Wasn't able to find one post that summarized 2nd year ELEC before I did it so I thought I'd make one. This is my personal opinion and an average student's perspective (sometimes even below average lol). 2nd year is a lot of mixed opinions about everything.
You want to have MATH 101, PHYS 158, APSC 160 and MATH 152 completed before starting 2nd year. Standardly you'll be taking 39 credits in the winter session. Although it's very common to take fewer (in fact I'd recommend it) credits.
Term 1 looks like: ELEC 201(4), CPEN 211(5), MATH 253(3), MATH 256(3), CPSC 259(4). Term 2 looks like: ELEC 202(4), ELEC 211&MATH264 (3), ELEC 221(4), ELEC 281(3), ELEC 291(6). You could take MATH 253 in the summer before 2nd year, take ELEC 281 before 2nd year after you've been placed in ELEC or also take it the summer after 2nd year. Utilize your summers to complete as many complimentary studies, free, impact requirement electives as you can. There is an option to take ELEC 291 in the summer after 2nd year as well but I wouldn't recommend that as it's a very time consuming design course and I've heard it's run differently in the summer and isn't as worthwhile in terms of what you learn.
ELEC 201: One of the harder courses in term 1, isn't very time consuming but isn't easy either. First time you'll be giving WebWork exams so the average is low but you'll be fine. Do the homework and attend class. I took it with Alireza Nojeh who was a good prof. Lectures were very organized and he writes and explains everything as he goes which is nice. Isn't scaled or scaled very slightly. Practice the WebWorks and lecture notes and also follow Linares's YouTube channel regardless whether he teaches it or not. Difficulty: 3.75/5.
CPEN 211: Hardest course in term 1 imo. Very time consuming, especially the labs, which would sometimes take entire weekends and eat time out of other courses and aren't even worth 2% each. So find a good lab partner. There's a lot to cover so be up to date. Although the lectures aren't very helpful. I'd suggest keeping up with the slides and making notes and GOING TO ANY TUTORIAL AND LECTURE where he/the TAs solve problems. Took it with Tor who teaches it almost every year. Too much content to be covered in lectures but he is helpful in office hours/after lectures. Do as many problems as you can find and try and understand every concept. Difficulty 4.5/5.
MATH 253: One of the easier courses in 2nd year. In a non-ideal situation can be done in a short time as well. Easier compared to MATH 100 and 101. In math practice is very useful so try and do as many problems be it before the exams or throughout the term. The course is taught online so is easily procrastinated but Professor Leonard and Alexandra Niedden on YouTube are very good resources. Took it with Mark MacLean who is a GOATED math prof. Clear communication from him about what's expected and needs to be done. Difficulty: 2.5/5
MATH 256: Easiest course in 2nd year imo (partially because of the prof). Cannot be done in a short time but is easily followed throughout the term. As usual practice is key. Took it with Neil Balmforth who is also GOATED. He makes the course much easier, the other section didn't have as nice of a time. His midterms and finals were basically identical to the sample midterms and finals. Difficulty: 2/5
CPSC 259: It's a much more theoretical than APSC 160. The only nice parts were the labs because they were coding and not theory. The quizzes and final were mostly theory and on PraireLearn so limited attempts (usually 2) which made the tests very very hard. Took it with Geoffery Tien who usually teaches it. He's a nice guy but okayish at teaching. Very monotonous. I read the textbook and did it's problems which really helped. Difficulty: 3.5/5.
ELEC 202: A hard course but Linares makes you spend so much time on it, it doesn't feel as difficult as the other courses by the end. Another course graded by WebWork so marks aren't easily obtained. Make sure you understand all the WebWorks, TopHat and questions from the slides. Linares imo is one of the best teachers I've had and is very knowledgeable about EE. But his personality takes a lot away from him as a professor. This course will solidify a lot of basics for you, some that you might have overlooked in 201 but they way he runs the course does make it unnecessarily time consuming and challenging. I'd say do take the course with him regardless of the horror stories, you'll be glad you did later on but be ready for having a weird time in this course. And yeah follow his YouTube channel like your life depends on it. Difficulty: 4/5
ELEC211 & MATH264: These 2 are run together as a one 3 credit course ELEC 211(2) and MATH 264(1). I pretty much had to do this course on your own. It isn't very time consuming but the term that it's in and the way it's taught will make it feel challenging. Took it with Carol Jaeger who taught the 211 part and Professor Demirbas who taught the 264 part. I don't mean to be rude but both were basically useless. I don't know if Professor Jaeger tried to teach because I stopped going after a few weeks that's how bad it was. It felt like she was just there because she has to be. For Professor Demirbas the way he teaches was very weird. Read a few nice things about him but didn't have the same experience. He speaks and teaches too fast for anyone to be able to learn anything but that might be because they're making him teach most of a 3 credit course (MATH 317-Calculus IV) as a one credit course in about 6-7 lectures all this along with a theory driven electromagnetics course. I'd recommend watch the last 4-5 lecutures of Professor Leonard's Calc III YouTube playlist right in the beginning of the course. That'll cover the MATH portion. Then follow the math lectures to practice and use that math you learnt to understand the ELEC portion. Wasn't able to find a goof YouTube resource for the ELEC part but just watch a bunch of different videos for each topic I guess. WebWorks are good practice. Difficulty: 4/5 (should've been 3 but the way they run it).
ELEC 221: A hard course depending on your proclivity for mathematics. It's a whole lot of new concepts so it's reasonable it'll be difficult. If the concepts of Fourier Series, Laplace Transforms (also in ELEC 202) and Differential Equations that you learnt in MATH 256 are really clear, that'll help. Took it with Joseph Yan who is a very kind and helpful person, but he just refuses to teach for some reason. He'll ask you to watch 1 or 2 20-30 minute videos before the week and the lectures will basically be a slideshow of previously annotated slides from a few of years ago and him just repeating "any questions?" without really explaining anything. His pre-week videos were helpful but they were only there for the first part of the course. I'd say watch his videos that are there. The examples in his slides are good for theoretical understanding and WebWorks are good practice for exams. Difficulty: 4.25/5
ELEC 281: It's a technical communication course, supposedly like WRDS 150B. Dropped it, taking it in the summer will update this here once I've taken it.
ELEC 291: Probably my favorite course from 2nd year. You actually get a sense of what it might be like being an engineer because this is a project course and you do hands on work. You get to work in teams which is sometimes good and sometimes bad. The only downside is it'll eat up A LOT, sometimes ALL of your time. First of all there are 6 labs that are due weekly which can take anywhere from 1-6 hours, depends on the amount of debugging you need to do. There's 2 projects which are much bigger than the labs. You have to spend a lot of time (can't put hours because I couldn't keep track even if I tried to) on the projects. There's no studying but a whole lot of doing. Professor Fraga is very helpful in the lab. Right course, wrong timing. Difficulty: 5/5 (60% because of the time it takes and 40% because of the actual work).
Hope this helps! Again these are just my opinions and everyone has a different experience. Let me know if anyone has any questions or if you feel I wrote something that isn't a valid description.
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So far sales had been steady but not spectacular. Jenna hoped they would pick up after the school let out. She chatted and sampled with customers, pitching her spiel about supporting their troop's efforts to earn badges. It was fun work even if tiring on her feet.
Gazing up at the cloudless sky, Jenna wondered idly if it might rain later. The forecast hadn't mentioned anything, but you never knew. A tiny speck in the distance caught her eye. She squinted, trying to make it out. It grew rapidly in size—and shape. Whatever it was, it wasn't a bird.
"Hey Jamie, do you see that?" Jenna nudged her friend, pointing. Now the other girls had turned to look as well. What had been a speck was now clearly some large, cylindrical object descending from the heavens. It shone silvery-grey in the sunlight.
"Is that...a rocket ship?" breathed Tammy.
As it neared the treetops, its design became evident. Definitely not any spacecraft Jenna had seen on the news or in movies. It was smoothly rounded on all ends, with no visible engines or fins. Eerily silent, it drifted toward an open field and settled softly on four tapering legs.
The girls stared open-mouthed, cookies momentarily forgotten. A hatch appeared in the side of the ship. Light spilled out, glowing an ethereal blue. Then towering figures emerged, moving with an inhuman grace.
Jenna caught her breath. Peering closer, she could just make out bipedal forms wrapped in loose, silvery garments. Their limbs seemed overly long and jointed in odd places. As they turned in her direction, two dark eyes set wide in hairless faces met hers. No nose or mouth was visible beneath.
"Aliens," Jamie whispered. "Actual aliens. I don't believe it."
Tammy squeaked and clung to Jenna's arm. But Jenna's mind was racing. This was an incredible opportunity, too good to pass up. She flashed the others a mischievous smile. "Come on, girls. Let's go make some sales!"
The troop fell into step behind her as she marched into the field. The creatures had paused, gazing around at their surroundings with a palpable air of curiosity and caution. As Jenna neared, they angled their expressive eyes down at the little band approaching. Up close, their skin shimmered in shades of aqua and moss green, veined with silvery networks.
The tallest one shifted its gaze between the girls, as if taking their measure. It spoke, but the sound was like rushing wind and dripping water blended into an eerie melody. Its friends chattered in response, their voices blending into a dissonant choir.
Undeterred, Jenna beamed and proudly presented her box of Thin Mints. "Cookies!" she enunciated clearly. "Would you like to buy some cookies?" To her astonishment, a glowing rectangle like a computer screen lit up on the tall one's torso. Words scrolled across it in crisp English letters.
WE DO NOT UNDERSTAND. WHAT ARE COOKIES? IT SEEMS YOU ARE SELLING SOMETHING, BUT WE HAVE NO CURRENCY OF YOUR WORLD.
Jamie leaned in to whisper, eyes shining, "They can understand us! This is so cool."
Jenna gathered her thoughts, focusing on her sales pitch despite everything unusual about the situation. "Cookies are a sweet treat made of chocolate and biscuits. They're very popular here on Earth. And all the money we earn from selling them goes towards fun trips and learning new skills as Girl Scouts. Please, won't you buy a box to help support our troop? I'm sure you'll love them!"
The aliens conferred amongst themselves, still in untranslatablespeech. Finally, the glowing display lit up again. I APOLOGIZE, BUT WE HAVE NO MEANS OF TRANSACTION. WE ARE EXPLORERS HERE IN PEACE TO STUDY YOUR WORLD. PERHAPS ANOTHER TIME WE CAN BARTER. FOR NOW, WE ONLY WISH TO LEARN.
Jenna tried to hide her disappointment. This wasn't how she'd envisioned the interaction going at all. But she had come this far, so she wasn't giving up yet. An idea bloomed in her mind. "Well, since you want to learn about us, how about a trade? We'll give you a box of cookies to try in exchange for letting our whole troop come aboard your ship for a little while. What do you say?"
The girls held their breath. This was assuredly against every safety rule. But an opportunity for an out of this world experience was too enticing to pass up. The aliens conversed quietly before responding.
VERY WELL, HUMAN CHILDREN. FOR THE SAKE OF CULTURAL EXCHANGE, WE AGREE TO YOUR TRADE. COME, WE SHALL GIVE YOU A TOUR OF OUR VESSEL.
Screeches of delight arose from the Scout troop. Jenna tried to shush them, not wanting the aliens to change their minds. But she couldn't contain her own grin of excitement and triumph. This was going to be one very memorable cookie sale!
Jenna stepped forward nervously, holding out the box of Thin Mints for the aliens to see. She did her best salesperson smile while gesturing to the colorful packaging. "Cookies!" she said again loudly and clearly.
The tallest alien leaned down, its large dark eyes fixing on the box in Jenna's hands. A long, nimble finger reached out to poke gently at the box, then drew back just as swiftly. Its companions murmured again in their strange tongue.
Frustrated not being able to communicate properly, Jenna popped open the lid so the sweet scent could waft up. She took one mint and mimed taking a bite, sighing happily and rubbing her belly. The aliens copied the sign for stomach, looking quizzical.
An idea sparked in Jenna's mind. Rummaging in her bag, she pulled out her phone and found the notepad app. Typing awkwardly with her thumbs, she showed them the words "Will you trade for this?" Arrows pointed to the cookies and to their ship.
A spark of understanding lit in the aliens' eyes as they studied the makeshift message. Their glowing display lit up in response. I APOLOGIZE, SMALL HUMAN, BUT WE HAVE NOTHING OF VALUE FROM OUR WORLD TO OFFER IN RETURN. OUR MISSION HERE IS ONE OF DISCOVERY ONLY.
"Please?" Jenna typed, giving her best pleading look. The girls clustered behind her, joining in the silent begging. But the aliens only seemed perplexed by this behavior.
Suddenly Tammy piped up, "What if we clean your ship for you? We'll dust and sweep and take out the garbage." The others stared at her, surprised by this inventive offer.
The display considered this. THAT IS A GENEROUS OFFER. HOWEVER, OUR CRAFT UTILIZES TECHNOLOGY FAR BEYOND YOUR WORLD'S CURRENT STAGE. I DOUBT YOU COULD PERFORM MAINTENANCE TO OUR STANDARDS.
At this rejection, the girls deflated with twin sounds of disappointment. But Jenna wasn't giving up yet. She furiously texted another message. "How about you give us a little tour then? We promise to be very careful and not touch anything."
The aliens conferred quietly amongst themselves for several moments. The girls held their breath, hoping their persistence was finally paying off. Then the glowing display lit up once more.
VERY WELL, SMALL HUMANS. FOR THE SAKE OF CULTURAL EXCHANGE, WE WILL ALLOW YOU A BRIEF LOOK INSIDE OUR VESSEL. BUT YOU MUST FOLLOW OUR INSTRUCTIONS CAREFULLY. OUR TECHNOLOGY COULD PROVE DANGEROUS IF MISUSED.
The Girl Scouts whooped and cheered, doing a little victory dance. Jenna grinned, popping another Thin Mint in her mouth triumphantly. "Deal! Thank you so much for this."
The tallest alien gestured gracefully with one long arm. "THIS WAY, YOUNG ONES. WE SHALL BEGIN OUR TOUR."
Clutching their cookie boxes eagerly, the girls fell into line behind the extraterrestrials. They followed them up a floating gangway into the belly of the ship.
Inside, the walls glowed with an otherworldly luminescence. Strange symbols and interfaces winked all around, totally indecipherable. The floors felt bouncy underfoot, as if made of gelatin.
"Wow," breathed Jamie. "It's so beautiful in here."
The aliens guided them through sleek corridors and compartments full of glowing tech. They pointed out living quarters, a laboratory, hydroponic gardens, and an observation deck showing the curve of the Earth.
In the cockpit, countless viewscreens displayed alien constellations and scans of their small town below. Control panels rippled like liquid mercury beneath touch.
"This is where we navigated our journey to your solar system," explained their guides. "Truly a marvel, the distances stars can be bridged.
Tammy peered out the main viewing portal. "Your ship is so fast! How did you get here from wherever you came from?"
As the explorers launched into an explanation involving hyperdrives and folded spacetime, Jenna began to lose the thread. Space travel clearly worked very differently where these beings hailed from.
Their tour lasted nearly an hour, the aliens answering every barrage of questions patiently. All too soon, it was over, and they found themselves back outside in the late afternoon sun
"Thank you so much for the amazing tour!" Jenna gushed, hugging her now-empty cookie box. "Learning about aliens is a once-in-a-lifetime experience.
The tallest being dipped its head graciously. "IT WAS OUR PLEASURE, SMALL HUMANS. YOU HAVE PROVIDED US AN INSIGHT INTO YOUR YOUNG ONES AS WELL."
Its fellows chattered in their musical language, some holding half-eaten cookies and gesturing appreciatively. Jenna beamed, glad they seemed to have enjoyed the treats.
"Will you come back to see us again?" asked Jamie hopefully.
"PERHAPS, IF OUR EXPLORATIONS BRING US BACK THIS WAY," was the reply. "BUT FOR NOW, WE MUST RESUME OUR JOURNEY AMONG THE STARS. FAREWELL, AND THANK YOU ONCE MORE FOR YOUR HOSPITALITY.
The aliens turned as one and glided back up the gangway. The rockets flared, rising gracefully into the sky until they vanished into the dusk.
The girls stood watching long after, buzzing with excited chatter about this unforgettable day. In the end, it had been the best cookie sale ever. Maybe even worth breaking a few rules...

