Recently I have been seeing a lot of posts about getting stuck at X weight, or “I cheated and now I am out of Ketosis.” So I wanted to share my journey with you and what has helped me go from where I was, 343 lbs at my heaviest, down to 280lbs as of this week the last time I weighed myself. Today I am lighter than I have been in over 15 years! I still have a long way to go, and my end goal is 200 lbs, because I want to be thin and attractive and I want people to respect me and not judge me because I am fat, just like you probably reading this right now. Well, I am here to try and help!
My journey started with an initial health scare from when I visited the doctor back in 2019, as you are all probably aware of, pre-diabetic, stage 3 fatty liver, ect… I had known about Keto diets in the past, when I was younger, the low carb diet at the time was Atkins, and I had used this diet before to keep my weight in check as I have always struggled with my weight, but that was back in my early 20s. My solution to fixing my health problems (and weight problem) was to go back on a ketogenic diet.
In 2019, I went through the struggle of getting my body in ketosis, dealt with keto flu, low energy, and was able to overcome those challenges and get on a good track of staying low carb. I managed to do this for about a year before I started to slip. It started with small slip ups here and there “a few Doritos wont hurt, its just a hand full.” “A small piece of cookie wont hurt.” Before I knew it (mid 2022), I was kicked out of Ketosis and craving high carb foods again and back into old eating habits. I went from 343 down to 283 then back up to 312 lbs, Darn! I was losing the battle...
Then in 2023, I started having health issues again, which I won’t go into details, and I wanted to get my health in check for good. What was needed, in my opinion, was a fundamental shift in the way I (we) view food. We need to look at food as an essential building block and an energy source for our body and get out of the mindset of looking at food for comfort and enjoyment. This is not an easy thing to do and is probably the hardest thing I have ever done next to getting an Engineering Degree, but if you can master this one thing, you will be hugely successful in your journey to losing the weight and being healthy.
Step 1: Small steps and Logging
My first piece of advice is start small. Yes, you are impatient and yes you want to be thin RIGHT NOW! I get it, but this won’t happen overnight. This is a long process that takes a long time. You are fighting an uphill battle. You are probably surrounded by people eating all kinds of high carb foods, you probably got that skinny friend/relative that can eat anything and stay thin (NOT FAIR! I totally get it..). The first thing I recommend is track absolutely everything you eat. Lose it is only $3 bucks/month (best money I ever spent). Do not try and diet yet, just track what you are eating. Eat a cookie? Log it! Eat an entire party bag potato chips? Hey don’t sweat it! But LOG IT! Get into the habit of logging absolutely everything you put into your body no matter what it is, and don’t judge yourself for your bad eating habits, don’t worry you and me, we are going to fix this together!
After about a week (maybe 2 weeks), make a small change… I was eating about 250 net grams of carbs per day, so I set a reasonable goal for the next week… Lets see if I can get that down to 150 net/day for a week. One week goes by, easily beat it! All it took was cutting some bread out of my diet as well as rice and potatoes. Next step, 100 net/day. Weeks goes by I was at 120 net/day. Darn! I tried my best, but next week, I’m going to do it! Next week goes by I was at 99 net/day. Yes! I did it I hit my goal. Let’s see if I can do it again and again. 2 more weeks go by, and I was down to 80 net/day without hardly trying. Then I lowered my goal to 50/day and that is when it started to get hard. Now I had to cut that slice of toast out of my diet with my morning eggs. I had to cut that bowl of rice out with my meat. I had to really start making some hard changes, and I wasn’t always successful during the first month. I went over and hit 60/day, but I kept at it, kept logging. Today I average 21 Net/day carbs (not too bad right). The best part about the second time I got myself into Ketosis, there was ZERO side effects. No keto flu. I did have electrolyte imbalances for a while but was easily fixed with upping potassium and adding more salt to my food.
The key here is set reasonable goals for yourself that you know you can beat, you wont always be successful, but keep at it. Breaking bad habits is hard, but if you keep logging, and you keep at your goals, eventually you will break it!
Step 2: Eat only nutrient dense foods
This goes back to looking at food as building blocks and energy for your body, make sure every food you eat is to fulfil a specific nutrient requirement. You need more potassium, eat more kale/spinach, need to get your vitamin D up, eat some smoked salmon. Over time, your taste buds will change, and you will start really enjoying the foods you are eating. I absolutely LOVE kale now!
Also, this includes keto-friendly foods like bacon. I do not eat bacon. There is almost no nutritional value in eating it, so why eat it? Eat some steak instead.
If I eat a food with Carbs, it will be a very nutrient dense food and because my body needs those nutrients. What kind of foods am I talking about? Here are some examples:
73% + or more cocoa chocolate
Berries (strawberries for example)
Lemons/limes
Nuts and seeds of all kinds.
All kinds of vegetables like broccoli, spinach, kale, Peppers, Onions
The Key to staying in ketosis when you are consuming foods with carbs is moderation. Yes that 70% chocolate has sugar in it, but I eat one square MAX per day. That one piece of chocolate has 4.7 grams of net carbs and 2 grams of fiber. There is plenty of room in my daily carb limit to allow for it. As long as my weekly average total carb intake stays under 25 grams/day, I am good (my personal set goal).
Step 3: NO CHEAT DAYS!!!
Once you are in the groove, and you got your carb intake to your set goals, be EXTREMELY strict with food intake. Allow for ZERO cheat days and have a ZERO tolerance policy on any "empty carb" food. What do I mean by empty carb? any food that is high in carbs and has no nutritional value, like cookies, chips, ice-cream ect... Cheating will get you kicked out of ketosis and is the path back to bad eating habits and putting the weight back on and that is exactly what happened to me! Just don’t do it. We are not eating for comfort anymore; we are eating because our bodies need this specific nutrient. This is the goal.
Step 4: Fasting
You don’t need to do this right away, make sure you get yourself into the habit of logging, and eating foods that are nutrient dense and make sure your body is in ketosis first. Like with before, don’t try and jump headfirst into fasting, take small steps and build on it every week. Start with a shorter duration fast once per week, for 12 hours, then increase slowly until you hit 18 hours. The end goal here is twice per week for a minimum of 18 hours. If you get hungry and you cant do it, don’t beat yourself up over it, its hard! Your body will fight you and want you to eat. Try again the next week with your set goals. Just make sure you are eating those nutrient dense foods we talked about above. As your body becomes more and more fat adapted, this will get easier and easier.
I am currently fasting for 24 hours on Mondays and Tuesdays. Monday morning I eat 2 fried eggs and drink my coffee with half and half then fast until Tuesday morning. Then on Tuesday morning, I will eat 2 fried eggs and that same coffee without eating until Wednesday morning. It is currently Tuesday and I have not eaten since this morning. I won’t eat until tomorrow morning.
To prep your body for long fasts that will allow your body to eat itself with ease is making sure you are LOADED with TONS of nutrients, (remember step 2?). Saturday and Sunday are prep days for that fast. I eat dark leafy greens, like Kale, and Spinach, cheesy broccoli I make myself, peppers, ect... I eat lots of nuts and seeds, Walnuts, pecans, brazil nuts, peanut butter, steak, Smoked raw salmon. I will eat a little bit more than my metabolic rate, about 200 calories more (2500 cal). I also generously salt everything so that I am around 4000 MG for the day. This will load your body with potassium, magnesium, and sodium. Then I go into my fast on Monday. Perfect for me since I need to be at work on Monday and Tuesday.
If you do this, when you go into your fast, you will have plenty of nutrients/electrolytes for your body to just eat your own fat off your body. You probably wont even feel hungry for many hours on end, but if you do get hungry, drink lemon in water, or apple cider vinegar to suppress your hunger.
Now, the key to coming out of your fast is to NOT over-eat. Eat VERY SLOWLY (I cannot emphasize this enough). Take bites, chew, put your fork down, wait 10-30 seconds after you swallow, then take another bite. Eat high fat foods like cheese, eggs, peanut butter. This will help you feel satiated. Try and keep your first meal out of a fast at around 1000 calories.
Step 5: Exercise
Try and add exercise into your weekly routine and this will help you lose the weight even faster, but is not necessary to lose the weight. Exercise is really good for you anyway. For me personally, I picked up swimming (I swim 2 miles 3x per week now), and I feel great afterwards, all those endorphins! So why not?
Step 6: For life!
What do I mean for life? What I mean is that you need to view keto as a for life plan. The key to staying healthy is eating healthy. So why ever go back to your old way of eating? On this diet, I feel great, my libido is way up and I have tons of energy to do things! I want to go outside and work on my car! I want to go to the gym. When you are eating healthy, you will feel amazing, you will have moments of euphoria, you will be happy, you will have an amazing sex life! That guy/girl you like at the gym will notice you. You will no longer be ignored! You will also be smarter, your mental clarity will be better than ever, you will be able to focus on your goals!
Final piece of advice: You will fail… yes you will fail at your goals over and over again, I still fail my goals once in a while. Last week I had a day where I went up to 30 net/day carbs and ate 2600 calories (DARN!), but I didn’t give up! I wont give up! Sometimes you will slip, but as long as you set reasonable goals for yourself and tighten those goals solely over time, and you keep at it, you will be successful in the long run, and you will get the weight off! Don’t focus on the scale, but focus on getting into healthy eating habits, focus on exercising and I promise you, the weight will come off!

Hi everyone so I'm 25 now and started having TMJD pain when i was around 20-21. It was mostly ignorable at the time, but in 2022-23 it got a lot worse. Eating anything chewy like steak or anything hard like toast or apples causes a snapping sound (not painful though). I also sing, so if I open my mouth too wide, it gets triggered. I have managed to minimize my grinding/clenching just by being mindful of it. Self massages, and topical pain relief gels/creams have helped. Also heated/cold pads helps too.
Anyways, I got a nightguard from my dentist and it helped with grinding. I also got botox three times throughout 2023. When it wore off, I decided I wanted something more permanent rather than paying $400 every couple months.
The weird thing is this past week or so, I've felt fine. It hasn't bothered me, so I'm realizing it comes and goes in phases.
The dentist took xrays and said the small misalignments in my teeth are most likely whats causing my pain. She said this is common with people who had traditional braces. She explained everything thoroughly and said many of her patients with TMJD have found success with invisalign. It sounded good, but the price was making me think... Should I try managing the pain myself with massages, topicals, pads, etc.? Or should I go ahead and spend thousands on the invisalign? Its a pretty big decision because of the cost, so I have a lot of thinking to do. But, when the TMJ pain is really bad, it's aching 24/7 and is genuinely hell, which is making me lean towards doing it.
Also should mention I'm on my parents insurance plan which will run out at the end of the year, so I feel pressured to start the treatment ASAP

