This is a long read sorry!
Hi, I (22F) literally just joined, I have been on reddit for a while now, I post here or there but I really need the grace that only reddit seems to have, kisses but you know it's true. So, I guess, I am screaming into the void, because the truth is I am so gutturally confused.
Like the title says- I have always fantasized of being a flower child, a changeling, of turning towards the corner of the yard, the woods beckoning me to run away, the gentleness of which the coyotes would pick my bones clean. My childhood felt like a house fire only I could see.
My father's nightcap of whiskey got less and less watered down as nights were uncomfortable to spend on the family room couch. The one that he fiercely protects, once threatening my friend who mistakenly lounged in his spot. My mother's love felt scarce, a luxury only my younger sister could afford. Between that and her ambition to become the first nurse and college graduate of both families, I was more of my father's daughter. My younger sister and I were doll-like children, meek and polite to the price of our own dignity and self. To give a brief snapshot of what it was like being raised by them \~ even though "I'm remembering it all wrong, or not at all" I will try to go in chronological order, but you can quickly see most of these were not isolated incidents and I jump around:
-daily spankings because of crying during daycare drop off (fair technique)
-tricking us out of the "broken" car, in the rain on a dirt road "get gas" and proceeded to speed past us laughing as we ran after his taillights in the mud, we were in another country, on a solo trip with just our dad, we were both elementary school age.
-In elementary school and 6th grade I lived in a sweatshirt because when I hit puberty. I pleaded to my mother how hard it was to hear my father's constant comments about my womanhood and new body. He started to compare me to a hooker around this time, calling me a slut for trying to wear what my friends wore to school- leggings, shorts shorter than the knee but not offensively short I promise, though I strongly feel as clothing does not mean consent.
-For as long as I can remember, he would take pictures of us when we looked embarrassed then show it to family, friends, whoever in conversation in front of us then scold us when we inevitably felt bad or asked him to stop. He would also promise to delete the photo but would continue the previously mentioned above.
-So far, I have just been harping on my father, but the truth is they are a match made in hell, and though I feel like my mother is a victim in her own way. It was very hard to exist without their constant horrible comments about my appearance and character. They both shamed skinny children to be thinner, critiqued my body through puberty, and felt entitled to touch my body when and how they wanted. Examples include my father's frequent ass grabbing, and then allowing his adult male friend to do the same.
-They both would ridicule me for working minimum wage jobs in high school, while my father funnels out of my sister and I's joint accounts, only when we confront him does he fess that he required the money we earned for ourselves for the "mortgage". He continues as well as set monetary account goals, right before trips or plans, he would always be surprised that we had managed to scrape together enough money. He expects me to find a place that will fire and schedule me on a winter vacation, or to amount 5k in less than 3 months, while paying for my own necessities, thank you for teaching me to live on frugality as a means of survival.
-The name calling I touched on, but I would be the first to come home from school, my father would take his lunch to come home and berate me verbally of how much of a loser I am and will continue to be. The verbal arguments were daily, I fully admit to yelling back but in truth I couldn't leave his spewing red face hurling threats, I had to stay glued in place until he had his fill.
-Another solo trip with my father and sister, my mother had cleaned my room while we were away and had found my treasures- vapes, two beers. I got pulled out of the running shower to be beaten on and off through the night whenever my father took a break from tv, my sister sob in the room with my father to stop and I sat on the couch until morning. We had a tourist excursion the next day and I got it again before we left because I was not to "ruining the rest of his vacation with my bad attitude"
-They locked away my childhood cat, sick with cancer, to die alone in the basement so she would ruin their floors with her incontinence. When she passed, they did not tell me, they buried her in the woods behind our house, I wish I could lay beside her, I'm sorry little one.
-My father would come home and yell at me for not having dinner ready for him, because when my mother worked late or was not home, the next one responsible for dinner was my younger sister or me.
-He physically corners us or refuses to let us leave. Threatened my life when I tried to leave the house during an argument.
-Put his hand through the door a couple of times because I “gave attitude” by responding with ok. Readers, please note I am capable of attitude, but this was not the case, I was scared, and I just wanted to give him whatever answer he wanted
-I'm a summer birthday, so for my big 21st I had my cousin, bf and sister have a pool party in my parents' pool. No one told me the plan all day. I was told to just relax by everyone, because normally I would be running around serving people or helping my parents. No one told me anything, so we played some games in the yard, had some wine coolers and then swam. My father flies outside and starts yelling at me from the side of the pool to get my ass out and blow out my candles because he needs to drive my cousin 20 minutes home each way. So, I blew out my candles, soaking wet staring daggers because my father has always managed to underplay or make me feel bad on my birthday too? Another grievance from my 21st birthday is that my father grilled frozen steaks, and I truly do not want to seem like a stuck-up princess, but he proceeded to buy 300$ of food from my favorite restaurant and his favorite food is steak not mine. Note his birthday is the next day following mine.
I may post in regard to the tribulation that was my childhood in this thread again, but it takes a lot out of me, and I have already had myself a day sorry. Now you're all caught up and I just want you to know-
I have long ruminated over my own words and actions; though I have many regrets I do not feel ashamed of my choices or who I am because I try to treat everyone with kindness and most importantly respectability. I know the lengths my immigrant parents have gone through to build themselves a life. I know the struggles my father had with his father, the alcoholic who raised him with cruelty reserved for not even a barn animal. I know that my mother lived in the shadows as a neglected middle child hoping to find someone who realized all her good in the way her parents did not. I can see and understand that I carry the same wounds, and now it is within my responsibility to be better.
So, my relationship with my parents is strained right now. I have been in low contact with my mother and father for nearly four years, with periods of better contact. We have tried therapy, though it's difficult as my mother uses this as an opportunity to explore her wounds rather than our history or relationship. Though the therapist was helpful in directing the conversation back, I believe that the work can only happen with the person wanting to actually work on themselves, so I feel like I am at a frustrating impasse.
Every time I feel like I can take out a brick between the wall I keep between us, my mother will say something that makes me build another layer. I try not to be sensitive, yet I know my mother likes to cut with her words, though she claims otherwise. In a recent conversation my mother admitted that my father and she spent a great effort in making sure my beauty did not go to my head and did this in order to keep me humble.
For context, my mother’s side of the family does not like my father, and this along with other childhood issues festering into adulthood drove a wedge between my mother and her younger brother. His recent divorce and my mother’s empty nest have given them much time and space to rekindle their sibling relationship. So on our already strained phone calls she hits me with these metaphors of her brother and her relationship to ours. Am I off for thinking that those are two very different relationships, yet both have.. Jealousy? Furthermore, I feel a looney because I am fighting to keep them in my life, and they are fighting to be right.? To be absolved of the guilt and shame that maybe they did do the wrong thing.?
What gives them the right? When we all have to lay away at night with our guilt you want me to hold yours? I want a mother and they want a guiltless soul
Truthfully, I do not know what kind of future lies ahead for us. I think I grieve having bullies instead of parents, of what I missed out on and who I could have been. Like I said I am low contact right now, but after a normal phone call talking about the weather and our pets today, I had an anxiety attack to the point I fought to stay conscious. This has not been the first time I have fainted due to anxiety, mostly surrounding situations that remind me of them or things they punished or did to me in the past. The day after I wished my father a happy birthday after a year of no contact, I got two pills of ativan to the face after a ER visit in which they thought my poor bf was trafficking me. Though this is maybe too much, I am always sweating, my sides literally pour, my hands shake, and I can string together a sentence if I try. I feel like a different person, a moist, meek person.. which is not me, I self tattoo and pierce, I can and have tackled an attacking dog and I have punched touchy men square in the nose. I’m tough because I fought tooth and nail to be kind and gentle, we rescued cats and recently a possum, and we let out spiders and bugs, so our cats don’t terrorize them.
Here’s the thing… we’re getting married!
We’re tying the knot in the woods at the end of May, but I feel like an asshole because I have not told my parents. They know we’re engaged.
My mother, in a recent phone call, told me of this travel nurse that she had gotten close to, that was getting married soon, and invited my mother to go dress shopping with her. My mother told me how sad this girl felt that her family was all the way across the country, coincidently much like we are. This felt like she was guilting me, but she went so far as to send me a picture of a couple, I didn’t verify who it actually was.
Another issue is I am dealing with the guilt of getting a ring and bands elsewhere. My father is a high-end jeweler whose work has been showcased by celebs, my whole life I heard that my father was going to design and make my engagement ring. After long consideration, we picked out a ring from Madrid that felt more like me. When I look at my wedding rings I want to think of my husband not my father. I am more than happy with anything else, rings for other occasions, but it makes my skin crawl and my stomach curling because part of me feels as if it's more of a collar than a ring then.
My mother wants to meet over memorial weekend, she wants me to fly out a day to visit before I’m getting married.
I do not know if I should facetime them and break the news before, after or invite them. It’s already last minute so airfare will be expensive, but I know they are going to be so heartbroken. Part of me does not want them there either because I have felt alone my whole life, I figured I would do my wedding the same way, though it's hard because my fiancé's family will be there, and I will have no one. I wish I could hire a friend... lol typed that with a tear in my eye that's ironic.
Suggestions please

