Hi, I’ve been offered an internal transfer at work to move to the States from the UK and I’m looking for some advice on where I should move to. We’ve got a lot of offices so I’ve got the option to be based out of Philadelphia, New York, Boston, DC or New Jersey (Iselin).
Just wondering if anyone had any advice on where I should pick? I’ve been to New York but none of the other places.
I’m 30F, single and ideally looking for somewhere with a good downtown area, where it won’t be too hard to make friends and with good transport links and access to nature.
My salary will be double what I earn in London and we have a crazy cost of living there so in that respect I think I should be fine? I’ve been offered $120k but I assume this would still rule New York out as somewhere I could live comfortably?
Anyway thanks in advance for the advice!

Hello NixOS community,
as far as I understand NixOS, every application is installed in a declarative manner using config files and by rebuilding the system. I was wondering how the workflow looks for applications like Discord which rapidly release new versions. Discord is a specifically chosen example here because the application does not start unless you have the latest version which forces you to update it.
How do you deal with applications like that?
Edit: remove "fast" from title

A true sports parent dies twice. There’s the death that awaits us all at the end of a long or short life, the result of illness, misadventure, fire, falling object, hydroplaning car, or derailing train. But there is also the death that comes in the midst of life, the purgatorial purposelessness that follows the final season on the sidelines or in the bleachers, when your sports kid hangs up their skates, cleats, or spikes after that last game.
The passage of time is woeful, and, for a parent, living your dreams through the progress of your progeny is as inevitable as the turning of the Earth. But the sports parent lives the experience in concentrate—a more intense version of the common predicament. You must give up your vicarious hope of big-league glory and let it die. You must part from what, if your kid pursued his passion seriously, had become a routine of away games and early-morning practices, hours in the car, a hot cup of coffee in your cold hand as the sun rose above the Wonderland of Ice, in Bridgeport, Connecticut; the Ice Arena in Brewster, New York; the Ice Vault, in Wayne, New Jersey—home of the Hitmen, whose logo is a pin-striped gangster with a hockey stick. And you’ll suddenly find yourself watching the Stanley Cup playoffs not in the way of a civilian but with the chagrin of knowing that the game’s upper ranks will never include your kid.
One recent morning, courtesy of Facebook Memories, I came across an old picture of my son, a high-school junior who recently announced his decision to quit hockey—to retire! The photo was taken by teammates after a victory at Lake Placid, New York. Sweat-soaked, draped in the arms of friends, grinning like a thief, he looked no less ecstatic than Mike Eruzione after he and his team won Olympic gold in the same arena in 1980.
And me? I was this Eruzione’s old man, waiting with the other parents outside the locker room, experiencing a moment of satisfaction greater than any other I’d known, either as a player or as a fan. I was a car in park with the accelerator pressed to the floor. I was a wall bathed in sunlight. This win was better than the Illinois State Championship I won with the Deerfield Falcons, in 1977. It was better than the Bears’ 1986 Super Bowl victory.
Bears’ 1986 Super Bowl victory.
Read: I thought I’d found a cheat code for parenting
The end began like this: One evening, after the last game of the high-school season, I asked my son if he’d be trying out for spring league. For a youth-hockey kid, playing spring league is the equivalent of a minor-league pitcher playing winter ball in Mexico—so necessary as a statement of intent and means of improvement that forgoing it is like giving up “the path.” Rather than a simple affirmative nod, as I’d expected, I got these words: “I’m going to think about it.” Think about it? For me, this was the same as a girlfriend saying, “We need to talk.”
Only later did I realize that those words were the first move in a careful choreography. My son wanted to quit, but in a way that would not break my heart. He also didn’t want me to rant and rave and try to talk him out of it.
We had reversed roles. He was the adult. I was the child.
He knew he would not be playing college hockey even if he could. With this in mind, he had decided to use his final year of high school to get to know people other than hockey players and spend time in places other than hockey rinks. In the way of a pro with iffy knees nearing the age of 35, he had decided to exit on his own terms. He was not worrying about losing his identity as a player or about missing the camaraderie of the locker room; he was worrying about me. Hockey had been an entire epoch of our father-son life. It had ushered me, the sports parent, out of my 30s, through my 40s, and into my 50s.
.... Because I am human, I tend to blame entities or systems or other people for things that strike me as unfair. As my son progressed, I caught a glimpse, for one fabulous, deluded moment, of the life that he (we, I) would never live: high-school athletic stardom followed by college triumph and possibly even a professional-hockey career. That I knew this was a fantasy—he was never that good—did not make it less powerful. Lost in it, I experienced my life as an NHL fan with new intensity. I was not just watching the Blackhawks; I was scouting, picking up tricks that I could pass to my glory-bound boy. This was a dream that I was too embarrassed to share with anyone, even my wife. I regarded it the way members of the Free French regarded the liberation of Paris: Think of it always; speak of it never. In short, I lost my way. Rather than letting him enjoy the moment and the fact that these seasons were his career, not a preparation or a path toward one, I was constantly scheming about his next move, his next opportunity, his next shot at the big time.
Here’s the worst part: I knew exactly what I was doing. I was attempting to replace my kid’s will with my own. I knew that it was wrong and, worse, counterproductive. The more I pressed, the less he enjoyed the game. The less he enjoyed the game, the worse he played. The worse he played, the more I pressed. Economists call this a negative feedback loop. I knew it but could not stop. It was psychosis.
Maybe the most notorious sports parents suffer from a shared psychological condition. LaVar Ball, Emmanuel Agassi, Earl Woods—those sports dads were all obsessed to the point of being abusive. I prefer to think that I am not; yet, for all the varying degrees of our kid’s success, our predicament is the same. At some point, even if it comes after 20 years in the pros, the set will be rolled away, revealing our true location. Rink parking lot. Beat-up vehicle. Alone. Even the child prodigies will retire.
https://www.theatlantic.com/ideas/archive/2024/05/ice-hockey-sports-parent/678347/

Please use this thread to ask any lawn care questions that you may have. There are no stupid questions. This includes weed, fungus, insect, and grass identification. For help on asking a question, please refer to the "How to Get the Most out of Your Post" section at the top of the sidebar.
Check out the sidebar if you're interested in more information on plant hardiness zones, identifying problems, weed control, fertilizer, establishing grass, and organic methods. Also, you may contact your local Cooperative Extension Service for local info.
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Alright, so you’re earning an X amount of money every month and you want to know if you can afford that dream house of yours? Well, calculating affordability only based on income is a job half done, hence here’s a piece on how to accurately calculate the affordability of a house.
But, since we’re here, let’s dance!

