Hi everyone,
I'm currently pursuing a master degree in applied mathematics, and I'm eager to start researching topics in finance or economics. However, I'm feeling a bit overwhelmed and unsure of where to begin. Can anyone provide some simple guidance on how to start and finish a research project in these fields? Specifically, I'm looking for tips on how to start reading, gather and analyze data, develop ideas, and draw conclusions.
Additionally, I'm wondering if research conducted as a master's student would be considered valuable in the finance or economics community, or if it's necessary to have a more established status as a researcher. If anyone has any insights or personal experiences to share, I would greatly appreciate it.
Thank you all for your help and advice!
<3

Recently i’ve really been enjoying footy and want to really get my skills down and etc as my coach is starting to play me midfield.
First of all is there any tips on how to play midfield or any skills and drills to really work on for this as i want to excel as a player.
Secondly, my kick isn’t too bad but it feels a bit unnatural and not so fluid. especially my set shots and i’m not that skinny of a person and have decent muscle mass, so i’d mainly say it’s my technique is the reason why i also struggle a lot to get distance on the footy, which is what i’m trying to improve.
As my coach isn’t the best master at kicking but really a dad who volunteered (much respect to people who do that tho). I was thinking i should record myself doing some kicking then break down my kick and see what i do wrong. Is this a good idea?
Any tips and help is appreciated for anything and just general improving at footy.

Almost 3 weeks ago I (23F) broke up with my bf (22M) of 3 years. Let's call him Jameson. Not because I didn't love him anymore, but because the situation was unbearable. He was super depressed and anxious, he lied, manipulated, got angry, everything was always difficult. I felt alone in the relationship and the trust was gone especially when I found out he financially cheated. I know he is not a bad person, but his behaviour did really hurt me.
Some important back ground info: After the first year together we wanted to study together because we didn't want to be long distance anymore. I said I would break up otherwise. I got in but Jameson didn't. The period after I felt pretty alone and heartbroken, he didn't seem to care as much, I was trying to fix it all on my own. He said he was trying back then but I don't know what he did to "try". I ended up emotionally cheating for 1 week because I really needed some compagnionship and laughter. After that we were never the same ever again. This happened 1,5 years ago. In the year after I really had to constantly prove myself and I really improved as a gf, but not to the point I want to be at yet.
The year after Jameson didn't get in again, but he moved to my parents house to start a study there. So he was still closer to me than if he would've stayed in his home country. Most of plan A and B were my idea and I had to really push him to apply, but he was also not coming up with alternatives himself or communicating his feelings. This is important because now he can easily blame me.
We were now finally closer together and he didn't seem that enthusiastic. Jameson barely went to school, do sport or social activities, he only started to work in january and used gaming as a coping mechanism. He neglected the relationship and himself. So after a long period of this I decided to end things. My psychologist said I was enabling his depression and I didn't want to do that. So I told him to go back to his home country. Before his departure and now even more he has been even more cold and distant.
We did end things with we love eachother a lot but it's not working like this. I asked for a week of space and to call after. Overall I have felt relieve because all the sudden my life was so much easier, but I have really missed the good parts of the relationship and the friendship we also had.
We finally called yesterday after 1,5 weeks of space and it didn't go as I hope it would. Jameson said he wanted to give me this call because I didn't get closure from my previous boyfriend. But he was cold and distant and not very interested in me. He also didn't want to discuss the relationship or certain things that happened. Especially with how friendly things were when he left I thought we would at least be friends after a while. I also wanted to keep the door slightly open for the future in case we both improved and still had a connection. Because we have a lot in common and want the same things in life so I thought maybe then we can make it work.
But Jameson was talking about a closed door and he wasn't to keen to keep in touch or be friends anymore. I wasnt planning on getting back together, but I didn't expect my sweet Jameson to go 180 on me like this. He said he fell out of love with me when I emotionally cheated and has love me less and less over time. Even though I did everything for him and was improving he didn't want to forgive, or didn't know how to. But he also didn't leave himself or planned on breaking up himself. I really thought sending him away and stop enabling his depression would finally make him want to be the boyfriend I needed. When I think about how we were and when I look at pictures he definitely still cared for me and was obsessed with me physically.
I feel really weird after the call, I don't believe he is fully speaking the truth about his feelings for me. But his attitude is so cold, he dyed his hair, all the sudden he is having a social life again, willing to sell his pc, almost like the Jameson I knew doesn't exist anymore. We said we could keep in touch like once a week but I'm thinking of leaving that ball in his court right now because of his lack of enthusiasm.
Has anyone ever had a similar situation? Tips or some compassion are also very welcome!
TLDR: I broke up with my bf because I was enabling his depression, but hoped for a friendship and keeping the door open for the future, he went full 180 and seems completely fine now without me and is keeping his distance.

