Hey, I'm looking for a good barber in beirut, preferably around ashrafieh, who's more modern than old school and does what you ask not what he wants.
I know it's no longer trendy, but I wanna try a mullet-style haircut that's short on the sides and longer in the back and top, and my current barber doesn't do that style. Any recommendations are appreciated.
Also, I asked a guy with a similar hairstyle to what I want once about his barber and he said london base broumana, which is far to me, but i found a london base branch in jbeil - are they a known chain? Do you recommend?

Currently I am on a semi nuclear stack. My derm has me on 1 mg fin, 2.5 oral minox, and a fin/min topical all once daily. I have a full head of hair but it is thin so I keep it somewhat long. Last haircut I got I made it the shortest I have in a long time and really liked the way it looked, but goddamn its been like less than 2 weeks and I feel like I wanna get it cut again. I dont know if its just me or my healthy hairs are growing so much faster from the meds. Can anyone else relate

. First sentence:
"Underneath the neon glow of a trendy bookstore, a group of friends discovered that the chapters of their lives were entwined in a plot of love, laughter, and unexpected twists."

**Last sentence:** "As the bookstore closed its doors for the night, the friends left with a stack of new books and a story that continued to unfold on the streets outside." 

For example, web development is saturated, because it seems to be a skill that most non-coders can pick up in a few months through a boot camp or self learning path.
But then there are obviously harder skills e.g. machine learning engineering, that a few months long boot camp can't solve, the learning curve is so much steeper.
That being said, what tools do you use to measure the saturation of a cs job sector?
One obvious tool is the reports by stack overflow or dice, they offer some insights into salaries, demands for different skills and so on.
Another tools obviously is to go through job postings regularly and see what skills are trendy and what's not.
Do you have a better method of finding skills that have higher demand but aren't saturated yet?
For example, it would be nice to see the number of active applicant for a certain skill e.g. how many people in the market right now are applying to embedded software engineering jobs? and getting hired?

GM DeFi Degens!
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Prom is evolving with its greater Modular ZK Layer2 Architecture and its Community, while actively sculpting a future where DeFi will be more intelligent, accessible, and unified than ever before.

Mom: get a haircut Me: nah, I want longer hair
*couple months later*
Mom: *sends a link to cool and trendy mullets in 2024* Me: 😐
Little does she know...

Are you looking for a trendy and edgy haircut which is also low maintenance? Look no further; try your hands on – “Edgar Haircut”
In 2024, the realm of men's hairstyles and haircuts continues to evolve, yet amidst the sea of trends, one timeless classic stands out: The Edgar Haircut. This edgar haircut boys has transcended generations with its versatility and allure. From its origins in Mexico to its current status as a global sensation, the edgar haircut encompasses a spectrum of variations, from low taper edgar haircut to the burst fade edgar cut. With its distinctive fluffy edgar haircut texture and seamless mexican edgar cuts, the Edgar has become more than just a haircut; it's a cultural icon and a symbol of style.
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I have hopped around various jobs in various positions (Degree in Electrical Engineering, IT Support, Web Developer, Business Applications Support, ComputeHardware Repair) and have picked up various skills in the process (some of which are kind of niche and many of which I haven't used in at 3+ years). I've also had some gaps in between these positions (starting in 2019) as I've sought out opportunities that felt right for me, and taken time to manage health crises that have occured. I'm in a place now where I'm 1) living with my parents, 2) completely financially dependent and, 3) at a loss as to where to go next career wise. It seems that many people are struggling with finding work in the tech space right now, despite various metrics telling us that everything is totally fine guys! /s
I'm often told that I need to network in order to find opportunities, but I'm not sure how to approach that in my current situation. First of all, what do I even want to do? What am I particularly good at? I feel as though I've spent a bit of time doing various things and as such haven't gotten very good at any particular thing. So when someone says "So what do you do? What goals do you have for your career?" My honest answer is simply "I don't know. I just know that I'm capable of being a contributing member of a team and I want to feel useful again, oh and income and medical insurance that would allow me to continue getting the mental health treatment that I need would be nice." Alternatively, I could give a list of factors that I'm looking for in a job that would most likely result in my success and my employer's satisfaction, but none of those are "name of software stack" or "trendy technology". It's more like "clear, concrete directives and expectations" and "casual and open communication without performative 'professionalism' nonsense" (tough sell, I know) and "flexibility in hours/location/PTO without guilt tripping" and "minimal direct interactions with clients" (also a tough sell, not deal breakers though) and "support from management" and "sane and reasonable decision-making from management" (truly the dream is an employee-owned business or a democratized workplace with revenue sharing but there doesn't seem to be much of a rush to make that happen in most companies, although it is happening here and there). Neither of these approaches seems to be appropriate, at least not for an initial interaction. What does an initial interaction look like when networking? I often see "reach out to someone at a company you're interested in" which for me, that list is not very long, however I admit I could certainly put some time into researching companies I find interesting (this is a work in progress, after all).
So with all that said, what does networking look like under these circumstances? How do I turn the above into potential opportunities? Where can I go from here? I ultimately just want a job with decent income and something where I won't be completely miserable. I want to work with folks who care about doing a good job but don't drink the corporate kool-aid, I want to do something that's at least sort of interesting at least some of the time, and I want to do something that is occasionally challenging while also learning new things if possible. I have had experiences where I got to organize something on my own and work with others to get it done and those were great (new student IT orientation at a university, being the IT point of contact at a new academic building at the same university, other random instances), so maybe some kind PM/coordinator role would make sense?
I'm open to literally anything. Advice, feedback, reactions, criticisms, tangential conversations in the comments... I'm in a place where I'm basically starting over so I'm at least open to hearing just about anything. Thank you and good luck to fellow job seekers!

