So I recently came out as trans and my one and only friend was super supportive of me, she’s trans herself and was extremely happy that I could talk to her about it, yet it started some weird dynamic between us and I think I’ve genuinely fucked the only real friendship I’ve ever had.
We were and still are platonic in every sense of the word, and I never once pictured myself having feelings for her in any way, but since coming out she’s been, somewhat more tender with me and just overall deeper emotionally.
This didn’t cause me to fall in love, I have a bad history with that feeling and I’m a bit numb to the touch due to some thing past trauma, and I have respect for her like I have for no other and I wouldn’t want to do anything to jeopardise our friendship…
However I subconsciously started acting in ways that didn’t seem platonic to her. I sort of attached myself to her like she was my only reason for being alive, I relied on her for everything, I made her feel guilty whenever she felt like she upset me because I would always go quiet trying to make sure I wasn’t annoying her.
In this way I just completely invalidated her feelings, she has gone through a lot herself, and whenever I felt like she was having a bad day I’d immediately assume blame, and I’d just keep interaction to a minimum, this undoubtedly made her feel much worse, and to top it all off I inadvertently made it all about me.
I just drained her mentally to the point where I made her feel like she was walking on thin ice whenever she was around me, I told her that I wasn’t her problem and that she shouldn’t worry about me, but I ended up becoming a massive problem for her.
To make things worse, prior to all this she would poke fun at me saying I was crushing on her, and I couldn’t even tell at the time if this was the truth or not, because I can’t differentiate my feelings of complete and utter loneliness and feelings of actual intimacy toward a person.
I obviously made it very hard for her to differentiate between which one I was truly feeling which created even more problems, because I went with it, it seemed like fun, something to distract myself with, but it turned out it was a huge mistake.
Soon after coming out I grew accustomed to talking higher pitched and in a much more feminine way, it was easy for me to do since I’ve done some voice training in the past, and she would compliment me for it.
She would tell me how nice my voice is, and I would feel special that she said these things to me, and this is where I would admittedly want more attention from her, I enjoyed being complimented by someone I looked up to, it made me feel warm inside and I wanted more.
So I continued, and at some point it got too far, I started to believe the lie that I was in love with her because it was just going so well for me, I mean why stop now? I had everything I wanted.
My best friend was giving me lots of attention and making me feel so happy, that I couldn’t see how much this was actually affecting her.
I let my own personal happiness blind me to walking all over her feelings, she felt responsible for me because of the way I was acting and she didn’t want this to happen, yet I didn’t listen to her.
I would affirm with her if it made her uncomfortable and she said it didn’t so I saw nothing wrong and continued, but I should have just stopped.
Time passed and she eventually cracks under all of this pressure from me and just straight up tells me that she’s done with me crushing on her and that it’s making her extremely uncomfortable.
Well fuck.
I fucked up, in the back of my head I told myself it was going to be okay because this was all just flirtatious fun, I was so utterly wrong. I felt truly gut wrenchingly sick when I saw those words, not because I was in love with her but the fact I pushed my friend to the edge like this.
I said my piece to her and she said she forgives me but I can’t help but feel like I’ve done irreversible damage to our relationship I told her she can consider the feelings mutual and we were staying platonic, it was never my true intention to be anything but.
In my own delusions I convinced myself that I needed her, and only her, and I can’t take back the things I said or did, and now I feel like I’m losing the one person in my life who made me feel normal.
It’s not her fault in any way, I clinged to her and selfishly made her take care of me without a single thought for how she felt. Even though it ended in her forgiving me, I cannot forgive myself, there’s a huge hole in my chest.
I want to talk to her I want to be around her just like it was before, now I can’t even do that, she right there but I can’t even muster up the courage to even talk to her anymore.
This just makes all the the shit I’m going through just feel magnified x10, I can’t concentrate on anything I can only think about how badly I messed up, I’m going to start taking meds again, hopefully it fixes me this time.
Tldr: I most likely ruined the only true friendship I’ve ever had.