Total Income

Okay, first things first. You need to calculate how much is your total family income. Include all income sources here like taking weekend classes, any kind of freelance jobs, or income from second jobs as well. If your spouse is earning or a parent as well, then include that. Basically, all the people who are going to be invested in the new house.

Total Expenses

Now, minus the total expenditure. This should include any existing EMIs, insurance premiums, SIPs (that you can’t stop), grocery expenses, education expenditure, et al. All of those things that take money away from you, should be included here. Another aspect that you need to consider is your Future Expenses. Maybe your kid wants to go to Stanford or you feel like you should own an MG Hector because your colleague thinks that a new house deserves a new car. Does a parent need to undergo major surgery, or is one of your kids getting married within the next 2 years? What if there’s damage due to natural disaster, vehicle damage, job loss and God knows what can happen. What if a deadly virus breaks out, locks down an entire country, and crashes the economy! Would you be able to sustain yourself given that you would have an additional liability of monthly EMIs? Therefore, remember to have a Safety Net where you park money for your emergencies and unavoidable expenses. A general rule of thumb says to have at least 6 months of total expenses as a safety net amount. Apart from this, also have about 1% of the gross house price for emergency house repairs, maintenance, and enhancements.

Let’s suppose the following

Net family income – Rs. 50,000
Total Monthly Expenses – Rs. Rs. 20,000
Net cash in hand – Rs. 30,000
Now, you’re ready and you know how much EMI you can afford to pay.
Suppose you can afford to pay Rs.26,000 (approx.) EMI per month @ 8.5%. How much money can you afford to borrow? Rs.30,00,000!
Okay, let’s say you’re going to be borrowing 80% of the total house cost. So, 30,00,000 is 80% of which number? Rs.37,50,000 (Borrowed amount ÷ 80%). That’s the maximum value of the house that you can afford. And hey, don’t be flattered by my math skills here. I’ll be honest. I used this nifty EMI calculator to get all the answers. Just one disclaimer here – I’ve assumed loan tenure to be of 20 years because that’s the usual tenure that most people go for. But you can change that as well.

PositiveChemistry892 deleted from /SimpleLoans

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[REQ] ($200) - (#cleveland, oh USA), (Repay on 5/31/24 - $200)

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Hi all, 1st time here (cleveland, oh) requesting 200 via paypal for immediate car issue that was very unexpected but needed asap. Alternator has gone bad, i Just paid my rent & bills and now my car feels like a whole extra child that needs immediate care/fix. Need 200$ to be able to afford total repair cost Pls lmk If I forgot anything thanks! ( will Repay 275 by 5/31/24 or the interest amt required by lender) I'm a mom of 2 that works in hospice daily so my car is necessary!. 1st time here as I'm usually one to give and try to help others but this time I'm in need of a little help

PositiveChemistry892 deleted from /SimpleLoans

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[REQ] ($200) - (#cleveland, oh USA), (Repay $275 on 5/31/24)

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Hi all, I'm requesting 200 via paypal for immediate car cost that was very unexpected but needed asap. Will pay back with interest by 5/31. ( will Repay 275 by 5/31/24 or the interest amt required by lender) I'm a mom of 2 that works in hospice daily so my car is necessary!. I'm usually one to give and try to help others but this time I'm in need of a little help

PositiveChemistry892 deleted from /SimpleLoans

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[REQ] ($200) - (#cleveland, oh USA), (Repay $275 on 5/31/24)

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Hi all, I'm requesting 200 via paypal for immediate car cost that was very unexpected but needed asap. Will pay back with interest by 5/31. ( will Repay 275 by 5/31/24 or the interest amt required by lender) I'm a mom of 2 that works in hospice daily so my car is necessary!. I'm usually one to give and try to help others but this time I'm in need of a little help.

Hey, my Volvo S40 (2005 1.8 120tkm) has been sitting in my parking lot for about a week now. Yesterday I wanted to go out again and the car wouldn't start, so I disconnected the battery and let it rest for a while. The car ran fine again. Then I parked the car briefly and it wouldn't start again, did everything as described above, then suddenly the engine control light came on. I thought shit, then drove home on the highway and suddenly the speedometer and revs failed, the windshield wipers came on, I got 6 error messages (refill brake fluid (just done) brake failure stop safe (front brakes are also new and rear still in good shape) refill windshield wiper fluid (also still full) reduced engine power stop safe and unfortunately I can't remember the other two). Anyway, I immediately drove to the side of the road and then waited for the ADAC because the engine wouldn't start at all (the check engine light was off by then). I just bought the car used from a dealer who wants to have it looked at in his shop, but do any of you have any idea what is wrong with this car? The car drives fine and the engine is quiet, but I'm worried about all these error messages.

Earlier this month, federal prosecutors bestowed on Republicans what seemed like an election-year gift: charging a senior House Democrat in a competitive district with accepting $600,000 in bribes and acting as a foreign agent. For a party clinging to a threadbare majority in the House, the indictment offered an obvious opportunity for an America First attack. Representative Henry Cuellar of Texas, who prosecutors say acted on behalf of a Mexican bank and the government of Azerbaijan, is now the second Democrat in recent months—after Senator Bob Menendez of New Jersey—to be accused of doing the bidding of foreign interests.
Yet in the past week, the GOP has been strangely quiet about Cuellar. No one in the party leadership has denounced him. Speaker Mike Johnson, fending off an attempt on his job from the far right, certainly could have used the distraction. But he hasn’t mentioned Cuellar once. Donald Trump even praised him, suggesting that President Joe Biden had sent the FBI after “the Respected Democrat Congressman” because Cuellar had criticized the administration’s handling of the U.S.-Mexico border. (Cuellar denies the charges.)
In interviews over the past several days, strategists in both parties posited theories as to why Republicans were passing up an easy attack on Democrats. The most popular comes back to Trump: The GOP is worried that calling out Cuellar will draw more attention to its leader’s legal woes. But that hypothesis goes only so far. Trump’s trials could hardly take up more attention than they already do, and today’s Republicans don’t typically shy away from being called hypocrites. The more troubling explanation might have less to do with the GOP’s self-interest than with the state of political corruption in America—and it suggests that lawmakers might start to abandon even the pretense of policing themselves."
https://www.theatlantic.com/politics/archive/2024/05/henry-cuellar-charges-house-republicans/678368/

Wanted to find my next signature fragrance and so set off my journey with this Studiowest Cities gift box. Available on Westside and TataCliq for 1999. Can get it for as low as 1850 or something because you can get 5% off for opting out of online returns on the Westside website.
WARNING: This is gonna be a LONG post.
Tl;Dr: Ratings:
Ibiza 1/5
Bali 3.5/5
Bora Bora 3/5
Cancun 5/5
Mykonos 3.5/5
Rio 3/5
Paris 2.5/5
New York 4/5
London 1/5
Packaging is quite lovely
The box has 10 glass bottles of 9ml perfumes. Very nice to hold. There are tearable covers over each of the bottle, kind of like a Christmas advent calendar. I loved this.
It's a great gift to give someone, even if they aren't into fragrance at all, simple because it feels like a premium gift.
I am by no means a reviewer or a person who knows much about fragrance in general. So I apologize in advance for my descriptions.
The fragrance notes are from the Westside website. There's nothing mentioned on the bottle or the box so i guess we will have to take their word for it.

