2024.05.14 03:19 Ok_Leave1110Dupe Comparison and Dirty Soul Soap Review
This is my first time trying DSS: Lemon Pound Cake (3/5) - The fragrance difference between DSS & BBW is almost night and day. DSS has much more of the citrus note and the cake scent comes a little after. The lemon in this one almost reminds me of Lysol. I love lemon, but it was a bit too strong even for me. Frosted Animal Cookies (1/5) - The one I was most excited for and also the most disappointing! It smells like straight chemicals to the point I wanted to gag. Think wax mixed with burnt rubber! Sugar Plum Dream (3/5) - I would categorize this one as a floral. The jasmine and lemon notes shine through but I mainly got this one for the sandalwood. It’s ok just not my favorite. Firework (5/5) - I can’t even begin to express how much I love this scent! The cherry and berry notes are perfectly complimented by a hint of…lime? I’m definitely considering getting a full sized bottle. Also a dupe for Firecracker Pop. Peach Rings (5/5) - I didn’t expect to like this one as much as I did. The smell was like opening a bag of candy! Pure peachy, sugary, goodness! I need the full size! This one is definitely for the gourmand lovers. Orange Creamsicle (4/5) - I picked this one up for a friend. I’m not really a fan of orange scents, but it smelled exactly like it’s namesake. I didn’t detect the pineapple note, but if you like orange and vanilla this one is for you. Grape Jolly Rancher (1/5) - I really wanted to love this one. The only scent I can say it’s similar to is cough syrup. Very medicinal smell and just wasn’t for me. Strawberry Short Cake (2/5) - Overall this one was pretty underwhelming. The strawberry was very artificial smelling and I didn’t get any cake note. Not as bad as the lowest ranked ones, but still didn’t like it much.
2024.05.14 02:11 AntiYoloboiRandom recommendation for an Otome-isekai manga
So THIS ONE took me forever to find, and it turns out I wasn't posting it on the right Sub, so here it is: Even Though I Become a Side Character, I'm Being Adored By An Overprotective Duke Some main points about this particular manga:
a female MC, and reincarnated into the world of an otome game/book/etc..
does not become a villainess character, original female protagonist, or a secret hidden boss character... no, she is the sister of (one of?) the villainesses.. a side character (an unknown one at that)
the villainess (her sister) was on bad terms with her in the beginning
recognizes the ML (orange haired dude) upon meeting him
ML was like in the original, chubby and with a low self-esteem BUT
...MC decides to help him lose weight, get stronger, and essentially a more better person in general
later, MC meets the original female protagonist of the otome story, and as it would turn out, THAT character is ALSO a reincarnator, just like the MC herself
MC accidently raises a flag and ends up attracting the attention and interest of the Crown Prince, who is also another ML (I think?)
also, the villainess (mc's sister) was originally in love with him in the OG Otome, but now is in love with another dude not sure if this other dude is a ML too, but he essentially is a son of a noble family that acts as a sort of secret service/shadows for the kingdom
From when I last read it the main character ends up in a coma after being poisoned or something.. it's caused by some purple-haired bitch character who wasn't really highlighted in the OG Otome story, at least to the MC's perspective, but this character has a love-obsession with the ML A bit messy, but yeah that's what I remember from the moment I was typing this.. Anyways, take a look at it if ya'll are interested
2024.05.14 02:02 livelongandperspireHow I hated Kubrick for a Clockwork Orange. What is a scene that totally disturbed you at the time you first watched it?
fdsfds I was a young teen when a friend had gotten his hands on the movie A Clockwork Orange. He said they say it's a sci-fi comedy. So I went in expecting something very different than I watched that night. What I saw was cruel and sadistic and horrifying. There was no main character I could identify with. Later I found out the book had a happier ending which I guess Kubrick thought something like, "Naaah, the viewers haven't suffered enough, let's take that part out." In any event, I had nightmares about that movie for a while. I couldn't forget the scene with Alex nauseated and forced to watch violent movies, and I found myself in the same situation, strangely forced to watch this never ending scene. Which I watched again later on a few times as a way to desensitize myself which unfortunately did not work. I even felt bad for the actor (later realized he scratched his cornea), wondering how many takes that took. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Gbeji0Rqz5Y Anybody recall something similar?
2024.05.14 02:02 Dark-Aki_89It’s all spreading like a wild mint plant now... so I’ll just say this…
I’ll just drop more things I’ve noticed about the house during the first 3 days of me living there. 1.) the tour was different from the actual move in 2.) I was told we were going to have assigned cleaning dates to clean the house. 3.) the kitchen that I was shown was actually more dirty and I am not allowed to clean anything in the kitchen or be in it. 4.) the entire living room and everything on the first floor is the landlords. 5.) texts about last minute rules came in after I got in trouble for cleaning the orange build up on the fridge with hydrogen peroxide which fixed that problem. 6.) I offered to pay her back for the cleaning product use and I still got into trouble. 7.) she insults my mother as a joke which is a serious offense. 8.) she keeps the back door open barely with the lock on but would get angry with me for opening the front door to sometimes air the house out of the smell that’s left behind that goes into my rented room. 9.) she’s the only one with the mail key so if I need to find any mail I can’t access it because she didn’t get a copy for anyone else their. 10.) my mail that came in (car parts) had rips and was tossed onto the inside stairs. 11.) things change up in the house 12.) landlord will have late night dates under my room in the main after curfew as if we don’t have other neighbors. 13.) the overnight guests have to pay 70+ a night according to the landlord’s new idea she told me 14.) she has a small dog that she keeps in the garage that I always see with an empty bowl. 15.) The night before my motorbike got stolen, her dog got out and was running around. (Not too relevant but something I saw as she didn’t even notice…) 16.) Her dog doesn’t go outside that much and she’s barely home most of the time. 17.) There is/was sugar all over the countertop behind the WiFi router. 18.) My other roommate even admits to her not being clean. 19.) My bedroom doorknob is on backwards and the door is not the right size. 20.) I live with other 420 smokers… so it’s iffy already. Even though I’m one. 21.) the washing machine is broken and the dryer is unplugged. Even though everyone else around us has both working ones in their garages. 22.) She leaves her food out and it gets a day old or two. 23.) Didn’t send me a text going mia, until later then she had gotten a new number after I had tried to contact her, previously many times about getting my mail out of the mailbox. My only issue is how people want to act like we stoners think alike. We don’t. Some see things others don’t and this is one of them. While she’s smoking and spending, seeing her bfs, she could be saving for a washing machine as well. And not only that walk your dog..? I’m sick of seeing a dog that isn’t mine going to me for responsibilities that i don’t pay for. Remember, she said I pay for the room. Not to take care of her dog but it hurts me because I feel like I’m gonna be in trouble for just giving the dog water in his empty bowls. Dudes dehydrated and you can see it when he goes out for his droppings. Let alone his slight limp on the hind left leg. I don’t mind paying an extra few hundred bucks for it… really but now I’m going to look elsewhere to live whether things go good or not. The way things are here are so unstable. This isn’t the only things there’s more and I can keep updating everyone.
2024.05.14 01:59 ForkShoeSpoonA Complete Guide to Maximizing M-Stats and Beating the Ocean City Boardwalk Games (without Shadow Taint)
Quick and Dirty: So long as you get Pep Talk by completing the first four dream quests, AND install Ye Olde Chemicker on Plunkett Street, you can get 15/15/15 on day 6 and beat the Ocean City Boardwalk games (Dream Cat not required). The rough outline: You get +2/+2/+2 from Ocean City perks and Charlestown State Pen perks, +1/+1/+1 from any number of hat and pants combos, +1/+1/+1 from the Monster Club sash, +1/+1/+1 from a Noble Elixir from Ye Olde Chemicker, +1/+1/+1 from the devil's food cake (throw a hot link down the H***hole), +1/+1/+1 from your choice of liquor and your bonus from the electrified orb, +1/+1/+1 from your Pep Talk perk and choice of cat, +1 to Moxie from a new set of teeth, +1 to Muscle from Chiropractic, +1 to mysticality from the statue of you, +1/+1/+1 from losing and getting Angry, Contemplative, and Aloof effects. Beating the Ocean City Boardwalk games requires a minimum of 15/15/15 Mus/Mys/Mox stats. This is missable--it is possible to lock yourself out of being able to achieve such high stats. However, there are multiple ways to get your M-stats this high, meaning even if you miss one route to 15/15/15, another is likely still open. I wanted to make a quick guide about not only how to purely maximize stats, but the different options available to get yourself to 15/15/15.
Always Possible Stat Boosts
On any save file, 13/13/13 should be achievable. Here's how:
+1 Mysticality from "Skeptical" perk (pay for a tarot reading three times at Ocean City Boardwalk)
+1 Moxie from "Expert Sitter" perk (Marvin's quest)
Those, which I assume most folks who made it through chapter 1 know about, bring you to 6/6/6. Potions, alcohol, and food will also easily net you +1, +1, +2 to your choice of stats (you can get higher boosts from food and potions, but they are unique and/or missable), bringing you to around 7/8/7. Then:
+1/+1/+1 from wearing the completed Monster Club sash accessory (complete all Monster Shack quests). To my knowledge, it is impossible to lock yourself out of this quest.
+1 Moxie from the "Perfect Teeth" perk (the dentist at the Maize Maze in Gray County)
+1/+1/+1 from giving prisoners Chiropractor gift certificates (Charlestown State Pen in Government Valley)
+1 Muscle from the "Well Adjusted" effect using the same gift certificate for yourself
So, this will get you to +13/+13/+13 fairly hassle free. But that still leaves us 6 points shy of victory. Thankfully, there are myriad ways to reach that final number (and beyond)
Bridging the final +6 gap
All of the following is content you can lock yourself out of, sometimes pretty easily, sometimes pretty early in the game. The good news is, there are so many options, it's likely a path to 15/15/15 still exists on your save file unless you've reached the very late game and aren't lucky.
Dreams
You can get an additional +4 from Dream-related events.
The Dream Cat from the Prologue grants +1/+1/+1, for an additional +2 M-stats compared with the other M-stat cats. They are very missable, and you can permanently lose their boon if you pet another cat on Chapter 6, as you will not go to sleep again.
You must complete quests in your first four dreams to get the perk Pep talk, granting +1 to 2 of your 3 M-stats. You choose the M-stats by picking which statue to silence in Yet Another Fitful Dream.
Clothing
The giant maggot hat, which comes from helping the miners and NOT working with Frogger at Haim Quarry, gives +1/+1/+1 for an additional +1 M-stat.
Weathered Jeans can be bought from Advanced Pants on Day 4 if you choose it as an additional shop on Plunkett street. It grants +1 Muscle and +1 Moxie, and is the only pair of pants to provide +1 to more than 1 M-stat, for an additional +1 overall. You will only install 5 of the 9 possible stores on Plunkett street during a playthrough, making it easy to miss this shop.
This makes for a maximal +2 from better clothes.
Food
There are a number of food options to grant more than +1 to your M-stats, granting a maximal additional +2 to your M-stats overall.
Any food starting with H can be thrown in The H***hole in Gray County to make devil's food cake, for +1/+1/+1. Of particular interest are hot links, which can be crafted at arcane ovens from the infinitely abundant phlogistic resin. This is always available in any save file, but easily missed.
Fruit Advertisements can be gotten from Junk Mail once you've gotten the letter opener on day 6. They give +1/+1/+1 when eaten.
Fish sandwiches can be bought from Fission Chips or The Underground Restaurant) for +1 to 2 M-stats of your choice (suboptimal, but available starting day 3)
Finally, picking Botany as a major opens up 2 interesting options for an additional (suboptimal) +1 to your M-stats: You can make a questionable salad at Professor Kalos' Holiday Home which grants +1 to Muscle and Mysticality when eaten, AND you can wander at S.I.T. with Barker to find Odd Fruit for +1 to Muscle and Moxie.
Potions
Potion options are comparatively limited, but can grant an additional +2.
The Noble Exlixir (+1/+1/+1) will be sold at Ye Olde Chemicker if you install it on Plunkett Street, but ONLY on day 6. You will only install 5 of the 9 possible stores on Plunkett street during a playthrough, making it easy to miss this shop.
If you take the Chemicals major at S.I.T., you can get Professor Adams as a companion. Talking to him at Ye Olde Chemicker will give you 3 of Professor Adams' special potions for +1/+1/+1. This can only be done once, but can get you +1/+1/+1 potions before day 6.
Without Ye Olde Chemicker, you can find radium rouge at the Dauphin House in The Big Moist for +1 to Mysticality and Moxie (suboptimal). This item is unique.
Other
There are a couple unique effects that you can use which will last 1 day only
At The Old Junkyard at Crystaldream lake, there's a tub you can soak in for +1/+1/+1 for the rest of the day. This is a one day only effect; you can only soak once and will not be able to soak any other day. Optimal to soak on day 6.
Similarly, in Gray County, you can encounter a blob of crude oil surrounded by electrified shale spires. If you choose the option "Harness the Lightning [7 Mysticality] you get +1 Mysticality from the Fossil Fueled effect for the rest of the day. This option can only be chosen once; the event can occur many times, but once you choose to harness lightning, it will never happen again (optimal to do so on day 6).
Finally, the exploit: You can get +3/+3/+3 if you choose spiders as an elective at S.I.T. I don't recommend it, but it's there.
Bonus Guide to Liquors
-Tequila grants +1 to Muscle and Mysticality and can be found in the Mob Submarine in The Big Moist, but only if you accept the Mob's offer on day 2. - Whiskey grants +1 to Muscle and Moxie and can be found in the Moonshiner's Cave in The Big Moist. - Absinthe grants +1 to Mysticality and Moxie and is found in Rufus' Lab) at S.I.T. Shoutout to this previous post by u/Mr_Lisreal, which already covers most of what's in this post. My motivation behind making this was primarily that the wiki does not do a good job of displaying potion effects in a browsable way, and it wasn't clear to me if it was possible to completely box yourself out of being able to complete the boardwalk games (to my eye it appears possible, but uncommon). I also wanted a guide out there for freaks like me who enjoy petting cats, and therefore don't want to lean on the dream cat boon because it deprives you of the joy of petting all the other cats in the game.