Original post: https://www.reddit.com/Marriage/s/RoN5GKUZQC
I wanted to give you guys an update of how the therapy session with my wife went this week. Not sure if this is helpful or not but I took many of the responses/comments/suggestions from my initial post and put together some things I wanted to discuss with our couples therapist to help us navigate some of the core issues that may be affecting this situation.
One of the main things that is the "buzz word" of this has been the term "resentment" and it has been really eating me up inside knowing my wife keeps telling me she doesn't know why she's resentful or doesn't know why this is affecting her emotionally/mentally. I brought this up with our therapist once again and resurfaced the conversation about being married for so long (15yrs) and being together since we ere 14yrs old. Our long history of growing up and how having children when she was 19yrs old (me 20) significantly changed the trajectory of our lives. We experience sever poverty and many hardships in the process and we essentially had zero social life for the past 10 years because we were so busy raising babies (2 kids now ages 12 &14). She followed up with tons of questions directly mostly at my wife about her feelings towards this and 90% of the responses were very "our kids" focused. It definitely felt like she was afraid of saying "yes it sucked" because she would feel guilt or shame because it would imply she regrets the kids. I mentioned this in the session and the therapist encouraged her to look at this outside of the lens of being a mother and to try to view it a bit more selfishly and individually and it was very eye opening. My wife mentioned that she was very frustrated with the fact that we did miss out on many things in life. She also was very clear in saying "I do not think I missed out on other partners or dating or partying but I certainly lost all my friends." This was huge because one of the big pieces that has caused a strain in our lives is how silo'd and isolated we've been (again busy raising kids). I followed up by reminding her that it's important to have good friends and to make time for herself and her friendships.
For the past 3+ years, we've had multiple conversations about friends and how it is important to have them in life. Specially when you have similar peers that can help in many areas of life that perhaps we have no experience navigating and even simply for enjoyment. It has always been something my wife avoids, even though she's always been someone who needs that external stimuli. The main reason for her not investing in friends or even herself has always been "the kids." Like I mentioned earlier in this post, 90% of the answers have to relate to "the kids" to some degree.
At this point in our session I started to feel like there was a common denominator (the kids) in most of the frustrations and problems she was experiencing. So I simply asked her "Do you think you may be upset at me because I'm responsible for these kids in the sense that I got you pregnant so young?" I wasn't ready but she said that she was upset at me for that. She also followed up with the fact that she knows that's unreasonable because it "takes 2 to tango." I did feel like it was progress because it kind of gave us something to work on and help alleviate some of these "burdens" so we agreed to invest more time in nurturing good friendships both together and individually.
Towards the end of the session, we began to discuss what actionable items we would take from this session. At this point, it was still all very ambiguous and blurry as to what the outcomes were. I was very direct and very forward in asking my wife what her plan is moving forward. (NOTE: I had decided prior to the session that should my wife say the same thing about being a coparenting roommate that I would take the 180 approach and essentially do me) She started basically saying the same thing, that she doesn't have any desire to be intimate or sexual with me as of now and that she loves me immensely and she feels bad for not being there for me (as mentioned in my first post).
I also brought up the brief swinging that happened, to which for the 50th time said it wasn't a problem. I agree with her on this. This was something that was a "mechanical" approach for a solution to a problem that was very much in existent when we tried this. We (both) really have no issue to this. We know it happened, we tried it and mutually stopped and turned the page.
I also brought up other life events that may cause resentment and really we ended up not getting anywhere else as far as the root for resentment which was discouraging.
I then basically expressed to my wife that I will not be ok with that arrangement. I told her that I've really done everything I can and that this issue really has reached a point where it has nothing to do with me or require me to do anything that I'm currently not doing. I was very direct and saying that I will not be accepting this dynamic and that I need to be with someone who is actively involved in our marriage, works towards resolutions and is very much interested in maintaining an active intimacy and sexual relationship. I expressed how I am not going to be a "convenience" and that there was more to life than being roommates and coparents. I made sure she knows I love her dearly and that I do want this to work for the better. I also told her that I'm fully committed to this marriage so long as she is as well and that is she wasn't, its ok, however I will not be a part of something where these efforts are not reciprocated. I told her I have no plans of leaving, and I do not want a divorce, however, I made it clear that if this dynamic continues that divorce will be the only outcome.
Of course tears were involved and it was a very bleak and sad ending to the session. Still nothing was said and I walked out very discouraged and very determined to start working on the 180 as soon as we left the room. It's painful and very difficult because much of the 180 requires you to be very short and cold and transactional. The saddest part is realizing, this dynamic already is very cold and transactional.
Here is where it gets VERY interesting. I started working on implementing many of the 180 recommendations that same day. I mentioned to my wife that, "hey, things are going to be a bit different moving forward. I'm going to honor her roommate/coparent dynamic without reproach and that it should be no mistake that I am not happy here and I am never going to be ok with it but I am done working on it if she wasn't going to work on it." She agreed and went to bed. I started to build distance and started to basically focus on myself. Very short and transactional. She asked for help on some of her personal things to which I declined and it really shocked her. She was upset saying I was being petulant. I explained to her that, she is now fully in charge of her own life and her own issues. We didn't talk all day and we only spoke when necessary. Few days I keep this going and she's very visibly upset and stressed. I typically react to that with gestures of help or nurturing but I didn't this time. That night she was crying telling me she's stressed and she things something is wrong with me because I'm "indifferent." I simply listened, then I told her that this is the dynamic she proposed and that I'm simply (much like her) taking care of myself and focusing on myself. I'm not going to lie, it has been VERY hard to be cold and distant because as I mentioned before, I love her and I wish I could hold her and love on her. However, I know this is somewhat manipulative in a way just to get her way and still keep me in the friendzone. So I've been staying the course.
We're now going on a week of this 180 and let just say, there has been MANY changes on her side. I think she is starting to realize there is more to me than just "friends and coparenting." I sent her a text a few days ago essentially itemizing bills and separating the financial responsibilities 50/50 and SHE LOST HER SHIT. She basically told me it was "out of left field" to which I responded "hey, friends go in 50/50 and as your friend I expect nothing less." This was very eye opening because it gave me a glimpse of I'm really taken for granted and how her level of comfort and convenience at my expense is really overlooked. I pushed through anyways and basically told her that this is the new dynamic she asked for and that its still a "bargain" because she would have to be 100% if she was on her own.
I'll wrap up with this. While the 180 has been working in many different areas, I am still very much sad about the overall situation. There have been MANY eye opening statements being said and realization that have not been pleasant to encounter. It has also sparked new energy and new efforts on her side as well. She's definitely seeking to talk to me more often and while its hard to turn down, I hope if things improve, this continues to happen. I've also noticed that she's making more time for herself aside from being a mom which is HUGE because she pretty much neglected herself for years. I'm very pleased seeing her be more herself. My hope is that as we work on ourselves, the marriage improves. There really is no telling at this point where this will go. We are very much cordial and amicable even to this day and that's a very good sign. Boundaries are set and expectations are very clear and I feel that no matter the outcome, I will be at peace with everything that has been done. We're still going to continue the couples therapist until we either rekindle our marriage or end up in divorce. I feel like having this nonbiased third party really helps as a witness and as a guide through this. No matter what I will always love my wife, however, I will not participate in a sexless, intimacy less marriage because we both deserve better.
Thank you all for all the kind words and recommendations and feedback. This will be my last post on this topic and I wish you all the best.
TL;DR: My wife friend-zoned me wants to just coparent at my expense but I started the 180 method to try and find a solution because she doesn't want to work on us which seems to be working on getting her out of her rut and helping me discover more about how she feels. Also, therapy is paramount and highly recommend to all couples.

(Originally posted to paganism, and on suggestion from some comments, cross-posted here)
So first off I feel I should explain- why ask here? Because I've found mostly contradictory accounts using google, yet an old archived question asking people if they worshiped moloch here came up { https://www.reddit.com/pagan/comments/wu759c/do_any_of_you_worship_or_work_with_the_god_moloch } that nonetheless didn't answer my question, and I'm sure people here will know the answer.
So, the most common answer I've found- on wikipedia { https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Moloch } and that archived post, is that the traditional interpretation of the word's appearance in the Tanakh is as a condemned god, but if you compare the term to other Canaanite terms it appears it's referring to a type of sacrifice as opposed to a deity.
However, I've also heard that Moloch is a fire-deity in the Canaanite pantheon. I vaguely remember a conversation with someone who followed the Canaanite pantheon many years ago, who said something similar. A different wikipedia page also says this: { https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Canaanite_religion#cite_note-18 }. It links to the Moloch page, which doesn't say anything about it referring to a fire deity. I checked the citations on this page but I don't have access to these books so I can't verify them.
According to Encyclopedia Brittanica { https://www.britannica.com/topic/Moloch-ancient-god }, it's the customary taboo-replacement for the names of foreign gods in the Tanakh- specifically replacing the vowels in the word for "king" (melech) for the word for "shame" (Boshet) In this case it could be referring to just, gods in general (or Ba'al using the pattern of taboo replacement elsewhere in the Tanakh).
All three of these accounts seem to contradict each other? To recap these accounts would be- Moloch as a specific deity (possibly related to fire); Moloch as a type of sacrifice; Moloch as referring to a non-specific deity (or a specific deity not actually named Molech). As far as I can tell there aren't many good easy-to-access internet sources on this- that or I'm bad at researching, or search engines suck now, which could also be true. Regardless I hope someone here can help, and that it's not too much of a bother asking this question.

I hate it when someone talks to me like I am stupid, when I was a child both my parents, mom and step father would taunt and treat me like I was the scum of earth. They would call me horrible names and made me feel extremely stupid and insignificant. In short, narcissistic & verbally abusive parents made me feel like I was dumb or wrong at every turn.
When my S.O talks to me and says things like "Now why would you assume X does X."
I know that sounds really insignificant in retrospective, but I've asked my S.O to word their statement differently to not make it not sound so "condescending", for example:
Instead of "Now why would you assume X does X.", say "No, usually X doesn't do X", instead of acting like I was dumb for thinking otherwise.
I have tried asking 10+ times now for them to word things in a more positive manner. This sadly has not been worked on and my s.o still responds to me like that if I ask any kinds of questions. Please let me know if I am going crazy or not, and if this is a valid reason to break things off. I truly believe that if you're gonna treat someone right, you better do it right the first time they ask you to. Tearing up a bit typing this cuz it truly is a sore spot for me.