So far sales had been steady but not spectacular. Jenna hoped they would pick up after the school let out. She chatted and sampled with customers, pitching her spiel about supporting their troop's efforts to earn badges. It was fun work even if tiring on her feet.
Gazing up at the cloudless sky, Jenna wondered idly if it might rain later. The forecast hadn't mentioned anything, but you never knew. A tiny speck in the distance caught her eye. She squinted, trying to make it out. It grew rapidly in size—and shape. Whatever it was, it wasn't a bird.
"Hey Jamie, do you see that?" Jenna nudged her friend, pointing. Now the other girls had turned to look as well. What had been a speck was now clearly some large, cylindrical object descending from the heavens. It shone silvery-grey in the sunlight.
"Is that...a rocket ship?" breathed Tammy.
As it neared the treetops, its design became evident. Definitely not any spacecraft Jenna had seen on the news or in movies. It was smoothly rounded on all ends, with no visible engines or fins. Eerily silent, it drifted toward an open field and settled softly on four tapering legs.
The girls stared open-mouthed, cookies momentarily forgotten. A hatch appeared in the side of the ship. Light spilled out, glowing an ethereal blue. Then towering figures emerged, moving with an inhuman grace.
Jenna caught her breath. Peering closer, she could just make out bipedal forms wrapped in loose, silvery garments. Their limbs seemed overly long and jointed in odd places. As they turned in her direction, two dark eyes set wide in hairless faces met hers. No nose or mouth was visible beneath.
"Aliens," Jamie whispered. "Actual aliens. I don't believe it."
Tammy squeaked and clung to Jenna's arm. But Jenna's mind was racing. This was an incredible opportunity, too good to pass up. She flashed the others a mischievous smile. "Come on, girls. Let's go make some sales!"
The troop fell into step behind her as she marched into the field. The creatures had paused, gazing around at their surroundings with a palpable air of curiosity and caution. As Jenna neared, they angled their expressive eyes down at the little band approaching. Up close, their skin shimmered in shades of aqua and moss green, veined with silvery networks.
The tallest one shifted its gaze between the girls, as if taking their measure. It spoke, but the sound was like rushing wind and dripping water blended into an eerie melody. Its friends chattered in response, their voices blending into a dissonant choir.
Undeterred, Jenna beamed and proudly presented her box of Thin Mints. "Cookies!" she enunciated clearly. "Would you like to buy some cookies?" To her astonishment, a glowing rectangle like a computer screen lit up on the tall one's torso. Words scrolled across it in crisp English letters.
WE DO NOT UNDERSTAND. WHAT ARE COOKIES? IT SEEMS YOU ARE SELLING SOMETHING, BUT WE HAVE NO CURRENCY OF YOUR WORLD.
Jamie leaned in to whisper, eyes shining, "They can understand us! This is so cool."
Jenna gathered her thoughts, focusing on her sales pitch despite everything unusual about the situation. "Cookies are a sweet treat made of chocolate and biscuits. They're very popular here on Earth. And all the money we earn from selling them goes towards fun trips and learning new skills as Girl Scouts. Please, won't you buy a box to help support our troop? I'm sure you'll love them!"
The aliens conferred amongst themselves, still in untranslatablespeech. Finally, the glowing display lit up again. I APOLOGIZE, BUT WE HAVE NO MEANS OF TRANSACTION. WE ARE EXPLORERS HERE IN PEACE TO STUDY YOUR WORLD. PERHAPS ANOTHER TIME WE CAN BARTER. FOR NOW, WE ONLY WISH TO LEARN.
Jenna tried to hide her disappointment. This wasn't how she'd envisioned the interaction going at all. But she had come this far, so she wasn't giving up yet. An idea bloomed in her mind. "Well, since you want to learn about us, how about a trade? We'll give you a box of cookies to try in exchange for letting our whole troop come aboard your ship for a little while. What do you say?"
The girls held their breath. This was assuredly against every safety rule. But an opportunity for an out of this world experience was too enticing to pass up. The aliens conversed quietly before responding.
VERY WELL, HUMAN CHILDREN. FOR THE SAKE OF CULTURAL EXCHANGE, WE AGREE TO YOUR TRADE. COME, WE SHALL GIVE YOU A TOUR OF OUR VESSEL.
Screeches of delight arose from the Scout troop. Jenna tried to shush them, not wanting the aliens to change their minds. But she couldn't contain her own grin of excitement and triumph. This was going to be one very memorable cookie sale!
Jenna stepped forward nervously, holding out the box of Thin Mints for the aliens to see. She did her best salesperson smile while gesturing to the colorful packaging. "Cookies!" she said again loudly and clearly.
The tallest alien leaned down, its large dark eyes fixing on the box in Jenna's hands. A long, nimble finger reached out to poke gently at the box, then drew back just as swiftly. Its companions murmured again in their strange tongue.
Frustrated not being able to communicate properly, Jenna popped open the lid so the sweet scent could waft up. She took one mint and mimed taking a bite, sighing happily and rubbing her belly. The aliens copied the sign for stomach, looking quizzical.
An idea sparked in Jenna's mind. Rummaging in her bag, she pulled out her phone and found the notepad app. Typing awkwardly with her thumbs, she showed them the words "Will you trade for this?" Arrows pointed to the cookies and to their ship.
A spark of understanding lit in the aliens' eyes as they studied the makeshift message. Their glowing display lit up in response. I APOLOGIZE, SMALL HUMAN, BUT WE HAVE NOTHING OF VALUE FROM OUR WORLD TO OFFER IN RETURN. OUR MISSION HERE IS ONE OF DISCOVERY ONLY.
"Please?" Jenna typed, giving her best pleading look. The girls clustered behind her, joining in the silent begging. But the aliens only seemed perplexed by this behavior.
Suddenly Tammy piped up, "What if we clean your ship for you? We'll dust and sweep and take out the garbage." The others stared at her, surprised by this inventive offer.
The display considered this. THAT IS A GENEROUS OFFER. HOWEVER, OUR CRAFT UTILIZES TECHNOLOGY FAR BEYOND YOUR WORLD'S CURRENT STAGE. I DOUBT YOU COULD PERFORM MAINTENANCE TO OUR STANDARDS.
At this rejection, the girls deflated with twin sounds of disappointment. But Jenna wasn't giving up yet. She furiously texted another message. "How about you give us a little tour then? We promise to be very careful and not touch anything."
The aliens conferred quietly amongst themselves for several moments. The girls held their breath, hoping their persistence was finally paying off. Then the glowing display lit up once more.
VERY WELL, SMALL HUMANS. FOR THE SAKE OF CULTURAL EXCHANGE, WE WILL ALLOW YOU A BRIEF LOOK INSIDE OUR VESSEL. BUT YOU MUST FOLLOW OUR INSTRUCTIONS CAREFULLY. OUR TECHNOLOGY COULD PROVE DANGEROUS IF MISUSED.
The Girl Scouts whooped and cheered, doing a little victory dance. Jenna grinned, popping another Thin Mint in her mouth triumphantly. "Deal! Thank you so much for this."
The tallest alien gestured gracefully with one long arm. "THIS WAY, YOUNG ONES. WE SHALL BEGIN OUR TOUR."
Clutching their cookie boxes eagerly, the girls fell into line behind the extraterrestrials. They followed them up a floating gangway into the belly of the ship.
Inside, the walls glowed with an otherworldly luminescence. Strange symbols and interfaces winked all around, totally indecipherable. The floors felt bouncy underfoot, as if made of gelatin.
"Wow," breathed Jamie. "It's so beautiful in here."
The aliens guided them through sleek corridors and compartments full of glowing tech. They pointed out living quarters, a laboratory, hydroponic gardens, and an observation deck showing the curve of the Earth.
In the cockpit, countless viewscreens displayed alien constellations and scans of their small town below. Control panels rippled like liquid mercury beneath touch.
"This is where we navigated our journey to your solar system," explained their guides. "Truly a marvel, the distances stars can be bridged.
Tammy peered out the main viewing portal. "Your ship is so fast! How did you get here from wherever you came from?"
As the explorers launched into an explanation involving hyperdrives and folded spacetime, Jenna began to lose the thread. Space travel clearly worked very differently where these beings hailed from.
Their tour lasted nearly an hour, the aliens answering every barrage of questions patiently. All too soon, it was over, and they found themselves back outside in the late afternoon sun
"Thank you so much for the amazing tour!" Jenna gushed, hugging her now-empty cookie box. "Learning about aliens is a once-in-a-lifetime experience.
The tallest being dipped its head graciously. "IT WAS OUR PLEASURE, SMALL HUMANS. YOU HAVE PROVIDED US AN INSIGHT INTO YOUR YOUNG ONES AS WELL."
Its fellows chattered in their musical language, some holding half-eaten cookies and gesturing appreciatively. Jenna beamed, glad they seemed to have enjoyed the treats.
"Will you come back to see us again?" asked Jamie hopefully.
"PERHAPS, IF OUR EXPLORATIONS BRING US BACK THIS WAY," was the reply. "BUT FOR NOW, WE MUST RESUME OUR JOURNEY AMONG THE STARS. FAREWELL, AND THANK YOU ONCE MORE FOR YOUR HOSPITALITY.
The aliens turned as one and glided back up the gangway. The rockets flared, rising gracefully into the sky until they vanished into the dusk.
The girls stood watching long after, buzzing with excited chatter about this unforgettable day. In the end, it had been the best cookie sale ever. Maybe even worth breaking a few rules...

