Recently rented a car and was unfortunate enough to leave a 2-inch curb rash on the bottom of the bumper. I let the host know about it before the end of the trip. I've given Turo my personal insurance (for the damage report) and have been in contact with the host, who is also asking for my personal insurance.
I'll preface by saying I am completely willing to pay for the damage (side note, I got the Standard protection). My questions are more along the lines of: 1) Is it normal for a host to ask for insurance if I've already given it to Turo? If so, is there any reason why I shouldn't?
2) If I give my insurance, am I ceding to letting my insurance pay it out? If possible, I'd rather just pay out of pocket rather then risk having my monthly go up.

Timestamp: https://imgur.com/a/NnBpmmh
Additional Photos:https://imgur.com/a/dOZuVQC
Vendor Link: https://tarantacticalinnovations.com/tti-carry-magwell-for-glock-19-gen5/
 
Selling my TTI Carry Magwell for Glock 19 Gen 5 in Gray color. Little to no salt, only a few range trips. Fits too snug with my "Handle It" grips causing my magazines not to fall freely. No issues installed without the grips. Ordered directly from TTI about a year or so ago.
Asking $65.00 OBO (Shipped)
 
I will not respond to chats, call dibs then PM.
Payment is PayPal F&F / Venmo only - NO NOTES IN EITHER

Where do I even begin. Starting with the paid cruise parking in Genoa, there were absolutely no signs or indications of where to find the entrance, except for an African American gentlemen roaming the streets near the port, stopping cars and offering to explain where the parking entrance is for monetary compensation. Next thing to note, if you don't purchase the alcohol package, the only things included will be chlorine water and coffee in the cafeteria, which tend to constantly run out during busy times. Bottled water, soft drinks, etc is not included and you will be required to pay for everything. Moreover, MSC Splendida tried to charge us the 60 euro service charge per person twice. We purchased our tickets through the American website where the service fee is automatically included in the price, however it didn't stop MSC from billing us an additional 120 euros at the end of our trip. We had to go to the reception and deal with an unpleasant worker who at first refused to help and showed us a lot of attitude. We were required to find and show a proof of our payment for them to consider removing the secondary service charge. No apology was offered whatsoever. We were traveling with 8 people and 4 of our group received food poisoning during the cruise. Which caused us to spend the day vomiting instead of exploring our stop in Rome. But as it turned out later, we didn't even miss out since the ship wasn't docking anywhere near Rome. Our stop was actually in Civitaveccia which is an almost 2 hour one way train ride to Rome, due to which MSC didn't even offer any transportation options for the day, as it would be merely impossible to see anything and make it back on the ship in time. And the icing on the cake, our MYBMW app showed that the trunk of our car was being opened hours after we left our car at the "secure" paid MSC parking lot. We emailed the company about this incident, but unsurprisingly received no answer. The disembarkation process was well organized and worked smoothly. Contrary to the parking lot, the signage to the escalator and exit was clear. We walked towards the escalator accordingly. What I really disliked was the MSC employee who shouted at us on the escalator. In her loud and unfriendly verbal outburst, she wanted us to listen to her. It was inappropriate, unnecessary and disrespectful. The fact that all the car keys from the parking lot were spread out on a table was dubious and, in my opinion, unsafe.

"Human, thy armies spring not from the heavens, but of the soil, and it is not the property of the soil to remain thirsty for long. Proverbs of Arienta."
"Translated from Cyanji, this old written language that serves doubly as musical notes for the Blue Light Watchers." Eshka said, sounding vaguely bored.
"And it means they anticipated we would one day build our war machine again, but this time it would have religious significance. The redemption of humanity, the salvation of the Milky Way and absolution for the horrors humans have inflicted in order to become the absolute undeposable masters of defending our galaxy, a sacred duty." Jinar ordained, with a hint of militant facetiousness in her voice.
"Who sent this?" Osowl asked the communications software. It wasn't sure.
"We've received hail from a ship nearby that isn't on any of our readings. They are cloaked. I didn't know there was such a thing." Skipper McCain said.
"It's a Cave Gods ship. They have over a million years more levels of technology than ours. Ask them what we can do for them out here." Jinar determined.
"They have sent instructions to patch them through on our communications monitor." Skipper McCain said.
"Okay, it's talk they want." Jinar mocked surprise.
The face of a young-looking Cave Gods appeared, and he spoke using his own voice in English, but very slowly and with the fermented accent of a Cave Gods.
"He's a juvenile. He's not even an age-old. Must be the Cave Gods's Youngest. They rarely reproduce, and the youngest is exiled between half an age and an age old. All the Cave Gods will be watching what he does during these centuries, he must accomplish great things before returning home. He will be well equipped with many gifts from his people, including defensive tools. We should ask his help in your war effort." Osowl Fitten realized with little effort.
"She's right, I was going to say so, but first, let me say to him how handsome he is." Eshka hissed.
"He is rather." Osowl agreed.
"What are we saying?" Skipper McCain asked.
"Patch me through to him." Jinar stood in front of the webcam.
"I am Nyctoth, this is my vessel Fly-By-Night and I seek great adventure in the stars. Admiral Jinar, I've caught up to you at last. My current quest is complete. Now I must communicate with you successfully what I have witnessed. I have seen the destruction of Pacifica by the Unknown. While I was unable to prevent this, I have decided that my way will be to do whatever is necessary to prevent such destruction from happening again. I have many refugees on my ship who are human, and while they are comfortable right now, they need a home. I was hoping you could take them." Nyctoth had said.
"We are on a mission to prepare the galaxy for the Unknown. We are building a war machine, a defense industry. When it is complete, the association and the Combine will be as best prepared for the invasion by the Dark Beings as possible. It is what we do, after all, make war." Admiral Jinar told Nyctoth. "It would serve this cause if you burdened the Combine with those refugees. We are orchestrating a war in a galaxy asleep with peace. There's gotta be some wake up calls."
"See? She knows how to use idioms properly." Eshka hissed quietly to Osowl, who realized she ot to take notes.
"Very well, Admiral. I will take the refugees from Pacifica to the Combine. When we meet again, allow me to partake in your efforts, under your command, so that we might defend the Milky Way together." Nyctoth's bat face looked eager, and Admiral Jinar caught the expression.
"You could be killed in battle, or required to kill. Is that an acceptable circumstance?" Admiral Jinar asked the Cave Gods Youngest.
"I have already lived many lifetimes past the lifespan your people enjoy and I am not even an adult. My people permit me to adventure and grow and experience the galaxy during this time, and if I should die, then that is the adventure, the experience, that I shall have. All living creatures die, but few carry the responsibility to entertain a soul. That is what all of us truly are, parts of the whole, pieces of the One. We are the sum of all things in this galaxy, and we do what we know we should do and we avoid doing what we should not do. No other circumstances are for me." Nyctoth explained.
"Very well, soldier. I hereby recruit you to special command in the New CUF. You will report directly to me and you will act autonomously while carrying out all errant missions towards our cause. If you fail in your duties, combat or otherwise, you will be discharged from our service, no longer part of the New CUF."
"Do I salute?" Nyctoth grinned with his curved fangs, his squinting eyes widening with the smile.
"No. Special command doesn't salute. You report directly to me informally and constantly. You can by my ears in the Combine. You have no idea how messy this political chapter of our war is going to get. I'm not sure I want to anticipate it myself."
"What about black ops, like sabotage or assassination?" Nyctoth asked weirdly.
"You're kidding, right?" Admiral Jinar asked.
Nyctoth laughed.
When Fly-By-Night had departed for the Combine the rest of the trip through the Basilik system was quiet. Meeting a Cave Gods Youngest felt like a big deal. Nyctoth's volunteer conscription was worth more than the prospects before them. At Basilik they were hailed.
"Exalted Inquisitor Eshka Layenna, a living legend, on my shores? I am beyond honored. Please, welcome to my city of Basilik." Said Administrator Ihanna Kelele.
When Phoenix Hawk had landed and Admiral Jinar and Osowl Fitten had emerged from the ship's parking ramp they looked to see Eshka Layenna was taken into custody by security droids. Several more such machines surrounded them and they were ordered to surrender to detainment.
"You three will remain my prisoners here. You thought you would start some kind of war using Sunder weaponry, human, but think again. We are not some munitions factory you can scout out and try to seize later. My colony will not be a pawn in your sick human war games." Administrator Ihanna Kelele chastised them in English, her voice sounding masculine and confident.
"I have diplomatic immunity, I was given the ancient signal that my visit would not be impeded in any way. You cannot detain me under these circumstances." Osowl Fitten said after she had thought for a moment. "It is illegal."
"Let her go. Capture the human on board Phoenix Hawk and then let her go."
The droids tried to enter the ramp, but Skipper McCain opened fire with an assault rifle, the high velocity bullets stinging the armored machines before burrowing in and exploding. One by one the droids came rolling down the ramp on fire.
"Surrender human, or we'll be forced to use exterminating tactics on you instead of trying to capture you." Administrator Ihanna Kelele turned up the volume on her translator and shouted into the open ship's docking compartment. The response was a spray of bullets in her general direction, a few getting a little close as they exploded on the floor around her.
"You serve no purpose to me or your commander if you are eliminated during this maneuver. I am not going to stay here and be shot at, but I'd prefer you surrender. I don't want your life on my hands." Administrator Ihanna Kelele shuddered in fear, but held her ground, insisting on capturing him alive, even at her own risk.
Admiral Jinar respected that and ordered her soldier to stand down.
"Very good. I was able to take you all alive. You will remain prisoners here indefinitely." Ihanna Kelele decided. "We are not arms dealers, you humans might be associated, but you have a lot to learn."