One Night in Ibiza

1/5
Floral - Bergamot, Cardamom, Coconut blended with Tiare Flower, Tuberose, Ylang Ylang and base notes of Musk, Benzoin, Heliotrope.
Top: bergamot
Mid: Heliotrope
Base: Vanilla
Dupe for: ?
Review: You can really smell the coconut in this. It's a nice gourmand smell, but the spiciness of the cardamom makes this smell like a sabji made with amrutanjan balm.
It settles down to just the smell of the musk and the coconut. Pleasant but smells like it could be odomos.
Didn't like this.

One Night in Bali

3.5/5
Grapefruit Lemon, Mint and Pink Pepper mixed with middle notes of Ginger, Nutmeg, Jasmine and with base notes of Incense, Vetiver, Cedar, Sandalwood, Patchouli, Labdanum and White Musk.
Top: Grapefruit
Mid: Ginger
Base: Sandalwood
Dupe for: Bleu de Chanel
Review: the first burst is definitely very heavy on the alcohol and smells a lot like men's aftershave, you definitely get the citrus and the mint. As it dries down it turns into an inoffensive, soft, mainly musky smell.
Okayish. Might consider wearing it again. Good for day wear.

One Night in Bora Bora

3/5
Floral Ambery - Citrus, Pear, Melon blended with Rose, Freesia, Lily of the Valley and base notes of Amber, Musk, Patchouli.
Top: Pear
Mid: Lily of the valley
Base: Patchouli
Review: Too patchouli heavy for me this one. I can only smell the rose and the patchouli. Couldn't smell the citrus. I'm more into fresh scents so I hoped highly for this one. Settles down to a soft floral scent. Nothing mind blowing. Might consider wearing it in evenings.
Dupe for: CK Eternity

One Night in Cancun

5/5 <3
Floral Fruity - Peach, Plum, Honey blended with Lily of the Valley, Nectarine, Petitgrain and base notes of Musk, Vetiver, Amber
Top: Peach
Mid: Petitgrain
Base: Vetiver
Dupe for: Elizabeth Arden Red Door
Review: Now this one is definitely interesting to me. I am not a fan of fruity scents but this is a wonderful one. At first you can really smell the plum and the peach scents, and the sweet nectarine but it's not sickly sweet. Settles down into what I think vetiver is supposed to smell like (I don't know what vetiver smells like, but it's not musk for sure). It smells... delicious?
I think this one is my favourite. Might even consider getting a decant of EA Red Door because of this.

One Night in Mykonos

3.5/5
Citrus Floral - Aqueous, Lemon, Green blended with Rose, Jasmine, Pear Blossom and base notes of Amber, Balsamic, Musk.
Top: Lemon
Mid: Rose
Base: Amber
Dupe for: CK One
Review: Initial burst of citrus is really fresh, and not in a ambi pur car fragrance kind of way. Settles down well. The rose and Jasmine would feel very hair oil fragrance but it's not that offensive. Left with a musk scent at the base. I don't know where the balsamic is supposed to sit.

One Night in Rio

3/5
Floral Chypre - Citrus, Fresh blended with Peony, Rose, Jasmine and base notes of Patchouli, Musk, Amber.
Top: Citrus
Mid: Peony
Base: Patchouli
Dupe for: CK Eternity Eau Fresh
Review: Opens with a floral scent that I can't seem to catch which flower it's supposed to be. Didn't get the citrus top note. Too much patchouli for me. I guess I just don't like patchouli. It settles down into a sweet smell, again, of just patchouli, and peony I guess. But I've never smelled a peony so I can't tell. The smell of this I can only describe as the floor cleaners they use in airport bathrooms at Kempegowda or a mall washroom that was just cleaned.
Not a fan of this one.

Studiowest Paris

2.5/5
At the forefront of this fragrant journey, the delightful blend of plum, raspberry, and pear dances on your senses, creating a luscious and playful olfactory experience. As the fragrance continues to unfold, the heart reveals musk, vanilla, and sugary notes, adding depth and complexity to this captivating aromatic symphony
Notes from TataCliq
Top Note
Vanilla
Middle Note
Jasmin, Orchid
Base Note
Sweet, Musky
Review: Vanilla opening, definitely fruity but I didn't get the plum I was expecting. Definitely a girly fragrance. The label is pink and it's definitely the vibe of this one. Very high school, winx club, Blossom from Powerpuff Girls. It's a nice one but I don't think it's for me.
Dupe for: ?

Studiowest New York

4/5
At the top, vanilla takes the spotlight with its sweet allure. In the heart of this fragrance, jasmine and orchid add a delicate, floral dimension. Finally, the scent finds its soothing base in the notes of sweet and musky, leaving a lasting impression of sophistication and charm.
Notes from TataCliq
Top:
Plum, Raspberry, Pear
Middle Note
Lily Of The Valley, Jasmine, Rose
Base Note
Musk, Vanilla, Sugary
Dupe for: ?
Review: Opens quite fresh, fruity but not too sweet. Settles down into a musky, jasminey, vanilla smell which isn't sweet. I'm saying this over and over because I detest sickly sweet frags, they make me gag.
I liked this one.