TL;DR - what exercise works well for people like me? How do I make myself do it? How do I find the time? Tips on stopping dopamine seeking food behaviours. (Yo, turns out I'm asking a lot...)
AFAB, ADHD, ASD, depression, sleep issues.
I don't like my body, I've never liked it. Ive always been bigger, and I'm all for body positivity or even body neutrality. But, It's getting to a point now where it's a struggle to do things. I'm 164cm/5'4" and 125kg/280lbs.
I have a large chest that seems to keep up with the weight gain, so bras are hard - my back and shoulders hurt, I'm now struggling some days to do them up or take them off due to my size and low flexibility.
I snack, a lot, I probably snack more in a week than I would have proper meals in a month. I have no energy or capacity for cooking and any food is hard until I'm at the point where it's chips and sweets.
I want to be more flexible, I want to be more fit, I used to like hiking but now the barrier for re-entering is too high.
I don't know when I would exercise. I work fulltime, I have no capacity for anything at the end of the day. I can't make myself sleep before 1am, so there's no chance of getting up earlier. It's going into winter here and I'm 10000% not a morning person. It's dark either end of my day and I just feel like I can't. I spend half the weekend sleeping to catch up from the not enough sleep during the week.
I need some miraculous solution that doesn't cost an arm an a leg. Feeling hopeless at the moment.
Sorry this feels like more of a vent than anything. Thoughts, ideas, stories - I'm lookin for anything here!

Goodmorning of whatever timezone you are in,
I own a Black Bastard(a Kamado) I have made a lot of delicious things. But for the life of me.. I have so much trouble with chicken wings. I have tried low and slow, hot and fast and anything in between. Flavour has never been an issue but I can never get the following: - tender juicy wings - crispy skin
After at least 10 batches I have no idea what to do anymore. I am defrosting another batch, any tips?