CW Domestic Abuse, graphic violence
Laurens' stomach seemed to flip and jolt with every bump of the road heading to the motel outside of town just past the main supermarket. Tears ran down her face. The car seemed to fishtail a little as she pulled in. There were several problems with her marriage. Namely that he had a tendency to hit her and accuse her of cheating on him, the most current problem was that he was cheating on her in a motel where everyone they knew could see. Lauren wasn’t thinking clearly as she banged on the door, she knew right away which one it would be, she could hear his voice coming out from it.
“OPEN UP!” She screamed as she pounded on the door. Lauren could feel the general sensation of her hand resisting the door. It would more than likely hurt at some point when she came off the adrenaline.
Then, the door did open. Daniel Anderson took up most of the frame and he was angry. Lauren could hear the other girl screaming inside but couldn’t seem to make out what she was saying. Her heart stopped as she looked into Daniels face. He was Angry. The kind of angry that meant he was going to hurt her, whether anyone could see it or not. Lauren backed up from the door to avoid being pulled in the room but Daniel followed her out.
“What are you doing here?” Daniel asked, his voice was even and low.
“I got 3 calls about you being here with some whore.” Lauren retorted. She had started edging towards her car at this point, seemingly just now realizing she had made a mistake in coming here. Her heart seemed to stop altogether as he reached for her.
Lauren ducked but he caught her by her hair, winding the strands in between his fingers and yanking her face so that her ear was next to her mouth.
“What did you call her?” He whispered through clenched teeth. Lauren remained mute at this point. She felt her heart speed up and she tried to figure out how to get out of this. He’d never hit her in public. If she could remind him where they were… “I asked you a question Bitch.
If Lauren had thought about answering at that point, she wasn’t given much of a chance. He swung her head up and then forward, the momentum knocking her to the ground. Then he kicked her, pain blossomed through her midsection stunning her and she had trouble catching her breath. His hands came back down and he began throwing her face into the bumper of his bright red truck. After a minute he threw her face in a different direction and she could taste gravel.
“Apologize.” Daniel said in a warning voice. Lauren tried to stand but he mimicked grabbing at her and she shrunk back. “Apologize to her for calling her a whore.”
Lauren said nothing, somewhat in shock and mostly in pain. She could taste blood and felt it running down her face. This time he did grab her by the arm and yanked her up in one movement.
“I Said. Apologize. “ his words were clear.
Lauren did. Stuttering out an I’m sorry in the other woman’s direction.
“You best be home when I get back.” With that Daniel turned around and went back in the room.
Lauren assessed her options but she couldn’t seem to think. She reached into her car and pulled out her purse and started walking. She couldn’t see out of one eye hardly at all and her head hurt in the back. Lauren knew that he had pulled out a significant amount of hair. She thought she recalled some sharp pain as her face was pulled back from the bumper but she couldn’t remember what had happened in any sort of order.
It was at least 2 miles to her friend’s house. Lauren knocked on the door and when Natalie opened the door Lauren pushed her way in. Natalie hissed as she looked at Lauren.
“What the fuck happened?” Natalie gingerly touched her eye, or at least Laurent thought it was the area heer eye should be in. She hadn’t realized how numb she’d been getting here until she wasn’t numb anymore and the throbbing started up. Todd, Natalie’s husband came from the bedrooms and audibly gasped as well. Lauren headed for the hair salon in the back as Natalie whispered to Todd.
Natalie found Lauren in the salon, lights on and sitting in the chair.
“I’ve got enough here for a haircut but I’ll have to get back to you on the last minute/middle of the night fee. I need it all chopped off if you would. I know he ripped a bit in the back so it’s uneven anyway. Honestly it’s irresponsible to keep my hair this long anyway,do people still do that Kate plus Eight hair? The may I speak to your manager hair?” Lauren had trouble forming the words but she kept going hoping that Natalie understood her. She purposefully faced away from the mirror.
“I can cut your hair for sure. Wouldn’t you rather go to a hospital?” Natalie asked carefully playing with Lauren’s hair. Lauren shookher head quickly and immediately regretted it. Todd came in the room with an ice pack and a washcloth. Natalie filled up a bowl of water and started carefully patting away dried blood and finding the actual cuts. There was water and ibuprofen with a few tylenol mixed in, Lauren had trouble with it.
Natalie cut her hair silently. Working around one spot and then going back to it before announcing that it was as good as it was going to get there until the massive cut healed.
“You want to stay here tonight babe?” Natalie asked as she once more took to wiping her face from the still open cuts.
“No I couldn't do that to you, he told me to go home and when he finds that I’m not there… I left my car at the motel. '' Lauren knew on some level she had and knew there had been a reason, but now that the adrenaline was amping down and quickly she had no idea what she was going to do now.
“The motel?”
“Yeah, he met that girl..that one… Beth, that’s her name. They were up there and I had 3 people call me to tell me his truck was there. I just lost it and drove up there. I didn’t expect this to happen. I figured he’d be caught and apologetic.”
“That fucking bitch, I know her. She has no shame. Anyone gives her a little attention and she thinks they’re married. Tells everyone about it. She smells to high heaven too.” Natalie said incensed.
“Well I got up there and confronted him and he did this until I apologi-apolo-. “ Lauren felt sick suddenly and didn’t bother to finish. It hurt more to talk anyway.
“Why don’t you kick him out? It’s your house, the bills are in your name, you survived years without him before so it’s not like you need to worry about money. Serve him with eviction papers and go hide out somewhere until the month is up. Then bar him from the house.”