So our artificer "found" this magical bowl that can summon a Marid. Initially I proposed we use a wish to free and return it to a place of its choice, but it told us it will be freed once we use up the wishes anyway, so that's that. GM said it can replicate the effect of a fifth level spell or lower, and isn't strong enough for anything beyond that, but it might also be able to provide boons of that strength level. We already used one to teleport to safety since she revealed the bowl when we just escaped from jail.
Now, the campaign is very sandbox-y, so most things go. There's a few ideas, such as reincarnating the posessed Dhampir's vampire to kill it, wishing for money or items, giving everyone some weaker spells if possible, or making a damn spelljammer, with the idea being that there's no way for us to otherwise get such power. Also, flying ship for free Woohoo!
That aside, I'm sure there's a lot of potential. Just gathering suggestions for now, it's the artificer's bowl after all, but items or buffs for singular characters would probably be kind of meh considering the power we could access. I'm not that creative unfortunately, so...any thoughts?

Hiii maybe this is stupid but I'm trying to order a keychain from line friends and the express shipping is automatically turned on. I was looking on the linefriends website and it says theres 3 shipping options, free, standard and express. It's originally $18 and shoots up to $44. I don't know if I just didn't read enough into it but I can't figure out a way to change it, (if you can at least) can anybody help? Does it have to do with me being in California or something?

I’m traveling in my car and am looking for cool and unique places to stop along the way. I am traveling from Seattle to the Oregon coast, then down the coast to Southern California. I am a down to earth young hippy stoner (I sound like an idiot with that description haha) and am looking for some kinda fitting things: funky coffee shops, crazy natural wonders, good music/concerts, unique bars, locals only places, mind blowing art, wild hikes and views, hot springs, culture, abandoned places, hot spots, cool smoke spots, hidden shit, plant shops/gardens, bouldering, yoga, etc. thank you so much for sharing!