I am struggling with whether or not I should quit nursing school.
Here are the reasons why I shouldn’t quit:
1. The school I go to is affordable and nearby and the BSN is one of the only bachelor’s degrees it offers. I don’t think I’m able to transfer with a different school to focus on getting a bachelor’s or masters (just some viable degree) in something else (unless I decide to focus on STEM) because I have too many credit hours.
2. I will get a degree and license that I can use to get a job that’s in high demand. With a BSN I will allegedly make good money.
3. The work is rewarding.
4. I’ve picked something. Most people haven’t even settled on a major. I am only 20 years old, and I’ve already picked a major. How many people can say that?
5. I’ve already invested all this time, money and energy into this. Quitting would be a waste.
6. Most people don’t get a career in something they enjoy, because the things they enjoy will not make them money. Especially artists/writers, which is what I am. Only a lucky few from that group seem to make it doing the things they actually enjoy.
7. My parents seem to have it in their heads that I have to keep doing this and that I do enjoy and can handle it. They are not letting me quit unless I convince them really well.
Here’s the reasons why I should quit.
1. After doing a couple semesters worth of work related to nursing, I have recognized that I lack a passion for it.
2. I fail to see its appeal. I don’t understand why my classmates seem to enjoy or look forward to it. I have to force myself to enjoy it.
3. This degree is NOT just a degree. I need to be doing something nursing related with it, and with it, I would STILL need to be doing patient care for a fairly long stretch of time before getting a different job that would still require the degree.
4. The only thing I even remotely liked was clinicals and that was only because of the parts where I’m talking to people. Felt neutral towards the work, hated reading and writing paperwork.
5. I hate talking about nursing. On my own time, I am always looking for conversation topics concerning anything but nursing. I also lack an interest in it outside of school. On my own time, I am never watching medical TV shows or doing anything healthcare related. When I’m relaxing, I am trying to avoid nursing as much as possible. I see it as a chore, and not as something to look forward to doing.
6. I cannot see myself in this career. Long shifts, high stakes work environment, colleagues I can’t relate to, continuing education every 2 years, bad pay for something I don’t like, some possible traumatic experiences, verbal abuse from patients and colleagues, work NOT being as easy to get as people make it out to be, etc.
7. It does not come easy to me. I struggle with every facet of the schooling and need to REALLY push myself to succeed. For instance, in a prerequisite class, the thing that tripped me up and made me need to retake it was checking someone’s blood pressure.
8. Nursing doesn’t make good money. It is something you choose to do because you enjoy it (if even a little bit!). If you hate it, you need to look somewhere else. (Now, what makes me doubt this point is that with a BSN I CAN make good money, from what I’ve heard…) Every nurse I’ve spoken to has shared the sentiment that you should not be doing it just for the money.
9. My professors have all asked me if I really want to be doing this, my peers seem to also have noted that all I seem to talk about around them is how much I hate nursing school. I know it is absolutely normal to hate the schooling part, but I cannot see myself enjoying working with ANYTHING related to the subject, either.

Washington Times에 흥미로운 기사가 실렸습니다.
https://www.washingtonpost.com/business/2024/03/29/bees-boom-colony-collapse/
2006년쯤에 꿀벌의 개체수가 사라지고 있는게 보고되었습니다. 미국에서 크게 문제가 되었고, 한국에서도 꿀벌이 사라져서 양봉업계뿐만 아니라, 꿀벌에 의존해서 수분을 하는 과수업계에도 위협이 되고 있다는 기사가 났습니다. 불과 작년의 기사에서도 꿀벌이 사라지고 있는게 문제라는 기사가 있습니다.
그런데 미국에서는 좀 다른 추세였나 봅니다. 지난 5년동안 꿀벌 Hive즉, 꿀벌통의 숫자가 1백만개 정도 늘어서, 개 수가 역사상 최대(총 3백만개)라고 합니다. 캘리포니아는 농업이 굉장히 강한 주인데요, 아몬드는 거의 전세계 시장 가격을 좌지우지 할수 있을정도라고 합니다. (가의 독점). 아몬드가 수분을 할때 꿀벌이 필요해서 꿀벌통을 사온다고 하네요.
꿀벌이 부족해서 가격이 올랐고, 그 추세가 2006년부터 관찰되었는데, 이후, 아주 강력하게 몇가지 전환기가 생깁니다.

1. 꿀벌에 치명적인 농약을 금지.

https://earthjustice.org/brief/2024/california-bee-sulfoxaflor#:\~:text=As%20a%20result%20of%20our,sulfoxaflor%20for%20use%20in%20California.
이 글을 보면 Sulfoxalor가 캘리포니아에서 금지되었다고 나옵니다. 다른 유투브나 글에서도 꿀벌이 성장하기 위해서는 화수분이 필요한데, 농약에 오염된 화수분을 먹은 벌은 농약의 영향때문에 금세 죽어버린다고 하네요. 그래서 치명적인 농약을 금하고, 또 필요한 면적에만 뿌려야 하는데, 한국은 요즘 드론으로 농약을 뿌리는게 대세라서, 아마 영향을 받나 봅니다. 미국은 예전부터 비행기로 농약을 뿌리다가 요즘은 드론으로 변경되는게 아마 농약오염을 막는데 더 도움을 주는것 같습니다.

1. 적극적인 분봉

프응TV에 보면, 꿀벌들이 여왕이 죽을때를 대비해서 백업으로 예비 여왕벌을 준비한다고 하네요. 이런 경우, 재빨리 분봉을 해서 꿀벌통을 늘릴수 있다고 합니다. 이건 아주 적극적으로 했다고 하는군요. 그래서 꿀벌통의 숫자를 적극적으로 많이 늘릴수 있었다고 합니다.

1. 기후의 변화

캘리포니아에 최근 비가 많이 와서, 자연적으로 꽃이 많이 피었습니다. 꽃이 많아진 덕에 꿀벌들이 자연적으로 먹을게 많아졌고, 그래서 개체수가 증가할수 있었다고 합니다.
물론 꿀벌 개체수 감소가 중단된 것은 아니라고 합니다.
Sadly, however, this does not mean we've defeated colony collapse. One major citizen-science project found that beekeepers lost almost half of their colonies in the year ending in April , the second-highest loss rate on record. For now, we're making up for it with aggressive management. The Texans told us that they were splitting their hives more often, replacing queens as often as every year and churning out bee colonies faster than the mites, fungi and diseases can take them down. But this may not be good news for bees in general. "It is absolutely not a good thing for native pollinators," said Eliza Grames, an entomologist at Binghamton University, who noted that domesticated honeybees are a threat to North America's 4,000 native bees, about 40% of which are vulnerable to extinction...
꿀벌통의 증가는 적극적으로 분봉을 한 덕에 현 숫자를 유지할수 있었다는 군요.
미국이 꿀벌 감소의 추세를 어느정도 완화할수 있었으니, 한국서도 이런 방식으로 꿀벌 문제를 해결할수 있지 않을까 하네요.

