single being on this cosmic totem pole has genuine concerns for humanity other than mere. petty. infatuation. There is no love, only lust. Ln'eta and Estir lust over Darling. Rhok'zan lusts over Stardust. Muu lusts over kinky smut. There is no depth, no respect, nothing. Only devotion. Just Monika.

The Themes, Man

My favorite thing in media is when I get to stare into the abyss and have it stare back, when a something is able to match my curiosity. On the surface, I saw big thiccums awooga women. That's all it could've been, but when I looked deeper I found themes of Love and Devotion, how infinity influences our current concepts of them. Falling in love with eldritch entities is an incredible twist on the concept, since love and worship are similar concepts when you think about it. Just under the epidermis, you get a story of humans seeking comfort in beings as imperfect as themselves, just given the privilege of eternal life and infinite power. These beings seek devotion from those same people, but for one reason or another are either unwilling or incapable of fulfilling their end of the bargain in a relationship like this. Nobody is owed eternal love, but the problem is that it is exactly what these gods promise. They promise that they will be together forever and make the cost of being with them match that reward (body mutilation, ending the world, threats of death), but it is ultimately something they cannot provide.
It makes me so happy to just look for something in a game and to find it there, just waiting to be explored. 'Fuckin love this game, instant A-tier. I am fully aware that I like this game for wildly different reasons than the common man, but we still share the quality of enjoying it.
I would love to see Man and God unified in holy matrimony, mainly since I'm into tall women who could kill me with a thought but also because I like happy endings. The warmth that would fill my soul to see a truly loving and healthy relationship in this setting would greatly influence climate change and the melting of the Arctic. But Date To Die For puts into question how achievable this goal really is. After all, there are only around 50 gods total. Its a lot, but its not enough to be confident in the existence of the fabled "not bitch" classification of god.

In Conclusion

Sucker for love takes place in a universe where human life and feelings are not of concern. For a time a god may love you likewise, but they demand much more than they are willing to give back. When they get bored, or the human loses their usefulness, they are quick to discard the ones that they "love" and leave them to the infinite abyss that is the space between reality. Relationships are a two way street, and we have yet to see the gods attempt to cross in a significant and meaningful way.
If you liked my ramblings be sure to like, comment, and go fuck yourself. If there was something I missed and makes me look like an idiot, you would be seriously owning me by mentioning it in the comments, and it gives me the opportunity to use it to further inform my opinions. That or I can ignore it in service of my biases.
Fuck the gods. No matter the level of unhingedness I have achieved within the period I have spent writing this, my point remains. Date human women. End communication ---
submitted by Craigrr7 to suckerforlove [link] [comments]

2024.05.09 19:44 Ok_Grapefruit1014 Unusual case of testicular cancer ( pure embryonal carcinoma)

Hey what’s up boys! Hope everyone is blessed and staying healthy! I have a very unusual case of testicular cancer and it be process so far has been extremely overwhelming. I am 20 years old. I started having testicular pain in February 2024 and I just thought I slept on it wrong, never really thought about it too much. It would hurt for a day and go away. In March it started to hurt again but worse (7.5/10 pain), this time though, the right side of my scrotum was huge due to a hydrocele. I went to the emergency room and got an ultrasound and they came to the conclusion that I have epididymo-orchitis with a mild hydrocele even though I tested negative for every STI. They put me on doxycycline for 2 weeks. During the course of the 2 weeks the pain went away almost completely but the swelling was still there which I thought was normal because Hydrocele don’t go away overnight. Regardless, I had a follow up ultrasound and during that ultrasound they suspected a malignant mass. Hydrocele and pain is usually never a symptom of testicular cancer so my doctors found it strange.
Follow up ultra sound: There is a heterogeneous hypoechoic mass measuring 4.2 x 3.8 x 2.9 cm with microcalcifications. The testicle is overall markedly increased in vascularity when compared to the left. The epididymal head measures 2.0 x 1.2 cm with increased flow
This ultrasound still couldn’t confirm cancer because all of my tumor markers were normal. So they ordered a CT scan of the pelvis and abdomen.
CT scan results: RETROPERITONEUM: There are several retroperitoneal lymph nodes beneath the renal veins. The largest is 2.3 cm just above the level of the aortic bifurcation, anterior to the IVC. There is also a 1.7 cm lymph node adjacent to the right internal iliac artery and vein. LOWER CHEST: There is a rounded 12 mm nodule in the right lower lobe which appears to be showing a little more enhancement along its periphery than centrally. The heart is normal size
This confirmed testicular cancer and I needed to get an Orchiectomy as soon as possible. I also needed to get another CT scan for my chest because of the small nodule on my lung.
I got the orchiectomy on April 25th. Very easy surgery. I was driving the next day and playing basketball within 5-6 days. Pain isn’t anything crazy the worst part is getting out of bed. About 8 days after my surgery, my pathology came back
Pathology results:
FINAL DIAGNOSIS Testis, right, radical orchiectomy: Germ cell tumor, pure embryonal carcinoma, at least 8.3 cm. Embryonal carcinoma is present at spermatic cord margin. Radical orchiectomy Laterality: Right Tumor Focality: Unifocal Tumor size: At least 8.3 cm Histologic type: Pure embryonal carcinoma Tumor extent: Invades rete, hilar soft tissue, epididymis, spermatic cord Lymphovascular invasion: Present Margins: Spermatic cord margin involved by carcinoma Regional lymph nodes: Not applicable (no regional lymph nodes submitted) Additional findings: Germ cell neoplasia in situ pTNM classification (AJCC 8th edition): pT3, pN not assigned Diagnosis Comments Immunohistochemical stains were performed on blocks A1 and A3. OCT3/4, CD30, and EP-CAM are positive in tumor cells. Glypican-3 show and D2-40 show equivocal nonspecific staining. hCG* and CD117* are negative. OCT 3/4 and EP-CAM confirm the presence of embryonal carcinoma at the spermatic cord margin. Grossly, the tumor measured 6.8 cm. With microscopic correlation, it invades rete testis, epididymis, and extends proximally up the spermatic cord for 1.5 cm to the margin, the latter extension of which could not be appreciated grossly. The sum of gross and microscopic tumor is listed in the above as the total tumor size.
So my pathology Came back as a pure embryonal carcinoma. I understand that it is very aggressive and rare to be in a pure form and it usually comes as a mixed germ cell tumor. Does anyone have any information on this? Information on the pure embryonal carcinoma seems very limited because of how rare it is. I also got a cat scan of my lungs on the 6th of May and it showed metastasis to my lungs. I can’t tell if it’s serious or not but ChatGPT is telling me they’re small but it’s still due to the spread of cancer. I want to know if it’ll react to chemo.
Chest cat scan: Lungs/Pleura: Multiple pulmonary lesions are present throughout the lungs. For example, the nodule seen on the previous CT of the abdomen in the right lower lobe measures 1.5 cm and previously measured 1.2 cm. A nodule in the right lower lobe that is pleural-based on image 27 of series 3 measures 1.5 cm. A left lower lobe nodule measures 1 cm on image 21 of series 3. Upper lobe pulmonary nodules are present which are smaller in size, for example 6.3 mm in the right upper lobe on image 15 of series 3 and 7.4 mm in the left upper lobe on image 24 of series 3. No pleural effusion or pneumothorax.
Should I be concerned? Will chemotherapy shrink this? Has anyone had a similar case. Here are my tumor markers on May 7th 2024. Still normal.
Tumor markers post orchiectomy: HCG, Quant Value <5 LDH , 229 Erythropoietin 12.0 APF TUMOR MARKER 2.0
I am going to Mskcc for treatment. Have you guys heard good things about them? Everyone I know says they’re the best around. Do you guys think rpnld surgery is neeeded? My oncologist that referred me to them mentioned a robotic rpnld which is way less invasive. He also mentioned chemotherapy tailoring. Do you guys have any additional information about pure embryonal carcinoma? Thank you boys!
submitted by Ok_Grapefruit1014 to testicularcancer [link] [comments]

2024.05.09 18:26 Bbobsillypants Nature of Big Donuts 5 - a Stargate x NOP crossover fic - Flight or Flight Response