PRODUCER: Do you have the suicide note?
HEIDI CLIFFORD (As “Anonymous Classmate”): (Reading purported “suicide note” aloud): This is a copy of the suicide note.
“I attended a course called Executive Success Programs, aka Nexium (sic), based out of Anchorage, Alaska and Albany, New York. I was brainwashed and my emotional center of the brain was killed and turned off. I still have feeling in my external skin, but my internal organs are rotting. I’m sorry, life. I didn’t know I was already dead.”
“No need to search my body.”
Was this potential suicide letter in Kris’s car coerced?
Was it her willingly writing it?
You don’t know.
As we have discussed in previous posts, nothing about the Kristin Snyder missing person case makes any sense whatsoever, and the purported “suicide note” found in her vehicle is certainly no exception.
Before we start analyzing the “suicide note,” here are a few factors to keep in mind:
• We know through information from multiple sources that Kristin was a prolific journal writer and letter writer, so we have a plethora of writing samples to compare with this alleged “suicide note.”
• We refer to “the writer” in our discussion of the “suicide note” below. The reason for this phrasing is because the actual writer of this note is unknown. Did Kristin herself write it, either as a explanation for killing herself, or for the purpose of faking her own death? Did someone else write it to make her disappearance appear to be a suicide? Was part of the text written by Kristin and added to by another party? Was the entire note faked? Was the note written by Kristin, but under duress/coercion as Heidi pondered?
• See notes under each section below regarding clear discrepancies between Kristin’s baseline writing style based on the hundreds of writing samples we have obtained from multiple sources through varying times throughout her life.
Now, without further ado, let’s take an in-depth look at this “suicide note” – line by line.
“I attended a course called Executive Success Programs (aka Nexium) based out of Anchorage, AK + Albany, NY.”
• Who is the note intended for? There is no salutation. We have tons of samples of Kristin’s letters and there is always a salutation – AND a date. If this is really her “suicide note,” why wouldn’t she address it to her partner Heidi, friends, coworkers, and/or family – as she always had addressed people in her letters? Similarly, wouldn’t she document the date of the most significant letter of her life, as she did routinely with her letters? In fact, she often even included the specific time (for instance, 7:15 p.m.) that the letter or journal entry was written.
• In addition to a salutation and date on other writing samples, Kris also typically indented her paragraphs and she also usually wrote on each line of the paper in her letters and journal entries, unlike this “suicide note,” which does neither.
• Related to the numerous writing samples we have acquired though multiple sources, Kris also primarily wrote in cursive in both her letters and in her journal. This “suicide note” is an odd hybrid of cursive and print.
• Why would anyone start a suicide note with “I attended a course…”? Clearly, the writer of this note is directing the reader to correlate ESP with the disappearance, but it seems like a very odd place for anyone to start a suicide note. Also, Kris attended two courses, not “a course”; a fact that Kris would have clearly known.
• “aka Nexium” is another oddity. Kris did not take any NXIVM classes, not even one, despite the extensive recent propaganda linking her to NXIVM. Why? Because NXIVM did not even exist at the time of Kristin’s disappearance; it was still in the planning stages. The writer had obviously heard about these plans as evidenced by the phonetic spelling. Again, it is obvious the writer of the note is clearly directing the reader’s attention to ESP/NXIVM – but if Kris were distraught enough to write a suicide note (and as functionally incapacitated as reported by her partner), why/how would she focus on minutiae like this?
• Speaking of minutiae, it gets even more obvious in the next words: “based out of Anchorage, AK + Albany, NY.” First of all, WHO CARES where ESP was based? That is in no way pertinent to the reasoning, and apparently is another clear attempt by the writer to direct the reader toward ESP/NXIVM. Secondly, this information is actually wrong. ESP wasn’t “based out of Anchorage, AK” – they held classes in Anchorage in a rented hotel space. The home base was in NY. Furthermore, Kris knew very well that this information was wrong, having recently visited their NY headquarters herself weeks before her disappearance!
•The words “based out of” (city, state) are odd as well. None of Kristin’s other writing samples did this. Nowhere does she mention elsewhere that anything is “based out of” anywhere in any of her copious writing samples we have obtained.
• Furthermore, why would the note say “Anchorage, AK” anyway? Presumably, Alaska law enforcement would be able to deduce that Anchorage is in Alaska without this unnecessary clarification.
“I was brainwashed + my emotional center of the brain was killed/turned off. I still have feeling in my external skin but my internal organs are rotting.”
• If Kris was brainwashed, she wouldn’t know (at least at the time) that she had been brainwashed. Again, this seems to be yet another clear attempt by the writer to direct the reader to look at ESP.
• Furthermore, if Kris finally did realize that she had been brainwashed, why would she then kill herself?
• The writer switches “my” and “the” in a sentence – something Kris never did, even once, in the hundreds of pages of writing we have obtained. The sentence should read “the emotional center of my brain,” not “my emotional center of the brain.”
• Another oddity is in the redundancy of “external skin.” Again, this sort of mistake does not appear to be Kris’s style, based on other writing samples. She had a Master of Science (M.S.) in Biology and she worked as an environmental consultant to the National Guard. She was a precise, clear, scientific, and articulate writer.
• This passage clearly implies that Kris was suffering from Cotard’s syndrome; per WebMD: “People with Cotard’s syndrome (also called walking corpse syndrome or Cotard’s delusion) believe that parts of their body are missing, or that they are dying, dead, or don’t exist.” We have talked to multiple people who Kris had visited in her January 2003 trip immediately prior to her February 2003 disappearance, and nobody reported any observations of any mental health issues, suicidal ideation, depression, psychosis, nor delusions of any sort. All of the people who discussed Kris’s reported mental health decline stated that they had not personally witnessed any symptoms, but rather, they were told of a rapid decline following Kris’s disappearance.
• If Kris thought she was already dead, why would she kill herself?
“Please contact my parents Bob + Jonnie Snyder at (number redacted) in Dillon, SC if you find me or this note.”
• Why would she specify to contact her parents, who lived out-of-state? Why not her partner? Why, in fact, is Heidi, the love of her life and civil union partner not mentioned AT ALL in the entire note?
• The inclusion of Kris’s parents as the sole contacts listed in the note contradicts a specific story told at the time of the disappearance alleging that Kris had uncovered memories of abuse during the class and that these purported memories were the reason/a factor in her alleged suicide. But: if that story was true, why would she include her father in the note? It should be noted that there is no evidence whatsoever that Kris was abused. As with the alleged rapid mental health decline, people who reported that story were not told of the purported abuse by Kris themselves, but rather, they were told of the purported abuse allegations after her disappearance. In fact, we even have been given a copy of a text message exchange in which the person who spread this abuse claims refers to it as “the lie.” This is yet another example of the myriad of inconsistencies and contradictions that plague Kris’s case.
• Why mention “Dillon, SC”? There is already a phone number given, so the city/state is irrelevant, and also, it is not her typical style. Again, it seems like someone with a quirky tic to mention a city and state wrote this.
• “if you find me or this note” is similarly nonsensical. If someone found her but NOT the note, they wouldn’t see the note, would they? Again, this oddity of wording is inconsistent with Kris’s typically precise style.
“I am sorry, life, I didn’t know I was already dead. May we persist into the future. KRISTN (sic) SNYDER”
• Again, if she thought she was already dead, why would she need to kill herself?
• Why is she addressing “life”?
• “May we persist into the future” is interesting. “Persist into the future” is a phrase used in ecology, which could potentially mean a couple things: a). Kristin wrote this herself; b). Kristin wrote this phrase elsewhere and someone traced/copied it onto the “suicide note”; or c). the writer had seen a document that referred to this phrase and used it.
• WHO LEAVES A LETTER OUT OF THEIR OWN NAME???? The second “I” is missing in “KRISTN.” Furthermore, as mentioned earlier, Kris predominantly wrote in cursive and she typically signed her name in cursive as well. Why, in the most important document of her life, would she BLOCK PRINT her name, and even more bizarre, why would she leave a letter out of her own name? The writer appears to drop letters and cram letters together, but there is no evidence from other writings that Kris did these things.
“No need to search for my body”
• Why was this written on the BACK of the page on the “suicide note”? And why was the note left inside of a notebook to begin with?
• Kris was a member of the Anchorage Nordic Ski Patrol, and therefore, she was involved in search and rescue. Therefore, she would already know that THEY WOULD SEARCH FOR HER ANYWAY. Also, more importantly, why would she intentionally hide her own body and therefore put her colleagues/friends on the search and rescue team through the extensive trouble and potential dangers of conducting the search for her?
• Why write “my body” on the back of the page but write “me” on the front of the page of the note? That is yet another incongruity.
• Why the emphasis on not looking for a body? The writer clearly has a very specific reason to mention this; there is a reason the writer does not want the body found. It is very rare for a person to want to hide his/her own body, and even more rare to be able to successfully do so.

