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Sumatra Slim Belly Tonic is an innovative, all-natural formula that promotes healthy weight loss. This tonic has been carefully crafted to help people lose excess body fat while providing long-term results. It contains a unique combination of eight natural ingredients, each of which is known to target potential causes of unexpected weight gain.
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Sumatra Slim Belly Tonic is a unique combination of science and nature that aims to revolutionize healthy weight loss. This one-of-a-kind tonic, more than just a drink, provides a captivating experience by combining a variety of exotic and mysterious ingredients. Let's find out more about Sumatra Slim Belly Tonic and its enchanting ingredients.
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Sumatra Slim Belly Tonic contains the ancient Oriental Blue Tonic, a remedy with an exotic twist, going above and beyond to provide an Exotic Blue Tonic that targets the underlying causes of unexplained weight gain.

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Sumatra Tonic Awakens Metabolism and Burns Fat Overnight. Sumatra Slim Belly Tonic is a natural solution designed to help with healthy weight loss by addressing key factors contributing to unexplained weight gain.

The Sumatra Slim Belly Tonic recognizes the impact of blue light from electronic devices on the body's metabolism, disrupting the circadian rhythm and leading to weight-related challenges. Lack of non-rapid eye movement (N-REM) sleep is another critical factor. The Sumatra Slim Belly Tonic addresses disrupted sleep patterns, which can contribute to weight gain by affecting natural energy regulation and metabolism.
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Beyond weight loss, users may experience clearer thoughts and improved cognitive function.
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Users notice improvements in skin and face, such as a brighter and healthier complexion, potentially reducing the appearance of fine lines.

Sumatra Slim Belly Tonic Active Ingredients

Sumatra Slim Belly Tonic’s science is based on its powerful ingredients. The ingredients are natural and clinically proven to have beneficial effects, which justifies their inclusion in this formula. Let’s have a closer look at each of them and their respective advantages:-

1. Valerian Root: Known as the natural melody of relaxation, Valerian root helps in restful sleep, helps in abnormal weight loss by aiding metabolism Acts as a night watchman, make sure your body is fresh for another day’s challenges.
2. Humulus Lupulus: Commonly known as hops, this tonic has diuretic, digestive and anti-inflammatory benefits. Its soothing properties promote peaceful sleep, while antibacterial properties maintain a balanced internal environment, laying the foundation for weight loss.
3. Griffonia simplicifolia or 5-HTP: Derived from the seeds of the Griffonia simplifolia plant, 5-HTP is a precursor to serotonin, improving mood, improving sleep and improving appetite.
4. Spirulina Blue: Packed with antioxidants, Spirulina Blue fights inflammation and free radicals, creating the ideal environment for weight loss.
5. Berberine: Found in plants such as barberries, it supports normal blood sugar levels and is beneficial in general metabolism.
6. Black Cohosh: Known for its detoxification properties, it can support the body’s natural detoxification and relaxation processes.
7. Lutein: Lutein is found in abundance in fruits and vegetables, and protects eye cells from oxidative damage, contributing to overall health.
8. Inulin: Inulin, a dietary fiber found in certain plants, supports digestive health, promotes good gut flora, and promotes a sense of fullness, helping to improve weight management.

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Sumatra Slim Belly Tonic is packed with the goodness and potency of natural ingredients such as valerian root, berberine, and others, providing you with a variety of major health benefits. Here are some benefits:

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• Reduce Inflammation: The natural ingredients in Sumatra Slim Belly Tonic enhance your body’s inflammatory response, reduce inflammation and improve overall health and wellbeing.