Studiowest London

?1/5
The scent journey begins with passion fruit, leading to peony, italian pine, and a lasting base of vanilla and orchid, ensuring a memorable olfactory experience.
Notes from TataCliq
Top notes:
Passion Fruit
Middle Note
Peony, Italian Pine
Base Note
Vanilla, Orchid
Dupe for: ?
Review: struggling to describe this one. Not sure if it was just my bottle or what but it smells like... nothing? I wanted to keep a constant or a standard for measuring the smell and the stay of these EDPs so 2 sprays per were enough.
I ended up spraying 4 to 5 sprays for this one, and yet it smelled like nothing. There's a hint of pine in there but that's it. Not sure what is supposed to deliver.
A fail.
OVERALL:
A good gift for someone who would like to get into fragrances. Not very long lasting, nor very outstanding scents tho. Maybe it's the Cities line of fragrances that aren't very good. I keep hearing Goddess as a good one, maybe I should've just got that to try instead.
I sprayed just a couple of times to keep it even but even so not good projection, sillage or staying power. It's gone within the hour but settles on the skin for maybe 2 hours.
Anyway.
I might revisit this post in the future to update how these have aged or if I've grown to love or hate any of these.
Tl;Dr: Ratings:
Ibiza 1/5
Bali 3.5/5
Bora Bora 3/5
Cancun 5/5
Mykonos 3.5/5
Rio 3/5
Paris 2.5/5
New York 4/5
London 1/5
I'd love to hear from y'all. This was my first review ever. I'd also like to know your experiences with Studiowest perfumes, and if anyone knows what the Paris, NY and London ones are dupes for.
My current signature fragrance is actually Nude by Skinn by Titan. Has been for 5 years. The journey to find a suitable love continues for now.
Love, light and health!

Live in the outer (outer) part of what is now GTHA 🤦‍♂️. With Desjardins. My home and auto insurance renewal is getting increased by ~$120/month!. No changes in drivers, cars, or home in the last year. Not used insurance in all yrs of driving or in home. And they already hiked last year too after the covid freeze as they labelled it. As it was explained main cause of impact was due to Collision coverage on both cars that amounted to $900 increase for the year.
Reasons given, Collision is being spiked because 3rd party is mandatory and insurance companies are capitalizing on that to go after 'at fault' incidents. Auto theft increase even though we are not close to where that's happening and have the cars in a garage.
I am shopping around now. But was wondering if this is the new acceptable standard. I mean YoY increase is beyond inflationary adjustment.

I've been playing my first journeyman save in FM. Normally I pick a team and manage them to greatness, or, you know... give up and start a new save.
This year I wanted to try something new and it's been great! I started as a sunday league footballer with the most basic licence to be a manager and jumped into the job market.
First job was Dalkurd from a neighbouring city in Sweden. They were in the third tier of Swedish football, and I took them over as they hovered on the brink of relegation. First seson I stable the ship and get them to a top half finish. Second season we get promoted to the second tier.
First season in the second tier, after some good recruitment, and we're fighting for promotion. Last match of the year we need to win to secure promotion. We lose... but so do the second place team. Off to the top division we go.
During this entire time though, the board has adamantly refused to give me any new coaching badges. We're maintaining a decent position in the top division, but half way through the season it comes to a point, and I threaten to resign unless they can grant me funding to improve my coaching badges. It ends with me resigning and looking for a new job.
It takes a couple of weeks, but in July 2026, IL Hödd in the Norwegian third tier offer me a position. They have a lot more money than Dalkurd did, I'm guessing it's all down to the oil.
IL Hödd is in a decent league position, I think their old manager left them rather than them firing him. I spend a bit of their money and get them some good, younger players. I manage to win the third tier in my first season with them and get promoted in 2027.
I sign some good players in the winter transfer window and decide that maybe this will be a long term project. They've also granted me a few coaching licenses so all is going well.
Then, in the summer of 2028, Bristol City wants an interview.
Now, I've been trying to make "realistic" decisions so far, and Bristol City are offering a lot of money. Also, they are in the Championship so it's a big step up, and will let me get a foot in the English league. With a heavy heart, I accept.
The Bristol City squad is full of old players with an attitude, and it's a bit of a fight to get them out of the club to free up wages and money for a transfer budget, but in the end I win and start the rejuvenation process. The marquee signing though, is a loan of Lucas Bergvall from Manchester United.
I break the transfer spend record in my first summer transfer window, €14.5 million spent, but I get some quality players in who are in their early to mid 20's in, with potential to improve.
The club situation is helped in part by a decent FA cup run where we end up beating Everton away 1 - 0, and in January the transfer total is up to 21 million euros. It pays off though, and Bristol City secures a top spot promotion to the Premier League, led by player of the year Bergvall, goalkeeper of the year Alex Palmer, and manager of the year, yours truly.
The Premier League, 2029/2030, the hallowed lands. I strengthen the squad buying Alfie Dorrington, a promising English centerback from Tottenham for four million. I secure Bergvall on a permanent deal and pick up a French wonderkid midfielder called Emmanuel Lebreton for a total of €60 million euros, an insane amount of money compared to my previous transfer windows. The both end up carrying the team for me, well worth it.
The Premier league is a different beast. We struggle a lot this season, sometimes it looks like maybe we'll get relegated but finally we end up in a solid mid table finish after some tinkering with new tactics. The high point of the season though, is the Carabou Cup which we manage to win, in part thanks to some unlikely wins, along with a lucky draw. This means we qualify for our first European adventure.
2030/2031 - Europe
At the start of this season I find the two best players I have found so far in the save: It's spaniard Angel Cañedo and frenchman Nicolas Duboc. Together they form a fearsome partnership with Angel on the wing providing assists to Duboc who can't stop banging the goals in.
It's another rough season in the Premier league, but we're never in the relegation fight. We're solidly upper mid table at this point. The Conference League goes amazingly and we end up winning the whole thing without any real issues, beating Roma 8 - 2 on aggregate in the semis, and Real Hispalis 4 -1 in the final.
2031/2032 - Europa league
This is the season where the plan is to push for champions league. The squad is ready, and the youngsters have become more mature. A few signings bolster the holes in the squad, but then, right at the end of the transfer window, Bayern swoops in an pays the release clause for Angel Cañedo. 109 million euros. It's a bit of a blow, and I can't find a good enough replacement before the transfer window ends.
The season does go better though, we're starting to make a claim to the top four spots, and the Europa League is going well.
Then Atletico Madrid fires their manager and asks if I want to take over.
I've built something special with Bristol City, and honestly, both the money and the players I have are way beyond what Atletico can offer. But it's a big club and a tempting offer, and a chance to rebuild something of a sleeping giant.
With a heavy heart, I resign at Bristol City, wish them all the best, and join Atletico Madrid.
2031/2031 The Atletico Madrid retirement home.
Holy shit, what have they been up to? The star of the show is 32 year old Fèlix, the rest are around the same age but not as good. Chilwell and Jurien Timber are decent but getting up there in age. They have two decent young players, and a minimal transfer budget to start the cleanup operation.
The new manager bounce is real, and I get them from 12th to 4th in relative short order. Barcelona seem untouchable, as well as Real Madrid, but the rest of the league is there for the taking.
They are in the champions league as well, and it goes alright and we qualify from the group in spite of a few losses from before I took over.
But then things fall apart. We lose at home to Benfica, 0-3 in the first knockout leg. We lose five games straight in the league. I try different tactics but nothing works and it's starting to look bleak. Morale is plummeting, then finally I stumble on a recipe that works and manage to claw my way back to the Champions League spots just in time for the season to end.
Now it's the first summer transfer window after I took over, and I am looking forward to rejuvenating the squad and see how long it will take until I can challenge Barcelona and Real Madrid for the title. I got rid of 35 year old chilwell and replaced him with an argentinian wonderkid from Leeds who had a relegation release clause. I sold Jurrien Timber to saudi arabia for 62 million (fans were very upset). I wish I could get rid of Félix but I expect the fans would have my head for that.
It's starting to look alright for the next season. The rebuild has started, and I expect I will stay at Atletico for quite a while.