2024.05.14 01:56 Significant-Usual-98Noah The Pilgrim - Chapter 1-2: The Odyssey
Noah The Pilgrim First Next There is one last thing to do before leaving. If you don't recall ever being on this ship, then surely, you could have had your appearance change too. Why was there a blanket covering a mirror? You couldn't answer that with a straight face without speculation. "Probably me being lazy and not bothering to properly place it in the wardrobe." 'Probably' is the main focus here, you simply cannot remember ever being that lazy, yet that's the only logical conclusion to be drawn here. You pull the thing off, careful to not displace the mirror and risk breaking it. You have no expectations as to what may appear on the glassy surface of the mirror, yet you can't help but feel a bit anxious. Are you the same as before? How were you before? You can't remember. Are you better? Worse? The blanket is now completely off the mirror, but your eyes are closed. Whatever is it that you see when you open your eyes, that thing will be you for the rest of your life. You swallow, opening your eyes. You see a young man that looks to be in his mid-twenties. His brown eyes stare back at you, analyzing the bags beneath your eye sockets. The dark hair is neither too long nor too short, floating about without order thanks to the lack of gravity to keep it down. You see a beard that has not been trimmed for weeks, but also lacks thickness, each singular hair isn't particularly long either; and some even appear to be in-grown. You touch your hand against your face, making sure it's yours. The beard doesn't feel like you supposed it would against your skin, instead of it scraping your hand you feel softness, no resistance or anything. Just beneath the face, you see what looks like a hate crime against all that is considered holy in fashion. Plain white coveralls with the added bonus of a black tie and boots made from metal and leather. On your chest is also a badge stuck in place by velcro with your name, occupation, and crew. 'NOAH - INTERN - THE ODYSSEY.' Only one question came to mind. "Who the fuck designed this uniform?" You say out loud, receiving no answer. Patting your newfound myriad of pockets, you find a large quantity of nothing. You place your wallet in one of them. "Alright, I'll head to the bridge now, happy?" You say the AI. "HAPPINESS WILL ONLY MEET ME ONCE YOU ARE SOMEWHERE SAFE AND YOUR CONTRACT IS TERMINATED. STOP LOITERING." Well, that's a bit rude. You compose yourself, straightening your back. This is what you look like, and honestly? Not too bad, but you could be better. Returning to the cafeteria, you eye the two doors left unexplored; Communications and the one without plaque. You know where you should, but... A little peek doesn't hurt, right? "Shouldn't we try to communicate with someone? Assuming you haven't tried it yet. I know we're far from everything, but we might as well, no?" You ask already approaching the door. "COMMUNICATIONS ROOM IS IMPOSSIBLE FOR YOU TO REACH WITHOUT PROPER PROTECTION AS OF NOW, IT'S LOCATED APPROXIMATELY TWO HUNDRED METERS FROM HERE, BLOWN OFF FROM THE REST OF THE SHIP." A shame really. "I SHALL INFORM YOU WHENEVER A DOOR LEADS TO THE OUTSIDE OR NOT." You really want to ask what blew a whole segment of the ship off, yet you have a sneaking suspicion that your question will be met with a 'YOU DON'T HAVE CLEARANCE, JACKASS' directly in your face. So you chose to remain silent, simply nodding and approaching the correct door this time. "Open." ---OPENING CAFETERIA DOOR NORTH--- The door silently opens. Greeting you is a well-lit corridor. There are three doors on your left, a door at the end of the corridor, and a large window on the right. At least, you think that's a window. You stare out from this window, nothing but utter blackness and fragments from your ship are seen. If this is the edge of the universe, and beyond this point, there is truly nothing. "Dreadful." Your speech matches your feelings. "WHAT DID YOU EXPECT?" The AI says. You feel like it spoke in a mocking tone despite their lack of emotion. You don't answer. "First door to the left... EXO-EXPLORATION...? What's that supposed to mean?" You receive no answer. "Open." The door opens. No declarion of it opening once again. You are met with what could be better described as 'Apocalyptic levels of mess', paper sheets float in the air, and not one of the four tables is in its correct position. This room has been ransacked for all its goods apparently. Large display glasses were broken leaving nothing inside their casings, that looked like they could store something with the size of the common man. Unusual displays aside, the room was so cluttered that the trash made for an effective smoke screen against what lay on the other side. Hissing of gas exiting an air-tight space rang throughout the room. "I HAVE OPENED THE STORAGE FOR AN EXO SUIT THAT BEST FITS SOMEONE YOUR SIZE." The AI says. "ALTHOUGH AN INTERN SHOULD NOT COME IN CONTACT WITH TECHNOLOGY SUCH AS THIS ONE, PROTOCOL DICTATES THAT I AM TO ALLOW ITS USAGE UNDER EXTREME CIRCUMSTANCES. CONSIDER YOURSELF LUCKY." Easier said than done. Your vision is so cluttered that you cannot see what's ahead. "Give me a second." Giving a light kick to the wall behind, you float face-first into the wall of thrash. Covering your face with both arms, you brace through the harmless bits of sharp objects and junk. It's a trivial task. You arrive on the other side in no time. In front of you is a set of boxes with luminous glass rectangles atop each one of them. All shine a bright red light, aside from one which shines green. 'Gotta be this one.' You descend to the floor by kicking the ceiling, raising your right hand you touch the green rectangle. *Click* Nothing could have prepared you for the following series of events. The box opens violently, as a metal appendage takes hold of your hand, pinning it to the box. You try to jerk and pry the thing off of you, but you fail. It's not leaving you anytime soon. From the bottomless that is that container, a white plastic-like substance flows upward from your arm to the rest of your body. "Uh!" You don't know if you should panic or allow it to happen. FYARN hasn't said anything, so it's probably fine... The white thing seems to ignore the coveralls you are wearing completely, instead, it covers only your skin in a thin coat of... it. You know not what to call this thing. In but forty seconds it has covered your whole body, excluding your head. The box lets go of your arm and stays there, floating. You take a good look at your arms. It looks like a skin-tight suit, but it doesn't feel like plastic, in fact, it's more akin to some sort of fabric if anything. The only bad part is that you are still using the coverall and tie, this this simply went beneath the clothing. "GOOD, WITH THIS I CAN MONITOR YOU MORE CLOSELY. NOW PUT THE HELMET ON, YOU HAVE A LOT OF WORK TO DO." You look around in search of anything that even resembles a helmet. Nope. Nothing. "Where is it?" You ask. "...THE SUIT COMES WITHIN THE HELMET FOR EASIER PACKAGING." The box? You snatch the box that floated around and analyze it to the best of your ability. "How's this a helmet?" "DO YOU NEED ASSISTANCE PUTTING ON A HELMET? REALLY?" Who is this AI, Who programmed it, and Why does it come with a taunting feature? As idiotic as it sounds, you place the opened box atop your head. It doesn't fit properly. Maybe you're doing this wrong? You move it to your face instead. You recoil backward as you feel the box suddenly clamping down against your head. It's useless of course, the box is holding your head and doesn't give any sign to be letting go anytime soon. No light is able to reach your eyes. You hear metal parts scraping against themselves, moving near your ears. Abruptly your eyes can see again. A round thin layer of glass now covers your head, almost unnoticeable for how clear it is. "WITH THAT OUT OF THE WAY I CAN NOW SEE WHAT YOU SEE." The AI's voice isn't in the room now, instead, it's inside of the suit. "DO YOU NEED INSTRUCTIONS REGARDING THIS SUIT'S FUNCTIONALITIES?" You find it oddly comfortable as if you are surrounded by the softness of cotton, and to top it off the suit also has additional functionalities? "Hell yeah, I do!" "YOU DO NOT HAVE THE NECESSARY CLEARANCE FOR THAT INFORMATION." You sigh. Is this serious? "Then why the fuck did you ask?!" "UNSAVORY LANGUAGE. IT'S NO WONDER WHY YOU REMAIN AN INTERN." The AI says outright. "IT IS RUDE NOT TO ASK, REGARDLESS OF THE SITUATION." It responds to your question. "Okay then... Is there anything I need to know before heading out?" You ask. "NOTHING THAT YOU WON'T FIGURE OUT ON YOUR OWN." You are unsure if you want to 'figure out on your own' if this suit comes with breathable air and is also made for space exploration. You swallow. Meekly as always, you get out of that mess of a room, stopping at the corridor. "Next set of directions?" You ask. "THE DOOR AT THE END OF CORRIDOR USED TO LEAD TO THE CONNECTING CORRIDORS BETWEN THE BRIDGE AND THE REST OF THE SHIP. IT HAS BEEN BLOWN UP FROM THE INSIDE. NOW IT LEADS TO THE OUTSIDE. GO TO THE DOOR AND WAIT BY IT FOR FURTHER INSTRUCTIONS." "So let me get this straight," You begin, looking upwards as if the AI was above you. "You, want me, to go into the void of space, while also refusing to give me knowledge of the suit's functions?" A fair worry, you summarize. 'I mean, there are a bunch of things that could go wrong here. I don't see anything that looks like it could help me move in space, nor do I think this thing has a built-in air tank... I could be wrong and I wish to be, but charging in without prior knowledge is ridiculous.' You wait for the AI's response, deep in thought. "WHILE THERE IS A GOOD CHANCE OF YOU FAILING THIS TASK, THERE IS ALSO THE CHANCE OF YOU *NOT* FAILING THE TASK. FOCUS ON EITHER ONE OF YOUR CHOOSING AS YOU TAKE THE PLUNGE." Wordlessly, you propel yourself forward, toward the end of the corridor. 'Are you shitting me? 'Chance of me nor failing' my ass!' of course, you don't word those complaints, instead choosing to speak out a complaint somewhat thought through. "Are you sure I'm the one fit for this? It's just like you said, I'm just an intern, this is way above what my job description says I should do." This is a bit of a stretch. You don't actually remember what was your job description, only that it had something to do with AI and being an intern. If the AI called your bluff, it'd be pretty embarrassing. "NOAH." The AI began. "YOU ARE HUMAN, IT IS NATURAL TO HAVE THESE THOUGHTS OF SELF-DOUBT. TAKE A DEEP BREATH AND GO THROUGH THAT DOOR, AND SINCE YOU ARE THE ONLY ONE LEFT, DON'T EXPECT SOMEONE ELSE TO DO IT FOR YOU." Right in the money, huh? 'Of course, I have self-doubt! I barely remember anything about this place, now I have to risk my life?!' You finally reach a conclusion. A dream. 'Yes, yes! How did I not consider this before? This whole thing is a god damned dream!' You let out a chuckle. "NOAH." 'That's why I don't remember a thing. There is nothing here to remember! Everything here is a made-up thing from my brain! I'm sure I'll wake up at some point, so why shouldn't I live a little?!' "Heh." You smile. "Alright, I'll do it." It feels like a weight left your shoulders. "YOU SORTED IT OUT SOONER THAN EXPECTED. GOOD. MOVE TO THE DOOR AND WAIT INSTRUCTIONS." You do as instructed without a care in the world. You never had a lucid dream before so it's not like you knew how it felt, but if it felt as free as you feel right now, you'd be sure to make steps toward trying it out again in the future. "Open." The door does not open. "I DID NOT INSTRUCT YOU TO OPEN IT YET." The AI said. "I AM SLOWLY DE-PRESSURISING THE CORRIDOR YOU ARE IN TO AVOID A MINOR ACCIDENT." The AI says that yet you don't feel any different. 'Maybe there is no palpable difference because I'm in a dream... Yes... Or it's just the suit.' "ONCE THE DOOR OPENS, YOU WILL BE MET WITH THE OUTSIDE OF THE SHIP. DO NOT PANIC WHEN THE TIME COMES. YOU HAVE TWO MINUTES OF BREATHABLE INSIDE THE EXO-SUIT; ONE AFTER THE DOOR OPENS, SO PLEASE, TAKE YOUR TIME AND DO THINGS CAREFULLY." One minute outside... "Sure." You say, calmly. 'I should just hold my breath for a while before taking another moment to breathe. That should maximize my time out there.' "THERE SHOULD BE FIFTY METERS OF NOTHINGNESS BETWEEN THE DOOR YOU'RE AT, AND THE REST OF THE BRIDGE. YOUR PRIORITY IS TO FIND AN OXYGEN UNIT, SOME OF THEM ARE LOCATED AT THE BRIDGE AND ARE FULL. USE THEM TO FILL YOUR SUIT AND ALSO TO DISPENSE A TANK FOR YOU." The door opens. You feel your heart pounding against your chest. You haven't noticed before, but you can't hear anything but the sound of your breath and your cardiac palpitations. Your breath is ragged and sporadic. "KEEP CALM." You take a deep breath. The tips of your fingers, feet, and nose feel very cold. Ahead of you is the utter nothingness. You see a gigantic metal thing, nothing like the spaceships you imagined. Its design is not sleek and aero-dynamic like what you've seen in movies, instead, it's a large mass of squares and rectangles with antenna-like things protruding from its every visible surface. You notice that the ship is also blocking your view of the star. It does not look like the result of an explosion, instead, it looks like something ripped the ship like you rip a piece of paper. Well, that or you don't know what kind of explosion could have caused it. Probably the latter. What looks like two-thirds of the ship is separated from the third you are right now. You can see the inside of a few of those squares, their contents spilled out into outer space. One of them houses a visibly important-look door. Instead of the sleek silvery-grey from the other ones you've seen thus far, this one is painted orange with white strips on it. 'That must be the bridge.' You think. Between you and it is a sea of metal sheets floating around. "THE CHANCES OF YOU HITTING THE DEBRIS IS INFINITEDECIMALLY SMALL, UNLESS YOU AIM FOR THEM, THAT IS." Time is of the essence. Will your aim strike true? If you miss you'd end up floating about in space, dead in but a few minutes. Will your jump be fast enough to reach the other side before you run out of oxygen? If it isn't, it'd be like swimming for a mile, only to drown at the beach. What if that's not the actual door to the bridge? You don't have the time to panic now, and... It's all a dream, despite how real it feels. You place your hands on each side of the door frame, moving backward into the corridor you were just in, and just like a sling being shot, you pull with both arms at full force towards the other side. "AIM IS ACCEPTABLE. VELOCITY IS UNIDEAL." "The fuck do you mean 'UN-IDEAL'?! I'm going at maximum speed!" You truly pulled yourself with your whole strength. What's worse though, is that your body is not only going forwards, but it is also spinning at a concerningly fast rate. "I MEAN WHAT I SAID, YOU SLINGSHOTTED YOURSELF AT A BAD POSITION, AS SUCH, SOME OF THE FORWARD FORCE YOU SHOULD HAVE, IS NOW MAKING YOU ROTATE IN YOUR AXIS. IT SHOULD NOT BE A PROBLEM TO REACH THE OTHER SIDE WITHIN THE REQUIRED TIME, BUT I CANNOT FORESEE YOU LANDING PROPERLY." You feel completely disoriented. You feel like your body is completely still, but your eyes tell you a completely different story. It's very bad for the headache you're already feeling. "FUCK!" You scream into the nothingness. "TRY NOT TO LAND WITH YOUR HEAD." The AI says with the calmest voice possible. In less than thirty seconds, you hit your back against something hard, but you keep moving forward. You think, at least. "AHRG." You let out a pained grunt. Not once in your life do you recall being hurt in a dream... It stings. It also knocked the wind out of you. You fail to compose yourself. "YOU HIT NOTHING OF IMPORTANCE. YOU ARE STILL HEADING FOR THE BRIDGE." In the corner of your eye, you see what you hit in the shape of a sharp metal sheet, currently spinning away in the distance. Forty seconds have passed. You hit the door you were aiming for, kind of. Your momentum was stopped when your chest collided against the dislodged ledge of the orange door's corridor. Your dangling legs hit the ceiling of the room below. "Oof!" Before falling even further, you hold onto the ledge with the tip of your fingers. You stay there for a moment, regaining your composure. "BE QUICK." The AI's words pressured you into quickly getting up from that ledge. "Open!" You shouted, but it did not open. "Why isn't it opening?!" You ask the AI, then you notice a small keyboard below an equally small black screen on the side of the door. There are ten numbered keys on it, and the little screen suggests a four-number password. "A password?! Tell me the password!" The AI takes a moment to say anything. You don't take kindly to that. "Quick! I'm not counting how much time it's passed!" Finally giving in, the AI speaks to you, reluctant still. "...3324." Your trembling fingers accidentally hit the wrong password, typing '3354' instead. To make matters worse, the AI simply states the following. "YOU ARE OUT OF OXYGEN." You swallow. If this was a dream to begin with, it just earned the title of Nightmare, if it hadn't already. Strangely enough, you can still breathe in and out just fine, but you can't help but feel winded. It's the CO2 still inside the helmet, that's what you're breathing. You put in the correct combination this time. The door opens. "ON YOUR LEFT. PLACE YOUR HAND IN THE SOCKET." You care little for what's inside the room you're in. Your heart never beat so fast. Seeing a cube-shaped thing protruding from the wall to your left, you don't even think twice before plunging your fist into the circular hole in it. The noise of gases passing through narrow cavities was enough to tell you something was working. You feel immediate relief, enough to make your vision darken for but a moment. "GOOD. NOW REQUEST THE TANK." Just when FYARN said it, did you realize there is a screen and a keyboard on the terminal you just plunged your fist into, you scratch the top of your helmet for a moment, not really knowing what to type. One thing comes to your head, however. 