“What do you mean it’s wrong?” said Tamara, becoming frustrated with Samuel.
“I'm trying to tell you that plants do not eat earth. They just absorb nutrients from it,” Samuel replied, equally annoyed as this was the fourth time he had explained it. “Look, just take my word for it, OK,” he added.
“Fine, but you will have to explain it again,” Tamara retorted.
Samuel and Tamara were partners in a scientific study of their forest home. It was genuinely idyllic in every sense of the word; the trees stretched high into the sky, and everyone was covered in succulent leaves, a deep and gorgeous shade of green. Around their trunks were rings of flowers gathered from every continent, and a thick carpet of grass lay on the ground.
The two sat underneath a chestnut tree, writing up their findings for the day. It had focused mainly on tree sizes and growth rates, and they had continued this study for, on and off, almost a year.
Samuel turned to look at his assistant and found that she was just as remarkable as the day they had first met: golden locks, like living sunlight, tied neatly in a bun. Her eyes were an emerald green, and all in all, she was gorgeous. However, it was when you came to her waist that things became truly incredible because rather than a pair of legs, there was a long and wide snake’s tail.
It was huge, at least seven metres long and as wide as her torso. The scales were the same beautiful colour as her hair and reflected the sunlight in such a way that she appeared to glow. She was wearing an ultramarine tunic with a black diamond in the centre. She was like this not because of a plague, a curse or some mutation; Tamara was a Lamia; it was how she was born.
Samuel, on the other hand, looked far less impressive. He was around five foot ten, with dull brown hair and equally dull eyes. His stomach stuck out from the rest of him. No amount of exercise was able to get rid of it.
He was by every description a ‘dull as dishwater’ human. His clothes, however, were slightly more interesting. He wore a navy blue tunic with a thick leather belt wrapped around his waist. On his feet was a pair of excellent leather boots, able to withstand whatever the world threw at them and on his forearms and shins, he wore something Tamara had never seen or even heard of before: a pair of vambraces and greaves, Samuel called it armour.
Three strips of rugged leather layered on top of one another made up each piece, and between each layer was a collection of tiny metal beads. When Tamara asked what they were for, Samuel said they were for protection.
All of this would have been inconceivable to Samuel two years ago, but he had become used to it in time. Samuel was not born into this world; he had arrived. How? He did not know, but he remembered it all vividly; his senses had been overloaded, and at first, he believed he had died.
“What’s wrong?” Tamara asked Samuel, who had been silent for over a minute.
Samuel snapped out of his daydream and said: “nothing, just thinking about that day again.”
Tamara nodded and said nothing else; she knew exactly what was wrong.
Samuel went straight back to writing. When Samuel first showed up, there had been no paper or pens, but what was even stranger than the lack of these apparent necessities was that Samuel had had to invent both of these items.
Tamara and those like her did not possess a written language; they relied entirely on their memories, and until Samuel had shown up, Tamara had not even conceived of the notion, but she had picked it up astonishingly quickly.
“It still sounds like eating to me,” said Tamara, bringing the conversation back to the original topic.
“Well, it isn’t; eating requires a mouth and stomach,” Samuel replied.
“Says who?” Tamara asked defiantly.
“Says me,” Samuel answered.
Samuel jotted down the last of his notes and left the pages to dry in the sun. Samuel then turned to his right and looked at a large book, the size of a chair’s seat, bound in yellow leather and knotted by animal tendons. He picked it up and began to leaf through the pages.
His eyes glanced over paragraphs about oak trees and orchid flowers until he finally reached the section he sought; the page was titled Silver Birch (Betula Pendula).
“Have you finished the drawing on Silver Birch yet?” Samuel asked without looking.
Tamara was currently focused on a drawing of sunflowers, but she understood his request and, without looking up or saying a word, handed him the picture he wanted.
Samuel took the drawing and took several moments admiring it. Like all her work, the picture was astounding; not only did it look like an actual Silver Birch, but it also seemed to be alive, as though it would start blowing in the breeze.
Samuel punched four holes along the sheet's left side, undid the tendon strings and then attached the drawing behind the title page. He added eight more pages to his book, four of text and four illustrations.
Their work was now done; there was no more writing or drawing today, and he placed their work into a knapsack Tamara had brought with her. Samuel turned to his partner and asked: “so what do you want to do now?”
Tamara looked up through the canopy and could make out the silhouettes of several birds and finally said: “I’d quite like to fly.”
Samuel smiled, chuckled and said, “Yes, so would I, but that would require every member of the village working together for decades.”
Tamara looked Samuel in the eye and said: “are you making fun of me?”
Samuel did not reply; he just looked Tamara dead in the eye. She observed every minute twitch on Samuel's face and concluded he was not.
“How could a person fly?” She asked, suddenly intrigued.
“I don’t know, I’m not an engineer,” Samuel answered, “So apart from flying, what else do you want to do?”
Tamara let out a sigh and said: “I guess we will just have to walk.”
These were the moments Samuel lived for, just a quiet afternoon with his best friend enjoying a stroll; he was utterly content.
“You seem chipper,” Tamara said, noticing the growing smile on Samuel’s face.
“That’s because I feel chipper” he replied
They passed through the trees, heading towards their favourite spot, a beach by the side of a lake so large you could not see the other side.
“So, how is everyone?” Samuel said, trying to spark a conversation.
“You mean every single one because that could take a while?” Tamara replied.
“Let’s start with your mother” he clarified.
Tamara’s mother, Pancha, was more or less just a larger version of her daughter, just as brash and headstrong.
“She’s fine; she has finally stopped asking me what happened every time I come to meet you,” she said.
“Really, and it only took her two and a half years,” said Samuel with a smirk.
Yes, that first year here, had been a real trial. Samuel had never felt so scared, isolated and persecuted in his life. When he thought about it, he could still feel the fear and the hopelessness.
A gust of air slammed into Samuel’s face, bringing him back to the present, and what a wonderful time it was. The water was crystal clear, the beach was covered in sparkling white sand, and the distinct aroma of water wafted through the air. Samuel breathed it all in as Tamara spread herself over the beach.
The cooling breeze that Samuel found so enjoyable, Tamara found far less agreeable. Tamara was ectothermic or cold-blooded. She could not maintain her body temperature; she needed to absorb it from her environment, and the wind was slowly draining her.
“Comfortable down there?” Samuel asked.
Tamara turned her head, looked up at him and said: “Actually, yes, not as good as my bed, but still fine.”
Samuel left Tamara to her thermoregulation and strolled down to the water’s edge, “stay where I can see you!” Tamara called.
“Yes, MOM,” Samuel answered sarcastically, though he knew it was more for Tamara’s sake than his; she had a problem with open spaces.
Samuel closed his eyes, stretched his arms above his head, feeling his muscles strain against the tension, and yawned. Small tears formed in his eyes and wiped them away. He had only been up for a few hours but was ready for bed.
“Too much thinking, that was the problem,” Samuel mumbled to himself.
The sunlight sparkled on the water’s surface. It seemed as though millions of diamonds were suddenly brought into existence, danced for a few moments, and then vanished as quickly as they came. It was beautiful, just like everything else here.
He climbed up a rock that jutted from that sand and sat down, his legs dangling over the edge. As he kicked his legs, a ray of sun caught his greaves, and although the leather was rather dull, it still dazzled him.
Samuel heard a sound reminiscent of sandpaper brushing against wood, and he knew at once what it was. He waited four more seconds and said, without moving an inch, “Don’t even think about it!”
“How did you know?” Tamara asked, feeling simultaneously impressed, confused and disappointed.
Samuel looked her in the eye and replied: “who do you think you’re dealing with?”
Tamara had not clambered up the rock like Samuel; she had simply raised herself on her tail so she stood over two metres high.
“Are you feeling better?” he asked.
Tamara smiled and answered, “yes, thanks for asking.”
Tamara moved behind Samuel and then began to coil around the boulder, and if he had not experienced it all before, it would have been unnerving. Tamara was only twelve and a half, yet she was already far stronger than him. Samuel was sure if Tamara really wanted to, she could crush a bison to death. After the graceful dance around the stone, she sat down beside Samuel.
The pair was silent for a few minutes, except for a quick coughing fit by Samuel; they took in the unnatural beauty of their surroundings.
“Hey, I have a question,” said Tamara, coming back to her senses.
“What is it?” Samuel replied.
“You still haven’t told me why we are studying the forest?” She asked.
In an instant, Samuel became deeply confused. To him, it seemed all too obvious why they were doing it.
“There is no practical reason for doing it. We do it so that we know,” Samuel answered.
Tamara became silent. Samuel realised that she was deep in thought and decided to give her all the time she needed until she finally said: “Is this one of those human things?”
Samuel, upon hearing this, gave a small chuckle and answered: “yes, if you like.”
Suddenly, something caught Samuel’s eye. It was a crab, no bigger than a golf ball. Its back was powder blue, and it held its arms upright, its claws pointing down. The tiny creature would walk forward, scoop some sand into its mouth, and then leave a small pellet behind.
“Look at that!” said Samuel, nudging Tamara’s shoulder and pointing at the tiny crustacean. Tamara turned her head and looked directly at where he was pointing; she strained her eyes at what she thought was a pebble; she was about to climb down and collect it when it suddenly moved, and she squealed.
Tamara dragged the bottom end of her tail up from the beach and timidly said, “What’s that?”
Samuel remembered that tone of voice all too well, and it brought with it some unpleasant memories, but he pushed them to the back of his mind and said: “it’s a crab.”