Hi Morgan, Longtime listener, first time writing in. My best friend and I are having trouble figuring out the right thing to do in this situation and wanted to get an outside perspective. Buckle up because this is a LONG one because theres a lot of backstory that’s necessary.
Would we be the assholes if we didn’t attend our childhood best friends wedding?
There is a lot of context in this storyline so I’ll try to give a lot of detail. We start in January of 2023, my best friend, Greta(26F) and I(26F) get in contact with one of our childhood best friends, Laura (26F), and plan a visit to catch up on the past 10ish years that we’ve been apart. Laura moved away from our hometown when we were 15. Now Greta and I live about 2 hours from where Laura moved to when we were young, so we reached out and invited her and her fiancé Logan(26M) up to stay with us and hang out.
They come visit, we have such a great time, her fiancé was pretty quiet and distant the whole time, but the 3 of us together were big talkers so I just chalked it up to him not being able to get a word in and they left. In March they came back to visit again and announced to us that they were moving a few states away. We were really sad, but happy for them since they were getting to move somewhere that they’d wanted to be for a while. They were going to elope together after a few months but Logan had a university study abroad for a month in Japan so they were going to wait until after.
So, he leaves for Japan in May, and while he is away a girl reaches out to Laura from the college that Logan attends. This girl tells Laura that her friend had been getting really close with Logan, uncomfortably so and she wanted to give Laura a heads up that she thought they were romantically involved. Greta and I were worried but Laura brushed it off and said it was probably nothing, so Greta and I dropped it because we didn’t feel close enough to Laura to tell her we felt like she should look into it more.
Flash forward 2 weeks into Logan’s study abroad, he calls Laura at 5AM to let her know that he doesn’t think he wants to get married anymore. She’s distraught but has to go into work that morning and calls us after to let us know. We support her, you know he fucking sucks for doing that not only over the phone but right before she went into work, real shady. Greta and I are very worried about Laura because Laura really wants to make it work, but we still don’t say anything because we just want to be there for her.
He gets back and agrees to go to couples counseling, they do couples counseling for 2 weeks, during this time he repairs her car. Replaces a tire, breaks, oil change, the works, he’s been working with cars for a long time, so this was no biggie. Well after that two weeks, Laura comes home to all of Logan’s stuff packed and he tells her it’s over and he’s moving back home. He leaves. She’s devastated. We comfort her, come up and visit her, and tell her that she doesn’t need him and she slowly starts getting over him. Meanwhile she gives us A TON of context about her relationship with Logan. She paid for his college, he has had no job for the past 2 years while getting his degree, so she had been financially supporting them both. She paid for his trip to Japan, he put her in 20K of credit card debt, and more in personal loans, etc. Then in couples therapy told her he wasn’t attracted to her because she made money and he didn’t (so weird).
So immediately Greta and I are like, “Girl, we had a bad feeling, we wanted to tell you but didn’t want to upset you, we’re just glad you’re finally out of that mess”. She tells us that next time we should come to her and be honest with her, we apologize and agree. Then one day Laura calls us to tell us that she almost got into a really bad car accident. She lives in a mountainous area and her breaks went out on her when she was driving on the interstate on a hill, she managed to pull of into a grass median and slow the car down.
She gets the car towed to a mechanic that night and heads to work the next morning. Mechanic calls her midday. He asks he who worked on her car last, she said “My ex” and he said “Is he still in your life?” she said no. And he said “Good, Because I’ve never seen anything like this in my 20 years as a mechanic.” Her brake fluid hadn’t been connected so all the break fluid drained out. Her brake pads weren’t fastened/screwed in to the wheels, the were just placed in there. And he back tire bolts were stripped so hard that he said he tire probably would’ve come off had she kept driving.
Later that week, Logan asks to talk to her, she agrees only to get closure on the situation. Well he calls and begs her to get back together, she says no absolutely not. Then he asks” How’s the car?” She said, “Well I almost died last week”, he immediately jumped to the defensive “Well, that had nothing to do with me, I didn’t do anything” a very guilty response, so we were all convinced he tried to kill her. She filed a police report on him and started moving on. This is in July.
Now we move into part two of this debacle. My partner and I go up to visit her in September and she’s doing well on her own, she’s having fun, dating around, putting herself first, in therapy, just doing really well, were happy for her. She hasn’t really made any friends which is making her lonely but we were telling her to get involved in clubs and meet people, etc.
We leave our trip which was really fun and head back home. 2 weeks later, Laura says she’s met this really great guy, its almost October at this point, she’s gone on multiple dates with him and really likes him, were happy for her, still a bit concerned, but if she’s happy we’re happy. So Laura, Greta, and I plan a girls trip to come up and visit Laura for a long weekend. Laura wants us to vet this new guy, make sure he’s a good dude. She tells us she really values our input and so Greta and I are so excited to go on this trip with an open mind. November rolls around, one month before our trip and Laura announces that the new guy, we’ll call him Will (29M) has moved in with her, bringing his dog with him. Greta and I are a bit shocked but we didn’t say anything bc we’ve both done stuff like that before and Laura was struggling to keep up with rent on her own (she was still in the house that her ex fiancé left her in) so we knew she could use a roommate.
December is finally here and Greta and I hop on a plane and Will and Laura pick us up from the airport, first impression in the car was fine, he seemed nice, he drove us back to their place and we walk into the house. I come face to face with a completely different living room than I saw in September, all of Laura’s art and stuff are moved out of the living room replaced with the following: a giant poster of Elon Musk smoking a joint, a poster model of a rocket, a poster of Jesus riding a dinosaur with a machine gun. And a bookshelf full of Will’s books and Lego sets on display. Alarm bells are going off in my head and Greta’s at this point. We have a little conversation and because it’s late, we go to bed. We sleep in a room that outside of the house in the backyard, it has full heating so its basically just like a bedroom with a deadbolt. I double lock the dead bolts and we go to bed.
At 3am I’m woken up by Greta shaking me in a panic, asking me if I remembered to double deadbolt the door, I told her I did and that were okay and we both went back to sleep. When we woke up the next day, and she told me she had a weird feeling that he was gonna come in our room in the night. I agreed, and told her that was why I double dead bolted the door.
We go through our girls trip which ended up not being a girls trip at all, Will was by our side the entire time. Laura and he talked about looking at ENGAGEMENT RINGS, they bought a ring sizer, she was picking out her faves. He never let us have girl time except for one hour trip we took downtown to window shop. He would come sit in Greta and my room when we were talking with Laura, he would watch movies with us, he went everywhere with us. Not only that but in the middle of conversations, he would pull out his guitar and just start playing in the middle of us talking, or when we sat down to watch a movie. There is one bathroom in the house, and the main house part is very small about 650 square feet, my friend Greta has bathroom anxiety, she doesn’t like to poop in public places so she asked Laura and I if we would grab Will and the dog, and just go for a quick walk around the block while she used the bathroom. It was no biggie, so we got ready and went on a walk, we got 20 feet out the door and Will starts griping about how he doesn’t want to be outside and that Greta is a selfish pooper, and continues to complain the entire time were outside. We don’t even go for a walk, we stop at the corner of the street and just stand there because he doesn’t want to go any further.
At this point I’m annoyed with this guy, he just seems really controlling. To add to it, he didn’t want to go for a hike in the mountains, so Laura didn’t want to go so we ended up spending the entire weekend inside their house basically, even though we were in a beautiful area, and hiking is a group favorite, because he didn’t want to go. We didn’t. Also this is a personal anger of mine but I bought a dozen Krispy Kreme donuts (they were $18, which is crazy) and he ate EIGHT OF THEM. it pissed me off so bad, I had to hide the box that night just so I had 1 donut left over in the morning. Anyway onto the big finale.
Our last night there we finished up watching a movie and the events that unfold all happen within 3 minutes, keep that in mind. Laura had taken an edible so she was pretty out of it, like laying on top of the dog, whispering, just all around sounding really tired. Will says hes gonna take her to bed and Greta and I say were gonna get ready for bed in the bathroom. Bedroom and bathroom are five steps fro each other. I brush my teeth and use the bathroom while Greta is brushing hers and then I walk out of the bathroom and tell Greta that I’m grabbing my stuff to head over to our outside bedroom. I grab my bag from the kitchen counter, which is right next to their bedroom door. The bedroom door is open so I say goodnight to both of them and tell Greta I’ll see her in a sec, she’s just finishing up. Maybe 45 seconds pass and I’m waiting in our bedroom when I get 3 texts from Greta “OH MY GOD” “HELP” “HOLY SHIT”, Greta comes running out of the house, slamming the back door, and I run up to her.
She tells me that they were loudly having sex in their bedroom with the door open, mind you the bathroom is 5 steps from the bedroom. the kitchen counter is right next to the bedroom and Greta had to walk over to it to grab her stuff.
We are freaked the fuck out at this point not only was it super disrespectful but Greta was super affected by it, which who wouldn’t be it was disturbing. Because mere moments before Laura went to bed she was so high. And I smoke regularly so I know what it looks like when someone is super high and I hadn’t gotten that high in a long time. She was very out of it. So this really bothered us both.
The next day, were ready to go home, we get to the airport where they drop us off and once the two of us are in the airport we both look at each other and both just say “that was horrible”, we both felt like the entire trip we had a bad feeling about him and didn’t want to ruin the vibes of the trip so we just didn’t say anything about it. So were sitting in the terminal writing down a list of all the red flags, all the instances where he gave us a bad feeling. And overall just as a person he gave us a really bad feeling. Just gross, nasty, icky feeling. Not sure how to describe it well but I just knew something was off and Greta said she felt the same.
Laura had asked us to give our opinion on what we thought of him so we drafted up a letter to her, with key moments and points that we felt were big signs that he may not be a good guy. It includes everything we went over in this story, I didn’t want to supply to much of our opinion on the situation but I know that my bias comes out in this story a bit.
We wrote to her, and she responded to us with basically “I appreciate your concern, I will take your opinions into consideration” Its worth it to note that they were talking about getting engaged in March of 2024 (It is Early December 2023 at this point) and in our letter we told her that she should give their relationship more time, and get to know him better before they get engaged.
Our relationship with her after that became very one sided, Greta and I tried our best to keep messaging her but she really never responded so we kind of gave up. End of January we get a text from her, a picture of her and him she has an engagement ring on, “We’re engaged!” Greta and I respond with a Congrats! and a heart emoji, we’re super concerned but we have genuinely said all we can in that letter a little over a month before, so It didn’t feel right to say it again.
March she posts her “I said yes to the dress post” with Wills mom and his two sisters. She still doesn’t have any friends up where she lives so it makes sense for her to bring his family along. She didn’t message us about it, which is fair because we hadn’t been talking. We just thought they were getting eloped, because Greta has always said she wanted something small since she isn’t super close with her family (they’re not great).
So we left it there until last week I received an invitation in the mail to their wedding. Its this September on a Monday night.
Greta and I would have to pay around $500 each in order to even go to the wedding, calculating in airfare, shared rental car, shared hotel room, and that doesn’t even include, food, gas, wedding gift, etc. The two of us are not well of financially, we both live paycheck to paycheck so it would be really hard for us to go in general not to mention that the wedding is on a Monday night, so I have to take off extra days of work that I really don’t have. Same with my best friend, were in the same industry so wen have the same days off and all of that.
And I know it took us a while to get here but would we be the assholes if we decided not to attend her wedding?
TLDR: Best friend’s ex fiance tries to kill her in past relationship, she moves on two months later, her new partner moves in with her 3 weeks after dating. We go visit her and meet him, he’s go a lot of red flags, we tell our best friend, she distances herself and gets engaged weeks later. Invites us to her wedding in September that is also on a Monday. AWTA?

