Hey Reddit! I struggle with dyslexia and writing - so I made this voice-native document editor that combines reliable dictation and natural language commands, letting you say things like: “make this a list” or “it’s Erin with an E” or “add an inline citation here for page 86 of this book”. You can use the free sandbox on the website withaqua.com - Here is a demo: https://youtu.be/qwSAKg1YafM.
I'd love to hear your ideas and comments with voice-to-text!

So I have been very sexually active lately with multiple partners (gay cruising) and I think I have an STI. So first symptom was a bit of irritation in the tip of my penis, mainly felt it in the morning, frequently urinating (relief from irritation when urinating), and most recent white discharge coming out of tip of penis.
Now I have some doxycycline that I got prescribed from a doctor a few months ago, a full treatment. He prescribed them and told me to take them before my results came back. I never took them because I didn’t think it was a STI and I wasn’t so I just kept them as a backup. But now I’m fairly sure I have an STI, I’m think chlamydia or gonorrhea, but I’m not sure. I currently do not have health insurance so this is a big factor. I do have access to a local gay clinic that will test me for free, however appointments could be hard to get with time being a week long or further.
So do you think I should start the antibiotics now and see when I can get tested again? I usually try to be tested once a month. Or should I just wait until the next appointment and go from there with actual doctor guidance? Right now I’m thinking of waiting till tomorrow, call the clinic, see how long I have to wait for an appointment, if I can’t get one this week, starting the antibiotics and going from there.

I have been preaching “calories in/calories out” for decades with little patience for any other views, but I’m having to eat my words (pardon the expression!) Have put on 12kg over the last year due to combination of perimenopause and stress leading to too much alcohol and poor nutrition choices. Three weeks ago I decided enough is enough with my drinking and my weight. Things are going great for me now and I am no longer stressed. I’m on HRT for the perimenopause and feeling fantastic. For three weeks I have remained alcohol free, have eaten at a significant calorie deficit, done a few strength training work outs, and been for several runs and walks. Just stood on the scales and I have put weight on!!!!!! WTH??

New York, nicknamed the center of the universe, was once a beacon for the ambitious and talented of America. It was a bustling city filled with dense urban life. That changed in 2077 when the bombs dropped, it wasn’t only reduced to rubble but was hit with salted atomics leaving it highly radioactive. From the ashes some still clung to life and small subsistence ghoul communities formed. It's only been within the last decade that radiation has receded to liveable standards, and the city is once again seeing a return to life as wastelanders flock to its shores. These new settlers pass under the shadows of once great skyscrapers that litter the city, crumbling like ancient gravestones from the world that once was.
Up until 2290, every decade Vault 99 has been given a random list of dwellers that must be exiled and can’t be contacted until unification day. This game begins on that unification day, where characters might be vault dwellers seeing the wastes for the first time or those that were exiled returning to their ancestral home. The campaign has a faction focus and the players will shape their vault and its emergence into the ruins of New York. What groups will they ally with? How will they rebuild? What will be their moral stance?
Hey there! I'm Sandpiper, he/him, twenty, and a student. I’m looking for 4-5 players for a weekly game with about fifteen sessions planned. I mainly run D&D but was inspired by the TV show to pick up Fallout 2d20. I'll have access to any books or materials needed for the campaign. . I emphasize roleplay over combat but expect at least one combat encounter every other session. I’ll be stealing some rules for factions from Dune Imperium which is built on the same 2d20 system. The game won’t be highly lethal as the goal is to explore these character’s stories but there is always a chance for death with bad rolls.
The game is going to be start at 7pm EST and ideally be around 3-4 hours, every Thursday. I had just finalized a group today but one of the players let me know they were no longer interested, session 0 this Thursday.
We’ll be using Roll 20 as a VTT and Discord will be used for communication, so a good microphone is needed.
One of my main goals is creating a safe environment for the campaign where everyone feels welcomed, respect for your fellow players is required.
If you have any questions feel free to message me, otherwise, fill out the survey and I hope to talk to you soon! Link

The original thread in manga is a post titled "Tsumiki Ogami & the Strange Everyday Life. - Volume 1 Cover", and it's an image of the cover art for the new series' volume 1 edition (Japanese manga chapters get compiled into physical volumes so you can read 7-8 chapters at a time in one book).
Now, I wrote in the title that the drama involves a power mod, and personally, I don't know how many subs someone can mod for before they're considered a power mod, but the redditors in this conversation mod 150+ subreddits for reference, so I consider that power mod status. One of these power mods in particular will create a new subreddit for every new Weekly Shonen Jump manga series, precisely so they can be the top mod for the subreddit and dictate how the rules go there. It should also be noted that this power mod creates a discord server for these series as well, and advertises it in the series' subreddits.
With that out of the way, the drama spawns shortly after a regular comment about the art for the volume: (regular redditors will be abbrev. as C1, C2, while power mod accounts will be Pmod1, Pmod2)

C1: BIG OL' STOMPERS. Pmod1: gonna have a field trip with this today Pmod2[OP]: go away [links to a comment in another thread which states: "Don't listen to [Pmod1]. It's the same guy who'll shill his new subreddit for any new manga that appears."] Pmod1: Why do you hate me punpun, I thought we were besties :( C2: Spiderman pointing at Spiderman C3: battle of the power mods: who can be mods for more manga subreddits

Even though the spiderman comment was in reply to Pmod2, Pmod1 reads it and decides to respond to C2:

C2: Spiderman pointing at Spiderman Pmod1: Lol why don't u go and mald over some [Weekly Shonen Jump] series sales and [Table of Contents] shit what are you doing here xd. C2: Get help Pmod1: Say the same thing again but infront of a mirror now. C2: You're so god damn weird jfc Pmod1: Yeah sure you come and comment under my thread and I'm the weird one. Get a life bro lol reddit isn't everything. C2: Yes, you're the weird one. Maybe take your own advice to heart Pmod1: Bro lives on reddit and discord and likes to hate everywhere lol. No wonder they always clown on you, you should look deeper into yourself where it all went wrong. C2: Please get help Pmod1: I'm pleading the same for you too! Please go get help, being obsessed with others isn't good for you. C2: Yes, surely it's me being obsessed and not you. Get help, please. Pmod1: Just stop replying to me brother it's looking mad embarrassing for you [at this point]. C2: It's looking embarrassing for me when you're the one who replied to a comment that wasn't even a direct reply to you within a minute? Pmod1: Maybe stop sharing it to ur secret wicket discord server 😉 C2: This just makes you look even worse 😭 What would you have done if I hadn't made that comment here? Don't want your alt to get exposed and that's why you replied here instead of the discord even though the comment was made minutes later? Pmod1: What is bro yapping about 😭 go play with some charts or something don't disturb me now

(The way Pmod1 is talking to C2 makes it seems like C2 is a power mod, but I checked the account and they only mod 3 subreddits, so probably not? Anyways, the conversation, continued:)

C2: You are the one who started this convo man lmaoooo Pmod1: Yeah sure that's why it shows u being the one who said "Spiderman pointing at spiderman" first lol and what does that makes you? Don't say Batman u cringe af 🤧 C2: But that reply wasn't made to you? 😭 Pmod1: Indirectly it was?? 😭 Out of the two spidermans u referenced me as one too. C2: Are you really this dense? I didn't reply to you, you chose to engage in this convo so why are you now telling me to stop bothering you? Just stop replying lmao Pmod1: That's what I have been telling you too, stop being obsessed with me and this weird thing where you want to have the last reply for some reason. Just stop responding back. C2: Why would I? This is entertaining to me. Since you're apparently bothered by it, just stop replying and that's it? Pmod1: Lol bro thinks he's the main character C2: No, I just think you're a loser and clowning on you and other powermods is funny as fuck. Pmod1: Lol says the social loser who has been sitting on reddit all day. C2: You can't be this dense man. Not only have you been more active than me today specifically, you also immediately replied to a comment that wasn't even a reply to you and you are a god damn powermod. Like, the longer you keep replying the more you're embarrassing yourself. Pmod1: I just returned from office so I got more time now buddy. I can do this all day. Keep responding back and you'll keep getting a reply back. So just stop being a clown and stop now. C2: Again, why would I? You started this, not me and you also wanted this to stop and now you're changing your tune again. You keep making an ass out of yourself because you got so fucking triggered by a reply that wasn't even directed at you, that you can't help yourself but to continue this with more and more nonsense arguments digging yourself deeper and deeper into this hole.

I think that last comment by C2 really irritated Pmod1, because their replies get longer and the drama really duplicates:

Pmod1: Brother the only one who keeps falling deeper into this hole is you. It's like you're almost begging to be clowned atp. I can understand you have a lot of free time in your hand like most unemployed people, but that doesn't mean you should waste it all on reddit. If you want I can help you look for job applications. We can help you get through this, together. C2: It's incredible how dumb you are, jfc. Let me repeat: You started this. Not me. You. You immediately replied to a comment that wasn't even a reply to you. Not me. You. You're so insanely triggered by a single comment that you can't simply let it go and keep getting your ass trolled by me who's laughing his ass off at how desperate you're trying to somehow own me. It's so funny how pressed you are by a single comment, but I guess if the shoe fits... Pmod1: You literally came to the thread to start this shit and now trying to turn it on me...is this your new hobby now? From rolling in downvotes for your shit manga takes to arguing with random redditors? I'm honestly getting a kick out of it though so please continue... C2: Omfg, it has been a full weekend and you still can't let go. That's so fucking sad. You really spent the weekend doing fun stuff and then came back here just to be angry again. Please get help. Pmod1: Buddy I just forgot. But it's genuinely sad that you're still going on this after so long. Either get a life or some help. I'm feeling pity for you now. C2: Sure, you "forgot" even though you clearly have notifications on since you replied to a comment that wasn't a reply to you within a minute because it triggered you so much. Look, even if you forgot it's still incredibly sad that you can't just let go and keep coming here just to be wound up by me again. I also don't know why you keep trying to spin this when the whole conversation is publicly readable and it's clear you're incredibly mad while I've already stated that I won't stop because it's fucking funny. It takes me a few minutes at worst to respond and get you to bite while you insist on pretending like you're not actually angry even though everyone knows you are because why else would you even react to my comment like that lmao. Honestly, since you're only replying sporadically with the same "no u" garbage atp, it takes the fun out of it, so I'm just gonna block your ass and hope I'll never come across you again

So C2 in fact does block Pmod1, essentially allowing them to have the last word, right? But in a twist, Pmod1 responds to C2 with another account that is a power mod for 90+ subs:

Pmod-Alt1: Did you really think you can just have the final say and then block me and think this all ends? Well guess not. If it annoys you that much then just stop replying, it's not that deep. But ofcourse it's gonna hurt your male fragile ego because deep inside you're just a scared little boy 🥺 and that's alright. We won't judge you for being so sad, it's not your fault at all buddy. C2: I'm just gonna block that account too, lol. Wonder how many alts you have you pathetic loser Edit: Shit, you can only block once every 24 hours... Well, time to turn off notifs. Stay mad clown Pmod-Alt1: Keep malding. And stop replying back, u just clown on yourself more and make it super embarrassing for yourself. C2: No u

It appears C2 blocks that account, and through Undelete, I can see there were 2 more replies from 2 other accounts, but they were deleted too fast, so this is all you see:

C2: No u Pmod-Alt2: [deleted] Pmod-Alt3: [removed too quickly to be archived]