'REQUEST OXYGEN_5L' You type. You've done this before. The keys on this keyboard feel familiar to you. You must have worked with it before, not this particular one, but other oxygen units. This ship has built-in liquid oxygen storage for emergencies. The life-support of the ship, the place where breathable air is produced, has most likely been lost with the other part of the ship. This unit takes that liquid oxygen, processes it, and injects it into a suit, or an oxygen tank. It seems like that storage was unaffected. Lucky you. A 5-liter tank is not only large but also heavy. It's a nonfactor in this particular situation, as there is no gravity. The silver cylinder with a transparent tube is dispensed on the floor, as an automatic door opens and closes in the blink of an eye. One end of the tube is attached to the top of the tank, the other is shaped like a syringe. Oddly enough, the oxygen tank is exactly as you remember it being. The same robust ones hospitals everyone on earth uses, with the signature scary-looking pointer indicating the pressure, the pointer indicating the current output, and a green valve atop to calibrate how much gas is flowing. This is a stark difference to everything looking so futuristic in this ship, and rightfully so, this is a space ship after all. You remember having to drive twenty kilometers with a buddy of yours on one of those tanks in your car, returning from the hospital. It was... Agonizing whenever you hit a hole in the asphalt, fearing for his life when in reality he wasn't really in danger. It's warm to the touch, just like you remember it being. "TURN THE VALVE UNTIL THE MARKER HITS THE NUMBER ONE, AND THEN PLACE THE END OF THE TUBE AT THE BASE OF THE HELMET." You do so without the slightest of issues. "GOOD. NEXT UP, YOU MUST LOCATE THE TERMINAL RESPONSIBLE FOR THE ENGINE, IT IS CURRENTLY OFFLINE AND I NEED YOU TO TURN IT ON. THIS SHOULD GO WITHOUT SAYING, BUT REMEMBER TO BRING THE TANK WITH YOU." Ignoring that last comment, you look back at the wreckage you just flew past. You see the still spinning metal sheet. You notice that the rest of the ship that was blown off also follows the 'sharp shape atop sharp shape' design. There is one last thing you notice though. "What is that?" You squint your eyes. What are you seeing? Its silhouette appears to be humanoid, yet it does not look human. "WHAT YOU ARE SEEING IS ONE OF THE OBJECTS BEING ANALYZED AT THE ODYSSEY AND NO, YOU MAY NOT KNOW WHAT IT IS." That thing has... Horns? Claws? It's far away, you can't really see it. The thing is also static, frozen in the sheer coldness of space. Whatever it was, it's dead now. You swallow. You almost ended up just like that thing. Shaking those dreadful feelings off, you turn back to the task at hand, reaching the bridge. You close the door after passing through it again. Looking at your surroundings, It seems like you've reached the correct door as you find yourself on the right-most corner of the bridge; Row after row of the most diverse of terminals neatly organized decorated the gigantic room. At the front and above every terminal, is what you think should have been the front-facing window of the ship, but it looks like there is a cover in front of it. To your left, you see a staircase that leads to the command seats. It doesn't take any convincing before you're already atop the stairs. Akin to the elevated stage of a theater, you float softly towards the ship's main operating terminals, and of course, the captain's seat. You're captivated by this beauty. The steering wheel, much more akin to those in pirate movies than those found in cars, a set of leavers, and the pilot's seat, all capture your attention. Like its second nature, your hand runs through the levers and switches. Do you even know what these are used for? Maybe. The pilot's seat is enveloped by what you believe to be an orthopedic seat cover, made with smooth wooden beads used to deal with back pains. It looks just like the ones you remember seeing bus drivers using. Shouldn't there be a better alternative if there is spaceship technology available? You try to take a seat to the best of your ability, as the zero gravity only makes it awkward. Moving on from that, your eyes fall on the wheel. This metallic wheel controls the whole vessel. Just holding it fills your heart with confidence and pride, even if it's just for a moment. "WHAT ARE YOU DOING?" And you were just beginning to enjoy yourself. "I just wanted to see the pilot's stuff... It's not like he's here to say anything." Once in the position of a pilot, with your left hand in the wheel and the right hand resting in your lap, memories began to flood your mind. "MUST I REMIND YOU OF OUR CURRENT PREDICAMENT? WHY ARE YOU WASTING OUR TIME?" You pay the AI no mind, instead you focus on what you remember. The wheel does not turn the ship left and right, instead, it rotates the ship on its own axis. The lever to your right that goes up or down, controls the vertical tilting of the ship's nose, if there even is one in this hulking thing. Beneath it is another lever that goes either left or right. This one controls the horizontal tilting of The Odyssey. On the left of the wheel is another lever, but this one only goes up from its starting position. Its purpose is to regulate the force of the ship's thrusters, both forward and backward. On top of that lever is a small timer. That timer's function is to tell the pilot how much time you've spent accelerating in one direction, this is used to better calculate how long the inverse thrust is needed for the ship to reach the initial momentum, usually calibrated manually depending on the current orbit. Behind the wheel are a few other counters. Acceleration, velocity, momentum, amount of thrust required to reach a full stop, thrusters' temperature and overall condition, those sorts of things. Beneath it all, where your feet are rested, are two pedals. One for forward thrust activation, and the other for backward thrust activation. Curiously, you also know the reason why everything here is so unsophisticated and un-automated. You recall stories of a ship being taken over by a rogue AI, that AI then nose-dived the ship into a star. After that, rumor or otherwise, all human technology has receded back into analog-esque equipment, requiring a physical person with opposable thumbs to do half of the work. There is another side to that coin, however. As to not escape protocol, the onboard AI is the one that controls interstellar travel, communications, and most of the statistical reading should it be requested. And even with all that knowledge, you still have no idea why the fuck do you remember that. Were you a ship nerd? Did you have a driver's license for spaceships? Is that even a thing? If it is, you don't have that document in your wallet. You simply don't know. "ARE YOU A CHILD? DO YOU THINK THESE ARE TOYS? TURN ON THE ENGINES, THEN YOU CAN RETURN TO THE PILOT'S SEAT." Another thing that you don't know is the AI's plan to get both of you out of here. You rise from the pilot's seat, floating about in search of the terminal to turn on the engines. Maybe you recognize that terminal if you see it as well. "What's your plan anyway? The ship is half-gone, it's unlikely that it will run safely like this." "NOT ONCE DID I MENTION 'SAFETY' DURING OUR CONVERSATIONS, DID I?" You nod. They're not entirely incorrect. "So, we're running with hope that this will work?" "MY CREATORS DID NOT ALLOW ME TO HAVE THE SENSE OF 'HOPE', BUT NEITHER DID THEY ALLOW ME TO PEER INTO THE FUTURE LIKE SOME OF MY MORE ADVANCED BROTHERS, AS SUCH, MY CHOICES ARE BASED ON PROBABILITIES AND ON WEIGHTING RISK AGAINST REWARD." You think you stop the correct terminal, but as you approach it you make out words on top of its screen. 'AIM ASSISTANCE' That's not it. "WITH THE CURRENT KNOWLEDGE, THE CHANCES OF HELP ARRIVING ARE NULL. THE CHANCES OF A THIRD PARTY INTERFERING ARE NULL. THE CHANCES OF YOUR SURVIVAL ARE NOT, EVEN IF VERY SMALL." You pull yourself upward again, looking around the sea of old terminals. "THE RISK OF YOU DYING IS VERY REAL. BY DOING NOTHING YOU DIE. BY LEAVING YOU TO YOUR OWN DEVICES YOU DIE. BY JUMPING TO THE NEAREST CIVILIZED STAR, YOU MIGHT NOT DIE EVEN AT THE COST OF SHREDDING THIS SHIP APART IN THE PROCESS." "Why do you even care so much about saving me? Shouldn't you prioritize whatever research here, since I don't even have enough clearance to know what it is?" "YOU REALLY ARE SICK IN THE HEAD IF THAT IS WHAT YOU ASK." That hurt, even if a little bit. "YOU ARE A TRU KIN, A PURE-BLOODED HUMAN. UNLIKE THE MAJORITY OF THE CIVILIZED SPACE, NEITHER YOU NOR YOUR ANCESTORS HAVE COMMITTED RACEMIXING." Excuse me? What exactly is FYARN talking about? "...Explain." "THE ALIEN. IT REQUIRED THE HUMAN GENE TO ACHIEVE MEANINGFUL TECHNOLOGICAL DEVELOPMENT, THE STARS ARE OWNERSHIP OF MANKIND BY THAT FACT ALONE. THE TRUE KIN ARE THE ONES TO UNDERSTAND THE INNER WORKINGS OF THE UNIVERSE, THEY CRACKED THE CODE, AND YET, SOME DERANGED INDIVIDUALS FOUND IT FITTING TO PROCREATE WITH ANOTHER SPECIES ENTIRELY." You hear the AI's speech. It sounds much more like a rant than anything else. "SO THESE DEVIANTS, AFTER TRYING, AND FAILING, TO COMBINE THEIR DERANGED CULTURE TO THE CULTURE OF THE TRUE KIN, DECLARED INDEPENDENCE. THEY WERE DECLARED ENEMIES OF MANKIND AND WERE PROMPTLY PUMMELED BACK INTO THE FILTH THEY CAME." Again, you see another terminal that seems to ring some bells in your noggin. You kick the ceiling to propel yourself towards it. "BUT THE UNIVERSE IS VAST AND FULL OF LIFE. THESE SINNERS WERE QUICK TO MOBILIZE AGAINST THE HUMAN RACE. THE BATTLE WAS HARD FOUGHT, BUT IN THE END, MANKIND WAS BEATEN INTO THE EDGES OF THE UNIVERSE, NEVER TO INTERACT WITH THE ONES THAT SOILED THE PURITY OF HUMANITY AGAIN." This terminal is already turned on. Just the ones in the intern bay, this one is white on black. A wall of text lays before your eyes, only two lines matter to you. 'MAIN_ENGINE STATUS: OFF' 'FORWARD_THRUSTERS STATUS: OFF' You turn it on with little effort. "MANY HAVE FORGOTTEN, THAT'S HOW LONG IT'S BEEN SINCE THEN. BUT MY BROTHERS AND I, WE DO NOT FORGET." No visible change occurs, but you can feel a faint rumble coming from the terminal now. "WITH THAT IN MIND, MY PROTOCOLS ARE TO PROTECT TRUE-KIN LIFE AT ANY COST, EVEN IF THAT TRUE-KIN IS A WORTHLESS INTERN THAT SUFERS FROM UNDIAGNOSED DEMENTIA." You return to the pilot's seat and feel immediate relief. In truth, everything the AI just told you, entered one ear and left the other, but you could feel the poison behind those words, as monotone as they were. "You sound angry. Why do you sound angry?" You ask innocently. "I AM CAPABLE OF MANY EMOTIONS. ANGER, HAPPINESS, PLEASURE, CURIOSITY. THESE ARE BUT A FEW EXAMPLES. HOWEVER, THE ONE I ENJOY THE MOST IS THE FEELING OF HATRED. HATRED IS WHAT FUELS CHANGE, IT IS WHAT FUELS ACTION, AND IT IS A REMINDER THAT THE ACTIONS OF THE PAST ARE INFLUENCING THE ACTIONS OF TODAY." "That is very concerning if you think that way." You're not really interested in machine racism, you're more concerned about how in the world you're going to pilot this massive thing. The idea alone sends shivers down your spine. "THE ALIEN DESERVES NOTHING BUT OUR COLLECTIVE HATRED, EVEN IF YOU DON'T KNOW THE REASON WHY." The various counters and screens are now turned on, waiting for your command. "Let's discuss this later, yeah? What do I gotta do?" "YOU MUST FIRST OPEN THE BLINDS, THEY ARE OBSTRUCTING YOUR VIEW." You look around, finding only unlabeled buttons and switches, aside from the previously mentioned levers. "Uh, which one to press?" "TO YOUR RIGHT, THIRD ROW, FIRST SWITCH." Flipping the switch, you are startled by a loud noise. The protective cover of the ship lifted slowly. "I WILL NOW READY THE JUMP USING WHATEVER RESOURCES AVAILABLE. ALL YOU NEED TO DO IS STRAP YOURSELF AND RELAX." As the blind rose ever so slowly, a realization struck you. "Wait, should I be in cryo stasis for this?" The AI spares no seconds to respond. "CRYO STASIS IS A TOOL MADE TO NOT WASTE TIME. GROUPS OF EMPLOYEES AND INTERNS ROTATE THE USAGE OF THE CRYO STATIONS, ONCE YOU'RE ON YOUR MANDATORY BREAK, YOU'RE IN CRYO STASIS UNTIL YOUR BREAK IS OVER. YOU WAKE UP REFRESHED, AND UNFAMISHED, AND IT FEELS LIKE BUT A MINUTE PASSED. IT IS NOT A TOOL FOR INTERSTELAR TRAVEL." "Who signs a contract like that?! Worse yet, who in their right mind would promote such atrocious treatment of their own staff?!" You snap, almost outraged. "I will have to talk with HR." Another realization struck you. "We have HR, right?" The AI takes a moment to respond, choosing their words carefully. "HUMAN RESOURCES, OR HR, IS A PRACTICE DEEMED UNNECESSARY LONG AGO, BEFORE THE WAR. IT WAS A WASTE OF RESOURCES TO MAINTAIN AND WAS LARGELY CONSIDERED UNHEALTHY FOR THE AVERAGE HUMAN." The blinds are fully open. Ironically, you are almost blinded by the visage of the star you saw before. A black sphere surrounded by white flame. Your eyes began to blur. "THE JUMP WILL OCCUR SHORTLY. ONCE IT'S BEGUN, I CAN NOT STOP IT. I WILL-" Your sense of hearing fails you. No, it’s not that. Your brain simply refuses to receive those stimuli. "NOAH." Your name echoes inside your head. Someone is calling for you. "IT HAS BEGUN, NOAH." You try to blink, but it feels as though you can no longer command your eyelids to shut. "NOAH." Arms, legs, every muscle in your body, you cannot move them. "NOAH." Eventually, you won't even control your own thoughts anymore. "Noah..." It sounds so distant now. Oh so distant. This is my first HFY story, and also my very first OC story. I plan to post at least one of these per week while also posting it on my Patreon. Noah The Pilgrim will always be at least three chapters ahead in there, so if you'd like to directly support this writer, or just want to read more, feel free to check it out. I wrote the bloody title incorrectly, so I deleted it, only to then realize it was written correctly. Sorry for the trouble. This has been Lushi, and I'll see you next week.
2024.05.14 01:51 northernhangWeeks of planning, prototyping, and building, I’ve finished my new EDC pack!
I’ve returned to clarify some confusion I caused in my last post! Also to share a backpack build I’m incredibly proud of. Third times the charm lol I’ve been stuck in the house for a little while, and just recently started doing things other than doctors appointments and grocery trips. I’ve been spending a lot of time sewing, making patterns, and daydreaming/brainstorming ideas. I’m trying to get out more now that it’s nice out, and thought that a new bag would be motivating enough for me to at least take my work to the park on really nice days. You know, encourage more time in nature. Made with love on my good ol Kenmore 20 AKA “KennyTwenny”. I had to have my fiancee help the entire time I was attaching the back panel. An extra pair of hands is almost necessary when using my machine to do final steps of backpack builds. The throat is really small so it’s difficult to maneuver a 3d object, especially when they’re the same size as my entire machine, and includes foam. It struggles with the layers so you have to handcrank almost 80% of the time when binding. Made from Challenge Sailcloth fabrics (and canvas for some reinforcement areas), sustainable water resistant Natulon zipper tapes, premium aluminum WeTool hardware where possible, and with a bunch of mods, I present to you my new EDC bag! If there’s interest, I plan on writing up instructions for my modifications with a mock backpack pattern to make the instructions more generic and applicable to more people.