Question for the sales team.
I find myself in need of two vehicles. We have two Jeep products that are approaching 100k miles each. One is long paid off, one has like $10k left on the note.
We want to get into two Toyotas, likely a Grand Highlander for family travel and to be used locally, and either a Venza or a RAV4 Hybrid for my commute, which is about 45 miles round trip 4 days per week.
We’re thinking about trading in a 2017 Grand Cherokee (90k miles) and a 2015 Cherokee (100k miles) and leasing the G. Highlander and buying the Venza or RAV4.
Just a couple general questions, if I came in with that set of facts, is a dealership playing ball? I’m sure it’s enticing to sell two cars to the same person in parallel transactions to a degree where financial concessions could be made, but does the same hold true if one is a lease? Does the fact that I’d be trading in two high mileage cars for this deal help or hurt the overall process?
Been a while since I bought a car, any insight would be helpful!

My wife and I are planning to do a road trip from SF to Denver and would like to stop and explore a few national parks along the way including Yosemite, Sequoia, Zion, Arches, and Rocky Mountain National Park. We will take the Las Vegas route as shown in the attached image below. We know 7 days is not going to be sufficient to explore everything that these parks have to offer, so we are happy to see only the highlights of these parks by driving to viewpoints or doing short hikes to capture some memorable photos.
Is 1 week even sufficient to see the highlights of these parks? Should we exclude one or two parks from the list above to maximize our time in other parks? Any additional advice you have for us for this road trip?
Additional Note: We are staying overnight in the following places

• Oakhurst, CA - 2 nights (near Yosemite NP and Sequoia NP)
• Las Vegas, NV - 1 night
• Hurricane, UT - 1 night (near Zion NP)
• Parachute, CO - 1 night (2 hrs away from Arches NP)
• Granby, CO - 2 nights (near Rocky Mountain NP)
• Denver, CO - 1 night (flight back in the morning of the 8th day)

https://preview.redd.it/6yb3s30jqf0d1.png?width=1722&format=png&auto=webp&s=369f0c923084bb614f1382af4a2cae82e6c90a0e

Edit: If you are going to comment on the length of this post, please don't. This is not a simple snark but rather an actual critical think piece about feminism and Taylor Swift.

Introduction

Pertaining to Taylor Swift, "Female Rage" has deviated from its intended meaning after Swift debuted a new performance of The Tortured Poets Department during the Eras Tour. Now, according to Swift's use of the phrase, female rage is interpreted as public backlash against Swift's dating choices rather than as a response to the broader injustices against women and women's rights. This post examines Taylor Swift's flawed feminism, philanthropy, branding, and the controversial trademark petition for the phrase "Female Rage: The Musical". Swift's background as an entertainer, indeterminate politics, and alignment with capitalism over feminism pervades her legacy, again threatening her public tolerance as not just an individual but as a brand.

Once Upon a Female Rage...

If you were cognizant in the early 2010's, you've heard countless jabs at Taylor Swift in the media. Magazines, radio, or online. Music critics did not take her seriously as a songwriter; parents put a woman on an unrealistic pedestal as the ideal role model for their children; she dated too much and used men as lyrical fodder. No matter the story, it inevitably spread, conjoined with everyone's respective opinions, and you'd be left to wonder, "Why does everyone hate this girl so much?"
Taylor's target demographic has always been young or adolescent girls, more so when Swift herself was one. She made music that spoke to the awkward misfit, cultivating a para-social relationship with fans on MySpace, then later twitter, Instagram, and YouTube, where Taylor posted relatable vlogs showcasing the life of a homegrown American girl. Taylor had a delayed public "growing up" and, compared to her female pop contemporaries, Swift never "gratuitously sexualized her image and seems pathologically averse to controversy" (and, apparently, never even had a sip of alcohol until she turned 21). She was more than happy to spin this narrative to allude to an inherent moral superiority above other women in the industry (Better Than Revenge, heard of it?), engaging in the very slut-shaming that she herself endured (the Madonna and Whore archetypes). The victim complex arose with the need to prove Taylor as a different type of pop girl. Based upon her holy and clean image, Swift had been dubbed "a feminist's nightmare", and that "[To Swift] other girls are obstacles; undeserving enemies who steal Taylor’s soulmates with their bewitching good looks and sexual availability." Feminism and Tennessee-Christian country values don't exactly mix, it seems.
Years later, Swift befriended Lena Dunham and thus experienced white feminism osmosis, where Dunham taught Swift that real feminists defend rapists, makes insensitive jokes about rape and abortion, and prioritize all-white casts. Swift then declared herself a feminist in 2014, saying,

"Becoming friends with Lena – without her preaching to me, but just seeing why she believes what she believes, why she says what she says, why she stands for what she stands for – has made me realize that I’ve been taking a feminist stance without actually saying so."

I suppose the male-centric songwriting subject that permeates Swift's discography contained covert feminism and that we just didn't see that. Perhaps, the "Bad Blood" song and music video were written only in jest and not about poor Katy Perry, for Swift, as a feminist, would "never make it a girl fight" or tear other women down (though all Katy did was date your terrible ex-boyfriend and allegedly steal three backup dancers from your tour). In 2013, Swift said, in response to Tina Fey and Amy Poehler's joke towards her serial dating, "There is a special place in hell for women who don't help other women."
There was that time in 2015 Taylor said that Nicki Minaj was "invited to any stage [she is] on" (as if Taylor expects to have access to every stage, award, and platform that Nicki might not otherwise have as a black female artist...yikes!) in response to Nicki's criticism of the white + thin VMA nominations. Later, Nicki responded with confusion, as Swift continued, "It’s unlike you to pit women against each other. Maybe one of the men took your slot..". Of course, this 'beef' was 'squashed' when Nicki performed with Taylor at the VMAs, with Nicki quite literally only having 38 seconds of stage time without Taylor. Maybe all that parading around with a legion of famous white women - similar to the way Taylor might've done with her numerous 1989-era handbags - was in fact a stance against gender inequality, and that this display of "girl power" should be enough to constitute Swift as a feminist icon.
Even while Swift says that Dunham informed her feminist outlook, she dances around the exact contents of those beliefs: "what she believes, what she says, what she stands for" is not exactly insightful towards what beliefs Swift might have inherited. Taylor never broaches women's rights topics such femicide, FGM, forced pregnancy & marriage, sex trafficking, women in slavery, women's financial and political oppression, women's educational rights, women's health, or women's autonomy, so we can assume she only gives a fuck about "girls supporting girls" (whatever that fucking means).
Despite some questionable (and sometimes vindictive) behavior, Taylor as a young woman did not deserve every media lashing that she received. We cannot deny that most headlines and criticisms perpetuated a misogynistic rhetoric which has plagued Swift for a majority of her career. Acknowledging events such as the development of her ED, her sexual assault trial, "Famous" lyric and MV depiction of Taylor, and the explicit Twitter deepfakes, for example, as both disgusting and unfortunate things that happened to a young woman in Hollywood does not negate the fact that Taylor is mostly a performative feminist.