I always wanted to read a book like ASOIAF where there is an impending secret invasion of ice zombies or demons or some such but where some ruler through some means acquires knowledge of the impending threat to humanity and realise that all of humanity must be united to face this threat.
For whatever reason they can't directly share this knowledge either because everyone will dismiss it as the ramblings of a madman or it might kickstart the invasion too early or the resulting coalition will be burdened by politics and opportunists.
And so they decide to unite the world by force, embarking on a ruthless campaign of conquest brining every minor and greater kingdom in their path into their Empire without a care to the suffering his advance will bring and the hate he will garner as a power hungry tyrant from his new subjects. The mission is too important, humanity must survive. Sacrificing a million lives is worth it if it means a thousand will survive to rebuild.
Are there any great fantasies with a premise similar to this?

Hearing on the news yesterday that these new mobile phone cameras in SA are pinging people falsely
Now I need my license for work (tradie) so I don't ever touch my phone when driving (it goes straight into the glove box as soon as I get into the car)
Now if I falsely get pinged by these cameras (which could happen, based on it happening to some people in the news so far) is there any way I can defend myself?
I don't really fancy getting demerit points and paying money even when I never touch/use my phone when driving

Hey! I'm British but moved to New Zealand a few years ago. I'm heading back soon to visit family for a few weeks. I'm hoping to drive their car while I'm back. What are my best options - get temporarily put on their insurance, or my own temporary insurance? I have both a UK and NZ driver's license, but ive heard I cannot use my UK license because I'm no longer a UK resident? Thanks in advance!