delusion

“delulu” moment, on the other hand, refers to “odd behavior but doesn't necessarily indicate a mental illness,” explains Minaa B. “An example may be if a celebrity follows an influencer's Instagram account, and the influencer begins spreading rumors the celebrity has a crush on them,” she says...Being “delulu” is not inherently bad...When done right, being delulu is not only safe but also healthy! In fact, Dr. Hoffman recommends practicing delulu thinking." https://www.verywellmind.com/should-you-embrace-delulu-thinking-8628811

violent doctors

malta psychiatrist "charged with domestic violence and harassment of his ex-partner." https://timesofmalta.com/article/psychiatrist-charged-domestic-violence.1092362

unhelpful

"United States Senate Commission on Mental Health Act of 2024, the goal would be to provide congress and the president independent policy recommendations by experts to improve access and affordability of mental health care services." https://www.wfmj.com/story/50774071/senator-fetterman-cosponsors-bill-to-establish-us-commission-on-mental-health poison pills will be more affordable when new york's 60,000 involuntary patients become voluntary and choose to spend less on drugs.

podcast

"explain a concept related to the commitment process in three minutes or less." https://mcdn.podbean.com/mf/web/wyefbz5x2pwptz4w/CC_Teaser.mp3

Due Process

n.y. times doesn't believe in constitutional right to a trial for any poison or electrocution. they need to learn what conflicts of interest are.

war zones

“If you go see a psychologist, it’s because you’re ‘crazy,’ and ‘crazy’ people are really discriminated against in Haiti,” he said." https://www.wral.com/story/violence-is-traumatizing-haitian-kids-now-the-countrys-breaking-a-taboo-on-mental-health-services/21428131/ Trauma is a normal reaction to being shot at. The quacks should be security guards.

nature

"denial of fresh air and outdoor access to individuals receiving psychiatric treatment in hospitals operated by NYC Health and Hospitals (H+H)...in jail or prison, they would instead be guaranteed the right to regular outdoor access." https://www.bkreader.com/health-wellness/patients-deprived-of-outdoor-access-at-city-run-psychiatric-hospitals-8709015

antipsychotic warning

"Warning letters to primary care physicians (PCPs) regarding overprescription of quetiapine were helpful in reducing overprescribing of this agent, new research suggested." https://www.medscape.com/viewarticle/do-antipsychotic-overprescribing-warning-letters-work-2024a1000928

talk therapy

"This editorial will focus on reviewing the psychological and psychosocial interventions that have been developed for psychosis...clinical outcome for people with schizophreniform illnesses has shown little demonstrable improvement." https://journals.lww.com/amhe/abstract/2014/15020/improving_access_to_psychosocial_interventions_for.5.aspx

overdose

singapore, "Mr Quek died of multiple organ failure four days after the last of these prescriptions was issued in 2012. He was 50 years old. The final prescription included a daily dosage of 60mg of antidepressant medication mirtazapine, which Dr Ang acknowledged went to the “edge of the killing range." https://www.straitstimes.com/singapore/courts-crime/psychiatrist-found-guilty-of-misconduct-over-prescriptions-that-deviated-from-guidelines

mediation

"Family Members at One Another’s Throats? Call In the Mediator." The only reason I was false arrested is parents' hate crimes. https://www.nytimes.com/2024/05/13/health/elder-care-family-mediators.html

baker act

florida, "from July 1, 2022 to June 30, 2023, there were 174,450 involuntary examinations statewide." https://www.naplesnews.com/story/news/local/2024/05/13/where-in-florida-are-the-most-involuntary-holds-for-mental-health/73517160007/