For starters don’t waste my time and don’t make me feel like I am forcing you to be my friend :/ I am looking for a SFW friendship, (unless you’re a woman) I’m into Cats, piercings , tattoos, 420 all day everyday and I’m a metalhead, HMU so I can see if we’re compatible to go to discord? 🤔

The story itself seems to be a folk legend, so it's been retold in a lot of places, which makes this book hard to look for. The legend is often called "The Golden Goblet", but searching by that title hasn't gotten me anywhere, and I haven't found any other names for it.
Here's an example of the legend; here's another one. To quote TV Tropes: "a Siamese cat was guarding a goblet for her owner while she was pregnant, and to keep it safe she stared at it constantly and wrapped her tail around it, which made her eyes crossed and her tail kinked, and her kittens came out the same way, and that's why Siamese cats have kinked tails and crossed eyes."
In some versions of the legend the cat is called Chula and her mate is called Tien, but this discovery hasn't given me success in finding the book. In some versions of the legend the cat's tail is kinked by carrying rings, but this isn't what happened in the book I read.
The art style was fairly realistic, not cartoonish. I seem to remember there being a lot of detail and colour. This actually looks pretty similar in terms of style, though it's not identical and it's definitely not from the same book.
I've ruled out:

• Sagwa / The Chinese Siamese Cat: Happens to also be a just-so story about why Siamese cats look the way they do, but it's about why they have seal point markings, and it's because Sagwa fell into an inkwell. Not related.
• I Am from Siam by Tatiana Balkoff-Drowne: Neither the plot nor the art style match, and the colours are way too muted.
• The Watch Cat by Mili Northrup: This says "the Siamese cat came to have a rough, scratchy voice and a crook at the end of its tail when it went out hunting for a lost child", and that didn't happen in the book I read.
• The Cat of Bubastes by G.A. Henty: Not a picture book, really has no relation aside from being about a cat, but it keeps coming up when I look for this book.
• The Golden Goblet by Eloise Jarvis McGraw: Not a picture book, again no relation aside from the title, but it keeps coming up.
• Cats of Magic, Mythology and Mystery by Karl Shuker: Keeps coming up because it does discuss the legend; but it's not old enough and it doesn't seem to be a picture book, and it tells a different version from the one I read anyway.
• The Tail of the Siamese Cat by Geraldine Kaye: I haven't been able to see the inside, but the art style on the cover doesn't match at all. (However, if anyone knows a way I can see inside, I will take a look just to make sure.)
• Poon, or How the Siamese Cat Got the Knot in His Tail: Suggested in a previous post. It's hard to be sure because I can't find an online copy to examine, but from the front cover and the length (76 pages) I don't think it's the right one. Besides, the cat in the book I read was female, and she only got a kink in her tail, not a knot. (However, if anyone knows a way I can see inside, I will take a look just to make sure.)

I probably read this in the 2000s. I'm not sure how old the book is, but it didn't look old to me at the time.

I am apparently delicious to mosquitos and I've done all I can in my lawn to minimize them, but I can't control my neighbors, who often let water stand after a good rain (aka all of April and half of May, ugh). I wanted to attract more dragonflies as I have far too many trees for a bat box to really be the best idea. My only issue is that I have a small child and it is not safe for me to dig a pond for the dragonflies. I'm curious if anyone has made any sort of dragonfly attracting water feature that's above ground. Something like a whiskey barrel or two perhaps with some sort of circulation to keep mosquitos from making babies. I don't know a ton about dragonflies so I wasn't sure if this would work, although it seems to me like the main thing is making sure your water is at least 2ft deep somewhere for nymphs.