Living in Eastern Canada, it's not as easy for us (as compared to our American neighbors) to get our hands on perfume samples without paying insane delivery prices. Etiket, based in Montreal, stocks niche/designer fragrances & has samples you can buy for almost every fragrance they sell, so I decided to bite the bullet. I haven't tried much from niche houses, only designer, so I was curious & wanted to try scents in the hopes of finding a possible signature fragrance. I bought 14 samples + the 3 extras Etiket give you (if you ask), but this review only includes 10 of them because I haven't tried everything yet and I also don't want this post to be a freakin novel. I'll probably do the rest in another post later.
About my tastes : I'm a fruity floral, gourmand & fresh type of person.
I made my list by houses (in alphabetical order) so here we go :
Carner Barcelona
Sal Y Limon - 5/10
Nice and fresh citrusy scent, very much beachy vibes, but the patchouli kicks the rest to the curb after 30 minutes. Note to myself : DNB anything with patchouli because that's all it's going to end up smelling like.
Giardini di Toscana
Blu Indaco - 8.5/10
This one had to grow on me because at first its musk felt way too masculine for me. I tried it first on a piece of cotton because of that, then when I came back to it after 1 or 2 hours, it had morphed into something nice and sweet. Tried it on skin and this time I found the musk way less intense. I'm getting almond, vanilla, clean laundry notes. The pepper is also coming through and stops Blu Indaco from becoming nauseating. I like this but I'm not sure if I'd commit to a full bottle, however I'll probably try to get my hands on a travel size.
Jorum Studio
Phloem - ??? / 10
Captivated as soon as I open the vial. First note I catch is amber and it’s an amber that reminds me of Stella Peony by Stella McCartney’s base notes. Then, words that come to mind are pungent, salty and fresh. There’s a slight musk. I’m getting overripe passionfruit & petrichor, with something sour too.
10 minutes post first pray : I’m definitely understanding why some compare Phloem to women’s scent down there, because what I’m smelling definitely reminds me of the female genitalia, minus the animalistic notes of sex. There’s also powdery notes. Clean sweat. This is such a fascinating fragrance.
2h post spray : Anddddd this is where I got disappointed. Phloem turned into something woody and utterly disgusting, I can't even put my finger on what it is but I ended up scrubbing my wrists with rubbing alcohol bc it was giving me an headache.
A very interesting experiment but ultimately the base notes ruined it for me.
Healing Berry - 6.5/10
This is a bucketful of red and dark berries with something that's definitely tannic in essence, reminding me of wine. The blackcurrant and the raspberry shine in this. Strong sangria vibes. It smells very good, it's sweet without being nauseating, it works well on my skin, but for $105 USD / $140 CAD I am absolutely sure that I can find a dupe that's not nearly as expensive.
L'Artisan Parfumeur
Couleur Vanille : 9.5/10
In the words of Lady Gaga, talented, brilliant, amazing, show stopping, spectacular, never the same, totally unique...This is a fall in love at first whiff fragrance for me. If vanilla grew in the sea, this is what it would smell like. It's iodine, it's sweet, the immortelle notes gives an edge to it, I don't even know where to begin describing this. I know it's supposed to represent Madagascar, but having wandered through small town streets in southern France near the Méditerranée, this is what it reminds me of. I ordered a full bottle.
À Fleur de Pêche - 7/10
I'm so so so disappointed the patchouli ended up drowning everything else, because the rest is gorgeous. Smells just like a peach orchard, this is not an artificial peach, this is fresh, herbaceous, sweet. I've learnt my lesson, I can't do patchouli in a perfume because it doesn't work at all with my skin.
Imaginary Authors
A Whiff of Wafflecone - 5.5/10
This is a well done gourmand, thing is, this doesn't remind me of an ice cream shop at all, this is 100% sugar shack (and I say this as a Canadian). It smells like what maple syrup tastes, if that makes any sense, and I get where the waffle cone title comes from, because there's definitely a hint of that. I'm just not a big fan of maple scent & it doesn't remind me of ice cream, which kind of seemed to be the goal, so that's why I knocked points off. For someone who likes this type of stuff, this would be a easy 6.5/10. Just not my thing.
Malin + Goetz
Strawberry - 7.5/10
I live in Quebec province, where fresh grown strawberries are available from mid-May to late-September. This smells just like our strawberry fields in June - it's green, it's herbaceous, there's a distinct note of well, fresh soil. Absolutely not your typical juicy strawberry smell. There's also some interesting notes like hay and clean wood that, for some reason unknown to me, reminds me of horses, without being animalistic. Freshly cleaned stables. I like this a lot but the staying power is weak and as such, I feel like this would do better in a soap or a candle than as a perfume.
Parfums de Marly
Oriana - 1.5/10
Oh man, what a disaster. The head notes are a perfect raspberry lemonade but not even 2 minutes after getting it on skin, an overwelming powder scent drowns EVERYTHING else and smells like old lady (bass boosted). The 1.5 is for the gorgeous head notes, otherwise this would be a 0/10.
Zoologist
Bee - 8/10
I love a well done honey scent and this is honey on crack. One of my favorite scents is Honey I Washed the Kids by Lush, which is very honey forward as well. If I had to compare the two, Bee is the raw material and HIWTK would be the end product, if that makes sense. This is truly like being inside a beehive, there is nothing artificial or dessert-like about this honey scent, its staying power is strong and there is something floral in the middle and base notes that is incredibly satisfying. I get some orange juice as well in the background. The white florals don't steal the show but rather compliment the overall scent. I can't stop smelling my wrist. However, I completely understand reviewers who said it's too much for them. I could see myself wearing this on a date, but not at a job interview.

I've been trying to access higher tiers of help with the NHS since fucking 2021
Every time I get my hopes up they pull the rug out from under me. If it's not referring me to someone who refers me to someone who refers me to someone who doesn't give a fuck, then it's people just not doing anything with my case for 6 months.
The straw that broke the camel's back? Latest "support" exclusively booked appointments when I was working, or first thing on the morning. I'm on mirtazapine so my mind isn't fully functional first thing. She initially booked me in later in the morning but oh whoops, can't do that because there's a meeting! Fuck knows why I booked it for that time in the first place but you have a choice of first thing or burning more holidays for people that clearly don't give a fuck!
But hey we can refer you to someone, make you wait some more! You clearly fucking love that, haven't had enough in your life!
ThE hElP iS tHeRe If YoU rEaCh OuT tHo

Delivering goodwill with elevation and emotional intelligence involves a combination of empathy, effective communication, and thoughtful actions. Cultivating positivity, thoughtfulness, and prosperity in others can be achieved through several strategies:

1. Practice Active Listening

Show Genuine Interest

• Listen Attentively: Focus on what the other person is saying without interrupting. This shows respect and makes them feel valued.
• Respond Thoughtfully: Reflect on their words and respond in a way that shows you understand and care about their perspective.

Empathize

• Understand Feelings: Try to understand the emotions behind their words. Show empathy by acknowledging their feelings and validating their experiences.

2. Communicate Positively

Use Affirmative Language

• Positive Framing: Frame your words positively, focusing on strengths and potential rather than weaknesses and limitations.
• Encouragement: Offer words of encouragement and support to uplift others.

Express Appreciation

• Gratitude: Regularly express gratitude for others' efforts and contributions. Acknowledging their hard work and kindness can boost their morale.
• Compliments: Give genuine compliments that highlight specific qualities or achievements.

3. Demonstrate Empathy and Compassion

Be Present

• Availability: Make time for others, showing that you are available and willing to support them.
• Engagement: Engage fully in interactions, showing that you are truly present and invested in the conversation.

Offer Help

• Supportive Actions: Offer practical help or emotional support when needed. Acts of kindness can significantly impact someone’s well-being.

4. Promote Inclusivity and Respect

Value Diversity

• Respect Differences: Embrace and respect diverse perspectives, experiences, and backgrounds.
• Inclusive Behavior: Encourage inclusive behavior and ensure everyone feels valued and heard.