The content must have been similar to some of the comments in the conversation above, because C2 edits their 'No u' comment twice to call Pmod1 out:

C2: Edit: I'm literally just gonna block all of your accounts you obsessed freak. At least it seems like you've done me a favor by blocking me with your 5th alt since I can't see your reply. No one is buying your "no u" bullshit, which is why I'm making fun of it. I'm just gonna turn off notifs again and block any account of yours I see on sight. Stay mad, loser
Edit 2: What the fuck are you talking about you fucking weirdo?? You chose to engage in this convo. You always could've just stepped away, but you were too mad to do that. It's also crazy how you try to claim that I'm mad when you're the one who replied to a comment that wasn't a reply to you because it got you so triggered and are now scrambling to find your millionth alt just to get another reply in. You're an obsessed freak, basically proving me right just by how you're reacting to all this and all you can come up with is "no u" because you have no rebuttal. Back to blocking and hoping the notif suppression actually works now... Pmod-Alt4: Atleast ur doing both of us a favor and I can finally get rid of your obsession with me. Keep malding while I keep laughing!

Please note that this drama is a few months old, and as far as I can tell, the power mods are still doing their modding thing.

I’ve had a couple of issues lately with EN’s not wanting to compensate me for my time.
One, I had completed a survey and they needed to add two follow up questions. So they sent the follow up survey offering zero compensation. Uh, no. Like, my time and my advice are the only two products I sell to the EN’s, so I’m not giving it away for free. I just ignored the request the first three times they pinged me. I must not have been the only one, because after a few days they offered $5 to complete the survey follow up questions. Took me all of one minute but I got my $5.
Two, after completing an engagement, an EN pestered me to spend 20-25 minutes completing a “complimentary backgrounder” about the subject of the engagement, to “make me more attractive for further engagements” on that topic. The info they wanted was a whole lot of additional detail on the topic I’d just consulted on. I always insist on my full rate and. Minimum of a full hour charged for any engagement, but they wanted me to do this for free. Uh, HARD NO.
It’s bad enough all the surveys that get all the answers from you before suddenly disqualifying you to avoid paying. But now there’s these kinds of cheap tactics. EN’s need to respect the experts that make them money. Pay us for our time- and not just for the exact minutes, but the time set aside from our day to complete an engagement.

Please bear with me as this is a longer post. So my husbands mom, we can call her C, has gone through so much in her life. She has suffered loss after loss; just about a month or two ago she lost two close friends in a house fire. Well, she has had this friend, we will call her J, for about 30 years or so. They’ve raised their children together, saved each other from significant others etc. Recently, J and her husband had a domestic dispute and had to be separated because the husband was on parole (not really sure in the details here, just what J explained to C), and C offered to let J stay with her for a couple of months while she figured out her next course of action. Now C unfortunately got into some legal trouble with drugs probably almost a year ago now and she’s on reporting probation. She has been doing everything right, though. She passes every UA, she doesn’t hang out with felons etc she just wants to do and be better. Here’s where things get weird. So a couple weeks ago, J disappeared and wasn’t answering any messages or calls from C. Well C got fed up because she had already been catching J in weird lies, like she claimed that her doctor was in the same town as C when they were not. Eventually, C notified J that she just needed to come get her things if she wasn’t going to be living there and that was all. Skip forward a few days and J is in the hospital and claiming that she’s been diagnosed with congestive heart failure. When she’s released from the hospital, J looks horrible and afraid she’s going to die, so C brings all of her kids (they are all adults now) to visit with J. This congestive heart failure game goes on for a couple weeks, and then J disappears again until this past Saturday night. C came to visit my husband and I on Saturday, and we live one and half hours from C so it’s not like a super quick drive. While over here, C looks at her cameras on her phone and wouldn’t you know it, J is at the house getting her items, obviously she waited until C was not home to do this. So of course she had to leave our visit to rush home and hopefully catch J, which she didn’t unfortunately. C calls us on Mother’s Day, and in tears. J stole a bunch of her things; things as stupid as toilet paper and dish soap, to things that had extreme sentimental value, like a flannel that C received from an ex that passed away, and a bracelet charm that belonged to her niece who died last year. J then blocked C on all social media. Over the last couple of days, C has been realizing that there’s something is wrong. First, all her fish were dead (this happened while J was still in the home), then her cats were sick (a couple days before J left), then she got sick (like REALLY sick) and has been for a couple days now. Well she was going through her fridge last night and got a water bottle and when she opened it, she noticed it smelled like bleach. She opened a second bottle and same thing..so she went to her primary care and yall would not believe what the tests said! First, her white blood cell count is craaaazy high. She tested positive for a multitude of things; ecstasy, mdma, meth, and evidence that she’s ingested BLEACH! She called my husband hysterical after her appointment. I feel horrible for her. She has lived alone for I think around 3 years now, and lives in a small town far from any major city, because she inherited her home. She was excited to have a close friend staying with her, to have some companionship again, and this is what she gets. So I’m here to ask for some advice. She’s spoken with her po to let her know the situation, but she talked to her po before her doctors appointment. She’s afraid of getting the cops involved because of what was found on her tests, but at the same time she can’t just let J be out and about and free to possibly come back and do something even more insane. We would really appreciate any advice that anyone could give us, legal, supportive whatever you may have just please 🙏

So I was at this discount store were I bought 2 items and was suprised to see that I got them completely for free. From what I understand, the cashier was supposed to manually put in the cost of the item instead of scanning it but I’m guessing they didn’t know or forgot. I only found out when I was outside and decided to not return them. But now I feel as if what I’m doing is sinning and if it is sin what would be the right thing to do? Should I sell the items and give the money to charity or go back return them?

no offense to those who still have exams to go, BUT I FEEL SO FREE!!! i may not pass all the exams i took, but i already got into college so i’m chilling.
i had some ups and downs FOR SURE!