Sorry for the rant, this is going to be a long one. There are lot involved and leading up to this. I know my fiancé and I need to work on a lot. We’ve done therapy and plan on doing more at some point.
So yesterday was supposed to be a special day for my fiancé. It was her birthday and Mother’s Day. I want to start by saying she is a great mother and our kids love her to death.
Our relationship hasn’t been the best since kids. A lot of on and off arguing. We’ll have a huge blow out argument. We won’t communicate for a few days, have a half assed talk about it (which also turns into a kinda mini argument) then move on and pretend nothing happened. Things have been great the past month or 2. We celebrated my birthday the previous weekend and she made me feel very special.
Saturday was a kids B Day party and then we took it back to her parents house. My fiancé is somewhat of a night owl. She likes to stay up and drink her white claw or wine or whatever and chill. I use to be as well, but after kids and getting older and working a vigorous job I’m not so much anymore. I wake up at 3:30 during the week for work. And when she wants to stay up and I don’t, she doesn’t like it very much and lets me know.
So Saturday night at her parents, she’s feeling pretty tipsy, the kids fell asleep and it’s like 10/10:30 at this point. I’ve had a few myself and took a few hits from the pen earlier (only on weekends when the kids are asleep, it’s legal where I live) and I’m getting tired. We decide to pack the kids up and head home (3 houses up). She’s already making comments about how I’m lame and don’t want to hang out with her for her birthday. That she just wants to spend her day alone or something like that. I already know what this leads to so I say goodnight and head up to bed.
I get a text saying how she doesn’t want to go out to eat tomorrow (I reserved a table for us and her parents to get tacos and margaritas, what she said she wanted to do.) and that she’s not mad not just not up for it. I say ok it’s your day whatever you want.
A few minutes later I get a text saying I’m a huge disappointment, how I lack effort she’s done she’s done etc etc. I fed in to it a little bit and texted back which I probably shouldn’t have done, and basically said you wanted space I gave you space.
So I wake up the next day, everyone is out of bed, which is rare before me. Go down stairs and see the kids gave her her presents which imo was extremely wrong to not wait for me or wake me up. I’m visibly upset and ask “how was your gifts did you like them?”
The rest of the day she shut me out. Went out of her way to exclude me from anything she did with our kids. Told me to stay home when they stopped by her moms. Before this I went out and got her and her mom flowers and wine anyway. I wanted her to have her day. But she made it clear she didn’t want me involved.
I didn’t want to make it about me but I was extremely hurt. Fast forward to the next day, I’m at work and send her a text saying I don’t deserve this. All because I don’t like to stay up late. I say that I finally see I’m not the one for her. Which I do think, I just can’t stand the thought of our kids not having their parents together and being away from them.
Anyway, to make it quick, she pretty much says she’s hurt I didn’t do anything for her, that I hate her and she deserves more, how this is all my fault, I should have done all this stuff. All the typical BS.
Wtf? AITAH? Like I said, she made it crystal clear she didn’t want anything to do with me on her day. I was excited for Sunday. I was ready to make breakfast in bed and make her feel special and celebrate her. In so many ways she said she didn’t want that. Now I’m in the wrong and it’s all my fault.
/rant
TLDR my fiancé is hurt and “heartbroken” because I didn’t get to do much for her on her birthday/Mother’s Day because she wouldn’t let me.

I remember the last time I was with you. The sound of your breathing echos through my mind from that day. Constantly. When you were standing behind me & you finally just let life go, I don't know why that stood out in my mind so much, but I can't forget that very moment. It was like you broke free from everything that was bothering you in that very second & surrendered to it just being us. And it was the craziest thing, because you kept asking if I was okay. And I wasn't sure why. I think deep down, deep deep down, we both knew in our spirit that was going to be our last time together. You knew I couldn't let go like I normally do, I couldn't help but hold on tight. Something in us knew.. even though I couldn't see it then. It's so evident now. I tried to hold on. I tried anything & everything I could to try to draw you back in. To try to be in your presence. To not have to miss you again. To not have to be without you. I don't want to know a life without you & I've said it a million times. I need you here. In some way, I need to always know you're okay. Trying to hold unto you was impossible, I was swimming against the current and everything from my past that would have worked for anyone hit a wall with you. There were so many things I had to unlearn & I dove into the darkness ripping up everything that kept me from you. Everything that wasn't me. You deserve the most amazing love this world has ever seen. Your heart is what mine beats for. Anywhere in this world you go, with whoever, whenever you do, make absolute sure you're happy. Peace should always surround you & the world should melt when it looks into your eyes. I pray everyday that it is you, I still do. I couldn't imagine it ever being anyone else, you're with me wherever I go.. still. I pray the stars align. If they don't, I will always search for you in every corner of this earth and in every galaxy after time to make sure love covers you for all the days of your life. You deserve everything beautiful, you're incredible just being you. ❤️

I’m dealing with some health problems the last couple years. I have trouble standing for too long and I also haven’t ever liked a lot of music and stuff when I have tried church before. What I’m dealing with now kinda makes too much noise nerve racking.
What I’m wondering is there a denomination where the focus is really on the word of Jesus and the sermon and less on the music and putting my hands in the air?
I just want to be around other people who love Jesus but I don’t want to feel obligated to stand and sing.