Build Trust

• Honesty and Integrity: Be honest and act with integrity. Trust is built when people see that your actions align with your words.
• Confidentiality: Respect privacy and keep confidences, showing that you are trustworthy.

5. Encourage Growth and Development

Mentorship

• Guidance and Support: Offer to mentor others, providing guidance, support, and sharing your knowledge and experiences.
• Encourage Learning: Promote a growth mindset by encouraging continuous learning and development.

Feedback

• Constructive Criticism: Provide constructive feedback that is aimed at helping others improve, delivered in a positive and supportive manner.
• Positive Reinforcement: Reinforce positive behaviors and achievements, highlighting progress and effort.

6. Lead by Example

Model Positive Behavior

• Set an Example: Demonstrate the behavior you wish to see in others. Lead with kindness, integrity, and positivity.
• Consistency: Be consistent in your actions and words, showing reliability and steadfastness.

Inspire Through Actions

• Passion and Enthusiasm: Show passion and enthusiasm in your endeavors. Your positive energy can be contagious and inspire others.
• Resilience: Demonstrate resilience and a positive attitude in the face of challenges, encouraging others to do the same.

7. Create a Positive Environment

Foster a Supportive Culture

• Team Spirit: Encourage teamwork and collaboration, creating a supportive and cohesive group dynamic.
• Recognition and Celebration: Regularly recognize and celebrate achievements, both big and small, to maintain a positive and motivating atmosphere.

Encourage Well-Being

• Healthy Practices: Promote healthy work-life balance and well-being practices, showing care for others' holistic health.
• Stress Management: Provide resources and support for stress management and mental health.

Conclusion

Delivering goodwill with elevation and emotional intelligence requires active listening, positive communication, empathy, inclusivity, and supportive actions. By fostering an environment of trust, respect, and growth, you can cultivate positivity, thoughtfulness, and prosperity in others. Leading by example and creating a positive environment further enhances the impact of your efforts, promoting a culture of well-being and mutual support.
Delivering goodwill with elevation and emotional intelligence involves a combination of empathy, effective communication, and thoughtful actions. Cultivating positivity, thoughtfulness, and prosperity in others can be achieved through several strategies:

1. Practice Active Listening

Show Genuine Interest

• Listen Attentively: Focus on what the other person is saying without interrupting. This shows respect and makes them feel valued.
• Respond Thoughtfully: Reflect on their words and respond in a way that shows you understand and care about their perspective.

Empathize

• Understand Feelings: Try to understand the emotions behind their words. Show empathy by acknowledging their feelings and validating their experiences.

2. Communicate Positively

Use Affirmative Language

• Positive Framing: Frame your words positively, focusing on strengths and potential rather than weaknesses and limitations.
• Encouragement: Offer words of encouragement and support to uplift others.

Express Appreciation

• Gratitude: Regularly express gratitude for others' efforts and contributions. Acknowledging their hard work and kindness can boost their morale.
• Compliments: Give genuine compliments that highlight specific qualities or achievements.

3. Demonstrate Empathy and Compassion

Be Present

• Availability: Make time for others, showing that you are available and willing to support them.
• Engagement: Engage fully in interactions, showing that you are truly present and invested in the conversation.

Offer Help

• Supportive Actions: Offer practical help or emotional support when needed. Acts of kindness can significantly impact someone’s well-being.

4. Promote Inclusivity and Respect

Value Diversity

• Respect Differences: Embrace and respect diverse perspectives, experiences, and backgrounds.
• Inclusive Behavior: Encourage inclusive behavior and ensure everyone feels valued and heard.

Build Trust

• Honesty and Integrity: Be honest and act with integrity. Trust is built when people see that your actions align with your words.
• Confidentiality: Respect privacy and keep confidences, showing that you are trustworthy.

5. Encourage Growth and Development

Mentorship

• Guidance and Support: Offer to mentor others, providing guidance, support, and sharing your knowledge and experiences.
• Encourage Learning: Promote a growth mindset by encouraging continuous learning and development.

Feedback

• Constructive Criticism: Provide constructive feedback that is aimed at helping others improve, delivered in a positive and supportive manner.
• Positive Reinforcement: Reinforce positive behaviors and achievements, highlighting progress and effort.

6. Lead by Example

Model Positive Behavior

• Set an Example: Demonstrate the behavior you wish to see in others. Lead with kindness, integrity, and positivity.
• Consistency: Be consistent in your actions and words, showing reliability and steadfastness.

Inspire Through Actions

• Passion and Enthusiasm: Show passion and enthusiasm in your endeavors. Your positive energy can be contagious and inspire others.
• Resilience: Demonstrate resilience and a positive attitude in the face of challenges, encouraging others to do the same.

7. Create a Positive Environment

Foster a Supportive Culture

• Team Spirit: Encourage teamwork and collaboration, creating a supportive and cohesive group dynamic.
• Recognition and Celebration: Regularly recognize and celebrate achievements, both big and small, to maintain a positive and motivating atmosphere.

Encourage Well-Being

• Healthy Practices: Promote healthy work-life balance and well-being practices, showing care for others' holistic health.
• Stress Management: Provide resources and support for stress management and mental health.

Conclusion

Delivering goodwill with elevation and emotional intelligence requires active listening, positive communication, empathy, inclusivity, and supportive actions. By fostering an environment of trust, respect, and growth, you can cultivate positivity, thoughtfulness, and prosperity in others. Leading by example and creating a positive environment further enhances the impact of your efforts, promoting a culture of well-being and mutual support.

I enjoy watching Charlotte and thought, you all might enjoy this story. If it makes you cringe and awkwardly chuckle, I've done my job.
When I was much younger, I was dating a very nice man, We’ll call him Dan. He was a huge geek, something I actually like in a guy. He was intellectual, decent looking and sweet. Terms I’d never use to describe him would be sexy, intense, exciting, or passionate. To be fair, I loved him like a friend, but I was hoping my feelings for him would grow. So, I set up a romantic getaway for us for New Year’s Eve. We stayed at the Beekman Arms, the oldest inn in America, located in Rhinebeck NY. There was a storm warning for that night. I was looking forward to being snowed in for a bit.
It had just started snowing when we arrived, but it was coming down fast. We got to the cottage (a one room carriage house with bathroom) and it was a picture of romantic Victorian bliss. A large stone fireplace, a raised Victorian 4 poster bed, a large window that looked out onto the green with the town in the distance , and a bottle of champagne on the table. The snow was gently falling and quickly covering the ground so we decided to walk to dinner. We headed out and a few other couples were also walking to dinner, all of us dressed in our best. It was like stepping out into a real life Currier and Ives scene.
We held hands as we walked and joked about how lucky we were to be enjoying such a perfect night. There might have been a few snowballs thrown as well, much laughing, and fun was had. It was delightful and the only thing that would have made it better in my mind was if I were with someone I was totally into. We had a lovely dinner and afterward roamed around the town, now completely snowed in with no cars coming through at all. It was more magical than I can describe, looking up, everything seemed in slow motion with the flakes gently falling.
As we made our way back to our cottage, we talked about how nice it would be to sit by the fireplace and sip champagne while we watched the snow fall outside. We got to the house thoroughly chilled and started a fire. Dan had scooped snow into the bucket and had the champagne chilling with glasses at the ready. We started with a cup of warm tea to warm up and watched the snow come down. Candles burning and the fireplace crackling. I was warming up to this guy and thought maybe, just maybe I could develop more romantic feelings for him. Then I went to “change into something more comfortable,” a sexy satin nightgown and robe I bought just for the occasion.. I put on soft music and when I got back to the table he had taken two boxes out of his bag. I couldn’t tell what they were in the dim light. They were Magic the Gathering cards. He brought them along so he could teach me how to play. So did ya’ll hear the screeching brakes in your head the way I did? I had all I could do not to burst out laughing. I had my answer, we’d always be great friends, but that was it. There I saw in my sexy lingerie, and welcomed the new year while playing Magic the Gathering with Dan, sipping champagne and watching the snow fall as we enjoyed the crackling fireplace. I had fun, but by the time we were too tired to play on, the mood was over and we stayed on our separate sides of the bed.
A few weeks later we went our separate ways. He had met someone in his Dungeons and Dragons group and I was already looking for someone who was a better fit for me. While I regret nothing, as he was a great friend and that night will always be a special memory, It left a mark. As I began checking out online dating, I would always stop and check out the profiles that listed D&D free. For the longest time I thought they meant they didn’t play Dungeons and Dragons. I kid you not.