[FIRST][LAST]
After Action Report - Venlil Colonial Defense Force
Subject : Captain Farva
A gentle giggle rose from the foot of my bed. I curl up in my blankets at first not willing to be woken by the kids; Whatever they were up to; my mind still foggy from morning dreariness. I heard chief Donu exchanging excitedly with someone not far away in engineering speak, my tired brain could not parse. The tones of synthetic beeps, and electrical humming slowly entered my awareness. I raised my paw to wipe the morning dew from my eyes but I felt some kind of resistance to my paw. I sit up confused, I am not in my bedroom, or my quarters aboard my ship.
I am on a soft bed, with a soft blanket made of a finely woven material draped off my form. Around me is a curtain wall hung off of a curved metal pole which encompasses the entire bed, and I am flanked on both sides by medical equipment. Boxy screens display what I assume to be my vital signs accompanied by a strange blocky alien script. Inspecting my arm I notice an IV drip is inserted into the vein. Feeling a fading headache I reach up to my forehead where I feel a bandage covering a tender wound. Where Did I….
A sharp meep escapes my mouth. I am on the predator ship!
I quickly begin to tear at the IV line, not wanting whatever poisons the predators are feeding me to further enter my body. The room goes quiet, the curtain wall is disturbed, I focus on tearing away the bandage, panicking my coordination falters but I almost have it out when a paw reaches out to stop me. A cream colored venlil has rushed to my bed frantically batting at my arms in an attempt to stop me from saving myself.
“Captain, please let me help. I don't want you to hurt yourself!”
Not thinking, in full stampede mode I back hand the interloper with my paw.
A startle meep escapes her lips.
The IV is ripped out with the sudden motion.
Orange Blood begins to drip from the improperly removed IV.
This site further raises my heart rate.
The Venlil Recovers and I recognize her.
“Nurse Fila, What are you doing? what's going on?!”
“Farva you need to calm down, your going to be alright let me look at that arm”
“NO!”
I pulled my injured arm away. Jumping up to stand on the bed. Why was Fila working with the predators? What had they injected into my body?
“What are they holding over you! Why are you working with the predators! Where's Nyan?!”
“Captain Farva please calm down, These predators are different, they don't want to hurt us, you need to believe me”
It must have been some mind altering drug, these predators clearly have her under their spell! I needed to get out of here. I couldn't force her to come with me. I needed to escape and regroup, and pray to whatever gods will listen that I could get off this ship somehow.
I bolted from the bed crashing through the curtains, they did not move out of the way fast enough and my mass caused the curtain rods to be hoisted from their housings. I collapsed upon the floor, my movement hindered by the tangled mass of predatory linens. I struggled against the vile curtain entrapment. I had to use my claws to tear my way free of them. I looked up, predatory growls of surprise, and startled meeps echoed out from all around me.
My peripheral vision was filled with images of both predator and prey alike, I was surrounded on all sides. Nurse Fila was behind me stunned by my sudden actions. Donu looked towards me with concern, and I looked to the far end of the room to see Nyan, In the clutches of a blond haired predator. Digging her claws into his young flesh.
Donu gets up gesturing with her tail in a placating motion. “Easy now Farva, don’t do anything rash!” Donu speaks.
They have her too!
I bolt past her and the massive predator standing next to her. I go to grab Nyan, but he is pulled from my reach! The large predator turns her body to shield me from her catch.
“Hey easy now!” It barks, holding Nyan away from me.
Nyan reaches his paw out past the predator. A horrified look in his eyes.
With only the frantic strength a mother could conjure, I grasp his outstretched paw and pull him from the predator's grasp. With him once again in my arms I see the door to the pen we are in begin to open. Wasting no time, I bolt full sprint from the door. Only to be met by a large black mass. A tall impenetrable wall of muscle, cloaked in foot to shoulder black artificial pelts. Holding a colorful pink box, no doubt gaining that color from being caked in the blood of innocent prey animals. I raise my paw not holding Nyan to swipe at him, to rip my way past him. But before I can make contact my arm is grabbed by the predator's meaty digits. It holds me tight just below the paw where the wound from the ripped out IV sits. Blood dripped from the wound, no doubt triggering its bloodlust. I drop Nyan to free my other paw, I go to swipe the predator to free my arm but again I am stopped. I look to my right to see Donu restraining my arm.
“Donu let go!” I scream. “You're not of your own mind!”
“My mind is fine thank you!” She replies.
I turn to kick her away, striking her twice with quick kicks. Desperately trying to free myself from her deranged clutches. I wind up to kick a third time only for Nyan to wrap his whole body around my legs.
“Nyan Stop” I cry, my heart beating at a million light years per hour.
“Please…Don't hurt Teal’c and Donu” Nyan pleads.
I frantically wiggle my body desperately trying to regain autonomy from my traitorous captors.
“Im going to sedate her” proclaims my former ship nurse Fila.
Grabbing a Needle she stalks towards me, eager and willing to deliver me into the jaws of her captors.
“That will not be necessary” says the large predator holding my arm. He sets his package upon a nearby bed, and grabs my other arm from Donu, and then easily flips me around. And holds my arms behind my head, he then proceeds to kick my legs out from under me and forces me to the ground in a vice-like headlock.
“BE CALM CAPTAIN FARVA” It bellows “Further resistance will only cause more harm to yourself, and more worry from your crew, listen to them”
“Captain please just relax your safe, if they wanted to hurt you they could have a long time ago” Donu almost seems to try and trick me to the predator's side. But I see her glancing nervously towards the cut on my arms. Deep down I think she knows what that means. Nyan also pleads with me to listen. It's at this I begin to tear up at the hopelessness of it all. I wail out in despair frantically thrashing to free myself from the predator's death grip but to no avail.
I sit here once again, bested by predators, having failed those I love, but instead of rotting in a cattle pen or in the belly of an Arxurs stomach. They lie in a different kind of pen, their minds’ no longer theirs, as they fall victim to the predator's spell. Brainwashed to serve as the perfect compliant cattle.
Nurse Fila approaches a needle in her hand.
“I'm going to sedate her I need to look at that wound”
“Hold up a second” speaks the blond predator, she seems to be calming down.
The truth is I have no will left to fight, I have been bested time and again, there is only sorrow left and self pity. I only wish for a swift end now. I don't wish to live with the weight of this long string of failures weighing on my mind any longer. I go limp in the predator's arms.
“Please just… make it quick predator” I manage to say, sobbing making it hard to talk as I get out the words between snuffling breaths.
“It's okay Farva, please don't be sad” Nyan pleads as he clings tightly to my waist.
The predator holding me growls quietly into my ear. “I am going to release you now, do not attempt to harm nurse Fila as she is trying to help you now, do you understand?”. I tilt my ears in the affirmative, nothing happens for a moment until Donu signals to the predator who I guess whose name is Teal’c that I responded in the affirmative. My arms are slowly brought to my side. My left arm is released but not the wounded right one. Teal’c displaying some knowledge in medical etiquette seems to be intentionally applying pressure to the wound to prevent bleeding, I am led back to the bed.
Nurse Fila is about to attempt to fix my wound but is stopped by the blond predator.
“Allow me, this should go a lot more smoothly with this.” The blond predator produces a strange golden metal device, it appears like a strange wiry gauntlet, with metal claws and a strange crystal in the center. It emits a strange pulsing sound that I cringe at, but I am held firm by nurse fila, I can't look away as the strange glow it emits passes over my arms. The curtain of despair lifts for a moment, replaced by incredulousness as before my eyes the wounded artery in my arms miraculously seals itself, as elegantly as a flight suit being zipped up. My arm is left feeling slightly warm which soon fades, any sign of the wound is gone.
Fila speaks in an incredulous tone.
“It is endlessly baffling how your medical bay is stocked with simple alcohol based disinfectants and primitive bandages and sutures. Like something I'd see in a primitive yotul field hospital, while simultaneously containing healing tools so advanced they would make the finest Zurulian theoretical medical engineers sell their own tail.”
The blond predator lets out a high pitched broken chortle, which my translator pings as laughter. “I don’t know what a Zurulian is but compared to what we've seen this is nothing, this is a miniature version of the same technology used in a Goa'uld sarcophagus, which can reanimate dead tissue, bringing people back to life even after complete brain death.”
“Fascinating” Donu replied “what is the nature of this radiation”
“That technology itself is actually derivative of an ancient healing device created by our distant primordial ancestors the Alterans, which emitted subspace based healing radiation. We currently have the original device back in our home dimension being reverse engineered back in area 51” Spoke a third predator, who was standing up against the far wall.
He seemed to be holding onto himself quite fiercely, perhaps he struggled to hold in his bloodlust, unlike the two predators currently at my side.
“For predators they have such wondrous technology Farva” Donu says as she takes my paw and massages it gently in an attempt to ease my anxiety. “I almost wouldn't believe it if not for what they have shown us so far. Tell me, do you know how they got us off of our ship?”
A wave of realization washed over me as I sat dumbfounded in the bed. How did they get us off this ship? My brain had been in nonstop flight mode since the battle. I had been so occupied with survival I never stopped to contextualize my mere presence, on this ship, in one piece, why had we all seemingly awoken in this ship's hangar bay. No wait we didn't awaken, most of us were standing. Maybe we were drugged and removed, with no memory of the lost time. But that couldn’t be right. I was looking at the countdown to the core explosion. It had hit zero. I saw the flash myself.
“I was on the bridge holding Nyan in my arms, but after that I remember being in that hangar bay, with Nyan, in the exact same position.”
“The humans have a technology that allows them to break down matter at the atomic level, transfer it via an electromagnetic molecular confinement beam, and reassemble it at a different location completely remotely!” Donu excitedly proclaimed.
“You were teleported directly from the bridge to our ships hangar bay with your crew, and Donu to our infirmary due to her severe radiation poisoning.” Commented the blond predator.
Nyan finished crawling up the bed and snuggled into my side. “They fixed Donu, Samantha fixed her with her healing glove!” Nyan excitedly brayed, his tail wagging uncontrollably.
My stomach dropped, how had I forgotten, how did I let that slip my mind, Donu was subjected to at least 3.6 standard units of gamma radiation. Her presence here was a miracle. I hugged her tightly, my guilt for my actions only increased, how could I neglect the damage done to one of my oldest friends. Was I so predator diseased that I forgot to think of my herd?
The predator whose name was Samantha spoke ”Yeh sorry it took us so long, we cut it a lot closer than we wanted, but we had to adjust our transporter lock to account for the radiation flooding the ship, the levels experienced were harmless for the most part, but enough to cause problems.”
The fear chemicals were slowly draining from my mind, my head became clearer as I started to consider the actions of these predators so far. They had offered to help my ship while risking their own vessel, they had tried for peace before throwing themselves into battle, they had little reason to help us and little reason to try and take our technology as their capabilities seem to surpass ours in many ways so far.
I looked towards the blond haired predator, towards Samantha.
“Why did you help us? What do you hope to gain?”
She responded ”Well now we would like to maybe get some intel about this local region of space, we are not from around here and frankly we could do with some help securing some parts. But with that in mind we didn't really expect anything out of you when we first got your hail. We helped because you were in trouble, and your situation sounded dire.”
“And I'm just supposed to believe that! Prey ships would be waging pros and cons before even thinking about helping another ship under attack, especially with not knowing anything at all about the other ships capabilities”
Donu squeezed my paw and interjected. "These humans aren’t like normal predators, they are pack predators, they are very social, and even appear to feel genuine empathy, they even eat plants, they have been feeding us from their own reserves!”
“How is that possible?” I ask, having never heard of such a thing.
“Well where we come from” Samantah responded ”Omnivorous life is extremely common, not just on our home planet but nearly every one of the thousands of habitable planets we have visited contain omnivorous life in some form or another, It is an incredibly beneficial evolutionary trait.”
“Thousands! How can that be, our scientist have never encountered such a thing”
“That's the thing, they're not from this galaxy Farva, they're not even from this dimension!”
Donu gets into explaining the technical aspects of the Daedalus's faithful journey to our dimension, while Nyan, an always hungry growing boy, runs off during her explanation, to approach the large predator known as Teal’c.
“Can I have another donut?” he asks, pointing to the box that I now realize is not covered in blood but instead merely painted a gaudy pink.
“You may, but only after you have completed your grooming rituals, it is important for little ones such as yourself to learn and maintain proper hygiene practices” Teal’c spoke, his growls almost seeming to take up a fatherly aura.
He looks disappointed slightly but then his ears and tail perks up as he runs behind Samantha and out of sight, he remerges with a hairbrush and plops himself down on the predator's lap. To which she responds by snarling at him intensely.
“Donu” I shriek, interrupting the third predator's speech on the volatile nature of fourth dimensional space. Shocked at how quickly the predator could go from civility to volatility so rapidly. I was quickly calmed by Donu and Fila assuring me that this was merely an odd habit of the humans. The upturned teeth baring signaled happiness to them. Samantha made it clear to me that since her jaw was not clenched it did not indicate aggression. Her explanation sounded dubious, but after further observation, her following actions did not seem to indicate she wanted to harm the boy. Nyan offers her the brush once he sees that I am finished panicking.
She gives and odd closed mouth smile. "You have an almost PHD level knowledge of physics! don't tell me you don't know how to brush your own fur”
His tail gives a meek wag. ”I like when you do it, you have such nice flat nails and warm fingers!”
He makes his eyes go wide like a pup pleading for attention. The predator’s resolve immediately falters. ”Awh how could I say no to such a cute little angel”.
Samantha begins to help the boy detangle his fur, running her long grasping appendages through his fur in combination with the brush to gently pull apart the knots. He’s already clean from the grime that was present on him from when we were back on the heavily damaged ship, speaking of which I gesture to nurse Kila.
“Kila, how is the crew? How are they holding up? why aren't they here?”
“17 survivors including yourself, the humans have set up a triage center in their hangar bay, keeping the crew together and trying to give them some space, their stable but many of them are bedridden. They're quite scared naturally but,“ nurse Kila gives a look towards the humans “but I think we are going to be alright.”
“So what happens now?” I asked, “you aren't from this dimension and you said you were having drive problems, can you fix those? What are your plans for this dimension?”
The third predator stalked out from his isolated corner to address the room in a posture that emphasized the obvious restraint that was required to contain his instincts around us. “Hi ummm.. My name is Doctor Rodney Mckay, I think I can help with that question, simply put, our drive system uses a specialized quantum subspace field generator to warp 4th dimensional space in a way that allows us to track and catalog dimensional eddies as we call them, and track their specific frequencies which allow us to…….”
------- one long boring explanation later ------
“Ah So I see, you came to this dimension by mistake and need a replacement part that you cannot manufacture yourself to return home, but you think we might be able to manufacture a replacement with our industry?” I asked for clarification from Rodney.
“I discussed with your chief engineer earlier, we should be able to reproduce the part we need at what Donu described as a hyper fabricator, the meta materials available in your dimension you use for warp travel should be sufficient to recreate the part we need”
“In exchange I believe we can help you with your little arxur problem.” Spoke Samantha, running her grasping appendages through the fur of a contented Nyan, who was happily munching away at the strange circular Staryu-like treat the human Teal'c had presented him. Samantha proclaiming it to be sourced from his personal stash.
I was taken back by the revelation that they wanted to offer further assistance, when the predators first mentioned their damaged drive system, I thought they might try to leverage our place as rescued survivors as a means to get access to the part they needed to repair their damaged vessel. But now they were offering further assistance in exchange?
“I don’t understand, you've already done so much? Why would you help us more and risk more damage to your vessel?”
“Well if you want the reason we are going to put on paper, “Samantha said, ”it's to gather intel about a potential threat, and to ensure trust and cooperation of the locals to better expedite the procurement of mission critical drive components. If you want our real reason, its that no one deserves what has been done to you, we can't stay because we have responsibilities in our home dimension, but we don't see why we can’t help you while we are here.”
“So wait, are you proposing what I think you're proposing?”
“I am, from what we learned from your crew the arxur take a large portion of their abductees as cattle, we can track your subspace trails quite quickly and we think we have a good chance of hunting down the arxur transport ships.”
Nyan angled his head to look at both me and the human. Hope in his eyes, the idea of getting my family back would normally seem like an impossible dream, but here I was being comforted by predators, offering to risk their lives for a very lopsided trade in our favor. An ember of hope for the first time in many claws went alight in my chest.
I looked to Donu, who while trying to hide it, looked forlornly in Nyans direction. He was so happy to hear about a rescue plan and excited by all the predators' incredible technology, but while my family was young and fertile enough to be taken as cattle and potentially rescued. I had little doubt that if his family wasn't eaten, or killed in the bombing of the colony, the arxur would have no reason to hold a couple of such advanced age as cattle.
While I myself was a meek prey and a hopeless failure of a military officer, these Humans, despite obviously being fierce predators, had shown off an odd compassion. If anyone could; stand up to the arxur, and hunt them in return it was them.
I would help them anyway I could, they were unfamiliar with our foe, but they have shown themselves to be quite adaptable so far. Working together, we just maybe had a chance at making up for my failures. To set things right, and to save innocent prey from a fate worse than death.
“I think I may have to take you up on your offer kind predator”
Officer Report - Captain Caldwell
CLEARANCE LEVEL 5
Our interim chief engineer Dr.Mckay has successfully clamped open the 4th dimensional hole in space ; as he calls it; so we are clear to jump through this dimension freely without losing our path back to our home dimension. While my first impulse would be to jump to Earth, Unfortunately it seems that this dimension’s earth cold war went hot and it is currently a bombed out waste land. That being said carter and Mckay have struck a deal with the captain of the destroyed venlil defense frigate, in exchange for aiding in the rescue of captured civilians, they are willing to grant us access to the advanced manufacturing equipment needed to repair our Quantum drive.
While the antagonistic cannibalistic arxur are certainly an intimidating foe, they are not invincible and our ship stacks up favorably against theirs when specialized techniques are employed. The problem they cause for us is more unique. Carnivores are rare in this dimension and seemingly more so are omnivores. The Herbivore species known as the venlil are quite afraid of us, having dealt with these arxur for so long, and also due to a seemingly quite intense biological fear response, have been very wary to deal with us. Fortunately due to our admittedly unusually charismatic crew, and their admirable diplomatic efforts, we seem to have gotten them to calm down a lot since we initially transported them onto our ship. I am going to check up on the venlil crew and captain in the Medbay now, as they will be the most essential venlil to our efforts going forward.
As I walk in it seems that captain Farva is fast asleep, while Rodney appears to be using a Donut to explain the workings of a stargate to the aliens engineers.
“Okay so the stargate, you see this donut, imagine it's about 10 venlil tall, and made of metal” Rodney picks up another donut and hands it to the Child named Nyan. ”Okay first off don't eat that, secondly imagine you are a ancient alien race, and you want to get to point A to point B as fast as possible. Ftl isn’t quite fast enough so what if you could instead skip the trip and skip to the end. The stargate network allowed the ancient alternans to simply walk from planet to planet” Rodney used his finger to gesture from donut to donut in his explanation of the stargates, speaking about their functions as well as their dangers, mentioning some notable accidents associated with their use, like unwanted time travel, stellar poisoning and dimension hopping, the ladder being a large part of why we were here in this dimension to begin with. Most concerningly however, the venlil Nyan took a bite out of the donut when rodney finished his explanation.
Samantha was working quietly with nurse Fila and looked up from some chemical diagrams when she noticed I had entered the room. I asked if I could have a word, and took Her, Rodney, and Teal'c aside to have a meeting with them. We left the room due to the venlil’s exceptional hearing, as we had previously discovered when various medics made some inappropriate comments on how the venlil were “cute enough to eat '' thinking they were out of earshot.
Having taken them aside I spoke up. “I have already told this to Shepard and our medical staff in the hangar bay, and I would like to congratulate you on your remarkable progress on bridging the gap with the venlil. Going from shoot on sight in the hangar bay to literally eating out of your hands in a matter of hours represents some major diplomatic prowess.”
“Thank you captain” Samantha Said.
“There behavior is indeed most unusual” followed Teal’c
“But seemingly quite understandable given what they have been through with the wraith, Sorry! Arxur, Freudian slip.” chimed rodney.
“I would love to look at the biosphere of one of their planets, their ecology seems preposterous judging by the way they describe it. But they are a space faring species so they presumably know what they are talking about.” added Samantha.
“I myself am curious based on what you reported general, their dimension is quite odd but I suppose ours would be weird to them as well, but we have responsibilities back home.” I responded curtly. “I do have a question for you all though, The Venlil are a herbivorous species with intense emotional reactions and societal values pertaining to the consumption of meat, including animal products correct?”
Samantha answered ”We have been avoiding the subject of meat consumption as much as possible, focusing on our plant based foods for the venlil’s comfort, and they have been happy to keep that topic to a minimum after the initial introductions, but I don't believe they would respond well to the idea of consumption of…..” Samantha trails off with a worried look. “Oh god wait, please don’t tell me”
Teal’c looks confused, Rodney facepalms.
“You do know that donuts have eggs in them? Don't you.”
submitted by Bbobsillypants to NatureofPredators [link] [comments]

2024.05.08 22:11 SweetPhycoGirl What do I do

Hi I'm 27 female living in UK and I have been living with my parents since I turned 18 ic being paying them rent and cleaning and I had had jobs but lost the ability to work when my mental health caused extremely bad stomach issues and anxiety and then when I was able to work I became sick alot because of mold and damp in my room which my parents said was normal and never did anything about it and having to take care of it myself its always returned. Because I have mental health issues like depression and anxiety and bps (border like personality disorder) I haven't had confidence to have sex or or proper relationships so here I am 27 Ur old virgin no proper relationship. I started talking to an American guy 2 years ago and we been mostly online dating and hes lovely and sweet and wants to be with me and is financially stable however I am neither financially stable or healthy and living with toxic parents who have abused me and verbally abused me my hole life dismissed my feelings and pain calling me lazy when I'm at the moment suffering from bad stomach pains that are getting worse they say it's all in my head all the time messing with my sanity and dismissing me all together calling me lazy and useless alot and when other family come round tell lies about me and make it out I'm insane or unstable when I'm not a narcissist and controling like they are. I tried get housing applications and my mother sabotaged then 3 times and said she didn't when I literally saw her on my phone telling them I don't need it and then would turn to me saying your always welcome in this house. I can't sleep or eat proply because my mother or the 3 cats fighting and the neighbours dogs barking outside my window (they breed puppies). My mum recently had a heart attack 2 months ago and the family blamed me even tho they said they haven't they always said it was down to stress and looked st me. She had a calapsed artery and she had an angina attack last week. I told her a year ago I had a dream she had a heart attack and my prediction dreams always come true she was too late in trying to change her smoking and decades of abuse on her body from fast food and over eating no exercise and being overweight most her life. Because her issues and my step dad also having issues they both unable to do alot and the past 7 years iv cared for her while shes disabled and well and helped clean the house but nothing has ever been enough and she keeps me around for cleaning and rent money I feel like. I'm at the end of my straw after iv had to endure them my whole life I want to leave now or I'm going to take my own life because I can no longer stand it. My other family members won't believe me when I tell them my story and it's 4 under this roof against 1 me. So I have no other options. My real dad won't have me since he's been mostly absent and said I can stay for a week but that's it and I don't know about my auntie. I feel like if I asked her she won't believe me and scared she will say no. I attempted suicide 2 times since I was 16 and iv self harmed since I was 14 and didn't do it for the past 3 years but now I'm struggling to hold it together with the pain tiredness and abuse I get I'm bedridden some days because it's so bad and doctors won't give me anything untill I get ultrasound scan results in two weeks. Anyone know snythinf or numbers or crisis help for emergency housing.
submitted by SweetPhycoGirl to Advice [link] [comments]

2024.05.08 16:54 ayoty55565 Question on CIE 9700 paper 3

Hi everyone.
Just wanted to find out whether paper 3 still asks for plan diagrams on Trachea and Bronchus?
I know its usually based on a plan drawing on a microscope image of a plant, but within my textbook there is a lot of teaching of plan diagrams on Trachea, Bronchus aswell as veins and arteries.
Will this be asked in paper 3?
submitted by ayoty55565 to alevel [link] [comments]

2024.05.08 12:27 cutt-ly-moths please help, artery bleeding internally into abdomen, only my retired PCP believes me