ideally i’d like to find a long term friend to vibe with, but i just go with the flow. i’ve been having a hard time making new connections since my bestfriend passed. i like to be alone but at a certain point it’s depressing. here’s a lil bit about me: i have a son (cat), i like to garden (vegetables + marijuana), i game sometimes, music is a big part of my life, specifically rap, i like to smoke up, i’m a homebody, i love nature, especially the beach. anyone is welcome to hmu if i sound interesting, if not have a nice day ‼️also please say more than hi and give a real intro

I (M40) raised my daughter (F18), Sarah, she's pregnant. I was disappointed, to say the least. She's barely out of high school, and now this.
We had a heated argument, said things we didn't mean, and she stormed out, saying she'd handle it on her own. I thought she'd come back, but she didn't. Instead, she's couch-surfing at friends' places, not knowing what to do next.
It's tough seeing her like this, but I had to make a tough call. I told her she couldn't come back home until she could prove she could handle things on her own.
Now, some people are saying I'm being too harsh, that I should be there for her no matter what. And yeah, part of me feels that way too. But I also believe she needs to learn from this experience and take responsibility for her choices.
So yeah, it's a tough spot to be in, but I stand by my decision. I just want what's best for her and the baby. So, am I the asshole here?

My mother always liked my sister more than me. When we had a disagreement, I was always the one asked to compromise. When I was unhappy with something my sister did, my feelings were always dismissed. She always let my sister talk to me however she wanted, she was never reprimended when she was rude to me, but I'll get reprimended if I try to defend myself. She often allowed my sister to borrow my belongings without asking me... the list goes on.
It sucked, but now we're both in our 20s, and it's getting so much worse. Now my mom is always unhappy with how I interact with my sister. If I talk to my sister, my mom "doesn't like my tone", if I don't talk to my sister, she thinks I'm being rude. Same for my sister's friends and boyfriend.
Once my mom went to a appointement to the bank with me, since she knows a lot more about finances than me. She talked about my sister during the whole thing, and went on a loooong rant on the bank not giving my sister proper information when she needed it. The banker kept sending me pitiful looks, it was embarassing.
She let my sister use my car while I was on a trip without telling me. I had to come back earlier and found out my car wasn't at my parent's house. Now, a few months later, she denies it and says she asked me. I'd never have trusted my sister with my car.
All 3 of us went to a bigger city to do some shopping, and my mom acted like I was a burden during the whole day. I was screamed at when I asked to go to a specific shop because "there wasn't enough time". I was ignored most of the time or treated like an annoyance, while my sister could take all the time she wanted to look at products or try clothes. And on our way back we got stuck in traffic and my mom allowed my sister to smoke in the car even though she knows I can't stand the smell.
During family dinners, I can't pause for even a second while talking to my mom. If I do, she will start a conversation with my sister immediatly. When I tell her I wasn't done talking, she says "oh I thought you were finished". Most of the time, it wouldn't make sense to stop there, obviously there was going to be an end to whatever I was saying.
There are more examples like that. I talked about it to my mom but she keeps denying having a favorite. My dad, my grand mother, and even my sister told her, but she insists that she doesn't have a favorite. Also, my sister seems to enjoy it and often takes advantage of it, which is not helping.

I’m new to selling and I’m a woman in her 20s and all I do is constantly get sexualized on this app no matter what I look like or am wearing (which shouldn’t matter either way)… WN claims to want to create a safe environment but left and right I receive disgusting DMs from men or they’re commenting on my stream or others stream if I’m cohosting. It’s upsetting bc I’m not able to work right now and discovering this app has made it possible for me to make an income, but cannot stand these comments being made about my body and looks. Have any other woman sellers (or men too) experienced this and how can i stop it besides just reporting and blocking over and over…?