Hello everyone, i need some help with list tuning. This weekend I played against adepta saroritas and just got tabled turn 2. He won the roll of and I was second going and on first turn he just obliterated my forces. Riptide - gone, flamer crisis - gone, stealth suits - gone. He even charged and killed shadowsun in my home objective with his dominion squad in rhino with his scout move. I deployed fairly defensive but I have no idea that he can move so fast. I didn't use strategic reserves and had sunforges in deep strike but on my movement turn 2 there were no other models on table. What should I do, I need some help with list tuning and some tips about sisters in general. Maybe I should use strategic reserves more? Like leave only flamer suits, shadowsun and stealth on board and other units put in strategic reserves/ deep strike when going second? Also he had Exorcist with really scary inderect weapon that just popped my broasides and I cant even do anything about it because it was in his deployment zone. Maybe another detachment, another units... help much needed. Thanks all in advance and I will attach mine and his lists
Tau 1600 RetCadre (1630 points)
T’au Empire
Strike Force (2000 points)
Retaliation Cadre
CHARACTERS
Cadre Fireblade (50 points)
• 1x Close combat weapon
1x Fireblade pulse rifle
1x Gun Drone
1x Shield Drone
Commander Farsight (105 points)
• 1x Dawn Blade
1x High-intensity plasma rifle
Commander Shadowsun (100 points)
• Warlord
• 1x Advanced Guardian Drone
1x Battlesuit fists
1x Command-link Drone (Aura)
1x Flechette launcher
2x High-energy fusion blaster
1x Light missile pod
1x Pulse pistol
Commander in Coldstar Battlesuit (130 points)
• 1x Battlesuit fists
2x Shield Drone
1x T’au flamer
3x T’au flamer
• Enhancement: Internal Grenade Racks
Commander in Enforcer Battlesuit (110 points)
• 1x Battlesuit fists
1x Fusion blaster
3x Fusion blaster
2x Shield Drone
• Enhancement: Starflare Ignition System
BATTLELINE
Breacher Team (100 points)
• 1x Support turret
• 1x Breacher Fire Warrior Shas’ui
• 1x Close combat weapon
1x Guardian Drone
1x Gun Drone
1x Pulse blaster
1x Pulse pistol
• 9x Breacher Fire Warrior
• 9x Close combat weapon
9x Pulse blaster
9x Pulse pistol
DEDICATED TRANSPORTS
Devilfish (85 points)
• 1x Accelerator burst cannon
1x Armoured hull
2x Seeker missile
2x Twin pulse carbine
OTHER DATASHEETS
Broadside Battlesuits (220 points)
• 1x Broadside Shas’vre
• 1x Crushing bulk
1x Heavy rail rifle
2x Missile Drone
1x Seeker missile
1x Twin smart missile system
• 1x Broadside Shas’ui
• 1x Crushing bulk
1x Heavy rail rifle
2x Missile Drone
1x Seeker missile
1x Twin smart missile system
Crisis Starscythe Battlesuits (130 points)
• 1x Crisis Starscythe Shas’vre
• 1x Battlesuit fists
1x Gun Drone
1x Shield Drone
1x T’au flamer
1x T’au flamer
• 2x Crisis Starscythe Shas’ui
• 2x Battlesuit fists
2x Gun Drone
2x Shield Drone
4x T’au flamer
Crisis Starscythe Battlesuits (130 points)
• 1x Crisis Starscythe Shas’vre
• 1x Battlesuit fists
1x Gun Drone
1x Shield Drone
1x T’au flamer
1x T’au flamer
• 2x Crisis Starscythe Shas’ui
• 2x Battlesuit fists
2x Gun Drone
2x Shield Drone
4x T’au flamer
Crisis Sunforge Battlesuits (170 points)
• 1x Crisis Sunforge Shas’vre
• 1x Battlesuit fists
2x Fusion blaster
1x Gun Drone
1x Shield Drone
• 2x Crisis Sunforge Shas’ui
• 2x Battlesuit fists
4x Fusion blaster
2x Gun Drone
2x Shield Drone
Riptide Battlesuit (180 points)
• 1x Heavy burst cannon
1x Riptide fists
1x Twin plasma rifle
Stealth Battlesuits (60 points)
• 1x Stealth Shas’vre
• 1x Battlesuit Support System
1x Battlesuit fists
1x Fusion blaster
1x Homing Beacon
1x Marker Drone
1x Shield Drone
• 2x Stealth Shas’ui
• 2x Battlesuit fists
2x Burst cannon
Stealth Battlesuits (60 points)
• 1x Stealth Shas’vre
• 1x Battlesuit Support System
1x Battlesuit fists
1x Fusion blaster
1x Homing Beacon
1x Marker Drone
1x Shield Drone
• 2x Stealth Shas’ui
• 2x Battlesuit fists
2x Burst cannon
Screaming for vengeance
(1640 Points)
Adepta Sororitas
Hallowed Martyrs
Strike Force (2000 Points)
CHARACTERS
Canoness (70 Points)
• 1x Blessed blade
1x Inferno pistol
• Enhancements: Mantle of Ophelia
Hospitaller (45 Points)
• 1x Bolt pistol
1x Chirurgeon’s tools
• Enhancements: Saintly Example
Morvenn Vahl (145 Points)
• Warlord
• 1x Fidelis
1x Lance of Illumination
1x Paragon missile launcher
Palatine (75 Points)
• 1x Palatine blade
1x Plasma pistol
• Enhancements: Blade of Saint Ellynor
Saint Celestine (135 Points)
• 1x Celestine
• 1x The Ardent Blade
• 2x Geminae Superia
• 2x Bolt pistol
2x Power weapon
BATTLELINE
Battle Sisters Squad (100 Points)
• 1x Sister Superior
• 1x Bolt pistol
1x Boltgun
1x Close combat weapon
• 9x Battle Sister
• 9x Bolt pistol
7x Boltgun
9x Close combat weapon
1x Ministorum flamer
1x Ministorum flamer
1x Simulacrum Imperialis
Battle Sisters Squad (100 Points)
• 1x Sister Superior
• 1x Bolt pistol
1x Close combat weapon
1x Inferno pistol
1x Power weapon
• 9x Battle Sister
• 9x Bolt pistol
7x Boltgun
9x Close combat weapon
1x Meltagun
1x Meltagun
1x Simulacrum Imperialis
DEDICATED TRANSPORTS
Immolator (115 Points)
• 1x Armoured tracks
1x Heavy bolter
1x Hunter-killer missile
1x Twin multi-melta
Sororitas Rhino (75 Points)
• 1x Armoured tracks
1x Hunter-killer missile
1x Storm bolter
OTHER DATASHEETS
Dominion Squad (110 Points)
• 1x Dominion Superior
• 1x Bolt pistol
1x Close combat weapon
1x Inferno pistol
• 9x Dominion
• 9x Bolt pistol
5x Boltgun
9x Close combat weapon
4x Meltagun
1x Simulacrum Imperialis
Exorcist (180 Points)
• 1x Armoured tracks
1x Exorcist missile launcher
1x Heavy bolter
1x Hunter-killer missile
Paragon Warsuits (170 Points)
• 1x Paragon Superior
• 1x Bolt pistol
1x Multi-melta
1x Paragon grenade launchers
1x Paragon war mace
• 2x Paragon
• 2x Bolt pistol
2x Multi-melta
2x Paragon grenade launchers
2x Paragon war mace
Penitent Engines (55 Points)
• 1x Penitent buzz-blade
1x Penitent flail
1x Penitent flamers
Retributor Squad (105 Points)
• 1x Retributor Superior
• 1x Bolt pistol
1x Close combat weapon
1x Inferno pistol
• 4x Retributor
• 4x Bolt pistol
4x Close combat weapon
4x Multi-melta
Zephyrim Squad (60 Points)
• 1x Zephyrim Superior
• 1x Plasma pistol
1x Power weapon
1x Sacred Banner
• 4x Zephyrim
• 4x Bolt pistol
4x Power weapon
ALLIED UNITS
Callidus Assassin (100 Points)
• 1x Neural shredder
1x Phase sword and poison blades

Platform(s): Mobile, presumably Android.
Genre: Racing.
Estimated year of release: Early 2010's, probably before 2017.
Graphics/art style: Pretty stylized. Not sure if semi-real or cartoonish. Industrial sci-fi aesthetics.
Notable characters: A cheerful robot companion with a driving helmet and a mustache who helped the player through the tutorial and gave helpful hints about every level.
Notable gameplay mechanics:

• Go from point A to Point B type tracks mostly.
• No opponents. It was only you vs. the treacherous tracks and the clock.
• There were blue laser "barriers" that gave you a speed boost whenever you crossed them. As well as some obstacles to avoid.
• Don't fall from the track! The tracks had holes in them and oftentimes there were no barriers on the sides.