• running out of time for an apes frq and simply putting “ :( “as my answer for a math calculation
  
• using some WILD evidence for my ap lang argumentative essay (i want to make the readers giggle)
  
• an entire CRAZY thunderstorm occurring during the exam in which there was hail, flashes of lightning and i was the closest kid to the window (i thought a tornado was coming and i would be a goner). PS: after driving away from the testing place i saw multiple BIG trees fell down so there might’ve been a tornado, idk!
  

but congrats to those who are done, and good luck to those who are still testing this week! make sure you bbgs treat yourself with a sweet treat because you deserve it!!!!

Hey Reddit! I struggle with dyslexia and writing - so I made this voice-native document editor that combines reliable dictation and natural language commands, letting you say things like: “make this a list” or “it’s Erin with an E” or “add an inline citation here for page 86 of this book”. You can use the free sandbox on the website withaqua.com - Here is a demo: https://youtu.be/qwSAKg1YafM.
I'd love to hear your ideas and comments with voice-to-text!

I [18f] and my mom [46f] used to get along really well when I was younger. I never had that “I hate my parents” phase like most of my friends did and I really enjoyed going shopping and going on little weekend trips with my mom. When I was 13 we discovered I had a gluten and dairy allergy so my mom worked really hard to help me find foods and really supported my diet no matter what. After my 16th birthday my mom quit buying me food and on my birthday made a normal cake saying “nobody is going to want to eat a gluten and dairy free cake” when all the years prior she had no problem making me birthday cakes the fit my allergy needs. So I never got a cake and my brother ended up eating all the birthday cake. Then I got my first job where I worked 5 days a week and only ate once a day on the days I worked because it was the only place I could get food. One day I went to my grandmas house and asked if she had any of my food (my grandma almost always accommodated for my allergies) she said she had one of my frozen pizzas in the freezer, we went out together and that’s when I told her my mom had quit buying me food. A whole fight broke out between the two and my mom started crying while my brother comforted her and my dad called me a spoiled brat. After that my mom bought me food on and off for 3 months until I started my senior year of When I was midway through high school I learned that my allergies had gone away from accidentally eating cheese that was on a burger. My mom seemed really annoyed and I started eating normal food. Recently me and my bf [19m] have been talking about moving in together. All of my friends and coworkers are super supportive and excited for me, but my parents just act like they want me out of the house. My older brother (we’ll call him Steve) has a swollen lymph node on his neck and has had to go to the doctor several times for last month and a half. At first I was really concerned about it, but after the doctors ruled out that It was nothing serious like cancer I realized he was ok. Well, Steve had gotten a temporary disability from his work, so that he’ll still get payed to just sit in his room all day. Meanwhile my parents fuss over him daily, my mom can’t have a conversation with me without him being the main subject and Steve has literally gotten away with throwing things at me and cussing at me while my mom doesn’t do anything. I tried bringing it up to my mom and she got mad at me saying that Steve is hurt and he could be unalived by his swollen lymph node and saying how they talk about me just not in front of me. I pretty much dropped it after that but my mom only continued talking about him more. A few weeks ago I had to report someone to the police for harassment and because she was causing a lot of stress in my life, when I told my mom she just shrugged it off acting like it was a normal thing to do every day. Steve is home everyday and my mom acts like she never sees him. Whenever he comes downstairs it’s always “hey Steve! How are you! What have you been up to?” Whereas I can be gone every day for 2 weeks and my parents won’t even bat an eye. Yesterday my boyfriend’s ex girlfriend came into my work and just watched me for an hour. I tried my best to ignore her and finished up my shift. When my mom got home from work I told her and she just brushed it off like it was nothing, but turned around and fusses over if my brother had eaten or not. Side note: my boyfriend lives almost an hour away so his ex had to drive a good 40 minutes just to get to my work I’ve been upstairs almost all day today, but I’m just so frustrated and I needed to get this off my chest, does anyone have any advice?

I just had my first rescan this morning. My ortho said to wear my trays at night only until the new ones come in. In my head, I’m like that’s a huge Reddit no no. I figured I’d pop them back in when I left. I drove home, I had lunch, went back to work, had a snack, had another snack. I forgot how free I was 9 months ago before I started. I’ve been very compliant averaging 22 hours. So I will enjoy the next 3-4 weeks and go back to the grind
Thanks for listening

I am in the final decision stage of partnering with a service dog training program to obtain a service dog who will help mitigate my disabilities, but I’m stuck on deciding the breed. Golden, Poodle, or Doodle mix.
Golden is the best option financially and statistically, however I have issues feeling extremely uncomfortable when things are “not sanitary” and the shedding/stinky smell/drooling of dogs that shed really get me if excessive.. (pls don’t judge..)
Poodles are great but extremely expensive for my situation and their personalities are not as accommodating as Goldens for what I need. Doodles are a “gamble” according to the breeder I am working with. Additionally the Goldens have a guarantee with this program to be replaced for free if they wash (“fail” as a service dog). The other breeds do not.
Any advice or things to know about Goldens? Be honest!!

Hello, all-I’ve been maintaining my little free library on my property for the past couple of years. It’s pretty actively used in my neighborhood, and up until now there have been no issues. However, I restocked this afternoon with a mix of classic and banned/challenged books, and within a couple of hours all of the potentially controversial books were gone and the library itself looked like it had been ransacked by a family of raccoons. For context, I live in a relatively progressive city in Alabama (emphasis on relatively). As you may be aware, our public libraries are under attack in the state, and I choose to stock books expressly cited by those in favor of book banning. As much as I’d love to think all 10 odd books missing went to someone interested in reading them, it’s far more likely some self appointed moral guardian yoiked them. I really don’t want to let these petty fascists win, not to mention the fact that thats about $60 worth of books gone. Any suggestions for recourse? I stamp all the books I stock with my library stamp to discourage resale, but if I had to guess I’d say these particular books are headed for a bonfire. I’m thinking about putting up a camera, but I really don’t want to creep out my neighbors.