I (M40) raised my daughter (F18), Sarah, she's pregnant. I was disappointed, to say the least. She's barely out of high school, and now this.
We had a heated argument, said things we didn't mean, and she stormed out, saying she'd handle it on her own. I thought she'd come back, but she didn't. Instead, she's couch-surfing at friends' places, not knowing what to do next.
It's tough seeing her like this, but I had to make a tough call. I told her she couldn't come back home until she could prove she could handle things on her own.
Now, some people are saying I'm being too harsh, that I should be there for her no matter what. And yeah, part of me feels that way too. But I also believe she needs to learn from this experience and take responsibility for her choices.
So yeah, it's a tough spot to be in, but I stand by my decision. I just want what's best for her and the baby. So, am I the asshole here?

Divided We Watch
TLDR; Movie Review - Civil War
Whew! I just watched the movie, Civil War.
I have a lot to say, but don’t think I’ll be capable of unpacking it all articulately enough to express myself, without coming off as a disgruntled, far-right nutjob. Because I’m not one. If you must know, I’m only a touch right-of-center in my ideology. An Independent, to tell the truth. But nowadays, it seems, if the needle isn’t buried on the left side of the meter, you are officially a disgruntled, far-right nutjob.
But before you start grinding your molars and turning the page, hear me out.
Oh, and I’m going to try not to – but if a spoiler slips past me, you’ve been warned.
For starters, let me make clear that I am not fooled for a millisecond by the movie’s main intent. It is leftist propaganda at its finest. It’s the Nazi’s Triumph of the Will; Orwell’s 1984; and the Ku Klux Klan’s Birth of a Nation, all rolled into one, but with a fifty-million-dollar budget – the most expensive movie ever made by A24 Productions. There is a passing scene in the movie where actress Cailee Spaeny, playing Jessie, a bright-eyed, upstart photojournalist, while fawning over her idol, the legendary war photographer, Lee Smith, played by Kirsten Dunst, talks about the award-winning shot at “The Antifa Massacre” that made Lee famous. This seems to suggest Antifas are noble freedom fighters, but forgets the real life destruction of the Berkley Riots; the Portland Protests, and the Seattle Autonomous Zone, where a capital city was held hostage for nearly a month.
The movie’s release, hot on the heels of the 2024 Presidential election, was by design, not coincidence. You know it. I know it. We all know it. Hollywood wants this movie fresh in everyone’s minds when they go to the polls. The movie is a calculated foreshadowing. The message: “Elect the Orange Guy and this will happen to our country.”
The movie is Hollywood’s love letter to the Liberal elite and mainstream media’s wettest dream.
Some of the best war movies in cinematic history are those that portrayed a certain ambiguity about war, and humanized both sides and their causes. Just who was the Good Guy and who the Bad, was a little fuzzy, at times. Hell in the Pacific; Platoon; and Letters from Iwo Jima, come to mind. Civil War is not one of those films, even if it pretended to be by making its Dark Side an alliance of two regions of the United States that are about as ideologically compatible as AOC and MTG.
So, don’t think I’m fooled. I’m not. The movie is, indeed, all of the above. But let me tell you what else it is.
It’s the best movie I’ve seen in years.
The cinematography is breathtaking. The acting, superb. The action sequences, heart-pounding. Director Alex Garland paints with exquisite, horrifying detail what life (and death) would be like for us all if the United States of America tore itself apart from within. One brutal battle scene that really sticks with me, is set against the backdrop of a place that symbolizes the very essence of peace, love and happiness. The juxtaposition is jarring. But it is a very real reminder that there is no escape from the terrible ravages of war.
While I cannot deny there were times in the movie I found my slightly-right-of-center molars grinding – especially with its mocking portrayal of our nation’s leader and 50% of our country’s population – I could not dislike this movie. When the battle reached our nation’s capital and the tracer rounds were peppering the Lincoln Memorial, I literally felt sick to my stomach – and so profoundly sad to watch the desecration of a place I have always considered a sacred symbol of our Country. Though I could smell the popcorn in the air and knew it was only a movie, my heart broke at the realization that we Americans are a deeply divided People.
“Why?” I asked my wife as we pulled out of the parking garage on our way home (She hated the movie, by the way). “Of the millions and millions of smart, righteous, decent people in America, WHY are we stuck having to choose from these two? Isn’t there anyone out there who’s had enough of this bickering and this gridlock and these endless insanely costly, senseless Congressional hearings? Won’t anyone else step up to the plate?
Civil War is a great movie and I strongly recommend it. Beyond the thrilling entertainment it offers, it makes you stop and think long and hard about the perilous State of our Union.
We need to be Americans. Not Republicans. Not Democrats. AMERICANS. We need to build up, not tear down. To compromise. To get along. To be proud of our Country and be a Nation that is admired and envied by the rest of the world.
We need to heed the words of caution told to us 166 years ago by the kind of Leader that seems to have gone the way of the dodo.
“A house divided against itself cannot stand…”
What did you all think?