Other details:
Player's vehicle was a mix between a dune buggy and a SUV, painted orange with dark grey. I think that was the only vehicle you had.
Tracks were beige-colored metal and concrete structures mysteriously suspended in the air, surrounded by a slightly surrealistic city landscape.
The player car always started in a small sloped platform at the start of the level.
I remember once I was struggling with a particularly hard level, and the robo-buddy's tip was: "Steering (or drifting) with the rear!" No effing idea what he meant. AFAIK my vehicle steered only with the front wheels like most cars do.
It may seem my description resembles Jet Car Stunts, but I've played that one as well and no, it definitely isn't. The player vehicle doesn't have a jet engine strapped on it's back. And definitely didn't look very aerodynamic. Oh, and JCS didn't have a robot buddy.

Okay Ive done a little bit of research on this topic, as I'm about to start potty training my son. I have the gist like maybe having him in no underwear and letting him sit on the toilet at first, etc etc. But do I keep him in pull ups at night? Or diapers? Are pull ups and diapers the same thing? What does a potty schedule look like, meaning u wake up take the pull up off and go to the toilet? Please this is my first born I have no idea how to go about this or what's the most effective way. Ive seen people say how they were able to do it in 3 days (not leaving the house in 3 days) what if I need to leave the house? I'm just so overwhelmed, and I see people recommending books to read, I truly do not have the time to do this as I have a toddler I need to potty train and a 5 month baby that needs attention as well.
Anyways, all tips and tricks will be appreciated. If anyone can share their experiences or share their stories, that will be appreciated too. Thank you!

Any ideas for a Sith droid Bd-1? I’ve gotten the perfect cal, lightsaber and blaster, but I can’t do BD justice. Any tips are appreciated

I see a lot of the posts in Entrepreneur relate to the ideation and development phase of entrepreneurship.
In my experience, ideation and development is the easiest (and most fun) part.
The hard part is selling your product, sustaining sales and growing profitable revenue.
To do that, you need to tell the story of how your product helps people. For that you need effective copywriting.
Halbert-style bullet copy refers to a technique in copywriting named after Gary Halbert, a legendary copywriter known for his persuasive and effective marketing writing. This style focuses on crafting compelling bullet points that grab attention, build interest, and persuade the reader to take action.
Here's an example of copy I wrote this morning in about 5' for my own business of helping 45-60 year old people transform their expertise into entrepreneuship. I think you get the idea. Try it - I'd love to see what you're working on!

• Discover the Simple Trick to become an entrepreneur Without quitting your job – Learn how you can build a side business effortlessly with this one surprising technique.
  
• Unlock the Secrets to Permanent Wealth – Find out how to get on the revenue growth path for good with our expert tips and strategies.
  
• Boost Your Business Instantly – Discover tools and exercises that supercharge your side business and accelerate sales
  
• Achieve Your Dream Business in Just Weeks – Get a step-by-step plan to transform your expertise into entrepreneurship quickly and effectively.
  
• Enjoy Effective, Healthy Patterns – Access a collection of effective design patterns that make building your side business enjoyable and sustainable.
  

Visiting for fun — give me your best ideas to do as a tourist. I like walking, breweries, cocktails, museums, dispensaries, unique finds and thrift stores/vintage items. Tips on your public transportation also welcomed! Staying close to the airport. Thank you!

My party killed Nezznar, and it was too easy. 27 HP, are you kidding me? No immunities, no resistances? The big bad final boss they were hearing all about all this time? One party member literally went to the bathroom at the beginning of the combat, and when she came back, Nezznar was already dead. I tried to give him more hit points during the battle, but then the wizard cast Fireball, and I thought, Nezznar has to die on this. Then I tried to make a Doppleganger as another big baddie, maybe to foreshadow the next Villain group, but nobody cared about him. Nezznar was the boss, and he died too easily.
Besides the mistake of not researching and fixing the boss prior, I admit the biggest mistake during the game was letting the party do a long rest before the boss battle. NEVER DO THAT! All the prior combats have to beat the party good, so they would be weaker, and so they could be more stressed and triumphant when they kill the boss.
We'll continue with The Shattered Obelisk, and I'm thinking about how to hype the party once again. Maybe even use Nezznar's easy death as a setup for a narrative point. Maybe someone has any ideas? And also, does anyone have any tips for later encounters that I should see and fix beforehand?

We adopted a stray cat, as in literal na napulot lang sa Cartimar, and months old lang siya. Probably 4 months. Hilig niya mangagat, and everytime maglalakad kami sa bahay galit na galit siya sa paa namin. Auto talon at kagat ganon. Haha. I know part to ng energy ng kittens, but any tips para matigil niya to? We have 3 other cats na dumaan din naman sa pagkakitten but never sila tumagal ng ganto sa pangangagat na habit. So wala ko idea how to address it. Any tips para effective na masaway siya or maless yung biting and pagscratch niya?