The EXTREMELY detailed, mega-anxiety edition!!! Major events like consult and surgery day are labeled like this:
——— EVENT TITLE ———
Surgeon was Dr. David Whitehead and I saw him on Long Island (New Hyde)
Summarized list of major dates:
Consult: July 19 2023 Mental health letter acquired: August 9 Dates discussed: September 12 Pre-op appointment: December 18 Surgery day: January 8 2024 Post-op: January 17
November 11th 2022: Emailed northwell health for the first time, they emailed back saying to call. I was too anxious so I avoided it for a few months.
Called northwell a few months later but got too anxious talking to the person who picked up. They were being normal and talking normally, it was just personal anxiety on my part.
October 2022 - Early March 2023: Spent time talking to trans friends and family members about their timelines and processes for top surgery.
Looked into Penn medicine for a bit but wasn’t happy with the surgeons there, specifically as a nonbinary person. The patient navigational team however is lovely.
March 2: emailed Penn health patient navigation
March 3-10: correspondence and phone calls w patient navigation (absolutely wonderful people, some of the easiest phone calls I’ve ever had) Got lots of into on surgeons, things I’d need, processes etc.
Date unknown: phone call to Penn medicine asking about surgeons and possibly setting up as a patient (v long wait time on phone) Surgeon I had heard good things about only works w CHOP program and I’m was too old for that program. Other surgeons I was v iffy on.
March 23rd: Back to square 1. Called northwell again to set up an appointment. Everyone I spoke to was really nice. Could have set up an appointment within the week but decided to wait till the end of the semester. Scheduled a trans care and primary care appointment for May
Couple of calls In between for confirmations. Trans care appointment got moved around a bit and ended up being moved to a phone call.
May 8th: Trans care call: Basic preliminary questions like: Emergency contact, what you’re looking for, are you thinking of looking into hormones, experience w dysphoria or dysmorphia, mental health, and eating/nutritional concerns, things you might want doc to know, piercings or tattoos, do you do any drugs or drink often, etc. total call time was about 20 minutes. Doctor was incredibly kind, I still experienced a good deal of anxiety but the call was super easy, welcoming, and friendly. Got sent contact referrals for the surgeons, as well as trans-friendly therapists under my insurance.
May 9th: started looking at list of therapists and making respective emails and calls. Checking per session costs and double checking insurance. Most charge 100-150 per session. Got in contact w one.
May 10th: Called w first therapist talking about what I’m looking for, where I am in this process, if parents are supportive, and talking about costs. She was very friendly and affirming, wants to have a few sessions to get to know me and my situation before writing a letter. Understandable and expected, but frustrating.
May 15th: Primary care appointment: Went to northwell health primary care, parkinglot was a little scary (just a large lot with a lot of cars) but everyone working there’s is super kind. Office is incredibly affirming, pride flags and lgbtq+ art everywhere. Gave my insurance card, filled out some paper work, got called in pretty quickly. I have a needle phobia and medical trauma so I was panicking a bit in the office, nurse was good w me about it and doctor was very kind, I just requested to not have any blood work done that day and that was totally fine, so I could schedule that at a later date and go w a friend. Recommended to get blood work done before scheduling a consult w a surgeon. Also prescribed me a single dose anxiety med for the bloodwork which I was very happy about. I found over time that the anxiety meds unfortunately do little to nothing for my panic attacks personally when it comes to needles but regardless having a doctor acknowledge and respect that fear and listen to me was incredibly helpful and reassuring.
May 30th: Got blood work done in a different lab, went w a friend. Scheduling for that is super easy, I think I did it online actually I don’t entirely recall. they do take walk ins but I made an appointment to minimize complications and make sure I could prepare properly. Front desk/lobby area was a little spooky, but I think that is mainly just bc of my social anxiety. They take a urine sample, you give them your prescription, eventually they call you over for blood work. Quick and easy, tech was v nice and having a friend with me was incredibly helpful. Probably the best I’ve ever done with a needle despite the fact that I did still panic and get very lightheaded lol.
Got blood work results back within the next couple days, all looks a-okay! Neat :)
June 15th This day was incredibly difficult. I had my first session with a therapist to establish some ground knowledge around my dysphoria and the way that I view myself. Top surgery is something that I know from research and related experience Can be difficult and expensive to get and can take time, so much of my prep work has been on the understanding of taking things a step at a time and just knowing that the current way things are doesn’t have to be forever. It allowed me to be able to live with myself while prioritizing my health better. This read to the therapist as “not having the level of dysphoria [she’s] come to expect and look for in someone who is trans” and was largely based off the fact that I don’t want to go on hrt. Past that point I started to break down because now my method of learning to live with myself felt like it was actively going to work against me and prevent me from getting top surgery. I’m not good at talking about my dysphoria, I can’t imagine it’s easy for anyone, especially to a stranger I just met. It was rough, and I felt incredibly mentally drained after ending the session.
June 19th Called it quits with the first therapist, I felt incredibly disrespected and the one session we had put me in a mental spiral for days. It can feel some times in this process like the people you have to get permission from need you to be severely depressed and unable to wait another second for this procedure just in order to take you seriously.
After I left that therapist, I immediately got back to the list to find someone new. Spoke to a new therapist via email, but my insurance is kinda weird (Blue Cross Blue Shield out of state) so its off putting to some people. This therapist recommended I go through the office she started out at (Heart and Soul Counseling)
————- Time Skip ——————
IM BACK its time for some record keeping. Got super overwhelmed and lost the energy to document my process for some time so here goes.
HEART AND SOUL COUNSELING: My experience w/ this therapy office was mostly good. The person in charge, Jesse, was absolutely lovely and responsive. Never spoke in person, but any text/email interaction was prompt, respectful, and kind. The office is stellar with email/text communication, so I only ever had to call them once when I was initially inquiring about the office. This is something I wish all therapy/counseling centers did better, eliminated a ton of my anxiety and hesitation to speak to therapists.
I got set up w someone as quickly as possible and established what my goal was (to acquire letter document for my surgery team). I attended multiple session w the therapist, she was a kind lady but the sessions were unfortunately p miserable for me. We didn’t fit well, but I was willing to stick it out rather than backtrack on my process. She also did not invalidate me or accuse me of not being trans which was a major step up from my first therapy experience. Once I acquired my letter I did stop therapy there, I kindly explained to the therapist that it wasn’t a good match, but I may honestly explore my options at the office in the future. Receptionist there was also lovely and they had a cool fish tank.
———- CONSULT STARTS HERE —————
July 19th: CONSULT!!! My mama and I went to Dr. David Whiteheads office for a consult. Parking was a nightmare so I’m super glad I didn’t have to drive for this one (ty mama). Consult went really well, and the staff were all super friendly. Dr. Whitehead is cool, very chill energy and a bit intimidating, but I’m scared of everyone so that’s nothing new. First question he asked me is what I wanted/what he could do for me which caught me more off guard than it should have? I didn’t realize going into this process how many times people ask you what you’re having done even if it’s already written down, because there’s so much variety in what you can look for in the results.
We talked about the procedure, went through a slideshow n stuff, and discussed how I wanted a flat chest w/ no nipple preservation. They made sure to specify that my mental health professional letter had to include that I did not want nipple preservation because thats technically a “non-standard” appearance. Also had the first breast exam I’ve ever had in my life. Can’t say i’m a fan (not that I need to worry about that anymore!) Took pictures n measurements n such, and also discussed recovery supplies and care w me and my mom.
August 9th: After a plethora of painfully awkward therapy sessions, a decent amount of crying, and a couple breakdowns in friends cars/backyards, I got my therapist letter and sent it to the surgeons office. It ended up needing minor revisions to which I contacted Jesse from Heart and Soul and he got me the revised letter immediately. Unfortunately the surgical coordinator was out of office for the rest of the month the next day ;w;. Is how it be.
September 12th: Got a call from Surgical coordinator mid-painting class that I stepped out to take. Started discussing surgical dates!! She was kind enough to email the dates to me which was lovely because I was absolutely shaking/mind blank haha. There was an option for January 8th which felt like an absolute miracle the way it would work with my school schedule. It would give me a solid two weeks recovery time before spring semester began. Because it would be a couple months out, I was asked to contact her in the second week of October to submit documents to insurance.
(Timeline note: earliest date offered was in early December)
October 10th: Documents sent to insurance, predetermination started
October 30th: Received mail from my insurance approving my procedure as medically necessary (YAY) But! This is also where things get,,, fun! Dr Whitehead’s surgical coordinator, Alyssa, is a blessing and was very helpful and prompt with me despite the fact that I had to email her pretty constantly during this general time which I still feel bad about.
Around this time, my mom got diagnosed with breast cancer, which I reported to the surgical coordinator because it influences my family history (grandmother also had breast cancer). It was asked that I get genetic testing done because this could impact my surgical procedure. Now I’m handling the setup on this between helping my mom in her process setting up consults and considering her options because there of course is a lot of crossover to the steps I’ve already completed and am familiar with.
November 1st: Very kind person at cancer genetics calls me, sends me a family history questionnaire to fill out before I can be scheduled to see a genetic counselor. Filled out the questionnaire the same day.
November 8th: Called cancer genetics to check about scheduling, office was not open so left a message. Got a call back later in the day. I have a virtual appointment with a Genetic counselor Tuesday the 14th. Current plan is a mailed saliva genetic test but I’m going to ask if theres anything I can do to get results/materials quicker. If I can’t get results/feedback by December 8th my surgery date may get deferred.
Trying not to stress too much because there is little to nothing I can do about this, and I just don’t want to be sad. I’ve kept telling myself throughout this process to not get excited and not let myself believe anything is solid because something could happen at any time that might mess up my schedule or plan, and If I convince myself I’m in the clear, those changes will hurt a lot more. So far I think thats been a good move, because this really sucks.
My surgery date is still officially scheduled as of now as well as my first post-op. I will also ideally have pre-surgical testing done December 18th should I be cleared by genetics in time (Fingers crossed!)
ALSO! Def lean on friends if/when you can during this process. It can absolutely be challenging, and having a support system is incredibly important and helpful. I’m super lucky to have really lovely and supportive friends that are around to listen to me and send me pictures of stupid little animals.
November 9th: My mama is scheduled for her double mastectomy on December 4th
November 10th: Did some shopping with my mama for recovery supplies for double mastectomy/top surgery. Having watched a million and a half transition/top surgery videos and tiktoks and having read all the blogs and posts and tweets makes you a great support for someone suddenly faced with an upcoming double mastectomy! We might go shopping this weekend for some button ups and zip ups for her, clothes shopping is better done when you can try stuff on
November 14th: Meeting w genetic counselor: Victoria Webb, one of the loveliest medical care workers I’ve ever met. Had a virtual appointment with her to discuss and set up genetic testing. I explained to her about my situation w the proximity of my surgery and tight deadline as well as my willingness to do a blood test instead of a saliva kit to get results quicker. She was so incredibly kind and good with me, ended up being able to do a saliva kit and get results in time she deserves every good thing in life.
December 18th: pre-surgical testing: This was at the main hospital, everyone was really nice but I had a really bad panic attack despite being on Xanax.
The process is sort of like getting a physical. Measurements like weight and blood pressure get taken, lots of preliminary health questions. The people working with me were really kind and I was very open with them about my anxiety, it was visually apparent though anyway because I started crying the second we even started talking about the blood draw.
Once the equipment was actually brought into the room I started to panic. Both of the women working with me were really kind and helpful and tried to distract me and keep me talking the entire time, but I did still have a really horrible panic attack. Every muscle in my body locked up and I lost all my color, took a bit to get back to a spot where I could move and talk properly because my speech was affected too. It was a bit scary but funny to think about in post. Thanked the medical staff for being patient w me as always, a good portion of the anxiety is also guilt about making things harder for them. Got through it tho. Def eat before presurgical if allowed, I didn’t and that probably didn’t help!!
———- SURGERY DAY ————-
January 8th:
Ok so surgery day:
This day was very scary. Got my phone call the Friday prior for my surgery time which ended up being 1pm and I was asked to arrive around 11. Got there at 10 and went in at 10:30.
Called up to check in then in waiting room till someone brought me back to change. I told her right away about my anxiety with the iv bc that’s legit all I could think about. Got changed right after. I was generally shaky and a little disoriented the entire time because I was panicking but everyone was very patient with me. Clothes and belongings go in a bag in a locker and you get two gowns one that faces back and one that faces front. I was given underwear and a pad as well because lucky me I got my period a couple days before my surgery.
The pre-op area is a lot of little cubicles with curtain divider things, blue soft chairs, and medical equipment. Everyone I met and spoke to was very kind, but any time someone even suggested starting my iv I would panic. I was informed it would have to be placed in my hand and that terrified me, I’m especially anxious and sensitive about my hands and fingers. I think doctors and nurses tend to misunderstand exactly where my fear is with needles and ivs. It isn’t the pain that scares me, but the concept of veins and and anything being in them. Even writing this right now is horrible so I’m going to stop w any further detail. I spent the entire two-ish hours of pre-op absolutely terrified about this iv.
I wasn’t really keeping track of time but dr whitehead came in to do markings for surgery. They had cool rainbow socks on,big fan. Having your chest drawn on and just like, moved around n shit is such an experience. Felt bad because I kept losing my balance but doctor Whitehead is cool and I am 98% less scared about them now.
Probably my most favorite person I met during my entire hospital experience was the anesthesiologist. I know he told me what his name was but I couldn’t focus on or retain information at the time. He told me we could essentially put me to sleep with gas before putting the iv in and for the first time in probably a solid week I felt like I could calm down a little. He took a look at my hand and arm to check my veins which always does freak me out a bit but I’m more used to that kind of thing at this point and I know nothing bad is going to happen. One of the nurses came in with the iv equipment and he let her know that were going to wait till in the or which was also incredibly helpful because I absolutely panicked when I saw that little supply kit again.
V nice lady brought me into the or, I’d never been in one before it was cool. They had a little music speaker which was really cool. Took off blue jacket gown and they helped me onto the table. They put a warm blanket over my legs and my chest to help me calm down. Before long they gave me a mask w fun happy sleepy time gas, they let me keep my arms on my chest for a while which was really nice because I was still scared. I started getting loopy pretty fast but I still heard when someone mentioned where the iv equipment was and panicked a little because of that. I remember feeling them take my hand for that but never actually felt anything happen. Just some fear but the gas was v helpful obvi. Someone said they would see me in a little bit, and then I was groggily waking up in recovery.
Recovery was a little rough bc the iv was still there (fully wrapped up so I couldn’t see it though which was rad) but I was still really anxious about it until it was taken out and when it was taken out. For anyone that struggles w this i did not feel them remove it, just the tape. Everything was mentally much easier after that. After a while, going over instructions w parents, a cracker , some ginger ale and some juice, my dad helped me Get dressed and I was helped out to the car in a wheel chair. Ride was smooth bc of remaining numbness and meds except a few Bumps in the road
TOP SURGERY GOTTEN
My post op date was scheduled for Jan 17th and that’s the day I got my drains out followed by several post op check-ins. First week of recovery was miserable but things exponentially approved each day past that, and I went back to school in person two weeks post-op with driving and item-carrying assistance from friends!
Will upload recovery notes at a later date! Feel free to message me with any questions, more than happy to answer and give info! I’m a bit over four months out from surgery now and thriving 🥳