(These will be based off of shifts and urges I've had, also on behavior, (?)=not sure)
Possible theriotype 1:
-Most likely a mammal
-Can stand on 2 or 4 legs(?)
-Possibly small (maybe a bit smaller than cat size?)
-Long-ish tail
-Round ears(?)
-Skittish (Prey animal?)
-Foresty environment
Thinking maybe meerkat, prarie dog, or any animal that's like those
Possible theriotype 2:
-Most likely avian
-Longer legs(?)
-Tall (About crane height)
-Bird of prey(?)
-Possibly not a lot of flight(?)
-Foresty, desert(?), or swamp (?) environments
-Does that little thing that birds do when they like stretch out on leg or like hop around???
-walks around like as if hunting (Like a crane or secretary may)
-Smaller than ostriches or emus
-Could have wings, but I haven't had any wing shifts
Thinking maybe a crane, secretary, or any other birds like those
Any help appreciated :3

I am literally a mess, and I don't know my legal rights or how to proceed. This is a throwaway account because I'm afraid of people figuring out who I am and endangering my family. I am changing all names and even the dog breeds. I'm female with younger kids. My husband was out of town and returned several hours after this had happened.
This incident happened just 2 days ago. I was in our front yard doing yard work. Our two youngest children were on the side yard playing and our two dogs were out front with me. We had an Amazon delivery driver come up to our house and both our dogs came up and greeted him. He asked if the dogs were nice and I told the driver that they were nice dogs that love to greet everyone and that they are barkers; this was said within earshot of my neighbor, Harold, who was spraying weeds directly across the street from my house along the road shoulder along a large field.
Near the end of my conversation with this delivery driver, I saw my neighbor, Harold (not real name) who's about 45 years old, walking back to his house, and he appeared visibly upset. I didn’t see a gun on him before he walked over to his house, but when he came back from his house, he had a handgun.
About 5 minutes after the driver left, I saw that my dogs had gone across the street to greet Harold. The smaller dog, Ralph (bulldog mix), was barking at Harold. I never saw Ralph jumping up on Harold or making any physical contact with Harold; Ralph was only barking at Harold. There was no growling, no raised hackles, no lunging. If anything, he was just being annoying. Our other dog, Charlie (Great Dane), was standing near Harold but not barking and he was farther away than Ralph.
Harold has seen our dogs many times and has sprayed the weeds across the street many times throughout the years we’ve been here and have had dogs. There has never been an issue as he has seen and known them.
I walked over to talk with Harold and to bring my dogs back in the house as I didn’t want them to disturb his work or for them to get into the chemicals. As I got closer I realized that Harold was intently narrowed in on Ralph with his gun trained on him. It was a black handgun, I believe a .9mm. I asked Harold if he was pointing a gun at my dog. His response to that question was a slight nod and saying, “ya, uh huh.” I told him, “Ok, I’m getting my dogs. Put the gun away.”
I fully believed he would put the gun away as he saw I was grabbing my dog to stop his inconvenient barking, but he refused to put his gun away and, in fact, it was now pointed at me as I was bending down grabbing Ralph. And when I told him again to put it down, he again refused to put it away and it was pointed at my chest within 12 inches away and not moving it.
Seeing that he was refusing to move it, I became very afraid. I spoke calmly saying things like “everything’s ok”, “there’s no problem here”, and “put the gun away.” I was trying to just hurry and grab the dogs so I could get away from him in case he were to shoot me.
Beyond the initial “ya, uh huh,” Harold remained silent during all of this, as he appeared to become more and more detached and hyper focused on his gun. I was terrified for my life. I kept asking him to put away his gun and telling him that there is no problem here–I must’ve repeated this half a dozen to a dozen times, almost like a mantra.
I slowly backed away with the dogs and Haroldstill did not lower his gun and did not appear to hear me at all. This whole time he was in a shooter stance with his gun fixed on me, and he never once put it away while getting my dogs. This was terrifying.
When I was maybe 5-6 feet away from him, I looked back and saw that he had moved the gun so that it was still pointed at me. I hurried and walked the dogs back into our house, and promptly back out to check on the kids and make sure he wasn’t going to come back and create any trouble. All I could see is that he went back to spraying the weeds.