Get Your Fucking Ass Up and Be a Philanthropist, It Seems Like Nobody Wants to Be a Philanthropist These Days

In 2013, Taylor Swift cut the ribbon at the grand opening of the Taylor Swift Education Center at the Country Music Hall of Fame in Nashville, Tennessee. The donation amount - $4 million - was the largest individual artist gift ever donated to the Country Music Hall of Fame, which is, of course, mentioned on Swift's website. The two-story facility features three classrooms, an instrument room, and an interactive children's exhibit gallery. Swift also performed at "All for the Hall" charity shows and has donated numerous artifacts from her career (such as notable guitars, tour costumes, etc) to the museum.
This was over 11 years ago, and it is still the only notable philanthropic contribution Taylor Swift has made.
For a woman of her net worth and stature, and a woman who recognizes the difficulties for women in film and music, you would think that Taylor Swift might establish a scholarship program for women to study the arts or something. Perhaps Swift might even consider becoming a member of organizations that support female artists, or one that supports LGBTQ+ causes (since she is now proudly an ally), yet she remains superficial with her graces. Broader philanthropy, such as donating relief aid to Palestinian women or women impacted by violence and discrimination will probably never receive any financial support from Miss Swift because then she'd be using her money towards philanthropies involving anyone but white entertainers.
She even says herself in Miss Americana, "My entire moral code as a kid and now is a need to be thought of as 'good'." Well, she's certainly thought of as good, though her actions say otherwise. She's more than happy to do a vaguely altruistic song and dance for a clip-worthy interview quote and mass appeasement, then fuck off to one of her mansions on a 20 minute private jet flight, rather than actually contribute to anything pertaining to the causes she has endorsed. Yet, far too many people continue to give a woman such as her their money, time, and energy, and she hoards these resources to herself.

I Like Some of the Taylor's Songs, But What the Fuck Does She Know About Feminism?

Swift continued with her self-proclaimed feminist campaign, positioning herself as a political activist and LGBTQ+ ally in the Miss Americana documentary. The primary focus of the documentary consists of the sexual assault trial, Andrea Swift's cancer diagnosis, Taylor's ED and body dysmorphia, media scrutiny, and, largely, finally speaking up about her politics publicly, mostly her opposition to the 2018 Tennessee Republican senate candidate, Marsha Blackburn, and Blackburn's beliefs. Swift says, following a scene discussing her experience during the trial,

"I just couldn't really stop thinking about it. And I just thought to myself, next time there is any opportunity to change anything, you had better know what you stand for and what you want to say."

We must ask ourselves, though: when has Swift ever spoken up to change anything? Okay, pulling her entire catalogue from Spotify because they didn't pay their artists enough and similarly pulling her catalogue from Apple Music are changes that she leveraged due to her revenue potential and power, but they are not pertinent to the average woman's rights. Moreover, these are issues that directly impacted Taylor's income, which was enough reason for her to protest in the first place. Swift has sold the most units for a female artist in first week sales, is the first female artist with 100k monthly Spotify listeners, is the first female artist to win the Album of the Year Grammy 4 times, and is the first female artist to do X, Y, and Z, all while being inoffensive and family-friendly to boot. The actual Taylor Swift seems unwilling to compromise the brand of Taylor Swift by contributing in meaningful ways to feminist causes, especially if it is for women outside of America and Hollywood.
The reason political anthems such as "The Man" and "Only the Young" of the Lover era feel disingenuous and corporate is because, well, it is. Taylor has taken every opportunity to advance her career or public image at the expense of other women. What is truly genuine to Taylor's outlook on other women is vying for male attention, taking down female competition, and vocalizing feminist injustices only if they directly impact her and her money. Some will argue that it's satisfactory for a woman with such a huge platform to even TALK about feminism, but that just isn't enough. It's even less impressive when you candidly look at the scope of her feminist lens: "If I was the man, then I'd be THE MAN", or "I really resent the ‘Be careful, buddy, she’s going to write a song about you’ angle, because it trivialises what I do", and, of course, "We all got crowns". Feminism, but only when it happens to me. It gets worse when you look at Taylor's track record of copying other famous women and removing other female artists as potential threats to her pop prowess.
It's good for PR to align yourself with certain blanket feminist and political beliefs, therefore good for branding, therefore good for ticketing and merchandise sales, therefore good for business. And Taylor Swift is a business.
She's not a feminist. Taylor Swift is a capitalist.

I Can't Pay Those Sweatshop Workers a Livable Wage or Benefits! How Else Would I Make My Billions?

Recently, Taylor's team filed to trademark the phrase "Female Rage: The Musical" after Taylor said during Paris N1 of the Eras Tour,

"So you were the first ones to see The Tortured Poets at the Eras Tour...or as I like to call it, 'Female Rage: The Musical'."

This trademark petition was filed last week on Saturday, and news comes about just as numerous unofficial fan-made merch designs have cropped up with this phrase plastered on Fruit of the Loom basics. I'm of the opinion Swift's team motioned for a trademark so that they can send out cease & desists to all those that make knockoff merch, which disrupts potential sales for Bravado, UMG's choice merchandising company; however, since it was filed earlier, perhaps Swift has bigger plans with the bizarre use of the gendered phrase. One Swiftie referred to the phrase "female rage" as "a funny Eras Tour joke". Could it be a possible fourth version of the Eras Tour Movie? Whatever the reason, the motion to capitalize off of such a concept is disgusting, but not unsurprising, for a woman that profits on her vain feminism.
Swift, through her company, TAS Rights Managements, has also trademarked over 200 phrases, including "1989", where she owns the property rights to this calendar year on keychains, phone cases, sunglasses, stationary, bags, beverage ware, clothing, entertainment services, your subconscious, and, of course, Christmas ornaments.
The vapid consumerism in Swiftie culture is, frankly, disgusting. Bravado's sustainability statement is non-existent, the quality control is abysmal, and the materials they use are horrible. The materials, such as acrylic and polyester, are made from petrochemicals. This means they are non-renewable, shed microplastics, and are quite toxic in production. The manufacturing process to make all of those lazy-rushed Eras Tour logo graphic tees is a huge blow to environmental well-being. Apparently, though, Swifties don't give a fuck. They sell out products in seconds and either have to face the manufactured scarcity or buy from a scalper that resells for 200% of the already ridiculous retail price. This doesn't include the environmental impact of vinyl records, CD, and cassette production, of which Taylor produces many variants that sell unsustainable amounts.
If we're talking about women's rights violations, why is no one acknowledging the women that work in the inhumane sweatshop conditions that have to pump out fugly t-shirts and hats? The millions of plastic microfiber dander they are inhaling, or the toxic dyes that touch their bare skin? Are they being compensated fairly for their skilled labour and are they in safe working environments? Do these women have minimal bargaining power, and do they have authority over their worker's rights? Is Taylor Swift female raging at their injustices? Does Taylor Swift ever feels bad that her wealth was built on the backs of women of color, disadvantaged by the demands of the global economy and garment industry? Do you think she ever says a little white feminist prayer for them before she goes to sleep at night?
What's even crazier is not that Taylor herself doesn't care, it's that Swifties don't care. There CANNOT BE ethical billionaires. You only make a billion dollars if you are exploiting other human beings for capital gain. Based on public perception of the possible "Female Rage: The Musical" trademark, it seems like Swifties are already asking for merch with this phrase. "If Taylor made it, I'd buy it." Oh, cool. So not only do you champion Miss Swift's avarice and billionaire status, but you also are unashamed to admit to your blind consumption of her music and merchandise, no matter where they might originate in production or sincerity. Just as Swift takes and takes and takes, Swifties' consumerism of Taylor Swift cannot be quelled.
The tortured artist's most vulnerable and sincere poetry...available now in 21 different versions!