First time posting anything in Reddit. Seemed like as good a time as any as I'm really struggling with how to deal with a devastating situation with my mom! This is a long one but I need to get it out there. I'm heartbroken and out of options, as is my whole family.
In the middle of the night after Easter Sunday, I got a call at 3am in the morning from mom telling me that my dad "finally did it - he tried to kill me." She was in the hospital and physically speaking, unharmed. She told me my dad was arrested and in the psych ward and that she needed to go as the doctors were checking up on her. Thankfully by the time I got off the phone, my dad had responded to a text I'd sent him saying what in the world is going on, saying that he had to call 911 on her; he was at home and safe by that point.
He'd woken up at 2am their time and had noticed she had left the house in her car. After a quick review of her iPhone location, he noticed she was at a house they had rented a number of years earlier. He drove over and could see her sitting on the couch, apparently alone. He tried tapping on the window thinking perhaps she was confused and didn't know where she was and had wandered in. She saw him but then looked away and moved to another room. Finally, he realized he needed to knock on the door. He knew the couple that lived there casually and explained she'd been struggling recently. The husband told him he didn't know what to think at first when she said he had tried to kill her, but quickly realized something wasn't right. He had already called 911. My dad also called 911 because she wouldn't leave with him and he didn't know what else to do.
When the police arrived, they quickly realized something was very wrong with my mom and that my dad didn't pose any threat to her (she admitted right away that he was sleeping when she left). She was moved to the hospital and my dad went home. At the hospital, they found her to be extremely manic - paranoid, delusional, hyperverbal. They (meaning multiple psychiatrists after examination and discussion with me and my dad) put her on an involuntary 72 hold under the state's emergency hold act for someone who was a danger to themselves or others (she was deemed to be a danger to herself because she had no insight into her situation and couldn't take care of herself).
After the 72 hours, they decided they needed to continue to hold her as she was still paranoid and delusional, as well as exhibiting signs of dementia. Once we were finally able to talk to a couple doctors live and get some very preliminary indications that she was suffering from progressive dementia and some form of delirium/psychosis, I was able to join my dad to try and figure out next steps. It became clear over the course of the next 10-11 days, that we were going to have to move her into memory care, so that's what we did. Signed a contract with as nice a place as we could find, hired a concierge psychiatrist billed as one of the best in the state, hired an elder care attorney and also an advocate to help my dad navigate the situation.
We received word (after following up day after day with very little communication) that she would be released from the psychiatric ward mid-week and arranged for her to be taken directly to the memory card facility based on doctor's advice. Despite a hiccup where she talked the driver into bringing her home first, where I luckily just happened to be eating lunch, we got her checked into the facility (I told her it was either back to the psych ward or to the facility and she happy complied). Problem was - she didn't realize it was memory care and it only took about four hours before the phone calls started about how awful the place was, how she had to get out, the place wasn't safe, I was a bad son, my dad was evil, etc. etc.
As an aside, up to this point, we thought we had done just about everything by the book. Ironically, it was my mom who insisted some number of years ago that she and my dad should get long term care insurance in addition to executing both health care representative POAs and financial POAs. After talking with the elder law attorney, we felt we had 99% of what was needed to at least take some of the strain out of the situation. He did say that if the proverbial shit hit the fan, the POAs might not be enough and that we'd need full legal guardianship, but he felt pretty good that we could do what the doctors were advising us to do and get her into a structured facility, at least for the time and try to get her stable. If we could get her 30 days of very structured care, the doctor told us that there's always a chance she could respond well. ("Hope for the best, but prepare for the worst" in his words.)
And that's where things fell apart. Even though the psychiatrist/MD realized very quickly that she was suffering from some form of moderate to severe dementia, my mom is very high functioning and began plotting almost immediately to get out of the facility despite our insistence that she needed the 24/7 care at least for the time being. She was calling everyone she knew - friends, other family, other doctors etc., insisting that she was fine; it was my dad who needed help, and that she needed out right away.
The above had become a familiar refrain over the last 12-18 months. It started innocently enough when my mom had made a comment that she was a little afraid of my dad because he'd gotten angry one evening. I took it very seriously and asked her to take me through what had happened. Apparently they'd gotten into a minor argument at one point over something trivial. My mom kept needling him on the issue and he eventually pounded his fist on the table (completely out of character for him) and it had rattled her. I explained to my mom that I took this seriously and I'd talk with him to make sure everything was ok. I did confront him and he was honest - said he lost his temper but that mom was just on him 24/7 about things that were either minor or simply not true. She claimed he played golf every day when in reality he played maybe 2-3 times a month (he's retired so I'm not sure what would be wrong with playing everyday but I guess that's besides the point). She would get pissed at him for being gone for too long but she'd also get pissed for him not going out and finding things today. There was a lot of this.
From that point, things got worse - she had a surgery in September of last year where she underwent general anesthesia and that really seemed to light a fire under the symptoms. She began to withdraw even further from social activities. She wasn't sleeping much at night; hardly eating. The accusations against my dad got bigger and bolder (he had a girlfriend that was 40 years younger than him; he'd bought a boat among them). None of these things were true. My brother went to stay with my folks for a few months - he wanted to spend time with them in any event, but we also thought it would be good for him to see the dynamic up close. Maybe our dad was doing some things he shouldn't? Maybe he needed to adjust his behavior? Well, after three months, my brother could tell something was seriously wrong with my mom. She was not herself and things were getting worse.
Three days before the Easter Sunday where it all went south, my mom was supposed to come up to where my wife and I live and go into assisted living for 30-60 days. She wanted to do it and we were excited because we thought it would give us a chance to have some objective views from the staff on what might be going on. We thought dementia was a real possibility because her own primary care doctor had suggested for at least 12 months that she get tested but she'd canceled no less than three appointments (the last two literally as they were getting in the car). For reasons that still aren't entirely clear, she canceled at the last minute. Even though my wife and I had made the arrangements and had everything essentially ready to go, my mom insisted on trying to plan with the facility as well and some wires got crossed on trivial things. It seems those things caused her to be suspicious and start to believe we were "trying to put her away." Again though, this was her idea.
It was the period between the cancellation and Easter Sunday that things just spiraled. My wife and I, among others, were getting texts and phone calls in the middle of the night, all night during those three to four days. They were increasingly paranoid and unhinged, linking my dad to the husband of a family friend who'd committed suicide. Saying he was a narcissist, just like my dad. Many things that simply were not at all in line with the character of my dad (and not just according to me but everyone who ever knew him and knew him well). When she began to bring up the fact that she thought the friend's husband had killed her, I knew things were bad. I suggested my dad get out of the house and give her some space. I was worried about both of them. She's tiny but you never know. I also didn't want my dad arrested or put into a situation where the stress can be overwhelming - he's got a bard heart. So he did leave the day before Easter, even though he totally discounted my concern.
The reason he came back on Easter Sunday was because she asked him to. She wanted to celebrate and see the dog. By all accounts, they had a nice evening and even watched a movie together before he went to bed. And then she decided to get in her car, drive 80 miles to a house they used to live in and tell the shocked couple that my dad was trying to kill her!
So, she's in the memory care facility after her release from the psychiatric hold and as excruciatingly difficult as it was to put here there, we felt it was necessary, at least until the paranoia subsided. I stayed for three days and visited her each day. She'd fluctuate between telling me I was an awful son, rehashing all the "documentation" she had on how horrible the doctors and my dad are, and then saying how she didn't want to ruin the family and we could all work it out. My brother stayed for another few days after I left and then had to get back home. He received similar treatment. We mistakenly thought we had things under control until she decided to write a very thoughtfully crafted letter stating explicitly that she requested release from the facility, nothing that she was "of sound mind and body."
The doctor, the facility and our attorney explained that they could no longer keep her there. We understood the limits of the POA, but this was hard to fathom. We had mounds of doctor's evidence from the psychiatric ward and the new doctor pointing to not only advanced dementia, but also stating that she was unable to care for herself and needed round the clock supervision from someone other than my dad. It wasn't enough. We needed a new plan. The doctor was clear that my dad couldn't stay with her and take care of her, so I looked into 24/7 hour nursing. I had no idea how much it cost and when I realized that $28k or so a month would be needed, we realized there no way we could cover this for any significant period of time, even with a portion offset by long term care.
We were lucky enough to have a family member that was a former nurse who was willing to come down for a time to stay with my mom. The good news was by this point, my mom did hear one thing from her doctor - that she needed "24/7 care," so we explained that we'd get her home on two conditions - (1) we had to wait till the family friend could get into town; and (2) she needed to do the doctor recommended cognitive evaluation with a neuropsychologist. She agreed to both.
The day after she did her neuro exam, she went home with our family member and has been home now for over a week. My dad has been couch surfing, trying to keep it together. It took a week but we received the neuro results and they confirmed what we thought we already knew but were nonetheless still devastating - severe vascular dementia. This, combined with an MRI they had done in the psychiatric ward, were enough for the doctors to recommend we pursue guardianship because she doesn't have capacity and can't make any of her own decisions, which we're doing now on an expedited basis. In the meantime, my mom has been up and down at home, and my dad has ridden the waves with her. He'll think she's turning a corner with a nice text or two to him but it will turn out she just wants help with her phone and if he spends a bit of time with her, she'll eventually turn on him - back to the same accusations. She's also taken some of his things and thrown them out near the trash, including his pacemaker monitor.
A couple days back, the neuro doctor walked my mom through her report and despite all the evidence to the contrary, my mom told me the report was "GREAT" (she noted she doesn't have Alzheimer's, which it seems is true, but vascular is no better from what I can tell; and perhaps worse in ways!). Given she was able to sit with the doctor and hear the results firsthand, I thought I could explain to her the severity of what was going on and why we needed to get her the care she needs but she just won't hear it. She thinks the doctors have told her she can either go into Assisted Living or get 24/7 care - that's not true at all. I've tried to explain that those two things are mutually exclusive, but again, she's not having it. She wants no part of memory care and believe me, if there was any way we could do this without having to put her into memory care, at least for some period of time, my whole family would be all for it. We don't see any alternative at this point.
The horrible thing is that if she won't go voluntarily, I think our only option is to call 911 and have her taken in once the guardianship has gone through. This breaks all of our hearts. I don't think my dad can do it. I don't know if I can do it but I know I may have to do it. My only solace is that our family member with her now says her quality at life at home right now is not good. She is either shuffling around the house "organizing" at all hours of the day and night, or on her phone (we believe making notes to herself that we're not sure she even saves). We all believe that in a facility over time, she may begin to socialize better and given how high functioning she is, even find some purpose and meaning in helping folks out who are suffering differently than she is. She's always been generous with her time and service-oriented (until this disease started to take all of that away a couple years back now that we realize what it was). We also think she'd benefit from excursions with us and others out of the facility for meals/events etc. if we can get her more stable.
I've read some incredible stories in these threads but wanted to share ours in the case it could help someone who might be going through the same things but also to see if there's anything we're missing? We feel we've explored every feasible option and our hands are tied at this point. I'm sick to my stomach all day long worrying about this and wake up almost every night trying to decide what to do. It's taken over all our lives. I welcome any feedback.
(*Note that I haven't given a ton of detail on the behavioral issues but suffice it to say that there's no possibility that my dad could look after her, at least right now. It's not safe for either her or him for the same reasons it wasn't that Easter Day. I also worry about any other caregiver as each person who has tried to help has become the subject of her ire and if they don't bend to her every request - take her to superfluous dr appts, hair appts, the phone store to check her phone which she never thinks is working properly, etc. - they will have hell to pay for some period of time.)

Hi all! I am currently finishing up requesting all my letters of recommendation. I am in a slight predicament and need some guidance!
I worked at an orthopedic clinic previously that had many providers, but I mainly worked with one doctor (DO) and his PA. In the clinic, I mostly assisted the PA with procedures and injections and roomed and did the intake for all of the doctor's patients. Over my time spent there, I created a strong bond with the PA and we got to know each other very well. The doctor and I had a good relationship, but I do not think he knew me as well as the PA because the doctor was much more independent. I know I need a letter of rec from a DO but I think that the PA can speak on my ability and character on a deeper level.
Should I just reach out to the doctor and ask for him to write it or should I reach out to the PA and see if they can write a joint letter with the doctor? Or does anyone have a better idea of how I should go about this?
any help would be appreciated!