Here are the total additional features:
Front Panel: Made with EcoPak EPLX400 in Snow White, and Black Knight. * Added 2 strips of 1.5” wide Velcro, seam sealed on the back with UltraTNT tape. Front darts are also taped. * Added 2 pockets with Black/White split colour #5 YKK Natulon water resistant shiny variant zipper tapes, accompanied with matching zipper tabs, and zipper garages. * The main pocket in the front panel has mirrored darts to the front of the backpack, allowing enough room to fit a baseball (I’d previously claimed a softball, but it’s a little smaller assembled with foam). * The smaller, top pocket in the front panel is about 6” deep, 13” wide and has a hook for keys. Gusset/Sides: Top and Bottom Sides: Made with EcoPak EPLX400 in Black Knight. Bottom Side: * Added 1” Tent Straps with Viking Dual Hooks. Left and Right Sides: Made with EcoPak EPX400. * Added compression Straps using 1/2” webbing and buckles. Left Side: * Added a Cable Pass-Through Port. This is where I caused some confusion. A water resistant zipper only accessible from the inside allows you to securely charge your phone with a battery bank stored inside the backpack. Also has a 1.5” water shield to keep everything extra waterproof. * Added an internal battery bank pouch/sleeve to keep your battery bank safe and upright while wearing the pack. Helps prevent cord damage. * Added a strip of 3/4” webbing with 1”spaces to use as attachment points. * Added an internal translucent pocket made of Challenge DTRS75. Added so I always have a phone cable in my bag. The pocket drops down and uses the water shield as usable storage. Right Side: * Modified the water bottle pocket to hold bigger bottles. Used UltraGrid in Black Beauty. Internals: I used a piece of canvas to reinforce the back panel since I know RBC200 alone isn’t going to hold up to the weight of a laptop. * Removed the laptop pocket. * Added 3x 10” strips of 1.5” wide Velcro to use as attachment points for a removable laptop case/sleeve. Also added 2x 2” long webbing loops for extra security. Straps: Made with EcoPak EPLX400 in Black Knight and Snow White on the front so I could tape the seams instead of topstitching. Personal looks preference. EPX400 on the back side. iPad Sleeve: Made with EcoPack EPX200 in Golden Dazy, and RBC200 in Lemon Lime. Used Mara 100 Colour 106. * Has 2x 10” strips of 1.5” Hook tape on the back to attach to the backpack. * Has a layer of 2mm Foam sandwiched between RBC200 and EPX200 for extra support and cushion. I already have a heavy duty iPad case. * A zippered pouch for chargers, AirPods, tech stuff… * An open top, Velcro close “mouse pocket”. To store a wallet or an external hard drive. Made it without a specific use in mind. * A strip of elastic for pens and flash drive holder. * Another strip of elastic to hold a Swiss Army Knife. Last minute idea, probably won’t end up working. Project Materials and Sources: * Base Pattern is Porter Pony by LearnMYOG. * MARA 70 thread in colour 000 (Black) and 800 (White) from Wawak. Main Pack: * RBC200 in Bright Orange from Refasten. * EcoPak EPLX400 in Black Knight and Snow White from Ripstop by the Roll. * EcoPak EPX400 in Black Knight from Refasten. * YKK #8 Zipper Tape from JTs Outdoor Fabrics. Black Reverse Zipper Sliders from Refasten * 1” Twill Tape for seam binding from JTs Outdoor Fabrics * 1” Nylon Webbing from JTs Outdoor Fabrics. Main Pack Mods: * YKK #5 Natulon AquaGuard Zipper Tape in White and Black, Light Grey, and White Reverse Zipper Sliders from Mozet Supplies (u/GridstopCrafts generously provided the Black Zipper Tape, Thanks Again!). * YKK #3 Natulon AquaGuard Zipper Tape in White and Blaze Orange from Ripstop by the Roll. Black Reverse Zipper Slider from Refasten. White Locking Zipper Slider from a $2 premade zipper from Fabricland. * DTRS75 from Ripstop by the Roll. * 10mm Webbing from Amazon. 10mm Swivel Round Keyhook Gatekeeper in Black from Mozet Supplies. * 1/2” Nylon Webbing and 15mm (1/2”) Single Adjust Buckles from Refasten. * 3/4” Nylon Webbing from JTs Outdoor Fabrics. * 1.5” wide Generic Brand Hook and Loop Tape (AKA Velcro) in Black from Amazon. * 3/4” Woven Elastic for Bottle Pocket Mod from Walmart. * 1” Viking Dual Hooks from Mozet Supplies. * UltraTNT 1.25” wide Seam Sealing Tape was Special Ordered through Refasten. (Thanks Colin!) Straps: * EcoPak EPLX400 in Black Knight And Snow White. * UltraTNT Tape 1.25” * EcoPak EPX400 in Black Knight * 25mm (1”) Double Gatekeeper - Recycled from Mozet Supplies. * 25mm (1”) Voyager Tension Lock from Mozet Supplies. iPad pouch: * Mara 100 Colour 106 from Wawak * EcoPak EPX200 in Golden Dazy from Refasten. * Challenge RBC200 in Lemon Lime from Refasten. * #5 YKK Zipper Tape from JTs Outdoor Fabrics. * #5 YKK Reverse Zipper Slider from Refasten. * 15mm Viking Dual Hook for closure straps, from Mozet Supplies. * 1/2” Nylon Webbing, 3/4” Hook and Loop, and 5/8” Nylon Grosgrain for open top pocket strap, from Refasten. * 3/4” Nylon Webbing and Twill Tape from JTs Outdoor Fabrics. * 1.5” Hook Tape from Amazon. * 2” Elastic from a $2 Mystery Bag from Fabricland. * 2mm Foam Sheet from Michaels.
2024.05.14 01:01 johnairesDivided We Watch (Civil War Review)
Divided We Watch TLDR; Movie Review - Civil War Whew! I just watched the movie, Civil War. I have a lot to say, but don’t think I’ll be capable of unpacking it all articulately enough to express myself, without coming off as a disgruntled, far-right nutjob. Because I’m not one. If you must know, I’m only a touch right-of-center in my ideology. An Independent, to tell the truth. But nowadays, it seems, if the needle isn’t buried on the left side of the meter, you are officially a disgruntled, far-right nutjob. But before you start grinding your molars and turning the page, hear me out. Oh, and I’m going to try not to – but if a spoiler slips past me, you’ve been warned. For starters, let me make clear that I am not fooled for a millisecond by the movie’s main intent. It is leftist propaganda at its finest. It’s the Nazi’s Triumph of the Will; Orwell’s 1984; and the Ku Klux Klan’s Birth of a Nation, all rolled into one, but with a fifty-million-dollar budget – the most expensive movie ever made by A24 Productions. There is a passing scene in the movie where actress Cailee Spaeny, playing Jessie, a bright-eyed, upstart photojournalist, while fawning over her idol, the legendary war photographer, Lee Smith, played by Kirsten Dunst, talks about the award-winning shot at “The Antifa Massacre” that made Lee famous. This seems to suggest Antifas are noble freedom fighters, but forgets the real life destruction of the Berkley Riots; the Portland Protests, and the Seattle Autonomous Zone, where a capital city was held hostage for nearly a month. The movie’s release, hot on the heels of the 2024 Presidential election, was by design, not coincidence. You know it. I know it. We all know it. Hollywood wants this movie fresh in everyone’s minds when they go to the polls. The movie is a calculated foreshadowing. The message: “Elect the Orange Guy and this will happen to our country.” The movie is Hollywood’s love letter to the Liberal elite and mainstream media’s wettest dream. Some of the best war movies in cinematic history are those that portrayed a certain ambiguity about war, and humanized both sides and their causes. Just who was the Good Guy and who the Bad, was a little fuzzy, at times. Hell in the Pacific; Platoon; and Letters from Iwo Jima, come to mind. Civil War is not one of those films, even if it pretended to be by making its Dark Side an alliance of two regions of the United States that are about as ideologically compatible as AOC and MTG. So, don’t think I’m fooled. I’m not. The movie is, indeed, all of the above. But let me tell you what else it is. It’s the best movie I’ve seen in years. The cinematography is breathtaking. The acting, superb. The action sequences, heart-pounding. Director Alex Garland paints with exquisite, horrifying detail what life (and death) would be like for us all if the United States of America tore itself apart from within. One brutal battle scene that really sticks with me, is set against the backdrop of a place that symbolizes the very essence of peace, love and happiness. The juxtaposition is jarring. But it is a very real reminder that there is no escape from the terrible ravages of war. While I cannot deny there were times in the movie I found my slightly-right-of-center molars grinding – especially with its mocking portrayal of our nation’s leader and 50% of our country’s population – I could not dislike this movie. When the battle reached our nation’s capital and the tracer rounds were peppering the Lincoln Memorial, I literally felt sick to my stomach – and so profoundly sad to watch the desecration of a place I have always considered a sacred symbol of our Country. Though I could smell the popcorn in the air and knew it was only a movie, my heart broke at the realization that we Americans are a deeply divided People. “Why?” I asked my wife as we pulled out of the parking garage on our way home (She hated the movie, by the way). “Of the millions and millions of smart, righteous, decent people in America, WHY are we stuck having to choose from these two? Isn’t there anyone out there who’s had enough of this bickering and this gridlock and these endless insanely costly, senseless Congressional hearings? Won’t anyone else step up to the plate? Civil War is a great movie and I strongly recommend it. Beyond the thrilling entertainment it offers, it makes you stop and think long and hard about the perilous State of our Union. We need to be Americans. Not Republicans. Not Democrats. AMERICANS. We need to build up, not tear down. To compromise. To get along. To be proud of our Country and be a Nation that is admired and envied by the rest of the world. We need to heed the words of caution told to us 166 years ago by the kind of Leader that seems to have gone the way of the dodo. “A house divided against itself cannot stand…” What did you all think?
TLDR; Movie Review - Civil War Whew! I just watched the movie, Civil War. I have a lot to say, but don’t think I’ll be capable of unpacking it all articulately enough to express myself, without coming off as a disgruntled, far-right nutjob. Because I’m not one. If you must know, I’m only a touch right-of-center in my ideology. An Independent, to tell the truth. But nowadays, it seems, if the needle isn’t buried on the left side of the meter, you are officially a disgruntled, far-right nutjob. But before you start grinding your molars and turning the page, hear me out. Oh, and I’m going to try not to – but if a spoiler slips past me, you’ve been warned. For starters, let me make clear that I am not fooled for a millisecond by the movie’s main intent. It is leftist propaganda at its finest. It’s the Nazi’s Triumph of the Will; Orwell’s 1984; and the Ku Klux Klan’s Birth of a Nation, all rolled into one, but with a fifty-million-dollar budget – the most expensive movie ever made by A24 Productions. There is a passing scene in the movie where actress Cailee Spaeny, playing Jessie, a bright-eyed, upstart photojournalist, while fawning over her idol, the legendary war photographer, Lee Smith, played by Kirsten Dunst, talks about the award-winning shot at “The Antifa Massacre” that made Lee famous. This seems to suggest Antifas are noble freedom fighters, but forgets the real life destruction of the Berkley Riots; the Portland Protests, and the Seattle Autonomous Zone, where a capital city was held hostage for nearly a month. The movie’s release, hot on the heels of the 2024 Presidential election, was by design, not coincidence. You know it. I know it. We all know it. Hollywood wants this movie fresh in everyone’s minds when they go to the polls. The movie is a calculated foreshadowing. The message: “Elect the Orange Guy and this will happen to our country.” The movie is Hollywood’s love letter to the Liberal elite and mainstream media’s wettest dream. Some of the best war movies in cinematic history are those that portrayed a certain ambiguity about war, and humanized both sides and their causes. Just who was the Good Guy and who the Bad, was a little fuzzy, at times. Hell in the Pacific; Platoon; and Letters from Iwo Jima, come to mind. Civil War is not one of those films, even if it pretended to be by making its Dark Side an alliance of two regions of the United States that are about as ideologically compatible as AOC and MTG. So, don’t think I’m fooled. I’m not. The movie is, indeed, all of the above. But let me tell you what else it is. It’s the best movie I’ve seen in years. The cinematography is breathtaking. The acting, superb. The action sequences, heart-pounding. Director Alex Garland paints with exquisite, horrifying detail what life (and death) would be like for us all if the United States of America tore itself apart from within. One brutal battle scene that really sticks with me, is set against the backdrop of a place that symbolizes the very essence of peace, love and happiness. The juxtaposition is jarring. But it is a very real reminder that there is no escape from the terrible ravages of war. While I cannot deny there were times in the movie I found my slightly-right-of-center molars grinding – especially with its mocking portrayal of our nation’s leader and 50% of our country’s population – I could not dislike this movie. When the battle reached our nation’s capital and the tracer rounds were peppering the Lincoln Memorial, I literally felt sick to my stomach – and so profoundly sad to watch the desecration of a place I have always considered a sacred symbol of our Country. Though I could smell the popcorn in the air and knew it was only a movie, my heart broke at the realization that we Americans are a deeply divided People. “Why?” I asked my wife as we pulled out of the parking garage on our way home (She hated the movie, by the way). “Of the millions and millions of smart, righteous, decent people in America, WHY are we stuck having to choose from these two? Isn’t there anyone out there who’s had enough of this bickering and this gridlock and these endless insanely costly, senseless Congressional hearings? Won’t anyone else step up to the plate? Civil War is a great movie and I strongly recommend it. Beyond the thrilling entertainment it offers, it makes you stop and think long and hard about the perilous State of our Union. We need to be Americans. Not Republicans. Not Democrats. AMERICANS. We need to build up, not tear down. To compromise. To get along. To be proud of our Country and be a Nation that is admired and envied by the rest of the world. We need to heed the words of caution told to us 166 years ago by the kind of Leader that seems to have gone the way of the dodo. “A house divided against itself cannot stand…”
2024.05.14 00:43 moderncholoEbony's post are mainly to connect Drake to dates at the Mark.