I’m pretty hurt by this community right now because of some comment I made on another post. I said how I don’t need the validation of an official diagnosis, which is a factual statement, yet I got downvoted for it and I really am upset by that. I wasn’t saying that it is a bad thing to seek validation in a diagnosis. In fact, I think it’s extremely helpful to be validated by a diagnosis. I know I was super validated when I was officially diagnosed with ADHD. But personally, I don’t need the validation of an ASD diagnosis because I already get the supports I need from having an ADHD diagnosis. But maybe people took my words and twisted the meaning?
I’m just perturbed that people would downvote someone for sharing their own thoughts, that weren’t judging anyone else, and I was speaking to my personal experience. So, it makes me wonder if there are people here who would dismiss someone for wanting to share their own experience. I even made a follow up comment saying that I didn’t understand why I was downvoted, and that comment got downvoted too. I thought this was a safe place, but that definitely made me feel Othered.
I got a 124 on the RAADS-R test. That’s below the threshold for a definite diagnosis of ASD, but it also means I could be autistic. I guess the validation I did want is from peers, if not from an official diagnosis.
I’ll probably be downvoted for this, too. And then delete this post.

I think I'm not the only one worried about part 3. I will mention here the points that worry me.
-The theme of the original game and that of the trilogy if it has changed or not ? -Questioning the whole point of all this and whether or not there would be a pay-off -The toxicity of shippers
Although the original game had as its theme the acceptance of death.
But acceptance is much more than just the acceptance of death.
Like making peace with something, self-acceptance, agree to open up to others, accept the past, accept the fact that we cannot all control, accept change, agree to let go.
the trilogy speaks, mentions, and greatly highlights the possibility of changing destiny.
Aerith says the future is not set in stone.
I would really like them to reunite Aerith with Cloud and the others, but nevertheless because I played the original games, there is a good chance that the creators will leave Aerith dead even if I think that is a much too expected result to be really effective.
The word destiny always evokes the future so it would be quite counter intuitive and illogical to a certain extent (I say this without wanting to disrespect the creator) that this whole thing about defying fate concerns Zack.
Because you see at the moment where the group defeats the Whisper Harbinger therefore the arbiters of fate, Zack has already been dead for a few years so why undoing destiny would change Zack's.
There is the possibility that the world in the lifestream that Zack was in was not in sync with that of the living world.
I would find it very disappointing if we changed the destiny of a dead person or of a physical memory from a lifestream world if it didn't change anything unless the idea was to change the destiny of this Zack which would lead to a sort of domino effect or butterfly effect that would change Aerith's destiny.
Other things that I notice if this is all a false lead, if the creators don't want to change anything in the story and keep the same theme, then maybe without knowing it they have already changed something.
We would move from the theme of the original game which is the acceptance of death to that of the theme of the acceptance of lies.
(Giving false hope to people to make them sad doesn't really work for me since I've already finished the original game several times and I find that the idea of ​​trying to recreate the same feeling that players who have already experienced this is not very functional in addition to wanting to capitalize too much on this.)
and I personally find this unlikely because the creators are aware of the slightest change and in terms of impact and seriousness these two themes are not really comparable.
Listen I really like the characters of Aerith, Cloud and Tifa.
And personally I think that Cloud likes both, and that the best solution is to let the player choose unfortunately there is a good chance that this will never happen knowing Square Enix.
As for the shippers, I'll be honest, I have the strange impression that part 3 is going to put all of this on fire, we could say that it's a good thing and we would get rid of the shipping wars, but we also have to take into account people who just have a preference without shipping will also be left out if Square does something with part 3, and I have a bad feeling that this is going to happen.
This love triangle in ff7 is already complicating things and I wrongly thought that Square Enix had finally lightened things up by being clear when Marlene told Zack that Aerith loves Cloud.
And I like the character of Zack a little more thanks to Rebirth and imagining that Aerith and Zack end up once again in the lifestream I find this result not very respectful towards the character of Aerith and Zack.
Already because seeing Aerith end up with Zack makes Aerith seem like someone who changes her mind overnight while the original game as well as remake and rebirth shows us that Aerith loves Cloud so that would be weird.
Two because I don't like people defining Zack as a spare tire for Aerith, not everything revolves around Aerith for Zack it's also a complete character who has a certain depth and I really loved what they made his character with Rebirth.
It's the same when people say that Tifa is a spare tire for Cloud or when some people say that Cloud doesn't like Aerith which makes no sense otherwise why the Creators make a point of not canonizing a couple.
It's not respectful to the creators of the original games and the trilogy and it's not respectful to the characters of Aerith, Cloud, Tifa and Zack.
Call it what you want, like going back to square one or regressing the progression of the characters or making sure that what they experienced or felt serves no purpose.
Thanks to those who read to the end and finally what do you think about the future for part 3 ?

I don't like the in-game LFG system at all. I had plenty of success with the old LFG system built into the companion app, but once they switched it over, it feels like it takes forever to even get someone to "accept" you into the group, and then even longer for everyone to "ready up"... it's just worse overall (for me anyway).
Is discord better? DestinyLFG? I play on PS5 and generally just have my phone with me while I play.

We often feel desperate when our heart is broken, but Goethe wants to teach us a sane way forward. He does this by telling us the story of Werther and Charlotte, two young people who over the course of a few weeks develop an intense but one-sided relationship. Werther falls in love with Charlotte, but Charlotte’s affections reside firmly with her very nice fiancé, whom she loves. Yet Charlotte enjoys Werther’s company: they make lunch together, have great conversations, go for walks, and dance at a party. Unwittingly she gives him false hope.
Werther’s love grows desperate and Charlotte becomes miserable. It becomes obvious that Werther loves her and she has to start fending him off. It comes to a head one evening when Werther turns up and she stops him, and explains that she will never be his lover. Charlotte points out the obvious but (to Werther) horrific truth that he will get over her and find someone else; that it is pointless to waste his time pining for her when there are so many other women in the world with whom he could have a real relationship. Werther goes off and shoots himself, a martyr to unrequited love.
Goethe tells the story from inside Werther’s head, so we are with Werther in his experience of rejection. Charlotte’s words, although severe, are not coming from a heartless writer who just doesn’t understand what it means to ache for another person’s presence, to feel that everything in your life depends upon them. So Werther’s extreme acting out of despair is a terrifying jolt. Even if we share his experience up to that point, we can see that he has fatally misunderstood the nature of love.
Charlotte’s lesson is hard, but ultimately more wise: if you were able to love this one person, you will be able to love someone else.
https://preview.redd.it/ba669vud8m0d1.png?width=560&format=png&auto=webp&s=36bfca3fab42528182ca686e24480b299fc90a37