Part 1: The Coughing Fit
You are seated in some kind of hall. It’s open air, so you can see the stars. A bunch of strange characters are seated around you. You see a dragon girl huffing in annoyance, “This is crazy! I mean, I know he wrote me in a script and all but why do I have to be here?”
“Hey, maybe this won’t be so bad!” A girl with cat ears and a swishing tail responds cheerfully. “I was bored anyway and I hear they’ll be giving out cookies later!”
“Sssh, you guys!” A beautiful woman responds. Well, she seems pretty normal, you think. Then you notice the fish tail. It’s a freaking mermaid. “Look”, she says, “I think they’re starting!”
You look at the stage. Two guys are indeed standing up there. One of them is wearing a really cool-looking suit and has a stylized, ornate insignia emblazoned on it. “Audio Artist”, it reads. He’s one of them! He’s one of ‘em VAs! He’s really suave but he appears mildly peeved. “You couldn’t make a simple ‘thank you’ post, could you? No, you just HAD to weird everyone out with your shenanigans!”
“This was the only way.” The other guy finally speaks up. “We doing this for Nanami.”
“Fuck you! Nanami dead! Have you not been keeping up with the show?!”
“Well, if he were here, I don’t think he’d object.”
“Why are we even talking about this?”
“I don’t know. Anyway, I gotta go out there. Give Stephanie my love.”
“I can’t even give her mine- she’s taken- how the hell am I supposed to give her yours?”
“You’ve been crushing on her for way too long, man. You need to move on.”
“Yeah, why don’t you write a script about it?”
“I just might! Anyway...”
The guy walks up to the mic. He looks about twenty- or something, you really can’t tell from this distance- and clears his throat. Only to begin coughing immediately. “Damn”, he wheezes, “why did I think this would be a good idea?”
Hey, everyone! I realized I’ve been here for almost half a year now. Just wanted to sincerely thank you for filling, reading and/or commenting on my scripts! It really is a strange feeling to hear someone recording something you’ve written. It’s not like I have a whole lot of fills, and I don’t keep a count (why actively flirt with Depression when she’s yandere for you anyway?) but I’ve received more than I could’ve imagined when I started writing. I read every comment and I listen to every fill, and I truly appreciate them all. Thank you so much :-)

PART 2: The Cookie Quest
Damn, that speech dragged.
You’re walking around outside the hall, wondering when you’ll wake up from this stupid dream. Suddenly, a pale woman who’s creating and destroying little ice-shards above her palm (for fun) approaches you. “Hey there!”
You ask her what script she’s supposed to be from. “That’s not important! If you know, you know. Anyway, I was going to say…they’re serving cookies over there! Loads of them!”
You look at where she’s pointing. It’s some kind of banquet hall. For cookies. There’s a lot you want to say but for now, some cookies would be great actually. You thank her and dash over to the banquet hall. Before you can look for cookies, the guy who gave that speech earlier blocks your path. “Hey there! So I feel like I should tell you a bit about myself.”
You really don’t have to, I just came here for-
“Yes, I know right?! So, I’ve been listening to ASMR on and off for a few years. I think of it as a really immersive 2^nd person form of storytelling. Listening to audios is fun, and so is writing scripts! If you’re a listener and ever want ASMR recommendations, at least for F4A/F4M, then definitely hit me up!”
You wouldn’t, perchance, happen to know where the cookies are, would you?
“Oh, and I’m taking prompts now! No commissions, because I don't deserve your money! If you have an idea you’d like me to write a script on, feel free to DM me. The prompt can be as brief or as detailed as you like, and I’ll do my best to tailor it accordingly. But I feel like I should give you a few samples of my stuff, in case you’re curious.”
So….about the cookies….
“Ah yes, here’s Sample1!
Not expecting this bit of shameless self-promotion, you try to steer the conversation towards more important topics.
So, what flavours do you have? Chocolate, coconut, almond, butterscotch- any of them….?
“Indeed I do! I’ve written quite a few scripts so far, and I’ve tried to explore different themes. This is sample2!
There never were any cookies, were there?
“Cookies? Like, internet cookies and stuff? Yeah, I’m not sure about reddit’s cookie policy. What I AM sure about though, is that I got the right hyperlink. Here’s sample3!
He seems a little confused by your expression. There better be an apology coming up….
“Oh, I’m so sorry. I forgot to mention that I have more scripts in a pinned post on my profile. It’s not fully updated, but if you ever want to take a look, well, you’re more than welcome! Okay then, see you later!”
But I just came here for the cookies…

PART 3: The Needlessly Dramatic
You’re at a deserted beach. There’s nobody around for miles, except for that suave audio artist from earlier, and that idiot who never pointed you towards the exact location of the cookies. You did eventually find them, but you wouldn’t go to that much trouble for any baked goods again. Anyway, the two of them are busy staring off into the distance, at the endless expanse of blue ocean, like they’re posing for the cover of some chill indie rock album.
You look at the ocean too, but then it clicks. There are mermaids playing water polo out there. They giggle every so often and swim close to the shore to wave and wink at the onlookers. The audio artist guy waves back. “I will admit, it’s not so bad hanging out in the world inside your head from time to time, Rain. Stuff is weird in here, but I’m not complaining. How’d you even come up with mermaid water polo?”
“I didn’t. Read a sentence in an Old Spice advert once.”
“Ah, the art of casually ripping off! Classic Rains!”
“What is wrong with you?! I just like coming to this beach to chill and do nothing for a while, you know? Helps me come up with script ideas sometimes.”
“Like what? ‘Professional water polo mermaid sees you at her game and turns yandere for you?’ “
“That was not what I was talking about, no, but thank you. I’ll note that one down.”
You hear seagulls and sea-waves. And the ever-present laughter of mermaids in the distance. Is water polo really that enjoyable?
“I feel like there’s something I should have done a long time ago.”
“Written a sequel to your vampire script?”
“….No. You know what? It’d be easier to just show you.” The guy stands up and dusts off all the sand clinging to his clothes. It doesn’t really help, but…
“What are you doing?”
“By the power vested in me by free will and pure whimsy, and the powerful and potent miracle of basic subreddit features- ya, by the power of mouse and monitor and a working hand, eyes, brain-“
“Last one’s debatable.”
“-nose, ears, and all the mortal lineaments that do make up the human constitution, I hereby- with the mermaids playing polo over yonder as my witness- give unto myself…”
The other guy raises an eyebrow. You watch the scene unfolding with sheer incredulity. Yes?
“….the user flair of writer.”
“Bro, what the fu-“
“Purely for convenience, of course. I don’t want to get mistaken for a VA. Again.”

Hi all! I am currently finishing up requesting all my letters of recommendation. I am in a slight predicament and need some guidance!
I worked at an orthopedic clinic that had many providers, but I mainly worked with one doctor (DO) and his PA. In the clinic, I mostly assisted the PA with procedures and injections and roomed and did the intake for all of the doctor's patients. Over my time spent there, I created a strong bond with the PA and we got to know each other very well. The doctor and I had a good relationship, but I do not think he knew me as well as the PA because the doctor was much more independent. I know I need a letter of rec from a DO but I think that the PA can speak on my ability and character on a deeper level.
Should I just reach out to the doctor and ask for him to write it or should I reach out to the PA and see if they can write a joint letter with the doctor? Or does anyone have a better idea of how I should go about this?
any help would be appreciated!

Hi everyone,
I just heard back from the chancellor that my case was declined. Im still processing the news. I have the opportunity to request a hearing and to appeal, in writing or in person, and to bring some colleagues to defend my case. I wanted to see if you have any experience with this, recommendations or resources.
In the detail, I am at a modest R1 in STEM. I got a negative recommendation at the department level after a lengthy back and forth. All other levels were very positive up to and including the provost. Chancellor has the final say and said no. His letter was quite generic and cited performance metric at an AAU.
Part of the issue is I don’t know how to rebute something so generic. Other part is I wonder if this is worth the emotional and time commitment.
Id be grateful for any thoughts or advice.

Hi All,
Had a level 3 Survey done on a 1st floor flat and the report has come back with the following:

• There is cracking to the render on the external walls, along with spalling brickwork, weathered mortar joints, and missing tiles
• Some of the leaded windows have cracked glass
• There are failed double-glazed window units in the conservatory, along with damaged render, brickwork and mortar joints
• Safe installation of the log burner must be verified
• No recent testing of the gas or electric systems was seen during the survey
• There are lead water pipes and further investigations are required
• The radiator system was off at the time of the survey and could not be checked
• Boundary walls and those in the rear garden are in need of repair

From what I can see the survey looks OK, probably not the usual horror show that frequently crops up on here. Regarding testing for gas, electric and log burner, the seller has advised this has not been done in a number of years (before they moved in a few years ago), I was going to ask if they could do this (I'm aware they can just say no) but the surveyor advised to get this checked before exchanging. I am concerned with the lead piping, the surveyor advised it goes up to the water meter but could not advise on the extent of the piping, they recommended I get a sample taken before exchanging contracts. The surveyor advised there is no imminent risk of collapse with the boundary walls but repairs will be needed - ideally within 12 months, is it worth trying to get quotes to see if I can use this to renegotiate the price?
I was given an update on the chain earlier and there is agreement date of 14th June amongst everyone else so I'm being pushed for that date, however I am concerned that there's a lot to do within a month.

I’ve been running an SMMA Agency for the past few years and have done great with it but my business partner and I have gotten tired of always getting calls and complaints from our clients that we have to drop everything to deal with. So recently we built a software so that people can do what we do for themselves. While researching ways to get customers I’ve seen two approaches mainly, one is asking people to subscribe to a news letter which then markets the software, or advertising the software to then hop on a discovery call. I used to hop on bc discovery calls all the time for SMMA but it was bc we were charging $2k per month so it’s common practice to have sales ppl for high ticket but for our SAAS we’re only charging $60 bc based on our math that’s what we need to break even on ad spend and when researching our competition I hopped on a call with one of their people and it was just a guy who barely spoke English showing me how to use their software. My main question is how come I shouldn’t just run ads maybe text someone who signs up and say thank you and let me know if you have any questions and then call it a day, we have a built in video course that shows how to set it all up that you can do immediately and if they have questions we have a support number or we can book a call (if needed) idk why they don’t recommend me just running normal ads in order to get sass clients. If anyone has an answer to this I would really appreciate it, thanks!

My permanent retainer was installed on my lower teeth 15 years ago when my braces came off. It consists of two metal wires secured to the teeth; they came off the last tooth and unwound and are resting below it.
I got a dentist recommendation from a friend. The dentist quoted $322 to recement it or $769 for a new retainer. Is this what I should expect? Should I recement it to the tooth given that it's 15 years old and it might pop off other teeth later (from reading some dentistry sites, that's not unexpected after 10 years)?