My idea for the GxK sequel plot would begin with Godzilla waking up from his sleep in the Colosseum and returning to Tiamat's former layer to complete his evolution. Fast forward a few months later, and Godzilla emerges from the lair, completing his evolution and starting to look a little bit more like Tiamat.
Fast forward a few years, and Monarch detects two previously unknown Titans emerge from the Hollow Earth, Titanus Qalupalik, an ugly serpent-like fish or amphibian emerging from the Arctic Circle, and Titanus Dakuwaqa, a shark Titan emerging from a portal in the sea near Kadavu Island. Monarch figures they are here to take over the niches left by Scylla and Tiamat. Godzilla encounters Qalupalik first, who is combative, and they get into a quick one-sided fight which forces Qalupalik to submit. Godzilla gives her a pass and accepts her to take Tiamat's place. Then Godzilla meets up with Dakuwaqa, who begins a ritualistic dance of sorts to gain Godzilla's approval. After Godzilla inspects him and his demeanor, he accepts Dakuwaqa to take his new territory. Then, Godzilla moves to Madagascar to rest.
On the human side of the story, public outrage over the incompetence of both Monarch and world governments to prepare for these Titan attacks is at an all-time high. Governments are now arguing over how to deal with them. Some leaders want to eliminate Godzilla because they believe Godzilla is going to attack them anyway regardless of whether they provoke him or not and that he is too powerful to let alive. Others want to focus more on a Hollow Earth takeover and declare war on the Kongs because they fear that they can plan another attack on the surface world. Monarch tries to assure them that such an event would not happen again because of their change in leadership, but many are still unconvinced. The American government, along with other NATO countries, begin investing in developing a new type of military weapon to deal with Godzilla, the Super X. They also are trying to seal up the holes left in Hong Kong, Cairo, and Rio de Janeiro to ensure nothing from the Hollow Earth can use those portals to invade the surface world again. Monarch gets into heated conflicts over world governments over the portals, as they want to keep a few open for research purposes among other things. The governments relent and allow the portal in Barbados to remain open but require them to invest in extra security in case of an emergency.
Returning to Godzilla, he is suffering from irritating skin parasites (these parasites would be Shockirus, Endoswarmers, or an original kaiju). To deal with them, he begins trying to scrape them off by rubbing himself against the seafloor near the coast of Madagascar. He also tries reaching for some with his jaws and claws. The people on the beach are witnessing this as it is happening, and once Godzilla gets rid of most of the parasites, the beachgoers realize that some of them haven't been killed yet, and as they are aggressive and still larger than humans, they emerge from the shore to attack humans. But this terror is short lived as Godzilla quickly comes in to finish them off. Godzilla then returns back to the water but stays close enough to the island where people can clearly see him. He floats in the water, similarly to a crocodile, with his head and eyes above the water. He is staring at the people and the coasts intensely, which makes the beachgoers feel uncomfortable. Then, it transitions to some flashbacks where we see Madagascar 5 million years ago. These flashbacks would likely be of Godzilla's memories of his youth, from his birth to the other megafauna that used to exist on the island back in the day. Then, it would transition to another flashback where Godzilla encounters some indigenous people on Madagascar as a more mature individual. He curiously stares at the people and the chieftain looks back with great reverence. The people bow and begin to worship him, and Godzilla continues to look at them tenderly. Returning back to the present day, Godzilla lets out a deep low bellow, which gives off the impression of sadness. In reality, Godzilla is upset that he has become more disconnected to the world he protects and now feels like his life has become nothing but fighting to protect it without being able to take pleasure in its wonders.
Switching the attention to Kong, a fight sequence occurs between Kong and another Great Ape wielding a heavy machete. They are fighting in the battle arena as some apes watch the fight while others are busy doing other things. Kong prevails and the Great Ape falls to the ground. After the fight, Kong helps the Great Ape back up. It turns out the fight was nothing more than training; one of the things Kong has begun to do since his rise to power is to teach his people self-defense. As the audience gets a better look of what life is now like in their layer, it is revealed that Kong has recruited a group of Great Apes to assist him in pushing forward his policies. For example, there is a group of Great Apes that are tasked with keeping track of their inventory and rationing their food and water for the tribe. Another group was tasked to build a safe bridge replacing the giant skeleton, which was at this point completed. Others are taking care of the children and so on. Then there are apes that are farming fields of crops, which Mothra periodically visits to pollinate. Shimo, meanwhile, is just chilling with the apes and is not confined to her pit anymore. Kong has no generals or anyone with military roles as he has no interest in conquest and does not see the need for an army at the moment. Kong also does not allow anyone to gather food or water on their own except for him, because he does not want to put anyone else in danger. He meets up with Suko after his duel and is approached by Boots, who is also now a trusted advisor to him, and is alerting him of an approaching Titan. It turns out to be a squadron of Monarch HEAVs and Jet Jaguar, piloted by Trapper. After the fight in Rio, Monarch sent expedition crews to visit the Kong lair, and were horrified by the living conditions that Skar King created. So, they planned an initiative to deliver humanitarian aid to the apes, providing them with food or water, and also trying to make diplomatic measures with them and the Iwi tribe. They have developed a new type of bioengineered crop made from various Hollow Earth flora and Titan cells to feed the apes (which can be a set-up for Biollante in a future installment) and a new type of HEAV that can carry a heavier load to transport these resources. They also created a humanoid mech named Jet Jaguar, piloted by Trapper, which serves as both a diplomat and a vet, fully equipped with veterinary tools that allow it to treat pathologies for Titans, including the Great Apes. In addition, Monarch has rebuilt the Titan Hunter with some improvements as NATO voted to force them to reconstruct it as a self-defense weapon in case of another Titan attack. Since that has not happened yet since the Rio attack, the Titan Hunter has not yet been used. Jet Jaguar and the HEAVs are arriving at the lair with another shipment of resources, including more tools for the apes to plant their own crops. While the Great Apes begin to collect the shipments from the HEAVs, Kong greets Jet Jaguar, who is here to treat a Great Ape with severe physical ailments. This ape has torn tendons and ligaments from slave labor and requires casts for all of his limbs. The challenge with treating the apes is that they are still cautious of foreigners, so Monarch has had to learn patience when working with them. They also have only one mech to perform surgeries with, so they can only treat one ape at a time. Kong and Jet Jaguar meet up with the patient, an as they perform surgery, Kong has to be with the ape to soothe and comfort him as Jet Jaguar begins surgery. After a successful surgery is completed and the Monarch team departs, Kong sits back and looks at his tribe. He begins to have feelings of self-doubt, that he is not up for the task, despite trying his best. He also still feels Skar King's presence, as the pain and damage he has caused still greatly lingers even after death. Kong begins to suffer from insomnia and nightmares from Skar King, showing his presence is still strong and relentless even after death.
Then, the Monarch team visits the Iwi city and delivers the rest of their resources which were designated for them. Here, in this scene, while the audience gets a better glimpse of what life for the Iwi is like, they also get to see Phosphera, another guardian Titan (The best explanation I can come up for why Phosphera did not show up to fight Skar King in the previous movie here would be that she was in a metamorphosing stage during the events of GxK and was too immature to safely break out of her cocoon until after the events of the movie.)
Back on the surface world, in a lab somewhere in the U.S, scientists are experimenting with a genetically modified colony of Shinomura, which would be the main antagonist(s) of the first half. These scientists work closely with the federal government. They believe that it would be more effective to genetically engineer a kaiju superbug that can quickly evolve, spread and annihilate the Hollow Earth ecosystem at much lower costs than constructing mechs which take much longer to do and a lot more money. The cells are dormant and can only be activated by exposure to radiation, which is why Godzilla does not detect them or see them as a threat. The cells are transported by a ship to North Carolina where another portal to the Hollow Earth has been opened. The military plans to release them into the Hollow Earth and then quickly seal it, but it is backfired by a group of mercenaries who attack the ship and want to take the cells for themselves. Unfortunately, the cells are released, and they are not far from a nuclear power plant which also happens to be using the pink super charged radiation gathered from the Hollow Earth, so the cells multiply and grow, turning into a swarm. The cells combine into arthropod like monsters that are too small to be Titans but large enough to attack humans. They begin attacking nuclear plants and surrounding cities while others retreat into the Hollow Earth, which catches Godzilla's attention. Mothra gains wind of it too and emerges onto the surface world to aid Godzilla. By the time Godzilla gets to North Carolina, the swarm has absorbed enough energy to combine into a singular, massive, supercharged form that rivals Godzilla in size. They begin to fight, while the military decides to resort to Plan B and send the Super X against Godzilla. The first battle is fairly even until the Super X begins to attack both Shinomura and Godzilla, blasting chunks of Shinomura away. It becomes a three-way battle until Shinomura escapes and retreats into the ocean while Godzilla is distracted fighting the Super X. Mothra eventually arrives and Godzilla and Mothra destroy the Super X. Then Godzilla pursues the main Shinomura heading for Japan while a few other smaller colonies move to other locations.
Back in the Hollow Earth, the Shinomuras that escaped there quickly grow and begin running amok on the planet. Kong is travelling with Shimo and Suko. They are gathering more food and water to bring back to the tribe, but their trip is quickly interrupted by a squadron of Shinomuras that have combined into their arthropod like forms but now rival Kong in size. Kong leaves Suko with Shimo and takes them on himself. He has no problem ripping the Shinomuras apart with his axe and bare hands. He overpowers them individually, but as the Shinomuras recombine and reshape themselves, they begin to overwhelm him. He notices Shimo and Suko are prompted to do something about it, even though he doesn't want them to, but eventually relents and retreats into a nearby body of water to shake them off of him. Kong quickly jumps out of the water and Shimo freezes and traps the Shinomuras in the water. The trio realize that even more Shinomuras are on the way and transforming into something deadlier. The three immediately turn back and run straight for the lair. As they are running, Kong gets flashbacks of being pursued by Skar King's goons; the Shinomuras remind him of the destruction and chaos that was left behind in Skar King's advance. Kong calls out to the apes farming as he makes it back to the lair and motions them to get inside immediately. He closes up the entrance and warns everyone of the emergency. He has everyone gather all of the resources they have and take refuge in Shimo's former lair, which they now use as an emergency bunker. Boots signs Kong what are they going to do next, and Kong admits he doesn't know, but he intends to be the one to check when it is safe to leave again. Meanwhile, the Iwi are in a similar predicament and Phosphera swoops in to defend the barrier against the invading Shinomuras.
In response to all of this, Monarch sends militaristic HEAVs to neutralize the Shinomuras and has Trapper (or some other character) tasked to pilot Titan Hunter to pursue the main Shinomura on the surface and kill it. Kashiwazaki is evacuated before Shinomura arrives on the scene. Shinomura begins to attack the Kashiwazaki nuclear plant when Godzilla and Mothra arrive to fight it once again. As this is happening, the other colonies arrive to other regions of the world, gaining more strength and attacking other major cities. Godzilla notices this and is conflicted on how to deal with the threats as he is fighting, but Jet Jaguar arrives in Kashiwazaki to fight Shinomura. Godzilla charges up to attack Titan Hunter, thinking he is a threat to him just like the Super X, but Trapper notices this and bows to Godzilla before he can attack. Godzilla accepts this surrender, but quickly shifts his attention back to the Shinomura. Eventually, Titan Hunter, Godzilla, and Mothra defeat the Shinomura, but soon after, several Shinomura supercolonies that supercharged themselves on Hollow Earth energy have reemerged on the surface world to the point where there is at least one attacking each continent of the world. The largest and most powerful colony is in the Yucca Mountain Nuclear West Repository in Nevada. Godzilla is forced to send his alpha call and awaken all of the surface Titans to attack the Shinomuras, so battles begin breaking out across the world. But Godzilla realizes it is not enough and ventures into the Hollow Earth to get more help. Mothra and the Titan Hunter stay behind to hold the line while Godzilla is away and Mothra moves on to Nevada to tackle the Shinomura there, and the Titan Hunter follows her.
Most of the Titans appear to be holding their ground for the most part, but not outright winning either. However, they start to have more problems as some Titans take advantage of the chaos to pursue ulterior motives. Amhuluk wants to fight to claim his desired territory in the Amazon again and travels to the Amazon to fight Behemoth over it and causing a three-way fight between them and the Shinomura colony attacking the region. Meanwhile, in the Hollow Earth, Camazotz reemerges and sends his minions out to devour everything in their path, including the smaller Shinomuras. So Amhuluk and Camazotz become the main antagonists during the second half. Some of the hell swarm attacks the ape lair, and Kong leaves to confront them before they break through. He is able to kill a large number of them, but there are too many for him to handle, forcing him to retreat back into the lair. Several escape into the lair, which Kong is able to kill. When he reunites with his people, he gets more flashbacks of his memories of both Camazotz and Skar King. The attack of the hell swarm reminds him of the invasion Skar King launched against the Hollow Earth and surface world a few years back.
Godzilla travels through oceanic Hollow Earth portals and passes through various ruins of extinct Hollow Earth civilizations along the way. He detects Amhuluk's movements and realizes what he is doing. Godzilla gets really mad, but reluctantly continues on his current path as going back to confront Amhuluk would take up too much time and energy. He makes it into the Hollow Earth and heads over to the ape lair and finishes off the rest of the hell swarm that was still attacking the lair. Afterwards, he charges up his breath and blasts the entrance open again, startling all of the apes. Kong grabs his axe and gets in a defensive position, but after hearing a roar realizes it is Godzilla. He calmly walks into the ape lair, but the other great apes become angry and leave the bunker to mob, surround and harass Godzilla. Godzilla does his best not to escalate tensions, but snaps his jaws, hisses, and sometimes pushes the apes away. Kong roars at the apes and directs them to move away from him. The apes follow his orders and Kong approaches Godzilla. He realizes that he has called on him for help against the Shinomuras. Kong decides to go with Godzilla but does not want to bring Shimo or any of the apes with him. The apes beg for him not to go, and even Shimo seems to cry out for Kong to stay, but he rejects allowing any of his people to put themselves in danger, and he puts Boots in charge while he is away. He says one final goodbye to Suko and leaves with Godzilla.
They have to fight off many smaller Shinomuras while travelling to the surface world while heading for Nevada. Meanwhile, Mothra and the Titan Hunter are already there fighting with the super Shinomura colony. The fight is rather even, but Trapper feels like the fight is going to quicky turn against their favor if they do not get backup soon. Some drones and fighter jets arrive to strike the Shinomura. Eventually, Godzilla and Kong arrive to fight the Shinomura, but Kong notices the Titan Hunter, and has a vision of Skar King, seeing both the Titan Hunter and Skar King as the embodiment of cruelty, destruction, and conquest. Kong attacks the Titan Hunter out of anger, forcing Godzilla to be the one to shove Kong away and break it up. Kong takes a closer look at the Titan Hunter and realizes that it is not the same pilot as the one that hunted Hollow Earth fauna. The Titan Hunter bows to Kong to show he is on the same side and they resume fighting the Shinomura. So, a large portion of the movie would be showing scenes of the Titans fighting the Shinomuras at random intervals, giving a glimpse of what is going on in all of the areas where fights are happening.
Shifting back to Godzilla and Kong's fight, things begin to look grim as more Shinomuras arrive from the Hollow Earth and combine with the supercolony, and Godzilla, Kong, Mothra, and the Titan Hunter begin to struggle against it. Godzilla is still capable of holding some of his ground, while Kong and Mothra are forced to step back as close-range combat is no longer viable. The Titan Hunter gets beaten up really bad and seems to be done for until an ice blast hits the Shinomura. It is Boots, who is riding Shimo, and has gathered the strongest and physically capable apes to help their leader (A fairly large number of fit apes were left behind to care for the elderly and the children). Kong does not know whether to feel happy that his people have his back or mad that they disobeyed his orders but regroups with them regardless and regain their edge against the Shinomura. Then we see more scenes of the other fights going on around the world before Kong's army, Shimo, Godzilla, Mothra, and the Titan Hunter defeat the super Shinomura. While the organic Titans return to the Hollow Earth to finish off the Shinomuras still running around in there, the Titan Hunter lags behind from all of the damage it has sustained, but the pilot persists with helping the Titans.
Back in the Hollow Earth, Godzilla, Mothra, Kong's army, and Shimo run through the Hollow Earth, assisting the local fauna in fighting off the Shinomuras. The Titan Hunter tries its best to follow them and fight off the Shinomuras, but they eventually overwhelm them, forcing the pilot to eject himself. Luckily, a HEAV is nearby and is able to rescue him. Then, a good chunk of the plot would then focus on shifting back between the Hollow Earth fight and the rest of the fights happening on the surface. Kong directs a portion of his army to join Phosphera in defending the Iwi city, which is now under attack by both Shinomuras and Camazotz's minions. Phosphera is close to dying (and eventually does), but the apes are able to kill most of the enemies while the rest retreat. Godzilla and Kong split up, with Kong pursuing Camazotz and Godzilla returning to the surface to confront Amhuluk. Kong leaves Boots in charge of his army and takes a few other trusted friends of his to confront Camazotz, but Shimo follows them, wanting to accompany them. Kong gets more flashbacks of Skar King when he used Shimo to try to execute him, and Kong was unwilling to let Shimo go with them since he did not want to use her for fighting his enemies. Shimo persists and eventually Kong reluctantly lets her join them.
Back on the surface world, Behemoth is not faring well against Amhuluk. The Shinomura colonies in the eastern hemisphere begin to lose the fight and as some of them are killed, the victor Titans travel to regions of the world where they still persist. In South America, however, the Shinomura colonies are still giving the defending Titans a hard time. Behemoth and Amhuluk killed the Shinomura colony, but to Behemoth's dismay, Amhuluk absorbs the remains of the Shinomura colony. It is close to killing Behemoth until Rodan shows up to fight Amhuluk. Rodan quickly gets the upper hand over Amhuluk with his airborne abilities and greater agility. But Amhuluk is not affected that much by Rodan's fiery attacks, as he reinforced his body with fire resistant plants like redwoods. The tables turn on Rodan until Godzilla emerges to fight Amhuluk. So Rodan and Godzilla tag team Amhuluk while Behemoth tries to get the strength to get back up.
Meanwhile, back in the Hollow Earth, Kong, his few trustees, and Shimo are looking for Camazotz and travel through a dark, stormy stretch of rough, mountainous terrain. They find Camazotz in a plateau surrounded by a supercell. They see that Camazotz's minions are feeding him, and he is gaining strength from the radiation that his minions got from hunting Shinomuras. So, Kong, his trustees, and Shimo fight the hell swarm and Camazotz. At this point, the Shinomuras are losing out on the fight with a few large colonies remaining, and Amhuluk and Camazotz become the main threats now. The plot then moves on to showcase some of the final remaining fights between defending Titans and the last Shinomura colonies and see the fights end with the Shinomuras killed. So, the main focus turns to Godzilla's fight, Kong's fight, the fight at the Iwi city barrier, and Boots' crusade to kill the last Shinomuras, which is coming to an end. The fight between Kong and his allies and Camazotz eventually breaks through onto the surface in Canada. Camazotz creates a supercell storm and begins getting an upper hand against Kong and his allies with his new power up. Back in Brazil, Godzilla eventually kills Amhuluk and Rodan and Godzilla both head to Canada. Behemoth gets the strength to get back up.
Back in Canada, Kong and the apes come up with a new strategy to cover their ears with dirt as protection against Camazotz's sonic screams. Kong then tries to do the same with Shimo, but when he does, Shimo does not like the sensation and pushes Kong away. He does not bother trying again and tries to kill all of the minions which are biting him and the apes and causing too much blood loss. Shimo does not fare well against Camazotz despite her size as his cyclone and sonic scream overwhelm her ice breath. Eventually, Mothra emerges to fight him after dealing with the last of the Shinomuras and blasts him with her god rays. Highly stunned and weakened, Kong grabs ahold of Camazotz and notices Rodan approaching to help. He throws him at Rodan's direction, who grabs him with his talons and starts burning him. He holds him in place for Mothra to shoot Camazotz with her webbing. Then Rodan drops Camazotz and Kong finishes him off.
Godzilla arrives onto the scene not long after and shoots his atomic breath to eliminate Camazotz's storm. With all of the hostile Titans dead, Godzilla almost sends the Titans back to sleep, but Mothra approaches him and begins to communicate. The plot then ends with Godzilla returning to Madagascar to take a rest at the coast and watch life as it happens on the island. Kong returns to his people in victory, and they are finally able to leave their lair safely. And Mothra takes over Godzilla's role of balancer, allowing Godzilla to take his well-deserved vacation. This idea of a plotline would mean the movie would be 2 hr 30 min or even 3 hrs so we get the most fighting sequences out of it. I know I glossed over a lot of the human aspects and that I left a lot of the specifics of how a lot of the fights between most of the unseen KOTM Titans would look like, so let me know what your thoughts on this are.