Just like the title states, yesterday I made a comment expressing my empathy for victims of scams and thank OP for bringing it to everyone's attention. However the OP of that post had turned around and accused me of being a scammer. I am still waiting for explanation as to how I scammed him. So u/ekovalsky if you are seeing this post, I hope you can explain to me how I scammed you when the only time I interacted with you was when you made a comment on a post I made for a Chanel bag I recently got. You asked for a factory and bag name so you can check with your sources. I replied with a bag name and comment that I don’t know the factory name since I don’t usually ask. I like for you to enlighten me on how that constitute a scam.
Additionally, look into my post history and see what type of posts/comments I've made. As a new buyer in this rep world, I am always appreciative of people who shared info on seller, because that's how I was able to successfully purchased my first two rep bags. As someone who believe in reciprocity, I always share info when asked. I did not anticipate that my willingness to share info resulted in me being labeled as a scammer. So for all other users with whom I have interacted and shared my seller contact info, I hope you can all post here and attest to rather or not I have shared legit contact info with you and help cleared my name.
@ u/ekovalsky I hope you realized the accusation you made against me is totally false and uncalled for and you should apologize.

Yesterday, a letter arrived at my house. It was from the neighborhood, accusing me of being a mistress. I (26F) who fell in love to someone who is divorced man for 5 years, we met 3 years after his divorce but according to them, I was the cause of someone else's pain.
The weight of those words crushed me. But what hurt even more was seeing the pain in my parents' eyes as they read the letter. They've always supported me, but this accusation shook them to the core.
Sitting down together, I explained everything to them. I poured my heart out, telling them about the genuine love I shared with my partner. I assured them that I was not the cause of anyone's suffering, but rather a victim of false accusations.
Slowly, their expressions softened, and they enveloped me in a tight hug. They told me they believed in me and that they were proud of me for standing up for the truth.
In that moment, I realized that no letter could define the love between me and my partner. Despite the judgment from the neighborhood, we would continue to fight for our love, with my parents by our side, supporting us every step of the way.
Should I file a case against these people accusing me of things?

After ruin we learn that after many years The Mimic has been set free after Cassie follows a fake Gregory, but why did Gregory betray Cassie at the end? Well what if it wasnt The Mimic being the "big baddie" of Ruin, but in fact Gregory?! Well im here to explain why, Gregory is said to be a Robot by MatPat, right? and if we were to believe that theory, than what if it has something to do with Afton? now many people are gonna say that Glitchtrap is The Mimic, but in another theory I placed many facts that debunk that theory (See here) and there is more things that prove my first statement about Gregory being the villain, which is what I will explain now, you see people think that Gregroy is patient 46 and GGY, but people ignore that, but, this isnt about Patient 46, but GGY, GGY is a master hacker, and serves a strange bunny, but remember that, remember that for later, you see, Glitchtrap should be gone, now that Vanness and Burntrap is, right? WRONG, apparantly in HW2 hes still there, and thriving, but dont you find it strange that most SB characters are there, other than Gregory, strange huh, but now, lets talk about Ruin, we follow someone with the voice of a strange Gregory voce who turns out to be the Mimic, but what about Helpy, people ignore this too, Helpy apparantly was hacked by a strange purple energy, which isnt purple "So it cant be Glitchtrap, right" Maybe not him, but Gregory?! Gregory is mainly assosciated with Bright Orange, its the color of his eyes, the color of his hiding acheivment, and the color helpy is controlled by, now remember helpy helps Cassie throughout Ruin, while when Gregory uses it, it saves his spot, but its helpy right? Well if GGY servers a strange rabbit, and like Glitchtrap, GGY and Gregory are master hackers, right? the pieces start to fall together about the strange rabbit, huh? Its Afton, and explains why hes not gone, without a Physical Body, Glitchtrap cant do anything, however you might say HW2 was in VR, however In Character, its a testing place for fazbear employees, and Gregory serving the strange rabbit also explains why he sounds strange in the elevator, and you might say its The Mimic, but mimicking voices isnt something The Mimic can do, but also William Afton, but not just as Glitchtrap, he made an Anamatronic who can mimic the voices of parents, and thats the lovable Funtime Freddy, William is also the only person who knows how to hack, other than Vanessa HUH, and also both seem to only hack Anamatronics, and have some connection to Arcade Games HUH, and also, both people have different personalities when their around other people HUH, three coincidences, huh, but that one dosnt count, anyway GGy winning every game, aslo mainly has a high-score thats Yellowish Gold, "So it cant be Gregory, right?" Well the so does the "Dodge and Wave" Acheivment, and also, Gold is also mainly connected to things like Springbonnie, but thats not really important, and also If Gregory is a robot, it explains why he would be easier to hack, and also when Freddy says he senses he is broken, it dosent have to be because he is the Crying Child, but because he is fighting to gain control over his body, and becoming an entirely different person (GGY) broke him, just like Jeremy being a different person, broke him, but to the point to stop himself, he commit suicide, it also explains why he sounds infuriating at the start of Security Breach, and what would you know it, when the REAL Gregory shows up on the speakers, his voice sounds simple and fake, just like Tape Girl at the end AKA Vannessa, HUH, now thats four, and oh wait THERES MORE! even though simple and plain was The Mimic, there is no reason for him to speak to Cassie again convincing her that he was a threat to the world, and also, The Anamatronics going after him dosnt mean they want to kill him, they arnet possesed (Possibly other than Glamrock Freddy) and actually say they want to help him (But I do think that Monty did want to kill him) until he destroyed them, there is no reason for him to destroy them every time, and it seems a bit familiar, leading them into their own places, just to kill and dissasemble them, and Gregory shdent know how to install other Anamatronic parts, and also one more thing that confirms hes a robot, when Vanny gets close to him, his eyes get static, but can still see her, im not doing MatPats Crying Child Theory, but his eyes being Staticy isnt something Human, and the fact that he can be "Broken" is still a bit wierd, and the fact that Gregory is so aggressive, and has no reason to take Cassie down, even when The Mimic cant follow, to the place she was getting away from, Gregory having "Friends" makes no sense as he was only friends with Cassie, and you could say Glamrock Freddy, but he cant hack the comms, and also, how would he have access to them without hacking, he also can control GlamRock Freddy, you can say any child in him, but the fact that its all wiery, and he can use wires to charge freddy, and possibly control things, leads me to believe he didnt control Freddy because he let him, but because he controlled him, and on stage, most people presume its because Glitchtrap hacked him, MatPat believes that its because he saw Gregory as Crying Child, but despite his eyes scanning over the crowd, he was staring at a blank area, and his stomach hatch is the only place not glitching, and it says child detected,however it was the system that detects him, not Freddy, and with that, Gregory already was in the stomach hatch when he awoke, AND he already can control him, thats a bit strange huh? and finally, Gregory can hide in the charging station, which would presumably electrecute and kill a Human, and there is no "Good" reason for him to lie about his friends being destroyed unless he was manipulating him from the start, and with all that, I beleive that Gregory is the Villain, but hey thats just a theory a Game Theory! (Thanks for reading!)