Wanted to find my next signature fragrance and so set off my journey with this Studiowest Cities gift box. Available on Westside and TataCliq for 1999. Can get it for as low as 1850 or something because you can get 5% off for opting out of online returns on the Westside website.
WARNING: This is gonna be a LONG post.
Tl;Dr: Ratings:
Ibiza 1/5
Bali 3.5/5
Bora Bora 3/5
Cancun 5/5
Mykonos 3.5/5
Rio 3/5
Paris 2.5/5
New York 4/5
London 1/5
Packaging is quite lovely
The box has 10 glass bottles of 9ml perfumes. Very nice to hold. There are tearable covers over each of the bottle, kind of like a Christmas advent calendar. I loved this.
It's a great gift to give someone, even if they aren't into fragrance at all, simple because it feels like a premium gift.
I am by no means a reviewer or a person who knows much about fragrance in general. So I apologize in advance for my descriptions.
The fragrance notes are from the Westside website. There's nothing mentioned on the bottle or the box so i guess we will have to take their word for it.

One Night in Ibiza

1/5
Floral - Bergamot, Cardamom, Coconut blended with Tiare Flower, Tuberose, Ylang Ylang and base notes of Musk, Benzoin, Heliotrope.
Top: bergamot
Mid: Heliotrope
Base: Vanilla
Dupe for: ?
Review: You can really smell the coconut in this. It's a nice gourmand smell, but the spiciness of the cardamom makes this smell like a sabji made with amrutanjan balm.
It settles down to just the smell of the musk and the coconut. Pleasant but smells like it could be odomos.
Didn't like this.