Posting here because I need help/advice. I 28f have been with my bf 27m for 5 years now. My bf has difficulty holding down jobs. He was always looking for something better which was fine. However last year he quit his job and took on drinking and taking edibles daily. It’s embarrassing to admit but I stayed thru it all. He used insta cart and doordash to make his monthly bills but it’s not enough. I’ll pitch I here and there to help with his car payment. I’ll break down in bullet points bc i don’t know how else to tell my story.
Holidays: For Christmas I bought his family gifts and had him say it was from both of us. I knew they were getting us gifts and I didn’t want to get something without giving them something?? None of my family knows how bad it is. I’m really close to them and I just brush things off. I lied and told them he finally found a job but he hasn’t. I didn’t get a Christmas gift. But I gave him money. He took me to a steak house for my birthday. Paid for it. Then asked I pay back for my meal bc he miscalculated and needed the money. He did buy me flowers for Valentine’s Day. I bought us an expensive dinner for his bday. I will admit I like a certain type of lifestyle even if I can’t afford it so I may overspend on things.
Addiction: Recently he lost his wallet which meant no Id which meant he couldn’t go to the dispensary or buy alcohol. He ended up finding his wallet but I offered to hold onto his id. It was going well but one day I left an expired id with him so he could buy a beer. I left and came back 24hrs later and he was drunk at 5pm. He gets overly emotional and depressed when he’s drunk and I don’t know what to do other than comfort him. Before I would say I was going to storm off or leave him and that would send him into a deeper spiral so now I nod and try to appease him.
Credit card debt: I’ve been swiping my card for food and drinks for both of us. He uses my car for DoorDash which means I pay for the gas. Before he quit his job (he had been unemployed for 3 months before his most recent job) he really wanted and oled tv and asked I put it on my card and he would pay me back. He made payments for the three months that he was employed then stopped. He ended up selling the tv it was $1,100 he kept the money to pay his bills and buy weed. I finished paying off the card myself. I’m in such a hole borrowing money in hopes I can cover my ass until the next paycheck. I got a part time job im starting soon which should help me a lot. I make a decent wage.
Financially irresponsible: we went on a trip to the casino (he was still employed at this time) I booked the hotel on my credit card. He ended up winning $5,000!!! The first night there. Want to guess what he did next??? He took copious amounts of edibles and blew $3,000 of it on more gambling. He won another $1,000 and also blew that. With the remainder he bought a pc AND I had to beg him to pay me for his half of the hotel room. He did pay for dinners and lunch while we stayed there.
Promises: he says he’ll pay me back. I’ve helped him make his car payments. I help him with food. He says things are going to change. He paints this really pretty picture that I so badly want to be true. But it’s MAY 2024. He quit his job June 2023. He promised me Christmas he promised me my birthday gifts. All which fell flat. And now I just feel like a fool. He says once he starts working he’ll pay me back.
I’ve been helping him apply to place none call him back. He also can’t pass a drug test currently.
Relationship: aside from the money I think we’re okay? We trust each other we love each other. When we’re together we’re always laughing and having a good time. We get along. On weekends we take turns on who gets to pick the movie. He’ll watch twilight and mean girls with me.
The only thing is when he is in withdrawal or hungover he becomes easily agitated and needs space to calm down. The worst he’s done is raise his voice and so do I. Normally he just needs to walk it off or blow off the steam and things get better. He’ll hyper fixate on something I did and call me out on it. I’ll apologize but he won’t let off of it when he gets like that there is nothing I can say to change things. In my mind if I did something wrong I get it I’m sorry but there’s nothing I can do to change it? But if he lies or does something he brushes it off and gets upset with me for being upset at his lying?! He’s a terrible texter and never answers his phone. If I needed immediate help I’d be out of luck. But I always have to be there for him. Let’s say he’s having a bad day he needs me there and wants me there. I have to drop everything and if I don’t he feels bad and guilt trips me.
In the end what I would like to see is him get clean and sober find a good job so we can buy a house have a family. Right now he is on an upswing where he makes his promises that things will get better and things will change. If things crash again and he fails to find a job I will have no choice but to leave even if I don’t want to. Go ahead and roast me bc I know I should know better but I can’t bring myself to leave him.

What am I doing? Dominick Mason asked himself for the hundredth time that night. It was late on a rainy Sunday evening and Dom, a tall, lanky man-boy of twenty-five with a prominent Adam’s apple and too big eyes, stared out the rain-slicked window of the 905. The big bus swayed and jostled as it lumbered down Central Avenue, the movements strangely comforting, conducive to reflection…and self-doubt.
As if on cue, his phone buzzed, and a pit opened up in his stomach. He fumbled it out with long fingers and read the text. Are u almost here
His thumb hovered over the screen, but he did not reply. Part of him wanted to block the number, slink back home with his tail between his legs, and forget the whole thing. He could boot up his PS4 and play Red Dead Redemption or GTA V like always. Safe. Familiar. The thought, however, stirred a strange feeling in the pit of his stomach.
It was dread.
Every night, he did the same thing. He came home from work to his tiny prison cell apartment. He had a peanut butter and jelly sandwich. He played video games until it was time to go to bed. The worst part of the whole night was when he turned off the TV and saw his murky reflection in the screen. Plaid. Scrawny. Disgusting. He hated being locked in that apartment, with its old smells and white walls, but he hated going out even more. At least in his hole, he was safe, like a mouse. No one hurt or lied to him there. No one gave him funny looks. No one rejected him. He was completely safe in his solitude, a wounded animal hiding in its den and licking its wounds.
He was wounded and he knew it.
And he hated himself for it. Hated that he wasn’t stronger or better. Hated that even though he tried so hard, everything he did fell apart…if it even came together in the first place, which it rarely did.
The phone buzzed again.
Just a question mark this time.
His heart began to race and a steely fist slowly closed around his lungs. He shifted uncomfortably in his seat and took a deep breath. He pictured himself alone in his little apartment. He loved the image, but he hated it too. Most nights, he didn’t mind being alone. He had to not mind it, because he didn’t have a choice. Some nights…some nights he didn’t want to be alone. Some nights he wanted warmth, he wanted tenderness…some nights, he wanted to be human.
Every so often, Dom would get the urge to find those things. They came less frequently than they did before, but unfortunately, they still came. He would create an account on Plenty of Fish and OKCupid, maybe some of the other sites as well. He would agonize over his stupid intro and his stupid list of hobbies. He would spend hours - literally hours - writing and rewriting them, trying at first to be serious, then light and funny, then cool, then aloof, then vulnerable. He would take the best possible pictures from the best possible angles, then upload them, never lingering over them because he hated the way he looked. He didn’t think he was ugly - mid was more like it - but apparently, he was ugly. Too ugly for love, too ugly even to talk to.
The ugly barnacle. So ugly that everyone died. The end.
All of Dom’s pictures were all selfies, of course. Guys he listened to on YouTube said he needed action shots, shots with friends, shots that showed women he had a life, was valued by those around him, and knew how to have fun. Too bad for him, he had no friends and no one valued him, not even his own mother. On the surface, maybe, but she had hurt him so many times over the years in so many ways that even the most devout son would stop and think.
It had to be selfies.
When his profile was in order - or as much in order as he could get it - he would start to browse. Dom knew his place and never messaged women who were too beautiful. He used to, but they never responded. He eventually began to skip their profiles with a pang of loss and a quiet what if? Now, he barely noticed them. Blonde. Petite. Blue eyes. Maybe she was a cheerleader at one time, maybe she was the type of girl who looked down her nose at guys like him. Maybe she was a sweetheart. In any case, he would never find out, so who cares?
He went for women he could realistically obtain…the type of women he’d dated and hooked up with in the past. Some were attractive in their own way, others were hard to look at, he wasn’t picky; he couldn’t afford to be picky. One woman he saw was a good three hundred pounds. She was nice and he liked her enough, but he lapsed into depression while they were dating and he never messaged her back…not that she made a huge effort to message him. Another was a pre-K teacher in her mid-thirties. Overweight with a big nose, glasses, and a plain face when she wasn’t wearing make-up. He liked her a lot and wanted to be with her, but after a month of weekend hookups, she said she didn’t love him. She told him she wanted a family - three kids, to be exact - but “changed her mind.” No, she didn’t. She just didn’t want those things with him.
Now she was in her late thirties, single, and having regrets.
She still wouldn’t settle for him, though.
Another woman he’d seen recently (six months ago) was fifty, but not unattractive. They texted for weeks, hot and heavy. She outright told him that she wanted to have sex with him. Said all sorts of nasty and sexual things. Their first (and only date) was her coming to his apartment. Instead of tender kisses, loving caresses, and intense emotions, they shared an awkward two hours on his couch. When he tried to hold her hand and put his arm around her, she stiffened. Not much, just a little. She said she “wasn’t ready.” He sat there and watched the flowers he’d gotten her wilt as she talked about her ex for an hour and a half, his arms pointedly crossed. He even leaned as far away from her as humanly possible, trying to communicate with his body language what he didn’t have the guts to communicate with his words: I’m uncomfortable, please leave. He planned to take her to a nice restaurant after they made love. Instead, he ordered something after she finally got the hint and left, eating alone like always.
After her, he deleted his profile (again) and resolved to never bother with dating again. Obviously there was something wrong with him. He saw guys who were uglier and more awkward than him with girlfriends, some actually stunning, but there was something about him in particular, something that repelled women…and men too.
Everyone.
It repelled everyone.
Maybe it was his self-loathing. After all, no one likes a sad sack. But that’s the thing: He was like this because of those experiences. It was a what came first, the chicken or the egg situation. Looking back, he had almost normal confidence at one point. Then all of this happened. The hundreds of messages he sent on the dating apps staying on read, unanswered, like he never sent them at all, like he was garbage unworthy of even a hello. The awkward dates. The occasional “success” that eventually fell apart…sometimes because of him, and sometimes because of them. The one girl who ran away from him when he tried to walk her to her car after a date. They didn’t click, he knew that, but he didn’t say or do anything creepy. Why did she do that? The girls who lead him on, talking about sex and sometimes even love but always had a reason they couldn’t meet.
There were other examples - many others - but it was all the same. Who cared?
Dom wanted to crawl back into his hole and stay there, to stop poking his head out and getting hurt. He wanted it so bad…but he was only human. Deep down, buried beneath layer after layer of scar tissue, there was still hope. Hope for love, for companionship, for acceptance, for intimacy and human touch. It was only an ember now, but even an ember is enough to spark a fire.
Some nights, he wanted to be safe. Other nights, he wanted to take a risk.
And this night was one of the latter.
Be there soon, he texted. He swallowed hard and wetted his lips. His heart was pounding faster and his bowels were loose. He really hoped this worked out. He didn’t think he could handle another rejection. If she turned him down, he’d probably go home and kill himself. Why go on like this?
He’d had that thought before…but he never followed through.
Maybe one day he’d actually shut the fuck up and do it already.
Maybe.
Ok :)
Her name was Heather and she was fat. She was not unattractive in the face and she wore her weight well, not that that mattered - he would take what he could get. They started talking on OKCupid last week and very soon, the conversation became sexual. He didn’t start it, though, she did. She was ahem very excited, she said. He liked to think that she was lonely, desperate, and wanted intimacy - any intimacy - just like him.
That really turned him on.
They agreed to meet, and now here he was, on the bus to her apartment on the other side of the city, hoping against hope that she didn’t hurt him too.
He put the phone away and stared straight ahead. The bus was nearly deserted, save for an old bag lady up front and a few Mexican guys in the back. Lights lined the bus’s roof, providing a cold, impersonal light. Dom took a deep breath and forced his dark emotions away. It was all on him to make this work. He would accept her fat, ugly, poor, and crippled, but he had to work to earn her love. He could do it.
When the bus finally reached his stop, he yanked the cord and got off. There was a plexiglass shelter lit by a single, lonely bulb. Trash littered the ground. Beyond the shelter, a park lay in darkness. Behind him, on the other side of the road, a housing project not unlike his own towered into the sky, lit up like a ship at sail. Dom swallowed his nerves and crossed the street. He found the door that she had directed him to use, and climbed the stairs. He expected trash, graffiti, and winos passed out on every landing. Instead, the stairwell was clean and deserted. His nerves welled as he climbed but he forced them down again. On the ninth floor, he went down the hall, battered on all sides by the stale smells of cooking and the murmur of TVs and voices coming from every apartment.
Dom paused at Apartment 237.
Heather’s.
You got this, he told himself.
And really, he did. Their plan - well, Heather’s, really - was simple and straightforward. She told him that she would leave the door unlocked. He was to come in, go to the bedroom, and she would be waiting for him. She said it was a fantasy of hers.
On some level, he knew all along that the whole setup sounded fishy. Was he being set up to get robbed? Would he walk in and get jumped by a bunch of Crips? He hesitated, but his need for love - and, yes, release - pushed him on.
He opened the door.
Inside, the apartment was small and messy, a living room to the right and a tiny kitchen to the left. The only light on was the one above the stove.
Everything else was in shadows.
Dom’s heart skipped a beat.
This didn’t feel right.
That thought was overpowered by the smell, a sickly sweet odor that suddenly seemed to be everywhere. His stomach twisted and he turned his head slightly to one side, as if to spare his nose. It smelled like something spoiled.
A voice spoke from the darkness, startling him. “I’m in here.”
It was light, airy, and cute.
For the last time, Dom hesitated. Some primal sense told him to turn around and leave…
…but he wanted to be loved.
Dom entered and shut the door behind him.
The smell was stronger. The atmosphere darker.
Ahead, he could barely make out an open doorway in the shadows.
He crossed to it.
The smell was overpowering here and Dom felt like he was going to puke. Any desire he had felt was gone, replaced only by revulsion and claustrophobia. It was cold, he realized, so cold that his teeth chattered.
Okay, fuck this.
He started to turn around, intent on leaving, but a small, white hand reached from the darkness. Icy fingertips brushed his cheek and his heart blasted into his throat.
Then she was there, her body pressing against his and her lips fused with his. The smell, the freezer chill, both stronger than ever.
They were both coming from her.
Her tongue hungrily lashed his own, and she pushed him against the wall. Her hands slipped under his shirt and pressed flat against his chest. They were so cold that he almost cried out.
Dom wanted to push her away, to run, but he didn’t. Instead, he froze up and allowed her to push him onto the bed. Was he too gutless to tell her no, the way he’d been too gutless to tell the woman who went on and on about her ex to shut up and leave? Did he secretly want to go through with this? He didn’t know, and he didn’t have time to figure it out. She was on top of him now, straddling him, his legs caged between her ample thighs. She grabbed his hands and pressed them to her bare breasts.
They were as cold as the rest of her.
She leaned down and kissed him again. He hadn’t noticed it before, but her tongue was…dry. Her mouth itself tasted strange. Off.
Heather broke from his lips and peppered kisses on his cheek and forehead, assaulting him with an intimacy that Dom no longer wanted.
Through it all, she was as silent as a tomb. She wasn’t panting or rasping with excitement. In fact, he didn’t think she was even breathing.
She brushed her lips along the exposed curve of his throat, and tingles of revulsion shot down his spine. She found his pulse and kissed it. Trembles of excitement raced through her body and she started to lap his neck like a dog.
Without warning, a fiery pinprick of pain exploded over him and Heather began to shake and pant. Dom cried out and tried to fight her off, but she was too heavy, too much.
With a tiny, mouse-like squeak - a sound of pitiable fear and resignation - Dom blacked out.