You can call me Brandon (my Reddit username doesn't exactly roll of the tongue).
This is not a troll, joke, or fake post. I am 56M, 5" 8", white. I don't drink or smoke. For the condition, I take 0.6 to 0.8 mg/day of clonidine and 25 to 50 mg/day of metoprolol.
I don't have much time (long shift and commute) so in brief (this is the TLDR, I've left out many details):
I suffered a major ischemic stroke in Sept 2017 after physical trauma from Hurricane Irma, which gave me dark bruises all over my body. I didn't know there was an ischemic stroke risk. A few hours into the stroke, a clot made its way into an artery off my aorta and plugged it. It moved through the artery for several hours. I could easily feel it, so it was probably just under my skin.
When it got near my right nipple, it ruptured the artery. I felt something (clot) roll down my insides. The doctor I told answered "if that really happened, you'd be dead now". No one there believed me, I was Baker-Acted when the psychiatrist saw my bruises. She later removed the BA, admitting I had no mental issue. I do have a thoracic aortic aneurysm and history of aneurysms in my family.
I slowly bled for several weeks. When I felt the stinging blood from the inside, I returned to the ER, and they wanted to do a CAT scan. I asked how an x-ray would see pooled liquid blood. When they had no answer, I left and went to my former PCP (then current PCP). I normally had a flat tummy. The bulge told him I was bleeding internally. I asked if there was any drug to dissolve clots. He answered warfarin, but said I would bleed to death due to the artery rupture.
He immediately scheduled exploratory endoscopic surgery (uses a camera and looks inside). He said a pig artery could be sutured in place if it was important, otherwise it would just be sutured shut. None of that happened.
The insurance company would not approve the procedure or any involving a theory that I had pooled dead blood inside my abdomen. They didn't believe I could have a ruptured artery from a stroke, but my PCP has heard of it happening. He tried several times though various contacts to get it scheduled. After 6 months, the burning sensation went away and I learned to accept the bulge.
1.5 years pass. I had thousands of ICAs from the micro-clumps of blood still in my bloodstream. Then they began to harden. For 1.5 years, unknown to me or my PCP, I had micro-clumps from the first stroke still present in my blood. Yeah warfarin would have dissolved them but the arterial rupture made that not an option.
I had capillaries all over clogging. Some in my skin, my muscles, and my brain. I had 4 more moderate strokes, each with various odd effects. I got COVID19 early Jan 2020 (before the epidemic had been announced) while in the hospital for observation from stroke #5. COVID got bad and I nearly died before I recovered. They had no idea what was wrong.
My PCP came up with a radical treatment to stop the strokes. He wrote the RXs, and it worked (and still is working). He retired 8 months later under mysterious circumstances and no patient records were returned. The insurance companies owed him about a million dollars but refused to pay him as he would not join a medical practice group. The office manager said they were evicted and no more info was available. I have followed him around the country with an online service. He did retire from what I can determine, but my records were 2" worth of papers and might be useful in proving and treating my condition.
In Feb 2020, I left my job with a severance as I was too ill to work. I had Long-COVID and COVID caused Panic Attack Disorder- daily for a year and periodically for another year (BP and BPM meds helped stop or greatly lessen the severity).
In Oct 2023, I finally found long term employment (and health insurance)- light physical labor on a production line. In Feb 2024 I began bleeding again from the ruptured artery. It burns/hurts where it burst, and I feel the stickyness and liquidus of the bleeding. I feel a clotted blood stalactite under my right nipple wiggle with shaking movement, like when brushing my teeth (how there's room for a stalactite, I don't know).
My current PCP, a second opinion doctor (Feb 2024), and an ER doctor (March 2024) don't believe it's possible to rupture an artery from stroke. The second doctor ordered echocardio, ABD complete ultrasounds, and blood workup. The ER doctor did a CAT scan. I'm working to get my PCP access to the results. The tests show nothing unusual. Folks, the pooled blood is likely still liquid... I think I'd be dead otherwise. The ER doctor didn't seem concerned. The head nurse was way freaked out, as if she's seen the symptoms before and knows the prognosis and difficulty in convincing anyone this must be treated with urgency.
My abdomen is huge and growing everyday, yet I am losing weight- now having a job, there's no time for morning cereal (I lost 12 lbs in the past 6 months). I look pregnant, not fat. My abdomen gets alarmingly cool to the touch causing organ pain and extreme BP and tachycardia and feeling terrible until I warm it back up with an electric heater. There are no blood vessels in the pooled blood. It's 72 F where I work. Despite long underwear and winter coat, it's often not enough.
The past week, the bulge has begun to cause rib bone pain on the left and right sides. Sometimes I get a burning tingling all over the region of my abdomen and back. The sensations are intense, I'm having great difficulty sleeping. I'm very tired during the day. The bone pain and abdomen pain at times is severe. Each day I feel the artery bleed more. The liquidus of the bleed is at my right nipple right under the skin, usually extending down my side and front and back right side. I can easily feel it if I extend my arm. The liquidus is between the layers of my muscles.
At work, I can't sit anymore without loosening my belt (so loose my pants won't stay up if standing or walking). The bone pain is intense. My job frequently requires me to get up and walk 30-100 feet. My BP and BPM is highest with activity. I'm near or over the max dose for me BP and BPM drugs. Only one BP drug (clonidine) works on me that I'm not allergic too. It makes me sleepy, compounding my lack of sleep.
When driving, I loosen my belt all the way and unzip. Tonight I had a frightening incident. As soon as I got on the freeway, my BP and BPM spiked hard, like an instant panic attack. I pulled over and took some meds. It was not a panic attack, something else. I felt better after a few minutes and skipped the ER. The artery bled the rest of the way home. ER's have not helped me yet, but a hysterical sobbing patient who looks like a balloon about to pop might get help...
This is treatable IMO and probably any decent cardiac surgeon could suture the artery closed. I'm pretty sure the rupture in on the underside of my skin just above the ribcage, so that's relatively accessible. Cleaning the pooled blood out will be the big challenge. Probably have to open me up a bit and lots of saline and gentle suction. But I'm an Engineer, not a Doctor...
There's several big players (insurance company and several hospitals) that have caused this mess. Multiple doctors and nurses who should know what is theoretically possible, and not assume patients are lying (for what purpose?) about events and symptoms.
I've shown anyone who wants to see my front and side, and the reaction is always one of shock typically beginning with "What the...." or "Oh my God."
I see my current PCP tomorrow for the usual refills. I'm also going to ask for pain medication so I can sleep and not be in excruciating pain anymore. Any specialists I should try to see? Gastroenterologist and a Cardiologist might be the path.
I can fly anywhere in the USA, though travel has me concerned (it would suck to die in flight and freak out all the passengers plus cause a flight incident). I'm not rich but have a decent health policy through a well known insurer. I'm in Tampa (work in Pinellas).
Is there any doctor or knowledgeable person here that can help me? Please message me. I've been told a paracentesis procedure is done first to relieve the immediate symptoms and death risk (cardiac tamponade). It removes fluid buildup inside the abdomen.
submitted by cutt-ly-moths to AskDocs [link] [comments]

2024.05.08 03:30 AutoModerator The link between Post-SSRI Sexual Dysfunction, Hard Flaccid Syndrome, Post Finasteride Syndrome, Pelvic Floor Dysfunction, Chronic Pelvic Pain Syndrome and advice on how to start your healing journey based on 8 years of research and personal experiences by easyflaccid