One Night in Bali

3.5/5
Grapefruit Lemon, Mint and Pink Pepper mixed with middle notes of Ginger, Nutmeg, Jasmine and with base notes of Incense, Vetiver, Cedar, Sandalwood, Patchouli, Labdanum and White Musk.
Top: Grapefruit
Mid: Ginger
Base: Sandalwood
Dupe for: Bleu de Chanel
Review: the first burst is definitely very heavy on the alcohol and smells a lot like men's aftershave, you definitely get the citrus and the mint. As it dries down it turns into an inoffensive, soft, mainly musky smell.
Okayish. Might consider wearing it again. Good for day wear.

One Night in Bora Bora

3/5
Floral Ambery - Citrus, Pear, Melon blended with Rose, Freesia, Lily of the Valley and base notes of Amber, Musk, Patchouli.
Top: Pear
Mid: Lily of the valley
Base: Patchouli
Review: Too patchouli heavy for me this one. I can only smell the rose and the patchouli. Couldn't smell the citrus. I'm more into fresh scents so I hoped highly for this one. Settles down to a soft floral scent. Nothing mind blowing. Might consider wearing it in evenings.
Dupe for: CK Eternity

One Night in Cancun

5/5 <3
Floral Fruity - Peach, Plum, Honey blended with Lily of the Valley, Nectarine, Petitgrain and base notes of Musk, Vetiver, Amber
Top: Peach
Mid: Petitgrain
Base: Vetiver
Dupe for: Elizabeth Arden Red Door
Review: Now this one is definitely interesting to me. I am not a fan of fruity scents but this is a wonderful one. At first you can really smell the plum and the peach scents, and the sweet nectarine but it's not sickly sweet. Settles down into what I think vetiver is supposed to smell like (I don't know what vetiver smells like, but it's not musk for sure). It smells... delicious?
I think this one is my favourite. Might even consider getting a decant of EA Red Door because of this.

One Night in Mykonos

3.5/5
Citrus Floral - Aqueous, Lemon, Green blended with Rose, Jasmine, Pear Blossom and base notes of Amber, Balsamic, Musk.
Top: Lemon
Mid: Rose
Base: Amber
Dupe for: CK One
Review: Initial burst of citrus is really fresh, and not in a ambi pur car fragrance kind of way. Settles down well. The rose and Jasmine would feel very hair oil fragrance but it's not that offensive. Left with a musk scent at the base. I don't know where the balsamic is supposed to sit.

One Night in Rio

3/5
Floral Chypre - Citrus, Fresh blended with Peony, Rose, Jasmine and base notes of Patchouli, Musk, Amber.
Top: Citrus
Mid: Peony
Base: Patchouli
Dupe for: CK Eternity Eau Fresh
Review: Opens with a floral scent that I can't seem to catch which flower it's supposed to be. Didn't get the citrus top note. Too much patchouli for me. I guess I just don't like patchouli. It settles down into a sweet smell, again, of just patchouli, and peony I guess. But I've never smelled a peony so I can't tell. The smell of this I can only describe as the floor cleaners they use in airport bathrooms at Kempegowda or a mall washroom that was just cleaned.
Not a fan of this one.

Studiowest Paris

2.5/5
At the forefront of this fragrant journey, the delightful blend of plum, raspberry, and pear dances on your senses, creating a luscious and playful olfactory experience. As the fragrance continues to unfold, the heart reveals musk, vanilla, and sugary notes, adding depth and complexity to this captivating aromatic symphony
Notes from TataCliq
Top Note
Vanilla
Middle Note
Jasmin, Orchid
Base Note
Sweet, Musky
Review: Vanilla opening, definitely fruity but I didn't get the plum I was expecting. Definitely a girly fragrance. The label is pink and it's definitely the vibe of this one. Very high school, winx club, Blossom from Powerpuff Girls. It's a nice one but I don't think it's for me.
Dupe for: ?

Studiowest New York

4/5
At the top, vanilla takes the spotlight with its sweet allure. In the heart of this fragrance, jasmine and orchid add a delicate, floral dimension. Finally, the scent finds its soothing base in the notes of sweet and musky, leaving a lasting impression of sophistication and charm.
Notes from TataCliq
Top:
Plum, Raspberry, Pear
Middle Note
Lily Of The Valley, Jasmine, Rose
Base Note
Musk, Vanilla, Sugary
Dupe for: ?
Review: Opens quite fresh, fruity but not too sweet. Settles down into a musky, jasminey, vanilla smell which isn't sweet. I'm saying this over and over because I detest sickly sweet frags, they make me gag.
I liked this one.

Studiowest London

?1/5
The scent journey begins with passion fruit, leading to peony, italian pine, and a lasting base of vanilla and orchid, ensuring a memorable olfactory experience.
Notes from TataCliq
Top notes:
Passion Fruit
Middle Note
Peony, Italian Pine
Base Note
Vanilla, Orchid
Dupe for: ?
Review: struggling to describe this one. Not sure if it was just my bottle or what but it smells like... nothing? I wanted to keep a constant or a standard for measuring the smell and the stay of these EDPs so 2 sprays per were enough.
I ended up spraying 4 to 5 sprays for this one, and yet it smelled like nothing. There's a hint of pine in there but that's it. Not sure what is supposed to deliver.
A fail.
OVERALL:
A good gift for someone who would like to get into fragrances. Not very long lasting, nor very outstanding scents tho. Maybe it's the Cities line of fragrances that aren't very good. I keep hearing Goddess as a good one, maybe I should've just got that to try instead.
I sprayed just a couple of times to keep it even but even so not good projection, sillage or staying power. It's gone within the hour but settles on the skin for maybe 2 hours.
Anyway.
I might revisit this post in the future to update how these have aged or if I've grown to love or hate any of these.
Tl;Dr: Ratings:
Ibiza 1/5
Bali 3.5/5
Bora Bora 3/5
Cancun 5/5
Mykonos 3.5/5
Rio 3/5
Paris 2.5/5
New York 4/5
London 1/5
I'd love to hear from y'all. This was my first review ever. I'd also like to know your experiences with Studiowest perfumes, and if anyone knows what the Paris, NY and London ones are dupes for.
My current signature fragrance is actually Nude by Skinn by Titan. Has been for 5 years. The journey to find a suitable love continues for now.
Love, light and health!