Samuel was certain he had seen this type of crab before but could not put a name to the image. Samuel was sure he had read about them, watched a documentary, or attended a lecture, but he could not remember. Ultimately, he decided to drop it for now and see if the answer would come to him.
Tamara kept staring at it as though she believed it would pounce if she took her eyes off it for one second.
“Is it dangerous?” she asked, her voice hushed to ensure the creature did not notice her.
Samuel sighed and answered: “it’s a crab, Tamara, unless you happen to be a nematode then…”
Samuel paused mid-sentence as his brain finally connected the dots and asked, “Wait, you have never seen a crab before?”
This perplexed Samuel for a moment until he remembered that Tamara did not have a television, a car, and she could not fly a plane, so it was not unexpected that she would not know what a crab was.
Tamara shook her head in response to his question, and Samuel added: “you know what a woodlouse is, right?”
Tamara nodded and said, “I like woodlice.”
“Well, a crab is just a type of woodlouse that lives near water,” Samuel concluded.
However, he could tell from her face that she was unconvinced, so he got off the rock, walked over to the tiny creature, wary of its pincers, and picked it up by its backside.
“What are you doing?” Tamara called in alarm.
Samuel held the animal, its legs flailing wildly in an attempt to escape, and said, “showing you there is nothing to be worried about.”
Taking care not to crush it, Samuel clambered back up the rock and presented the animal to her. Tamara stared at it for some as the crab bobbed its eye up and down and tried in vain to find a part of Samuel it could nip.
“It’s actually kind of… cute,” Tamara said after two minutes of silence.
She relaxed her tail and let it rest on the beach once more. “Can it hold it?” She asked Samuel, fear being replaced by interest.
“Of course, you can. Just make sure you hold it by its back and be careful of the pincers; if they get you, it will hurt.”
Samuel handed the crab over to her and watched as Tamara began to inspect the animal from every angle. The crab had a white underbelly and purple joints.
“You think you could draw it from memory?” Samuel asked.
“Hmm?” Tamara replied. Samuel let out a sigh and repeated. After three more attempts, Tamara finally took notice and said, “Yes.”
Five minutes later, Samuel said, “we should probably put him back now.”
Tamara moaned about it, but Samuel said: “he has his own life, Tamara; you can’t keep him!”
She conceded, grumbling under her breath, and gently placed the animal back on the sand. As the crab dashed away, the two noticed that while they had been fixated on that single crab, thousands more had emerged on the beach.
Upon seeing the swarm of animals make their way across the beach, Tamara let out a squeal and once again pulled her tail up off the beach. The army of crabs marched along the shore. The collective walking produced a sound loud enough to hear from fifty metres away, and at last, Samuel remembered what they were and said, with no small amount of satisfaction in his voice, “they’re soldier crabs.”
“What are they going to do?” Tamara asked, concerned by the sudden appearance of so many creatures.
Samuel kept staring at the gathering, but he heard her question and replied, “They’re just feeding,” and added quickly, “But we are far too big for them.”
“That's odd,” Samuel said under his breath.
“I know there are so many of them,” Tamara said, deeply unnerved by the sheer vastness of the swarm.
“No,” Samuel said, “There should be this many of them; it’s where they are that is strange.”
Tamara momentarily took her eyes off the army and asked, “So where should they be.” There was a slight flicker of fear in her voice at the prospect of being invaded; rats and mice where bad enough. They did not need another pest.
“By the sea, not a freshwater lake,” he answered.
“The Sea?” Tamara almost yelled. Samuel was a little surprised by this enthusiasm and turned to face her.
“Yes,” he said.
“Have you ever been to the sea,” she asked.
“Yes, many times,” Samuel said, uncertain where this was going.
“I bet it’s wonderful,” Tamara added with a smile.
Samuel was silent as his brain connected a few dots and asked: “how can you know about the sea if you don’t know about crabs?”
She smiled; Tamara enjoyed it when she knew something that he did not, “there is a story that my mom told me that before we came to this forest, we were a different people that lived by the sea.” Tamara paused for a breath.
“But then humans came and drove us from the water, and we fled inland. Our people split into two. One half went to the mountains, and the other settled in the forest.”
Tamara finished and waited for his reply. Samuel, however, just kept looking at her. Tamara was concerned that she had upset him; he did not like it when humans were labelled as the enemy, yet his face and posture were not those of one who was sad or angry.
“You people blame us for everything, don’t you?” Samuel said with a chuckle.
“If there is a fire, it’s a human’s fault. If there is an earthquake, it’s a human’s fault. If a little Boreray boy drinks all their apple juice in one gulp, it’s a human’s fault.”
“So, getting back on topic, where did these “Soldier crabs” come from anyway? We have visited this lake for over two years and never seen even a glimpse?” Tamara asked. Samuel looked back to the slowly advancing army, and several ideas flashed through his head.
“Maybe they have been dormant up until now; perhaps they make a large circle around the lake shore, and it’s simply luck that we were here on the day they passed by, or maybe the migrated here from somewhere else.”
They watched the crabs' ceaseless march until Tamara said, “These things are still giving me the creeps. Can we go now?” Samuel could not argue that there was something eerie about all of these animals appearing, seemingly, from nowhere; however, there was still one thing he had to be certain of.
“You think you could draw one from memory?” he asked.
Tamara’s face contorted in a scowl. Samuel, for all his good points, could become far too focused on his research, which often caused him to become ignorant of other people.
Yet she knew sitting here yelling at him would accomplish nothing, so she told him the truth: “Yes, can we go now!” Samuel nodded and then slid off the rock. Tamara copied him, and they both slinked back to the cover of the trees.
Now that she was beneath the canopy, Tamara let out an enormous sigh of relief as the anxiety slowly left, and the close air warmed her body. On the other hand, Samuel began to chafe at the stagnant air while his head began to bead with sweat, but it was nothing he had not experienced before, so he gritted his teeth and bared with it.
With their plans now ruined, Tamara and Samuel wandered aimlessly through the woods, chatting about what they could do to fill the rest of the day. Several ideas arose, including visiting a nearby waterfall and a set of monument stones, but none truly appealed to them.
In the end, Tamara said, “how about we just call it a day?”
Samuel was happy about this. Tamara was his only form of human contact, yet he could not deny the pointlessness of wandering around the woods, so he said, “Ok, but let’s take the long way.”
Samuel heard a sound above him and saw a red squirrel scampering through the trees.
“Is it difficult?” Tamara asked.
Samuel looked at Tamara and replied, “Well, it can give me a crick in my neck sometimes.”
Tamara let out a short laugh and clarified, “No, I mean, is it difficult being so inquisitive? It looks exhausting.”
He was not entirely sure what she meant by that. To Samuel, Tamara was every bit as curious as him, so he stated: “you tell me, you went out looking for me just because you wanted to know.”
“True,” answered Tamara, “and everyone has always said that I am always asking questions, but you’re like a boar that just ate sugar beat.”
“I have no idea what that means,” Samuel said, shaking his head. “But I do know that people always told me, when I was a boy, that humans are, by their nature, infinitely curious, but personally, I think that it’s just how I was born.” there was a pause, and he quickly added, “just like you.”
Tamara’s fingers started to numb as she brushed them against the bark of passing trees. She took a good look at the trees around her. Tamara had lived her entire life sheltered by these trees. This place was her home, her family’s home and her friend’s home, and she loved it, a perfect example of the innate beauty of nature.
Samuel, however, was of a different opinion this forest disturbed him, though this feeling had diminished with time. The trees all grew in perfect symmetry, four and a half strides form each other.
From Tamara’s perspective, there was nothing strange about this, yet Samuel often said that this should not be possible, that the wood should be a mess and that the trees should grow in an unorganised fashion. Yet to Tamara, the idea of messy forests was just as impossible as a structured one was to him.
Noon came and went, and Samuel’s stomach began to rumble. His breakfast was becoming a distant memory; he thought he might be able to bear it for another hour or so, but as they travelled closer to the village, Tamara started to become irritated by Samuel’s constant growling.
“We need to find you something to eat before that sound drives me nuts!” Tamara stated bluntly.
“That’s all well and good, my dear, so long as you can materialise food out of the aether,” answered Samuel, with just a hint of condescension in his voice.
Tamara did not know what the aether was, but it did not matter. “No, but I do know a nearby tree with some great fruit in it,” she replied.
Samuel found this strange for two reasons. Firstly, he found it very difficult to believe there was a source of food in this forest that either he had not found, or Tamara had not told him about yet.
Secondly that, Tamara would know much about something she could not eat. Tamara was strictly carnivorous; she ate nothing but meat.
He wanted answers fast and asked: “So why haven’t you told me about this before?”
“Because I can’t stand the smell, that’s why, and I didn’t want you stinking up the place,” she explained.
“If it smells disgusting, what makes you think I will eat it?” he asked.
“Because the Boreray can’t get enough of it, some of them say that they taste like all the best parts of every fruit and vegetable we grow, which is a shame because they smell like all the worst,” she added.
He asked no more questions. He was too busy thinking; this fruit sounded so familiar, but he could not remember. The need to survive day in day out had pushed most of his standard learning, from school and university to the back of his mind, not forgotten mind you just buried.
I'm back with Tamara and Samuel latest adventure. If you like what you've read so far and want to know where it's going you can find the complete story by following the links below.
e-book(US/UK/CA/AU/DE)
Physical(US/UK/CA/DE)
If you do decide to read ahead please leave a review or rating, every single one helps immensely, and helps me keep doing what I'm doing.
Also the e-book will be at a reduced price until the last chapter it published on reddit.