Hi it’s Carl Weinberg from District 20 on the Stamford Board of Representatives. Today I’ll provide updates on several subjects of interest to D-20 residents and others, along with an update on a personal matter.
Bridge Projects: The number one question that I get asked is: When will the Cedar Heights Bridge project be completed? Unfortunately the report is not good. The contractor ran into problems over the winter with redirecting the river’s unusually high water flow. (I’m speculating that it was due to the excessive rainfall we experienced all winter.) This delayed several activities including demolition. Water flow has receded sufficiently now, and the contractor has resumed the delayed activities. At this point, the contractor anticipates completing the project by November, and possibly opening the bridge to traffic somewhat earlier.
I understand how frustrated we all are with these continued project delays, and I wish I could share better news. I’m also frustrated that the public generally doesn’t find out about these delays unless and until we ask for an update. (The City’s website still forecasts June 30th as the expected completion date.) I don’t doubt that this has turned out to be an unusually complex project, and I understand that sometimes a project runs into unexpected challenges. Nevertheless the public should expect periodic progress updates on a project that affects so many people. I will be looking for a way to implement a system for providing those updates.
Because of the Cedar Heights delay, the Wire Mill bridge project won’t begin until next year, probably in April 2025. Current expectation is to complete it in six or seven months, i.e., by November 2025 assuming an April 1st start date.
The Lakeside Road bridge project, which began on April 1st, remains on schedule with an expected completion by the end of November 2024.
Traffic and Road Safety: One of the danger spots in District 20 is Riding Stable Trail, which also serves as the entrance to Dorothy Heroy Park. It’s an old country lane that gets a lot of traffic during baseball and summer camp seasons. At the request of residents and myself, the Traffic Department is moving the existing stop sign, adding a second stop sign, and painting new “stop” lines, all of which should help to deter speeders. The Operations Department is also working on securing the Park at night. I hope to have more to report on park security there in a few weeks.
Anyone who drives south on High Ridge Road during high-traffic periods will notice a backup at the High Ridge / Interlaken traffic light, due to vehicles waiting to turn left onto Interlaken. Interlaken is the detour route during the Lakeside Bridge project, which has exacerbated the problem. I discussed the situation with the City’s Director of Traffic, who is now working with CT DOT to adjust the traffic light so it’s easier for vehicles to make that left-hand turn. (CT DOT owns the traffic light, hence their involvement.) I’m hoping that we see positive results over the next few weeks from this adjustment.
The Traffic Department has been very responsive in working to solve these traffic and road safety issues – thank you!
800 Long Ridge Road Proposal: On May 9th I attended the Zoning Board’s site visit at 800 Long Ridge Road, where the property owner has applied for a Special Permit to build a 354-unit apartment complex. The Zoning Board began to hold a public hearing on this proposal at its May 6th meeting. Because of the lateness of the hour, the ZB suspended the public hearing and will now continue at its June 10th meeting. The agenda for that meeting will contain Zoom and sign-up information, but it hasn’t become available yet. Once it’s available, I’ll notify the public.
Scofieldtown Dog Park: The Parks & Recreation Commission continues to work with its consultant on the design of a prospective dog park in Scofieldtown Park. At its May 15th meeting, one of the Commissioners will provide an update on the “evaluation and design regarding the size of the dog park.” The 6:30 PM meeting will be held on Zoom, and here’s the Zoom information:
https://us02web.zoom.us/j/87689487270 Meeting ID: 876 8948 7270 Passcode: 122464
NSA Annual Meeting: The North Stamford Association will hold its Annual Meeting on Sunday May 19th at the Long Ridge Fire House, 366 Old Long Ridge Road. Lunch is at 12 Noon, and the meeting will begin at 1 PM. You must be a member to attend, and you must pre-register. (You can join or renew your membership at the event.) Here’s the link for registration and additional information:
https://www.northstamfordassoc.org/2024-annual-meeting/
And now for an update on a personal matter. After three previous cancellations, the BoR will hold its Special Meeting at 8:30 PM on Wednesday May 15th to consider a resolution to censure me for “conduct which impairs the ability of the members to perform the duties of his or her office or substantially impairs public confidence in the Stamford Board of Representatives.” The censure includes a “recommendation of Representative Carl Weinberg to complete sensitivity training.”
The precipitating event was my op-ed in the February 11th Stamford Advocate. In the article, I criticized the practice of double-dipping (defined as serving on both the BoR and the Democratic City Committee), quoted double-dippers’ previous comments criticizing the practice, and compared their adoption of double-dipping after previously attacking it to the behavior of characters (the “ruling pigs”) in Animal Farm, the classic novel by George Orwell. As a result, I am accused of calling other BoR members “pigs.”
The meeting will take place in person at the Government Center and on Zoom. Here is a link with the in-person and Zoom information.
http://www.boardofreps.org/Data/Sites/43/userfiles/agendas/2024/240515.pdf
If you want to review the legislative record, you can click on “Resolution” and then click on each component of the legislative record, including (among other items) the proposed resolution, the op-ed, and emails and letters on the subject from residents.

Information

• Prices are in USD
• US shipping: $7 USD, includes tracking
• Canada shipping: $1 USD for letter mail (no tracking), $8 USD for larger packets with tracking
• International shipping: $8 USD. Does not include tracking, but can get a quote if you'd like it
• From a smoke-free, cat-friendly home
• Payment by PayPal G&S (I will send an invoice)
• All items used two times or less just to test/swatch, unless noted
• Open to bundle deals and reasonable offers

The Goods

• Spreadsheet here with full details including notes

Alkemia
Full size

• Aurora - 5ml roller, $14
• Confectionaire - 5ml roller, $14
• Rondeaux d'Amour - 5ml roller, $14
• Veneficium - 5ml roller, $14

Samples

• Book of Shadows - 1ml sample, $2
• Hellcat - 1ml sample, $2
• The Highwayman - 1ml sample, $2

Arcana Wildcraft
Samples

• John Dee - 1.25ml sample, $3
• Yggdrasil - 1.25ml sample, $3

Black Baccara/Amorphous
Full size

• 90s Goth NYC - 5ml bottle, $18
• Boardwalk 1990 - 5ml bottle, $18
• Witch's Veil - 5ml bottle, $18

Black Phoenix Alchemy Lab (BPAL)
Full size

• Krampus (Yule 2023) - 5ml bottle, $20
• The Poinsettia Gown (Yule 2023) - 5ml bottle, wand cap added, $20
• Witches' Currant Cake (Halloween 2023) - 5ml bottle, wand cap added, $20

Samples and Ajevie decants

• Arachnina the Spider Girl (Carnaval Diabolique) - 0.92ml Ajevie sample, $5
• Blood Garden (Carnaval Diabolique) - 0.92ml Ajevie sample, $5
• Frankincense, Bourbon Vanilla and Hazelnut (Menage a Trois) - 0.74ml Ajevie sample, $4
• Rose Moon 2023 - 0.74ml Ajevie sample, $4
• Fancy Pups (Lupercalia 2024) - 0.5ml Ajevie sample, $3
• Hair Loosened and Soiled in Mid-Orgies (Lupercalias 2024) - 0.5ml Ajevie sample, $3
• Implacable Beautiful Tyrant (Lupercalia 2024) - 0.5ml Ajevie sample, $3
• O Daughter of Death and Priapus (Lupercalia 2024) - 0.5ml Ajevie sample, $3
• Sister Death (Lupercalia 2024) - 0.5ml Ajevie sample, $3
• There Yet Shall Be Sorrows (Lupercalia 2024) - 0.5ml Ajevie sample, $3
• Womb Furie - 0.5ml Ajevie sample, $3 PENDING
• Aperotos Eros - Imp, $2
• Bruised Violet Compound - Imp, $2
• Centzon Totochtin - Imp, $2
• Dance of Death - Imp, $2
• Defututa - Imp, $2
• High John the Conqueror - Imp, $2
• Iago - Imp, $2
• Kabuki - Imp, $2
• Mage - Imp, $2
• Old Demons of the First Class - Imp, $2
• Paris - Imp, $2
• Shub-Niggurath - Imp, $2

Death and Floral
Full size

• Doom and Gloom - 5ml roller, $12

Samples and Ajevie decants

• Hallows' Eve Museum Heist - 0.74ml Ajevie sample, $2
• Plastic Pumpkin Bucket - 0.74ml Ajevie sample, $2

Deconstructing Eden (Shipping within Canada only)
Samples

• Morrigan - 2.5ml sample, $4
• Violaceum #4 - 2.5ml sample, $4

Hexennacht
Samples

• Lipstick Accord - 0.74ml Ajevie sample, $2

Nocturne Alchemy (NAVA)
Full size

• Achilles - 5ml bottle, $18
• Neon Vampire - 5ml bottle, $18

Samples and Ajevie decants

• Dracula - 2ml sample, $5
• Faust - 2ml sample, $5
• Riven - 2ml sample, $5
• Salem - 2ml sample, $5
• Conjuring With the Witch - 0.74ml Ajevie sample, $3

Nui Cobalt
Full size and partials

• Aphrodite Nikephoros - 5ml bottle, $16
• At Your Command - 5ml bottle, $16
• Au Bal Masque - 5ml bottle, $16
• Exsanguinated - 5ml bottle, $16
• Long Shadows - 4ml partial in original bottle, $15
• Sword and Shield - 3.5ml partial in original bottle, $12

Samples

• Achievement Unlocked - 1ml sample, $3
• Aphrodite Chrysea - 1ml sample, $3
• Aphrodite Peitho - 1ml sample, $3
• Dwarven Fortitude - 1ml sample, $3
• Lycanthrope - 1ml sample, $3
• Shadow Touched - 1ml sample, $3
• Tall Dark Stranger - 1ml sample, $3

Pineward (Shipping within Canada only)
Samples

• Caravansary - 1.8ml sample, $4
• Revelries - 1.8ml sample, $4
• White Fir - 1.8ml sample, $4
• Iceflow - Mini sample, free with purchase

Poesie
Samples

• Awakening - 2ml sample bottle, $5
• Forest Cat - 1.15ml sample, $3
• La Vie En Rose - 1.15ml sample, $3