Hey everyone!
After watching Zealand and others for the guts of 2 years i finally got in a good enough position to buy fm and a gaming laptop.
I know people use datapacks and skins, im a complete novice so i thought id ask you all some reccomendations or even some vids to watch when i finish work.
Also some good save ideas and general tips for noobs And i will be rewatching his vids aswell but i tjought it would be good to hear from you guys aswell!

I finally got my results and I passed both my written and skills exam! I'm trying to find jobs right now and most are at nursing homes, and I'd ideally prefer working at a hospital but most hospitals require some form of experience whether it's 6 months to a year. Any tips or ideas on what I should do? I'm also hoping to find a per diem/prn schedule so I can balance both school (in hs about to be in college in the summer) and working lol. I'm in socal btw
edit: I'm thinking of applying at the place I did my clinicals at because I think I really enjoyed the pace and work environment in general with pretty good pay. It's at 21 something per hour, but I think they add an extra dollar if you work weekends, and they always need staff for weekends. Also debating on what shift to choose, because they mainly need night shift, but I've never experienced handling that many residents by myself and morning shift seems like a good option for now. (just hoping they hire me as part-time or per diem)

I’m very new to writing in general and noticed after writing the first chapter of my first fic that it has some problems.
For one it starts with the common start of the main character waking up with some ominous voice in his dream.
Second is that the whole first chapter has just been about him leaving home, along wish his background.
Third (not sure if this one is a problem or not) i haven’t even introduced the main Pokemon yet, I was planning on that being in the next chapter as he starts his journey but am not sure if that’s a good idea.
Do you guys have any quick tips of what I can do about these problems so i don’t make the same mistake again. (Already planning on rewriting it because of the second problem.)
Thanks!

Im looking for suggestions help and tips regarding the following situation. I live in a large city in which I dont feel comfortable investing in and using an expensive bike (for me thats something i spent more than 500euro on) due to my last bike being stolen. Lately Ive had the urge to go out and bike alot and i only have a shitty gifted replacement bike which I couldnt use for long.
Ive been playing with the idea of building my own budget Gravel type bike out of an old racing bike or something so that i can commute in the city but also take it out into the countryside.
​
The components i place value on are the following:

• drop bars (many hand positions)
• relatively light (last bike was a heavy mountain bike so anything ligther than that suffices)
• somewhat wider grippy tires
• the capability to climb hills (lots of hills in my country)
• disc brakes(there are more like a bonus, i love them but theyre not a necessity because its not realistic that i get them for cheap

​
i have pretty limited bike knowledge but im pretty handy and love these kinds of projects, so id use youtube and bike forums for anything i could do myself and bike shops for bigger things, but im mainly looking for something thats already rideable so i can tweak it to my preferences.
Does anybody have suggestins on which kinds of bikes to look for, what might be good for this kind of build. Or if theres any bikes out there that might already fit the description out of the box.
So far ive been looking at old austrian Puch bikes but their age and the gears might pose a problem regarding hills and changing the tires
Thanks in advance for any help or opinions you might be able to offer me!!
​