I Am Tortured Poet, Hear Me Whinge

Look - even if Taylor's intention is to characterize TTPD as more "tortured" and "angry", the main thread of the album is "I was ghosted by my decade-long situationship with a controversial indie boy and my fucking stupid fans wrote a 'Speak Up Now' open letter prompting me to drop him" anger, which is adequately expressed in the lyrics and performances. The extent of Taylor's "female rage" on TTPD is on tracks such as "Who's Afraid of Little Old Me?", which contends with relentless media scrutiny; "But Daddy I Love Him", where Swift firmly states she'll date whoever she likes no matter how "Sarahs and Hannahs" may react; and "The Albatross", a track mythologizing her reputation and the consequences of dating her. Of course, these coincide with deep psychological wounds that formed during Swift's early years in the media, and so, from her feminist perspective, these subjects tackle the misogyny and double standards that she faced.
Yet Taylor Swift still has no grounds to be claiming that TTPD best exemplifies female rage and therefore she, in the context of this album, is female rage incarnate. As the daughter of a stock broker and mutual fund marketing executive, Taylor was born into wealth and allowed privileges like trips and subsequent relocation to Nashville all so that she might get a record deal. Her father even invested at least $120,000 into the then-fledgling label, Big Machine Records, which ensured Taylor's place with Borchetta after leaving her dead-end development deal with Sony. The fact that her parents were able to buy her a fucking brand new guitar for Christmas and pay for music lessons says so much about the financial security and safety of her childhood.
Money is privilege and protection, and despite Swift's experiences with misogyny and loser boyfriends, she does not know what female rage is.
Her rage is derived from her frustrations with her obsessive fans pulling the moral superiority card on Taylor in response to her rebound with Matty Healy. That's literally it. She's just pissed that the monster she created is no longer obediant, it's become a feral, sovereign entity that depletes the world of its natural resources and thinks it is more intelligent than it actually is because it's mommy has started to talk to it with big words. Apparently, 'illicit', 'elegy', 'nonchalant', and 'precocious' are considerably big words for the oafish monster, and I find it strange that this level of literacy is present in a group of fans that allegedly have GPAs of 3.5 or higher, but I digress.
Taylor Swift has never been one paycheck away from destitution. Taylor Swift has never experienced racial discrimination. She may have instances of gender discrimination, but she possesses the ideal white, blonde American beauty standard and therefore reaps the benefits of being a conventionally attractive woman. Taylor Swift has sufficient social capital. Taylor Swift is a billionaire woman prolonging her victimhood though she, as a woman, has mostly had control over her image and music (unlike her contemporaries). Taylor Swift is NOT entitled to be championed for her "female rage", nor should she be. Taylor Swift has never even been the struggling artist, for fuck's sake. I don't give a fuck if she's trying to fill the empty lunch tables of her past. Taylor Swift purporting herself, her unpolished album, and her lukewarm feminism as a musical bleeding with female rage is asinine.

Sigh Try and Come For My Job, Poors

Out there in the world right now is a 23-year-old woman, a recent college grad, who works as a barista. She has to wake up and get ready to go into a minimum wage job because she cannot get a job in her field. She doesn't have healthcare benefits or sick time, so she has to go into work no matter how she's feeling. All day long she is berated by vicious customers and creepy men, and, exhausted from being on her feet, she knows she has to go home to her shitty roommate that never does the dishes and her roommate's shitty dog. To comfort herself, she considers getting a treat, but thinks against it when she remembers that matcha lattes cost $15 and they taste like milky dirt. She knows that she needs to buy groceries this week, and so the woman resolves to go home, but notices that her gas tank is low. She goes to put gas in the car, but the pump stops at $27.86 because that's all that she has in her checking account. The woman, bereft and reeling, sinks into the driver's seat. "Well," she thinks, her head in her hands, "at least I don't have Taylor Swift's job. I just couldn't imagine."
Fame is somewhat of a choice. If at any moment Taylor feels that she is misunderstood, misconstrued, or overwhelmed by public opinion, she can LEAVE the public eye - Lord knows she has the retirement fund and residuals to do so. In "I Can Do It With a Broken Heart", the TTPD song about meeting the demands of your career-zenith mega-tour while in the relationship trenches, Taylor ends the song by rambling,

"You know you're good when you can even do it with a broken heart...you know you're good...and I'm good, cause I'm miserable, and no one even knows!...try and come for my job."

Yeah, obviously we wouldn't know, you recently passed the billionaire threshold and are the most famous and in-demand performer in the world right now. Taylor Swift makes an estimated $10 to $13 million dollars A NIGHT on the Eras Tour. Furthermore, the Eras Tour movie grossed $261.6 million globally, (which, as the producer, Taylor takes home 57% of the ticket sales) not counting the streaming revenue from Amazon Prime Video and the estimated $75 million deal that Disney paid to have it on Disney+. We're not even considering the income from cheap plastic popcorn buckets and drink cups plastered with colored squares in her Era-specific likeness.
It's funny. Taylor Swift often said that being famous wasn't hard, that she "isn't complaining". I'm sure it is difficult to always have to present in a good mood, else you'll end up misrepresented in the media, and I'm sure it's invasive to virtually have no privacy or semblance of anonymity. Still, Taylor Swift shows up each night of tour and performs. For a majority of her career, she has penned her sad songs while on the road. Most of "Red", her breakup album, was written in the thick of the Speak Now World tour. Now, some Swifties say they almost "feel bad" for attending the Eras Tour with Swift's revelations in this song, that they have had a 'dimmed experience' upon hearing Taylor's misery whilst performing. Despite the fact that Taylor said that "this was the happiest she's ever been" at Gilette Stadium in May, the lyrics "boohoo, woe is me, smile for the cameras and make the fans happy!!!" are jarring for Eras attendees.
While Taylor Swift was making double-digit millions a night in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil and feeling miserable, Ana Clara Benevides Machado passed away due to heat exposure. The concert promoters, Time For Fun, are now the subject of a criminal investigation due to their lack of adequate hydration and safety. Taylor Swift cancelled the Sunday show that was to follow and offered VIP tent tickets to Benevides Marchado's family, which was a kind gesture, but perhaps incongruous to the incident of which they were offered as consolation. Everyone grieves differently, of course, but I'm not sure attending the very show at the very same venue that my daughter or sister passed away in two days prior, where the singer CONTINUED the show despite her death, would be healthy for closure.
There was no female rage at the show as Swift never saw Benevides Machado pass out. There was no female rage towards the disregard for fans as humans while Swift elected to proceed with her Brazil tour dates despite the country being in historic heatwaves (at risk of overheatting herself). If Taylor Swift was so shaken by touring with a broken heart or a fan's passing, she wouldn't have added an additional North American leg of Eras just two months after the Matty breakup. She's brokenhearted but willing to mend the cracks with your money and move onward with her worldwide female rage induced pillaging.
No matter what happens, even if you die at a Taylor Swift concert, Taylor collects a big fat check and flies away. She doesn't know you as anything other than a conversion rate or earning potential despite what her nearly 20-year long parasocial relationship with fans might otherwise indicate. She knows that, while some Swifties are without disposable income, they feel obligated to spend on a "48 Hours Only!" exclusive vinyl variant instead of necessities because they are so entrenched in Taylor Swift's intoxicating celebrity, they'll prioritize materialistic fandom before their needs. This is good enough for her because this means she can expand her real estate portfolio and finance her cat's lavish lifestyles. They're worth an estimated $100 million dollars. Her three cats could pool their net worth and solve world hunger.
While you and I might be denied bereavement leave and barely surviving the current political and economic climate, Taylor Swift has to, instead of gets to, perform for stadiums at full attendance for three nights in a row across the globe. You and I might be replaced by AI at our longtime jobs, but Taylor Swift is threatened with losing more and more money each time you listen to a "Stolen Version" of her songs. If we don't buy every variant of all of her albums, then who is going to pay for the fucking cats?
It is tone deaf to spend as she spends and lives as she lives in this economy, but this is her reality. She was able to donate $100,000 to all of her tour truck drivers, and that's wonderful, but it leads me to wonder about the ethos of the 2020s where one woman can hoard such life-changing amounts of money. Remember in 2014 when she gave a fan $90 ($120 in today's money) to get Chipotle because she had no fucking clue how much it cost? This is a 34-year-old woman who is increasingly out of touch with the reality for working class people and women in general. Normal everyday adults must wake up and go to their thankless jobs, and yet Taylor Swift, despite all her riches, incessantly references the lows of her life and career as a public figure and entertainer to farm sympathy and drive sales. And still, the corporate women have latched onto "I cry a lot, but I am so productive! It's an art!" as their cubicle battle cry.
Do you think that, from up in her private jet, Taylor Swift gazes at the world through her poetic, tortured eyes, and thinks, "All the little people, in their cars, walking, going about their lives...all those girls that don't support girls...do they know that I've made an album about female rage?"

Conclusion/TLDR

Thank you for reading. I would love to hear your critical insights towards this entire ordeal: TTPD, the trademark, the implications of it all.
TLDR: Taylor Swift is a bad feminist and is delusional to think that the TTPD eras set exemplifies female rage at women's injustice.

I’m hoping this is the right place to post.
I have bipolar and receive PIP. I left my corporate career 3 years ago to set up my own business (working outside a lot which supports my mental health). My letter didn’t state then that I was leaving for my mental health but I’d had a lot of time off with depression and my bosses knew that was why. There’s no way I could continue in office work due to SI, dissociation, panic attacks and extreme distress.
I’m currently self employed for 25- 30 hours pw and I am employed as a carer for 20 hours.
I have a fit note for 28 days saying I am not fit for work and I’ve been back under the crisis team recently although I’m stable now I’m not working so many hours . I know that to avoid a crisis, I need to cut my hours and I want to continue with the self employed work as that’s manageable and I have control over my hours but cut the employed work.
I don’t know the best way to manage this as I’m worried that UC will just see that I’m working up to 30 hours and say I should be looking for full time work. When I’ve specifically built my business to support my mental health.
Will it still trigger a WCA if my fit note says ‘fit for work but with adjusted hours’?!
Any other issues or advice you have for my situation would be so appreciated because it feels quite complicated.
I know that being SE and claiming UC can be complicated but my income and outgoings are pretty straightforward and easy to prove and submit. I understand that because of PIP, I’m allowed to earn more if I’m in the LCW or LCWRA group too.
I just don’t want to trip myself up as I go through the process. I also love my boss and feel so guilty because I don’t see how I can return to work but I’ve been advised not to hand my notice in and wait until they let me go on health grounds.