“I can’t afford a vacation and last time I tried to kick him out, it didn’t go well.I’ve got nothing in savings or otherwise. I can’t stay with anyone because he’ll come find me and hurt someone else in the process. My kids are already going to be pissed about this and if I disappear it's them he’ll hassle.I can’t afford the medical bills if I go in for this and I can’t afford the next beating if I don’t go home and get there before he does. Plus he knows exactly where I work.”
“You aren’t going to have a job if you're dead and he’s going to kill you.. At this point we’re just waiting for when. I can help you. I can loan you money, Fuck, I’ll just give you the god damn money. “
“We both know you don’t have any more than I do. “ Lauren said leaning back
“Well, you aren’t going home tonight, call your kids and warn them that he’ll be calling and to get a police car out there or something. I’ll call Lottie and explain that you are taking a few days off, and you most certainly are taking a few days off ma’am. You can’t go in looking like that, Lottie’ll kick you back out as soon as you show up. I know where you can go for now.”
Lauren went out back, wincing as she lit up a cigarette and took a few good drags before calling her oldest daughter and explaining that Daniel was going to be angry and to be on the lookout and if she could please call her siblings because she just did not have the energy tonight. Lauren promised to go to the hospital, figuring she’d end up going at some point and assured her daughter that she would be fine. After hanging up Todd got her attention at the edge of the yard and gestured toward the car. Lauren got up and limped over to it to climb in and wondering why the actual fuck she had worn flip flops tonight for this. .
It was a long drive out of town and into the mountains. Lauren apologized profusely every time she looked at the car clock. Todd waved his hand dismissively and handed her a fresh ice pack.
“We’re going to see my cousin, he lives up in the woods doing work for the park. He’s pretty far out there and doesn’t come into town much so Daniel won’t know about him. I’d turn your phone off as a precaution though. GPS trackers and whatnot.”
Lauren had already turned her phone off and felt herself dozing off. Unsure of how long she had slept she was awoken by the car stopping. Todd told her to wait where she was while he talked to his cousin. Lauren wondered what she was going to do if this guy didn’t let her stay here tonight. A few minutes later Todd was back and helping her hobble inside. The other man looked like he’d been woken up. He looked Lauren up and down and then waved Todd away. Todd slumped his shoulders and walked back to the car.
“I’m Eric, you’ll get my room. I’ve got some shirts on the bed to sleep in. The dog might insist on laying with you don’t mind dogs too much. I’ll be right out here on the couch if you need anything, bathroom is over here. I can get you a water and some more ibuprofen.” Eric seemed nice. Lauren worried that Daniel would find her out here with another man and finish what he started at the motel. The motel that seemed to be eons ago. Lauren felt her knees start to buckle and she swayed. Eric grabbed her and helped to the bed. Lauren rolled over and managed to get under the blankets before passing out.
Lauren came to hazily and found that the man here was in the room, he seemed taller as in a lot taller.
“I just want to touch you.” Eric slurred out. He swayed awkwardly and seemed to float to the bed, his hands grabbed at her. Lauren was frozen and then noticed to her horror that her husband was right behind him. Daniel came around to the other side of the bed smiling as if he’d known all along that she would be here. Lauren pulled her legs back and tried to scoot back into the headboard as the men got on the bed and started pulling her legs apart and shoving their palms into her collarbone to push her back. Lauren cried out screaming at them to stop as they started biting at her hips and inner thighs. Then they were laughing as they bit into her and pulled her skin off. Eric moved his mouth to her face and bit into her forehead and that set off fireworks of pain through her head.
Lauren awoke gasping and throwing her hands up defensively. Grey light filtered into the room through the blinds and Lauren was soaked in sweat. Her head most definitely did hurt. Badly. The memory of the men all over her made her sick and she jumped out of the bed and scrambled to the hallway towards where she thought the bathroom would be. She tried to grab at her hair to hold it out of the way only to come up short. It was cut. By the time she had finished throwing up and was leaning over the toilet trying to regain her breath, Eric had appeared wiping sleep out of his eyes. Lauren was slightly relieved to see him at his normal size although she shrunk from his touch when he reached out to steady her. He put his hands up to show that he was backing off.
“Hungry? I can make you something to eat to take some painkillers with so you don’t get so sick again. I’m going to run you into town when you think you’re ready. We can go to the ER if you’d like or maybe the prompt care? But you will have to go in. Looks like you broke your face.” Eric spoke slowly to her, keeping his hands where she could see them. Lauren just nodded at him dumbly. Which sent a new wave of agony through her body and she started to crumble. Eric reached carefully and steadied her with as little physical contact as possible. He led her to the couch and got her sat down, bringing her toast and ibuprofen with water.
Lauren tried to relax into the pain until the ibuprofen kicked in. She tried to disappear into herself, she counted by 13s. Finally after what seemed like forever, the painkillers kicked in taking a very large edge off of her pain. She let out a very audible moan as the pain abated ever so slightly. Her shoulders dropped.
“If we’re going into town and avoiding your husband maybe you should wear some different clothes? I’ve got some guy clothes that will fit you ok.” Eric said, handing her folded jeans and a shirt. Lauren just took them and went into the room to change. Mens jeans seemed to change her entire body shape and she did feel a little safer. Lauren had no idea what she was going to do when it came down to it. She was serious last night about not knowing how to leave him. It wasn’t that she didn’t want to, she had tried once before to end things, he called his son over to help him carry his stuff out and then when his son arrived he had held Lauren still while Daniel beat the shit out of her stomach and explained that he wasn’t leaving. Lauren needed her job, the house was paid off, she had gotten it in the divorce and had worked hard to pay it up over the years, but there were other bills and taxes and at some point Lauren wanted to retire long enough to enjoy it.