It's kind of complicated bc it's more than the title, honestly. I'm in a server where we do apocalypse rps, and such, and I've been rping in it for almost two years. Everytime I roleplay though I tend to get forgotten about, a lot. Like I could be roleplaying right there and they forget, or I ask a question so I could know and they ignore the question completely.
Then there's only two females in there, me and my other friend we'll call flower. They really like roleplaying with flower but tends to ignore me, and it hurts bc it feels like I'm excluded a lot of the time. I have my assumptions too though, I think the reason they enjoy roleplaying with flower is because she can do erp. I don't do erp because my bf sees it as cheating and I timeskip to respect my bfs wishes. In the vent channel flower will vent about anything, any small things like stubbing her toe and so many people will come to ask her if she's okie etc. then she complains about no one being there for her, even though I try and text her to let her know I'm there. Then she ignores me completely! Which honestly hurts a lot because I want to be there for her.
In a way though me getting hurt isn't as much as a concern as other people. I blacked out and face planted the wall, and told them I would be slow bc I blacked out and face planted. All I got was a skull emoji, and ignored as they continued to rp without me. Which also hurts a lot.
It also kind of upsets me because flower was complaining to me and her bf in VC that this one guy is obsessed ( well call him cheese) with her and she doesn't understand why he keeps acting like her bf when they aren't dating. Which is weird because she erps with cheese A LOT, and he's single and she's pretty. Honestly I'm more than positive that her bf has no idea that she is erping and such. part of it is because of their insecurities of their relationship, as well as she accused my friend of cheating on her husband because my friend was talking to my other dude friend.
In the server I'm more than positive that most of the people are straight up against me. Like I said that a plague hasnt past through the main group of the server yet. It would be interesting to see them try and overcome a plague all together in a way and build closer relationships. Cheese immediately replied with "no, not happening, I don't want to deal with this. It always feels like you're trying to start something."
Cheese also tends to godmod and metagame a lot and I call it out which I think it why I think he doesn't want to rp with me or ignores me. Same with another. It's also frustrating because my rolls are neglected a lot. A guy I rped with earlier (water), rolled a 17 on intimidation. I rolled a 23 with a nat 20. And he immediately said "she gets a little scared", even though I rolled over??
This sounds a bit far fetched, but I genuinely think that I'm also just a boring roleplayer. I try my hardest to make my roleplays interesting, I put so much detail in as much as I can, I try to read everything even sometimes over if I can't understand, I ask questions when I don't understand, I do my best to put in character development. And I'm still not good enough.
It hurts more because when me and flower are in VC, she's allowed to rant about everyone in the server as much as she wants, and the one time I said "I can't believe what cheese did" she got so incredibly annoyed and deafened to not listen to me rant about him. I thought I was being dramatic but my other two friends agreed that they had noticed it too and thought it was unfair to me how she treats me a lot of the time.
It hurts as well because I'm pretty sure she'll only RP with me if I roleplay a guy. Won't engage with most of my female OCS at all, or when we do she responds little to none but continues with other people. The one time I played a guy, she was SO engaged in our roleplay, to thebpoint almost everytime we were in vc she would constantly ask for me to reply to that roleplay, none stop. To the point I became uncomfortable because I was roleplay ing a guy, and she only wanted to roleplsy with me just because I was a guy in the RP. I finally told her I was didn't want to continue the rp with me as the guy and she ignored me completely and wouldn't respond to me for a long time. And now it's back to not roleplayin with me in general. It confuses me though, why am I much more interesting to roleplay as a guy, than my female OCS? I did little test and roleplayed the guy as if he wasone of my female OCS, so the personality and roleplay aspect didn't change. Just my OCS gender.
I've left this server before because of how much my chest hurts from being neglected and ignored. Cheese begged me to come back. Came back. Build more friendships. Was neglected again. Left. Asked for another chance. Came back. Stressed because the neglect ramped up a lot and caused me to have multiple breakdowns. Then I became afraid of staying gone because I've grown really attached to my OCS that have stories going on inside the server as well as water asked me to come back. Came back, and now I'm terrified of leaving again because I don't want all that work to go to waste, but at the same time I'm soooo tired of being ignored and neglected. I dont know what to do. I'm just so tired of being hurt, but at the same time I'm so addicted and attached.
There's much more but this post is already so long and I've been wanting to get this out so badly but have no one to listen to me. And in a way I feel. Dramatic? Annoying? Boring? And it's put me into such an existential crisis. I want to do other rps, but it's so hard to find a good server that is alive, or flexible, or will respond to rp pings this also flexible on dark story lines. And I kind of found it in this one, but the only thing that sucks is how much worst it makes my loneliness. And it hurts so much. Please be honest, if you guys think I'm being dramatic, please tell me. I just feel so alone, and I'm so tired of it. If you guysbhave any writing tips that make me more interesting in RP, so I don't have to go to erp to be interesting. I could really use it. Thank you for reading this if you did.

I've been reading on a lot about registering a business name and I think we need to make a clarification. Some people think that registering a business is not the same as registering a business name, but in fact, it's one and the same thing.
Here's a short guide on how to register a business name just to clear this misconception.

1. Brainstorm & Check Availability:

• Think catchy, relevant, and easy to remember.
• Most states have a business name search tool online. Use it to see if your desired name is available. Pro tip: Check domain name availability too for a cohesive online presence.

1. Consider Business Structure:

• This might affect your naming options. For example, "LLC" or "Inc." might need to be included in the name depending on your chosen structure. Northwest Registered Agent can help you get your LLC registration started wit ease.

1. Business Name Registration:

• Once you have a winner, file a DBA (Doing Business As) form with your state. This lets everyone know the official name behind your business operations. Costs vary by state, but it's usually pretty affordable.

Additional Tips:

• Keep it unique: Avoid names too similar to existing businesses to avoid trademark issues.
• Think long-term: Will the name still work as your business grows?
• Get feedback: Run your ideas by friends, family, or potential customers for a fresh perspective.

If you need help you can visit:

• State Websites: Most state governments have comprehensive resources on business name registration.
• Northwest Registered Agent: They offer helpful info on their website and can even handle the DBA filing process for a fee.