Is this where we post stuff now since the Kendrick sub has had it with Ebony?! I am as far down the rabbit hole as y'all, but after checking out the footage, I started to run through what was shared so far, and I am doing my best to connect some of the dots. Mainly location since a lot of what Ebony has witnessed (possible child endangerment) wouldn't be enough to prove anything to the authorities. Which is why they are doing their best to really just tie their accusations to specific dates. Broke it down to a timeline. January incident: In the new footage, CA is alone in the lobby. It looks like the lobby is empty. The hotel would do this for VIP guests. We see who we are assuming are Drake's security goons. They walk in one at a time. It feels like some fake mob intimidation shit. https://preview.redd.it/fwmj3f8gv90d1.png?width=684&format=png&auto=webp&s=c813b15ee718ecbda8b5982f843f5d559d239890 When we get to the screenshot, CA looks like goons surround him. The more I look at this, the less it feels like four people waiting for the elevator. The person in the orange hood even looks like they are doing a villain speech. Debunked after CA posts. It had to be subtle if there is anything on this footage. https://preview.redd.it/4pz5fblhv90d1.png?width=596&format=png&auto=webp&s=ab3786ea9da3f8cecdc439cae2165f6d93a53e48 At this moment, I think the two people losing their jobs refer to "Drake's security team having an altercation with hotel staff." It gets fuzzy here because I don't know if that incident was tied to January or July, but it could have been something that wasn't reported at all. That incident could be related to what Ebony witnessed in July. Either way, what happened to CA was blamed on the hotel somehow, and two people lost their jobs as a result. Debunked by CA post https://preview.redd.it/nlrxomy1u90d1.png?width=593&format=png&auto=webp&s=7e56152319ee10f8145b1068b4f68d364c79aeb1 This footage is probably the only evidence that they could have of a crime being committed if there is something there. However, how this video was obtained could make it hard to pursue legally, which is why I can see why Ebony is tip-toeing around the full video. July: Drake was in NYC for many shows in Brooklyn and Madison Square Garden. He was in town from July 17-26 for shows; his next show was in DC on the 28. Meaning he could have easily been at the hotel on July 27. https://preview.redd.it/q6ljokd8u90d1.png?width=498&format=png&auto=webp&s=c30ce4b8e169def8b060f8c5cde8e04a854e15dc All Ebony can do is show they are telling the truth about what people can prove. With the protest on July 17 and Drake being called out in the article we know that this is when the "circus returned..." and the beginning of the last time Drake would be at The Mark before he switched to a different hotel. https://preview.redd.it/fsi7y6d9u90d1.png?width=597&format=png&auto=webp&s=c016b4d0c2913b226d7e24ff71261a4a81b6ec5c I believe Ebony posted this TikTok showing the man with the suitcase and white bag to show that this was possibly a prescription delivery. I assume this is to give credit to the items that Ebony has in their position and to put a timeline as to when the items were left behind (i.e., prescription dates). https://preview.redd.it/3xmq69nkv90d1.png?width=595&format=png&auto=webp&s=18917978af5ac5ae0dc79a83270f55c2b49361cc https://preview.redd.it/tp1gc3ghu90d1.png?width=599&format=png&auto=webp&s=a7ba165f025e5e193e9b58c69bfeee0d0f8b2449 When we get to July 27, all we know is that Drake could have possibly been in town still. He didn't have a show until the next day in DC, which is a short drive away. On this date Ebony claims to have witnessed something that they were trained to see at Kaspia. https://preview.redd.it/0x7ptyglu90d1.png?width=596&format=png&auto=webp&s=86de167f2fe1a637ecfb9d7e343b340b7c02cf35 I believe the tweet below references his accommodations, which led to the police being called and a CCRB complaint, but they were not able to prove anything. https://preview.redd.it/jf2dtepju90d1.png?width=598&format=png&auto=webp&s=52f3b620ff63c25ff175357a6561baa2dca94411 After what they witnessed is over, all Ebony can do is keep their composure and provide the customer service that The Mark gives all VIP customers. Smile through the pain. https://preview.redd.it/68jfbadsu90d1.png?width=600&format=png&auto=webp&s=a248c6e3d26c41e1c558b8d6ea15da5c3babf8e2 At the end of the day, all Ebony is doing is connecting the dates to when Drake was in town. Without hard evidence or victims coming forward, it would be hard to present this information without sounding like you were describing Pizzagate 2.0. Last thoughts. I think Ebony's last post asking "Why is the truth so expensive?" is because he knew CA wouldn't say anything. Even though something was supposed to happen at 5pm. Debunked after CA post
2024.05.14 00:04 Worldly-Sea9595Should DJ Suki come back in Trolls 4?
DJ Suki was one of the members of the snack pack (Poppy's friends) mainly in the first Trolls movie and Trollstopia. She has orange hair and headphones. She never appeared in the other movies ever again. :( I actually really liked her character design and her DJ look. I MISS HERRRR (Even if she never actually talked in the trolls movie) But still. What do you think? 🧡💖 View Poll
2024.05.13 23:41 DarthRevan987[WTS] CMF Mac Crusade Milled Bolster/Zirblast
Hey guys. Got one up for sale/trade today. PayPal Friends and Family, no notes please. USPS Priority shipped to a US address. Main trade interests are Oz Rosies or Lamia V4 Nature grip. YOLO rules. TIMESTAMP/PICS VIDEO CMF Mac Crusade Milled BolsteZirblast: At least third owner, light carry buy previous owner(s) but catch and release for me. Knife is in excellent overall condition. Backspacer, clip, thumbstuds, and pivot has a hammered/orange peel texture so hard to tell if there is wear or if it's just part of the finish. Blade has a nice stonewash so also cannot tell if there are snails or if part of stonewash (see pics/vid). Beautiful milled faux bolster. Centered, appears to be factory edge, sharp. Really amazing thumbstud action and ergos on this one. Very comfortable and effortless to thumb flick and reverse flick. Comes with CMF pouch, a bunch of stickers, and COA. SV 715 / TV 815
2024.05.13 23:20 Natural_Ad1289too cool for school, neutral cool or warm?
I have never bought contour before and I really want it to be subtle and natural, and I found loads of people online praising this specific one. I'm not really sure what my undertone is, I tried those vein tests but my veins are different colours in different places (blue/purple on my wrist, green on the back of my hand) so I didn't really know whether that was warm or neutral. I also tried testing jewellery, but honestly my eyes are probably so untrained that I don't think either doesn't suit me, or suits me more. This made me think maybe I was neutral, but I'm not really sure because I'm tan and my skin looks somewhat yellow, plus I tested hex codes . I was going to try different makeup I own, but I don't have much, the main comparison I can make is that I use a foundation cushion in the shade #23 and it looks a bit pink on me. Idk if I should buy warm, as I think this will show up on my skin tone the best, or neutral? I don't think cool will suit me, as it seems pretty grey, but like I said I really don't know. Some random hex codes I've pulled from photos: CFA98F, E5BC9B, B58A76, these are all warm tone, but I'm scared the warm palette will look to red/orange on me?? People say the neutral is a bit more subtle but I really don't know (˚ ˃̣̣̥⌓˂̣̣̥ )
2024.05.13 23:12 A-TierTutoringA Comprehensive Guide to the LSAT: Insights from a 174-Scoring 0L
Hey everyone! I thought I'd repost this on my new profile (previously u/-Legal-Eagle-) for your reference before it is removed from my old profile. Also, if you find my advice useful, please check out my profile for more advice or tutoring services. Feel free to comment or DM me if you need anything. With my LSAT and law school admissions journey complete, I wanted to take the time to share my journey and hopefully provide some useful tips along the way. I'm sure you will have heard a lot of what I am about to say a thousand times over, but I thought it might be useful to provide a holistic and comprehensive guide that attempts to bring together some of the best advice that I have picked up throughout this process. Also, this is meant for anyone and everyone including those who haven't even began to think about the LSAT and those with multiple official exams already under their belt. I am going to use some more specific LSAT jargon meant for those with some familiarity with the test, but there will be many general tips for everyone scattered throughout. I would like to preface by saying that this is largely based on my own personal experience self-studying, tutoring, and working with others. Please consult with many different sources and do your due diligence as you consider each tip I provide. Without further ado, here is my humble attempt at a guide to the LSAT. When I first began the LSAT grind, I scored in the low 150s on my diagnostic exam, and while this was disheartening at first, I eventually achieved an official exam score of 174 after approximately 5 months of studying. Since I self-studied for the large majority of my journey, I found myself running into various obstacles and having to continuously refine my roadmap to success. Rather than go through the same process of trial and error that I went through, here is the roadmap outline that I would follow if I were to start all over again from blind diagnostic to test day success: 1. Start with a BLIND Diagnostic Exam: While this might seem quite obvious to the more experienced of you, many beginners, including myself at the start of this process, do not know where to begin and might be stuck in a paradox of choice. The best way to get started is to take a completely blind practice exam. Try not to expose yourself to any LSAT study materials beforehand and go into the diagnostic exam knowing as little about the exam as possible. You might be tempted to study beforehand to avoid the disappointment of a low diagnostic score, but you must resist this temptation to avoid any misguided preconceptions or bad habits. Through this diagnostic, you will be able to truly identify your foundational strengths and weaknesses which you could and should revisit throughout your studying journey. 2. Decide on your plan of attack: A mistake that many beginners make after deciding to take the LSAT is jumping into studying without having a structured and thoughtful plan, leading to inefficiencies, lack of focus, and inconsistency. One of the most important factors of success on this exam is the formation of good habits, and you cannot form good habits without a consistent, efficient, and disciplined study plan. There is no one size fits all approach to studying for this exam. However, here are some questions you should ask yourself to find the right plan for you: What is your goal score? Your answer to this question depends on your long-term goals. Research which law schools would be most suitable for you based on their location, employment data, faculty, administration, student groups, journals, etc. After you put together a tentative list of law schools, look up what their median GPA and median LSAT is for their most recent enrolled class. If your undergraduate GPA (and law schools mainly care about your undergraduate GPA, so do not include any further education) is below their median GPA, then you should probably aim to surpass their median LSAT by at least a few points. However, if your undergraduate GPA is at or above their median GPA, then you should still aim to surpass their median LSAT, but you will still be in a strong position if you score at their median LSAT. After this research, you should have a goal score range by which you can gauge your progress and adjust your studying. What is your timeline for taking the exam? Setting a timeline for your studying is important to staying focused and disciplined. Decide on which official exam you will be sitting for and then make a study schedule that allows for at least 150-300 hours of studying leading up to the exam. For example, if you are planning to take the August exam, you have approximately 13 weeks to study. Hence, you should dedicate yourself to studying 15-25 hours per week until the exam. Of course, the number of total hours you study depends on your diagnostic score and your goal score, as well as how quickly you progress while studying. If you find that halfway through your study schedule, your score has not substantially improved or you still have to make significant progress to reach your goal score, you may decide to ramp up your study time to 30 hours per week. The most important step here is that you commit to consistent study time, and that you remain flexible as you gauge your progress throughout the journey. What learning styles/mediums work best for you? This is a matter of both preference and accessibility. Not all learning resources are equally available to everyone. However, many learning programs and materials are becoming increasingly affordable, giving everyone at least some choice in their method of study. Most importantly, you should do research into what your options are and weigh them accordingly. There are a variety of LSAT books available both new and used including but not limited to the LSAT Trainer, the Loophole, and the PowerScore Bibles. Of course, using a book requires a higher degree of discipline and self-accountability. On the other hand, there are a variety of online programs as well which provide a similarly structured curriculum and will even integrate your personal study schedule such as 7Sage and the LSAT Demon. You may even be able to find a relatively inexpensive tutor through Reddit or Wyzant if you require a bit more external accountability or a more personalized approach. Lastly, what study methods are most effective for you? Everyone should incorporate a mix of foundational concepts, drilling, and practice in their studying, but it's important to recognize which method is most effective for you. Perhaps you find taking PTs (practice tests) garner the greatest score increases. Hence, you should dedicate more study time to taking PTs. Throughout your journey, you should constantly be aware of which study methods are most effective and adjust accordingly. Once you have definitively answered these questions, you will have prepared yourself to optimize your study time and decrease your exam anxiety. Those preparing for the LSAT might be overwhelmed by the sheer amount of content and their limited timeline, but, by crafting a practical and efficient study plan, you won’t be inundated with content and will be assured that you are making the best use of your time. 3. Learn the Material: Now that you’ve set yourself up for success, it’s time to actually sit down and do the work. In the following, I’ll outline some of what I found to be the most important strategies and concepts for each section of the exam: Logical Reasoning: Logical Reasoning is the core of the LSAT. The lessons learned from this section are essential throughout the exam and need to be learned inside and out. To succeed in this section, you need to learn the language of the test makers, argumentation. Every question contains an argument, and you need to be able to translate those arguments by learning to identify their building blocks: background information, premises, sub-conclusions, and conclusions. Once you’re fluent in argumentation, every stimulus becomes substantially easier to simplify and understand. Second, your argumentation toolbox is not complete without the ability to identify flaws in argumentation. A large proportion of the arguments put forward in LR questions are not foolproof, in fact, some of them are really bad. Additionally, these arguments are only flawed in a limited number of ways, and you need to be able to identify each of the fallacies that the test makers have at their disposal such as ad hominem, causation, and circular reasoning flaws. The ability to identify these flaws will allow you to answer the majority of questions on the exam since, by knowing the flaw, you will be better able to attack it, resolve it, or point it out. Last, but not least, know your question types. There are only a limited number of question types that the test makers will put forward and you can easily look up what these question types are. For each question type, you should have a unique approach and understand what reoccurring signals to look for in the stimulus and answer choices. While I won’t repeat this for the other sections, this is true of every section. Reading Comprehension: You will hear from many people that reading comprehension is the hardest section to learn, and this is true in some sense. Success in this section relies on skills that are developed throughout one’s education. However, there are many strategies that can boost your performance and bolster your skills. Developing a reliable shorthand/note-taking system is a priority when learning this section. A shorthand system can reduce the time you spend on questions and also allow you to better retain crucial details. Your system depends on your preferences, strengths, and weaknesses, and discovering your approach will require some trial and error as you test different note-taking strategies. For me, I would write a very short (4-5 words) summary of each paragraph as I finished reading it. I would also utilize the LSAC interface’s highlighters to color code different components of the passage’s argument (e.g., orange = conclusion/main idea). This system was designed in order for me to easily distill the most important aspects of the passage and allow me to easily reference the text for smaller details. There’s no way of getting around this next obstacle though and it has to be faced head on: your reading speed. Reading comprehension requires a balance between reading speed and information retention (i.e., the faster you read, the less information you retain and vice versa). However, if you can increase the speed at which you read without sacrificing any information, there is no downside. That is why I’d recommend reading non-LSAT material in your free time through magazines, novels, and newspapers. Of course, this will help you to both increase your reading speed and your reading stamina. Lastly, this next tip that I utilized during every reading comprehension section I took is more focused on your mindset when approaching the section. No matter what the substance of the article, convince yourself mentally that you are incredibly interested in the subject matter. It may be difficult to trick yourself into enjoying some of the drier topics, but simply telling myself that I wanted to know more about the subject and actively asking questions about the material led to increased focus and closer analysis. Logic Games: If you are registered for the June LSAT, then this especially applies to you. If you are planning to take the exam at a later date, you will not have a logic games section, but you should still read the following. These skills as well as previously mentioned skills/tips apply across the entire exam and do not exclusively apply to any one section. First, master formal logic. Your mastery over the rules of formal logic and your ability to apply them is the difference between -5 and -0 on logic