The car ride to town was nerve wracking. Lauren had used Eric’s phone to call ahead to the doctors office and let them know she would be there and that she would like to be brought back as soon as possible. Lauren waited until they were back in town to turn her phone back on. It powered up and looked fine until the phone started registering the texts and voicemails that had been coming in since last night. Once upon a time Daniel had reacted very negatively to her not responding to his message fast enough so Lauren had eventually set his ringer as an alarm so she knew right away to pick her phone up. Eric’s car sounded like a national disaster was going on. Lauren thought about throwing it out the window as her panic started to grow. Eric grabbed it from her and shoved it under his leg muffling the sound slightly.
“Sorry.” Lauren mumbled. Eric shrugged and didn’t look at her, instead keeping his eyes on the road. “I need to stop at the courthouse first to fill out paperwork for an order of protection and get it filed. Then the doctor's office. That way if he figures out where I am they’re already ready for me. “
Lauren checked her phone for any messages not from Daniel and responded to any that needed it and then she turned it back off as they pulled up to the courthouse. Eric handed her his ball cap to hide her face and they casually walked in together. The security guard stopped her and she lifted her hat and faced him head on. He winced and gave her the floor she needed.
“I still haven’t looked, how bad is it?” Lauren asked as they waited for the elevator.
“It’s pretty bad. But it’s your face and it’s probably mostly swelling. “ Eric said without looking at her.
Lauren knew the clerk and judging by the look on her face she ought to hurry to the doctor’s office.
The doctor’s office was it’s own sort of hell. First, the receptionist didn’t want to send her straight back before the nurse came out. Second, Lauren had been in town long enough that she was paranoid every time someone walked in, which she felt she wouldn’t be if they had sent her back like they had discussed. By the time Odette the nurse came out Lauren was wired and Eric had to calm her down just to get her to walk back to the room.
The doctor came in and looked at her and sighed.
“He really got you this time.” Dr. Livingston said, checking the chart.
“I need pictures to add to the rest, I’ve started the proceedings for an OOP and I’d like to bring in all the pictures.”
“I’m glad to hear that. I’ll have Etta come in with the camera and give you copies to take with you so if they’re lost somehow you can get more from us. Then I’ll do an exam. Does he know where you are?”
“I’m not sure,Eric here has been driving me around and playing my bodyguard. I’d like to move as quickly as possible. I want to be out of town when he catches wind of the OOP.”
“I’ll have them let me know if he shows up.’
The pictures were as intrusive as ever. Etta smiled sympathetically as she helped Lauren tilt her head in different directions to catch every angle. After the pictures Dr. Livingston did a thorough exam and had an XRay done. Prescribed decent painkillers and did a few stitches on her forehead and somewhere in the back that Lauren hadn’t realized was cut up.
Daniel did show up so Eric and Lauren took off out the back and left, the office kept him busy and promised to give her a call as soon as he left. Eric dropped her off a block from her house to grab her things. Her truck was in the driveway. Lauren walked past it and into the house. Though she hadn’t checked the messages she had assumed that the house would be trashed from one of his fits but it wasn’t. She grabbed a few loose outfits and makeup. Glasses and medicine and a charger for a phone she was afraid to turn on. The office called to let her know he had left 2 minutes before. Her chest began to beat erratically. She couldn’t breathe.
“Notsafenotsafenotsafe.” She said to herself repeatedly to get her moving. She remembered to grab socks and real shoes, she even took extra time to get them on. The plan was to meet Eric 2 streets from the backyard in hopes of avoiding Daniel or someone that knew them and might tell Daniel who she had left with. Lauren locked the back door as she slipped out and was stopped by the next door woman who was entirely too nosey and judgemental. Grace had decided she didn’t like Lauren 20 some odd years ago when Grace had moved in. Daniel on the other hand, well she seemed to adore him. Daniel came over and mowed her yard for free and fixed her broken what the fuck ever was broken that day. Lauren knew for a fact that Grace fed Daniel information whether it was true or just some idea that Grace had gotten through her head.
“Well, what happened? Where are you headed then?” Grace asked quickly, trying to engage Lauren.
“Just a tumble and off to check something for The Jakobi's across the yard. See you later Grace.” Lauren kept walking trying to smile pleasantly.
“Oh wait, I need you to ask Danny to do something for me!” Grace hollered after Lauren, Lauren responded by running faster. Daniel’s truck roared around the corner so Lauren decided to take a different route that would involve going through the woods and meeting Eric somewhere else.
Adrenaline poured through Lauren and she put her all into it until she came out a mile up by the gas station. Lauren went inside and borrowed the landline there to call Eric to meet her at the trail head a little further on. She also bought an energy drink and chugged it before leaving. The rush made her eyes feel like they were going to pop out of her head and she laughed before running back into the woods. She imagined she must look like a mess with the backpack on and her short hair sticking everywhere with her eyes wild from the excess caffeine being chugged so quickly. Lauren kept herself going by imagining that she could hear his truck following her, that she could smell his cologne in the air behind her. Before she could stop herself she was hearing her footsteps and feeling the sensation of her head being pulled back and back into the bumper.
BAM bam BAM bam BAM bam BAM bam BAM bam BAM bam. By the time she had exploded off the trail and into the poorly kept parking lot she had completely forgotten what she was doing.