Hi friends,
Recently I had booked a BritishAirways flight from Bengaluru(BLR) - London Heathrow(LHR) and LHR - Frankfurt(FRA). Both flights were in same terminal, T5. I had Schengen Tourist Visa of type C. From experience I know at Heathrow airport T5, there will be no checking for visa for International Flight Connections unless we exit or go to PassportControl.
But at Check-in Desk in BLR airport, TravelAgent(from a third party company and not from BA), denied to us from check-in. He asked for TransitVisa. He a transit visa is needed while travelling with Type-C Schengen visa.
Before booking I had called BritishAirways customer care, who said their is no need of transit visa. Only then I had booked flight.
It was painful to leave the airport and return home. While my son with German Residence Permit traveled alone. My son asked BA Officials at International Flight Connections help desk located at Heathrow Airport, just before boarding pass scan gates in the Connecting flights (purple path). They showed the gates which needs only boarding pass and said if taking flights in the same terminal and not going through border control, then Transit visa may not be needed.
If no one is asking/checking for a TransitVisa at LHR, why Travel agents in BLR trouble us.
Is their a possibility to claim refund or Rebooking of flight? What are the chances of getting refund

Ever thought about the perfect date? There are so many options out there! You could have a cozy dinner by candlelight in Paris or take a romantic stroll along the canals of Venice. Dates are all about creating special moments with your loved one, whether it's enjoying a delicious meal together or exploring a beautiful city hand in hand. It's about cherishing each other's company and making memories that will last a lifetime. So, what's that perfect date idea of yours? How about taking it up a notch with a romantic dinner cruise on Sydney Harbour?
For those seeking a truly unforgettable experience, choose one of the best dinner cruises on Sydney Harbour.
Sydney Harbour truly tops the list when it comes to providing the best romantic evenings - a perfect setting for a romantic evening with your special someone. You might have heard of dinner cruises on Sydney Harbour, but have you experienced one? Cruises aren't just a rich man's travel plan now! It's not for the wealthy anymore - they're affordable and convenient for everyone! Nowadays, you can enjoy the luxury of a cruise without breaking the bank. There are various styles and options to choose from, especially on Sydney Harbour. From sightseeing ones, adventure outings, Sydney Harbour dinner cruises and lunch cruises, there's something for every taste and budget.
In fact, when it comes to adding a touch of romance and style to your cruise experience, nothing beats the romantic dinner cruises on Sydney Harbour. Despite its affordability, it offers a luxurious and unforgettable evening with your loved one. You can imagine yourself dining under the stars, surrounded by the sparkling lights of the city skyline and literally floating in the heart of this dream city! It's a magical experience that will leave you both feeling pampered and cherished. The sights outside are nothing short of breathtaking. As you calmly float on the waters of Sydney Harbour, you're treated to beautiful sights of iconic landmarks and stunning natural beauty - you know what Sydney is famous for right? Yes! The Sydney Opera House, as it stands majestically against the dream city's skyline. It's much more gorgeous than what you might have read or heard about. Across the harbor, you can also see the Harbour Bridge in all its might with its arches reflecting in the water. What a sight! Some cruises also let you pass by historic sites such as Fort Denison and the waterfront of the Rocks. You might even think that the harbor in itself is a big, lighted, magical world, leaving you and your dear one to enjoy the beauty of it.
But the real magic on Sydney Harbour dinner cruises begins when the dinner is served. You get to pick from lots of tasty dishes made by really good chefs using the best local stuff. There's everything from scrumptious seafood to juicy steaks that'll make your date warm, enjoyable, and sufficient. After the main course, you will get to enjoy a selection of sweet treats, from rich chocolate fondants to delicate fruit tarts. Don't forget the wine or champagne - it's the perfect way to raise a toast to your love.
If you are lucky and if you have chosen the right cruise option, then you will also get to enjoy some great live music! Some cruises have bands playing smooth jazz or musicians with acoustic guitars. A date night on a cruise, beautiful sights, wine and music - lethal combination? Guess so!!! And what's a date night without a little dancing? Take your partner's hand and sway to the rhythm of the music, under the starlit sky and surrounded by the beauty of Sydney Harbour.
So, it's your perfect chance to treat your special someone to a great evening on the water and let the magic of Sydney Harbour sweep you both off your feet!