I was literally shaking for hours. I don’t know at what point the gun was put away. Though I remained very calm throughout the whole situation to try to de-escalate this potential disaster, I was terrified for my life. I’ve never been more afraid in my life as my neighbor had a gun pointed at me as I was pleading with him to just put it down.
I was so shaken that I didn’t know what to do. After a few hours had passed and I had calmed down a bit, I realized I needed to get the authorities involved, which is when I called the police. I felt intimidated and incredibly afraid by Harold and his actions. I truly wasn’t sure if the outcome would be fatal. I do not feel safe with this neighbor nor his family, especially where this is the second incident where one of his family members has inflicted serious harm on one of our family members.
When the police came (2 deputies), I didn't feel like I was not taken seriously. I learned that one of the them liked dogs and the other did not. The one who did not like the dog, though nice, seemed to be more concerned about my dog walking across the street than my angry neighbor pointing a gun at me.
My husband was with me when the deputies came and thankfully helped stress how wrong Harold was, and it's far worse than my dog visiting across the street being annoying with his barking.
They gave me a statement to fill out (which is much of what was written above) and I turned it in this morning. I'm realizing this likely classifies as "Assault with deadly weapon" but I don't know.
We do not earn much money and cannot afford any kind of legal work, but I am terrified that this neighbor will snap again. Perhaps a retraining order? Do states ever offer pro bono legal work with situations like this? It sucks that I have to feel unprotected and unheard when it could literally be a matter of life or death.
I submitted the police statement this morning and had to just hand it over to the receptionist type position at the Sheriff's office. Am I supposed to contact them after a certain amount of time? I'd like to think that the deputy wouldn't make it an "I hate dogs" case if his wife were in my situation with an angry man pointing a gun at her.
Please, please offer some helpful advice.
(I'm pretty fragile right now, so please be gentle if you have something mean to say.)

Long time lurker on this sub. First time posting here. I see that a lot of people aren’t vibing with the lyrics to this album, but there are several songs that really resonate with me. I will agree that these new lyrics aren’t as metaphoric, but they still hit me right in the feels. I really like this album and just wanna share some positivity. Here are some of my favorites so far:
CODE BLUE
When you lost the pain That became your truth Who is it you are babe Who will you turn into
(This taps into a fear for anyone who has dealt with depression or addiction. The problem becomes such a part of your identity that you don’t even know who you’d be without it. Who are you when the pain is gone and it no longer defines your existence?)
OVERTIME
You told me that you wanted me I told you you were brave
(Ugh, I felt this one right in the heart. I’ve felt this so many times before)
GHOUL
How could I stand corrected if I’m my only teacher? Why should I save my soul if I never get to keep it? Not getting any warmer but I’m reaching. Will I ever even know it if I become my demons?
(This is the painful dialog of someone dealing with trauma/mental health. Very relatable for anyone who has ever felt lost in the hopelessness of a mental health crisis and you’re not sure if you’ll ever make it to the other side again)
RABBIT RUN
Fuck being king It’s such a seasonal thing They love you for a day Before the first but after the 28th
(I feel this. I think she’s saying it sucks to be at the top because the love doesn’t last)
RABBIT RUN
She says Queen is a band Or an identifier She don’t believe in The State
(I love the clever use of the word “queen” in 3 different ways)
RE-ENTRY
I’m losing touch in your backseat Roll down the windows hold hands and breathe deep Honestly Mom I never thought I’d feel a pain this strong I can relive it but you won’t let me.
(Honestly this song is just so emotional to me. I sense that something traumatic is happening to her - shes losing touch with reality in the backseat of her mom’s car, and she’s leaning on big breaths, fresh air, and her mom to bring her back to herself. I listened to this on Mother’s Day and basically sobbed bc there are too many times my mom has saved me from myself)
I think this album has a lot to offer, even if it’s pretty different from the old stuff. Hope there are some others that agree. If you don’t, that’s ok. But please try to keep this thread positive for those fans that are enjoying this music journey so far.