Playing around with a second character and wanted the opposite of glass cannon commando, so I'm going for a beefy PA heavy build. This is what I've come up with so far. A breakdown of thoughts below
Strength 15: Heavy Gunner line (3+3+3), Bear Arms 3, Blocker 3
Basic damage essentials, large weight savings, big damage reduction
Perception 3: Grenadier 2, Concentrated Fire 1
Bigger explosions to help with tagging, and having an option to aim for weak spots if I ever need VATS
Endurance 6: Fireproof 3, Cola Nut 2, Good Doggy 1
Damage reduction, and dog food and cola can replace stims for recovery
Charisma 12: Suppressor 3, Tenderizer 3, Friendly Fire 3, Squad Maneuvers 2, Strange In Numbers 1
Improved damage, indirect damage reduction, healing teammates, going faster, being a better mutant
Intelligence 15: Stabilized 3, Batteries Included 3, Power User 3, Power Patcher 3, Portable Power 3.
Damage, weight reductions, and improving both armor core life and Gatling Laser ammo capacity
Agility 6: Thru Hiker 3, Dodgy 3
Carry tons of food instead of chems for healing and Overeater bonuses. More damage reduction, offset by Kinetic Dynamo on chest and cola consumption
Luck 14: Class Freak 3, Bloody Mess 3, Ricochet 3, One Gun Army 3, Starched Genes 2
Better mutations, more damage, more damage reduction, stagger+cripple debuffs
Legendary Perks: Strength, Intelligence, Luck, Electric Absorption, Take One For The Team
Stat points, damage reduction and healing, damage amplifier for tanking
Mutations: Egg Head, Eagle Eyes, Bird Bones, Marsupial, Healing Factor, Scaly Skin, Empath, Herd Mentality, Carnivore, Electrically Charged, Unstable Isotope
Standard boosts, more durability, stronger Strength and damage reduction foods, minor extra damage when taking a beating. Specifically avoiding Speed Demon just to ease Overeaters management.
Gear: Full Overeaters Hellcat, with additional resists, damage on hit, carry weight, Kinetic Dynamo. Hellcat chosen for the extra flat ballistic reduction.
Backup set of Deep Pocketed Weightless Weight Reduction armor and high capacity backpack in case I need to get out of my power armor for looting and farming.
Weapons: Anti-Armor Rapid Rapid Cremator (already acquired) for ranged tagging, Holy Fire for closeup, Furious or Vampires Rapid Rapid Ultracite Gatling for ranged blasting
Obviously this whole build plan assumes grolls and a ton of levels, and I already have some idea of build priority and milestones on the way there, I just want to make sure my big picture plan looks good. I know there's also some adjustments I can make to maximize damage even further, but I wanted full health durability for facetanking events.

Not actually Ohio just seething through jokes while trying to numb through whatever comes next. I've been through some shit. I've been through shit everyday since I was born.
It's a constant rollar coaster that only gets worse and worse and I just wish they would stop dangling the carrot/steak from the stick or letting me have those moments where I am high up before sending me back hurdling down. It's gotten to the point I'm so so fucking numb to the speed or hurdling to nothing.
Everytime I think it's getting better. That I'm finally gonna be able to get help be happier, I'm not lying EVERYTIME I make the first step I'm told I can't anymore. We need the money help them, to make sure they can make it another day. I'm not the bread winner anymore I'm not the one who makes sure we aren't going to be homeless anymore. So the Rollercoasters even worse. I should have brain damage from this much emotional whiplash.
I want to feel bad they're going through what they are. And I do feel bad. But I've been where they are multiple times and still had to take care of them at every possible moment. I can't pick up the slack anymore. I can't catch them when they fall again. I'm not even working right now and I don't have the energy to care for Anything anymore. I've lost so much. And I keep losing more. And anything I gain I feel like will just be used against me to guilt me into working harder to give up more. I should appreciate the things I was given and be willing to drop it all for them.
But I've dropped it all before and again and was abused by others to make sure they were safe. I have no where to run if they give up. I have no friends no family. I know they care and love me. I know they don't do it on purpose I know they break easier. I know they think I'm stronger and can take on more. But after going down this road so many times I just can't muster up any feeling besides:
Welp better prepare to drop everything for them.
I don't want to anymore. I was about to start getting Actual help. I was finally getting some minor hope I won't die unhappy. But I was made to be used till I inevitably get discarded. I know they expect me to somehow fix it like they expected me to with everything else with everything before. But I can't do anything for them this time. And I know they don't have the willpower to change it for themselves. Getting to where we are now took so so so long and so much.
I just want to lie down and give up. I'm so tired. I'm so empty. I want to help want to be there but I'm so drained. I don't even know how to go about it.

Hi, Guys! I’m new here and wanted to share my experience with week 1 for some positive feedback and constructive criticism. I’ll go over my background a little first. I’m 26, Female. I’ve struggled with my weight my whole life, have a very difficult relationship with food. I was diagnosed with PCOS and I’m sure this and hormonal inbalance was the culprit of my mental health. A few years ago I had a very bad mental health episode, and it resulted in me going on sertraline. That and some lifestyle changes helped, but I saw much improvement when I had a weight loss surgery in 2022, I lost quite a bit of weight, had met my partner and moved across the world, and life was on the up and up, so much that I stopped taking sertraline. Unfortunately I grew a little lazy and started putting weight back on, smoking weed, which allowed me to snack so much even when I was full. Food has always been a coping mechanism for me so smoking weed made me forget that fullness feeling and keep going. Then, I started feeling very anxious again, and it was and is being quite rough. I don’t want to get into many details but its a lot to do with obsessions, fear and so on. Depression definitely has a part and I feel it the most and most hopeful right before my period. Now as I mentioned I had pcos but the symptoms had improved tremendously, well, my period is now messed up again, I have horrible luteal phase symptoms mainly mental, and Im not regular any more either. I know for sure my pcos has to do with how I’m feeling mentally. I want to also point out that I had good breakfasts and good dinners. But, I am definitely addicted to sugar. I ate so much chocolate and sweets before bed, snacked constantly, you get it. I knew I needed a change and so I stopped smoking (this has also probably impacted my mental health), it took me a while to take the carnivore diet seriously, but my husband and I want to be at our best, especially as we are trying. Well, this first week had been rough. Emotionally it has been really difficult to navigate, and very anxiety inducing.
Below, I’ll share my feelings each day as I took some notes, but here’s what I’ve been eating this week: Fish (Mackerel), Bacon, Butter, Short Ribs, Pork Belly deep fried in ghee, Milk, Double Cream, Lots of different cheeses, Steak (flank and rib eye), chicken, Eggs, Sausages, Ground Beef, Bone Broth. I would love constructive criticism and feed back and I’m looking only for POSITIVE replies. ❤️ Thanks!
Day 1 - Excited to started. Mild cravings. Missed having bread with my breakfast and did not feel sated as I usually do, even when I was full.
Day 2 - Noticed a little more anxiety. Cravings have definitely gotten stronger. Still don’t feel sated even when I’m full.
Day 3 - Heightened anxiety, but felt better after dinner. Cravings are still strong. Didn’t have my mid afternoon usual snack as I wasn’t hungry.
Day 4 - Morning anxiety again, stomach making crazy sloshing and moving sounds all day, cravings are okay but Im not too excited to eat.
Day 5 - Went to the gym days ago and so much sore than I usually am. Sleep was ok but still anxious when I wake up, earlier in the day. Leg cramps almost took me out when I stretched in the morning!
Day 6 - Extreme anxiety in the morning, cried after breakfast and felt a surge of emotions. Didn’t have much breakfast to begin with. Interestingly enough even though my anxiety has gotten bad for months I hadn’t really cried that way in a while. Feel like I’m gonna get my period but who knows, this would be early.. Felt better throughout the day, tried magnesium for the first time to help.

So I've cooked a lot of steaks and proteins via sous vide, but but never waited to sear it. I'm wondering if I wanted to do steak and eggs the next morning, but don't have time to sous vide the steak and minimize total time what would be the best way.
Would it be better to chill the steak and throw it in the fridge?
Or
chill, remove from bag, pat dry, than put it the fridge?
The goal is to sear morning off, cook eggs, and boom steak and egg breakfast. I do not want advice on other options such as just searing the night before and rehearing it via sous vide or other methods, I've tried many, and not satisfied with the various options with the amount of time I have. I typically try to meal prep as much as I can on my off day because working a 12 hr shift, commute, 8 hrs sleep, shit/shave/shower, doesn't leave time for much else. Trying to fit in a hour of cardio in that mix, than make a quick steak and egg meal before leaving the house.

Introduction & Disclaimer

Good evening all. I've been playing for about a month now, but I've had a lot of experience with the Fallout series previously. After starting off my FO76 adventure with a shotgun build, then a pistol build, but I was having problems with some of the mechanics.
Essentially, I am disabled. I have a degenerative disease and articulating my hands at times is a bit of nightmare. For this reason, VATs and some of the other mechanics in FO76 for me is not ideal.
I've been playing around with this build for about two weeks, and the results have been staggering. I'm currently just below level 100, and even without all the perks I am about to list, I'm having a lot of fun.
I've not actually finished this build to completion yet on my own character (I have all of the perks listed, but not at the max level). I've had a few people PSN asking me what I was running as I was keeping up with some bloodied builds that were several hundred levels higher than me. In some cases, out DPSing them with only the first couple of stages of the "core" perks. Daily Ops and expeditions have been a breeze since switching to this build, and I'm never looking back!
That being said, I would highly encourage tailoring this build for your own needs and make adjustments where suitable (or desired).

Core Components

Essentially the core components of the build are as follows:

• A Plasma flamer with the "Vampire's" legendary effect.
• Various damage reduction perks, and perks that improve the player's survivability.
• Various damage buffing perks that apply negative effects as well as increase damage output.

Armour, while useful, the specifics are somewhat irrelevant. I personally run bolstering gear, but feel free to use something else such as unyielding, etc.

Gameplay

Mechanics-wise, your job is to charge in to the centre of combat and essentially use your plasma flamer against groups of enemies. This may sound challenging, but it's generally just a case of holding down the right trigger on large groups of enemies (short bursts on single enemies to conserve cartridges).
Your plasma flamer with the "Vampire's" effect essentially will keep you alive the more you use it. Make sure you break away from enemies, or get a friend to cover you, when you need to reload as this is when you're vulnerable.
As your Plasma flamer has a high rate of fire, all of the perks I'll be going on to list are continuously running the chance to trigger per shot, or re-applying the timers.
There has been times during expeditions and daily ops where I've seen guys in Power Armour go down, while I'm holding my own against a horde of enemies without too much effort.

S.P.E.C.I.A.L

I would recommend the following S.P.E.C.I.A.L as a base:
Strength: 3 Perception: 12 Endurance: 6 Charisma: 6 Intelligence: 9 Agility: 10 Luck: 10

Legendary Perks

I would recommend the Luck, Agility and Endurance legendary perks, with Taking One for the Team. As mentioned earlier, your job is essentially "charge in, tank everything, survive" so some of the more offensive perks aren't necessary.

Perks

So, this is essentially the "meat" of the build. I'm not going to explain the effects of each perk, as the wiki does a better job of that than I could ever hope to word, but I will highlight anything of note relating the perks where appropriate.
For Strength, you need to have Blocker (3).
For Perception, Commando (3), Expert Commando (3), Master Commando (3) and Tank Killer (3) I would say are pretty essential.
For Endurance, I would say Adamantium Skeleton (3) and Fireproof (3) are very important for survivability. I would put the remaining points into perks that suit your playstyle, I am using Aquaboy and Lifegiver personally.
For Charisma, I would get Tenderizer (3) and Suppressor (3) as these will keep your teamates alive during group content, by weakening the capability of your enemies.
For Intelligence, Science (2), Expert Science (2), Master Science (2) and Batteries Included (3) are a must. You need the extra damage and the ability to craft mods for your Plasma guns. You're also going to be carrying a ton of plasma cartridges and the weight reduction makes a massive difference to inventory management.
For Agility, Evasive (3), Adrenaline (5), Dodgy (3) and Action Boy (3). Feel free how to use the last point how you want, but you want to have high AP for Dodgy to be able up a lot of the time.
For Luck, Bloody Mess (3), Serendipity (3), Tormentor (3), Ricochet (3) and Scrounger (3) I'd say are very important. Most of these are self-explanatory, but Ricochet appears to work with the legendary effect of the gun you are holding, meaning more heals! Scrounger will also keep your flamer topped up and ready to go, as you will literally be burning through ammo.

Perk TLDR Summary

Damage:

• 15% flat damage bonus.
• Energy weapons have a 30% damage bonus.
• 60% damage increase from automatic rifles.
• Shots ignore 36% of armour and have a 9% chance to stagger.
• Your rifle attacks have a 15% chance of crippling a limb.
• Gain 10% (max 60%) damage for 30s per kill. Timer refreshes on another kill.

Defence:

• Targets receive 10% more damage for 10 seconds after you attack.
• Targets deal 30% less damage for 2 seconds after you attack.
• Each AGI point adds +3 Damage and Energy Resist (Max 45). (No Power Armor)
• Avoid 30% of incoming damage at the cost of 30 Action Points per hit.
• 45% reduced damage from melee.
• While below 35% health, gain a 45% chance to avoid damage.
• You no-longer take limb damage.
• 45% less damage from explosions and flame attacks.
• Gain a 18% chance to deflect back some of enemies' ranged damage. (No PvP)

Utility:

• 80% chance to find extra ammo when you "Search" an ammo container.