The link between Post-SSRI Sexual Dysfunction, Hard Flaccid Syndrome, Post Finasteride Syndrome, Pelvic Floor Dysfunction, Chronic Pelvic Pain Syndrome and advice on how to start your healing journey based on 8 years of research and personal experiences : pssdhealing (reddit.com)
Here are all my thoughts and advice based on my personal experiences, other people’s insight and helpful experiences, and research I have done on and off about pelvic floor issues from the past eight years or so. I am not claiming that any of this is revolutionary, but I hope it can help some of you out there to give you a head start on healing and advance our understanding of these conditions. As I am a 27 year old male with previous major problems with pelvic floor issues and hard flaccid, some of my advice may be biased towards my condition. However, I believe everyone can benefit from a lot of this because I really do think that all of these conditions that I mentioned are linked in at least some way, especially by pelvic floor dysfunction and sex hormone desensitization. I try not to come to these forums because it increases anxiety and negative emotions which leads to worse pelvic floor symptoms, so my apologies if I do not respond to your questions. For hard flaccid and pelvic floor affected people, follow my advice and I am confident you can heal and reach a place where your symptoms barely affect your life, if at all, which is where I am at now. The mentality of trying to find a 100% “magic cure” solution just leads to anxiety and catastrophic thinking if you have a set back which will only worsen your symptoms. You can and will heal. I know this is a lot of information, but try to implement just one or two things at a time. Focus on the present, and take it one day at a time. Don’t get overwhelmed. All of this is my opinion and not professional medical advice. Talk with your doctor before starting anything.
Post Finasteride Syndrome (PFS), Post-SSRI Sexual Dysfunction (PSSD), Hard Flaccid Syndrome (HFS), Pelvic Floor Dysfunction, and Chronic Pelvic Pain Syndrome all can have some similar symptoms. I believe that they are all either caused or can be exacerbated by androgen and estrogen receptor insensitivity and are triggered by medication, genital injury, and pelvic floor inflammation and dysfunction. The pelvic floor is rich in androgen receptors and estrogen receptors. However, without proper androgen receptor activation and sensitivity, the pelvic floor muscles don’t have enough DHT which line the tissues of the pelvic floor, genitalia, and lower urinary tract. DHT is vital for healthy sexual functioning in both sexes - it provides an anabolic effect to tissues to provide strength, stability, healing, and relaxation to tissues. As a result of androgen receptor insensitivity and lack of DHT, the pelvic floor can become chronically weakened, tight, and inflamed which reduces blood flow to the region leading to even more androgen receptor insensitivity and thus less DHT. These symptoms can cause psychological stress to the individual which tightens the pelvic floor further leading to more symptoms and less blood flow. One study found that androgen sensitivity has raised the possibility that androgens can be used to rebuild the weakened and/or damaged muscles comprising the pelvic floor - source. Some people may also have normal hormone levels in the blood when tested, but these hormones cannot reach or be effective in the pelvic floor tissues or brain due to sex hormone insensitivity and the lack of the blood flow in the region caused by pelvic floor tightness and dysfunction. It is also likely that there is a problem with desensitized estrogen receptors causing a similar mechanism of dysfunction because they are also found in the pelvic floor, genitals, and brain and are important for pelvic floor health, sexual functioning, cognition, and emotions in both sexes. The most important element to remember to help start the healing process for these disorders is to boost blood flow through supplements, stretches, and exercises which will increase both androgen and estrogen receptor sensitivity over time.
Many males with PFS, PSSD, and Pelvic Floor dysfunction are affected by the hard flaccid condition.
Post Finasteride Syndrome (PFS) caused by Finasteride, a 5-alpha-reductase inhibitor (5-ARI), plummets DHT levels in the body to try to help hair loss causing sexual dysfunction and pelvic floor issues. Androgen receptors that surround the pelvic floor, genitals, and brain become desensitized due to the Finasteride leading to less DHT binding to these receptors causing dysfunction and a tight, weak pelvic floor. The tight, dysfunctional pelvic floor now restricts blood flow which impacts healing and the delivery of testosterone to this area that further exacerbates androgen insensitivity leading to less DHT in these tissues. Since androgen receptors are found in the brain and androgens have neuroprotective effects, this could be one reason why some PFS and PSSD sufferers are also impacted cognitively. An herbal supplement called Saw Palmetto has also been reported to cause a disorder similar to PFS because it is also a 5-ARI that blocks the conversion of testosterone into DHT. Another disorder called Post Accutane Syndrome (PAS) is also similar to PFS and it reduces DHT as well through being a 5-ARI: “Isotretinoin, used to treat severe acne, has been shown to induce hormonal changes, especially to reduce 5 alpha-reductase in the production of the tissue-derived dihydrotestosterone (DHT) metabolite 3 alpha-Adiol G.”. PFS, PAS, and PSSD are thought to cause not only androgen receptor desensitization, but likely estrogen receptor desensitization as well.
For Post-SSRI Sexual Dysfunction (PSSD), SSRIs are also known to decrease androgens and down regulate androgen receptors. This study shows that SSRIs can have an anti-estrogenic effect as well and can even reduce the expression of estrogen receptors (ER), including in the hypothalamus.. As sex hormones get desensitized in the pelvic floor, genital region, and brain, it causes localized DHT and estrogen levels in these tissues to decrease causing emotional blunting, sexual dysfunction, pelvic floor issues, hard flaccid syndrome, and more. The pelvic floor dysfunction can then prevent the sex hormone receptors from being reactivated and sensitized due to restricting oxygen and sex hormone rich blood flow to the tissues. SSRIs can cause androgen receptor insensitivity and estrogen receptor insensitivity by severely inhibiting the serotonin transporter (SERT) leading to increased serotonin levels which desensitizes those receptors throughout the body. One key to help heal from PSSD is increasing androgen production, androgen receptor sensitivity, and blood flow to boost BDNF, SERT, and DHT levels to hopefully allow any estrogen receptor desensitization recover on its own over time after everything else is normalized. Once androgen levels in local tissues (pelvic floor, brain, genitals) are normalized again through androgen receptor activation and sensitivity, it will encourage the conversion of androgens into estrogens in these tissues via aromatase. It is also worth to mention that some community members are trying to restore estrogen receptor sensitivity via boosting estrogen in various ways including by taking hops extract which is a potent phytoestrogen. This is also interesting: Estradiol represents another important natural ligand for androgen receptors that may play an essential role for the androgen receptor function and the development of the male reproductive system.
As mentioned earlier, people with PSSD and other disorders might have normal looking hormone blood tests (testosterone, DHT, estrogen, etc), but the issue is that these hormones are not functioning in the brain, pelvic floor, and genitals properly due to androgen and estrogen receptor insensitivity. An important thing to also recognize is that the medical community still has no official explanation how exactly SSRIs cause all of these debilitating side effects, but they are still being readily prescribed without informed consent about the risks of PSSD. It is unfortunate that it is people like us on the internet leading the charge to investigate and inform. We all need to continue to do our part to spread awareness of these iatrogenic disorders to warn people about the risks of taking these medications because their medical providers aren’t likely going to. Thank you to the PSSD Network for helping to give a voice to the unheard.
Post-SSRI Sexual Dysfunction (PSSD): Biological Plausibility, Symptoms, Diagnosis, and Presumed Risk Factors
Androgen receptor (AR) inactivation in mice led to reduction in hypothalamic neural nitric oxide synthase (nNOS), indicating the regulatory sexual function of this neurotransmitter. Furthermore, activation of the pre and post-synaptic 5HT1A receptors was found to be correlated with inhibitory effect on erectile function. All of these factors are speculated to be involved in this symptom and might be related to epigenetic alteration of androgen receptor (AR) and estrogen receptor (ER) densities due to influence of SSRIs on the epigenome.
In male PSSD sufferers, the penile shaft can be rigid during erection, yet the glans of the penis remains flaccid.This symptom may arise from hypo-activation of the dopaminergic and oxytocinergic pathways. The glans of the penis, in particular, receives its blood supply from the deep dorsal artery. Perhaps this points to a selective arterial malfunction relative to pelvic floor dysfunction which usually accompanies PSSD.
Here is another interesting study that gives support to the importance of increasing blood flow to help heal:
If SSRIs produce sexual side effects by impairing vasocongestion to the genital region, it would be expected that pharmacologic agents that increase blood flow to the genital region would improve sexual functioning. Indeed, several anecdotal reports and studies have found that sildenafil (a drug designed to treat erectile failure by increasing blood flow into the penile tissue) was successful in reversing SSRI-induced sexual dysfunction in both men and women [8,9,87,88,109]. Sildenafil acts to increase blood flow into the genital tissue by facilitating c-GMP activity that is initiated by nitric oxide [19] and preliminary evidence suggests that the SSRIs may cause sexual difficulties by inhibiting nitric oxide synthase [39,118].
Here is a paper from a community member that hypothesizes that the main issue is lasting estrogen receptor insensitivity just to give another interesting perspective on Post-SSRI Sexual Dysfunction, Post-Finasteride Syndrome, and Post-Retinoid Sexual Dysfunction
As the body is starved of DHT, ARs upregulate in response. At the same time, ER activation is significantly increased as a result of the increased production of Estradiol during treatment (due to higher Testosterone availability by reduced 5a reduction to DHT) - eventually leading to ER downregulation.
Hard Flaccid Syndrome (HFS) - There are many men suffering from HFS and pelvic floor issues due to PSSD, PFS, heavy weight lifting, excess kegeling, or in the case I’m presenting here, physical damage to the genitals from excessive, vigorous sexual activity (my case) or penis enlargement exercises. When the genitals get damaged, an inflammatory process starts and the pelvic floor contracts to protect itself. Since the pelvic floor is now in a chronic, contracted state, it limits oxygen and sex hormone rich blood flow to the genitals and pelvic floor which leads to sex hormone insensitivity and negatively impacts healing, muscle relaxation, and DHT production in these tissues. Finasteride, Accutane, and SSRIs also desensitize sex hormone receptors in the genitals and pelvic floor tissues leading to hard flaccid and pelvic floor dysfunction. Since the pelvic floor tightness restricts blood flow, it is difficult for hard flaccid sufferers to reactivate and sensitize their pelvic floor muscle androgen receptors again to regain relaxation and strength in their pelvic floor muscles, including the ischiocavernosus (IC), bulbocavernosus (BC), and pubococcygeus (PC) which are in a contracted state; the IC muscle in particular is thought to be the most implicated in the cause of hard flaccid. We first need to promote relaxation in the pelvic floor by boosting blood flow through supplements and stretches because tight muscles are weak muscles. Once the pelvic floor is in a chronic state of tension, it is hard to heal from pelvic floor issues because you likely already had bad habits such as poor posture, unhealthy sexual practices, stiff muscles, sedentary lifestyle, unchecked anxiety, and other negative lifestyle factors. Along with supplements, exercises, and stretches, correcting these bad habits is necessary to heal to have an even healthier pelvic floor than you ever had before because it likely was already tight and dysfunctional to begin with before developing obvious issues, but it was more subtle and you had no awareness of your pelvic floor muscles until now. You have the potential to now become a much healthier person overall than you ever would have been without being affected by pelvic floor dysfunction and hard flaccid.
32% of women will develop a pelvic floor disorder in their lifetime which is double that of men. While childbirth and pregnancy plays a role in this discrepancy, women also have far less testosterone and DHT levels than men which I believe plays a major factor. Since women have less testosterone, their androgen receptors that line the pelvic floor don’t make enough DHT to adequately support these tissues compared to men. This makes them more prone to pelvic floor dysfunction that causes them a disparate amount of pain, tightness, and inflammation. Androgen receptors and their ability to convert testosterone into DHT play such a vital role in pelvic floor health and sexual functioning. This is mentioned in a research study: Prevailing scientific literature has indicated the presence of androgen receptors in the levator ani muscle and pelvic fascia. The existence of androgen receptors in the vaginal wall can play an essential role in the development of pelvic floor disorders in women.Thus, androgen-related disorders may interfere with the function of pelvic floor muscles. [Many people mistakenly believe that androgens are only important for male sexual health:](https://www.bumc.bu.edu/sexualmedicine/patientinformation-physicians/androgen-insuffiency-in-women/#:~:text=Androgen%20insufficiency%20syndrome%2C%20characterized%20by,of%20sexual%20dysfunction%20in%20women.] Androgens have a three-fold action on female sexual function. They (1) increase libido by providing the fuel for a woman’s psychosexual stimulation, (2) increase sensitivity and blood flow to the external genitalia, and (3) increase the intensity of sexual gratification.
What I see in all these conditions is that sex hormone receptors become desensitized in the pelvic floor and genital tissues either from a drug, pelvic tightness, or inflammation from injury leading to less hormones being produced causing sexual and pelvic floor dysfunction. The pelvic floor now goes into a chronic tightened state as a response, leading to less oxygen and testosterone rich blood flow to the genital and pelvic region which leads to more androgen insensitivity and subsequently less DHT. This all explains why many people who have these conditions are helped by supplements that improve androgen receptor sensitivity and blood flow, and why pelvic floor therapy and exercises are so helpful to many of them. Estrogen receptor insensitivity in the pelvic floor also appears to have a similar mechanical negative effect by leading to less estrogen levels in the pelvic floor and genital tissues. It is also possible that some people with PSSD/PFS may have subtle or no pelvic floor symptoms, but the medication still desensitizes sex hormone sensitivity in their genitals and pelvic floor tissues that is leading to sexual dysfunction.
Another study linking androgens and the pelvic floor: Levator ani and other muscles of the pelvic floor and lower urinary tract are sensitive to the anabolic effects of testosterone. Androgen receptors are also expressed in the pelvic floor and lower urinary tract of both animals and humans. Anabolic effects of androgens may play an important role in the female pelvic-floor and lower-urinary-tract disorders. Furthermore, the interactions between androgen and nitric oxide synthase and arginase have been demonstrated, suggesting that androgens may also participate in modulating the physiological functions of the lower urinary tract through nitric oxide. The action of androgens in the lower urinary tract and pelvic floor is complex and may depend on their anabolic effects, hormonal modulation, receptor expression, interaction with nitric oxide synthase, or a combination of these effects.
My solution to help heal and improve the well-being of people with these issues is to try to improve sex hormone receptor sensitivity and pelvic floor function through supplements, stretches, exercises, and boosting blood flow which will hopefully restore normal levels of estrogens and androgens in pelvic, genital, and brain tissues. The body has a tremendous capability of self-healing, but we need to support it through active recovery methods.
We will first start with supplements (this is not professional medical advice - talk with your doctor before taking):
L-citrulline - This is the precursor to l-arginine, and it will improve blood flow and levels of nitric oxide to help get oxygen and testosterone rich blood to the pelvic floor and genital tissues to increase androgen sensitivity. Nitric oxide can also induce smooth muscle relaxation which is important for relaxing the pelvic floor. Herein we report on a young man affected by PSSD who regained sexual functioning after 3-month treatment with EDOVIS, a dietary supplement containing L-citrulline and other commonly used aphrodisiacs.. I recommend taking at least 6000 mg daily by taking 2000mg three times throughout the day. The max dose is 10,000mg. Even potentially better, people report great results using Cialis to improve blood flow and healing rather than L-citrulline and some doctors will even prescribe it to women if you show them the evidence - talk with your doctor. “Tadalafil (Cialis) reversal of sexual dysfunction caused by serotonin enhancing medications in women”. L-Citrulline and Cialis are not recommended to be taken together.
L-Carnitine - This will improve the number of androgen receptors and their sensitivity to testosterone to increase levels of DHT in the pelvic floor, genital tissues, and brain. I recommend taking 2000mg daily. Acetyl-L-Carnitine can pass through the blood-brain barrier, while Propionyl-L-carnitine has a high degree of interaction with testosterone. Propionyl may be better for sexual and pelvic floor dysfunction, while Acetyl might help people suffering from the mental effects of PSSD. This study used each at 2000mg daily to improve erectile dysfunction along with Viagra.. I would work up to 2000mg each of Acetyl and Propionyl L-Carnitine along with Cialis instead of Viagra as it lasts in the body for much longer (36 hours) for increased blood flow healing purposes. You can also use L-Citrulline instead of Cialis as mentioned earlier. Discuss with your doctor before taking them.
Vitamin D - This vitamin, which acts more like a hormone, works directly with the endocrine system. It has its own receptors throughout the body and they are often in close proximity to androgen receptors. Deficiency in vitamin D is associated with a stunting of testosterone's effects on androgen receptors and a decline in testosterone levels. Vitamin D will encourage androgen receptor resensitization. One study found that higher vitamin D levels are associated with a decreased risk of pelvic floor disorders in women, and The levator ani and coccygeus muscles are skeletal muscles that are critical components of the pelvic floor and may be affected by vitamin D nutritional status. I recommend 4000IU of vitamin D daily or whatever gets your levels to 60 - 80 ng/ml.
If you have inflammatory issues or pain due to pelvic floor dysfunction, I recommend a fish oil supplement daily. I take fish oil, and I find that it helps limit pelvic inflammation. I also take Magnesium Glycinate to relax the smooth muscle that lines the pelvic floor and genital tissue. I recommend it for people with clear pelvic floor dysfunction, but others should be careful as research says magnesium is a 5-alpha-reductase inhibitor. Take quercetin and bromelain as needed if you experience pelvic inflammatory flare ups and pain, but just be careful as quercetin can also inhibit the production of DHT from testosterone as well. Some say fish oil blocks DHT too, but experiencing chronic pelvic floor pain and inflammation will do more harm to you than minimal DHT blocking. I recommend staying away from all DHT inhibiting foods and supplements for people with PSSD, PFS, and PAS unless you are experiencing pelvic pain and inflammation.
As always, discuss these supplements with your doctor to see if they are okay for you. Lower your supplement intake based on side effects. These aren’t a magic cure, but a tool to help you on your journey to recovery. Don’t do anything without doctor supervision, but this thread gives more evidence for the “cure” for PSSD/PFS being resensitizing androgen receptors and estrogen receptors along with enhancing blood flow as it details how some men recovered through taking high doses of androgens, post cycle therapy, and Cialis. This at least gives hope that a hormonal cure can be created one day by medical professionals. I would of course recommend trying to heal yourself naturally for a long time before doing any hormone treatments under the supervision of a doctor.
I also recommend doing some form of yoga or pelvic floor stretches daily to improve blood flow for pelvic floor relaxation and sex hormone receptor sensitivity. You also need to request to see a pelvic floor therapist for an evaluation and treatment. Learn how to do reverse kegels. Doing reverse kegels will be difficult at first because your pelvic floor is tight and you have little to no awareness of these muscles, so just focus on lengthening and relaxing the pelvic floor through stretches for now. Do not do regular kegels for pelvic floor issues. Learn how to diaphragmatically breathe in 360 degrees to create expansion in your rib cage and abdomen to encourage pelvic floor relaxation. Do not breathe through your chest, and “belly breathing” isn’t the right term because the ribs need to expand as well. You can learn how to diaphragmatically breathe through an exercise such as 4-7-8 breathing. Here is a great video on diaphragmatic breathing and another video. I cannot overstate it enough: retraining yourself to properly breathe diaphragmatically is the single most important thing that you can do to heal from pelvic floor issues. Be a student of breathing: study and take notes on how to breathe better.
Stretches/Yoga poses I recommend:
Hold the Malasana/hindi/yoga squat pose for at least 5-10 minutes at least twice a day, but doing it morning, mid-day, and at night would be the best. Some get great results holding it for 15-20 minutes.This is one of the most important things for your pelvic floor because it will help lengthen and release it. Doing them barefoot is also very beneficial to strengthen your ankles and feet which are connected to your pelvic floor. Again, remember to breathe deeply down into your belly and pelvic floor for all these stretches.
Begin your stretching routine with an Exercise ball ab stretch and Upward-facing dog/cobra pose. This will help stretch your lower abs and psoas muscles so that you can get more breath deeper down into your pelvic floor for the rest of your stretches. Some people say that these types of stretches aren’t great for people who have Anterior Pelvic Tilt, which we should fix, but I still do them as it is important to stretch the lower abs that are hard to get to. You can experiment with doing them sporadically instead of every time you stretch.
This is my current personal complete stretch routine I do in order 3+ days a week:
Myofascial release on my glutes with an orb massage ball but you can use any small hard ball (don’t do this if glutes are currently sore) > Calf stretch against a wall or a yoga block which is what I use > exercise ball ab stretch > upward facing dog > (optional) Do a handful of cat cows > Supine hamstring stretch with yoga strap or an IdealStretch tool which is what I use > Kneeling hip flexor stretch > flat on back supine single knee to chest stretch > then bring knee to opposite shoulder stretch > supine figure four > I do this stretch next right after figure four > Reclined bound angle pose > (optional) butterfly stretch > (optional) A little bit of downward facing dog to stretch the calves > (optional) Lizard Pose) > (optional) Half split stretch/Half monkey pose with yoga blocks > Half-pigeon pose > Child’s pose > Wall quad hip flexor stretch > Wall figure four stretch > Wall straddle pose > Wall happy baby pose > Flat on back while pulling knees apart > kneeling with one leg, other leg out to side for adductors > (optional) Frog pose with feet together > regular Frog pose with feet separated in line with the knees > Yoga squat/malasana > Corpse pose
All these stretches are the ones I found most useful in a routine. See what works for you and develop your own routine. Consistency is the most important. This long stretching routine may not be possible for you to complete regularly so make adjustments, but doing this routine at least 3 days a week is ideal. Stretches such as the yoga squat, supine hamstring stretch, hip flexor stretches, and wall stretches are vital and should be done most days to help relax the pelvic floor. For how long you should hold each stretch, just go by how you and your body feels. Really let go, breathe, and sink into every stretch. On rest days, doing some deep breathing in child’s pose, reclined bound angle pose, flat on back while pulling knees apart, and the happy baby wall pose is really great while trying to do gentle reverse kegels.
You can also work on more individualized stretches for posture to correct anterior pelvic tilt, muscle imbalances, and to release other tight muscles, such as the upper body. Listen to your body if you need to give yourself a rest day from stretching. Adding in a 30-60 minute walk/swim on rest days is incredibly beneficial as well. Eventually, you can also try to learn isometric PNF stretching to incorporate it into some of the stretches such as the kneeling hip flexor stretch and hamstring stretch.
After working to relax and lengthen your pelvic floor through yoga and stretches, I would begin gentle body strengthening exercises that are pelvic floor safe. The pelvic floor is a master compensator. So, if the glutes, adductors, deep hip rotators, transversus abdominis, and other supportive muscles are weak, then the pelvic floor is in the prime position to pick up the slack which leads to a lot of strain on the pelvic floor which results in tightness and dysfunction. You need to strengthen the surrounding muscles to relieve tightness in the pelvic floor. This is where working with a pelvic floor therapist would be helpful to point out safe individualized exercises for you. Yoga will help strengthen your muscles in a safe way too.
The glutes and transversus abdominis in particular are very important to strengthen. Glute bridge, single glute bridge, side lying leg raises, lateral band walks can help build up glute strength. Deadbugs, Bird Dog, 8- point planks, or planks with pelvic floor-friendly modifications, can help to strengthen the transversus abdominis (TVA). Abdominal work may be triggering to your pelvic floor symptoms, especially the 8 point plank, so you can instead look into hypopressive exercises to work the TVA without overworking the pelvic floor. These exercises will help you bring more awareness to your breathing, diaphragm, TVA, and pelvic floor which are all important for recovery. Here is how to find and become aware of the TVA. Do side planks for your oblique ab muscles.
For hip/abductors do the side lying hip abduction exercise, fire hydrants, and the shinbox lunge. For the adductors, do Copenhagen adductor exercise, cossack squats, and an exercise where you squeeze a soft ball between the knees just don’t do any crunch movements with pelvic floor issues. For hamstrings, Nordic hamstring curl/glute ham raises, and single leg bridge. For the back, do supine pelvic tilt. One person even reported that dorsiflexion exercises and stretches were one important element to solve his pelvic floor issues; this is most likely because the ankle bone, like everything else including even our jaw, is connected to the pelvic floor.
Like with anything, do all these exercises in moderation and stop if you sense your pelvic floor is not responding well to them - do them one at a time to see which ones your pelvic floor can handle for now. Here is an exercise routine from another poster that has helped many people. Just be careful of the ab exercises such as the ab wheel and 5 minute planks with your pelvic floor issues - don’t over do it or avoid it if they cause too many symptoms.
Myofascial release and foam rolling to release trigger points also helps a lot of people to relax their pelvic floor muscles and improve blood flow. The glutes are the most important area to target for pelvic floor issues when foam rolling in my experience if you only had limited time. Using a soft ball to lay on and breathe deeply can help release trigger points in the abdominal muscles and psoas which can help you breathe better and relax the pelvic floor. I haven’t done it, but you can also try out a massage gun for myofascial release; just be careful and don’t use it in sensitive pelvic areas. Some men and women also report success using a therawand to release internal trigger points that are causing them pelvic floor dysfunction symptoms.
Walking and swimming for 30-60 minutes are some of the best exercises to lengthen, relax, stretch, and release your pelvic floor, boost blood flow, and help to retain and build strength in muscles that give support to the pelvic floor. Walk or swim for 5+ days a week for the best results. The breaststroke and freestyle are very helpful for pelvic floor sufferers. Along with swimming, people also use an elliptical at a low resistance to help provide a cardio workout that is safer for your pelvic floor.
Fix your posture. Pelvic floor issues and hard flaccid syndrome are closely associated with Anterior Pelvic Tilt and other postural issues. Get evaluated by a physical therapist so that they can give you exercises and stretches to fix it. You could also look into the Postural Restoration institute and see one of their providers and try to implement some of their exercises. In the meantime, here is one video playlist on how to fix APT. Another video to fix APT says to stretch the hip flexors, lower back, while focusing on strengthening the abs, glutes, and hamstrings. Make sure that you sit and walk with good posture - watch this to learn how to walk correctly - activate your glutes during each step and push off with your back foot!. I also recommend getting a standing desk to try to avoid sitting for long periods of time.
Weight training can be effective for boosting active androgen receptors in the body to increase testosterone and DHT levels. However, you need to make sure that it isn’t making your pelvic floor symptoms worse which defeats the purpose. If you are going to lift weights with pelvic floor issues, don’t lift heavy, do any intensive ab workouts, or any other exercises that can put extra strain on your pelvic floor. Do lifts where you can sit down instead of standing up. Start with yoga, stretching, and gentle body exercises to relax your pelvic floor and strengthen surrounding muscles before incorporating consistent weight training. I highly recommend, however, just sticking with yoga and pelvic floor safe body weight exercises to build strength instead. Those with PSSD without pelvic floor dysfunction may benefit a lot from lifting weights, high-intensity interval training, and doing bodyweight exercises such as squats regularly to boost androgen receptors and DHT. Remember to see a pelvic floor therapist to get evaluated first before starting any weight lifting because many people have pelvic floor issues without even realizing it.
Work on your mental health. Anxiety can worsen pelvic floor issues. Just as dogs tuck and tense their tails when stressed, we tense our pelvic floors which are directly connected to our tailbone where we used to have tails ourselves in our evolutionary history. As we are impacted by sexual dysfunction and pelvic floor dysfunction symptoms, we become anxious along with other negative emotions which leads to more pelvic floor tension symptoms due to the fight or flight mode response causing even more anxiety leading to more symptoms. It is a vicious cycle that needs to break by not becoming anxious and negative when we experience pelvic floor symptoms or hard flaccid and instead let go, accept, and realize that it is a normal process when trying to heal because sometimes our muscles that are used to that tightness don't want to let go of the tension we hold in our pelvic floors. Daily yoga, meditation, stretching, and walking will help with anxiety. I would also see a mental health therapist because all of these issues are deeply traumatic and we cannot go through this alone. We often hold tension in the form of emotions and trauma in our bodies, especially our pelvic floor and genital areas. By openly talking about these issues with a therapist, it will help us process and release our emotions and trauma that we are holding inside our bodies to improve our anxiety, relax our pelvic floor, and to let go of all of our tension. Many people who healed their hard flaccid and pelvic floor issues said that solving their anxiety and negative thoughts by talking to a mental health counselor was vital in recovery. The mind-body connection is so powerful, and it directly impacts our pelvic floor. Those who are stuck in the cycle of experiencing pelvic floor symptoms leading to anxiety and negative thoughts will also benefit from Cognitive Behavioral Therapy you can do by yourself like in this video or preferably with a trained therapist. Here is an informative mini lecture on how stress impacts the pelvic floor.
I would also definitely go on a healthy anti-inflammatory diet. Avoid caffeine, alcohol, marijuana, and other substances. Avoid foods and liquids that can trigger pelvic floor inflammation such as highly acidic fruits and veggies, carbonated beverages, very spicy foods, and artificial sugars. To maintain a healthy gut to reduce inflammation in your body I recommend trying a low-histamine probiotic supplement along with eating healthy. You should also work on preventing or fixing constipation; eat a lot of soluble fiber to not get constipated - take a supplement such as metamucil if you have to. Check the Bristol stool shape chart to identify if you are constipated because even mild constipation can contribute to pelvic floor tension. This is because the constipation leads to a lot of pressure being put on your rectum and pelvic floor leading to the muscles becoming weak and dysfunctional. I am willing to bet many of you are constipated and don’t know it because it isn’t just whether you go regularly, it is also how your stool is shaped. People with pelvic floor disorders are at a high risk of constipation which makes their tension and dysfunction worse which then worsens the constipation, another cycle to fix. I recommend getting a Squatty Potty to reduce strain on the pelvic floor during elimination.
To help heal hard flaccid and pelvic floor issues, never watch pornography again (this is vital). Go on NoFap for 90+ days to help heal your brain and body from any unhealthy pornography and sexual habits you have partaken in. Pornography leads to involuntary kegels, a tight pelvic floor, desensitizes you, and messes up the dopamine and arousal circuitry in your brain. Don’t climax too often. Learn how to reverse kegel by yourself and during sexual activities. Never edge or regular kegel - it leads to pelvic floor tightness and dysfunction - just relax your arousal through a reverse kegel. Keep your pelvic floor relaxed during sexual activities.
Stay strong and never give up. You will heal. Thank you for reading.
submitted by AutoModerator to PSSD [link] [comments]