Hi, I have a broad range of interests and am highly keen on pursuing many of them. I really need help in picking a path and discipline for a career, and just urgently need insight on what’s potentially out there for me. I am currently an undergraduate rising senior and am working towards degrees in both international affairs and anthropology. For the past year I’ve been set on law school for stability/money (I want kids but won’t have them unless I’m well-off) and I think I’d do well, my father is a lawyer and we both are logically inclined and naturally debate often as we have very different perspectives but respect the others’. Recently he’s taken to making me prove every statement so that he can accept them but generally I hold my own and navigate oral conversational analysis well. He’s always told me to just take the LSAT and see how I do because he thinks I’d be really fit for law school. I can see myself being a lawyer and think its somewhat up my alley but I’m just not passionate about the law or constitution or anything else other pre-law students seem to revere. I currently intern in one of the deans offices of the law school at my university and have really gotten to see what it all entails, how everything works both for the students and behind the scenes and think it would work for me. I was helping with exam scheduling and saw the course titles, looked at some of their coursework documents and was interested, particularly those in international law, as an IA major. The extracurriculars just aren’t what I’m passionate about but I could see myself enjoying the experience. Though, with law school, I am tempted to venture out and apply around the country as I want to spend my twenties in a city or stimulating environment. I don’t plan on staying or settling in my state nor practicing law here, though I guess I could and build myself up for a while, I just dream of doing so in New York or California if possible.
In terms of careers I’m passionate about, I’ve really enjoyed my courses in international relations and am very interested in learning more about everything that's just only been barely introduced to me. I would love a really comprehensive understanding of global politics within historical context, and have been researching masters programs, but honestly really just love the one my current university has. There’s also a joint JD/MS in international affairs at my university that really interests me, but I don't know the specific careers relevant to this that I could pursue. I think if I opted to go to law school, I would definitely factor in which schools have such programs in applying, and would probably just stay where I am because it seems most feasible for me, and I think i'd be ok with that? The networking is good in my city because I’m in my state’s capitol, but it’s all in very domestic realms. I just want to be where I am exposed to the most opportunity. I think I'd be most interested in criminal law, and international law naturally sounds good to me, though I'm not entirely sure what it is; it seems very broad and economic.
I just had an interview for a writing internship with the state department and it seemed like a super cool way to network into international careers in general but also international writing, as I am also passionate about writing nonfiction, essays, memoirs, etc- pieces where I can express a subjective perspective within context and generate meaningful impact. I like to submit to local literary magazines in my free time. I’m inspired by types like Joan Didion and would love to pursue a similar lifestyle. That’s just kind of a distant dream though. But with intl affairs, I’d also like to pursue anything relevant that would just allow me to experience, get involved, possibly go into policy/diplomacy, i don’t know. I just cant see a clear path.
However, more than intl relations, I am passionate about anthropology. I operate solely from an anthropological perspective and am incredibly interested in getting a masters from my university as my heart swells reading the course descriptions. I could get a joint MS/MS in Anthro and intl relations, but that just feels redundant and i'd be in the same position I am now in not knowing where to go or what to choose. But I just can't see myself solely getting a masters in anthropology and then getting a PhD, I feel id need some time in between to get more experience out in the world, do some international work, pursue other interests. It would just feel scary for me to go down a somewhat unstable path just to critically study the discipline I love the most. My overall “dream” job would be a paleoanthropologist/prehistoric archaeologist, pursuing some sort of research or fieldwork, or working at an institution and being a professor. I just don’t really know whats possible for me out there, what potential paths I could take, or just how/when I could actually do this. i would ideally like to research/excavate in the eastern hemisphere as I’m more interested in human origin rather than North American prehistory, so I don’t know if an American or International university would be best? The anthropology department at my university is extensive and well-developed as we are located in rich archaeological areas of North American activity, but I really don’t see myself staying here for a PhD, though I would definitely get a masters. Again, if anyone knows anything about such a profession and has some insight, I would appreciate it.
Basically I am just a clueless undergrad who doesn’t know much about careers in the fields I am interested in or the best path to follow to maximize my interests and life experience. I’ve asked my professors who tell me to look online, like on AAA but I think reddit just always has so much more insight. If anyone is in any fields, knows anyone, or has any knowledge on careers/university programs regarding intl affairs, intl law, intl journalism, law in general, or paths in anthropology phd’s/professor positions/prehistoric archaeological endeavors, please let me know :’)

Some people here are saying that the overnight market screenshots people are showing aren’t real prices or are internal to Robinhood but this isn’t true. They are just streaming data from the real overnight market or premarket. These trades definitely matter. The German market just opened at the price the overnight market was at - well above US closing.
Overnight trading is run by ECNs, computers, not by the exchanges or market makers, according to investopedia and others. This is important. There are few players involved and prices are digitally discovered. There are no halts.
A small handful of brokers let you trade in after hours. IBKR, Schwab and E*trade and the one that shall not be named. There are ways if you want to get your hands dirty.
Please verify everything yourself. Google ECNs. Not financial advice.
Can’t stop! Let’s go!!!!

Hi, I have a broad range of interests and am highly keen on pursuing many of them. I really need help in picking a path and discipline for a career, and really just need insight on what’s potentially out there for me. I am currently an undergraduate rising senior and am working towards degrees in both international affairs and anthropology. For the past year I’ve been set on law school for stability/money (I want kids but won’t have them unless I’m well-off) and I think I’d do well, my father is a lawyer and we both are logically inclined and naturally debate often as we have very different perspectives but respect the others’. Recently he’s taken to making me prove every statement so that he can accept them but generally I hold my own and navigate oral conversational analysis well. He’s always told me to just take the LSAT and see how I do because he thinks I’d be really fit for law school. I can see myself being a lawyer and think its somewhat up my alley but I’m just not passionate about the law or constitution or anything else other pre-law students seem to revere. I currently intern in one of the deans offices of the law school at my university and have really gotten to see what it all entails, how everything works both for the students and behind the scenes and think it would work for me. I was helping with exam scheduling and saw the course titles, looked at some of their coursework documents and was interested, particularly those in international law, as an IA major. The extracurriculars just aren’t what I’m passionate about but I could see myself enjoying the experience. Though, with law school, I am tempted to venture out and apply around the country as I want to spend my twenties in a city or stimulating environment. I don’t plan on staying or settling in my state nor practicing law here, though I guess I could and build myself up for a while, I just dream of doing so in New York or California if possible.
In terms of careers I’m passionate about, I’ve really enjoyed my courses in international relations and am very interested in learning more about everything that's just only been barely introduced to me. I would love a really comprehensive understanding of global politics within historical context, and have been researching masters programs, but honestly really just love the one my current university has. There’s also a joint JD/MS in international affairs at my university that really interests me, but I don't know the specific careers relevant to this that I could pursue. I think if I opted to go to law school, I would definitely factor in which schools have such programs in applying, and would probably just stay where I am because it seems most feasible for me, and I think i'd be ok with that? The networking is good in my city because I’m in my state’s capitol, but it’s all in very domestic realms. I just want to be where I am exposed to the most opportunity. I think I'd be most interested in criminal law, and international law naturally sounds good to me, though I'm not entirely sure what it is; it seems very broad and economic.
I just had an interview for a writing internship with the state department and it seemed like a super cool way to network into international careers in general but also international writing, as I am also passionate about writing nonfiction, essays, memoirs, etc- pieces where I can express a subjective perspective within context and generate meaningful impact. I like to submit to local literary magazines in my free time. I’m inspired by types like Joan Didion and would love to pursue a similar lifestyle. That’s just kind of a distant dream though. But with intl affairs, I’d also like to pursue anything relevant that would just allow me to experience, get involved, possibly go into policy/diplomacy, i don’t know. I just cant see a clear path.
However, more than intl relations, I am passionate about anthropology. I operate solely from an anthropological perspective and am incredibly interested in getting a masters from my university as my heart swells reading the course descriptions. I could get a joint MS/MS in Anthro and intl relations, but that just feels redundant and i'd be in the same position I am now in not knowing where to go or what to choose. But I just can't see myself solely getting a masters in anthropology and then getting a PhD, I feel id need some time in between to get more experience out in the world, do some international work, pursue other interests. It would just feel scary for me to go down a somewhat unstable path just to critically study the discipline I love the most. My overall “dream” job would be a paleoanthropologist/prehistoric archaeologist, pursuing some sort of research or fieldwork, or working at an institution and being a professor. I just don’t really know whats possible for me out there, what potential paths I could take, or just how/when I could actually do this. i would ideally like to research/excavate in the eastern hemisphere as I’m more interested in human origin rather than North American prehistory, so I don’t know if an American or International university would be best? The anthropology department at my university is extensive and well-developed as we are located in rich archaeological areas of North American activity, but I really don’t see myself staying here for a PhD, though I would definitely get a masters. Again, if anyone knows anything about such a profession and has some insight, I would appreciate it.
Basically I am just a clueless undergrad who doesn’t know much about careers in the fields I am interested in or the best path to follow to maximize my interests and life experience. I’ve asked my professors who tell me to look online, like on AAA but I think reddit just always has so much more insight. If anyone is in any fields, knows anyone, or has any knowledge on careers/university programs regarding intl affairs, intl law, intl journalism, law in general, or paths in anthropology phd’s/professor positions/prehistoric archaeological endeavors, please let me know :’)