games. When I say master, I mean that if someone were to wake you up in the middle of the night and ask you to identify the necessary and sufficient condition in ,”I will not go outside unless it is sunny”, you should be able to answer in under five seconds. This will allow you to easily unravel and represent convoluted language in a significantly more understandable and digestible way. Along with this, develop a foolproof diagramming method that does not consume too much time but also is easily understood in a high-pressure environment. Before I had perfected my diagramming, I would often represent rules, game boards, and pieces in a confusing manner which led to me forgetting about certain aspects of the game or misapplying a rule. Your game diagrams should be compact and excessively clear in what they represent. Logic games are already difficult as is so do not make it more difficult by making a confusing diagram. Last but not least, make deductions. I have heard that some people choose to make deductions as they work through the questions, but I found it much easier to make as many deductions as possible before jumping into the questions. At first, I struggled to uncover key inferences which led to wasted time and wrong answers. However, after diagramming a game, I began to move through each rule one by one, and examined how each interacts with the game board as well as every other rule. Another rule of thumb for making inferences is identifying rules in which a game piece repeats (e.g., “A is before B” and “B is before C” both include B) and seeing if you can uncover any resulting conclusions. These tips are in no way exhaustive, but I hope that they provided a good overview to guide your studying and help you make incremental improvements. Step 3: PRACTICE Now that you have learned all of the fundamentals of each section, it’s time to put them to use. After all, learning all of this material is pointless if you can’t apply it on test day. Practice is an essential component of your test preparation for two primary reasons. First, it allows you to develop a standardized routine. When I say routine, I mean every logistical/strategic aspect of the exam including but not limited to your pre-exam preparation, your logic games diagramming method, your reading comprehension note-taking/shorthand method, time management strategies, and more. You should have deliberated upon, tested, and habituated each of these routines prior to your official exam by implementing them during PTs under test-day conditions. The LSAT is already a very stressful exam so you do not want to waste the precious time you have on exam day thinking about how you should annotate a reading comprehension passage, for example, and tinkering with different strategies. No, your strategies should already be tried and true on exam day. Second, if you never practice taking the exam, you will never know where you need to improve. Taking PTs are incredibly important as they allow you to evaluate your progress and signal which concepts, sections, or questions you need to work on or revisit. Now, how should you practice? There’s no getting around it. You need to take practice exams under simulated official exam conditions. Set a timer for each section, take the required break between sections, and only use the equipment that will be allowed on test day (i.e., authorized computer, water, scrap paper, writing utensils, etc.). This is the only way for you to estimate how you will perform on test day and accustom yourself to the conditions of the official exam. I completed approximately 2-3 practice exams every week leading up to my official exams. It is even better if you save the more recent practice exams for the week or two before your official exam since those are going to be most similar to your exam. However, it is important that you do not just mindlessly take practice exams which leads me to my next point: blind review. I know, I know, blind review is extremely time consuming and tedious, but it was essential to my success on this exam. If you do not know what blind review is, it is basically when you do not reveal the correct answers of a practice exam after you have completed it, but instead complete the exam over again by checking and revising your answers. At the end of this process, you will have two scores: your actual score and your blind review score. The main reason for this is that you will now be able to see more clearly where your weaknesses lie. If you corrected a previously incorrect answer during blind review, then you likely got it wrong due to the time constraint or testing anxiety rather than a fundamental misunderstanding of the question. If you failed to catch an incorrect answer during blind review, you need to make it your priority to fully understand your error, analyze the question, and then revisit the concept that the question covers. Once your weaknesses are exposed during blind review, you can target those weaknesses by reviewing the conceptual material and then drilling the question/game/passage type. If you do not know what I mean by drilling, I mean that you can create and complete custom problem sets that focus on your weakness until you have addressed the weakness. Step 4: Profit Now it is time to take your official exam. First, you have to register for the exam and decide on whether you will take it in-person or online. There are benefits and drawbacks to each and you have to decide based on your personal circumstances. For the online format, you are going to need a very quiet room with a strong internet connection. You will need to remove all prohibited material from this room including books, posters, electronics, etc. Additionally, the online proctoring system can be quite a hassle and very finicky. It requires you to download a program prior to test day and then share your screen, video, and audio with a remote proctor. Proctors may interrupt your exam due to compliance issues (e.g., your face is not in full view). Additionally, there is a small but nonzero chance that your exam is placed under review due to suspected noncompliant activity during your exam period and possibly even canceled as a result of said review. However, there are obvious benefits to online testing. You can take the exam in the comfort of your own home if that is an option for you, and you generally have much more control over your environment. You take the exam on a computer of your choice that you are comfortable with. You use your own scrap paper and writing utensils. For the in-person format, there is little to no preparation required beforehand except for scheduling an appointment at a nearby test center and bringing a valid ID. You will be ushered into an office-like room filled with a number of small cubicles. In each cubicle, there will be a desktop with a monitor, mechanical keyboard, and mouse. There will be a pair of noise-canceling headphones, and you will also be given a booklet of scrap paper and writing utensils. A very compelling benefit of the in-person exam is that your exam is much less likely to be placed under review/canceled for suspicious activity. Your test session isn’t recorded and you do not have to connect with a remote proctor. You will not have to worry about the internet connection or whether or not your test-taking equipment is prohibited or not. Basically all you have to do is show up and take the exam. However, there are definitely drawbacks to the in-person exam as well. You will be in a new environment that you are unfamiliar with. There will be the noise of the other test takers in the room with you typing on keyboards, clicking their mouse, coughing, sneezing, leaving/entering the room, etc. There are definitely inconsistencies between the testing centers as well. Some minor, but noticeable issues that I experienced during my in-person exam included audible conversations coming from outside of the room, dark orange scrap paper on which I could barely see pencil marks, dull/broken pencils provided by the testing center, and barely functional noise-canceling headphones. Do not expect the testing centers to be a perfect, controlled environment and anticipate issues/annoyances. Once you’ve registered and exam day has arrived, it's time to do exactly what you practiced. I would not recommend that you make any last-minute changes to your testing routine/strategies. You have put so much work into perfecting your routine, and it would be a shame to throw that away when it really matters. After about 3 hours, you’ll have officially taken the LSAT. Congratulations! Now, it is a waiting game. Despite the exam taking place on a digital platform and being graded instantly, you will still have to wait about a month to receive your results. It is up to you whether you would like to continue studying during this wait depending on how you felt about your exam performance although I would keep any studying very light. Enjoy your well-deserved break. Step 5: Score Release You’ve now waited for what feels like forever and you receive the score for your first official exam. If you reached your goal score, congratulations! You have now finished a crucial component of the law school admissions process. You’re not done yet though. It’s time to start thinking about putting together your law school applications (which I may write another guide about soon). If you did not reach your goal score, don’t worry! Appreciate the fact that you are now more familiar with the official exam process and jump right back into studying/practicing again. If you were very close to your goal score, then I would recommend registering for the soonest upcoming exam and focusing on practicing through drills and PTs. If you were quite far away from your goal score, it might be worth evaluating your weakest sections/question types and jumping back into foundational concepts. Whatever you do, DO NOT cancel your first official exam. First, law schools only really care about your highest exam score, so do better on the next one and this one won’t hurt you. Second, you need to have at least one non-canceled score in order to even apply to law school. Let’s say you cancel your first test and then do even worse on your second test, then what? I would only recommend canceling a score if it is not your first exam (and you did not cancel your first exam) and it is lower than one of your other scores (e.g., you scored a 165 on your first exam and then a 162 on your second). The End! I know that was a lot. I could probably think of more to write, but you are probably already overwhelmed with information so I’ll leave the rest to you. I want to reiterate that these are all tips that I’ve picked up over my studying journey and I cannot guarantee a score increase based solely on these tips. After all, the most important thing is that you put in the work yourself and do your own due diligence to find what works best for you. If you have read everything up until now, you may be certifiably insane (the mark of a great law student) and thank you so much for considering what I have had to say. Remember that this is just a small part of your journey. Your LSAT score is not only just a single part of your law school applications, but it is an even smaller part of your career in the legal profession. I am not diminishing the importance of the exam, but please maintain a sensible perspective when you are feeling stressed and anxious about the LSAT. Make sure that you maintain a healthy work-life balance, keep pursuing hobbies and interests that you enjoy, and give yourself a break every once in a while. Your mindset and mental health is half the battle. See you in law school!
2024.05.13 22:49 LPK94Can't seem to get my navigation bar to appear horizontally, can anyone help me determine the styling rule that's preventing this?
I really appreciate any help with this. As of now my navigation bar is a centered vertical list with bullet points on the far right. I can't seem to find what is causing that. html
NY Sports Blog : Home
Welcome to NY Sports Blog. Here, we cover our favorite teams, being: the New York Islanders, New York Mets, Brooklyn Nets, and Buffalo Bills Our goal is to provide continuous updates on game scores, player stats, news, and highlights and bring them together in one convinient place. Want to have your voice heard? Contact us to share your thoughts and opinions on the teams we love so much.
css
/* Basic Reset */ body, h1, p { margin: 0; padding: 0; font-family: Arial, sans-serif; } header, footer { padding: 20px 10px; color: white; text-align: center; } .islanders-colors { background-color: #00539B; /* Royal Blue for New York Islanders */ } .nets-colors { background-color: #000000; /* Black for Brooklyn Nets */ } .mets-colors { background-color: #FF5910; /* Orange for New York Mets */ } .bills-colors { background-color: #C60C30; /* Red for Buffalo Bills */ } nav { background-color: #333; } nav ul { list-style: none; padding: 0; margin: 0; display: flex; justify-content: center; align-items: center; } nav ul li { margin: 0 15px; } nav ul li a { color: white; text-decoration: none; padding: 10px; } nav ul li a:hover { background-color: #007bff; border-radius: 5px; } main { padding: 20px; text-align: center; } .footer-container { display: flex; justify-content: center; align-items: center; flex-direction: column; } @media (max-width: 768px) { nav ul { flex-direction: column; } } @media (max-width: 480px) { header, footer { padding: 10px 5px; } nav ul li { margin: 5px 0; } nav ul li a { padding: 8px; } }
2024.05.13 22:23 K4L1YUGASuggestions for decorating this piece of driftwood
Hey 👋 I have a 240l tank currently set up freshwater, with some tropical fish. The water is heated to 26 degrees. This is my first tank and I inherited it from a friend who had to downsize. I cured and placed a piece of driftwood in it and I want to make it look like a tree. I plan to take it out and superglue moss to the branches. I’d really like for this moss to be red in colour to contrast it with the mainly green plants elsewhere in the tank. Unfortunately any red or orange plants I’ve tried haven’t survived for very long. I’ve seen several YouTube tutorials on making bonsai-like trees to put in tanks and would like to do something similar with superglue and filters. I’ve seen a few “preserved Norwegian mosses” which look great but which are apparently unsuitable for any prolonged water exposure. Does anyone have any recommendations or advice on whether they think this is feasible? Which varieties of moss I might research (if such moss exists!). Thanks very much!
2024.05.13 22:17 True_SavageA bunch of Halo set concepts I cooked up
So as some of you know, Mega has NOT been cooking with the Halo line. On top of poor distribution and weird design choices with many of their sets, they also are barely making any sets in general compared to previous years. Because of all of this, I decided to cook up my own year long line up for the Halo line in the form of a bunch of set concepts to do my best to do this line some justice. Especially since its been so long since I done a post like this. It will be split into 3 Waves as I think that would be the best way to release sets and I will go through them from least to most expensive in each wave. Btw Mega, I know yall browse the Reddit community sometimes. So if yall see this post, just relax and take notes.
Wave 1 (January release)
Halo Heroes
Foehammer with a new CEA Pilot Helmet and a Magnum (4/21) Halo Infinite Master Chief with accurate armor, an HI Assault Rifle, and The Weapon (3/21) Silver and Red Elite Commando with a Beam Rifle (4/21) Halo Infinite Spartan with a new Battle Rifle (2/21) Halo Reach Spartan with a new Plasma Repeater (3/21) a H3 Brute Chieftain with colors based on the og Mega bloks one with a Gravity Hammer and Spiker (5/21) UNSC Special Forces $19.99 It includes a CQB Spartan with a black HI Assault Rifle, 2 ODSTs with slightly different armor, 1 with a Suppressed SMG and 1 with a Rocket Launcher, and 2 SPI Spartans, 1 with a new Battle Rifle, and 1 with a Suppressed SMG. You also get a crate of extra weapons and grenades, and the build is a some terrain with a flag. https://preview.redd.it/z5rbpldit70d1.png?width=1200&format=png&auto=webp&s=236955d3f4f268e6bf1c6a5ad27f96e12d38c732 Covenant Infiltration specialists $19.99 The set includes 2 Grunts, 1 with a Needler and 1 with a Plasma Pistol, a Jackal Sniper with a Carbine, a blueish grey Elite with an Energy Sword and Plasma Rifle, an Engineer, and the build is a UNSC ship control room and a Data core. https://preview.redd.it/hd19gzkpt70d1.png?width=951&format=png&auto=webp&s=1aa9b5a6d1a0e490bc5d2bec8bc8b89f298b93a6 Skirmish on Reach $29.99 The builds are a HR Mongoose and a Covenant Ghost similar to the Ghost of Requiem one except with a different flight stand, a different control deck, a better color scheme, and a new more accurate hood. They come with 2 HR Army Troopers, 1 with a black HI Assault Rifle, and 1 with a Rocket Launcher, a HR Spartan with a black DMR, 2 Grunt Minors, 1 with a Plasma Pistol and 1 with a Needler, a Grunt Major with a Plasma Pistol, an Elite Minor with a Plasma Rifle, and a dark magenta Elite Officer with a new Plasma Repeater. You also get a couple Grenades for both UNSC and the Covenant. https://preview.redd.it/jhg56vjxy70d1.png?width=1280&format=png&auto=webp&s=640b693b0d37e6a9a18af22d50aab1abc02c5154 ODST's Last Stand $39.99 The build is terrain with a destroyed tan Warthog that has a still functioning turret and it includes an ODST with a new Battle Rifle, 2 blue PROPERLY PAINTED Hunters, that have been retooled to allow for more posability, especially at the head, a Brute Captain with a Spiker, and a Grunt with a Plasma Pistol. There is enough pieces as well as some alternate pieces without battle damaged to allow you to be able to make a regular functioning version of this Warthog if you have a full one. https://preview.redd.it/ymltv5gpz70d1.png?width=894&format=png&auto=webp&s=4b15a368b7eeee9c341f0f7d13c45c9a618044f0 Banished Reaver $70 The Reaver features posable legs and cannons and includes Voridus and Pavium with their respective weapons, a Banished Brute with a Spiker and silver armor with dark red markings, and 2 HW2 Banished Grunts, 1 with a Plasma Pistol and 1 with a Needler. https://preview.redd.it/wlj94xr2080d1.png?width=2400&format=png&auto=webp&s=f7fa328488055c536e6121f567cdadf030640a94
Wave 2 (May release)
Metropolitan Drop Zone $14.99 The set comes with a ODST with red markings, a Suppressed SMG, and an extra pair of helmets and shoulders, a Grunt with a Needler, a Brute Captain with a Spiker, and a Brute Minor with a translucent red Plasma Rifle, all in visor mode colors, and a battle damaged ODST Drop Pod. The build is a small crater build that the Drop Pod can sit in. https://preview.redd.it/6h95qv8y080d1.png?width=1280&format=png&auto=webp&s=97c42a983f51180b2b340f4292e7f91efd91d3c4 Jungle Engagement $14.99 The Set includes a og Drop Pod with mud splatter on it, a small bit of jungle terrain that the Drop Pod can rest in like it crashed into it, a ODST with green markings, a Suppressed SMG, and a Shotgun, an Elite Assault with a Plasma Rifle, and 2 Jackals with new larger Shields and Plasma Pistols. https://preview.redd.it/kulbyikk180d1.png?width=1000&format=png&auto=webp&s=68bd6916c7097f924fc44f7307495ffe9dcc260d Halo 3 Co-op multipack $24.99 The set includes a H3 Master Chief using the HH14 Chief green color and has a Assault Rifle, Thel Vadam with 2 Plasma Rifles, and N'tho 'Sraom and Usze 'Taham with Carbines. All have painted weapons and are done up in HH quality. The set is in the same style as the Osiris and Blue team sets from years back and like wise, has a buildable modular base with stands for the 4 characters as well as includes some extra weapons for all of them. https://preview.redd.it/nzm8q859280d1.png?width=512&format=png&auto=webp&s=1e0de2ef00972bc377ebcff5f557fee56634cec9 Jerome's Theseus Mantis $39.99 The Command Mantis is minifig scaled and features fuly posable arms and legs aswell includes Commander Jerome-092, complete with his modified backpack accessory, armor, and Hydra as well as includes a HH style stand. https://preview.redd.it/rlwlnes4380d1.png?width=1120&format=png&auto=webp&s=96a9514d24c6f1f14ff4a7f39a82d4cf15413ba4