Hey everyone,
I wanted to share my recent experience with a landlord named James O'Reilly to warn others who might be considering renting from him. Here’s what happened:
I rented a house from James O'Reilly a while ago, and it turned out to be a nightmare. From the beginning, there were several issues with the property that he promised to fix but never did. Here are some key points:

1. Maintenance Neglect: Major repairs like washer issues, electrical problems, and mold were ignored despite multiple requests. This made living conditions unbearable and potentially hazardous.
2. Unjust Charges: He frequently added unjustified charges to the rent without providing clear explanations or invoices. This included random fees for maintenance services that were never performed.
3. Poor Communication: James was extremely difficult to reach. Voicemails, texts, and emails went unanswered for weeks, leaving me in the dark about important matters related to the property.
4. Unprofessional Behavior: He showed up unannounced several times, invading my privacy. On a few occasions, he entered the apartment without prior notice, which is not only unprofessional but also illegal.
5. Deposit Issues: Upon moving out, he refused to return my security deposit, citing damages that were either pre-existing or never occurred. It took months of back-and-forth to get a partial refund, and that too only after threatening legal action.
6. Rude and Threatening: He was extremely rude and threatening during interactions, especially when issues were brought up. His hostile attitude made it very difficult to communicate or resolve any problems.

I’m sharing this to hopefully save others from the stress and inconvenience I went through. If you’re considering renting from James O'Reilly, please think twice. There are plenty of other landlords out there who are far more reliable and respectful.
Feel free to ask me any questions if you need more details about my experience. Stay safe and happy renting!
TL;DR: Avoid renting from James O'Reilly due to neglect of maintenance, unjust charges, poor communication, unprofessional behavior, deposit issues, and his extremely rude and threatening demeanor.