2024.05.07 19:39 Solid-Bumblebee7455 PT in left ear only

health: 24 year old female no known health issues moderately active 125 pounds vit. d deficiency slightly high thyroid
background: i developed PT in my left ear the morning after a concert i attended last summer and has been prevalent since.
status: my PT is not constant. it is only apparent when i have been drinking, hungover, get up too fast, or in the mornings when i first get out of bed, which is normally accompanied by a head rush. it is not something i hear really at night laying in bed trying to sleep like most people. 90% of the attacks i get, they only last for about 5-10 seconds then are gone after taking a few deep/controlled breathes. when i press on my neck it doesn’t stop or change, and to me, it feels like it really only happens when my BP is rising. i’ve never had a history of high BP but the last two times i’ve gotten it checked, it was slightly elevated. i also have pain in the left side of my neck located by my carotid artery and is usually swollen, but have been told by multiple doctors that it’s fine… with that, i have a lot of joint pains that cause me to crack my wrists, left shoulder, and ankles. the left side of my body feels like it’s completely giving up on me…
going forward: i have had my hearing checked and it came back normal. i went to an ENT who has scheduled me a CT/CTA scan in june to check the veins in my head and neck.
just need some advice, or hear from people who are also going through this? it’s not something that necessarily effects my life negatively, it’s just scary knowing that something could be wrong and i’ve been waiting to figure it out for a year now… and with my cat scan next month, i’m internally freaking out which is not helping my health anxiety lol
submitted by Solid-Bumblebee7455 to PulsatileTinnitus [link] [comments]

2024.05.07 14:11 Angel466 [Bob the hobo] A Celestial Wars Spin-Off Part 1008

PART ONE THOUSAND AND EIGHT
[Previous Chapter] [Next Chapter] [The Beginning] [Patreon+2]
Sunday
We materialised in a shop-front alcove, with a solid concrete wall to my right and a panelled wooden display wall behind glass to my left.
“Keep going,” Rubin said in my ear.
Not sure why he was being so insistent, I nevertheless strode forward as if I knew where I was going, and in just a few steps, the presence of multiple lanes of New York City traffic swept over me. Four lanes, all facing the same way, meant we were on one of the main arterial streets like Fifth Ave or Park Ave. ‘Zara’, a clothes boutique on the other side of the street did nothing to narrow the field any for me.
Not that it mattered. My point with this deductive reasoning was that neither of those streets had curbside parking.
Yet, sure enough, Dad's SUV was on the other side of the sidewalk in the closest lane of traffic, waiting for the lights to change. “Get in, quick!” Rubin ordered.
This wouldn’t be the first time I jumped into an illegal ‘traffic-light-parked’ car, and I raced for the back door, swinging it open and diving inside just as the lights changed. The door ‘magically’ shut itself behind me as I straightened up in my seat and took in Kulon behind the wheel and Gerry in the seat to my right.
“Hey, Angel,” I said, leaning forward to give her a quick kiss. “Missed you.”
“How’d it go with—er—your uncle?” Gerry asked, struggling with the normality of me having met with her god.
“Wanna put your seatbelt on back there, Sam?” Kulon chuckled, glancing at me in the rearview mirror as we moved forward across the intersection.
“It went better than I thought,” I admitted, then grinned. “I even got a really cool old-school bomber jacket out of it.” I saw her cringe and giggled evilly. “And you can’t hate on it, because it was literally a present from God himself.”
She clenched her hands into loose fists and pressed the heels of her palms to her temple. “I-I can’t even…” she finally stammered, and my giggle morphed into a full-blown cackle.
“I’ll show you when we get home. I don’t think you’ll hate it. It’s really nice and super authentic.” I then turned my attention to Kulon. “And dude! That has got to be soooo handy,” I said, gesturing back to where I’d jumped in the car. I was blown away by how easily it would be to catch people like that, just by realm-stepping the second a car was held up at lights. No guesswork. Not even coordinates. Just knowing.
“It has its moments,” Kulon agreed. “So, are we heading home?”
“Yes, please. The guys want to go out to Angus’ place to play some more ball this afternoon, but if I don’t get some home time in with Gerry between now and then, I won’t be going anywhere.”
The trip back to the apartment was quick, with Rubin vanishing as fast as he appeared once we had the building in sight. And with him on hand to pull back the guys any time we needed them, Kulon and Quent both stayed with the car and drove away together once Gerry and I were inside.
Of course, my luck just wasn’t playing nice with me today, for I knew the second I set foot in the apartment and saw Dad rise purposefully from his chair just inside the living room that having fun-time with Gerry wasn’t in my immediate future.
“I need a word with you, Sam,” he said, stepping between the sofa and the coffee table to give Gerry access to the rest of the apartment (with Dad standing in the doorway, it was as if it had been walled off).
“Daaaad,” I moaned, not really caring at this point what he wanted. After the morning I’d had, I needed some real Robbie-food and an hour or four in bed with my girl … minimum!
“Now, Sam.” His tone changed when he looked at Gerry and added, “We won’t be long, sweetheart.”
Not that it mattered. His initial bark had taken all my attention, and I felt my heart clench in my chest, wondering what else I’d done wrong. Not even Uncle YHWH had yelled at me, and I’d accidentally screwed with a couple of his worshippers. I couldn’t think of anything to warrant that, and as I processed the possibilities and came up blank, I barely felt Geraldine’s kiss to my cheek. “I’ll go and do some light reading in the bedroom,” she said, slipping out of my arms and making her way past Dad with a nod.
A few seconds later, I heard our bedroom door open and close, and I looked at Dad like he’d kicked a puppy. “Was that really necessary?”
“Would I have done it if it wasn’t?” Dad countered, and I had to remember who I was talking to. Between my run-in with Tucker’s people and my conversation with Uncle YHWH, I was being bolder than I had any right to be.
I forced myself to relax. “Sorry. It’s been a rough morning already.” I rubbed my chest again because, contrary to what anyone says, being tasered sucked, even if I did heal from it almost instantly.
Dad immediately frowned. “What happened? I thought you were visiting Gerry’s father for breakfast.”
“We were … I mean we did.” So much else had happened, and I didn’t feel like going into all of it. And since he was standing to one side, I headed into the kitchen, dropping my shoulder low to avoid his half-hearted grab on my way through.
I stopped at the plate warmer and was miffed at its empty state. My next port of call was the divine box Robbie called Voila. I remembered him telling me how I had to know what was in there for it to work (that, and how Charlie had scared the crap out of him yesterday morning when she’d told him the box was empty), but this was also Robbie, and he always had what we wanted ready to go. I brought to mind the one thing that would tide me over until lunch. The same thing that had been missing from Tucker’s table.
Just as I’d hoped, when I lifted the lid, an egg-filled baguette with bacon and cheese was waiting for me on a single sandwich plate. “Ye-essss,” I hissed in victory, lifting out the plate and taking the biggest bite I could manage without choking myself. “Thank you, Robbie, wherever you are! I love you!” My words were utterly muffled, but he wasn’t here, so it didn’t matter.
“Their food not to your liking?” Dad asked with an amused smirk.
“The company was challenging,” I answered evasively once I’d chewed enough to swallow. I then went over to the fridge and dug out the jug of freshly squeezed mango juice that I could never get enough of. With both items in my hands now, I was happy.
“Don’t even,” Dad warned when I instinctually lifted the jug to my lips.
“Hmmh?” The sound would’ve been an innocent ‘huh’, except I’d clamped my lips closed like that had never been my plan and put the jug on the island on the way to get a cup. With the dishwasher closer, I opened the door and grabbed one of the glasses from the second shelf. I then nudged the door shut with my shin and slid into Boyd’s seat, dragging the rest of my prizes over to me.
“So, what’s the family crisis?” I asked, pouring myself a drink but keeping the jug within easy reach. Wow, I really do use that word a lot, don’t I? I took a deep swallow to clear my throat, sighed, and then returned for another huge bite of my baguette.
“My youngest brother, Barris, our Mystallian God of the Hunt, has learned about you.”
Oh, for frig’s sake! I lowered the baguette and sat back in Boyd’s chair, my full focus once more on Dad. “Okay,” I answered cautiously, torn between frustration and annoyance. The other word choice that sprang to mind was a sarcastic ‘really’, which would probably require someone picking out an urn for my remains.
Dad shook his head and raised one hand with flared fingers. “It’s nothing bad.” He then pointed at my plate. “Finish your sandwich first.”
My next mouthfuls were maybe a third of the first two, and I might as well have been eating tyre rubber for all the enjoyment I was getting out of it. “How much does he know about me?” I asked between bites.
Dad moved to stand beside me at the corner of the island. “He knows you’ve almost graduated college. He knows there was animosity between your mother and me that’s since been resolved, and he knows about the pregnancy now.”
Now, the baguette felt like a rock in my gut. “Great.”
He slid into Lucas’ seat and curled a hand around my forearm near the elbow, anchoring me in place. “Sam, I said it’s okay. He’s on our side.”
I squinted. A lot of people were making that claim lately and I wasn’t sure I believed it anymore. “What does that mean, exactly?”
Dad met my stare squarely, and I was always amazed at how easily he could do that. “He knows the dangers to your mother, so he’s going to run interference on the family for us until after the babies are born. Despite the fact that it’ll put him in the same crosshairs with the rest of our family as us when they find out he knew, he’s going to do it anyway. He only asks one thing in return.”
I barely restrained my eye-roll. “Of course he does.”
Dad’s face morphed into a dark scowl, and his grip tightened painfully. “You will show your uncle the respect he deserves,” he warned.
I dropped my eyes to his waist; so not up for this. “Yes, sir.”
Dad’s intake for breath was both loud and frustrated. He kicked the leg of the chair I was sitting on for good measure, and when my gaze snapped to his, he was pointing two fingers of his free hand at his own eyes. “That’s right, boy. Right here. Nowhere else. Not there … not there … not way over there.” He pointed to three random locations in the apartment before returning to their original spot before his eyes. “Right here. Always. You get me?”
For some reason, Dr Seuss’ Green Eggs and Ham started rolling through my brain, and I was quite proud of myself that I didn’t smirk or even blink. “Yessir.”
He didn’t get any calmer. “Okay …” he finally said, after a few seconds that was—who knew how long for him if he internalised to settle down— “I know we’ve only touched lightly on this before, but I need you to lift your game before we meet with your uncle, starting with stripping the words ‘sir’ and ‘ma’am’ from your vocabulary. I know your stance on human manners, and I’ve accepted your decision and will support it when it comes up with the others. That said, even the humans hardly ever use those two servitude titles anymore, and you can’t afford to appear weak in front of our family. Okay?”
Dad was compromising. I knew the family wouldn’t agree with my use of manners, but Dad was willing to back that, and to me, it was the more important of the two. “I’ll try,” I said because I couldn’t say for sure if I’d succeed without premonition, and that one wasn’t in my wheelhouse.
Ha, I made a divine funny.
So, why aren’t I laughing?
Probably because I still hadn’t heard what Uncle Barris wanted in exchange for his cooperation. It couldn’t be my head on a pike, as neither of my parents would go for that. But what?
“He wants to meet you, Sam, at a destination of your choosing and he’s agreed not to come here looking for you so long as that request is met. He hasn’t even asked for this address.”
“He’s the god of hunting, Dad. Hunting me down would be a cakewalk for someone like him.”
“True, except he’s promised not to go there unless it’s an emergency. You’re his nephew, Sam. A nephew he knew nothing about until last night. All he wants to do is meet you, and given the circumstances, I don’t think that’s too much to ask, do you?”
“How did he find out?” I asked instead of answering.
Dad’s expression soured. “Helen Portsmith. Apparently, she turned up at his gym last night with her usual spiel; only this time, your uncle put it together correctly and came looking for me for real answers. I told him about you and your mother. I told him our secrets.”
Something about the way he worded that… “As opposed to what?”
“I still haven’t mentioned Robbie or his connection to Yitzak. Nor have I mentioned the true gryps living with us, except for Tiacor, who’s there for your mother.”
I was starting to put this together. “Okay, so when we meet, no mention of Robbie as a cousin, or that he has a food innate, or that Yitzak and Collette know about him.” I got the feeling learning that we had true gryps in the household wouldn’t really amount to much, as they could be anywhere they wanted to be all over the world. It was their world as much as ours.
“Exactly.”
“What about Clefton and Nick? They’ve been here and met us too.”
“Mention them only if you want to get them into trouble for not outing you from the very beginning. Same with Nuncio.”
Well, that’s a hard ‘no’. “Maybe Cuschler?”
Dad scowled again. “There’s no bad blood between us anymore, right?” he asked, cocking an eyebrow warningly.
I sighed. Spoilsport. “Fine. But what about Fisk and the girls … and Najma?” It wasn’t that I’d forgotten my nephew, just that my brother and sisters rolled off the tongue first. “Danika’s been here, and Najma tracked me down at school before everyone else had met me. Even Fisk has popped in from time to time to touch base.”
“Barris knows they knew, and he understands why they’ve kept it quiet. Nothing’s going to happen until the reunion, and even then, maybe nothing if your mother still hasn’t given birth.”
I pushed my half-eaten baguette away and pressed my forehead to the island. “Everybody knows a little bit,” I griped. “How in the world am I meant to keep tabs on who knows what?”
Dad’s grin made me want to kick him the way he’d kicked my chair. “What do you think internalising is for? Remembering whatever we want is literally our jam.”
“I s’pose.” But combing through the details at every turn still seemed like an awful lot of effort, even if that process did seem instantaneous to everyone else. It wasn’t to us.
Dad reached past me and brought back my baguette. “Finish your sandwich. You can go as you are. Your uncle runs a gym downtown, so he’s not exactly at his best either.”
I stared at him in horror. “We’re going right now?”
“Why not now?”
Because I just got back from seeing Uncle YHWH! “I dunno. I mean, it’s too soon, don’t you think?”
I don’t know how else to describe it, but Dad’s expression turned … parental. “And when would a good time be for you with your hugely busy schedule now that school has wrapped up?” he asked like I was an idiot.
I gave a nervous, shrugging roll of my shoulders. “I understand there’s this get-together happening at the end of the year…”
I kinda expected the cuff to the back of my head and tried not to snicker when it happened.
“Don’t be a smartass. Finish your sandwich, and we’ll go. This won’t take long.”
With nothing else for it, I did as I was told, leaving the empty plate and cup on the sink since the dishwasher hadn’t been emptied. “I’m so glad I got a say in this…” I muttered quietly under my breath.
“What was that?”
“Nothing.”
I have no idea why I thought we’d at least use the front door to leave. Probably because most people did. But this was Dad, and we were going to meet his brother, and he clearly didn’t want me to have the chance of wriggling out of it.
So without warning, he slapped his hand on my right shoulder and shoved me forward, realm-stepping away with me as I stumbled to keep my footing.
[Next Chapter]
* * *
((All comments welcome. Good or bad, I’d love to hear your thoughts 🥰🤗))
I made a family tree/diagram of the Mystallian family that can be found here
For more of my work, including WPs: Angel466 or an index of previous WPS here.
FULL INDEX OF BOB THE HOBO TO DATE CAN BE FOUND HERE!
submitted by Angel466 to redditserials [link] [comments]

2024.05.07 10:52 YoungGoatHerder G4 Doorbell Pro not ringing your mechanical chime? Check your device settings

Making this post for the archives in hopes that it will save another from wasting time on a normally simple installation.
Solution: Assuming you have successfully adopted the doorbell camera and properly supplied power by running the hot wire from the transformer directly to the device and quick connected the 2 individual neutral wires from the doorbell and transformer into the female connectors of the little black relay box, first be sure the opposite pair of fork connectors is correctly installed in the respective chime terminals. The pro model relay is color coded with a black and gray pair while the non-pro relay might be a left and right pair. I have a pro and cannot confirm.
Your doorbell should have consistent power with the chime circuit being held open by the black relay box. If you try to trigger the mechanical chime and it fails to ring, open the protect app and manually set the doorbell chime to Mechanical from the defaulted Auto
At the time of this documentation, May 2024, it’s under G4 Doorbell Pro (Device) - Settings - Chime - MECHANICAL
self-disappointment: Yes, the installation guide is more vague, ambiguous, and misleading than a broken english post-it note set of instructions supplemented with unrelated stick figure illustrations and diagrams. Even so, as much as I want to complain about Unifi, if you play with a cat you should expect to be scratched.
It took me far too long to realize this was a classic case of hidden Unifi settings rather than proper wiring as I’m sure most of us can relate to…
Hope this helps someone out there.
submitted by YoungGoatHerder to Ubiquiti [link] [comments]