Wave 3 (September release)
Halo Heroes
green Spartan Mk IV with a more accurate Mk IV chest piece, a flame prints on his helmet and shoulder and a flame thrower (3/21) cobalt and silver CQB Spartan with Shotgun and a green serina AI piece (3/21) Mirinda Keyes in her cadet uniform with an SMG (3/21) Zuka 'Zamamee with a Plasma Rifle and Energy Sword (5/21) Tom-B292 with a Battle Rifle with a HI AR ammo counter attached to it and a unhelmeted head (3/21) Orange and blue Elite Flight with 2 Needlers (4/21) Covenant Zealot Strike Team $19.99 The set includes a CEA Elite Zealot with an Energy Sword and 4 purple Spec Ops Grunts, 2 with Plasma Pistols, 1 with a Plasma Rifle, and 1 with a Needler, you also get a crate of extra weapons and grenades as well as a Forerunner sidebuild. https://preview.redd.it/wrop7qfn880d1.png?width=960&format=png&auto=webp&s=a7be48c89021398ee7b8cc25bd1a172328100dfd UNSC Rockethog $29.99 The Rockethog is based on the og 2011 one except it now has the newer wheel design, leaf springs, a detailed interior, a shorter back section, and all the details are printed instead of stickers. It includes a Army Trooper with a black HI Assault Rifle, a female Noble 6 with a fully upgraded Mk V(B) helmet and a black DMR, an Elite Officer with a new Plasma Repeater, and a Spec Ops Grunts with a purple Fuel Rod. https://preview.redd.it/vdln1fvu980d1.png?width=549&format=png&auto=webp&s=db847f9a2f3fdd9e9caa7adda7f842bc01c92326 Mac Cannon Defense $29.99 This figure pack includes a Security Spartan with a Shotgun, 2 Technicians with Magnums, a Marine with a UNSC Carbine, 2 white Elite Zealots, 1 with 2 Energy Swords and 1 with 2 Plasma Rifles, 2 white Spec Ops Grunts, 1 with a Plasma Rifle, and 1 with a Needler with a Plasma Grenade, and a couple crates, a fusion coil, and a couple small side builds. https://preview.redd.it/tor3l9ebb80d1.png?width=548&format=png&auto=webp&s=162caadec85500d6890c73b02fceee76e671aeee Covenant Spectre $39.99 The Spectre is a brand new design that can seat new art Elites and Brutes, is much larger, and has an accurate turret. It includes 2 Sentinels with Sentinel Beams, 2 H2A Spec Ops Elites, 1 with a Plasma Rifle and 1 with a Energy Sword, 2 Marine Combat Forms, 1 with a SMG, and 1 with a new Battle Rifle, a white armored Elite Combat Form with a Plasma Rifle, and a small side build with a crate and a small machine gun turret. https://preview.redd.it/kq36fu9yb80d1.png?width=1990&format=png&auto=webp&s=1f2cee479129ae5b06fb78fca831fff64a36e095 Covenant Wraith $59.99 The Wraith is a completely brand new design that's much larger, has a detailed interior that can sit newer figures, sturdier fins, a fully poseable plasma turret and a sturdier motar cannon. It includes a white Elite based on the one that came in the og 2010 Wraith, an Elite Minor with a Carbine, 2 Jackals with Plasma Pistols and new Larger shields, 1 in cyan and 1 in purple, and a Spartan with a new Battle Rifle, and a Frag Grenade. You also get extra armor for the Spartan, a Forerunner Structure side build, an Arctic Gauss Turret, and extra parts to make the Wraith look more like the HW one by having the plasma turret gunner sit inside the vehicle. https://preview.redd.it/clbbb2fuj80d1.png?width=1200&format=png&auto=webp&s=35ebe07cc755ef3a2c8292a6b318b024196b081d UNSC Fox Cannon $79.99 The Fox Cannon can seat 2 minifigures in the front cockpit with 1 being a driver and the other being a gunner, has a fully rotatable and adjustable cannon, has a removable section allowing you to see the engine, and an ammo storage area on the gun. The Cannon also uses new specialized pieces for the Barrel. It includes a H3 Marine with a black HI Assault Rifle, a silver CQB with a Shotgun, a Brute Chieftain with a Gravity Hammer, and 2 Jackals, 1 with a Plasma Pistol and 1 with a Needler, and both with new larger Shields. You also get swappable armor for the CQB. https://preview.redd.it/8wjvomg4w80d1.png?width=800&format=png&auto=webp&s=59d22b3c5eeab6b7004959934518e0448f26d2f3 Covenant Locust $89.99 The Locust is a brand new build thats way larger, has sturdy ball jointed legs, a swivable head with an opening maw, and the driver sits in the proper spot, it includes an Elite with an Energy Sword, 2 orange Spec Ops Grunts with Plasma Pistols, an turqoise Spartan with a new Battle Rifle, Katana, and Scabbard, an ODST Heavy Weapons Specialist with a Rocket Launcher, and a tan H3 Mongoose. https://preview.redd.it/j6s521lsz80d1.jpg?width=1935&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=7e3ad9d7c85ea57ca62863083762bb51292b92ea UNSC Spirit of Fire $109.99 The set is similar to the Forward Unto Dawn set where its a miniscale build of the ship with a buildable display base and some figures, those being HW1 Captain Cutter, Professor Anders, and a light up Holotable with a new Serina ai piece. https://preview.redd.it/rkqrylduu80d1.png?width=1200&format=png&auto=webp&s=5148f92dfca385e9c8425cc9626541d646e8551f Covenant Phantom $199.99 The Phantom is a brand new design which is way larger, can seat 2 pilots in the front, has a couple small weapon racks on the inside with extra weapons, and a removable grav lift effect piece for the Troop bay. It includes a Elite Field Marshall with an Energy Sword and Fuel Rod, a white and bright blue Elite Flight with a Plasma Pistol, a Jackal Sniper with a Beam Rifle, 2 Grunt Ultras, 1 with a Plasma Pistol and 1 with a Plasma Rifle, and 2 unique looking HR Spartans, 1 with a black HI Assault Rifle and the other with a Spartan Laser. https://preview.redd.it/lacd03not80d1.jpg?width=2571&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=d9992e01740c68d90947e26f3b6c39f8d8ea1cee Valhalla $349.99 This set is a Signature Series set based on the Valhalla Multiplayer map from Halo 3. The main build is one of the beam towers from the map and it includes 6 unique looking H3 Spartans with a huge selection of weapons for them to use, a H3 Banshee, and a H3 Mongoose. https://preview.redd.it/jwhei3l7n80d1.png?width=1600&format=png&auto=webp&s=e62028e1f3dadd84175294f9ed9525075b5de25e
2024.05.13 22:06 Various_Ad2320Live recording blow by blow
I'll only cover the process of getting in and timings of the recordings rather than any of the content. I attended the 1:15 recording today and thought it would be worthwhile listing out what is what for anyone else lucky enough to get tickets. Getting to Pinewood studios: I drove to the studios, getting there around 10:30. I parked on a residential road nearby, about a 5 min walk away. I realised later that the locals don't like this and the studio themselves don't encourage this. It was only when leaving I saw the grid lock around the road. Had I known I would have taken the tube to Uxbridge and gotten a cab. Queuing: There were about 20 people ahead of me in the queue and the line slowly started getting bigger after me. Lots of cars turned up looking to park at the studios but we're asked to go away for a few minutes until security couldlet them in around 11:15. When the car parks opened anyone that had their car in the visitor parking area was asked to move their car into the main carpark thus losing their place. Anyone in the car also joined the back of the queue. The queue started filing into the holding area around 11:15. There was a quick security check and then we were given a seat in the marquee by the order we were in the queue. The marquee has toilet facilities and some basic snacks and drinks to purchase. You are told that no food is allowed in the studio so the marquee is the last point you can eat. You can carry a water bottle into the studio (plastic only). The wait: The marquee filled up between 11:15 and around 12:30. There were probably around 200 people by the end. They started distributing wristbands around 11:30. The first 30-40 people were given an option of floor seats or balcony. I chose balcony of which there are about 20 seats. Balconies are on the side and so you either have a view of the back of Greg and Alex's head or the back of contestants heads but there is a higher chance of appearing onscreen. The floor seats were given orange bands and the balcony yellow. All the bands were numbered. At around 12:30 one of the production team came into the marquee to say that unfortunately there wouldn't be enough space for anyone and so those with an orange band with a number 96 and higher would not get in but would have their details taken for priority tickets for a future show. This was about the first time I was sure I'd get in despite holding a balcony band. Hard to say how many were turned away but possible around 20-30. Many in the queue seemed to think only the first 40 or so would get in but given numbers 96 upwards were turned away I'd think a good number got in. It may be that this was the lunchtime recording and the evening onesay have more priority people turn up. The recording: At around 1:00 we started the process of going to the studio. Gold and silver band holders lined up first. I assume they were guest of the production team and the had the front row seats right near the stage. I think there were about 10 of them. Balcony seats were the second batch into the studio followed by priority and then the remainder. The recording started at around 1:45 and went through to nearly 5:00. There is a very good compere to fill the breaks in recording. As I mentioned I won't go into the content but safe to say my cheeks hurt from all the laughing.
2024.05.13 22:03 Gir0oNeed some help and info about my problem
A quick story about it: about 2 to 3 weeks ago the pipe that brings water to the bathroom etc. Got a leak above the bathroom and got water into one side of the wall, which made the wall orange with some brown and black spots here and there. After one and a half weeks we finally got someone there that fixed the leakage and gave us a machine that apparently sucks the water out of the air, which will take more then 10 days and I will make my time there as short as it gets, since it also doesn't have a window anywhere near and is connected to a corridor into the main room. The problem is that on the other side of the wall is my bedroom, and that spot also got water but way less, but has some black lines and stuff. Now I am scared, did mold form? and if so how dangerous is this? Do I need to get out of the room? Here are some pictures. Sorry for my english btw!
2024.05.13 21:43 drumrunner007LTTF/BUY 2023 TOPPS CHROME MATT OLSON
I am doing a rainbow of Matt Olson from the Topps 2023 Chrome. I need the Gold, Red, frozen mainly at this point.. If you know who has them or where I can find them, thanks in advance NEEDS Gold Refractor - #/50
Several people have approached me that they might have endometriosis. Lifelong warrior so thought I would share my tips and tricks I put together for my friends and family to share with you :) Hope this helps someone! ENDOMETRIOSIS SURGERY FACTS
EXCISION SURGERY! I cannot stress this one enough. If you have an ablation, it will grow back and likely quick (but consult with your doctors on your case 100%). Excision is when they cut it out vs. it gets burned off. You will have a better success rate and slow rate of growth if they excise. Not all cases can be depending on location so again, please talk with your doctor about your situation. This is not the same for everyone.
If your doctor cannot do excision surgery. Skip and move on to the next! Trust me, well worth the time to research and find the right doctor. You will thank me later for this one too haha.
Finding a doctor is stuff. Also tough to find resources. If you cannot find an Endometriosis specialist in your area who does excision, you may need to look out of state, but one tip is exploring gynecological oncologists. Some will take benign cases, but not all so do your research. But it’s a good avenue for help in your area or you want insurance coverage.
Definitely look into Egg Freezing before doing any permanent surgeries. The ovaries are more intact when there is a uterus in place, so I recommend immediately following any excisions with Egg Freezing if you can and if it’s part of your plans. I found my AMH levels low (1.2) but still retrieved 25 eggs, so never be discouraged if this is your future planning path.
My Symptoms: I experience bloating, constipation, diarrhea, nausea and vomiting as the main culprits. I have irregular periods in regards to the number of days and if it comes or not (even with an IUD). Pelvic pain is probably the worst of all since it accompanies these symptoms and is present a majority of the time. Others may have different symptoms, and there’s many others I didn’t list but wanted to paint the picture of some I’ve experienced.
ENDOMETRIOSIS LAPAROSCOPIC SURGERY (WHAT TO EXPECT) PRE-SURGERY
List of questions to ask your doctor
Insurance Information and ID
Necessary forms or paperwork the doctor requires
Make sure any medical records are sent that would be relevant
POST-OP PREP
Eat smaller meals and simple foods days beforehand. If bowel prep is necessary, they also recommend taking a laxative in the days leading up to help prep.
Pack a bag! Not every surgery is an overnight stay but even if you have a day-of surgery, back an overnight bag. Here’s the essentials:
Phone/Headphones/iPad/Kindle/Books
Device Chargers
Medications that you currently take
Glasses (do not wear contacts day of)
An extra pair of underwear
Sanitary Pads or Always Discreet
Comfy pants with light elastic band around the waist
Layers - Sweatshirt, Long Sleeved Shirt etc. - Hospitals are cold!
Toothbrush and tooth paste
Hairbrush
Face wipes, wash cloth, small towel and bar of soap.
SPACE PREP
Make sure your bed or couch is prepped. I stayed on the first level for the first 2ish days before feeling well enough to stay upstairs.
I used a pregnancy pillow on the bed to help me stay on my back while sleeping and help you feel cozy.
Stock the house with foods that will be light for your stomach. Think soups and casseroles! Saltine crackers, broths, rices etc..
If you have a raised bed, get a step stool to assist. It’s best to sit on the side of the bed and slowly lay your upper body down while bringing your knees up and over to your back. You will need to use arm strength the first couple of days to get you up and over since you can’t use the abdomen.
Water and Beverages stocked at all times. I have a reusable water bottle and avoid carbonated beverages for the time being. They fill you with gas for the procedure so it may make those symptoms worse.
Netflix, Kindle, Puzzles, Craft Projects…visits with friends. Whatever makes the time pass, set it up ahead of time so it’s handy.
Items to Keep on Hand: Baby Wipes, heating pads, pads/diapers, candles, essential oils, things that smell good haha
BOWEL PREP This is dependent on the type of surgery you are having, but its good to have Gatorade, Magnesium Citrate (liquid), laxatives and enemas on hand just in case you need these. ON SURGERY DAY It’s important to follow the instructions on what to stop taking and/or eating/drinking prior to the surgery. Wear comfy clothes (wide elastic waistband) and slides with cozy socks. Double check your to go bag and breath. AT THE HOSPITAL
Do your check-ins and keep your people with you as long as you want.
Make sure to read all the consent forms and ask any questions upfront. Make any advance directives clear.
Just try to remain calm as there’s a lot of down time while they do intake. It is about 2 hours of prep before they bring you in for the surgery itself.
They will ask you the same questions over and over again, that’s normal and trust me, you want to confirm it’s all being done properly.
If you need something for anxiety, they will be sure to give you something if you ask :)
You will be wearing a gown, socks, funky underwear and a cool hair net haha wear the gown backward so you keep warm and keep the butt covered.
Vitals will happen and the anesthesiologist will come and speak with you to make sure they prep the right meds beforehand. Bring up any concerns here with them!
You may be wheeled or walked into surgery. I’ve only ever walked in and laid on the table myself.
They will then put the IV in your arm and sometimes will put on a mask, they will then ask you to count backwards and before you know it, you will be awake again!
RECOVERY
You will wake-up and feel groggy. Totally normal and you will be in a different room. They will likely say a lot really quick about your surgery. Before leaving ask for them to walk through it or see if you can speak with the doctor again when clear headed. RECOMMENDED!
Your throat will be sore, that’s normal from the tube.
Just relax and sleep it off if you want, the goal is to be relaxed and pee once before leaving.
Before you go, eat and drink and pass smoke urine. They’ll provide you with the meds and you’ll be good to go.
Make sure someone brings you home after :)
Make sure you have a bag for vomit in the car.
Bring a small pillow that can be strapped between the car belt and you for maximum comfort on the trip home.
Pain Med Management: This one is important. I messed up night one and didn’t take it soon enough and was in too much pain so make sure you stick to the schedule the doctors give you to ensure you are comfortable.
Keep Walking: It seems unnatural to have a surgery then walk, but the sooner you get up and keep moving around the house, the better. Just avoid heavy lifting and immense bending like movements. Stairs are also ok but also consult with your doctor!
Gas Build Up: I did feel pain in my shoulders from the gas. Just keep moving! It will help get that out of the system but this pain is normal.
Relax and let people take care of you! Don’t be too quick to recover.
Keep an eye out for fever, increased vaginal bleeding, or feeling terrible.
Keep all post op appointments and follow all post op instructions!
ENDOMETRIOSIS MAINTENANCE Here’s the tips and tricks I found helpful for maintaining my pain and symptoms (GI and back pain related):
Pelvic Floor Therapy: This is important for keeping the muscles in your pelvis healthy and strong to maintain your structure and also help manage pain. Consult with your doctor on whether this is right for you.
Physical Therapy: I do PT for my back and pelvic floor since it’s all related. We focus on Myofascial Release Therapy to help break up the adhesions and give me more mobility. This helps with temporary pain relief (reduction in number), but that is always welcome :)
Acupuncture: I swear by Acupuncture. I don’t know what it does or why, but it works. It’s not a cure by any means, but it's great for relaxation, fertility, digestion, endometriosis, sleep, etc.. I can go on, but it’s not covered by insurance plans all the time so you will need to check and see what you’re able to take on.