I started playing ball again after a decade. So far this week been playing in my Lakai skate shoes and some cheap Zara fashion sneakers that look like Adidas Sambas. It feels alright for bball or maybe I'm just so used to skate shoes by now. Back in high school I would ball in some Melo shoes, which were pretty good but those days I would get injured occasionally like ankle rolls etc.
So far knock on wood haven't had that issue this week maybe since I'm an adult now and bones are stronger after a good amount of calisthenics and some taekwondo. But these days I wonder if basketball shoes are even ideal for basketball type of footwork? Or it's just fashion business?
Anyway I still want to test out a pair. I've been reading this subreddit, I see a lot of people recommending to go with chinese brands for outdoor play like Lining, Anta, and 361 mainly. I see for USA brands people are recommending Harden and Dame. I don't want to travel to a sports shop so I'll just order online.
Basically my playstyle is a lot of slashing, quick footwork and dribbling moves. For shooting I do a lot of quick stepback shots. But I love to dribble and go 1v1. For me most important is decent traction on concrete courts, good foot mobility where my feet won't get jammed during quick movements.
I've looked at a bunch of sneakers, so far in my cart is Lining Speed 9, just based off it "seems" to be good for my feet, as in not so narrow and pointy like some shoes and price is good, but I'm willing to spend more for foot health if needed
Next up the All City 10-12 models all look good. Next the Anta Kyrie and GH models look solid along with 361 dinwiddie. Next I found some shoes on Temu and Aliexpress that look like the Speed / All City style I like and some have great reviews. They're about 20-30$, just curious has anyone tried balling in these type of shoes?

Some people here are saying that the overnight market screenshots people are showing aren’t real prices or are internal to Robinhood but this isn’t true. They are just streaming data from the real overnight market or premarket. These trades definitely matter. The German market just opened at the price the overnight market was at - well above US closing.
Overnight trading is run by ECNs, computers, not by the exchanges or market makers, according to investopedia and others. This is important. There are few players involved and prices are digitally discovered. There are no halts.
A small handful of brokers let you trade in overnight or premarket hours. IBKR, Schwab and E*trade and the one that shall not be named. There are ways if you want to get your hands dirty.
Please verify everything yourself. Google ECNs. Not financial advice.
Can’t stop! Let’s go!!!!

I'm a 27-year-old data scientist who's passionate about AI and loves exploring various fields like social media marketing and data science. While I thoroughly enjoy my work, I've been contemplating starting my own company to pursue my entrepreneurial dreams.
Currently, I'm in a full-time job, but I constantly brainstorm ideas that I'm eager to implement. However, I'm a bit torn about which path to take in entrepreneurship. On one hand, there's the route of a PhD individual who develops a groundbreaking algorithm and builds a business around it. On the other hand, there's the MBA approach where someone identifies a market need, like group travel for middle-class enthusiasts, and creates a solution, such as an app.
It's clear to me that there's no one-size-fits-all formula for becoming an entrepreneur. I'm drawn to the idea of generating innovative concepts and bringing them to life, but I'm unsure about the best career path to pursue. Should I focus on acquiring a broad range of skills like an MBA, or should I specialize in one area and delve deep into it to generate unique ideas and products?
It's worth mentioning that I'm not inclined towards teaching; my goal is solely to expand my knowledge and pave the way for entrepreneurship. Any advice or insights

I got earbuds from xiaomi, great audio for cheap. But no way to get the mic to work for calls or zoom calls. Do I have to get samsung brand earbuds? Has anyone encounter any issues like that?

Okay, not made a lengthy but useless post in a while to chill off, and nows the perfect time since I am very exhausted.
So, title basically. I am going to try and see how manh cases Phoenix actually got paid for in the trilogy, and if it's a toss between pro bono and paid, I'll go with the latter since... It makes more sense I think.
Anyways, the First Turnabout. It's pro bono, do I have to explain?
Second, Turnabout Sisters. Again, pro bono, at first I thought it was because Maya is broke and a literal child but then again she probably tried to pay him with Mia's money given that she's probably the heir to Mia, but yeah, even still Phoenix would no doubt decline because the case is regarding his mentor's death and the client is her sister he practically adopts post this case so yeah.
Turnabout Samurai is fucking bank for Phoenix. I don't think he'd really feel guilty taking money from my main man Powers and I am pretty sure Powers being the sweetheart he is probably gave him a crazy amount as fee (way more than the average sum for an already high profile case) seeing that he's so rich. It might just be the highest paying case Phoenix worked on in the series actually, even after the trilogy, and the case that made him a public legend figure as displayed in DD (it still doesn't make sense, but.. that's the best we can make of it)
After thinking about it, Turnabout Goodbyes is probably bank too, in fact I am pretty sure Phoenix got payed a lot by Miles, not to say Phoenix wouldn't decline, but I doubt Miles would have that and likely paid him a generous amount, which again, is probably higher than the standard fee.
Rise from the Ashes is kind of a coin toss, but I am genuinely leaning on bank. Again, Phoenix obviously wouldn't accept payment from Ema since again, she's a fucking child, but Lana like Miles likely insisted and paid him nonetheless for saying her sister, not to mention a somewhat cheap government reward maybe for bringing down a high ranking government official.
Reunion and Turnabout is pro bono. Maya and Phoenix are close enough now that they don't Maya doesn't have to even try to pay him because she knows he wouldn't accept it.
Lost Turnabout is pro bono at worst and a very cheap voluntarily fee at worst. Phoenix likely didn't expect nor wanted any actual money from it, seeing as the detectives are so underpaid, yes, that includes Maggey, and since Phoenix is doing a favour for Gumshoe.
Turnabout Big Top is the second third case and it's again, by far the highest paying case in the game. It's not very hard to see why, Max like Will is also a celebrity even if to a lesser extent, and Max is probably thankful to Phoenix for resolving the shitstorm that is the circus, but then again who knows what that loser thinks. Still, bank.
Farewell, My Turnabout, by far my favourite case in the series and nothing even comes close, but for Phoenix? One would assume it was "pro bono" given the whole blackmail thing and the fact that Matt got convicted by the end of it, but then I remembered that's now how lawyers work, you pay them in advance and live with it even if they fuck up. So I am guessing Matt's manager probably transferred Phoenix a large sum when he took on the case, comparable to Turnabout Samurai even. I know what you are saying, Matt is too evil to do that, but I am pretty sure he doesn't mind paying the lawyer man, he's rich enough that it likely doesn't matter, and the blackmail only really started when Phoenix figured everything out.
Stolen Turnabout is the first case where Phoenix probably got payed the average fee lol. Mind you the average fee is also quite expensive but it's not an extreme, and I doubt Phoenix even felt any need to decline payment since he's clients are literal criminals, and they probably have a lot of money in the trunk considering they don't get convicted due to double jeopardy (which is fucking idiotic, being 'mask demasque' isn't a charge).
Recipe for Turnabout is a low voluntary fee, given it's Maggey again.
Bridge to the Turnabout is back to the basics, going full pro bono, which is funny since this case is likely the single most strenuous one Phoenix has to handle until now lol.
So yeah, surprisingly, when I looked at it, Phoenix got paid a lot 6 cases, one of which was the average fee (which is still quite high for a murder trial in which Pheonix literally overturns the entire findings of the cops), and 7 cases where he went either pro bono or received a very low fee for the effort. It actually makes somewhat sense to me, at first I thought it was stupid how Phoenix could sustain himself and Maya but when you look at it he likely got paid a lot when he did, now of course he takes massive gaps between cases, but they show him being stingy so I don't think it's a stretch to think he survives if he lives like an upper lower class man.