Enclave Plasma Gun vs Plasma Gun

So, the Enclave Plasma Gun is certainly slightly better than the regular one. That being said, it's somewhat irrelevant in the context of this build. I would recommend getting a regular "Vampire's" legendary plasma gun BEFORE attempting to get an Enclave version.
The Enclave versions are a lot harder to source, and as a result they're also harder to get the mods for. Worry about this another day.

Closing Thoughts

I'm sorry for the length! I hope the following helps. After being asked about it a couple of times while playing, as well as seeing some conversations over the last few days relating to Plasma gun flamers, I just thought this may be of use to some of the newer players who may be in a similar position.

My car's transmission is on the fritz, so it's in the shop and I'm working from home for at least today. Thank goodness I can even work from home, or things would be a lot more complicated. Anyways, that's just a bit of a vent. I've also decided that I might do little lore-esque prechapter bits for some extra flavor. Hope you guys enjoy them! I find them to be fun little thought experiments on how people might perceive the world I've created from within vs from my own perspective. Enjoy some crafting and some romance!
First Previous Next
We know that the spots that are caused by looking at a source of light are, in fact, damage of some sort to the eye. This is confirmed by the spots rapidly disappearing should someone be healed whilst experiencing them. But why? Is there a divinity within light, beyond what our mortal eyes can withstand? Is there some sort of invisible emanation that comes alongside the light that damages us in some way? The discovery of light damaging the eye has opened more questions for me than it has closed.
-Musings on the Relations of Light and Fire, by Jarwic Leftun
\***
Xander carefully opened the door, finding Gabrelle already asleep, and sat down on a chair. Maybe he could get that adaptive camouflage to work right on bright colors. Surely he had some colorful things in his inventory.
He did in fact have a few colorful things in his inventory, and he whiled the rest of the night away making small adjustments to the runic array that was embroidered into the cloth. He was satisfied before dawn, the cloth now performing as well with light colors as it had with darker colors. Now he just needed to make a cloak out of it. He briefly considered coating his armor with the array, but discarded it. There might be times where he’d want to be seen. Besides, a hooded cloak would better break up the outline of his figure, the ripples of fabric, especially if he were to crouch or lay prone, obscuring his outline even more. In little time at all, he had a long, deep hooded cloak of the color shifting, runed cloth in his hands. He stashed it in his inventory for now, as he had no particular need to sneak up on something right now. The rest of the time before dawn he spent silently sitting in the chair he’d chosen, trying to keep his thoughts to a minimum, just daydreaming. Night dreaming? He couldn’t sleep anymore, but that didn’t mean he couldn’t try to let his mind wander.
As the dawn came and the sun began to shine through the window of the room, Gabrelle slowly awoke, once more finding Xander sitting in a chair rather than in bed.
“Mmf,” She grunted as she stretched. “Morning, Xander. You got back late.”
“Morning, yourself,” Xander said, turning his head to look at Gabrelle. “Yeah... Yeah, I guess I did.”
“What were you doing, anyway?” She asked, curious. “You didn’t mention that you’d be out late, just that you were going to go to see Valteria at her shop.”
“I uh... went on a date.”
“I knew it! ‘Comparing notes’ was a date!” Gabrelle exclaimed triumphantly.
“It was not!” Xander complained. “But we went to a tavern in the evening and it sort of... turned into a date on the way there.”
“Awhh, that’s so cute,” Gabrelle said. “Did it go well? Is she nice? Did you kiss?”
“I think it went well. We talked a lot about different projects and ideas we had. I also got to meet another [Godsmarked] - he owns the tavern we went to. I think she’s nice. Maybe a little shy. I think she’s gotten used to being treated differently by people. I don’t think she really believed that I wanted to go on a date with her, at first. ...And yes. We kissed.”
“Ooooh, look at you! You’re growing up so fast!” Gabrelle teased.
“Oh hush. I’m older than you!” Xander huffed, then returned to seriousness. “But ah, if I’m going to be dating someone... we need to have a conversation, Gabrelle.”
“We need to stop sleeping together?” Gabrelle quickly deduced before Xander could say it himself.
“Yeah... It doesn’t feel right, even though it’s just platonic between us. I don’t think I would appreciate being in Valteria’s situation and knowing that the person I was seeing was sleeping with someone else at night.”
“Well, I figured this would happen eventually,” Gabrelle said. “Either you or I were bound to find someone eventually. Don’t worry, I’m not upset. Don’t get me wrong, the snuggles were nice, but like I told you a while ago, I don’t have nearly as much trouble sleeping when I’m with the team.”
“Thanks for not being upset, Gabrelle.”
“You know this means you have to start paying for your own room, though, right?”
“Ah, shit, you’re right. I forgot.”
Xander left the room to allow Gabrelle some privacy to get dressed and meandered back down the stairs to see if any other members of the team were already up. Looking around, he spied Graffus eating breakfast at at table and moved to sit with the dwarf.
“Mornin’” Graffus greeted Xander through a mouthful of bread.
“Morning,” Xander greeted back.
“Glad to see you made it back, we were wondering if you’d be out all night,” Graffus told him, after swallowing his bread.
“I was out a bit late, I suppose. I let the time get away from me.” Xander said, not really wanted to be teased again about going out on a date. “So what are you planning to do today?”
“Bah, Frazay has roped me into helping her do research for the drakeling. So reading is what’s in store for me.” Graffus tore himself off another piece of bread from his plate and slathered it with jam. “You going to be going back to that [Tinker] you’ve been spending time with lately?”
“Yeah, that’s the plan. I’m supposed to learn more about converting mana types today, and also help her fix the suit of armor that I wrecked.”
“Welp,” Graffus said, now on his last piece of bread, “I hope ya learn something new. Never had much to do with [Tinker]s – not saying I dislike them, just that I haven’t had much experience with them – so it don’t make much sense to me. Using a hammer is about the only overlap in our professions.”
“I think your hammer is significantly larger than the one most [Tinker]s would use,” Xander chuckled. Thinking about what he should be doing before he headed to Valteria’s, he asked Graffus, “Hey, I might need to buy some monster parts or elemental cores, something like that, for practice. You know where I would go to find stuff like that?”
Graffus shrugged. “Dunno. My guess would be an alchemy and reagents shop. That’s generally what we’ve sold monster parts to that didn’t go to a smith or leatherworker.”
“Thanks, Graffus.”
The two of them chatted for a while longer, catching up on what each other had been doing. Graffus excused himself to finish getting ready for the day, saying he needed to tend to his beard, leaving Xander downstairs. Deciding to be productive and proactive, Xander stood as well and headed out of the inn to find an alchemy shop.
It wasn’t long before he found one, a familiar scene of an eclectic collection of powders, liquids, crystals, and strange organic things floating in jars inside the building. The proprietor was a dwarf, seated at a workbench. They were grinding something into a powder as Xander entered. He received a distracted greeting before the dwarf returned to his work.
Xander wandered about the shop for a few minutes, looking at the various materials throughout the shop. He identified what he thought might be an elemental core, a jagged piece of crystal looking material that seemed to have an inner flame. As for the monster parts in jars, Xander had no idea what was what. He finally felt he’d waited long enough and moved closer to the worktable that the dwarf was still sitting at, working away at the mortar and pestle.
“Excuse me,” Xander said, grabbing the shopkeep’s attention.
“Mm?” The dwarf said questioningly. “Can I help you find something?”
“I was wondering if you had any elemental cores. Something small, I just need one to practice with.”
“Aye, I’ve a few of them around the shop. You want something to practice with? So a relatively weak core, then – not all the small ones are weak. Do you need any particular type?” The dwarf stood up and stretched, moving to one of the shelves.
“Uhm no, just whatever is cost effective, I suppose.”
The alchemist rifled through the various bits and bobs on one of the shelves nearby before producing a small chip of what looked to be a semi-translucent stone. It was tinged slightly yellow with streaks of white. “This here is a chip off a lightning attuned core. Pretty weak, but it does still produce mana.”
Xander could see the dwarf’s arm hair standing up as if from static electicity as he held up the stone. “How much?” He asked.
“Twenty gold.”
Xander shrugged. Twenty gold wasn’t an issue for him anymore, and he didn’t feel like haggling. He always hated haggling. “Sure.” He fished out the coin and handed it over to the dwarf.
The dwarf handed over the stone to Xander and the pop of a static electric shock could be heard as a tiny arc passed between the two of them. The dwarf grunted and shook his hand. “Thanks for the business,” he told Xander. “Anything else you find yourself in need of?”
“Not at the moment, but thanks for asking.” Xander waved goodbye to the dwarf and pocketed the tiny elemental core. He continued down the street in the direction of Valteria’s shop, thinking about how he was going to undo the welding job he’d done on Valteria’s armor. He’d need her to guide his repair efforts.
Xander returned to the inn momentarily to grab one of his golems. He settled on Atlas for now, as it was the most basic of the humanoid forms he’d created. No extra arms or weird feet on him, no sir.
Arriving at the building that contained Valteria’s home and shop, Xander knocked before opening the door. “Morning,” he called out.
“Xander! Hello!” Valteria called out. She was at the same work bench she’d been at yesterday. Jarrett didn’t seem to be in the shop at the moment, as Xander wasn’t able to spot the man.
Commanding Atlas to follow him in and closing the door behind him, Xander started walking towards Valteria. “How’s it going?” He asked.
“Good, it’s going good,” Valteria responded as Xander brought a stool over to her workbench. “How about yourself?”
“Not bad. The upside of not sleeping is that I never struggle in the mornings now. I used to hate waking up.” Xander laughed. “I even ran an errand before I came here! Picked up this.” Xander fished around in his pocket until he found the small chip of elemental core and held it up for Valteria to see.
“Core?” She asked distractedly, staring at Atlas. She tore her eyes away and looked closely at the small crystalline stone. “Lightning attuned?”
“That’s what the [Alchemist] at the shop said,” Xander affirmed. “Said it was a very weak one, but that it did still produce mana.”
“Mmm, a good practice piece, then.”
“I thought it would be, too. Not that I know what to do with it, yet.”
“Well, how about this: I teach you to set the stone and make some conduit, and then you can help me fix my armor. All the glue has turned to dust by now, thank the gods.”
“Sounds fair enough. So, how do mana conduits work?”
“Well, the concept is simple enough. It’s a tube which conducts mana,” Valteria began to explain.
“Mmhm.” Xander nodded along.
“What you need is a setting – usually of silver, as it has good mana conductivity – which will be the first step of conduction, taking the mana from the stone. Simply wrapping the core in silver wire can work well enough, drawing in the mana that the core puts out through its surface, but for a more effecient setting, small holes are usually drilled into the core to set the wire into as well, giving more surface area to draw from.”
“So we care about the mana conductivity of the material, then? That makes sense, I just hadn’t thought about it. I actually did a little experiment with my rune work to test which fillings were the most conductive.”
“Oh really?” Valteria said, interested. “What were your results?”
“Well, gold and silver were high up there in conductivity, and probably make the most sense for someone who has to physically manipulate material without use of a skill – both for a core setting and for inlaying a rune – but I did find that sapphires and rubies were even more efficient at transferring mana than gold and silver.”
“Mmm... interesting. I’ve heard of gemstones being used in very high-grade settings, as well as various other exotic materials. I read an account of one [Mechanist] who used tubes of mercury to conduct mana, though the relative effectiveness compared to silver wasn’t mentioned.” Valteria cleared her throat. “Uhm, now, where was I? Right, basic settings. Once you have your core – or monster organ, if you’re going that route – you connect it to the conduit. Usually, this is also silver wiring. I like to braid several smaller wires together, personally. I find it to be sturdier and hold up to flexing better. From there, it needs to be tied into a device. Which is a topic for tomorrow.” Looking around the shop, Valteria seemed to identify something on one of the shelves nearby. “I have a core that you could watch me set, and then you could try setting your own, if you’d like.”
“That sounds good to me,” Xander said. “I always love to see a master as work,” he added, opting for a little flattery.
“Follow me, then.” Valteria said, standing up from her stool and waving for Xander to follow.
Xander followed Valteria as she walked over to the shelf she’d been looking at earlier and took a palm sized, bright green stone from it. “Nature attuned core,” She explained, holding it for Xander to see. “I’m told it was taken from some kind of moving tree.” Valteria then moved to another worktable, on which were several of what looked to be drill bits to Xander. There was also an apparatus that look like it was designed to hold the bits, which was confirmed for him when Valteria slotted one of the small drill heads into the device. “This thing,” Valteria said, waving the drill a little bit, “is a life saver. I used to have to drill holes with a hand cranked one. Worth every single coin I paid for it to get an enchanted one.” She turned a dial on one side of the handheld device, which Xander was coming to think of as a magic dremel tool, and it began to come to life, the drill bit beginning to spin with a quiet whirring sound.
“Neat.” Xander commented. He watched patiently as Valteria drilled a series of shallow holes in the stone, the distinct screeching of metal on stone echoing through the shop floor. “So where’s Jarrett today?” He asked.
“Oh, he has the day off today. He asked for it about a week ago, not sure what for, though,” Valteria said distractedly. Soon she was finished with the holes she was drilling into the core, and moved to another workbench. “Now we create a setting for the core. This is a fairly simple way of doing it, mind you, but it is effective.”
Xander watched as she took sections of pre-braided silver wire and fitted the ends into the holes she had drilled. Once each hole was filled with a section of wire, Valteria began to pull wire from a spool, wrapping the stone until it was completely covered with silver wire and binding the braided sections to the stone in the process. “There,” she said, setting the stone down on the workbench. “A perfectly serviceable setting."
“So, if I understand correctly, you coat the core in a mana conductive material – the more surface area, the better, hence the holes – to create a setting?”
“Mmhmm,” Valteria said, nodding.
“Seems fairly straighforward. And then you connect the silver wiring that’s wrapped around it to more wiring, and attach that to your device? Why the distance? Why not just connect the setting directly to the device?”
“You absolutely can, if space isn’t an issue. Technically, the connection between the mana battery and the device, even if it’s just a single point with no distance, is still referred to as a conduit, though, so it’s considered a three part creation.”
“Oh, I see.”
“Do you want to try making your own, now? I don’t mind lending you a little wire.”
“Sure, but I should be good on material, I can produce it with my skills. Doesn’t last without a source of mana, but I guess the core itself might provide enough. Think this little chip is a bit small to put holes in, though.”
Xander looked at the small piece of crystal in his hand. If he just need as much contact as possible with a mana conductive material, his best bet would be to embed it into a sapphire or ruby. He decided on ruby, for no particular reason. Still holding the chip of core in his hand, he concentrated on his [Creation] ability. Valteria watched, amazed, as a ruby began to take form and grow around the piece of core until it was completely coated in a thin layer of gemstone.
“So, you can just... make things?” Valteria asked, sounding jealous.
“Well, it costs mana, and anything I make that isn’t provided a source of mana that leaves my person disintegrates in a day, but, yes. I can just make things with my skills. But,” he added, cutting off Valteria’s complaint of unfairness, “I have never received a skill that actually lets me improve a material. Sure, I have runes, which generally makes up the difference, but I don’t have any skills that improve the things I make. So, if you made a mana battery, and I made a mana battery the same way with identical materials, yours is going to be better, I assume, because you have skills that passively improve the things that you make, am I right?”
“Okayyy,” Valteria huffed. “I guess that does make it a little less unfair. But ugh! It would be so nice not having to source materials.” She looked at the ruby with a piece of core set inside it that Xander had made. “Well, I guess that about does it for making a setting... I thought it might have taken you longer to make one. I guess we can move on to fixing my armor even sooner! It’ll be nice to have it up and moving again.”
“Sure, sure, we can do that. Where is it, anyway?” Xander asked, looking around the shop again like he somehow would have missed the eight foot tall suit of armor.
“It’s in a shed behind the house,” Valteria explained. “I have it on a hoist so I can work on it.”
“Ah, that would explain why I haven’t seen it around.”
Exiting the shop, stopping for Valteria to put a small ‘closed’ sign on the door, the two of them made their way around the building, where Xander saw the small shed that presumably held Valteria’s armor. It looked like it could just barely hold the armor and one person – two, if they were comfortable with each other – inside it.
“So this is where the magic happens?” Xander asked.
“If by ‘magic’ you mean maintenance and upgrades, then yes,” Valteria agreed. She opened the door of the shed, which comprised most of the front of the tiny little building, revealing her suit of armor, which was currently hanging from several chains attached to pulleys on the ceiling. Plates of armor were laying strewn about the suite, leaving the joints and inner workings more exposed.
Xander whistled, looking at the inner workings of the suit. He could see gears, cogs, and joints, and throughout the entirety of the armor were running filaments of silver wire, which he assumed were mana conduits running to and from elemental cores and the various mana powered aspects of the suit. “This thing really is impressive. Almost as impressive as the woman who made it,” he said.
Valteria giggled, “Stop it! You’re supposed to be fixing this mess, not flirting with me!”
“Awh, can’t I do both?” Xander asked, trying to sound as saccharine as possible.
“Mmm, I suppose that if you are sufficiently skilled at multitasking, I might allow it,” Valteria said in a mockingly thoughtful tone.
“Well, I just so happen to be an expert, so flirt away I shall,” Xander replied. “Now, how about the beauty in front of me shows me exactly where the other beauty in front of me needs some repairs?”
Valteria sighed at Xander’s antics, but he could see the slight flush in her face. “Well, you welded the wrist joints, elbows, and knees. They aren’t welded all the way round, it’s more like you smoothed over a portion of it like it was wet clay. So if you could just... put it back? Shape it back to how it was, that’s should be all that’s needed.”
“Pretty straightforward,” Xander said, standing behind Valteria as she pointed out each joint. He could see the misshapen parts where he’d slapped a weld onto the metal. He leaned over her and put his hands on the elbow joint that they were closest to and began to shape the metal back to its original form.
“You’re... very close,” Valteria murmured to him as he formed the metal.
“Would you like me not to be?” He asked, carefully.
Valteria was silent for a moment before answering, “No...” quietly.
Xander carefully shifted to be a little closer, but still not quite touching, as he moved on to the wrist joint of the same arm. The process itself was simple, but he was enjoying taking his time. As he finished the wrist, he turned to look at Valteria. He found himself looking right into her eyes, as she was staring back at him. Unable to resist the temptation he leaned in a little closer, gauging Valteria’s reaction. When she, too, leaned towards him, he closed the small gap between them, drawing her into another kiss. Valteria pressed herself against him, the shed hiding them from any prying eyes on the street, and let out a small noise as Xander squeezed her tight. She was breathing a little bit harder than before the kiss as they separated again.
Valteria let out a breath. “You’re… a really good kisser.”
“Yeah?” Xander said, pleased with himself. “You’re not so bad yourself.”
“And you’re a tease, looming over me like that in this tiny little shed,” Valteria continued. “Now you’ve got me all flustered, how am I supposed to work now?” She mock complained.
Xander was glad to see that Valteria was comfortable enough with him to joke like that. “Forgive me,” he said formally, making a deep bow, “How ever can I make it up to the lady?”
“Oh stop it, I will tolerate no bowing and scraping, even in jest,” Valteria said, slapping him lightly on the shoulder, as he was still holding the bow. “You can make it up to me by fixing the rest of these joints! And by taking me out to dinner?” She added, hopefully.
“I think that can be arranged,” Xander said. “Is there anywhere you have in mind? I will admit, I haven’t become very familiar with the local restaurant scene, what with my… dietary restrictions.”
“It doesn’t… make you feel bad to go out to a restaurant, does it?” Valteria asked softly, watching his face for a reaction.
“Nah, don’t worry,” Xander said, waving off the question with one hand. “It doesn’t bother me too much. Sure, I miss the taste of a good cut of steak, but I was never that into food. Eating was more of a thing I did because I had to, so I’m not completely devastated by the loss. And I can still get some vicarious enjoyment out of watching someone else enjoy their food. Really the worst part is awkwardly having to refuse ordering anything,” he said with a laugh.
“Alright, if you say so,” Valteria said, letting out a slight breath of relief. “I was just worried that it might be upsetting to you, is all. I know I would miss eating.” She paused for a moment, something clearly on her mind. “What do you miss? If you don’t mind my asking. I just… well, I’m curious what it’s like for you.”
“Mmm, in a lot of ways, life is still the same, and in other ways, I’m technically doing better than I was before. I’m incredibly resistant to damage now, even without my armor. I do miss sleeping, though. I try to give my mind a rest and just sort of daydream and let my thoughts wander or do some meditation during the nights, but it’s just not the same. Also means I’m the one that pulls guard duty through the night,” he grumbled. “Let’s see, what else, what else. Ah, right. I can’t smell anything. Or taste. I haven’t worked out how to recreate those senses, yet. Though no sense of smell can be handy sometimes, I suppose. I don’t know if you’ve done much merc work – you mentioned being surprised that I’m not just moonlighting – but uh… the smells that you encounter on a battlefield are… unpleasant. To say the least. It was weird not having a sense of touch either, but I’ve resolved that. It’s a little bit different than my previous, natural sense of touch, but I’ve become accustomed to it to the point that I don’t much think about the difference anymore. I think I’ve even got the density of receptors down in certain areas compared to others, so I'm more sensitive in some areas than others now, just like I used to be. I’m still immune to being tickled though, so don’t even think about it – that’s a fight you’ll lose.” Growing a bit more somber, Xander continued on. “I think… the biggest thing I miss is just the feeling that I fit in more. Now I always worry about being different, there’s that nagging fear that anyone I get to know well is going to reject me once they find out what I am. Like I’m secretly lying to everyone around me with this façade I have going on.”
Valteria nodded sadly. “I get that. I’ve been… rejected before, too. At least it happens or not right from the beginning for me. I get to know if they look down on me for being different immediately instead of fearing they might later down the road.”
“Yeah,” Xander said. “People can really suck sometimes. But at least I can just, like, not tell people what I am if I so chose. You, my teammates, and the guild, since it’s on my status sheet, are really the only people who know. I keep it pretty private. You can’t do that, so I think you probably have to deal with a lot worse than I do. Not that I’d want you to hide what or who you are,” he added. “I happen to be quite enamored with who you are,” he said, teasing a smile from Valteria’s sad face.
“Sorry to bring up such a dour topic,” Valteria apologized. “I didn’t think much on it before I asked.”
“No worries,” Xander told her. “Honestly, I think it’s good to be able to talk about it with someone. It’s healthy to be able to get you feelings out there. And it helps that I feel like you understand where I’m coming from with it, though from a slightly different perspective.”
“You’re surprisingly thoughtful sometimes,” Valteria said, only half teasing.
“Only sometimes?” Xander asked with a faux expression of hurt on his face. “By the way, you didn’t react much to my comment about moonlighting as a merc. Do you ever go on contracts?”
Valteria shrugged. “I certainly wouldn’t describe myself as a professional mercenary. Moonlighter is an apt descriptor, for me, I think. I have gone on a couple, here and there, mostly on kill contracts that would net me a core or organ that would be useful for my work.”
“Mm, that makes sense. I suppose it could be handy having access to the ability to take contracts that would give you access to specialty materials,” Xander said.
“It’s also good for business,” Valteria explained. “Mercs tend to like to buy from someone who has at least been out on a contract or two before.”
“Ah, that makes sense. What kind of things do you sell to mercenaries, anyways? I saw Jarrett with a crossbow yesterday, but I imagine you make other things, too.”
“Oh all kinds of little things. Portable, flameless heaters for cooking. Water purification sieves. Mm, let’s see… I’ve made a few custom order devices, too. One customer wanted to be able to shoot a jet of flame from their gauntlet, that was a fun one.”
“Ooh, that does sound fun… reminds me of my flamethrower.”
“Your flamethrower?”
“Yeah, it’s basically a big tank with a hose attached to it. At the end of the hose is a pump that causes the flammable liquid – I use dragon’s tar – to shoot out. Add a flame that the tar passes over and bam! You’ve got a giant stream of flame that will coat anything it hits with sticky, flammable tar,” Xander said, excitedly describing the device.
“That’s… impressive. And kind of horrifying,” Valteria responded.
“Mm… I guess you’re right. I mostly use it on giant spiders. Blugh,” Xander shuddered. “But yeah, I suppose it’s not the nicest of ways to go. Very effective for area denial, though. Ah, actually I have an idea for crossbow bolt head that would ignite when it shatters! We should make that sometime and see if it sells.”
“Hmm, I think that would draw some buyers. A flaming bolt head you didn’t have to light first could be desirable to certain buyers.”
“Put that on the list and we’ll get around to it sometime.”
“We have a list?” Valteria said confusedly.
“We should!” Xander said with a laugh. “Now let’s get the rest of these joints done.”
The repair of the other arm and the leg joints that Xander had locked into position during the tournament was a short affair. Looking over the bare metal frame of the armor still hanging from the ceiling, Xander clapped his hands together, mimicking dusting them off. “Good as new!” He exclaimed. Looking over to Valteria he asked concernedly, “It is good as new, right?”
Valteria had been staring at the armor as well, lost in thought about how she was going to improve it next. “Hmm? Oh, yes. It’s right as rain again, ready for use. Thank you, by the way. For fixing it,” She said awkwardly.
“Well I’m the one who broke it, so it’s only fair that I fix it. So what do you want to work on next?” Xander asked. “I could do some rune work for you. Orrr… we could kiss some more?”
Valteria flushed at the question, but didn’t immediately say no.
A few minutes later, she found herself on her tip toes and lightly pressed against the interior wall of the shed, her lips pressed against Xanders.
Once the two of them were done acting like teenagers parked in a secluded parking lot, they made their way back into the shop. Stepping inside and closing the door behind them, Valteria let out a breath. “I think… you are going to have to do a lot of rune work to make up for how much you just kissed me, Xander.”
“What, you didn’t like it?” He said with a raised eyebrow.
“I didn’t say that,” Valteria said with a smirk.