Debating with my housemate whether Jack would receive more repercussions for his constant lack of professionalism, misdemeanours & failings if he were female--I say he would, housemate says not. And the more I've been talking and thinking about it, the more I see how the question throws into relief how low the bar is set for male player behaviours.
Imo Jaq Grealish wouldn't have lasted long in WSL. She'd even have been kicked out of the game, and definitely crucified by the media ten times over before that happened: for wearing skimpy kit, for goading other players on the pitch and in the press, for being proudly gutter INT and never doing anything about it, for partying and bingeing to unconsciousness, for not respecting communal safety laws and doing petty crimes, for being a cheating sket and not caring about keeping it private, for using escorts, for selling out, for tacitly standing by abusers, you name it.
If you're a sporty/wlw girl and in the woso fandom then you know that behind closed doors some of the womens' players do party and cheat (often on each other), and some even do have nasty fights on or off the pitch, or tweet bad takes, or take sketchy sponsorships. Speaking as one of them, women aren't all perfect, pure, spotless sweet baby angels who do everything morally right. But whatever they get up to, it's not made into their 'maverick' gimmick or something they flaunt or flex to make them even more money and get attention, like it is for Jack.
In public, WSL/woso players as part of their contract--both business and social--have to behave, act like role models, show integrity, work on their IQ and temper (except Earps, but she gets a pass for being a legend), or they don't get a career--a lower paid career than top-flight male players. It's yet another barrier for entry to clear.
So there's evidently a different--unfair, inequal--set of expectations. And the thought exercise of imagining Jack or any similar male player in that situation highlights it. Barely any of the current England mens' squad would make it as Lionesses--Rice might? Kane? Henderson?
And before anyone says "b-b-but Lehmann!", we're not talking about the Villa connection or the fact that they both have admittedly difficult-to-ignore figures. It's critical to remember here that though Alisha may favour a tighter kit and have a nice 'look', she isn't also an amoral, belligerent, dumb, reckless, exhibitionist, blackout-party gurl as a second career like Jack, and if she were then she wouldn't have been allowed to achieve on the level she has.
tl;dr enough S EXISM 2k25 szn either mens' players should have to act respectable to stay in the game, or women should stop having to and be allowed to go feral. Sick over the whole thing!!

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

And there you have it!
You may find it quite helpful to return to this drill once or twice a week. Also if you find your form slipping a bit or becoming slugging mid-run, feel free to skip imaginary rope to try to correct your technique mid-stride. It will restore lightness and springiness to your running.
I still find myself bringing my wrists to my pockets and spinning imaginary jump rope handles if I feel my technique is collapsing a bit or if my running is becoming less springy.
And remember, most importantly—have fun. 👍
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I was wondering if anyone could help me at all?? My cat keeps making this sound I can only describe as the “throwing eggs” sound you hear on minecraft three or four times before meowing, and we’re not sure why. I also can’t google “why is my cat making minecraft egg noises” without it thinking I’m insane so this really is a long shot so uh. Any advice or knowledge on what it could be?? I’m getting worried.
I feel like as well as this I should mention she’s been having more frequent accidents lately (namely peeing on my brothers clothes) despite having a clean litter tray and as we got her from my sister who got her from a person who found her off the street (long winded I know), we’re not sure if this is normal for her or not.
We can’t afford to take her to the vet or anything at the moment so this really is my only option I have until my mum gets paid. Any help is appreciated greatly <3.

• Apologies also I’m not too sure of the right flare to use.