Possets
Full size

• Silver Leather - 6ml bottle, $16
• Silver Vanilla - 6ml bottle, $16

Samples and Ajevie decants

• Bar Sinister - 0.74ml sample, $2
• Churpz rev. 1 - 0.74ml sample, $2
• Field of Reeds Perfume Oil - 0.74ml sample, $2
• Hera - 0.74ml sample, $2
• JFK and Jackie - 0.74ml Ajevie sample, $2
• Morgan Le Fay - 0.74ml sample, $2
• Nefertiti and Akhenaten - 0.74ml sample, $2
• Silver Pomegranate - 0.74ml Ajevie sample, $2
• Wraith - 0.74ml sample, $2

Pulp Fragrance
Full size

• I've Written A Letter to Daddy - 4.5ml roller

Samples

• And to All a Good Night - 0.74ml sample, $3
• Ready For My Close-Up - 0.74ml sample, $3

Solstice Scents
Full size

• Upstairs Window - 5ml roller, $16 (Shipping within Canada only)

Samples

• Winslow's - 0.74ml sample, $2

Sorcellerie Apothecary
Samples

• The Ghost Wants Birthday Cake - 1ml sample, $3
• Something Wicked - 0.74ml Ajevie sample, $3

Thin Wild Mercury (Shipping within Canada only)
Samples

• 34 Bohemian Cafes - 2ml edp sample, $6
• Chateau 1970 - 2ml edp sample, $6

Venus Invictus
Samples

• Dionysus - 2ml edp sample, $5 (Shipping within Canada only)
• Eros - 2ml edp sample, $5 (Shipping within Canada only)
• Hekate - 2ml edp sample, $5 (Shipping within Canada only)
• Kthonia - 2ml edp sample, $5 (Shipping within Canada only)
• Pothos - 2ml edp sample, $5 (Shipping within Canada only)
• Sapphic Hymn - 1ml sample roller, $4
• Three Graces - 1ml sample roller, $4

Makeup

• Rituel de Fille Stellaris Rare Light Luminizer, $20
• Rituel de Fille Flora Ash and Ember Eye Soot, $20

Thanks for looking!

I got two fillings from my dentist. I was expecting to pay between $100-200 after insurance. I called Blue Cross prior to the procedure, and they confirmed my dentist is in network.
Got a letter from Blue Cross and it said I owe close to $809 since she’s out of network…I called Blue Cross, was told she is billing under an NPI number that is not on file with them. Thus, she coming up as an out of network provider.
I thought this would be an easy enough fix. I’d call the office and have them bill under the NPI number that is listed under her name on the Blue Cross website.
I called the office, and was told this dentist does not accept ANY insurance (wtf?!) This change occurred a few years ago. Her office has hygienists that work with blue cross, and this is why her name comes up as an in network provider when you search for her on the blue cross of MA website. This is also when my cleaning was billed and covered under insurance as an in network provider.
I can see how this works, but I’m left feeling uneasy. This seems like a sketchy setup and I’m frustrated no one in the office told me she is an out of network provider. But what I’m wondering is, is there a case I can make with my insurance company for reimbursement, given their misleading webpage listing her as in network? I tried speaking with the office to see if anything can be done, and was flatly told no…

Okay, so I got recommended this series by a friend. And after reading the first Volume I feel the need to share my thoughts on it.
Let’s start with the characters, beginning with main protagonist.
Rudeus Greyrat is a refreshing change from the majority of Isekai Protagonists I have personally encountered, all be it in a sad and sometimes repulsive way. In most Isekai, the fact the MC is a character form another world or that they are reborn basically has zero bearing on how they act or develop in this new world, but Rudeus actually had to address his past traumas and even has to get past his agoraphobia, I feel like any other series would just hand wave all that away. I personally love the fact he is still a loser, but the fantasizes about grooming a 7 year old and even tried to make moves on a teenager was more than a bit gross, but thankfully Roxy just side stepped him and Paul nipped Rudy’s unhealthy relationship with Sylphy in the bud. Hopefully this is a side of Rudy that won’t persist throughout the series. So far I do not like him, but I’m interested to see where his character is going as it seems his character development will be the primary focus of the story.
On to Paul. I don’t really know what to make of him. I think I could most accurately describe him as a scumbag fresh out of rehab. He is far better now than he was in his past (not hard to accomplish considering he raped someone) but still falls back into his scumy behavior like when he cheated or when he hit Rudy. Though I will say that when he admits he’d get bitter towards people more talented than him but only felt pride when he noticed that Rudy was more talented than him was pretty heartwarming.
Lillia, I honestly can’t decide if I like her or not. She has a lot of endearing moments and qualities, but cheating on Zenith with Paul was a major downside to both her and Paul’s likability but she doesn’t get nearly as much “screen time” to make up for it as Paul did.
Zenith needs a new family. Just take Norn and run for the hills. This saint of a woman has a husband who cheats on her, a best friend who sleeps with her husband, and a son who’d sell her down a river for a pair of used underwear. Any woman selfless enough to put herself in as uncomfortable position as living in the same household as her cheat of a husband and his mistress for the sake of making her son feel better and keeping their illegitimate child safe from danger deserves better.
Roxy. I can’t imagine how she feels at this moment. She probably thought she was the hot shit until a kid less than half her age surpassed her in less than two years of training. Though I suppose she did get quite the view and some memories out of the whole ordeal. I hope we see her again before too long, maybe next time she’ll have special skills of her own that Rudy can’t pull off on the first try.
Sylphy is by far the most wildly out of left field character in this first volume. She is a magic genius that in reality surpasses Rudy, with oddly colored hair that no one in the region has, and half a dozen different races in her heritage and she’s just living on a dirt poor farm in a village will a few hundred residents? Is she the chosen one? I definitely feel like Laws is hiding something about Sylphy but I’m not sure what it is.
Ghislaine gives me a lot of “this in the badass aunt” vibes. Probably because the only real interaction between her and Rudy was one where they chiefly take about Rudy’s parents and the fact that she is badass. Though she is pretty adorable considering she literally got tricked into believing Paul was dead a couple hours after seeing him in person by a letter he had personally handed to her.
Eris, this girl is hilarious, Rudy kinda needed someone who wouldn’t let him get away with his nonsense, so if that’s the role she’s going to play she is perfect. Though I hope she mellows out a bit, characters like her can only go so far before they become annoying or even just straight up abusive.
Edit: yes, I have already started reading the first chapter of V2, so included some of that here too.
On to the world building. It certainly feels as though this volume merely dipped its toes into it. It introduced a lot of things but didn’t go into too much detail. Like the Superd being this world’s equivalent to the Myrddraal/Nazgûl, Laplace is the “Dark Lord”, and stuff like that. I am a bit curious about what exactly a “God” is are they just normal people who are Divine Tier, or is there actually something actually godly about them?
I will say the magic in this setting is a little boring, all you really need to do is memorize the incantations and then you can use it, it makes me question where the actual difficulty is beyond the Mana training. Also how is Silent Spellcasting so rare? It seems pretty easy to pull off even by mistake.
Hopefully there’s a bit more to Battle Aura as a magic system. I imagine it will probably play a pretty big role in the next volume considering Rudy is supposed to specifically training in Swordsmanship and Battle Aura is a vital component of that.

 Can I afford to wait any longer? I was warned that my wisdom teeth will start deteriorating the teeth it's growing against and I'm at risk of infection and cancer if I don't have them removed. Am I cooked? 

Long story but basically been under care of my CMHT since referral in October. Still navigating diagnosis - currently a working diagnosis of CPTSD whilst the psychiatrist searches for a specialist in dissociative disorders as there are none in the local trust.
I feel like I am veering precariously between crisis and feeling fine on a daily basis. I have been seeing the psychiatrist every month and now I have been allocated a care coordinator, they said they will see me every fortnight.
However she also said I cant be put on the waiting list for nhs therapy yet as I am so unstable and we need to do stabilisation work.
I dont know what this work looks like, but given how often I have felt in absolute crisis recently, I dont see how I will ever be stable enough? I am absolutely overwhelmed and have many pressures including full time work I am trying to juggle. I just came back from a period of sick leave which the psychiatrist highly recommended I take and I can not go off again without losing my job so thats not an option. My work is also highly triggering and related to my own trauma. I am financial breadwinner for my family too.
I dont know what I am supposed to do or how I am supposed to feel better but I feel increasingly overwhelmed that I've been under my cmht for 6 months and feel worse than ever....
I dont even remember appointments I attend, so they said they will start making bullet points for me to take home instead of waiting for the letter to be typed up and posted. I feel like thats so ridiculous but also sad its necessary?
I called the crisis line on Friday which made me feel worse because the suggestion that a little chat and a cuppa would help was genuinely insulting. I dont know who else to contact in crisis but feel like an appointment every fortnight cannot possibly help stabilise me enough right now to be anywhere ready for therapy? But I am so desperate to feel better. I am also paying almost £300 a month for weekly private therapy.

My permanent retainer was installed on my lower teeth 15 years ago when my braces came off. It consists of two metal wires secured to the teeth; they came off the last tooth and unwound and are resting below it.
I got a dentist recommendation from a friend. The dentist quoted $322 to recement it or $769 for a new retainer. Is this what I should expect? Should I recement it to the tooth given that it's 15 years old and it might pop off other teeth later (from reading some dentistry sites, that's not unexpected after 10 years)?

Hi all! My wedding reception is coming up this year and I’m trying to decide on florals. Yes I have been procrastinating this, but I swear I don’t want a lot of florals so I didn’t think it would be complicated.
Long story short I thought I wanted to rent silk flowers from Something Borrowed Blooms but when the samples came in, I didn’t like how they looked and I decided I wanted to look into real flowers.
The only thing I am stuck on wanting real flowers for is my bridal bouquet. It would be nice to have bridesmaid bouquets and boutonnières be real, but my wedding budget was passed a long time ago to be honest.
Now I am thinking about getting a real floral bouquet from a local florist and renting the other florals from SBB. Then I came across a post about Costco wedding flowers in this group and I love that option! My only issue with that is the bouquet isn’t super customizable, but I could get real florals for bridesmaid bouquet and groom/groomsmen boutonnières for a really good price! Now I am torn.
Let me know what y’all think, and if you have any experience with Costco florals. Wedding is in Dallas TX if you have a recommendation for a local florist for a custom bouquet!
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