Last night, when I was home alone, a hand reached out from under the couch and grabbed me.
Nobody was there to see it, and nobody that I’ve told believes me, but it definitely happened. It’s not the kind of thing you can just imagine, and I’m sure now that it wasn’t a dream.
I was watching TV when it happened. The remote fell under the couch and I started fishing around for it without really looking, not wanting to get up from my seat. I brushed it with the tips of my fingers and it slid further underneath.
I was super annoyed— I had to get down on my knees to reach it. I finally found the remote, and that’s when it grabbed me.
As I pulled the remote out into the light, a hand shot up from under the couch and wrapped its fingers around my wrist.
I was able to yank myself away quickly. It didn’t hold on tight— just enough that I felt a little resistance. I jumped to my feet, obviously terrified.
I didn’t scream or anything. I was honestly too scared to even make a sound. My heart was beating so fast that my ears started to ring. The TV was still going, commercials droning on while I tried to process what had just happened.
The hand had only come out about a foot from under the couch. It had an arm attached to it, though I wasn’t able to see past its elbow, and it slinked back below the couch as soon as I pulled myself free from its grasp.
It didn’t hurt, and it didn’t leave any sort of bruise or mark or anything on my wrist, but I definitely felt it, and I definitely saw it.
All I could do was stare at the spot where the hand had appeared. I stood there for what felt like an eternity, until I heard the unmistakable sound of footsteps right outside my front door.
I live in a second-story apartment. It’s a pretty cramped place and a pretty old building, so whenever someone comes over I can usually hear footsteps from the moment they enter the building downstairs.
I guess I was so freaked out by the hand that I didn’t even notice someone was outside until they were already opening the door.
My roommate walked in on quite a scene. She immediately registered how off the vibe was. I could see it on her face.
She found me standing upright in the middle of our living room, TV remote in hand, facing away from the screen while Full House’s laugh track filled the air. I’m sure I’d think it was odd too.
“Hey…” she said, shifting a paper bag full of groceries in her arm while she pocketed her keys, “You good?”
I felt like I was caught with my pants down, but just seeing a familiar face brought some of the blood back to my fingers.
“N—yeah,” I stuttered. I came back online, and flicked the TV off.
I felt her eyes on me as she walked over to the kitchen. There’s no wall or anything dividing the two rooms. Like I said, the place is pretty cramped.
She started putting her groceries away as if everything was normal, but I could tell she wanted to ask what was up.
I kept looking back and forth between her and the couch. I can’t explain it, but I already knew that if I looked under there, I wouldn’t find any trace of whoever (or whatever) grabbed me.
As she started loading up the fridge, I dropped to my hands and knees once again. Without taking even a second to ready myself, I brought my head down to the ground and looked under the couch.
Nothing.
Pretty much what I expected. There was barely enough room for me to squeeze my arm under there for the remote. No way a whole person could fit beneath that thing, and even if they could, there’s no way I wouldn’t have seen them or heard them or something before they grabbed me.
“Seriously, what’s up?”
I looked up to see my roommate standing right behind me, arms crossed, clearly concerned.
I knew I was acting strange, and I knew that nothing I would come up with in the next five seconds could possibly excuse my behavior. I made a judgement call, honestly not really caring about how it would be received.
“I uh… something grabbed me earlier.”
“What?”
“Under the couch. I dropped the remote, and when I picked it up, a hand reached out from under the couch and grabbed me.”
Took her a second to respond.
“What the fuck are you talking about?”
“That’s it. A hand reached out and grabbed me by the wrist. It happened like a minute before you got here.”
That part might have been a lie. I actually have no idea how long I had been standing in the middle of the room before she showed up.
“Wait so like someone broke in?”
“No. It’s just like I said. A hand reached out, grabbed me, and then it was gone.”
She just kinda looked at me for a while. I don’t blame her, but it’s not like there was any way for me to sugarcoat it.
“Are you sure?”
“What do you mean ‘am I sure?’ Yes, yes I’m fucking sure!”
My voice broke a little when I said that. I was still down on my knees, like I was praying for her to believe me.
“Okay well obviously that didn’t happen Sam.”I let out a desperate laugh and threw my hands up in the air. I slapped them down on my thighs dramatically and shook my head in exasperation.
“Yeah obviously it sounds fucking crazy but you asked what happened and that’s what happened. I don’t know how else to describe it. I’m just being honest.”
I pulled myself up to my feet and walked around to the armrest of the couch. She kept studying me, probably thinking this was all a prank or something.
“What are you doing?” She asked, arms still glued across her chest.
“I’m checking under the couch.”
I pushed one end of the couch away from the wall. It was pretty heavy, and the coffee table stopped me from moving it too far. I dragged the coffee table towards the TV to free up some space.
My roommate started staring at the spot I was clearing as if she expected to see something there too.
I went back over to the armrest.
“Can you help me?”
She snapped out of her trance and silently went to grab the other side. We pulled the couch away from the wall, revealing a thick rectangle of dust that had not seen the light of day since we moved in a year ago.
I dropped to my knees once more and began wiping away the grime with my bare hands. There was nothing but the floorboards beneath it. No surprise.
I sat there for a second, eyes darting around the floor. No fingerprints in the dust, no scratches or marks or anything. I felt the tension in the room dissipate as my roommate found her voice again.
“I think you must have imagined it.”
I didn’t. There’s no way.
“Dude, no. I felt it and I saw it. Clear as day. It was a hand, and it grabbed me. That’s not the sort of thing you can just imagine.”
She scoffed, any fear left in her giving way to frustration.
“Whatever. This is fucking stupid. I’m going to bed.”
She stomped off towards her room.
“Wait.”
She spun on her heels as I stood up, probably expecting me to tell her I was joking about the whole thing.
“Can you help me flip the couch over?”
She rolled her eyes.
“Sure. But I’m not helping you put it back.”
She helped me lift the couch off of its legs and tilt it onto its front cushions, exposing the fabric underneath. She disappeared into her room and I went to work studying the underside of the sofa.
There was a zipper lining the bottom, but I found nothing inside when I opened it up. Just a hollow wooden frame and a bunch of crumbs.
I sat back against the wall, more tired than scared at that point.
I can’t believe she thinks I’m making this up. Why would I even do that? What purpose would it serve?
As I solemnly went about rebuilding our living room, I decided that the next day (today) I was gonna take off work, wait for her to leave, and really get to the bottom of this.
I didn’t sleep at all last night. Every nook and cranny of my room felt like a door left wide open, with something sinister waiting on the other side.
What if the hand comes back? What if it wants to hurt me next time? How can I even protect myself?
After like ten restless minutes in bed, I decided to move to the floor. I couldn’t help it. I kept imagining the hand reaching up from under the bed and grabbing me again.
I made a makeshift sleeping bag out of my comforter and some pillows, and I laid on my side so I could keep an eye on the underside of my bedframe while I slept. Maybe “slept” isn’t the right word. Even down there, I couldn’t bring myself to close my eyes for longer than a minute.
Eventually sunlight began to peek through the blinds, and I heard some movement within the apartment. My roommate was finally up. I heard the front door close, and it was time to get to work.
I nearly threw my back out yanking the couch away from the wall to reveal the floorboards underneath. They aren’t real floorboards, just the kind of cheap-o fake shit they put in crappy houses to make them look more modern. Our whole apartment is like that— a thin coat of paint slapped over an old building from the 40s or whatever.
My dad actually owns this building. He lets me and my roommate stay here as long as we pay him $500 a month, which is way cheaper than most places in my area.
It’s not really an apartment building to be honest. You can tell it used to be a family home before some realtor swooped in and broke it up into apartments. There are a lot of those around here.
Anyway, the fake wood came up easy. It was only about a quarter inch thick. I was able to pull up the first plank by hammering a kitchen knife into a slit between the boards, and then I peeled a few more away by hand.
After prying away about a dozen of these fake floorboards, I started to realize that I wasn’t going to find anything without making a significantly larger dent. Right beneath the thin layer of fake wood was a layer of very real, very thick wooden beams that seemed to span well beyond the hole I had managed to claw open.
My back crackled and popped as I sat back on my heels to admire my handiwork and contemplate where to go from there. I knew I would need a power saw or some kind of heavy duty tool to get any deeper, but I was afraid of two things:

1. That these beams were supporting the entire second floor of the building, and cutting through them would make the whole thing collapse
2. That going any deeper would lead me into the ceiling of the apartment below us, and whoever lives there would call my dad before I could see what I needed to see.

Regardless of the risks, I knew I had to keep going. I was certain that something was down there. Whatever grabbed me had to have left some sort of evidence.
I can’t stop thinking about that fucking hand.
I’m not supposed to have it, but my dad gave me a master key for the whole building in case of emergencies. He could really get in trouble if anyone found out, but if this isn’t an emergency then idk what is.
There’s a service shed around the back of the building, which has seen none of the love that the main building saw when it was renovated. Decades worth of rusty antiques and rotting furniture line the walls. A shiny, modern tool bench sits unnaturally in the middle of the chaos.
I rifled through all of that shit as fast as I could. I’m not really close with my dad all things considered, and I’m sure he’d be super pissed if he found me out there. He’s so secretive about random shit all the time, and he’s constantly dropping by the building unannounced.
I found the jigsaw under a pile of old newspapers and ran back upstairs.
I probably should have checked the driveway to see if anyone was home first, because the saw made so much noise. The cord barely reached from the outlet to the spot where the couch used to be, but as awkward as the angle was, I was still able to get it in there.
I went as small as possible with my first few cuts. I started with a single beam, cutting out a section about 6x6 inches wide. I slid the chunk of wood out, and, to my relief, didn’t immediately see the plaster that would be my downstairs neighbor’s ceiling.
A tuft of insulation stuck out where I made the hole. I didn’t know that stuff is made from fiberglass or whatever, and I got a really bad splinter when I went to yank it out.
I fished some leather gloves out of my roommate’s closet and got to work on the insulation. I pulled and pulled but couldn’t get a good enough grip to remove anything more than a few bits about the size of a tennis ball.
I went back in with the jigsaw, cutting bigger and bigger chunks until I had cleared a hole about two feet in diameter.
No sign that I was gonna bring the building down, that’s good.
I hacked away for hours. More wood came up, more insulation came up, and when I finally hit a fragile-looking layer of drywall, I knew the jig was up. That’s definitely my neighbor’s ceiling. Fuck.
My roommate and I got in a screaming match when she got home. I made a pretty big mess but I don’t really give a fuck honestly.
I don’t give a fuck if she believes me. I fucking hate that bitch. I told her if she tells my dad what I’m doing, I’ll bash her brains in with the hammer. That shut her up. She left with a bag full of her clothes like an hour later.
Tomorrow I’m going to wait for our downstairs neighbor to leave and start investigating from the bottom-up. If there wasn’t any evidence on the floor up here, there HAS to be something on the ceiling down there.
If I do find something, I’ll post again. I doubt anyone will even believe me, but at this point I just want everything written down somewhere accessible in case something bad happens.
There has to be something down there. Something grabbed me. And I’m going to find out what it is.