*had to repost this here since it got deleted somewhere else sigh but this is my post, I am NOT karma farming o_O. I just really need to vent about this because I am just a girl worried for her older sister*
My older sister (25F) is going to be proposed to this Thursday by her unemployed boyfriend (25M). This dude (we will call him Frank) is atrocious and I honestly don't think he is good enough for my sister, this seems like a last resort/rebound since it seems like no one wants him. However, my sister has been wanting to be with him for about 3 years and after a lot of rejection she was losing hope until he asked her to be his girlfriend.
They have been dating for around 4-5 months and Frank plans on proposing to her this week, the day before my little sister has her high school graduation, which is just so infuriating because WHY of all weeks would you choose to propose this week?! AND he was thinking to do the proposal THE DAY OF THE GRADUATION but I advised him not to since my older sister would never forgive herself for taking the spotlight away from my little sister on her big day. So he settled to do it the day before which isn't better but I can't make him change the week lol.
And do not get me started on the ring he got my sister, he got it on Amazon as a last minute thing and tried to make an excuse about how hard it was to get something from California so fast so he had to settle for Amazon. Don't get me wrong Amazon has great rings, I have taken a look at some but he could've chose something that at least looks a little real or pretty?
I showed my mom the ring and she was a bit disappointed with how much effort he put into choosing the ring because my sister doesn't like rings that have large jewels on them, she likes simple and small. And this really made me question whether Frank even knows her well enough to be marrying her.
My parents said they are moving him in with my sister at her apartment next week, even though Frank has no job and the job my sister found for him might not work out. So my sister will be the main breadwinner and most likely the cook and clean for the apartment because he doesn't believe in men doing "all of that".
There are some things I am not going to go completely into but Frank has spoken to my mom in the rudest way possible, like he told my mother (the kindest and most hardworking woman I know) that she can't raise her kids right and he has told my little sister that she is insecure and a brat.
Sometimes he would shove my sister off of him with a disgusted look on his face when she is trying to be affectionate with him and my mom's side of the family (my uncles and aunts) thinks he is going to be "tough one" for my sister because:
1.he doesn't interact with ANYONE except my sister
2.always glued to his phone (especially at Christmas and other events with my family)
3.doesn't act like he likes our food lol
Sometimes my uncles and aunts bring up my boyfriend and appreciate how curious he is about our culture and always interacts with them/their kids. However, Frank does the bare minimum and just says "hi" then sits on his phone like a toddler and then makes my sister fetch him food and water.
If my sister and Frank live together, I am scared to get a call from her crying because he isn't helping her or she's too stressed. I feel like living together is a pretty big must before marriage, for instance, my bf and I are living together right now and even though sometimes it can be rough, we work through our arguments together.
I don't see Frank doing that because he has a huge ego and doesn't like to admit when he's in the wrong. He also lovesss to live a high end lifestyle when he can't afford it which is one of the many things I find so crazy. Like he loves eating out at fancy restaurants, especially with my parents because he would order the most expensive steak or meal since he knows he isn't paying for it ... but that seems rude, imo.
Anyways, I hope my older sister knows what she's doing because even though I have politely mentioned some concerns she's too in love with him to care how he treats my mother and other family members.
TL;DR My older sister (25F) is letting her unemployed fiance (25M) move in with her

I've worked as a waitress for five years and I've regretfully taught myself to never assume people share the same basic knowledge you have and to dumb down anything even if most people already understand what you're talking about.
In other words, if you're ordering a CHEESEburger, you should expect that burger to get CHEESE on it. Or if you order a steak, you're getting beef and not chicken, pork, or fish. Sadly, I've served guests who didn't make these connections and would not only complain, but throw fits and sometimes go as far as asking for a manager. In the end, a perfectly good plate of food ends up in the garbage. Like, dude, what do you mean you didn't expect me to put cheese on your burger? You ordered a cheeseburger. It's in the name!
Then there's situations that are a bit more complicated. For example, my restaurant serves an appetizer called "totchos." In case you weren't aware by the addition of "tot" to the name "nacho," these aren't traditional nachos. They're called that because you're getting loaded tater tots instead of nachos. You'd think people would see that name and either expect to get tater tots or at least ask what they are, but I've served an alarming number of people who will get the dish and realize that they aren't nachos.
"Where are the chips? I thought these were nachos..."
"No sir, they're totchos. That's why there's tater tots."
"Oh, well that's not what I wanted. I want a refund."
And usually, they don't realize this until after taking a bite, which not only means I'm forced to throw the food away, but also that I have to explain to my boss why we have to comp a $20 food order because they didn't question why our menu called nachos "TOTchos" instead. This has actually become a staple for me when training new employees because I absolutely refuse to watch another beautiful order go into the trash. Seriously, these things are super good. What a waste of food.
If I've learned one thing from this job, it would be to never assume. Not just for the server, but the customer too. Humans aren't mind-readers and we're likely to make decisions that lead to mistakes because we assume we know. It's better just to ask questions and confirm things only to look silly or obvious rather than make a mistake based on your own assumptions and deal with the consequences afterwards. It's not like I've gotten into trouble for these things or anything, but man is it annoying at times.