#rentalwarning #tenantexperience #badlandlord

OOC: co-written with NotTooSunny
It was an ordinary day at the New York City Library. People wandered in and out of the building, unaware of the monster that lurked among them.
The only people who seemed to know the danger these mortals were in were Harper and Amon, who entered the building with glowing bronze swords at their hips. The bulky weapons seemed to have escaped the notice of the other library patrons, which was a good thing. The job description had made it clear that they were meant to remain inconspicuous in completing their task.
Harper had traded her usual bright orange camp shirt for a more discrete cropped black t-shirt and pleated pants. She had been insistent on coming up with a persona for them on the train ride from Montauk Station into New York City. They were meant to act as high school students researching for a World History paper on Ancient Greece. Now that they were inside the library, she had stopped her incessant rambling to peruse a riddle book, in what she had insisted was preparation for their job.
As they wandered through the bookshelves, she remained absorbed in the dog-eared children’s book, thumbing through the pages to find a riddle that would be fitting of a sphinx.
“Here’s one, Amon,” she said, narrowly avoiding a collision with another library patron as she read, “What is something that runs but never walks, has a mouth but never talks, has a head but never weeps, has a bed but never sleeps?”
The dark-haired son of Apollo glanced over from a shelf of dusty atlases, the corners of his mouth lifting slightly. “That is an easy one,” he replied simply. "River. Try me with something more challenging next time around." He adjusted the collar of his striped button down, which he had layered with a navy blue sweater in preparation for the chill of the air-conditioned interior.
“The real riddle is where we can find this sphinx,” Amon glanced around the spacious reading area, eyeing the dark wooden staircase with its ornate railings. “The boyfriend and girlfriend who tried this last time, they found her by a bookcase.”
“A bookcase,” Harper repeated derisively, closing her book to theatrically scan their surroundings. “That narrows it down.”
Ignoring Harper’s mockery, the son of Apollo paused suddenly, his dark eyes glazing over with concentration. His hearing dulled, the surrounding footsteps and rustling pages fading into the background as if muffled by a thick curtain. Amon searched for the energy signature of the monster he knew lurked among the mortals. It was a subtle shift, like trying to discern a whisper in a crowded room, but he felt a faint, abnormal energy hanging somewhere up above.
“I say we try the second floor,” he said as he snapped out of the tracking trance, offering no other explanation to Harper.
“We could do that, sure,” Harper said, words laced with blatant doubt at his sudden certainty. “I say we try asking the Visitor’s Center. I know she's supposed to be disguised by the Mist, but the librarians have to have noticed something.”
“You can go ahead and do that.” The small smirk from earlier was now spreading across his face. “But you can’t be upset if I find the sphinx and solve her riddle before you even get there.”
Harper rolled her eyes, but she made no attempt to stop Amon from walking towards the staircase. After a moment she set off after him, footsteps even against the wooden steps.
Up on the second floor, Amon moved quietly, his dark eyes scanning the hallway for anything out of the ordinary.
I know you’re up here.
He stopped at every heavy-looking mahogany door, peering through each muted glass insert. He felt the air grow thicker with ominous energy at every step, so he knew the monster must be near.
One of the doors was slightly ajar, a suspiciously open invitation. Or a trap. The dark-haired boy caught sight of a cat-shaped figure on the other side before ducking down and motioning sharply for Harper’s attention. He unsheathed his kopis from his belt, bracing himself for confrontation.
Harper crouched against the wall, hand on the hilt of her sword as she tried to peek through the frosted glass pane. She held her breath, ready to move at Amon’s signal. He held out three fingers and then put them down one by one. When he hit zero, they stood in unison, flinging the door open together.
When Amon and Harper stepped inside, the body of the sphinx lay motionless on the floor.
The rest of the room was in disarray, littered with disheveled chairs and broken bits of chalk. A window on the other side of the room had been forced open, the curtain fluttering in the wind.
“No way,” Harper said. The door clicked shut behind her as she pushed past Amon into the room and kneeled to study the monster’s limp figure.
The sphinx had the large body of a lion and the eerily human face of a middle-aged woman, hair tied back in a severe bun and foundation caked onto her high cheekbones. Fangs jutted out of her red-painted lips, and eagle wings sprouted out of the space between her shoulder blades, folded tight against her back.
“Monsters dissolve into dust when they die,” Amon remarked, keeping his distance as he watched the subtle rise and fall of the monster’s ribs. “She must have been knocked unconscious.”
“Right,” Harper agreed, “The real question is who. And why.”
She hovered a hand over the cat's shoulder, set on rousing her. Before she made contact, the sphinx's eyes snapped open, round irises surrounded by shocking yellow sclera.
"Slain!" she wailed. Harper staggered backwards. Amon’s arms instinctively reached out to catch her, but she didn’t stumble near enough to make contact. "I am slain!"
With feline grace, the sphinx rose to her feet. A white tape outline marked the placement of her previously prone body on the floor. The muscles in her legs rippled as she paced in front of Harper and Amon, massive velvet paws silent against the carpet.
"And you, my dear heroes," she roared, eyes narrowed in an accusatory glare, "were too late to save me!"
The sphinx sniffed, composing herself. She leapt onto a wooden table. The table legs creaked underneath her weight. "Fear not," she tutted, "Fear not. For you can still avenge me. If you are able to determine the murderer and their weapon, then I will obtain justice, and all will be right with the world.”
“Your riddle is a murder mystery,” Harper said, confusion written across her face. Amon raised an eyebrow. The sphinx chuffed, a low rumbling sound reminiscent of laughter.
“You sought that hackneyed question about man? The Sphinx that the storytellers remember is far less adaptive than I am. I am not interested in your ability to regurgitate the information you have read. Nor am I interested in taking advantage of the nonsensical rules of your English language.”
“I am here to satisfy my own curiosity: does modern mankind still possess the ability to engage in deductive reasoning, or do they only seek to make themselves appear intelligent? Do not speak,” the sphinx said, a pointed look at Harper, who had opened her mouth to interject, “You will answer my questions when you play my game.”
“The potential murder weapons are scattered throughout this room,” she continued, leaping off the table. “And the suspects have already provided their testimonies for your review. Rest assured, I have made certain that their statements contain no lies.”
A shimmering, translucent energy began to swirl around Harper and Amon’s feet, beginning to take shape as holograms with a flickering, ephemeral quality.
A projection of Cerberus materialized first, his three massive heads snarling and snapping in unison. A ribbon of text appeared by his paws to translate his growling: "I was guarding the entrance, my duty unbroken."
Next came the Minotaur, his towering form pacing within the labyrinth on Crete. He snorted and pawed at the ground, the holographic maze shifting behind him in the background. The translation text appeared: "Confined within these walls, no escape for me."
Lamia's projection flickered into view, her serpentine lower half coiled around her as she wept in her cave. She glanced mournfully at the holographic images of her lost children: "My grief consumes me, innocent of this crime."
A shimmering Hydra emerged next, its nine heads snapping at invisible foes. Each one moved independently, showcasing its ability to act on its own. The translation for the hissing head at the center read: "Engaged in battle, I could not have killed."
Typhon materialized with a thunderous roar, his colossal form fighting against restraints under Mount Etna. His immense size and power were palpable, even in scaled down holographic form: "Bound by chains of the earth, I could not have roamed free."
Echidna’s hologram appeared last, her form a mix of human and serpent, lounging in a dimly lit cave. She looked directly at the viewers, her expression both defiant and amused. The translation text by her side read: “I dwell in my lair, uninvolved in such petty affairs.”
The sphinx swiped at the last projection as it faded, deeming her handiwork satisfactory. “There is not enough information to deduce the killer using evidence alone. Because I am fair, I will provide you with three hints before your final guess. Be forewarned: if you fail to provide a correct answer, you will both perish. Is this understood?”
Harper spoke. “If we answer correctly, you will leave this library for good.”
“If you answer correctly, I will permanently relocate. It is a preferable option in comparison to another death. Now, do you agree to the terms and conditions?” the sphinx said primly, regarding Harper and Amon with casual disdain. The pair nodded. “Very well.”
The sphinx dropped onto the floor and let her head loll back, pretending to be dead once more.
Hint #1

Suspects	Weapons
Cerberus	The Shirt of Nessus
The Minotaur	Siren Song
Lamia	Harpy Talon
The Hydra	Celestial Bronze Sword
Typhon	A-C Encyclopedia
Echidna	Cerberus Fang