Lauren dropped her hands on her knees and panted heavily. It was Todd who threw his hands around her waist and held her steady. Lauren surprised herself by screaming and slapping at him before Todd could get her to come out of her stupor. Sobbing, she fell into his chest and bawled. She started crying about the day and then it was the day before and then the year and then her entire marriage and then it was the time her youngest daughter came home from her dad’s early and accused her of always being drunk and looking at her disgustedly. Then it was the divorce and the time she let their older daughter wear lipstick and her ex husband had smacked her in front of them and announced that Lauren was not in fact, the deciding parent on the rules in the house.
It was a very long time before Lauren was done crying. Her face hurt dully in the area that had been so intimate with the bumper, snot covered her cheeks and mouth from the futile wiping it with her sleeves. Her good eye was now also swollen and she could barely see through it now. She fell to her knees and then collapsed the rest of the way to the ground so that getting up was difficult because of how stiff she was now from the odd position. Lauren hobbled with Todd holding her upright to his truck. He went ahead and lifted her up into the seat and helped her buckle. Lauren was too tired to swat his hand away and do it herself. She just relaxed her body back in the seat and let herself try to doze.
They hit the dirt road leading to Eric’s house which woke her up again. She could see more out of her good eye and finally flipped the visor down and braced herself for the reflection she had been avoiding.
Half of her face was a mix of purple and blue, someone had said something about her cheekbone on the right being fractured a little, hey right eyebrow was not only swollen but split in the corner and a small stitch held it. Her right eye was a mix of colors and swollen shut, bruises ran down her jawline and she could see why Dr. Livingston had recommended admitting her to the hospital, Lauren herself might’ve considered it if she hadn't been terrified it would’ve made it easier for Daniel to find her and kill her. Lauren fingered her hair that was cut close to her head and tried to smooth some of the longer strands that had indeed started to poke out at different directions. The left side of her face red and blotchy from crying and it occurred to Lauren that she looked like a very fat bloated version of herself and for some reason it struck her as hysterical and she began to laugh until her stomach hurt and she was doubled over howling with laughter. Todd glanced at her and then the road, flipping back and forth between the road and Lauren. Lauren who had gone from a deep sadness to a manic laughter within a short period of time.
By the time they pulled up to Eric’s, Lauren was still laughing but had calmed a little. Todd patted her thigh and told her to stay put. To go warn Eric she presumed. When he came back he carried her from the car to the bed and Eric stood waiting with pills and water and more toast. Lauren did some concentrated breathing until she could swallow them without choking. The pills seemed to kick in immediately. Her face numbed much more than the ibuprofen had managed earlier. As her mind started to fade in and out Eric told her he had purchased her a new phone and had put her old numbers into her new phone in town and tossed the old phone.
A week later Lauren returned from town at the hearing where Daniel was served with a permanent Order Of Protection good for a year. While her face was still pretty fucked up, she was able to see out of both eyes now. The judge had seen her face and granted the order. Daniel had been arrested and would be held for awhile but she had stayed with Eric for a few more days so he could keep an eye on her mental state. Lauren was having trouble returning to her home, she had been placed on a sort of leave at work, Lauren was unsure if they could legally do that after a domestic assault but she wasn’t in the mindset to argue so she just gave up.
“You think you’re safe to go home tomorrow? “ Eric asked Lauren as they set up a fire outside.
“I think so. I don’t know if I really want to stay there anymore.” Lauren admitted. She stacked some more wood off to the side so they wouldn’t have to get back up as often.
“I have a friend who owns some cabins in the woods, he rents them out. There’s 12 or so I think, anyway he recently lost his caretaker and has been looking for someone who can stay up there year round and clean the cabins and handle the rentals. It pays well, obviously you have your own cabin to live in.” Eric passed her a joint that Lauren accepted.
“I’ll think about it.” Lauren said before breathing in and relaxing back into her camping chair and drifting away.
Lauren finished setting the table with her son, Greyson. Her daughters Cora and Audrey, were supposed to be here soon. Liam, Greyson’s 5 month old wailed from the living room and Lauren waved at Greyson to let her go tend to him. Lauren picked up the wailing baby and put her nose on top of his head, remembering the newborn smell. Her youngest was Audrey and she was 23. Liam settled as soon as he was picked up. Lauren thought of how much she was going to miss her grandkids. She lifted him up so she could blow on his baby tummy and he squealed with delight.
“I think the girls are pulling in now.” Greyson said coming in with a bottle. Liam caught sight of Daddy and his bottle and flailed toward them. Lauren handed her grandson to her own son and kissed his forehead.
“I am so proud of you. I don’t think I know any single dads who have their kids full time.” Lauren brushed Greysons hair from his forehead and smiled.
The girls came in, Audrey carrying Cora’s 3 year old son and then Cora behind her dragging an 8 year old girl whose eyes were locked on a tablet screen.
“Diana Renee, turn it off for a few minutes and walk. Jesus. You’re going to trip, say hi to grandma.” Cora said in a surly tone looking exhausted. Her face looked rounder and Lauren had a feeling Cora was pregnant again. She had the look and Lauren felt a pang that she wasn’t going to be around this time, and that she had already missed quite a bit of time. It hadn’t taken any of the kids long to catch onto Daniel being controlling and possessive and even though Lauren had argued for her kids being over every Sunday the children on their own had slowly found excuses to quit coming around the house.Not that Audrey had needed much push. For whatever reason Audrey and Lauren had never seen eye to eye. Lauren blamed her father but it was more than that too, a drive to be independent. Diana and Clayton hugged Lauren fiercely and she sat on the floor with them crawling on her while they told her anything interesting they could think of. The bruises on Lauren’s face had faded quite a bit but the kids kept looking at them without saying anything, biting their lips. Lauren assumed Cora had instructed them not to ask. Lauren had purposely waited to bring her kids over to make her announcement until her face looked better and wouldn’t scare anyone. After a while the kids ran out into the backyard to play.