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Spoilers for if you haven't completed the community center / joja upgrades. Spoilers for if you haven't completed the hidden bundle / extra joja upgrade. Sorry for excessive spoiler warnings but this post has been removed for spoilers before.
So I started recording the NPCs responses to each movie, because while the wiki says who likes, loves, or dislikes each film, it doesn't say what each NPC has to say about it. I think the theater reveals a lot about the NPCs, but since you can only go once a week, and each movie only comes back every other year, you can't see all their responses without starting the same day over and over.
I still recommend you go to the movies with your four favorite NPCs, or the NPCs you think would be interesting with the movie, but this can help satisfy your curiosity for the others. I will update as I get to watch more movies.
STARDEW MOVIE RESPONSES
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GIVEN TICKET
Elliott, Harvey, Sam, Emily, Leah, Maru, Penny, Caroline, Demetrius, Gus, Jodi, Lewis, Marnie: A movie? Sure. I’ll meet you at the theater.
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Sebastian (married if relevant, idk): Oh, you want to go to the movies? Sounds pretty good. I’ll meet you there.
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Alex, Shane, Abigail, Haley, Clint: A movie? Yeah, whatever, sounds good. See you at the theater…
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Dwarf: A moo-what? Well, I’m sure I’ll like it! I’d be happy to go with you.
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Evelyn: Oh my! That’s so kind of you, dear. Why yes… I’d love to go to the movies! You go on ahead, and I’ll meet you at the theater.
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George: You wanna see a movie with an old geezer like me? …Well… okay. I’ll meet you there.
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Jas, Vincent, Leo: A movie? Yay! Let’s meet up at the theater!
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Kent: Erm… okay. Thank you. I’ll meet you there.
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Krobus: Oh? I normally hide myself from humans… But I have an idea… I’ll meet you at the theater later.
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Linus: Oh… me? I usually wouldn’t, but… okay. It’s nice of you to think about me. I’ll head over there in a little while.
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Pam (I am a girl): Ladies night with ol’ Pam, huh? Hah! Sure thing, kid… I’ll see you there.
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Pierre: Hey, that’s a great idea… It’ll be nice to get out from behind the counter. I’ll meet you there!
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Robin: Ooh… Two tickets for tonight’s show, huh? Sounds good! I’ll meet you there.
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Sandy: Ooh.. I’d love to join you. You go on ahead and I’ll meet you there, honey… I have to freshen up!
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Willy: Ah… a movie. That’s kind of ye, miss. I’ll just finish me pipe, and head over.
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Wizard: Hmm… I suppose I could accompany you… yes. Once you’ve arrived, I shall appear. Farewell.
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MYSTERIUM
‘Mysterium.’ A faint silhouette in the dark… The desolate, unknown void of space… where untold horrors await. A variety of disjointed, other-wordly scenes play out… ‘You MUST tell your friends to see MYSTERIUM tonight… Or I will visit you in your sleep!’
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Sebastian:
(before) I’ve heard this movie is pretty grim. I’m looking forward to it.
(middle) This is some next-level cinematography.
(after) Best movie I’ve seen in a while… I wonder how they did some of those special effects?
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Krobus:
(before, in disguise) Psst… Hey, it’s me, Krobus. Could you recognize me? If anyone approaches us, you do the talking, okay?
(after “in your sleep!” but before the end) “Krobus is stewing…” Not all shadow people are like that!
(after) I’m not used to wearing clothes… It’s very uncomfortable!
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Wizard:
(before) I sense an arcane power permeating this building tonight…
(after “in the dark”) “There’s a twinkle in Wizard’s eye…” And to think… the layman has no idea that this is all raw, real footage!
(after) For those aware of the esoteric mysteries, that had deep significance…
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MIRACLE AT COLDSTAR RANCH
The Miracle At Coldstar Ranch. It’s the eve of Winter Star, and it’s been snowing for 3 weeks straight. The Coldstar family is stranded… getting to town is impossible. Fortunately, the cows have enough hay to get by. …But the family has run out of food. Still, Papa Coldstar braves the treacherous conditions to cut down the winter star tree… In spite of their hunger, the family decorates the tree, keeping the promise of Winter Star alive. That night, an unusual phenomenon… The next day, Mama Coldstar is astonished to find the tree adorned with cosmic fruit. “We believed in the Winter Star, and so we were remembered!” They all shared the Stardrop fruit. Despite its small size, it was the most filling and delicious meal they'd ever had. The family is saved, and the spirit of hope is alive and well. The promise of Winter Star is kept once again…
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Alex
(before) Hey, I’m pretty excited to see a movie! I’m gonna need a snack, though…
(after “out of food”) “Alex seems to be having a good time!”
(after) Hey, that was pretty good. Thanks for inviting me to this, Player.
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Elliott
(before) I’ve avoided all information about this film… I like to go in completely ‘blind’!
(after “out of food”) “Elliott seems to be having a good time!”
(after) Very interesting… I’ll be pondering that one for a while.
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Harvey
(before) I read a glowing review of this movie in the Zuzu City Times…
(after “out of food”) It really makes you think, doesn’t it? “Harvey is absolutely enthralled…!”
(after) That was outstanding! I’m really glad you that brought me out for this, Player.
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Sam
(before) It’s an old movie with lots of talking, right? Hmm…
(after “out of food”) “Sam (bugged text?)” Huh? Oh! Yeah… The movie’s… interesting…
(after) Yeah… Uh… That one character was interesting… And, um… heh…
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Sebastian
(before) I hope it’s short…
(after “out of food”) “Sebastian is dozing off…”
(after) It’s probably a fine movie for the target audience, but it’s just not for me.
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Shane
(before) Ugh… this is going to be painful.
(after “out of food”) “Shane’s slumped over…”
(after) I feel depressed…
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Abigail
(before) From seeing the trailer, this one looks like a real snoozefest…
(after “out of food”) Wake me up if anything interesting happens. “Abigail is dozing off…”
(after) *yawn*... that was pretty boring, wasn’t it?
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Emily
(before) When I saw the movie poster for this one, I felt a very positive sensation in the top of my head.
(after “out of food”) “Emily is absolutely enthralled!”
(after) That movie felt very spiritual, in a way… don’t you agree? I loved it!
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Haley
(before) Mmm… It’s nice and warm in here. Winter is my favorite time to go to the movies.
(after “out of food”) “Haley seems to be having a good time!”
(after) I’m glad there was a good ending!
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Leah
(before) I’m not sure what to expect with this movie, but I’m going to keep an open mind!
(after “out of food”) “Leah seems to be having a good time!”
(after) That was simple, but good… It’s like the comfort food of cinema.
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Maru
(before) I really like going to the theater, even if the movie’s bad!
(after “out of food”) “Maru seems to be having a good time!”
(after) That was an interesting choice, for the final scene. What do you think they meant by that?
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Penny
(before) Oh, ‘The Miracle At Coldstar Ranch’! This looks wholesome and fun!
(after “out of food”) “(Penny is smiling)”
(after) I should totally bring the kids to see this sometime!
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Caroline
(before) The Miracle At Coldstar Ranch… I have no idea what this is about! I hope it’s not violent…
(after “out of food”) Caroline seems to be having a good time!
(after) That wasn’t bad! I’ll have to ask Abigail about it when I’m home, I’m sure she’s seen it.
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Clint
(before, I am playing as a girl if that matters) Oh… A… Are we on a date, then?
(after “out of food”) “Clint is taking sips from an unmarked flask.” *whispers*...If you’re, um… tired… you can put your head on my… my shoulder. Heh… or not!
(after) Hey… that was kind of fun… right?
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Demetrius
(before) I read about this one in the paper… didn’t seem like the thing for me. But I’ll give it a shot.
(after “out of food”) “Demetrius is dozing off…”
(after) Nonsense! That was totally unscientific!
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Dwarf
(before) Oh wow! A palace constructed for the sole purpose of entertainment!
(after “out of food”) “Dwarf seems to be in a deep trance.”
(after) “I didn’t understand a thing, but the flashing lights were mesmerizing!”
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Evelyn
(before) Before this theater came to town, I hadn’t seen a movie in twenty years!
(after “out of food”) “Evelyn is absolutely enthralled!”
(after) I loved it… now you know why ‘The Miracle At Coldstar Ranch’ is considered a classic.
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George
(before) Hmph… Theaters aren’t built like they used to be… But the picture might be good enough.
(after “out of food”) “George seems to be having a good time!”
(after) Heh. Compared to most movies these days, it wasn’t bad.
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Gus
(before) It doesn’t feel like the holidays until you’ve seen ‘The Miracle At Coldstar Ranch’!
(after “out of food”) “Gus is absolutely enthralled!”
(after) That was heartwarming… and somehow they make that fabled fruit seem so delicious. I’d love to taste it one day.
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Jas
(before) This is a grown-up movie, right? I’ll be okay!
(after “out of food”) “Jas is nodding and glancing sideways.”
(after) I thought it was good! It had… um.. good ‘die-a-log’! …right?
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Jodi
(before) I hope the seats are plush, I’ve been on my feet all day!
(after “out of food”) “Jodi seems to be having a good time!”
(after) I’m not much of a movie buff… but I had a good time! Thanks, Player.
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Kent
(before) Thanks for inviting me to the movies, Player. It’s not easy to adjust back into the civilian lifestyle, but you’ve helped me feel really welcome.
(after “out of food”) “Kent has a rare smile on his face.” This is great… it reminds me of simpler times…
(after) That was fun. When you’re engrossed in a movie, all your cares and worries disappear.
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Krobus
(before) *ahem*… Hello! I am very excited to be at the visual entertainment center and to consume the popped corn… Just like you! *whisper* …how am I doing?
(after out of food) Krobus is dozing off…
(after) So, your species enjoys staring at flickering lights for hours on end? Very interesting…
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Leo
(before) I’m really happy to be here. This is all so interesting!
(after “out of food”) “Leo seems very interested in the movie.”
(after) Wow… it was like magic!
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Lewis
(before) As mayor, I need to know what kind of movies are being shown in our community. We have the tender minds of the next generation to worry about!
(after “out of food”) “Lewis seems to be having a good time!”
(after) Hah! That wasn’t bad at all… I’d sat this one’s ‘Mayor Approved’.
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Linus
(before) I feel out of place here… I hope I’m not bothering anyone.
(after “out of food’) “Linus is looking at the floor…”
(after) I’m not used to that much stimulation… sorry if I was a disappointing guest, Player. I still appreciate you inviting me!
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Marnie
(before) I know I’m going to love this movie! It was really nice of you to invite me, Player.
(after “out of food”) “Marnie is absolutely enthralled!”
(after) Oh, I’m so glad the family was alright in the end. And the cows, too!
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Pam
(before) Hey, kid. Thanks for inviting me.
(after “out of food”) “Pam seems to be having a good time!”
(after) Heh, that wasn’t too bad!
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Pierre
(before) I’m usually working all the time, so it’s really nice to do something like this.
(after “out of food”) Pierre seems to be having a good time!
(after) Not bad! I wonder if they have any merchandise I could stock…
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Robin
(before) I’m not sure what this movie’s about, but I don’t really care! It’s just good to get out of the house.
(after “out of food”) “Robin seems to be having a good time!”
(after) That was a lot of fun, Player. I’m glad we did this.
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Sandy
(before) I’m so happy to have an excuse to come to Pelican Town!
(after “out of food”) “Sandy is absolutely enthralled!”
(after) That was a lot of fun, thanks for inviting me! I’d better head home soon…
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Vincent
(before) B… But… This movie is for grown-ups, isn’t it?
(after “out of food”) “Vincent is fidgeting in his seat.”
(after) That was boring… I didn’t understand anything.
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Willy
(before) Hehe… I’d never turn down a free movie!
(after “out of food”) “Willy seems to be having a good time!”
(after) Ah, that reminds me of a story me ol’ Pops used to tell…
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Wizard
(before) …
(after out of food) Wizard is dozing off…
(after) You pulled me from my studies for *this*?
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You know that warm, spicy, and comforting rice dish packed with flavors? It's kind of a big deal around here. And when it comes to the best biryani Brampton has to offer, there's one place that's an absolute must-try - Punjabi Meat Shop. Let me break it down for you.

The Chicken Biryani King

You want to know what makes Punjabi's chicken biryani so amazing? Two words: fresh and authentic. These guys don't mess around with shortcuts or bottled spice mixes. Nope, they use the real deal whole spices and herbs ground down into an insanely fragrant masala.
Then you've got the chicken itself. They use juicy and tender pieces marinated in that heavenly spiced yogurt sauce until it's bursting with flavor. Well, they also sell raw chicken and mutton. It all gets layered up with perfectly cooked basmati rice, saffron, nuts, and more before being steamed to biryani perfection.
The result? An unreal aroma of their biryani Brampton will have your mouth watering as soon as you open the takeout container. Each bite is like a flavor explosion of savory and just straight-up deliciousness. It's no wonder this place has great sales!

What Makes Punjabi Meat Shop Unique?

There’s no doubt that Punjabi Meat Shop's biryani is amazing. But that's not all they have in their menu. Their butter chicken, for example, is mind-blowingly good. Tender tandoori chicken swimming in a rich, garlic-butter curry sauce is perfect. It is great dish for soaking up with fresh naan bread.
If you want to mix it up, their chicken samosa (samosas stuffed with chicken and other tasty ingredients) or seekh kebabs are awesome starts. And don't sleep on their mutton karahi or chicken curry either - both are legit comfort food winners.
So if you're going for a full-on biryani Brampton feast or just swinging by for a quick takeout fix, Punjabi Meat Shop is a no-brainer. It is perfect if you have those South Asian food cravings hit in Brampton. Simple dishes done right with real, quality ingredients - that's the name of the game here.
Just be sure to order extra biryani Brampton because these leftovers are maybe even better the next day! You can thank me later when you're going back for seconds, thirds and...who's counting anyway?
You know that warm, spicy, and comforting rice dish packed with flavors? It's kind of a big deal around here. And when it comes to the best biryani Brampton has to offer, there's one place that's an absolute must-try - Punjabi Meat Shop. Let me break it down for you.