Soon after the Sphinx had laid back down, Harper and Amon began to scour the room. A small pile of prospective murder weapons formed on a nearby table.
“We can easily eliminate the siren song,” Amon rushed to speak over Harper, eyeing the small glass vial of swirling gray matter that they had found nestled behind a row of books on metalworking. “It is a luring mechanism, not a murder weapon.”
“We could rule out Cerberus’ fang too,” he pointed at the enormous yellowing tooth, about the size of the small baseball bat Amon used to have when he played in the little league. “If we take the hologram as ground truth, all of his teeth were intact there.”
Harper used her kopis to prod at the stained tunic that had been hidden in a desk drawer, being careful not to touch it with bare skin. “The Shirt of Nessus is a viable option. It would be easy for any of the suspects to lay it down and wait for the hydra venom to kick in.”
“I am not ready to rule out the bronze sword either,” Amon noted. “Monsters have access to heroes and the weapons they leave behind.”
“Most of these monsters don’t even have opposable thumbs,” Harper argued, running a hand over the sword they had found by a power outlet. ”They don’t have the dexterity to wield a sword.”
“I do not imagine that the technicality would be that granular.”
Harper laughed. “Oh, the number of teeth in the Cerberus hologram tell all, but we’re drawing the line at opposable thumbs.”
“I suppose that that logic would also rule out the harpy talon and the encyclopedia easily as well,” Amon admitted. “Which would be too easy.”
“I’m just that good at logical deduction.” Harper said proudly. “If my assumption is correct, then the poisoned shirt is the only one that makes sense.”
Amon scoffed, folding his arms across his chest as his dark eyes bored into Harper. “It would not necessarily matter what our first guess would be anyway.”
“Can you provide an argument for any other weapon? Or are you intent on purposely making an illogical guess?” she countered cooly.
“Fine,” Amon acquiesced. “Since you are so adamant about the shirt, we can guess the shirt, and be incorrect. It does not matter. What about the suspects themselves?” He clasped his hands behind his back, his steps measured as he started to pace across the plush red carpet of the room.
Harper smiled, smugly accepting her victory. She strode towards a chalkboard at the side of the study room, inscribing the list of weapons and suspects with a fresh piece of white chalk.
“All of them have alibis,“ she began. “I think that-”
“Some make more sense than others,” Amon spoke over Harper, irritated by her minor triumph. “Cerberus, for example, is under the service of Hades. He says he did not leave his post, and he could not have done so without permission or dire consequences on the process of the dead.”
Harper silently seethed as Amon spoke, meeting his rationale with reluctant acceptance before starting again in a louder, exaggerated tone. “I think that the ones with the shakiest alibis are Lamia, the Minotaur, Typhon, and Echidna. No witnesses can confirm their locations. In fact, Lamia provides no location at all.” Harper circled those names. She looked at Amon with a forced smile, allowing him a moment to provide more commentary.
“Lamia? Well,” there was a hint of mockery in the sneer that tugged on the corner of Amon’s lips. “I would imagine her emotions rendered her… Too fragile and unstable to carry out such an act.”
“You’re kidding,” Harper scoffed, searching Amon's face for the slightest hint that he was joking. “Her grief is what moved her to kill children in the first place. I doubt it would suddenly be incapacitating. She’s just appealing to your sense of superiority, and I can’t believe that you’re falling for it.”
"It is not about superiority. It is about logic," Amon retorted, bristling in defense. “You cannot deny that emotions cloud judgment. Maybe the sphinx wants us to leverage our knowledge about her past crimes to reason that she was not thinking clearly in this case either.” Amon had no other evidence that pointed towards Lamia as the top suspect, but he had dug deep enough where he was now ready to stand firm in his reasoning.
“Murder,” Harper countered, eyes narrowed in a venomous stare, “-does not require you to think clearly. Haven’t you heard of a crime of passion? If anyone’s judgment is clouded right now, Amon, it’s yours.”
The son of Apollo squared his shoulders, his expression hardening. "I understand the concept of crimes of passion, thank you.” His dark-eyed stare returned Harper's gaze, unflinching at the intensity. “But our investigation must be rooted in facts, not assumptions based on emotions. And the facts are,” he resumed his pacing once more, “that Lamia cannot be the culprit, as she is the only suspect that openly admits to being innocent of this crime.”
Amon had considered this from the very start, but provoking Harper like this had proved to be far more amusing.
Harper crossed Lamia’s name off of the board. She swallowed down her anger, fighting the urge to continue pressing the issue in favor of returning to their list of suspects. She pointed her piece of chalk at the next names on the list. “The Minotaur and Typhon are trapped, or so they say. How could they have done anything?”
“Their alibis revolve around their inability to escape,” Amon pointed out. “Not that they were unable to commit murder. The Labyrinth, in fact,” he raised a dramatic finger, “has several moving passages that could have permitted the Minotaur to move and commit murder without an official escape.”
Harper considered his words for a long moment, trying to find the flaw in his reasoning. Seeing none, she placed a dot next to the Minotaurs's name.
“Typhon escaped his prison in the Second Titanomachy. He could do it again,” Harper said thoughtfully. “Though I don’t understand why he would do something like this. He’s the Sphinx's father. The same goes for Echidna.”
Amon, who had been nodding at Harper’s assessment of Typhon’s abilities, pursed his lips at her observation of parentage. “I do not see how this could possibly be relevant to the logical puzzle at hand.”
Harper spoke slowly, as if the answer was obvious. “What motive would they have to kill their own daughter?”
“Harper,” Amon began curtly, folding his arms across his chest. “Half of the Greek myths revolve around immortals killing their own children.”
“Then we should pick one of them,” Harper declared, pivoting her argument instead of admitting her logical blunder. “They would have more of a motive than the rest of the suspects, if anything.”
“The Minotaur can escape much more easily than Typhon can. Motive aside, it is the most logical guess,” Amon concluded, adjusting his collar haughtily. “I will remind you that we picked your choice of weapon. It is only fair that I select the monster.”
“Fine.” Harper agreed, her gaze stormy as she turned back towards the sphinx. “We accuse the Minotaur of killing the sphinx with the Shirt of Nessus.”
The sphinx opened one eye. “None of these are correct!”
Hint #2

Suspects	Weapons
Cerberus	The Shirt of Nessus
The Minotaur	Siren Song
Lamia	Harpy Talon
The Hydra	Celestial Bronze Sword
Typhon	A-C Encyclopedia
Echidna	Cerberus Fang