In another thread, a user posted this in violation of the info request rules:

No such notes exist, which is to say if there was proof Adnan lied…this would be a different case.
The premise of this request is faulty, as well, because on Serial the implication is he doesn’t remember and wouldn’t have asked for a ride because he had a car…the same thing he said to police. Adnan could be just trying to be consistent, could be telling the truth, or could be lying. We’ll likely never know.

I don’t want to perpetuate rule violations, so I created this new thread. There’s a lot wrong with this post. Let’s start with this: “ on Serial the implication is he doesn’t remember and wouldn’t have asked for a ride because he had a car”
This is patently false. Adnan says why he wouldn’t ask for a ride and it has nothing to do with him having a car and everything to do with Hae needing to pick up her cousin. From Adnan’s own mouth during Serial:

Adnan Syed I would-- wouldn’t have asked for a ride after school. I’m-- I’m sure that I didn’t ask her because, well immediately after school because I know she always-- anyone who knows her knows she always goes to pick up her little cousin, so she’s not doing anything for anyone right after school. No-- no matter what. No trip to McDonalds. Not a trip to 7-Eleven. She took that very seriously.

No mention of Adnan having a car. We know this is a lie because Adnan told his attorneys he would go to Best Buy with Hae before she would pick up her cousin. That’s the link I’m looking for.

Disclaimer: This is not confirmed content, just an idea i had (please don't ban me again mods)
All of the Titanfall players are gonna love this one.
Name: (I actually need a name, can't make up my mind)
Homeworld: Harmony
Gender: Male
Height: 6ft 1in
Weight: 315lbs
Allegiance: Unknown
Background: Pilot
Class: Assault
_______________________________________________________________________________________________ Passive Ability:
Advance Movement

• 5 seconds of Wall-running
  
• a Double Jump takes 2 seconds off
  
• double jump cannot be used again until after they touch down or wall run again
  
• Double jump reduces active speed by 7%
  
• Recharges after a 2 second delay and recharges at a rate of 2 to 1 (2 seconds charge = 1 second wall run)
  
• any jumping or falling will start the recharge delay again
  
• Wall run and jump mechanics are almost identical to that of Titanfall 2 but with a 50% reduction on how fast you can build up speed
  
• reload and switch speed when wall-running is reduced by 20%
  

Notes: It will take 50% longer to build up a crazy amount of speed making it smart to build up speed in advance by any means (super glide, sliding down a hill, grenade boost, jump pad, jumping off a zip line, etc) The audio of Wall-runing is also very audible, as loud as a Vantage Tactical. The double jump by default has a 30 degree angle that you can change direction without loss of too much speed.
_______________________________________________________________________________________________
Tactical:
Phase Rewind

• When activated it will send you back in the exact movement you did from the last 2 seconds
  
• takes .5 second to activate and applies the same slowness that Wraith has when activating her phase
  
• 30 second cooldown
  
• the phase does not highlight enemies or even show them while phased (similar to the old phase shift)
  

Notes: The 2 second time makes it useful only for sudden pushes into a room/fight and not during the fight, making it a bit better than Wraiths phase, but significantly harder to use as the timing has to be really good and you have no way of controlling where you're going to go. Not being able to see enemies while phasing also helps balance it.
_______________________________________________________________________________________________
Ultimate:
Radar Jammer

• Lasts 25s
  
• sends out a white pulse in a 100m radius
  
• enemies can no longer ping
  
• mini map has static covering it
  
• compass no longer works
  
• Ring Consoles no longer work
  
• Cannot Scan care packages
  
• Cooldown: 4 minutes
  

Notes: The 100m radius makes it good for pushing an enemy from a distance and right before a gun fight, the long cooldown and short duration makes it a bit more balanced. Recon Legends are not effected by the Ult and can Use Survey Beacons to counteract it for their teammates. Any scanning by legends (Bloodhound's Scan, Crypto's drone, Vantages Ult, and Seers scan) will not show up for allies when Ult is active until a Survey Beacon is scanned or the ult expires.
_______________________________________________________________________________________________
Level 2 Upgrades:
Jump Kit Mod 1: Recharge Delay reduced by 1 second, passive charge increased by 2 seconds, passive recharge rate increased to 1.25 seconds every 2 seconds.
Jump Kit Mod 2: Slide speed and distance increased by 20%, Double Jump movement penalty removed, double jump only consumes 1 second charge.
Level 3 Upgrades:
Data Knife: Gain access to Survey Beacons. Melee walls to wall hang. (3 seconds of wall hanging uses 1 second of passive charge), must jump off wall or run out of charge to cancel.
EOD Pilot: Frag Grenades will now start their timer upon holding fire when selected, grenade damage taken by held grenades is reduced to 30, the damage taken will regenerate over the course of 15 seconds. Enemies do not get damage reduction from held grenades, grenade will only deal damage until 1 hp is reached.
Notes: The EOD Pilot perk could also be used to turn yourself into a homing missile lol.
Feedback is encouraged, what can I change? What might seem too broken?
I will post another one with any changes after sufficient feedback is given.

During the 'fake ending' of 2.2, we engage in a navigation meeting with the Astral Express Crew to vote which planet to go to next. Of course, given how much time and effort goes into creating a planet, it's unlikely the player will actually be able to choose to next destination. In 2.3, it is likely we'll have the next planet revealed, with no choice of which it will be. Still, we can have a little fun speculating things.

Where are we Going?

During the meeting, we are given 4 options: Lushaka, Patrevia, Melustanin and Edo Star. Depending on the decision you make, the result of the vote will change. However, one opinion seems to appear in every vote: Edo Star.

Option	Votes
Lushaka	3 votes for Lushaka, 2 votes for Edo Star
Melustanin	3 votes for Melustanin, 2 votes for Edo Star
Edo Star	All votes for Edo Star
Patrevia	(I don't have this data)
I can't make up my mind	All votes for Edo Star

Unlike the other planets which the Crew is only interested in for their touristic purposes, Edo Star is in mortal peril.
Edo Star has been under attack from the Antimatter Legion for a while now. In the discussion, they mention distress signals from the planet have ceased, and the IPC wants the Express to investigate. Now, this last part might have been false, given we're in the dream at that point. However, the Antimatter Legion part is something we know to be true from the Destruction of the Destroyer text.
It's reasonable to assume the crew will end up pivoting towards this destination in the end.

But then... what can we expect? Well, here's some speculation:

1. It may be the most treacherous planet we've visited yet, being in an Ion Storm region and being besieged by the Antimatter Legion.
2. It's possible there will have already been great damage and destruction to the planet's civilisation
3. While this may be a bit of a Planet of the Hats interpretation, it is likely Edo Star will be heavily inspired by Japanese culture, given the use of the name Edo.
4. According to Forla, Edo Star has great houses of music where they sing ancient ballads, so we might get some Japanese vocal works.

Notably, Edo would not be the only Japanese inspired world, as Izumo is similarly Japanese. However, Izumo is gone. If we ever explore what Izumo was in a Simulated Universe or similar mode, Edo and Izumo may appear redundant if they don't make sure to have a distinct aesthetic. However, there should be enough to work with to make that distinction.
https://preview.redd.it/hc4vn0otvd0d1.png?width=2925&format=png&auto=webp&s=2a22051be09153435464e0b6a359f708ee4d9773
If we assume for a moment that the planet depicted in Sparkle's Myriad Celestia trailer is in fact Edo Star, that distinction should not be an issue. While both are futuristic, Edo's portrayal is more neon, whilst Izumo is more sober, relying more on abstract shapes and designs.
https://preview.redd.it/2nkt948ovd0d1.png?width=2919&format=png&auto=webp&s=e4c1ba433d566c4372b47b2dd8eef59b691176e9

Part 2: Who will be there?