I've alredy seen the word "relatable" used to describe one or more of TADC characters. So... It might be too early, but which character do you find the most relatable, so far?
(Note: since there weren't enough options for all the characters, you can give a different answer in the comments)
View Poll

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My friend Yan is putting on a comedy show at Cloud & Spirits this Thursday. Tickets are limited; go check it out I promise you'll have fun.

THURSDAY - MAY 16

Tapered Expectations XXI: "Above the Clouds" - A Standup Comedy Event @ Cloud & Spirits @ 7PM Acquired Taste Comedy is back at Cloud & Spirits with another signature Standup Comedy Event. Catch a carefully curated selection of the area's funniest comics along with a special musical guest at a breathtaking cocktail bar in Central Square!
Red Sox vs Rays @ Fenway Park @ 7:10PM
Asi Wind’s Magic Show @ The Wilbur @ 7:30PM Being one of the most-watched magicians in the world, Asi Wind presents a new show where he pushes the limits of belief even further with unbelievable mind-reading and astonishing magic.
Candlelight: A Tribute to Adele in Concert @ Temple Ohabei Shalom @ 7PM / 9PM
Marc Martel & One Vision of Queen Concert @ Symphony Hall @ 7:30PM The Pops will rock you when Marc Martel brings the iconic anthems of Queen to Symphony Hall.
Diana Ross @ Wang Theatre @ 7:30PM See the iconic and legendary Diana Ross perform the hits that have defined her career.
Cooper Alan @ Paradise Rock Club @ 8PM With Thomas Mac
Lords of Acid @ Brighton Music Hall @ 6:30PM
Ben Beal @ City Winery @ 7:30PM

FRIDAY - MAY 17

Bruins vs Panthers @ TD Garden
Madeleine Peyroux @ The Wilbur @ 8PM
Neil Young & Crazy Horse @ Xfinity Center @ 7:30PM
Wild Child @ Paradise Rock Club @ 8PM
Soen @ Brighton Music Hall @ 8PM
Tye Tribbett and Friends @ Orpheum Theatre @ 7:30PM
Galantis @ Big Night Live @ 9:30PM
Hermanos Gutiérrez @ Royale @ 6PM
Tinlicker @ Royale @ 10PM
Buck Meek of Big Thief @ Crystal Ballroom @ 8PM
Anders Osborne Trio @ City Winery @ 7:30PM

SATURDAY - MAY 18

Watertown Porchfest @ Watertown @ All day
Revolution vs Philadelphia Union @ Gillette Stadium @ 7:30PM
Dancing on the Charles @ Marsh Post #442 @ 3PM Montreal deep house DJ Fred Everything headlines this marathon outdoor dance party, running from late afternoon into the night.
Ales & Tales @ Stone Zoo @ 5:30PM Walk on the wild side while enjoying local craft beverages. This popular beer tasting event is a favorite among animal and beer lovers alike!
Kite & Bike Festival @ Franklin Park @ 12PM This Boston tradition brings families together to enjoy picnicking, kite flying, bicycles & music.
Ongoing - Artisan Market @ Rose Kennedy Greenway @ 11AM
Kevin James Comedy Show @ Chevalier Theatre @ 4:30PM / 7:30PM
Jimmy Failla Comedy Show @ Shubert Theatre @ 8PM
‘Encanto’ in Concert @ Symphony Hall @ 2PM Disney’s Academy Award-winning film comes to life in a concert event, featuring the entire feature-length film with a full orchestra performing the score.
The String Cheese Incident @ MGM Music Hall @ 7:15PM
Robyn Schall Stand Up @ The Wilbur @ 7PM
Sorry Papi @ House of Blues @ 9PM
James Arthur @ Roadrunner @ 8PM With Forest Blakk
The Music of Talking Heads & More for Kids @ Paradise Rock Club @ 11AM *Presented by The Rock and Roll Playhouse
Orgy + COLD @ Brighton Music Hall @ 8PM
Gimme Gimme Disco @ Big Night Live @ 5:30PM
Arty @ Big Night Live @ 10:30PM
The Messthetics and James Brandon Lewis @ Crystal Ballroom @ 8PM
Chris Smither + Peter Mulvey @ City Winery @ 7:30PM

SUNDAY - MAY 19

Celtics vs Cavaliers @ TD Garden
Kite Festival @ Revere Beach Kick off beach season with a fun day for the whole family complete with build-your-own kite stations, professional kite flyers, live music, and other activities!
Ongoing - Open Market @ SoWa @ 11AM One of the largest open-air farmer and artist markets returns this summer season!
‘Dropouts’ Podcast Live @ Paradise Rock Club @ 7PM Come see internet stars Zach Justice, Tara Yummy & Jared Bailey discuss latest hot topics, celebrity gossip, and personal dramas live!
Electric Callboy @ MGM Music Hall @ 7PM
Deko @ Brighton Music Hall @ 7PM With Yameii
Mk.gee @ The Sinclair @ 7:30PM
Guppy @ The Rockwell @ 7:30PM
Big Bad Voodoo Daddy @ The Wilbur @ 7PM
Compaq Big Band @ City Winery @ 7:30PM

ALL WEEKEND

FRIDAY & SATURDAY - Amanda Seales Stand Up @ Laugh Boston
FRIDAY & SATURDAY - Zach Brazao Stand Up @ Nick’s Comedy Stop @ 8PM
SATURDAY & SUNDAY - ‘Bluey’s Big Play’ Show @ Wang Theatre ‘Bluey’s Big Play’ is a brand-new theatrical adaptation of the Emmy award-winning children’s television series featuring new music and new character adventures.
All weekend - Jukebox The Ghost @ The Sinclair @ 8PM
All weekend - Nantucket Wine & Food Festival Enjoy food and drinks tastings, seminars, brunches, and parties as the annual festival uncorks the island for the summer!
All weekend -’Hallyu Hits: Korean Films that Moved the World @ MFA See the best of Korean cinema including ‘Oldboy,’ ‘Parasites,’ and ‘Burning.’
All weekend - ‘Spring Experience’ Ballet @ Citizens Bank Opera House LAST CHANCE - Explore Boston Ballet’s dynamic and captivating Spring program composed of three masterful ballets featuring classical and modern dance elements.
All weekend - ‘BABYBABYBABY’ Dance Performance @ Calderwood Pavilion This contemporary dance production taps into the feeling of falling in love and reflects on the human impulse for connection and intimacy.
All weekend - ‘A Strange Loop’ Musical @ Wimberly Theatre Winner of Pulitzer Prize and a Tony Award, Michael R. Jackson’s blisteringly funny masterwork exposes the heart and soul of a young Black artist grappling with desires, identity, and instincts he both loves and loathes.
All weekend - ‘Jersey Boys’ Musical @ North Shore Music Theatre LAST CHANCE - Featuring legendary hits, this award-winning musical tells the behind-the-scenes drama of the international sensation boy band The Four Seasons.
All weekend - ‘Toni Stone’ Play @ The Huntington Theatre The Huntington’s season finale is a beautiful, rich portrait of a trailblazing woman. Follow the inspiring and life-affirming story of baseball legend Toni Stone.
All weekend - ‘Romeo and Juliet’ Play @ Calderwood Pavilion Brought to life by Actors’ Shakespeare Project, Shakespeare’s most famous duo return in a flurry of forbidden love, exhilarating fight scenes, and tragic fate.
All weekend - ‘Mermaid Hour’ Play @ Arrow Street Arts LAST CHANCE - Fast-paced, funny, and heartfelt, ‘Mermaid Hour’ follows two parents and their trans teen kid as they all seek to understand who they are and who they wish to be.