Diet/Exercise:
Eating high protein, lower fat/carbs (not none just low) helps your body, but overall learn your trigger foods! This will go a long way.
Ginger, turmeric and fennel all help with bloating. I like to drink them in tea form when I’m feeling particularly hard stomached as it’s a good natural way to decrease the bloat. Peppermint also works for some, for me it irritates my GERD.
Chamomile for relaxation
Walking and movement are important. I cannot do anything high impact due to my sacroiliitis diagnosis, so I stick with light yoga and walking.
Alcohol/Other Substances: Don’t do it. Don’t touch it. You’ll thank me later on this point.
Sleep: Insomnia is a very real thing. I think I went 2 or 3 days at its worst one time and I cannot say enough how important trying to keep the same sleep schedule will benefit you. Waking and sleeping around the same time each day will still feel exhausting but at least you know your body is getting the most sleep it can get.
Medications/Supplements:
Ibprofuern: This does NOT work for me. I have GERD and ulcers so I cannot take NSAIDs, but with that in mind, NSAIDs are supposedly the best pain medication over the counter to help you manage it.
Pain Killers: These are AS NEEDED. I try to refrain and leave these for the TRULY bad days which I try to spread out. Not even worth it sometimes, because I don’t like how I feel and sometimes vomit after taking them. But they do help the pain!
IUD/Orilissa: An IUD will NOT do anything. If you are diagnosed, ask your doctor about Orilissa or similar medicines instead of birth control methods. This will not stop the growth, just suppress it. There are side effects and it is only a short term solution.
Linzess: This worked well for me for constipation symptoms when they got severe. Definitely recommend bringing this to your doctor if you’re truly suffering and they have not yet mentioned. I also resorted after trying magnesium citrate
Self-Care: No joke, massages, facials, epsom salt baths, sound baths, reiki….anything that you find relaxing. Do it. Try it! They also make CBD bath bombs Ive been wanting to check out.
Heated Blankets/Cozy Blankets: Make yourself feel better with a cozy blanket. Do it, I dare you!
Endo To-Go Bag: Includes heating pads (travel, plug-in and patches), medications, balms/salves, essential oils and pads/protection items, change of clothes, wet wipes.
Sex Life: I’m single, I don’t have a partner to worry about communicating this issue with at this point, but go slow and communicate given eventually this will have to be a conversation. What I have learned is that if you do have sex and feel pain. Immediately stop! If you associate sex with pain mentally in that moment, it may cause fear in doing so down the line so it’s best to stop the moment you feel any pain occur.
Work Life: I work a demanding job so it was not working with the appointments and care I needed to manage pain. Always get FMLA from your doctor for intermittent leave based on your company's policies. This protects you from flare-ups and appointments. Short Term Disability is based on your situation with work so talk with them about any leave of absence for surgery and recovery and ensure the medical providers fill out the paperwork appropriately.
Friends/Family: This one is the worst. I have to cancel and make plans all the time based on how I feel. I like to line up a bunch of plans for three months out and do my best to make them happen at the beginning of the month when I know I’m most likely to feel good. I just say I’ll make things up to them when I get better and those who have stuck around have been truly amazing friends, but don’t be upset that some might be over the day in and out of what you’re going through. It’s hard for you and sometimes others and it’s just a part of the relationships we’re meant to experience in life. Most people (unless they have endometriosis) don’t understand it so it can feel isolating, but there’s others out there who know what you’re going through and are willing to chat. Just gotta find them and reach out on social media, online etc..
Journaling Symptoms: Guilty of not being the best at this always, but it's good to track your symptoms to see how they work and operate. It helps not only you plan for it, but also your doctors in how best to handle your care. Take photos of things that make sense to show your doctors! Discharge, bowels etc..can sometimes help diagnose or judge with the images.
Next to Bed Kit: Make sure your nightstand is stocked with the essentials for your bad days. Makes it easier to access the items you need when you just can’t get up and get it.
Squatty Potty: Another thing that is majorly life changing on constipation days! Get one or you can make your own :) Take a stack of books and stack them at equal heights on each side and put your feet up. The trick is making sure you’re in a squat with your knees high to your ears.
Clothing: Dressing for this is key but you still want to look cute! Joggers with a stretchy waist are my go to pants, but wide leg trousers with a stretchy waist help with ease of removal but also comfort and brings some style to the look.
Pads: I wear Always Discreet vs. pads. I find when you need to wear them full time for incontinence it just makes it more comfortable. They have different cuts and styles so definitely check them out!
Several people have approached me that they might have endometriosis. Lifelong warrior so thought I would share my tips and tricks I put together for my friends and family to share with you :) Hope this helps someone! ENDOMETRIOSIS SURGERY FACTS
EXCISION SURGERY! I cannot stress this one enough. If you have an ablation, it will grow back and likely quick (but consult with your doctors on your case 100%). Excision is when they cut it out vs. it gets burned off. You will have a better success rate and slow rate of growth if they excise. Not all cases can be depending on location so again, please talk with your doctor about your situation. This is not the same for everyone.
If your doctor cannot do excision surgery. Skip and move on to the next! Trust me, well worth the time to research and find the right doctor. You will thank me later for this one too haha.
Finding a doctor is stuff. Also tough to find resources. If you cannot find an Endometriosis specialist in your area who does excision, you may need to look out of state, but one tip is exploring gynecological oncologists. Some will take benign cases, but not all so do your research. But it’s a good avenue for help in your area or you want insurance coverage.
Definitely look into Egg Freezing before doing any permanent surgeries. The ovaries are more intact when there is a uterus in place, so I recommend immediately following any excisions with Egg Freezing if you can and if it’s part of your plans. I found my AMH levels low (1.2) but still retrieved 25 eggs, so never be discouraged if this is your future planning path.
My Symptoms: I experience bloating, constipation, diarrhea, nausea and vomiting as the main culprits. I have irregular periods in regards to the number of days and if it comes or not (even with an IUD). Pelvic pain is probably the worst of all since it accompanies these symptoms and is present a majority of the time. Others may have different symptoms, and there’s many others I didn’t list but wanted to paint the picture of some I’ve experienced.
ENDOMETRIOSIS LAPAROSCOPIC SURGERY (WHAT TO EXPECT) PRE-SURGERY
List of questions to ask your doctor
Insurance Information and ID
Necessary forms or paperwork the doctor requires
Make sure any medical records are sent that would be relevant
POST-OP PREP
Eat smaller meals and simple foods days beforehand. If bowel prep is necessary, they also recommend taking a laxative in the days leading up to help prep.
Pack a bag! Not every surgery is an overnight stay but even if you have a day-of surgery, back an overnight bag. Here’s the essentials:
Phone/Headphones/iPad/Kindle/Books
Device Chargers
Medications that you currently take
Glasses (do not wear contacts day of)
An extra pair of underwear
Sanitary Pads or Always Discreet
Comfy pants with light elastic band around the waist
Layers - Sweatshirt, Long Sleeved Shirt etc. - Hospitals are cold!
Toothbrush and tooth paste
Hairbrush
Face wipes, wash cloth, small towel and bar of soap.
SPACE PREP
Make sure your bed or couch is prepped. I stayed on the first level for the first 2ish days before feeling well enough to stay upstairs.
I used a pregnancy pillow on the bed to help me stay on my back while sleeping and help you feel cozy.
Stock the house with foods that will be light for your stomach. Think soups and casseroles! Saltine crackers, broths, rices etc..
If you have a raised bed, get a step stool to assist. It’s best to sit on the side of the bed and slowly lay your upper body down while bringing your knees up and over to your back. You will need to use arm strength the first couple of days to get you up and over since you can’t use the abdomen.
Water and Beverages stocked at all times. I have a reusable water bottle and avoid carbonated beverages for the time being. They fill you with gas for the procedure so it may make those symptoms worse.
Netflix, Kindle, Puzzles, Craft Projects…visits with friends. Whatever makes the time pass, set it up ahead of time so it’s handy.
Items to Keep on Hand: Baby Wipes, heating pads, pads/diapers, candles, essential oils, things that smell good haha
BOWEL PREP This is dependent on the type of surgery you are having, but its good to have Gatorade, Magnesium Citrate (liquid), laxatives and enemas on hand just in case you need these. ON SURGERY DAY It’s important to follow the instructions on what to stop taking and/or eating/drinking prior to the surgery. Wear comfy clothes (wide elastic waistband) and slides with cozy socks. Double check your to go bag and breath. AT THE HOSPITAL
Do your check-ins and keep your people with you as long as you want.
Make sure to read all the consent forms and ask any questions upfront. Make any advance directives clear.
Just try to remain calm as there’s a lot of down time while they do intake. It is about 2 hours of prep before they bring you in for the surgery itself.
They will ask you the same questions over and over again, that’s normal and trust me, you want to confirm it’s all being done properly.
If you need something for anxiety, they will be sure to give you something if you ask :)
You will be wearing a gown, socks, funky underwear and a cool hair net haha wear the gown backward so you keep warm and keep the butt covered.
Vitals will happen and the anesthesiologist will come and speak with you to make sure they prep the right meds beforehand. Bring up any concerns here with them!
You may be wheeled or walked into surgery. I’ve only ever walked in and laid on the table myself.
They will then put the IV in your arm and sometimes will put on a mask, they will then ask you to count backwards and before you know it, you will be awake again!
RECOVERY
You will wake-up and feel groggy. Totally normal and you will be in a different room. They will likely say a lot really quick about your surgery. Before leaving ask for them to walk through it or see if you can speak with the doctor again when clear headed. RECOMMENDED!
Your throat will be sore, that’s normal from the tube.
Just relax and sleep it off if you want, the goal is to be relaxed and pee once before leaving.
Before you go, eat and drink and pass smoke urine. They’ll provide you with the meds and you’ll be good to go.
Make sure someone brings you home after :)
Make sure you have a bag for vomit in the car.
Bring a small pillow that can be strapped between the car belt and you for maximum comfort on the trip home.
Pain Med Management: This one is important. I messed up night one and didn’t take it soon enough and was in too much pain so make sure you stick to the schedule the doctors give you to ensure you are comfortable.
Keep Walking: It seems unnatural to have a surgery then walk, but the sooner you get up and keep moving around the house, the better. Just avoid heavy lifting and immense bending like movements. Stairs are also ok but also consult with your doctor!
Gas Build Up: I did feel pain in my shoulders from the gas. Just keep moving! It will help get that out of the system but this pain is normal.
Relax and let people take care of you! Don’t be too quick to recover.
Keep an eye out for fever, increased vaginal bleeding, or feeling terrible.
Keep all post op appointments and follow all post op instructions!
ENDOMETRIOSIS MAINTENANCE Here’s the tips and tricks I found helpful for maintaining my pain and symptoms (GI and back pain related):
Pelvic Floor Therapy: This is important for keeping the muscles in your pelvis healthy and strong to maintain your structure and also help manage pain. Consult with your doctor on whether this is right for you.
Physical Therapy: I do PT for my back and pelvic floor since it’s all related. We focus on Myofascial Release Therapy to help break up the adhesions and give me more mobility. This helps with temporary pain relief (reduction in number), but that is always welcome :)
Acupuncture: I swear by Acupuncture. I don’t know what it does or why, but it works. It’s not a cure by any means, but it's great for relaxation, fertility, digestion, endometriosis, sleep, etc.. I can go on, but it’s not covered by insurance plans all the time so you will need to check and see what you’re able to take on.
Diet/Exercise:
Eating high protein, lower fat/carbs (not none just low) helps your body, but overall learn your trigger foods! This will go a long way.
Ginger, turmeric and fennel all help with bloating. I like to drink them in tea form when I’m feeling particularly hard stomached as it’s a good natural way to decrease the bloat. Peppermint also works for some, for me it irritates my GERD.
Chamomile for relaxation
Walking and movement are important. I cannot do anything high impact due to my sacroiliitis diagnosis, so I stick with light yoga and walking.
Alcohol/Other Substances: Don’t do it. Don’t touch it. You’ll thank me later on this point.
Sleep: Insomnia is a very real thing. I think I went 2 or 3 days at its worst one time and I cannot say enough how important trying to keep the same sleep schedule will benefit you. Waking and sleeping around the same time each day will still feel exhausting but at least you know your body is getting the most sleep it can get.
Medications/Supplements:
Ibprofuern: This does NOT work for me. I have GERD and ulcers so I cannot take NSAIDs, but with that in mind, NSAIDs are supposedly the best pain medication over the counter to help you manage it.
Pain Killers: These are AS NEEDED. I try to refrain and leave these for the TRULY bad days which I try to spread out. Not even worth it sometimes, because I don’t like how I feel and sometimes vomit after taking them. But they do help the pain!
IUD/Orilissa: An IUD will NOT do anything. If you are diagnosed, ask your doctor about Orilissa or similar medicines instead of birth control methods. This will not stop the growth, just suppress it. There are side effects and it is only a short term solution.
Linzess: This worked well for me for constipation symptoms when they got severe. Definitely recommend bringing this to your doctor if you’re truly suffering and they have not yet mentioned. I also resorted after trying magnesium citrate
Self-Care: No joke, massages, facials, epsom salt baths, sound baths, reiki….anything that you find relaxing. Do it. Try it! They also make CBD bath bombs Ive been wanting to check out.
Heated Blankets/Cozy Blankets: Make yourself feel better with a cozy blanket. Do it, I dare you!
Endo To-Go Bag: Includes heating pads (travel, plug-in and patches), medications, balms/salves, essential oils and pads/protection items, change of clothes, wet wipes.
Sex Life: I’m single, I don’t have a partner to worry about communicating this issue with at this point, but go slow and communicate given eventually this will have to be a conversation. What I have learned is that if you do have sex and feel pain. Immediately stop! If you associate sex with pain mentally in that moment, it may cause fear in doing so down the line so it’s best to stop the moment you feel any pain occur.
Work Life: I work a demanding job so it was not working with the appointments and care I needed to manage pain. Always get FMLA from your doctor for intermittent leave based on your company's policies. This protects you from flare-ups and appointments. Short Term Disability is based on your situation with work so talk with them about any leave of absence for surgery and recovery and ensure the medical providers fill out the paperwork appropriately.
Friends/Family: This one is the worst. I have to cancel and make plans all the time based on how I feel. I like to line up a bunch of plans for three months out and do my best to make them happen at the beginning of the month when I know I’m most likely to feel good. I just say I’ll make things up to them when I get better and those who have stuck around have been truly amazing friends, but don’t be upset that some might be over the day in and out of what you’re going through. It’s hard for you and sometimes others and it’s just a part of the relationships we’re meant to experience in life. Most people (unless they have endometriosis) don’t understand it so it can feel isolating, but there’s others out there who know what you’re going through and are willing to chat. Just gotta find them and reach out on social media, online etc..
Journaling Symptoms: Guilty of not being the best at this always, but it's good to track your symptoms to see how they work and operate. It helps not only you plan for it, but also your doctors in how best to handle your care. Take photos of things that make sense to show your doctors! Discharge, bowels etc..can sometimes help diagnose or judge with the images.
Next to Bed Kit: Make sure your nightstand is stocked with the essentials for your bad days. Makes it easier to access the items you need when you just can’t get up and get it.
Squatty Potty: Another thing that is majorly life changing on constipation days! Get one or you can make your own :) Take a stack of books and stack them at equal heights on each side and put your feet up. The trick is making sure you’re in a squat with your knees high to your ears.
Clothing: Dressing for this is key but you still want to look cute! Joggers with a stretchy waist are my go to pants, but wide leg trousers with a stretchy waist help with ease of removal but also comfort and brings some style to the look.
Pads: I wear Always Discreet vs. pads. I find when you need to wear them full time for incontinence it just makes it more comfortable. They have different cuts and styles so definitely check them out!