“Two more hints left.” Harper announced, crossing off the Minotaur’s name and the poisoned shirt on the chalkboard with a flourish. It was not ideal that her initial logical deductions had been incorrect, but at least Amon had also been wrong. She couldn't resist a snide comment. “I knew it wasn’t the Minotaur.”
“So you still think it’s Typhon.” Choosing to ignore Harper’s taunting, Amon rested his hand on a nearby desk, studying the lists on the chalkboard before him. He had taken the Minotaur error as a personal failure, and was determined to get the suspect right this time.
“I do.”
“Why not Echidna?”
“She’s too emotional to kill someone, obviously.” Harper said sarcastically. “Her frail female arms are probably too weak to even hold a weapon.”
The dark-haired boy rolled his eyes. “Objectively,” he began, ignoring her quip once more, “Typhon could not have lied about his inability to roam free. A natural disaster freed him from Mount Etna during the Second Titanomachy, but he could not recreate those conditions on his own.” Though his tone remained aloof, it was clear that Amon was relishing in the opportunity to flaunt his mythology knowledge.
“Maybe,” Harper argued, stubborn. “But Echidna’s statement was less ambiguous than his. Typhon just explains his predicament; he doesn't provide a real claim. Echidna explicitly says she was not involved.” She thought for a few more moments, rolling the piece of chalk in her hands. “Echidna could have released him? They would be accomplices.”
Amon shook his head. “There was a single murderer. Not two. The sphinx would not lie about the premise of the game.”
Harper stared at him coldly, but could offer no rebuttal. She turned her attention to the board. “Typhon is a giant. He’s capable of using the sword.”
“But the specificity of Echidna’s denial is still incredibly suspicious. ‘Petty affairs’ is a strange way to phrase a murder. But,” Amon added reluctantly, “I understand the logic behind Typhon. I suppose it is your turn to choose the monster, and we will still have another guess to work with.”
“As for the weapon,” he continued, “I still think the sword is the most viable option, given that the siren song and the fang can be ruled out and the shirt with the venom was, well,” Amon pursed his lips, fighting the urge to smile, “incorrect.”
Before Harper could interject, Amon turned towards the sphinx at the front of the room. “We accuse Typhon of killing the sphinx with a Celestial Bronze Sword.”
“One of these is correct!”
Hint #3

Suspects	Weapons
Cerberus	The Shirt of Nessus
The Minotaur	Siren Song
Lamia	Harpy Talon
The Hydra	Celestial Bronze Sword
Typhon	A-C Encyclopedia
Echidna	Cerberus Fang

“Aha!” Amon raised a triumphant finger before pointing it at Harper. “I told you,” he gloated, “Typhon had no escape route.”
“You were right,” Harper admitted, staring down at the carpet so that she would not have to look at his smug expression.
“Let’s get this over with,” she muttered, and turned back towards the lioness with crossed arms. “We accuse Echidna of killing the sphinx with a Celestial Bronze Sword”
“One of these is correct,” the sphinx announced. Her mouth twisted in amusement, fangs bared in a menacing smile.
READ PART 2 HERE

Anyone else on summer break?
I’m a high school teacher and coach
Feel free to ama or send song recommendations.
DMs are open

Got some stuff going up for sale tonight
I try my best to take accurate pics. If you have any questions or would like more pics or videos, PLEASE ask.
Offers are welcome, especially if looking at multiple items. Buyers at full price will take precedence over any non-finalized deals.
PROOF
Gold
1999 NGC MS70 1/10 AGE $300
1881 $5 Liberty $600
1945 Dos Pesos $135
1985 1/20 Panda $125 pending
1g PAMP Fortuna(in assay) $85
Silver
5oz Aztec Bar $145
5oz Aztec round $145
Aztec Fractional lot(1.75oz) $53)
Buy all Aztec’s as a lot(11.75oz) for $335
1oz Silver bullet .45 cal $35
US 90% lot $130(BIN in comments for a free SLQ)
3x Cull ASE’s $30ea or buy all 3 for $85(under spot)
1x100g Valcambi CombiBar $140
3oz Valcambi Skyline Series CombiBar $130
3x 2oz Scottsdale Stacker $62.50 ea or buy all 3 for $180
1oz Valcambi Skyline series bar(in assay) $35
2x 1oz Nadir bar(in assay) $35 ea or buy both for $65
Box(30x 5g) Geiger Bars $240 (buy this and I’ll throw in a free loose 5g Geiger bar)
2024 Australia 1/2oz colorized Year of the Dragon $20
2023 Tuvalu 1/2oz colorized proof Year of the Rabbit(7,150 minltage) $60
2022 Paint it Green ASE $80(check comps)
Shipping will be: $5 up to 10oz, padded envelope $10 for 10+oz, small flat rate box
Payment methods: Zelle(preferred), Venmo(no notes, just emoji), Paypay(F&F), cash app, crypto(+3%), cashier’s check or money order, mailed cash(if you really like to live life on the edge)
Thanks for checking out my sale!

Hello! I am looking for something serious. I am - Tall (well over 6’) - Intelligent (I want to be a professor) - Kind - Fit, with broad shoulders and muscular thighs
I am looking for someone - Passionate about what they do - Intellectually curious - Empathetic - Tolerant - Tall is a plus but definitely not a priority
I don’t do casual stuff. I want to have kids one day. I love football, PC games, and my cats. I am white, with dark brown hair and hazel eyes. Location doesn’t matter. I’m currently in Texas but moving up north for my PhD next year, hopefully. I’m working on getting better at conversing so feel free to reach out. I am working on my master’s thesis so we can talk about that too if you’d like.

Hello! I am looking for something serious. I am - Tall (well over 6’) - Intelligent (I want to be a professor) - Kind - Fit, with broad shoulders and muscular thighs
I am looking for someone - Passionate about what they do - Intellectually curious - Empathetic - Tolerant - Tall is a plus but definitely not a priority
I don’t do casual stuff. I want to have kids one day. I love football, PC games, and my cats. I am white, with dark brown hair and hazel eyes. Location doesn’t matter. I’m currently in Texas but moving up north for my PhD next year, hopefully. I’m working on getting better at conversing so feel free to reach out. I am working on my master’s thesis so we can talk about that too if you’d like.