“So is he really gone?” Audrey asked as the sliding door closed. Lauren sighed pretending not to notice the tone in her voice.
“Yes. He was arrested. The pictures I had taken at the doctor’s office helped. I know you guys weren’t impressed he was here as long as he was but I was working on it. “ That of course was a lie. She had snuck off to the doctors after he had beaten her and had it documented so that they would have a suspect if he killed her but the kids didn’t need to know that. At least this way they seemed to retain a little respect for their flakey mom who brought the evil villain into their lives.
“I’m just glad you’re safe mom. We were worried. Especially after you called me that night.” Cora said rocking Liam who was starting to doze off after his bottle.
“That’s why I called you guys over actually. After that happened I did some thinking. It’s just me in this big house and after everything that happened I decided to sell the house and move. I took a job the next state over up in the mountains. I’m a caretaker for cabins that get rented out to hunters and families, I’ll be living there.” Lauren smiled and started passing a brochure for the company and the area to each of her children.
“What the fuck mom? You can’t move, or at the very least you can’t sell the house. We grew up here.” Audrey said loudly, tears forming already. Lauren remembered the time her friends had all gone out for a girls weekend and Greyson had spiked a fever and Lauren had to stay home to take care of him, how suffocating it had felt to be their mother and have no life of her own. But the kids were in their twenties now, not little. They didn’t need her the same way.
“Eventually Daniel will be released and I would like to be gone when he is. I would like to live somewhere that I can make new, happier memories. You guys don’t need me as much and I’m only an hour away. I can still take grand kids when you need me and I’m not so far that I can’t come over for lunch. Plus I can offer you guys a pretty good discount in the off season. Imagine Christmas in the mountains and everyone has their own cabin to stay in instead of arguing over a bedroom.” Lauren said, hoping no one would note that it had been a very long time since anyone had spent the night here and they’d never really fought over space.
“I think it’s a good idea mom. We’ll miss the house but you’re right.” Cora said glaring at her sister. “You deserve to move forward.”
“I can help you move up there. Are you taking your furniture or is the furniture provided already? Is it safe up there? Who will come check on you? I don’t want something to happen to you and you’re stranded out there for days with no help. “ Greyson asked, looking concerned.
“I’m not sure, we can set up a system so you know I’m ok.” Lauren said pleased with her son’s concern. “As far as furniture, you guys can pick anything you want, I’m selling the rest. I’ll keep some of the dishes and my baking stuff. Plus the photograph albums, I’ll get rid of everything else.”
“Does Dad know?” Autumn asked accusingly.
“I haven’t told him, it’s really not any of his business. Nothing in this house belongs to him and his name hasn’t been on the house in at least 15 years.”
“This is our house too.” Audrey argued
“No it really isn’t anymore. You haven’t lived here in at least 5 years.”
“Audrey, chill, it’s not that big of a deal.” Cora warned. Lauren began to feel she was missing something.
“Well, you could rent it out to someone instead of getting rid of it. You could always use the extra income.” Audrey argued, looking around at everyone.
“I’d make a lot more money selling the house than I would renting it out. If there were a repair to be made I don’t want to be responsible. I’m too old to deal with all of that.” Lauren waved her hand around the house gesturing at the idea of all the work there would need to be done. “Besides someone has already made an offer, I’m fairly certain I’m going to accept it.”
“You can’t do that!”
“Yes, she can. Knock it off. She doesn’t want to live here all alone.” Greyson retorted.
The 3 of them argued together at each other and Lauren sank back into her recliner helplessly. A thought occurred to her.
“Audrey are you angry you’re losing a piece of your childhood or a piece of your inheritance?” Lauren asked icily. Audrey’s face turned red and Cora looked at the window desperate not to make eye contact. Greyson grabbed Liam and started fussing over him.”Ah. I see, and you all 3 have discussed it.”
“No, not exactly like that. Dad had a scare 2 years ago and he was faced with being put in a home for awhile. We didn’t know how he was going to pay for it, we talked about selling his house and that was sort of how it came up, renting instead of selling I mean.” Greyson muttered.
“Not to keep it until he died so the money or the house went to us, but to protect him. We naturally discussed you as well and different scenarios. Then when we started to really worry Daniel was going to kill you, we were worried about him taking possession of the house and everything in it.” Cora explained a little more. “Obviously all THREE of us want you to do what makes you feel the happiest and safest.”
Audrey stared at the wall.
“I have a lot of happy memories here of all 3 of you. I brought you all home from the hospital through that door. I nursed you all back to health when you were sick and sang you lullabies in this room. I listened to you talk about your days in the kitchen, and when your dad moved out we all sat in my room with the big TV and watched movies all day because he wasn’t here to tell us it was wrong. I potty trained you all in the bathrooms here. I taught you to walk and speak here.” Lauren wiped at her eyes remembering them running through. “But over there in that corner was where your dad smacked me because I told Cora she could wear lipstick. And I was standing on the stairs when he came out of the bedroom with his suitcase in hand, telling me he was leaving. It was in the kitchen where I got the call that my mother died. That was the door frame Daniel's son leaned against as he held me up while Daniel pummeled my midsection until I decided that I didn’t want him to move out after all. I just want to start over. I’m allowed to do that. I gave my entire life to raise you guys and no one worked harder than me to keep us afloat. My time is now and I’m taking it. “