For a bit of context, I am F34, with a very demanding and sedentary job. I am also ADHD (medicated) and ASD. I have struggled with my weight most of my life, but managed to lose weight during COVID as I was living with my parents. I managed to lose nearly 15kg, because my two only focus were losing weight and finding a job, I had support regarding daily life organisation and minimal stress.
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Two years ago, I got a job, moved out on my own to the other end of the country, and have slowly but steadily put the weight I lost back on. I know why that happened: in addition to being an impulsive eater and using food as sensory stimulation, particularly when I am bored, I am also using it as a stress relief. Getting diagnosed, understanding the conditions and medication are helping me untangle all this mess, and I am getting better on many fronts. That was when I decided to get back to losing weight again. I feel uncomfortable in my body, I have a lot more pain and aches, and I had to stop running to protect my knees.
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I started to count calories again and exercising more, but the weight is not coming off. I know why - I am not accurate enough with my calorie tracking, which means that my calorie deficit is much smaller than what I plan for. Which in turns means that I have no margin that could absorb the slight overeating that happens in stressful periods. There has been progress (it used to be a BIIIG overeating ), but I am tired of not getting results. I know what to do and what are the obstacles in the way, but I cannot figure out a way to get pass them.
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So I am turning to collective wisdom and shared experience, and asking for your stories, your experiences and your tips to navigate this.
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My questions are:
(1) How do you manage your weight loss when you are very mentally tired? I like my job, I really do, but it does leave me feeling mentally drained, particularly these days as I am being more solicited than usual which makes my autism want to curl up and sob. It feels like weighting everything again is an insurmontable task, when I am already juggling so many things.
(2) How do you handle acute periods of stress? For example, I have notice that a couple of days before a stressful event (presentation, travel...) I feel more hungry and tend to eat more.
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Finally, thank you all! This community helped me realise that I am not alone and that was a big help already!

Rant warning!
95% of the time it is a cake walk. Endlessly killing Le Pesties, (annoyingly tanky but easy AF) mostly a time suck of 3-5 minutes trying to do PO8 pickups or running across them traversing the map. Taking two delivery missions turning in 500+ PO8. No problem. 3 goods delvery missions of 400 PO8. Impossible. A couple times now I tried to run a delivery of 70 black snuff, 65 gold skull rum and 130 blue lotus opium or similar. And was sank 3 times in a short order. Recovered sunk cargo all 3 times, but on the 3rd sinking all cargo was lost. Everthing but ammo and repair kits gone on respawning. It's happened multiple times (yet I still don't learn) I still could revive at sea but no beacon of last ship sinking, nothing. All that effort wasted making those materials was wasted. Treasure maps, silver chests, trade goods all gone. Then once cargo was gone, still hunted like I had it till I abandoned the missions. I've tanked way harder foes and been able to make it, but that specific combo makes them hit with more accuracy and more damage than ever before.
I have hundreds of hours into this game. I have been sunk many times, 99.9% of the time no problem. I love most everything about the mechanics of it. It's unsurpassed on beauty and feel for sailing. The feel of sailing is 80% perfect and the feel and visual of the sea is nearly perfect. But randomly the battles are really biased.
It needs more balance for solo players and for end game difficulty. I've tried to make it enjoyable for myself and to be challenged when I am feeling it, sometime the servers have a good mix of folks that can get stuff done, but it's few and far between. LePeste Bastion is FAR too hard for the daily casual players. I've tried to group 3 different times with 5+ random players and couldn't achieve half the damage to complete the mission. I've logged on day after day to hope to find a group to even attempt it.
Sorry, just a bit a of a rant from someone who has played since the closed beta, open beta and I even pre-purchased the game because I saw how good it can be. I bought the season pass after a while just to make sure I could use of all the smugglers marks I earned during the season. I really, really, really want this game to succeed. I want to play it years from now and have it be even better than it is now.
I know, I know. Get good noob. Yeah, well, whatever. I work full time and play this game for a relaxing downtime activity after work. Its not worth the fight if I lose all my effort randomly after tring to to complete a mission. It's happened many times before, but this last one really chapped the hide. Appologies if you've read this far.
May tomorrow bounty fill your coffers with all you wish for today.
Cheers M8's
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TLDR: Package went MIA for over a month and past the delivery window. Seller didn't respond to any messages from me trying to find the package or help when I eventually opened a case. The package showed up out of the blue almost 3 months after is went MIA, and I was blocked by the seller when I realized the item showed up and tried to reach out to them. Did the money come out of their pocket or were they protected because it got lost after shipment?
This is a genuine question, because I feel really bad if that's what happened. It's been weighing on my mind since the package showed up.
I ordered something from Japan (I'm in the US) that came out to be ~$250 with shipping and taxes. Seller seemed nice and had mostly good reviews, though they weren't responding within their own stated response time (2 days - it's important later).
A couple days after the seller shipped it out, the package went MIA in Japan. I waited until after the expected delivery period (over a month later), then messaged them to ask if they could contact the carrier to file for a lost package or see what was going on. With the carrier they used, I literally had no way to contact them myself from outside of Japan. Silence for over a week. So I messaged them again, explaining that I couldn't contact the carrier myself, and just wanted to try to find the package. More silence. After a couple days, I messaged again to say I'd be opening a case with Ebay if I didn't hear back from them in the next couple of days, because I thought it was probably lost. I actually ended up giving them another week, but still heard nothing, so I filed a case with evidence of the lack of tracking updates and my concern that it was lost (item not received).
Within literally 10 minutes of me filing the case, the seller responded to it, but still not to any of my messages. They said it had arrived in the US and provided the same tracking number that wasn't updating. I replied asking if they had a USPS tracking number, because I still saw no updates. Silence, again. So I fully escalated it to have Ebay make the decision, because I was getting nowhere. Within the day, it was closed and I got a refund.
Almost 3 months after the package disappeared, I went to my PO Box to find a slip saying I had a package to sign for. A different package that I was expecting had been delivered that day (which is why I was there), and I thought it was that. At this point, the tracking still had never updated for this package. I was suprised to find my missing item when I opened it, and went to try to reach out to the seller. I wanted to see if I should return it, since I'd gotten the money back. However, they'd blocked me and I couldn't reach them at all.
My question is really: did the refund come out of the seller's pocket? I assumed this was a situation that would fall under seller protections, since the carrier lost it, but I'm wondering if it wasn't after I got blocked. I didn't want to take their money, or weasel my way into a free item. I genuinely didn't think I'd ever get the package, and I wasn't getting any response from them, so I escalated. If it did come out of their pocket, I wish I could at least apologize or send it back or something.