ONGOING

Ongoing - Immersive Disney Animation @ Boch Center Step into the art and legacy of Walt Disney Animation Studios and celebrate the music, artistry and animation from the creators of Frozen, The Little Mermaid, Big Hero 6 and many more.
Ongoing - Musical Shows @ MoS Planetarium Museum of Science puts on special experiences adapting the music of Pink Floyd, Rihanna, Beyoncé, and The Divas to immersive visuals in the Charles Hayden Planetarium.
Ongoing - ‘Firelei Báez’ Exhibition @ ICA One of the most exciting painters of her generation, Báez explores the multilayered legacy of colonial histories and the African diaspora in the Caribbean and beyond.
Ongoing - ‘Wordplay’ Exhibition @ ICA Highlighting the rich interplay between imagery and text, the exhibition showcases how contemporary artists have played with words to animate and expand their art practices.
Ongoing - ‘Hallyu! The Korean Wave’ Exhibition @ MFA Enjoy an immersive and multisensory journey through Korea’s fascinating history, and celebrate its contemporary vibrant creative force.
Ongoing - ‘Dress Up’ Exhibition @ MFA Through more than 100 works from the MFA’s collection including 20th- and 21st-century clothing, jewelry, accessories, illustrations, and photographs, this exhibition explores adornment and its role in the creation of a look.
Ongoing - ‘Comrade Sisters: Women of the Black Panther Party’ Exhibition @ MFA This exhibition brings together 27 powerful photographs by Stephen Shames that feature the women of the Black Panther party and showcase their crucial work for the movement.
Ongoing - ‘Thinking Small: Dutch Art to Scale’ Exhibition @ MFA Featuring 15 intriguing objects from 17th-century Netherlands such as paintings, prints, silver medals, and books, this exhibition compels viewers to reconsider their relationship to the world around them.
Ongoing - ‘Raqib Shaw: Ballads of East and West’ Exhibition @ ISG Museum Shaw’s images of magic and mystery combine Western artistic tradition with ornamental elements derived from the Japanese, Persian, and Indian cultures that he vividly remembers from his youth.
Ongoing - ‘Picasso: War, Combat, and Revolution’ Exhibition @ Harvard Art Museums The exhibition explores the dictator Francisco Franco’s Spain, imagery of death, struggles of good and evil, political and artistic revolution, and issues of desire and capture.
Ongoing - ‘Our Time on Earth’ Exhibition @ Peabody Essex Museum This traveling exhibition from the Barbican Centre in London celebrates the power of global creativity to transform the conversation around the climate emergency.
Ongoing - ‘AI: Mind the Gap’ Exhibition @ MIT Museum MIT Museum presents its latest riveting, interactive exhibit exploring the tremendous promise, unforeseen impacts, and everyday misconceptions of AI.

I have called Mina out on multiple occasions for changing her message to her own convenience at the expense of her audience. It still remains controversial for whatever reason. See related posts:

• “Sprinkle Sprinkle” Mina: Stats don’t matter ➡️ Red Pill Mina: Be Realistic
• Mina claims your "front-runner" will BUY YOU A CAR. "That's how it works out for a lot of my clients". But is that how it worked out for her?
• The fallacy of Mina's "provider man" CULT and her "evolutionary basics" scam
• Is it realistic to expect a “full provider” in this day and age?

A common pattern is how she will say one thing to grow her audience and then turn around and switch things up on them and gaslight them about it. That's because the truth is that her teachings are inherently flawed. They are riddled with manipulated half-truths that appeal to your lower self.
These femininity gurus appeal to your most toxic traits and your own vanity to reel you in and then use it against you:
Mina explains that what the feminine brings is \"energetic\"
While this may sound nice on the surface, be careful consuming “femininity” content that teaches that what you contribute is “intangible” or “mysterious”… you are making it okay for her to be "feminine" to you and thus you are agreeing to be scammed. It's like what I said in this post: It's all a game to her, and she played us (many of us)... Everything you think she's teaching you how get from men, she is actually getting from YOU
Notice how she describes what the masculine brings versus what the feminine brings. You as her customer are literally her masculine. You are bringing the money while she is bringing the “honey”. The only person that really benefits from such teachings is the teacher. When most of her students actually carry this mindset into their other relationships, it does not work because most healthy people do not like entitled, selfish, or self-absorbed people- male or female. At best people will just avoid you, at worst you can actually attract high level predators. (Almost like what happened with the Tinder Swindler)
Mina can try to act like this is not what she teaches, but this hyper-entitled "I am a goddess" "i get paid to exist" mindset is literally the mindset she uses to attract her audience. Mina for example has expressed a clear aversion to housework. Mina from the beginning went out of her way to make it clear that her full provider also does bulk of the cooking and cleaning. She made it clear that his provision was not in exchange for house work or child care. That her sheer feminine energy in itself was enough.
This messaging was like porn for women. She was able to grow her audience like wildfire. She was able to sell her overpriced courses like hot cake.
Her teachings always seemed a little "unrealistic" to me, but I figured that I had too many "limiting beliefs". Clearly her teachings were working right? Look at all her testimonials? ....Well that right there is the catch.
The proof of the pudding is in the eating. Mina is NOT delivering for her clients. Even in this forum when people try to push back on my critiques of these teachings, rarely does anyone actually say "it worked for me". "I have a full provider who is happy to do all these things and I don't lift a finger". Most of it is just more along the lines of "I still believe this is possible" or "i believe this is how it should be"
Women in these spaces are very quick to call any man who doesn't fully align with Mina's model of a relationship "effeminate" or "broke" or a "loser". That may be true, but if most men or even a good proportion of men today are effeminate or broke, then how useful are these teachings anyway? That means that most women will not end up in the type of relationship that Mina is promoting. It doesn't matter if they spend $88,888 on her VIP coaching package. That is the cold hard truth.
So I guess that's why Mina changed her tune and at some point started telling us to be realistic started looking at "the data". The truth is that Mina's teachings do not add up. That is why she often contradicts herself.
She actually used to encourage women to wait to get married. She used to say that a a 24-year-old woman who had never lived alone or never held a job and jumped straight into marriage would be a "disaster". She actually even encouraged women to wait till their 30s to settle down. Mina used to teach women that providers come in stages. And she talked about a "king provider" stage that was around when a man was in his 40s and above.
But now she is telling girls to forget pursuing a serious degree that they can get a job in, and to forget pursuing a serious career. That they should put all their focus on getting married once they turn 22. She is pushing for an age gap which would make them marry men who are also in their 20s. What percentage of American men are ready to be full providers in their 20s?
Her teachings are all over the place. They are not grounded in reality. She doesn't care how many people she leads astray.
She doesn't know anything about "rotational dating". She never used it herself. She has pulled out a "blueprint" completely out of her behind that she herself didn't follow just so that she can sell books. She is a charlatan and it is so sad that women are taking anything she says seriously. Girls are basing major life decisions and even choosing their college majors based on the nonsense that comes out of Mina's mouth.
Mina's teachings are not designed to make sense. They are designed to make dollars. For herself. Millions of them. (Pun intended)
P.S. It's not even just her relationship content. I would caution against doing business with any trainee of Mina, sorry. I just know that a major selling point for her business and coaching courses is that she can help you "get paid to exist". It is really just a greedy ego trip. It's not about actually providing quality service to people. Maybe that is why one of them has recently gone out of her way to make it clear that she gives her all to her students.