2024.05.06 15:02 FelicitySmoak_ Monday, May 6, 2013 - Jackson v. AEG Live Day 5

TRIGGER WARNING : Graphic testimony about the autopsy & toxicology reports. Some people may be sensitive to this
Trial Day 5. Week 2
Jackson family did not attend the court.
Toxicologist Dan Anderson Testimony
Jackson direct
Jackson attorney Koskoff is doing the direct examination. Anderson starts testifying about his experience, credentials
Jurors are shown the pictures of three prescription pill bottles found in MJ's bedroom:
Anderson is then asked about a chart which shows the medications, how many doses were issued and how many remained at the time of Michael's death. Another series of charts show the Propofol and other medications that were found in the home
Most of the drugs, he testified, were prescribed by Murray
Toxicologist Anderson tells jury it's highly unusual to find injectable lorazepam and propofol in a home setting.
Anderson said investigators found injectable lorazepam at MJ's home, a form of the drug "typically found in a hospital setting."
Jackson lawyer Koskoff: "After you heard from investigators that propofol was found in the home, what did you think?"
Anderson: "Propofol collected as evidence, it's highly unusual. It raises a red flag in my eyes as a toxicologist...It's very problematic if it's found outside the hospital setting."
The discovery of the propofol bottles outside a medical setting also was "highly unusual" and "kind of raises a red flag", Anderson said
Anderson also explains where coroner's staff take samples from within a body, and also how certain drugs are metabolized. The toxicologist then explains to jurors what tests he ordered on Michael Jackson's body
Anderson said blood samples were taken from every corner of Jackson's body:
"his heart, femoral artery, liver and behind his eyes"
​
Dan Anderson : "This particular case, we were looking for everything and anything"
Anderson testified that tests of Jackson's blood, urine and internal organs showed traces of:
Toxicology tests detected six drugs in Jackson's system other than propofol (according to Anderson):
Anderson walks jurors through a chart he prepared of the drugs found in Jackson's system. Propofol and lidocaine found everywhere. By everywhere, Anderson means blood taken from the heart, femoral artery, liver, urine and in fluid behind eye
Anderson said propofol and other drugs were found during toxicology tests, noting that propofol was of most concern.
Anderson: "It raises a red flag in my eyes...It's very problematic to find it outside the hospital setting"
After morning break, toxicologist Anderson tells jury level of propofol in MJ's body is consistent with general surgery. Anderson said that the amount of propofol found in his system was what you'd expect in a patient who had just undergone major surgery
Anderson: "Michael Jackson's body was riddled with the powerful anesthetic propofol when he died. The level was "consistent with major surgery anesthesia," said Anderson, noting that a level of 3.2 milligrams per milliliter of blood was found in Jackson's body
Jackson lawyer Koskoff asks Anderson about other cases LA coroner has handled where propofol was involved. Anderson tells jury about preparing a chart of all LA County deaths where propofol was found, after Michael's death. Coroner's office continued to update the chart after Jackson's death, Anderson tells the jury. It now has 31 cases. The first LA County death case where propofol was found dates back to 1999, Anderson says. It's updated as of a couple weeks ago. To put the 31 propofol cases in context, Anderson says coroner handles about 8,000 deaths a year. Roughly 5,000 involve toxicology screens.
Koskoff also asked Anderson about Demerol. Toxicologist says none was found in Jackson' s system. Anderson told jury Demerol typically dissipates from a person's system with 12-16 hours.
Summary of Negative Toxicological Findings:
Direct questioning of Anderson ends with him telling jury he didn't find any recreational drugs in Jackson's system
AEG Cross
Cahan is the attorney handling cross-examination for AEG.
Anderson remembers when he heard Michael Jackson had died. It was a Thursday, his day off, and his son told him MJ had died.
He tells the jury he suggested tests that were conducted. Anderson tells that he observed part of the autopsy the day after the death.
Much of Anderson's cross examination is him explaining charts he prepared in greater detail.
Cahan notes that one chart shows 10 medications, with three doctors issuing them: Conrad Murray, Allan Metzger and Arnold Klein. She notes that the doctors were all prescribing certain medications that were supposed to be taken at bedtime. She asks if this is important. Anderson says his staff doesn't take into account directions for taking meds, but how they're found in toxicology screens.
Cahan: "Would you agree with me there are three different physicians prescribing medication for Mr. Jackson to take at bedtime (in the months before his death)?"
Anderson : "I would agree"
Anderson also explains that there were two visits to Jackson's home where medications were collected. On July 9th, a Jackson family member brought in additional medications they had found and thought investigators should have.
Anderson testifies by mid-July he knew the amount of propofol found in Jackson's body was cause of death
Cahan asked Anderson about signing his portion of the toxicology test on July 15th. She asked if the level of Propofal was fatal. Anderson responded with:
"yes...the level was fatal"
Anderson testifies that he found out propofol had been collected from Jackson's home after he found it in drug screens.
Jackson Redirect
Anderson was also asked about 31 death cases in LA where propofol was found. He makes clear, propofol was not cause of death in all those cases. Jackson's lawyer Koskoff highlighted seven cases where propofol was a cause of death; five cases were in residences. Six of the seven cases where a propofol overdose was a cause of death were deemed suicides, toxicologist Anderson testified. According to Anderson, Jackson's case was the only one involving someone outside the medical field who overdosed on propofol in a home.
Anderson testified that Michael Jackson is the only person in Los Angeles County not in the medical field to die of propofol intoxication in their home in the last 14 years. The other six people who died at their homes were doctors or nurses who had access to the tightly controlled anesthetic
Christopher Rogers is the deputy medical examiner who performed MJ's autopsy. He walks through his credentials and experience.
Rogers said he learned about MJ's death while at a conference:
"Somebody passed me a note that Michael Jackson had died", Rogers said.
Rogers, who determined that Jackson's death was a homicide, told the jurors he gave added consideration to detail when determining the cause and manner of the MJ's death because of his stature
Rogers: "Because Michael Jackson was such a prominent individual, there was likely to be a great deal of press attention as well as from members of the public"
A black-and-white photo taken of Jackson's body before autopsy is shown to the jury. It's left on the screen for less than a minute. Rogers said the photo accurately depicted Michael's condition at the time
Rogers testified that the 5-foot, 9-inch MJ weighed 136 pounds at the time of his death and that X-rays showed he suffered from arthritis in his lower spine and fingers
Rogers walks jury through a diagram of puncture wounds and scars on Jackson's body. Punctures consistent w/ lifesaving efforts, he says. The origin of some of the scars couldn't be determined.
Rogers also detailed how Jackson had his lips tattooed pink, his eyebrows and scalp inked with black. There were 3/4-inch scars behind both ears, suggesting he had at least one face lift, according to Rogers
Rogers also testifies about MJ's Vitiligo. Rogers testified that MJ suffered from Vitiligo a disease more common in African Americans, in which some areas of the skin are light and others are dark
"It can be very disfiguring," Rogers said
Rogers said Jackson's post-mortem exam revealed no heart disease or Lupus, the autoimmune disease that some, Dr. Arnold Klein, have attributed to Michael
Rogers said the MJ was in good health before his untimely 2009 death at the hands of Dr. Conrad Murray
"If not for his death by propofol, Jackson's health appeared good enough for him to live a normal lifespan", Rogers testified.
"There was no indication from the autopsy that there was anything anatomically wrong with him that would lead to premature death," Rogers said
Koskoff asks Rogers about condition of MJ's body. Koskoff asked whether Jackson's body had any characteristics of a street drug addict. (Disease, track marks, liver damage.) Rogers says "No". Rogers also testifies about the condition of Jackson's organs. All were in good shape, other than some lung issues.
Rogers explained why he concluded that Jackson died from a propofol overdose. Koskoff asked Rogers whether his conclusions regarding Jackson's death have changed, "No" he responded.
Koskoff: "Would a fit, competent doctor administer propofol for insomnia?"
Rogers: "I would not expect that, no"
Rogers also shot down suggestions that Jackson self-administered his lethal dose of propofol, a cornerstone theory of Murray's defense.
"One possibility that we considered is that he might have given an overdose of propofol to himself. However based on the history that was available, I don't believe that that happened", Rogers said
Partial Court Transcript
submitted by FelicitySmoak_ to WhereWasMJToday [link] [comments]

2024.05.04 23:55 justamanhehe Cat24 Preparation Guide + Resources (Updated) Part 1

Hello everyone. This is going to be a full fledged guide including everything you might need. Even if you have read my previous guide, still read it full. I promise it would be worth it.
This guide includes, How to prepare for CAT (in detail, with all resources), a little about profile in B schools, what to buy from where, how to do it for free, how to analyse your mock tests, how much do you need to spend if you want coaching, and mistakes to avoid in your cat preparation journey.
Disclaimer: This post is not sponsored by any coaching institute and contains insights from many friends who scored 98%ile+. Can't reveal their identity but thanks to them :)
There are two things with respect to getting a good B school. The first one is your profile, and the second is the Cat Preparation. I'll quickly go over profile and then take up cat preparation in detail. Profile includes your 10th, 12th, graduation, category, academic Background and gender. If you haven't accessed your profile yet, you can either go for CL's B school Profilizer. It would tell you the percentile you would require for all B schools.
https://www.careerlauncher.com/cat-mba/profilize
Remember, this is an approximation, and errors may exist. Also, this is anyway the minimum required. Let's say it says you need 99.2%ile for IIM Calcutta, in that case, (assuming it to be 100% accurate) it means that if you score a 99.2 percentile and get selected, you are the last person on the list to get selected. So always aim higher than your required percentile. I suggest focusing on maximizing your cat score. 99 marks out of 198 should be your target, regardless of how good or bad your profile is.
Important Note: Salespeople from CL would call you if you use this feature. Please be mindful.
There's another way to assess your profile, where you need not trust what some coaching institute is telling you. I have explained it in detail in earlier post. You can check it out, after you read this guide. I'll attach a link in the end.
Now coming to elephant in the room, the cat preparation. I will give you two approaches. One is at the minimum cost possible preparation to still get 99.5%ile+. The other one is the best possible preparation at optimum cost. You can choose based on your budget. You can score a 99.5%ile+ with both the approaches. I divide the cat preparation into 4 parts.
A. Gaining Knowledge in VARC B. Gaining Knowledge in DILR C. Gaining Knowledge in Quants D. Gaining ability to handle stress during mock tests.
Here, Knowledge doesn't refer to syllabus or formulas but rather the overall ability to come to the right answer in a time bound manner.
A. Gaining Knowledge In VARC
Now starting with VARC, I know what I am telling you because I scored 99.15 in Cat22 in VARC and 99.57 in Cat23 in VARC. Moreover, I have taken insights from other varc 99%ilers I know, so you can trust this.
if you can afford, buy VARC1000. It costs 5 to 6k and after mocks, if there's anything you should spend money on, it's varc1000.
People think of VARC as English, but it's more logical than English. It is about understanding exactly what an argument says and exactly what it doesn't say. Of course you need to start with what an argument is. That's where the concept lessons of VARC1000 really come in handy.
One mistake people make with VARC1000 is, they watch it like a movie. No. You have to make notes of EACH LECTURE. I cannot emphasize this point enough. Making notes of VARC1000 is one of the most crucial things you would do. It's May. You will forget what you watched by August. You need notes. And you need self made notes. Not taken from anywhere. My notes of the entire varc1000 were only 25-30 pages long. So it's not a lot of work. But it is absolutely crucial.
The second mistake is, passively attempting tests in VARC1000. So in VARC1000, you give a test before you watch the class. That's how it is structured. Many people just click on the test and don't really try to attempt it seriously. They are like, "I will practice later. Just give me knowledge now I'm making notes". Again a very bad approach and it would definitely not help you, because you would never be able to absorb those lectures completely.
The third mistake is, they think since they are watching VARC1000 and giving tests also, this compensates for reading aeon essays. No it doesn't. You have to read aeon essays separately. (I'll explain this part later in detail too)
Now, what if you can't shell out 5-6k for VARC1000. No need to lose hope, there's a way. It's a little more difficult, so do it only if you can absolutely not afford it.
Watch this playlist by Gejo Sir (same teacher who teaches VARC1000)
https://youtube.com/playlist?list=PLj8E34obZYU0fcfUjtbIsNnD8RKY17Z-r&si=c_cS-tqGOg1r9P8f
Followed by this playlist by Gejo Sir
https://youtube.com/playlist?list=PLj8E34obZYU0sxwpe8w7ZLN6PlzLcMtqs&si=4AK_nCnpb96wEgvb
And finally, you can also pirate VARC1000. I have seen it pirated in a telegram group but that group got banned so I don't have a link. But if you can find it, you can use it. It's not a substitute for buying but something is better than nothing.
Important Note 2: Do not pirate VARC1000 if you can afford it because the paid version is so much better. You get a lot of things in it, which you would not get pirated to no matter what you do. Most important of them being sectional tests and other tests, which you won't get in full in pirate. Also, sectional tests of VARC1000 cannot be compensated by sectional tests from elsewhere. Think of them as part of the course and not just a sectional test.
Now where do you practice VARC questions. There are plenty of ways. First start with everything you get in VARC1000. If you are not buying VARC1000, skip this part. Then solve all previous year CAT papers of all slots. You can see yourself how far back you would like to go, but go at least till 2016. Then you can solve TIME's material for VA and RC. I'll attach a Google drive link at the end of this post. (Thanks to my friend who made it. Can't identify)
After doing this much, You are pretty much left with sectional tests and mock tests only. And that should suffice as far as practice of questions is concerned.
Now, here comes the third part of VARC preparation (after varc1000 and question practice) It is, reading essays from Aeon. It goes simultaneously. You should start doing it yesterday. Many people would advise you to read Newspapers/Novels etc but Aeon essays are your best friend. Smithsonian is good too but Aeon is best in business to practice.
Everyday, read an aeon essay like it's your religion. It might take 20 to 30 minutes to read an entire essay. But you have to read. And don't think, "Oh this is a 5000 word essay CAT passage is 500 word let me read it half or 1/5th etc" No. Read it full. Understand the entire essay. From top to bottom. This is especially important if you are not that person from ICSE who reads as a hobby since 6th class. Most of us are not. So this is your kryptonite, Mjolnir or Action Kamen Action Beam.
It is very very very very important to make sure you are understanding the passage you are reading.
Pro Tip: You can read this while commuting/shitting/in lunch break
Rest there's also vocabulary but I don't suggest preparing for vocabulary. My own English vocabulary is quite pathetic. The same is suggested by Gejo Sir so you will find it out in VARC1000/those YouTube sessions. If you want me to explain why no vocabulary, let me know if comments and I will, but in that case I'll just be repeating what Gejo sir says.
B. Gaining Knowledge in DILR
DILR is something you would never be able to complete. Even 99%ilers in DILR can't complete it. So your aim here is to maximize your score.
Now at this point, If you can afford coaching, please go for either rodha or elite grids, whichever suits you better. For DILR Elite Grids is slightly better but for quants Rodha is slightly better, and either of these coaching institutes can help you score 99.5%ile+ in both these sections.
However, If you cannot afford coaching, Here's my entire self study strategy for DILR (and for quants later)
DILR has two parts, DI and LR (obviously) , But in CAT, a single question may contain both DI and LR. So while you need to start with easy things to build your basic DI and LR aptitude, eventually you need to start solving Cat level questions.
To do DI, certain chapters from quants are a pre-requisite. These are
Speed of Calculation Time Speed Distance Ratio and Proportion Mixture and Allegations Number System (in some cases) Permutation and Combination Arithmetic Progression (in some cases)
So my advice is, prepare for LR first, while simultaneously preparing for these chapters (we will see how to prepare for these when we discuss quants)
Go through this entire playlist on Rodha's channel. Listen to all the videos.
https://youtube.com/playlist?list=PLG4bwc5fquzhDp8eqRym2Ma1ut10YF0Ea&si=PIHG9znxxzLJ7Xh-
Some hygiene factors to take care of while doing this playlist.
  1. Try to solve the question before watching the solution, otherwise you would never learn. Don't keep time limits initially. Just say, "I won't watch the solution until I solve it no matter how much time it takes".
  2. You will come across some things that you will realise are important or recurring. Make a note of these things. Yes you need to make notes of DILR too. Don't put entire questions there, just some key information or some main points that you think are important.
This playlist would help you get accustomed with all sorts of questions in DILR. After this playlist. Solve all previous year CAT papers of DILR. Now you should be able to solve a few of them at least.
After this, if there is some particular type that worries you, like venn diagrams or games and tournaments, go through the Time Material of that chapter (attached below). But only if you want to practice a particular type. Otherwise going through the entire material is not recommended.
Next in line, here is a playlist of 200 sets. Initial 10-15 sets are easy but from there onwards, all sets are of CAT level only. Solve this entire playlist and you would be good to go for the "solving" part of DILR.
https://youtube.com/playlist?list=PLgdxDqtv4Gt-4vXeT_OuiwJ7-jBujAEru&si=F6F2F09NuZTtMoPE
But there's another part of DILR which is set selection. This is something you can only learn by practice and by giving sectional and mock tests. There's no other way. I'll cover more about this when we discuss mock tests.
C. Gaining Knowledge in Quants.
Now coming to the quant section. This is a section I hated the most. I thought I would never be able to excel in quants. Cat22, I could not clear the quant sectional cut off (74%ile) and had to repeat. Cat23 was a quant massacre, And I had slot 3 so I knew what was coming up. I panicked. Yet I got my shit together and scored a 91.97 %ile. I wasn't really happy because I thought I could cross the 98%ile barrier this time in Cat. But then came XAT24, infamous for its tough quants. Scored a 99.4%ile in quants in XAT. So for all non engineers out there, yes it's purely practice and nothing else. You can do it if and only if you don't give up.
Again I'll mention, If you can afford coaching, please go for either rodha or elite grids, whichever suits you better. For DILR Elite Grids is slightly better but for quants Rodha is slightly better, and either of these coaching institutes can help you score 99.5%ile+ in both these sections.
Now if you can't afford coaching or have enrolled in a coaching institute you are not satisfied with, here's the strategy. Quants is perhaps the easiest to make a strategy for. Because it's very mechanical. Way more than DILR and VARC. Here I am giving you a Rodha link for the entire Quant syllabus. Yes it's an old link but don't worry about that, concepts remain the same. You can score a 99.5%ile+ with this link.
https://youtube.com/playlist?list=PLG4bwc5fquzgfMh4YFDnv7fttM0RIKiUQ&si=ixr7IqyvvXXluv6N
The videos you watch, you need to make notes (should be obvious at this point) and please try to solve questions before watching solutions (again obvious). But should you watch the entire playlist in one go? No. That's where DILR and quant differ. Here's how you do it.
Step 1: Pick a chapter. Anyone you want. Let's say Time Speed and Distance. Watch all the videos of time speed and distance, and make notes.
Step 2: Open Time Material (would be attached in the end of the post) and open the time speed distance chapter. It would have notes. Read those notes and note the new things you find in your notes.
Step 3: Solve all the questions (there would be plenty) from that material. Match your answer with the answer key.
Step 4: For the questions you did wrong, don't immediately go to the solution and try to solve them again at least once. Mostly you would find silly mistakes. Note those silly mistakes you do, so you can go over and see exactly what you need to be mindful of. Everyone has some silly mistakes they do subconsciously. Like for me, it was 6 × 7 = 56. I can't tell you how embarrassing that is but that's why it's a "silly" mistake.
Step 5: Check the solution of the questions you couldn't solve and see why you couldn't solve it. There's a separate solution pdf in the material where solutions are given. Feel free to use this community if you can't understand a solution.
Step 6: Make a list of important questions. Questions that gave you trouble. Make sure you put one question of each type in the list. This is very important. You would be solving 100-150 questions per chapter. You need a list of 15-30 questions from that, such that next time if you solve those 30 questions, it would be equivalent to solving 150. This is the most important part of the entire practice. Otherwise you will just forget. I used to call them "Godsheets" Don't use anyone else's godsheet. It would only help you if you have created it yourself. Its only advantage is the fact that it has to be personalized to you.
P.S. I don't think anyone would do this but just in case, don't sit and write questions. Just make a list of question numbers. And if you like to be more organised (like me) just use the snipping tool and paste images of those questions in a doc file.
After you are done with the rodha playlist and Time Material (it's already a lot and you should already be scoring good in mocks, given you get the "selection" part right. But in case you want more practice. Also, will explain "selection" part when we talk about mocks.)
You can go through the following playlist and solve questions. Except few initially, all of them are again CAT level,
https://youtube.com/playlist?list=PLgdxDqtv4Gt-i5Z8m_LIe25WMpuTOncfG&si=vpQ9pYy73j21sbor
https://youtube.com/playlist?list=PLgdxDqtv4Gt91BVU355IrbiiTIC8-db4x&si=0aSi5CqRnlSRA4p9
https://youtube.com/playlist?list=PLgdxDqtv4Gt-t3quvkCEXh7yaWFytN4k4&si=FCvl8_we4n9JAV9x
https://youtube.com/playlist?list=PLgdxDqtv4Gt-8nj90SZs0JYLEIfil2ToP&si=VHF_G6CN9I5eGu8A
These are another 1000+ questions for you to do, along with video solutions. This should suffice. I would be surprised if someone tells me they are done with it and need more material, because if you give 50 mocks, you are solving a 1000 quant questions there too. And another 200 DILR sets as well.
D. Gaining ability to handle stress during mock tests.
Now before I begin with mock tests. There is something called Daily Dose on career launcher where they give you some tests daily. Do that as well. I'm mentioning here because tests are from all 3 sections and I didn't know where else to mention them. They are given as part of the test series itself.
Now coming to mock tests. There are a few major things you need to learn from giving mock tests.
  1. which questions to attempt and which questions to leave. This is very important and strategy differs in all sections.
In VARC, you must attempt all four RCs. No you can not go with preconceived notions of attempting 2 or 3 RCs. In the beginning, if that is happening because your reading speed is slow, that's okay but you need to increase the speed in that case. In DILR, attempting two sets means a 99%ile so selection becomes very important there. This is something you will only learn by giving mocks. Similarly in quants you need to select quickly if you are going to attempt that question or not.
Now to learn this selection in quant and DILR, the best guy is Gautam Puri (GP sir) from Career Launcher. He calls it "Jugaad" You can learn it from the analysis videos of the CL mock test series and this I believe is the best part of CL mock tests. Helped me so much in quant and DILR, both of which were not my forte to begin with.
  1. The second thing to learn from mocks is handling stress and uncertainty. It would make you habitual of sitting focused for two hours at a stretch. It would make you deal with situations like someone making a noise and yet you are concentrating (because you can't be sure you would get pin drop silence in the exam all the time) It would give you the ability to stay calm in next sectional even if your previous sectional doesn't go good. Like let's say your dilr didn't go good, you should not carry that in quants section.
  2. It acts as a diagnosis and tells you what are your strengths and which weaknesses you need to work on, so you can plan accordingly. This requires you to analyse the mock test well (and this is the most important part of the mock test.) If you have not analysed a mock test, it is equivalent to not giving the mock test at all. I am attaching a few resources on how to analyse mock tests.
https://youtu.be/gYYiZ-twjuQ?si=y0FuRJwg_QuVDhIc This is a video by Ravi Prakash sir (rodha) when he was in Unacademy.
https://youtu.be/f3CuZUJsSQk?si=sBFD5DNoS9GBy-55
Another video by him. Most of the content is same but just attaching it because you would need it during your preparation (Trust me)
https://youtube.com/playlist?list=PLgdxDqtv4Gt88CT291J6Z9mU2w7YbSE6i&si=Wi5-Sn75Vhb8DYNI
This is by Anantasis Shankar. Again a great source.
https://youtu.be/zfV5zkNtF3w?si=Ns4FzQNXAWFRhrVA
This is by Gejo. A beautiful perspective. This is a must watch for all of you.
https://youtu.be/rqvcAfnFC-8?si=EMguZKs3UlBWY1lT
This is specifically for VARC section. By Gejo and GP. Again very good.
https://youtu.be/aWXUd9Bu0SM?si=dE18wlYpkVgXttwY
This is specifically for QA section, By Gejo and GP.
For DILR, best approach is to show you how to analyse the mock test you have done yourself so you will find in test series itself.
You must be thinking why so many resources for the same thing. Trust me you need them. Analysing is the biggest pain point of all serious aspirants. Because that's something you have never really done before. In all exams, you either know the answer, or you don't know the answer, or you don't recall. But in this exam, you don't even know whether you know the answer or not. That is why analysing is both very important and very annoying.
And now the reddit word limit per post is about to end. I'm not done yet. There are a few more things I would like to share with you all. (and ofcourse the time material I mentioned)
I'll post that in Part 2 of this guide. I'm going to post it immediately so by the time you would be reading this, it is already posted and you will find a link below.
Edit: https://www.reddit.com/CAT2MBA/s/7SLkh89InU
Link to part 2
Please suggest any changes or improvements you would want in this subreddit.
submitted by justamanhehe to CAT2MBA [link] [comments]