. First sentence:
"Underneath the neon glow of a trendy bookstore, a group of friends discovered that the chapters of their lives were entwined in a plot of love, laughter, and unexpected twists."

**Last sentence:** "As the bookstore closed its doors for the night, the friends left with a stack of new books and a story that continued to unfold on the streets outside." 

Look. A lot of hair salons in the area are good for basic haircuts, but when it comes to trendy haircuts like butterfly cuts, jellyfish cuts etc they seem to just be really choppy and not so appealing. Any recommendations to places that can do good layering and know what i would be talking about when i ask for a wolf cut?

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Context: I work in the advertising industry but I'm not making this post in a work context. This is a topic I feel very strongly about on a personal level and am interested to hear the opinions of other women.
Diversity and representation are two topics that have gained increased importance in the advertising world over the last decade. This is a positive thing. And while some brands view it solely as a tick box exercise, I still believe this is better than ignoring the topic completely.
But there is a huge double standard when it comes to representation in advertising aimed at women (e.g. fashion, tampons, beauty etc.) Most projects will have a casting shortlist to ensure they show a diverse range of women, generally covering white, black, asian, large, elderly and women with disabilities.
But I have noticed that women considered to be minorities will always have a redeeming feature. For example the obese women must also be beautiful. The woman with a skin condition must have trendy hair. The elderly woman must have a quirky fashion sense. The industry is not OK with showing plain looking women.
However the opposite is true for advertising aimed at men (e.g. beer, gambling, sports etc.) In these adverts you still get the same box ticking diversity but it is absolutely fine to show an average looking middle aged guy, or an obese man in normal clothing with a sensible haircut.
I think this comes from the patriarchal viewpoint that a women's value is linked to her appearance. It's fine to be an average obese guy because their value isn't linked to their appearance. But it's not OK to have your brand represented by an average looking obese woman because our society dictates that she is not fulfilling her role of being aesthetically pleasing.
The industry has taken steps forward in diversifying the workforce, and there is much better representation within advertising agencies these days, but this has not reached the creative teams who make these kind of decisions. I have worked in numerous creative teams and more often that not have been the only women in a team which usually consists of 5-10 creatives. And I believe this is the issue. Men are almost always the decision makers when it comes to advertising aimed at women.
I'd be really interested to hear the opinions of women outside of the industry. I know the average person doesn't pay much attention to advertising so perhaps this isn't an issue most women have noticed or considered. But I strongly believe this type of representation has a significant impact, particularly on young girls, and whether you think you pay attention to it or not, advertising is everywhere and plays a big role in shaping how society perceives women.