The Chicken Biryani King

You want to know what makes Punjabi's chicken biryani so amazing? Two words: fresh and authentic. These guys don't mess around with shortcuts or bottled spice mixes. Nope, they use the real deal whole spices and herbs ground down into an insanely fragrant masala.

Trigger warning - religious differences
I always bragged about how awesome my extended family was. NO family is perfect, but I heard horror stories and always counted my blessings that I had strong ties with my Aunt and uncles since I was raised an only child. That was until a few months ago when my last living Aunt, whom I considered a second mom, shattered me.
Ok, some backstory here. My aunt is a Jehovah’s Witness. Now before you get all judgy, I have always loved her, my uncle and her son with all of my heart. I still do. I respect that they have found faith and live by this code on the daily. I have met many people from their congregation and loved them all (ok, a couple of exceptions). I also appreciate the community they have and love they all show each other. If it weren’t for the religion itself, I would have converted.
I, however, am pagan and have always been since I was about 5 (even the first book I signed out from the school’s library was about witchcraft). Not raised that way, but always found spiritual comfort in nature and the natural world. I have a very strong connection and dedication to my Powers That Be and work every day to help the world be a better place. My Aunt did not know my religion until about 7 years ago. That being said, she and I would have very philosophical conversations when we hung out together. Even at the age of 8, I would listen to her preach to me and ask questions to which she never had answers. I remember her telling me how only 144,000 people would be allowed in heaven and didn’t I think that would be wonderful knowing that our whole family could be together again after we died. We’d all be in heaven if we were all Jehova;s witnesses. I had gone with her many times to do field service (door to door) and asked her why they do that if there’s only a certain number of people allowed. Didn’t that lessen her chances of getting in because I’m sure there were many people more deserving than myself. How did she know for sure she’d be one of the ones to get in and was that fair to keep bringing people into the religion when all the spaces were probably already filled up?
At 8 years old, I had many questions and was just trying to figure these things out. Since she was an adult, I figured she had the answers. My questions were not with malice, just for a want of better understanding. When she didn’t have the answers, I'd ask my mother and grandmother. While they were extremely amused, they said they never understood either. They never said anything bad about her or her attempts to get them to convert, just allowed me to explore religion and spirituality as I wished so I could make my own decision of what was right for me.
Once I was an adult, I avoided talking to her about religion, but found that if I didn’t ask questions and just let her talk, it made her happy. I know she’s a good person at heart and that’s all that matters. After my Mom passed, my aunt and I talked almost every week. I loved talking to her and she became even more like a mom to me. She gave me encouragement and we supported each other through health and emotional crises. I’d make it a point to try and visit at least once a year for a few days so she could visit with my daughter and I. We’d always do lunch with her friends and I loved it. I fell in love with some of the people in her congregation and wished we could live closer to hang out more. I, however, never wavered on my spiritual beliefs, but I have never cared about the religion, race, or sexuality of anyone. If we got along, we were friends and that was that.
My aunt and I had come to an understanding that I would not convert and that we would love and respect each other regardless. Religious talk was off the table for the most part until both of my uncles (my aunt’s two brothers) passed and she had a very hard time dealing with it. She was the last surviving sibling and she was sinking into a depression. I’d talk to her at length and listen to her as she mourned the fact that she would never have contact with them (and my mom) in heaven because they never converted. When she asked me what I believed, I told her that I believed that the soul lived on after the body died and that I believed in reincarnation. I explained my beliefs were closer to hindu and buddhism than christianity (so she had context). We had very long talks and she expressed that she respected my views and actually found comfort in talking with me.
That was until my daughter and I opened our store about 3 years ago. It’s a metaphysical shop and we have crystals, teas, gifts, jewelry, candles and more (about 10% strict;y pagan). My aunt was happy for us until it dawned on her that we might sell pagan stuff. I told her what we sold and she asked me if I was a witch. I replied that I suppose that was one way to describe me, but, again, I considered myself spiritual and that I followed a path closer to buddhism, hinduism, native american. I sent a couple of pictures of the jewelry that we made and she said when we came down, we should bring the jewelry making.
We did, I brought down our best crystals to wrap and bracelet materials and my daughter and I made her a necklace with a very expensive stone (A $200 piece). She brought her friends over and they picked out crystals that they wanted, made bracelets and such. We had fun and I was happy to do it, though I wasn’t expecting people that I had never met before. Still, we had fun. My daughter and I also brought her a basket with local items from our hometown, (Raw honey, handmade stoneware mugs, cutting board, herbal tea and some other items made by us as well) She was thrilled. My aunt and uncle had taken a couple of bad falls a few months before and so my daughter and I made them hand carved cedar walking sticks as well because we knew they went for regular walks and thought it would help their balance. It felt amazing to lavish expensive and heartfelt gifts on them as I has struggled so long with money. I was finally in a place that I could do it. To say the gifts probably totalled in excess of 1K is on the low side, but I was still happy to do it.
Besides the fact that they tried converting my daughter when I wasn’t around, it was a lovely visit. The only problem I had was with a new person my aunt introduced us to. This woman, we’ll call her Dee, ignored me and only talked to my daughter. She was my age if not older, but conversed with my daughter, 17, like I wasn’t there. They traded contact info and Dee insisted that they keep in touch while my daughter was in college. Dee said she was going to keep an eye on her. I thought that was odd, but I did enjoy the feeling of having an extended family sort of since I actually had no family besides my Aunt.
Let’s jump forward to the following year and we were struggling financially. Not horrible, but unable to lavish the gifts that we did the year before. Instead, I created a beautiful aromatherapy candle, some delicious herbal teas and we found a couple of very rare antique tea cups that had amazing value to them (about $100 a piece). We made a basket for her and I decided we would cook for them. (gluten free, soy free, dairy free etc). Our visit went so well, it was great to see them. We just enjoyed hanging out with them and talking. They loved the meal we made for them and the dairy free organic chocolate I made. Everything was great until the day we were leaving. Dee showed up and again ignored me, talked to my daughter and chastised her for getting a pet snake as that was an animal associated with the devil. My daughter is one to push the envelope a bit and said how she wanted to get a tattoo as well, one of a snake. Both my aunt and Dee were shocked and said she should never get a tattoo.. Again related to the devil, I went to the bathroom as I was not involved in the conversation and knew my daughter could hold her own. Little do they know that my daughter is also trans. I told her not to say anything to them just yet. I came back to them talking about how college was going and I thought my aunt and Dee would faint when she said her college roommate was male. She quickly explained that it was fine because he was gay and how awesome he was (he is btw). She quickly realized what I meant when she saw their reaction to him being gay. It wasn’t that she was living with a boy, it was that he was gay and “why did he choose to be gay.” I tried redirecting the conversation a couple of times, but they ignored me.
They finally let it go, but just after Dee left, we were getting ready to depart as well. My aunt returned the basket I made for her (minus the expensive tea cups). She said she could not accept them as they were touched by the devil. Shocked, I asked what she meant. She said that because they came from my store, they carried Satan's influence and she could not have them in our home. Truthfully, I explained that I made those items for her and that the only things that came from the store were the teacups. She was confused why I had gotten upset. When I explained that I gave her a gift and if she didn’t want it, she could regift it or throw it away. That gift came from my heart with all the love I have for her and that I didn't need to know her opinions about the gifts because It insinuated I, myself, was evil and it was extremely hurtful. She basically continued on insisting that I was just not aware of how much Satan had a hold of me. All I could do was tell her how much I loved her and leave.
I didn’t take her calls and cried about this for over a month. I finally felt strong enough to talk to her and again she insisted that because those items touched my hands, they were influenced by satan and she wished I could understand how they just can’t have that influence in their home. Frustrated, I asked how she could shop at grocery stores or buy anything from department stores because she can’t guarantee that those items didn’t touch hands that were influenced by satan. Also , I asked her how they could have eaten the food I prepared for them and why did they even invite me into their home to begin with if that’s the way she felt about me. She suddenly needed to go.
We talked a few times since then but it always came back to religion. At one point I asked her again why she would even invite us to her home if she felt that way. Her response was to save my daughter. The pain and heartache she has inflicted is immense, but I cannot bring myself to argue the point because I’m afraid if I make my point to her, it will break her. She’s in her 80’s and I believe has the beginnings of dementia. Her religion brings her comfort and I don’t want to say anything that might make her doubt her religion at her advanced age.
I’ve decided it is probably best for both of our mental health to stop all contact with her( with the exception of sending cards telling them how much I love them) even though I’ve always seen her as a second mom. AITA for making this decision and not trying to work things out with her or allow her to believe that I still might convert?
*** Please understand this is not a bash on any religion. Everyone has the right to believe in whatever religion they wish. That includes me, so if you feel the need to bash them or me for our spiritual choices, you can move along ***
I have never felt like I needed to hide any part of me from my friends, family, and the public in general. Not until now. Buckle up, this is a bumpy ride.
I've always been kind hearted, almost to a flaw. I took care of my grandmother, my step-dad, my mom and helped with a family friend during long term and terminal illnesses. I had my daughter and, without her father's help, raised her on my own with very little to no support. I helped friends with their farm who left me homeless in the end because I want interested in an extramarital affair. I lost my home and all that I loved including my husband because he lied to me and never paid it mortgage while I was recovering from an illness. In short, I have had a tough life, but it has never made me turn my back on anyone who needed help or in difficult family when they were ignored by the others. That's just some background before I tell you this situation.
Three years ago, after a bout of covid, my daughter was suicidal. She had been in the top three of her HS class and yet at that point almost failed her junior year. Not knowing if she would have the emotional strength to face college and adulting in general, I set up a plan B for her. I started a store in her name and that way she'd have something at least to fall back on if she was unable to function in the m-f 9 to 5 world. We started slow by doing craft fairs, seeking crystals, candles, jewelry, and gifts. We were kicked out of one because the person running it assumed we were witches. She was not wrong exactly as we identified as pagan, but we lived our life closest to the Buddhist and Hindu traditions, not traditional wicca. These were people who knew us for years and were considered acquaintances if not friends.
Our business flourished and we ended up opening our brick and mortar that fall after remodeling our garage/ barn and turning it into a store front. Even though I run it for my daughter, it is hers and we work together to keep it going.
In the past few years I've lost my mom, and two uncles. I have no family besides my mother's sister and her husband which we were pretty close. My aunt knew that I was pagan and had tried recruiting me into her religion since I was 5. Even at that tender age her religion never made sense and I would ask her questions to which she never had answers. I accepted her and respected her and her religion even though I didn't agree. I loved the people she introduced me to that were in her church and I always got along with them. That is until we visited the year after we started our store. My aunt was thrilled about us bringing crystals down and making jewelry with her. We met a new friend of hers (middle aged woman) who ignored me completely and oozed affection on my daughter. She got my daughter's contact info and contacted her frequently. Trying to convert and ”save” her. My daughter wasn't having it as even though she was in a delicate state, she is very level headed and strong willed.
This year we visited and we brought herbal tea, candies, and rare vintage tea cups for my aunt. The day we were leaving, she handed back everything but the vintage tea cups and told me she couldn't accept them because they were touched by Satan (aka made by my hands). To say I was devastated is an understatement. This woman was always like a second mom to me and we had grown closer after my mom passed away. It was a 20 hour drive home and I cried most of the way. I cried for weeks after a well. Thinking of it now still brings me tears. As she was telling me that Satan had a hold on me and that she was trying to save me, all I did was remind her how much I loved her and my uncle. Every time since then that we have talked, she says the same thing, but now she told me I was a lost cause. I feel like trying to stay in touch is detrimental to her mental health ( and my own). I don't want to give up or abandon the last of my family, but I can't talk to her and endure the endless insinuations that I'm evil because I don't believe in her religion. She took a bad fall and broke her arm. The last time we spoke, she talked as if it was my fault for bringing the devil into her home.
While I could usually brush this off as delusional ranting, it hits hard because the same day she fell, my dad died. I know the Powers That Be only give as much as we can handle, I just wish they didn't have so much faith in me.
They are in their 80s. I know in all the pieces of my broken heart that they'll never be able to accept my daughter and I unless we change religions and it has crossed my mind just to say we have to put her at ease, but I can't lie like that to them and we cannot betray ourselves like that either. By

I'm hitting close to 130h of playtime and there's some glaring issues with the game that I'm begging to see and couldn't help but wonder what Arrowhead do to make the state of helldiver arsenal better. With the Polar Patriots out and new arsenal avaible I don't see anything unique about it. The Tenderizer is just a Liberator spin-off, same with the new smg and the Defender. What is the point of these new weapons and armor if they are deep down just a reskin and a slight stat change different? The Eruptor was a perfect addition right until it got the shrapnel explosion removed, it offered an entirely new way to play around with loadouts, but now (for me personally) it belongs to the dumpster.
What is it, that the devs can do to make our arsenal more intresting? Let us modify it to some extent! There won't be a need for the Liberator Penetrator if we could modify the basic Liberator to get medium armor pen at the expense of firerate. I'd love to be able to modify the weapons we get with slight stat changes. This one change would make every weapon much more intresting and viable. Same goes for our armor. Give us some option to customize it's stats and perks.
I feel like giving the players partial customization of weapons and armor will really help a lot and there won't be a need to release a warbond each month, just for it to have weapons that feel like cheap knock offs.

Gotta love it. Our local HCA hospital, which has had a whole host of issues as of late just sent my wife's bill to collections.
Back story:
My wife had a lipoma removal last November. Because of it's location on the back of the neck, they had her do the removal at the hospital. Out patient, was there for... six hours. We have gotten (and paid) bills for the surgeon, the anesthesiologist, the biopsy, pre op medical visit, and a bill for the 'room'. Then a few weeks ago we get another bill for 2700$. But this one doesn't say anywhere what it's for, just a bill from the hospital. So... we called up, and asked for an itemized bill, and followed up with a letter requesting an itemized bill. We don't have an issue paying for it, but we wanted to see what that 2700$ was for. And yet, yesterday, we got a letter from a medical debt collection agency demanding payment in full. We never got an itemized bill. I'll be honest, I'm a little surprised, and I know I shouldn't be. The same hospital tried to charge me 1800$ for a tetanus shot and a butterfly bandage.
(Side story: about 8 years ago I was half asleep trying to make my kids frozen waffles. I grabbed a steak knife to separate the frozen waffles, not my finest decision, and the tip of the knife went straight into my finger. It was 6:30 am, and it wouldn't stop bleeding. My wife insisted we go to the ER. So I went... they wiped it off, gave me a tetanus shot and threw a butterfly bandage on it.. and then told me since my deductible was 1800$ for the ER, the charge was 1800$. BUT... if it paid it right now, it would only be 1700$. I laughed at the woman telling me this, much to her annoyance. At the time I worked for a cardiology group doing IT work for them who did procedures at the same hospital. the medical head saw my finger, asked me what happened. I told him about it and the charge... he shook his head, took out his cell phone made a 3 minute call and bam... all charges gone.)
So what next? I've seen some places where people say you can request an itemized bill from the collection agency, but I've seen others say you can't. I don't work for the cardiology group anymore, so that's not really an option (though I left on good terms) Anyone have any suggestions?