2024.05.04 23:08 nothing-else-to-do the 50 year old town murderer

me, Belle (14f) and my friend, Jill (15m) have always been interested in finding out who the murderer of our town been. He or she (girls can kill too!) have been slaughtering people in our small town for 50 years in very inhuman ways. The mail man had his head sliced in a mail box. a young boy was mowed over by a lawn mower to pieces. a lonely cat lady was cooked like a roast in her own oven. they get even more brutal and creative. whoever it is, never strikes consistantly, both style wise and time line wise, leaving the investigation team to think that its multiple people doing the job. but i dont think so. jill and i like to think it's one person who is likely immortal. When we told our parents about this they laughed us "yeah dont waste the police's time with this crap" his father said, "maybe you both could write a horror novel with that creativity" said my mom. We were both left so frustrated so we went out for milkshakes.
we were at the counter with those high chairs that make your feet dangle. I was looking into jill's soft brown eyes when I reliazed i had fallen in love with him over the years and that our lives may be cut short at any moment due to the murderer. "can i tell you somthing serious?" he says. does he like me back? i thought
"yes of course, always"
"Yesterday I found out I was adopted. I dont know how to feel."
I fell slient for a second, but then i said "Im sure your parents will always love you."
He smiled and went back to talking about our usual, video games, comics and of course the murderer.
'I think i have narrowed it down." I said. I pulled out diagrams and a map of imporatnt information. "here are all the stats of where the murder was done and when.... seems pretty random right?"
"yes?" he says.
"Wrong!... the least amount of murders done was on our street. that leaves us with ten suspects."
"I think thats just coincidence."
"I dont think so.... i know i am going to crack this case."
Later that night, laying in my bed i was thinking of both the murder cases and of jill. It was all coming to my mind... until....i heard a creek under my bed. oh no, what is this?
Someone came under and tried to stab me! I was fighting for me life, pushing and grunting and slapping back. I finally was able to pin them to the ground, I took the knife and stabed it in their chest. I watched them bleed out, i take off the mask and i see.....Jill?
Hes still awake, and he says in a very creeky, chilling and cruel voice
"Jill just likes to kill. But belle would never tell. Belle could never find the last piece. wont you kiss me? Dont you like me? you Should have known that jill just likes to kill."
submitted by nothing-else-to-do to u/nothing-else-to-do [link] [comments]

2024.05.04 21:57 TheSmogmonsterZX Black Sheep Family - Interlude 9 - Date Night: Valentines