In the world of fashion, accessories play a pivotal role in transforming an ordinary outfit into a stunning ensemble. Among these accessories, jewellery holds a special place, adding elegance, charm, and personality to one's look. While genuine gemstones and precious metals have their allure, artificial jewellery has also gained immense popularity for its affordability, versatility, and trendy designs. Styylofashions, a leading name in the fashion industry, brings forth a collection of captivating artificial jewellery sets that cater to the modern woman's taste for style and sophistication.

1. Statement Necklaces: Make a bold statement with Styylofashions' exquisite collection of statement necklaces. Whether you prefer intricate designs embellished with colorful beads and stones or sleek, minimalist pieces, there's something to suit every taste and occasion. From chunky chokers to elegant pendants, these necklaces effortlessly elevate any outfit, be it a casual daytime look or a glamorous evening ensemble.
2. Dazzling Earrings: Enhance your natural beauty with a pair of dazzling earrings from Styylofashions. From classic studs to dramatic danglers, their extensive range of artificial earrings caters to every style preference. Opt for delicate floral motifs for a touch of femininity or embrace the glamour of oversized hoops adorned with shimmering crystals. With Styylofashions' earrings, you can effortlessly transition from desk to dinner with confidence and flair.
3. Layered Bracelets: Add a touch of bohemian chic to your wrist with Styylofashions' collection of layered bracelets. Featuring an array of textures, colors, and embellishments, these stackable bracelets allow you to express your unique sense of style. Mix and match metallic tones for a contemporary edge or embrace the charm of beaded designs for a relaxed, beach-inspired look. Whether worn solo or stacked together, these bracelets add an instant dose of personality to any outfit.
4. Elegant Rings: Finish off your look with a hint of sparkle courtesy of Styylofashions' elegant rings. From timeless solitaires to intricate cocktail rings, their selection caters to every mood and occasion. Opt for sleek, geometric designs for a modern aesthetic or indulge in the romance of vintage-inspired pieces adorned with ornate detailing. Whether worn as a standalone statement or stacked for maximum impact, these rings are sure to turn heads wherever you go.
5. Versatile Sets: For those who love effortless coordination, Styylofashions offers a range of versatile jewellery sets that take the guesswork out of accessorizing. Featuring carefully curated combinations of necklaces, earrings, bracelets, and rings, these sets ensure that every element of your look complements each other perfectly. Whether you're dressing up for a special occasion or adding a touch of glamour to your everyday attire, these coordinated sets make accessorizing a breeze.

Conclusion: Artificial jewellery has emerged as a popular choice among fashion-forward women, offering endless possibilities for self-expression and style experimentation. With Styylofashions' curated collection of artificial jewellery sets, you can effortlessly elevate your look and make a statement wherever you go. From statement necklaces to layered bracelets, each piece is designed to add a touch of sparkle and shine to your wardrobe. Explore their latest collection today and discover the perfect pieces to reflect your unique personality and sense of style.
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As solo entrepreneurs (aka indie hackers), we often tend to complicate things and want to go for the most trendy and best tech stack. However, most ideas can be executed with a simple tech stack, which helps with speed of delivery and cost.
This has been proven many times by people like Peter Levels (aka index.php) who built $60k MRR apps using jQuery + index.php over React.js + separated back-end/front-end SaaS apps.
https://i.imgur.com/DreI6ki.png
So, I decided to use Alpine.js + TailwindCSS to create a habit tracker similar to how you contribute to GitHub, displaying as a filled box. I managed to generate over 4,000 visitors in a period of 3 days by posting the tracker on:

• Reddit
  
• Hacker News
  
• X
  

habitcracker.cc
And of course, Product Hunt. Some people even said they love the idea and they will keep using it if I integrate SMS/Email notifications. Thoughts?
But I share this here to let you know that you don't need to use Ruby on Rails, Next.js, or any other complicated tech stack when it's not needed.
Simply build the MVP, validate the idea, and then invest more!
Keep shipping!

The hair salon industry has been growing in popularity for the last few years and it is more than a mere parlor where people go for haircutting. These now are places where self-care and relaxation are so easy to have because everything you need to pamper and rejuvenate your skin is now available. Arising to trendy styles or fairy-tale balayage, the salon is not behind in fashion and individual taste conveyance.
Choosing the Best Hair Salon
Speaking of the Dubai hair salons it is worth pointing out several factors, one must pay attention to, before choosing the right one. To begin with, you need to have a salon with very professional stylists who have fair amounts of experience and have been successful in their field and are always updated with the latest trends and methods. Lastly, I would like to ask you to take the location as an important element, as well as the interior and accessories, to ensure that I feel comfortable and calm while doing the procedure.
Why Hair Talkz Beauty Salon?
From the thousands of choices, our Hair Talkz Beauty Salon is the one salon that can shine out as a gem among all. At Hair Talkz Studio our experienced stylists along with our vow to offer the very best service are equipped to render a highly personalized and luxurious experience limited to a few only. We offer you a welcome of experts right when you make a step into our salon, who can provide the best treatment and makeover you’ve always wanted.
1. Expertise: At Hair Talkz, you’ll get a group of highly trained masters who could help you to make your dream style possible. From a simple haircut to vibrant colors, to remarkable updos, our stylists with a vast skill set and deep knowledge, are certainly masters of this trade.
2. Luxurious Experience: Go inside our salon which offers you a chance of being in a world where luxury and tranquility exist. From the very instant, you set foot in our place of business, you will be given respectful and generous treatment by our cordial and trained staff that will result in you getting real relaxation and satisfaction.
3. Quality Products: We stand convicted that our secret of lustrous, velvety hair is high-quality products. Our secret specs of massive superiority are high-ticket products from the best brands because your hair appearance and the way it feels contribute to the level of your perfection.
4. Personalized Service: Knowing every customer out there is special, at HairTalkz we go by custom service to suit your likes as a person. Whether you’re after something snappy or a powerful transformation, our stylists will walk with you to develop your look in the way that suits you best.
5. Affordable Luxury: Besides the clarity that we guarantee to provide these high-quality services, we also think that these services should be open to everyone. Thus, we do give a discount with our competitive prices that enables you to go in for a luxury salon experience without having to at all worry about emptying your bank.
Locating the best hair salon in Dubai can be challenging, but there are many key details that one should go through before making a final decision. Hence, through the quality of its services and the unstoppable customer support, Hair Talkz Beauty Salon is without doubt the best choice for anyone regarding hairstyles. Thus, if you are after indulging in a swanky salon experience and, at the same time, full camera ready to appear, then do not look any further than this Hair Talkz Beauty Salon.
For Booking:
Call: +971588260502
Visit: https://hairtalkz.com/
Hair Talkz Beauty Salon