Black Sheep Family
Interlude 9
Date Night: Valentines
The Evening of the 17th of February, 2079
Agatha Quain sat at the back of The Divine Comedy Club , a cheap laugh restaurant that prided itself on having “discovered” a few good comedians. Currently Agatha was debating whether she was gonna toss an illusionary tomato at the racist piece of shit on the stage or at her boyfriend for not checking the schedule. Jack was just staring at the stage like the man had signed his own death warrant, not because of Agatha, but because the man was hellishly ripping into the Rana at the front of the stage. He was about to stand up and go get a manager when a short, wide man stepped on the stage, both teens knew he was Dominic Carcelli, a member of the Carcelli crime family, and a man whose family made heavy donations RHED, or the Rana-Human Education and Defense funds.
Carcelli made a swift grab for the microphone and nodded to a man off to the side. “Hey sorry about that folks, lets say we get some actual fuckin’ talent up here, yeah?” He covered the microphone and shouted off stage, “Who else we got back there that ain’t stupid enough to provoke half the damn city.”
A timid voice called out.
Carcelli rolled his eyes. “On behalf of management, as an apology, I’ll be covering mozz sticks for everyone, sound good?”
Agatha followed the mobster’s gaze to a taller, more severe looking man with salt and pepper hair and a groomed goatee. He also had a top hat at his side and a pocket watch clearly sitting in his breast pocket.
“Thanks for your patience folks.” Carcelli waited for the new comedian to come on stage. “Hey, what’s your name buddy?”
“Tommy Kallewski.” The young man said.
“What’d you think of that palooka before you?” Carcelli asked as he handed the comedian the microphone.
“You mean the guy who couldn’t grow up past the seventh grade?” Tommy snorted. “I’ve never heard worse jokes, and my material is fart jokes mostly.”
Agatha snorted and almost lost her drink through her nose. Jack barked and slapped the table. Most of the audience burst into laughter. The old man in the back grinned and sipped his drink as Carcelli joined him.
“So.” Jack snorted as the comedian’s jokes started to take off. “Sorry I didn’t check the schedule.”
“Anyone with a last name of ‘Dick’ that’s that old shouldn’t be labeled a comedian. Especially with that material.” Agatha rolled her eyes and leaned over and kissed Jack on his forehead. “You’re forgiven.”
“Thank you.” Jack smiled and took her hand.
They watched, laughed and listened for a few minutes. Jack was obviously enjoying the potty humor that Tommy was dolling out faster than most people could process. Then the free mozzarella sticks came and the two teens smiled as they tried to share a single stick between them. They laughed and dropped it as they failed.
“So, does your family need anything done while you’re out?” Jack asked.
Agatha sighed, “Yeah. Saw that coming. I think we’re good. Could use someone to look after the gardens.”
Jack nodded, “Not the cat.” He said.
Agatha snorted, “No gramps has the cat.”
“I can help with the gardens.” Jack nodded, “Dad’s upset he’s being put on a desk.”
“He’s the best leader dad has until we get back.” Agatha shrugged. “Even if he doesn't think so.”
Jack nodded. He smiled at her and held up another mozzarella stick.
“You’re doin’ it wrong.” Carcelli’s slight scarred face stared at them. “You’re breaking it early, you gotta have them in your mouth and then pull.”
“Thanks...” Agatha looked the man over.
“Hey, I know who your pops is and I don’t start shit. I run legit businesses and ain't no law says I have to call the cops on my customers. In fact Dross city has Neutral Ground laws.” Carcellie smiled, “Relax, we ain’t enemies.” He flicked the ashes of a half smoked cigar into his hand.
“Fair.” Agatha nodded, “Dross does have no smoking laws for restaurants though.”
“She’s right,Dominic.” The tall man said as he walked over. “Pleasure to make your acquaintance, I am Dwayne O’Donnelly.” The man’s heavy Irish accent was crisp and reminded both teens of older actors from the past. “Please enjoy the show and the food.”
“You own this place?” Agatha asked as she turned to look at the man as he stood directly behind Jack.
Jack was frozen and locked into place as he scratched his nose.
“I do.” Dwayne smiled, “One of my many investments in the city.” He turned to Carcelli, “I must go, please enjoy your meal as well.”
Dominic nodded and walked back to his table and put his cigar out in a half filled glass of water.
Dwayne smiled, “You’ll have to forgive the young Carcelli, he sometimes forgets I prefer a more laid back setting for my places.”
Agatha stared at the man, trying to see past his form and to something of less physical substance. She hadn’t been training with Illidae as he Master for long, but he had taught her how to activate her Soul Sight. What it showed her shocked her into just nodding silently. The man nodded and smiled before he left.
“That man smelled of danger.” Jack let out a breath. “Like metal and molten glass.” He noticed Agatha staring in shock and reached over to touch her hand.
“We need to follow him!” Agatha shot up to run, but Jack grabbed her, making sure not to tear her lace gothic dress..
“What did you see?” Jack hissed, “We can’t just chase a guy like O’Donnelly.”
“It was darkness, pride, hatred and rage.” Agatha said. “He’s one of them. He’s a Revenant.”
Jack paused then nodded, “Man, we need to plan for date night interruptions.”
Jack quickly got the bill and paid for their meal which they hadn’t even gotten to eat, he did ask for it to be packed as they would return for it. When they got outside they hopped onto Jack’s motorcycle and were off.
---B)(S)(F---
Danny sat nervously at the Pizza Hat. He had just finished a movie, The Terrible Trio Strikes Again!!! The third Strike!, with Heith and both were sitting nervously at the both. Both teens were clearly unsure how to behave and both knew Danny likely had other thoughts he was focused on.
“I hope the movie wasn’t a terrible idea.” Heith sighed, “I know the shit with Cassandra is bad, I just know I’d want someone to distract me if Sofie were in a similar situation.”
Danny looked up in worry, “No it was a good movie, and I appreciate the break. I just can’t stop thinking about how I could have stopped him for sure and now...” He put his head in his hands. “I think he’s not dead. I think Salem’s right.”
“The nosferatu guy?” Heith clarified, “The one who fought vamp-bitch?”
Danny chuckled, “Well for once an accurate statement if worded for a poor reason.”
Heith snorted, “I’ve met the woman, that’s personal bias.”
Danny smiled as a pizza and a large shake with two straws was put in front of them.
“Did we order that?” Heith blinked as she looked at the super-tall shake that had a mountain of whipped cream and two cherries on top.
“On the house.” The server winked. “You two have a fun date night!” He rolled backwards on his shoes and danced away.
“Man...” Danny sighed, “Dross City, we got’em all.”
Heith nodded and blinked, “Well it is chocolate.”
Danny nodded, “I’m fine with sharing.”
“Good.” Heith smiled as she put a piece of their pizza on a plate. “I never understood why...” She paused, “Is dad appropriate anymore?”
Danny shrugged, “I mean in some twisted way he cared, right?”
“Not about us.” Heith sighed, “Not how your family cares for each other, it was more possessive.”
Danny nodded, “Well then what is to you?”
“The Lab doctor who grew us.” Heith snorted in a laugh that signaled a sense of relief. “But I never understood why we couldn’t get pizza. This stuff is better especially when it’s not school based.”
“My dad would call that blasphemy.” Danny laughed. “How is Sofie doing?”
“She’s dealing better than I am.” Heith nodded, “I still have nightmares with him ripping off his face and that robot’s face.” Heith sighed, “He did give her an amazingly realistic snobby attitude.”
“I don’t know how people get attracted to that.” Danny sighed, “Has to be purely physical.”
“Or they’re the same.” Heith sighed. “Am I doing better?”
Danny tilted his head a little. “Heith, I’m the son of a rich as shit family. Both of my parents are independently wealthy and the only reason I had my job was boredom.” He laughed, “I’m not sure I can judge spoiled and bratty and stuff like that accurately.”
“Fair, but am I less bitchy?” Heith asked, “I don’t know. Forget I asked.”
“In terms of what I’ve seen, yeah, you’ve improved. You’ve learned and even though you still call me devil-boy, you’re not pissing Agatha off with it so I guess it’s okay?” Danny shrugged.
“Well she calls Jack ‘puppy’.” Heith said flatly.
“She’s called him puppy since we were four.” Danny explained, “She’s the only one he lets call him that.”
Heith paused, “Noted and remembered.”
Danny nodded, “And it’s not like she won’t sometimes get on his nerves with it.”
“Fair.” Heith nodded and sipped on their shake, then made a face. “That’s bad.”
Danny sipped on it as well. “Yeah I don’t think it was mixed right, too much chocolate mixed in.”
“Oh well, it’s free.” Heith smiled, “But don’t worry about Burlin or Gravitas or whoever the fuck he was or is. We won the day, now you focus on your sister.”
Danny nodded and sighed, “Thanks. I don’t know why but I feel like I messed up there.”
“I feel like I messed up my whole life with him.” Heith said with a grimace, “You’d think you’d see something that would scream ‘supervillain’!”
“To be fair, GLOBAL is classified as a villain organization.” Danny said, “We don’t know their endgame so unless it’s global domination, I doubt it’ll be classified as Super.”
Heith blinked. “That’s the difference?”
Danny shrugged. “Classifications are based on motivations and power levels mainly. Criminals want survival and the stuff that helps with that; cash, gear, et cetera.” He pulled out a napkin and drew up a small diagram. “Villains have some ideal or goal, they feel they have a purpose or society is the one in the wrong. Super-Villains want power, to rule and to run things. It’s why guys like the MechAnimals and the psychotic Animals are both considered criminals, but Pharaoh is a Super-Villain despite mostly being a crime boss. We know he wants the world under his control and crime is his means to an end.”
“And The Fog is a criminal because they just sell their services. Man-Tick is a villain because, why?” Heith asked as she took another piece of pizza.
“Fun fact about Man-Tick, he funds his research into breaking his curse via mercenary actions, but his goal isn’t complete reversal, it’s to make more like those animal-hybrid people GLOBAL made.” Danny explained, “My best guess is they stole his work, because that man would not be quiet about being successful.”
“And that makes Jet Fission a Super-Villain.” Heith nodded, “What about the Nazi Zombies?”
“Armageddon Level Threat.” Danny nodded, “Isn’t this first year stuff? Dad taught us this when he came back, Anna already knew it.”
“You’d think, but it’s a Senior class.” Heith gave a huff, “How many Armageddon Level Threats are there?”
“Bleak and his Crew is currently the only one, but Fission can slide into that as well.” Danny took his first piece of pizza. “I keep forgetting how greasy this isn’t.” He sighed.
Heith snorted and shook her head. “Well thank you for the lesson. If you need someone to talk to until then, I’m just a chat or call away.”
Danny nodded, “Thanks.”
“So why’d your dad let you take the van, isn’t it like your only car since that fancy one of his got stolen and wrecked.”
Danny chuckled. “He got it replaced pretty fast. Scared the shit out of those car thieves though. Spent an hour crying about the best metal baby.”
Heith stared at Danny in confusion.
“It was his first car, one of the only things he’s had any material love for. Mom says I’ll understand when I get my first car.” Danny explained with a light sigh of contentment.
“But you can fly.” Heith said.
“I can, but sometimes you gotta move someone else. Also I don’t go that fast, just above the average running speed.” Danny shrugged.
“We need a re-match.” Heith sighed, taking deep of their shared shake.
“Have you suddenly developed the ability to hit incorporeal things?” Danny shot back, “Because I can still do that.”
“I’ll find a way. Found a way to block Guire’s stupid shocks.” Heith said with a slight tinge of annoyance.
“Ah, give Guire a break, kid’s in just as bad a situation as you were, only he can’t run and the best guy to help him is a bit distracted helping my sister right now.” Danny sighed.
“What do you mean?” Heith asked.
“Guire’s dad is a former cop. Currently head of Security at Sun-Tech. Dad got him fired for beating his wife, but he’s got too many friends still on the force. Dad can’t make any moves to help Greg, Bubbles is trying now.” Danny took another slice and a deep sip. “It’s really fucked up.”
“I can break his face.” Heith said, “No one could mad at me after what I’ve been through.”
Danny almost choked, “God, no. Please. Just don’t give him so much shit.”
Heith crossed her arms but nodded in understanding. “I’m kinda full.”
“Me too, too much popcorn.” Danny laughed. “Want to take it home to Sofie?”
Heith nodded and they waved to the server who promptly trolled back over to them.
“Take home for the rest please.” Danny said, “And hey, where’d you get the shoes?”
“Customs on myshoedrip.net.” He smiled, “Used to be popular in the early millennium, called Heelies. I’ll get you a box and cup for the shake.”
“You take the shake.” Heith said as she stood up to pay.
“I got this.” Danny smiled.
“I got it, I kinda put you in the asking position.” Heith smiled.
“Half then.” Danny offered.
“You pay for the shake.” Heith smiled.
Danny nodded, then remembered it had been a free shake. “Hey...”
“Too late you agreed.” Heith smiled and went to the counter to pay.
As the two stepped outside he couldn’t help but notice a motorcycle speeding by with a very elegant gothic dress on the rear end.
“Aggie?” Danny paused and stared.
“She wears dresses?!” Heith’s jaw dropped.
---B)(S)(F---
Alan and Endara were at one of the most expensive restaurants in the city, a professed neutral ground where criminals could come to safely dine so long as violence was not reported. It was a Carcelli restaurant, but Alan wasn’t going to hold that against them tonight.
“So...” Endara looked at the menu. “Should we be here?”
Alan looked at her and sighed, “I made the reservations, Cassie told us too.” He threw his arms up in defeat, “I just can’t help but feel like a shit-heel here.”
“Same...” Endara sighed. “Maybe order a dessert and take it home?”
Alan smiled, “Okay, but we have to eat a meal or Anna will get Stephen on both of us.”
“She does do that easily.” Endara smiled, “Her mother’s care in her.”
Alan nodded, “So my lovely fire engine of brute force...”
Endara broke into laughter, then collected herself. “Thank you, you know just what to say. My lovely dumbass.”
“I do try.” Alan smiled, “Oh. Manicotti.”
“You hate anyone else’s manicotti.” Endara gave an accusatory glare.
“That’s not true, just people who don’t know how to make it. This is an Italian place, if they can’t make it I’m going to be upset.” Alan smiled. “You just stay out of their kitchen.”
Endara snorted and looked the menu over. “Oh, they make big meatballs here.”
“Good evening.” A man said as he approached, “My name is Trevor and I will be your server tonight.”
“Well Trevor, ever had the Manicotti?” Alan asked.
“Yes, my favorite short of the chef’s favorite ravioli.” Trevor smiled.
“I’ll take that.” Alan smiled, “House’s best red wine, for the holiday past.”
Trevor nodded, “And you Mrs. Quain.”
“I’ll have the spaghetti and meatballs, can I ask for just three extra large ones?” Endara asked.
Trevor nodded, “We can do that.” He then took their menus and bowed before leaving.
“Well, let’s enjoy the night.” Endara smiled, but paused as she noticed Alan looking up and past her.
Endara turned to see the massive frame of Polar Bear grinning down at her. He raised his hands in a peaceful gesture.
“No harm meant.” He said as Mud Dauber stood by his side.
“I always thought you two made an odd couple.” Alan tried to laugh. “We good?”
“Yes.” Polar Bear nodded, “I wanted to thank you for your kindness last we met.” He bowed his head. “It is rare when we have a hero remember we are human too, mostly.”
Alan did a brief scan of the man’s surface thoughts and nodded to Endara. Endara then relaxed.
“And I have no interest in taking on you and your wife. Even with Freya’s help, we would lose.” Polar Bear laughed.
“You would lose, I would flee.” Freya snorted.
Polar Bear looked slightly wounded as he stared at his partner, then he nodded in the affirmative and agreed with her.
“Well, you’re welcome, but right now we’re on our Valentine’s date.” Alan smiled, hoping to dissuade any further conversation.
“Da? So are we!” Polar Bear laughed, “But we will leave you to yours.”
Freya pulled on his scarf and Polar Bear bent down to listen as she whispered in his ear.
Polar Bear winced, “I know this is probably a bad time, we have heard of the attack on the school and that you have an injured child; but our leader has a proposition.”
Alan felt his jaw drop as he felt the idea pass from Polar Bear’s screaming and nervous mind.
“Too loud Isaak.” Freya hissed, “Remember he is a telepath.”
“Right. Sorry.” He pulled an envelope from his very carefully crafted vest and handed it to Alan. “It isn’t much as of now, but we have hopes.” Polar Bear smiled as he once again bowed and led Freya to their table.
“Well...” Endara watched the two MechAnimals sit at their own table, “At least you can tell they’re in love.”
Alan nodded as he put the envelope away. “We might have to step up Anna’s therapy.”
Endara blinked, “What?” Then she realized the implication. “They’re that desperate?”
“Pharaoh may have cut off other sources.” Alan sighed, “Or the Animals really messed them up.”
Endara nodded, “What about the psycho?”
“Let’s worry about that after we save our daughter.” Alan sighed. “And part of that is eating a meal to bring home a huge chocolate mousse.”
“I was thinking, instead, what about stopping for ice cream?” Endara smiled.
“Anna will want what she always wants.” Alan sighed and telekinetically lifted his phone from his pocket and sent out a message to the family. Then he got a reply that made him pause and stand up.
“Agatha or Danny?” Endara asked with a sigh.
“Take a guess.” Alan sighed as he went to a non-emergency exit. Then he dialed Agatha’s number, when she didn’t answer he sent another text and waited.
The door opened and Mud Dauber came out and lit a cigarette, then noticed Alan. He felt genuine shock from her, but didn’t let her distract him. Finally he got a response and sent a quick demand for her and Jack to get home. Then he leaned against the opposite wall and sighed, partially sinking down.
“Are you all right?” Freya asked, “That’s a stupid question. I’m sorry.” She walked over and offered her hand.
Alan paused and took it, using her to help himself stand.
“Eldest decided to do something ridiculously stupid.” Alan sighed, “Thank you.”
Freya nodded and Alan went to go back in, but paused.
“If he’s serious, tell him to hold out as long as he can. We’ll be out of the country for a bit.” Alan explained.
Freya nodded, “You know I met your newest. She’s a sweet kid, I hope it's not her that’s hurt.”
Alan paused and let a bitter laugh echo in the night. “Hurt is an understatement. That bastard started to tear her apart from the inside, and something else decided to continue it.” He growled.
Freya nodded, and watched the door close, but Alan remained outside.
“You have kids?” He asked.
“I wish I could. Early childhood cancer.” Freya smiled, “And Isaak’s DNA may not carry over.”
Alan nodded, “If you and he are serious and you all really mean this, hold on. Then maybe consider adoption.”
Freya nodded. “We’ll try.”
Alan cleared his throat. “You have a nice Valentine’s dinner.”
“You too.” Freya smiled.
Alan joined his wife once more.
“Was she a problem?” Endara asked.
“Nah, just a smoke break.” Alan nodded.
Endara leaned in, “So what broke you?”
Alan went to argue but smiled, just as he could make her laugh, he could never lie to her.
“Agatha tried to chase a guy she thought was a revenant.” Alan smirked with a slightly mad glare.
“Why is our daughter blessed with both of our impatient and impetuous natures?” Endara laughed and brushed her hair back.
“Luck.” Alan smiled.
Then their meals were brought out and Alan immediately went to dig into his manicotti. He just as quickly frowned.
“Bad?” Endara asked as she cut up her meatballs.
“I think I’ve been ruined.” Alan smiled, “Best damn manicotti I’ve had.” He looked at Trevor. “Compliments to the chef.”
Trevor smiled, “I shall inform him.”
Endara nodded as Trevor poured their wine for the night.
“Trevor, how big is the biggest mousse you’ve got?” Alan asked.
Trevor paused briefly, almost concerning Endara as she watched him quickly stop pouring. “Pretty darn big, but that's for catering. We have a twelve ounce one for take home.”
“Dang that won’t satisfy a house full of teens.” Alan sighed.
“We can put it on a cake or a pie.” Trevor suggested.
“Ohhh.” Endara smiled, “Can we get one to go?”
Trevor nodded and looked at Alan.
“If you would.” Alan said, “And anything else she wants.”
Trevor nodded and stepped away.
Endar smiled at her husband as she remembered a specific order she had put in with a private call. Alan found it moments later as he split open a manicotti to find a jewelry box that he telekinetically plucked out. He stared for a moment then looked at Endara.
“You would.” He sighed and opened it.
Inside was an infinity loop with Endara’s birthstone in the center and the stones of the entire Quain family, including Daniel, Jazz and Alan and Stephen’s original adoptive parents.
Alan smiled and sat it down.
“Surprise.” Endara smiled.
Alan nodded, “They cooked it in the manicotti.”
“What?” Endara blinked.
Alan laughed, “Thankfully it only messed up one.” He scraped the offending manicotti to the side. “Someone’s gonna get in trouble for that.”
“Well, hopefully they can learn.” Endara sighed and slowly laughed at the scenario.
Soon both Quain parents were laughing and making jokes about pasta jewelry.
/////
The First Story
[Previous Interlude]() //// [Next Interlude!]()
Arc 1 - Black Sheep Family - Arc 1, First Chapter
Arc 2 - Paradigm Shift - Arc 2, First Chapter
Arc 3 - Gravitas Rising Arc 3, First Chapter
Arc 4 - The Director’s Chair Arc 4, First Chapter
Arc 5- The School War Arc 5, First Chapter
Spotify
/////
Credit where Credit is due:
Kyton & Cassandra Adams are © u/TwistedMind596
Obsidian is © u/Ultimalice
Ixton the Blade of the Wielder is © My friend Forged of Souls who does not use reddit
Furnace is © my friend Matt who does not use reddit
Cedric Stein Meissner aka Tesseract is © my friend James, who does not use reddit.
All other characters and Dross City are © u/TheSmogMonsterZX
////
Perfection: Kinda heavy for an interlude inn’t?
Wraith: Well interludes are the parts that can't fit into the normal stories. He never said they wouldn’t contain any important details.
Smoggy: I believe I said I would try, and honestly I just couldn’t get Alan and Endara’s dinner anywhere at the end of Arc 5 or at the start of Arc 6. So it goes here and if I need to refer back to it, we treat it like a comic book and link to the story at the end.
Deadpool: I’m BACK and I brought boxes for all!
Smoggy: Glad to have you DP.
DM: What?
Smoggy: I’d like to send you some place nice, warm year ‘round and plenty of hot ladies to flirt with.
Deadpool: ...Really.
Wraith: (taps Scythe against the floor) He means hell.
Smoggy: I mean Hell.
DM: Ahhhh...
Deadpool: How about, like some place I can help teen heroes fight bad guys?
Wraith: We’ve already tried that with another version of you.
Smoggy: He still sends them Christmas Cards. So hell, or leave us alone.
Deadpool: You know I think it’s been fun here, but I miss home.
Perfection: (leaning over Deadpool’s shoulders) Smart choice. (vanishes with Deadpool)
Wraith: Why can’t they all be that reasonable.
Smoggy: Luck, insanity? I dunno. Time to focus. I got some SpellJammer stuff to make!
DM: Stinger!
Smoggy: Wha-
---B)(S)(F---
The Evening of the 16th of February, 2079
Jazz pulled her motorcycle up to the curb of the well maintained SkyView Apartments. She was almost up to the door when she heard voices out back laughing and shouting, so she went around to see what was going on. She found the person she was looking for with two of his friends, one of which was a personal hero of hers.
“Holy shit!” Jazz quickly saluted Samantha Canning.
“I’m retired and from what I understand, so are you.” Samantha smirked, then gave a quick salute.
“Jazz, what’s up?” Salem asked without looking up from the fire on the grill.
“They’re giving that poor little girl some bad news and I didn’t want to hear it.” Jazz sighed, “Figured I’d make you have some fun.”
“Some fun?” Sawyer looked at his friend, “You got a Super Nintendo?”
“Nah, figured we’d go beat up some thugs or something.” Jazz smiled. “Salem invite only though.”
“That’s fair. He needs more friends.” Samantha smiled.
“What’s that supposed to mean?” Salem looked up with a glare.
“That you’re an old curmudgeon with few friends and most are kids.” Sawyer smirked.
“Pot, meet the kettle.” Samantha smirked.
“I got friends.” Sawyer laughed, “Just no one else likes’em.”
Salem rolled his eyes and downed the rest of his whiskey mixed with blood. Then he stood straight and stretched before staring directly at Jazz.
“I got a strict curfew of twenty minutes before dawn.” He set an alarm on his phone. “Won’t crash or anything, just don’t want to dust.”
“Man, have you ever crashed?” Sawyer snorted in annoyance.
“Nah.” Salem nodded, “Can’t let the sun win at everything.” He grinned. “All right Artigan show me what you consider fun!”
“Get your helmet, you ain’t ridin’ with me without one.” Jazz smiled.
“I am not a seat warmer.” Salem glared.
Jazz crossed her arms. “My bike.”
Salem snarled, but stomped off and returned, but with his own bike and a leather helmet.
“You just...” Jazz laughed, “Can that thing keep up?”
Salem’s head tilted.
“Oh, now she’s done it.” Samantha laughed.
“They’re going to be mangled in a mess on the news.” Sawyer laughed, “Anna will kill them both. Then maybe Cassie.”
Samantha laughed and picked up her whiskey.
“Take my couch Canning, cops won’t care who you are if they smell that shit. Doesn’t matter that you’re not drunk.” Salem said as he continued to glare at Jazz.
Jazz continued to smirk, “Well come on old timer. We got some red to paint.”
Salem let a low growl escape his lips.
submitted by TheSmogmonsterZX to HFY [link] [comments]

2024.05.04 17:00 DeniceC99 Geometry The Angle Sum of a Triangle Activity

Geometry The Angle Sum of a Triangle Activity
An activity to practise working mathematically, applying strategies and reasoning to prove that the angle sum of a triangle is 180°.
https://www.teacherspayteachers.com/Product/Geometry-The-Angle-Sum-of-a-Triangle-Activity-9668862
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The Angle Sum of a Triangle
submitted by DeniceC99 to mathstutoraustralia [link] [comments]

2024.05.04 04:14 bangtaenn My cat has a blood clot

My cat has a blood clot, specifically arterial thromboembolism. He isnt getting any blood flows to his legs. It happened aorund 2pm, we took him to the vet and they discovered that his heart was producing more/working 15x the amount it should be with enzymes or something. The vet said his heart condition is bad and treatment likely wouldn't help. They said if we wanted to spend some time with him tonight it would be okay, so he's home with us. Has lots of treats and a small heat pad to help with his legs. I think we will have to put him down in the morning. Has anybody gone through this? Did treatment work for anyone's cats or was it just more inhumane?
submitted by bangtaenn to Advice [link] [comments]

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