If we do go to Edo Star, what can we expect from the characters? Let's have a looksie.
First, let's talk about the people we already know:
1. The Astral Express Crew:
Of course, our core members will be along for the ride. As for who stays on board the Express this time: I don't have much of a theory. I'd be inclined to think March, because she's the only one who hasn't stuck behind yet, but there's not much to go on.
https://preview.redd.it/9qpw0v8eaf0d1.png?width=1277&format=png&auto=webp&s=d893b6dbe5e96b2cb5f85545f0f47334f920b250
2. Black Swan and Boothill?
While it was a nice dream to have them join the ride for a bit, I'm not convinced this will actually happen. Black Swan has her own agendas and travel methods, and Boothill doesn't seem like he'd have business on Edo Star, and he has a hunt to do. Well, 2.3 will likely reveal more. Who knows? Maybe they'll have reasons to come along after all.
https://preview.redd.it/poh15foexe0d1.png?width=365&format=png&auto=webp&s=cad37485b4e22571bd5d1d5d0edf94de9c40cc36
3. Sparkle:
As the character most heavily implied to come from a place like Edo Star, Sparkle being a returning character for its plot would make sense. However, as a Masked Fool travelling the cosmos, she could also just be mucking about wherever. If she is from Edo though, we can at least expect some mention of her background there. That said, there's no guarantee the planet we saw even is Edo Star to begin with.
Other Masked Fools like Sampo or Giovanni also always have a good chance of popping up.
https://preview.redd.it/hgfgpd3o8f0d1.png?width=184&format=png&auto=webp&s=71d8daef85bdd3238508c55af78c7c4c7b4e9c93
4. IPC/Genius Society/Intelligensia Guild characters:
I know, these three factions aren't the same. But I'm mentioning them for the same reasons: All of them could easily have business at Edo Star. Be it to investigate the Ion Storm, or to deal with the Legion situation.
5. Stellaron Hunters:
It would be a bit odd for them to go completely silent, as it appears they need to be pretty hands-on with Trailblazer's trajectory to achieve their goals.
6. Acheron:
While I think she'll probably slink into the background after what happened now in 2.2, I don't think this is the last we've seen of her. While I don't think it would be a good fit for the main Trailblaze Mission, the idea of a side mission that's just Acheron landing on Edo and engaging with the world with both familiarity and alienation could be very interesting to watch.
https://preview.redd.it/nhir0tt19f0d1.png?width=184&format=png&auto=webp&s=4babc782a0c9d34a8adfbf8aa86979dde2753216
7. Tingyun:
This one's a bit more of a stretch. We know Tingyun likely got involved with the Legion somewhere on her trips, so it's not impossible we may find traces of her at Edo Star.

But what about the people we don't know?

NEW characters: HSR mentions a lot of names, but there are none so far that have any known relation to Edo. Also worth noting is that 'newcast' characters outnumber the 'variants' from previous game with over 3 to 1. We will definitely see a lot of new faces. In fact, Penacony only had 1 character so far we can assume without question is a variant (Acheron), while the rest were all newcast.
But you can't really speculate based on nothing. So what are the variants we can expect to meet? To be honest, there are way too many characters that could work for Edo Star versions. Yanqing and Kafka have shown us miHoYo does not mind picking some of the more obscure figures. But once you start counting side characters and stigmata, well, the list becomes absurdly long.
So let's stick to some highlight candidates:
1. Yae Sakura/Kasumi/Miko:
Yae is a prime candidate for a new version. A mainstay figure with versions across Guns GirlZ, Honkai Impact 3rd and Genshin Impact. Who has a big life sized statue dedicated to her at miHoYo HQ. Who's one of the most popular characters in the roster, and has her own song. I can't imagine miHoYo not including her.
This also brings good odds of some variants of Yae Rin and Higokumaru/Hellmaru to show up. Yae's little sister and the Bake Kitsune that is often tied into her narrative.
https://preview.redd.it/k4o96pl6df0d1.png?width=982&format=png&auto=webp&s=9c20138db0ef87c0b37b37632c6747e91379e833
2. Kallen Kaslana
While it's not unheard of, it's uncommon for a Yae not to have a connection to a Kallen. Kallen Kaslana has two major facets of her identity: Her adventures in Europe, and her adventures in Japan. In fact, in one world, she rose to dictatorship trying to resurrect her beloved Yae.
(Yes, this is official art posted by miHoYo)
3. Theresa Apocalypse
Theresa is an odd character. Perhaps with the most flexible identity of the recurring main cast, Theresa has done it all. She's had different names, hair colours, eye colours and even nationalities and ethnicities. Nevertheless, in several of her versions she ends up tied to Yae or Japan in one way or another, making her a decent candidate for appearing in some shape or form on Edo Star.
https://preview.redd.it/chygo5engf0d1.png?width=1180&format=png&auto=webp&s=a388b95076125b0769b3f336a5807ea659dc5f29
4. Shigure Kira
Playing roles in both GGZ and HI3, Kira is an often overlooked multigame cast member. Shigure Kira seems like a prime candidate for Edo Star. Not only does she have a Japanese background, but she also fits perfectly with the one thing we do know about Edo: The music houses. Why? Because in HI3 Shigure Kira is an idol who cannot sing. Additionally, she's typically regarded as one of the strongest warriors around, which could allow her to fit both into the cultural landscape of Edo Star and the war with the Legion.
https://preview.redd.it/6p8xqmiehf0d1.png?width=625&format=png&auto=webp&s=9ca33251cec8d88d8597e19bf14b242e3a0d3813
5. Hokushin Mei
Raiden Mei's ancestor Hokushin Mei is mostly prevalent in GGZ. (Mei is the given name. It's not a direct lineage). It could be a way to bring in another Mei while tapping into a different identity.
https://preview.redd.it/0nnzlw9whf0d1.png?width=640&format=png&auto=webp&s=3cc4e36b82fb13302784d452ba07a436e668e733
6. Raiden Mei and Raiden Ryouma
Yes, I know, there's already Acheron. But we also have two Bronyas already! It's not unlikely another Raiden Mei would appear. The only thing that makes me think she won't is that it could be considered a bit soon.
But another avenue they could explore is to instead use her dad. Ryouma. Appearing in both GGZ and HI3, but with a bigger role in GGZ, Ryouma is one of those dudes players would love to see playable, and HSR could be his first opportunity to become it.
https://preview.redd.it/lzymnpvnif0d1.png?width=1024&format=png&auto=webp&s=9c97e99b1ab1978d48fcc292b4f37d1aabf29156
7. Murata Himeko and Murata Ryusuke
Another Himeko?! Another Himeko. She is Japanese. It could be a good opportunity to delve into the Express Crew themselves running into variants.
Similar to with Ryouma, they could instead bring in Ryusuke. This could be especially interesting if he runs into Welt, as Earth's Ryuusuke tried to kill him before.
Making deals with eldritch beings to get space powers isn't something that'd be out of place in a plot about a war with the Legion.
https://preview.redd.it/e81vnr2vjf0d1.png?width=358&format=png&auto=webp&s=8bbc3636dc26a29efa7c5d1153ab60a49bdba294
8. Any fitting character from GGZ
While it's clear GGZ still influences the identities of the multigame cast (such as Seele's Belobog design taking from her Firemoth version), we have yet to see a character in HSR we can say beyond doubt is based on a GGZ character. GGZ does have a lot of characters tied to its Japan though, and several with Japanese backgrounds too. Perhaps Edo Star could give us the first. Perhaps not. We can't know until it happens.
https://preview.redd.it/6thpa5vklf0d1.png?width=617&format=png&auto=webp&s=6869be1a24a54285f4bcdbf99dd70d7e74980a94

And if it turns out we don't go to Edo Star after all.... Well, it was fun anyway.

What do you think? Will we be visiting Edo Star next? What do you think the planet will be like? What faces do you expect to see?

France vs. Poland

Ostrava Arena

In-Game Updates

Time Clock
Period 2 - 13'

Team	1	2	TOT
FRA	2	2	4
POL	0	0	0

Team	Shots	FO Wins	PPG	SHG	PP Time	PIM
FRA	19	21	2	0	03:01	6
POL	9	14	0	0	06:00	4

Period	Time	Team	Strength	Description
1	08:47	FRA	EQ	#24 ADDAMO Justin scored for France (Assisted by #77 TREILLE Sacha and #8 GALLET Hugo).
1	11:32	FRA	EQ	#24 ADDAMO Justin scored for France (Assisted by #18 AUVITU Yohann and #95 BOZON Kevin).
2	04:21	FRA	PP1	#14 da COSTA Stephane scored for France (Assisted by #62 CHAKIACHVILI Florian).
2	07:46	FRA	PP1	#41 BELLEMARE Pierre-Edouard scored for France (Assisted by #14 da COSTA Stephane and #18 AUVITU Yohann).

Period	Time	Team	Min	Description
1	13:57	FRA	2	#24 ADDAMO Justin for Tripping.
1	18:31	FRA	2	#77 TREILLE Sacha for Interference.
2	02:59	POL	2	#69 BRYK Mateusz for Tripping.
2	06:07	POL	2	#51 WANACKI Jakub for Interference.
2	08:31	FRA	2	#3 BERTRAND Charles for Tripping.

Time

PT	MT	CT	ET	AT	WE	CE	EE	FE
11:20AM	12:20PM	01:20PM	02:20PM	03:20PM	07:20PM	08:20PM	09:20PM	09:20PM

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Margaret loved being a librarian, but it could be awfully dreary at times. It was a slow Saturday afternoon at GreenMeadows library with hardly a patron in site. Being in the center of a major city, she figured there were a plethora of places people would rather entertain themselves with than a library. She almost envied those who seemed to be too busy for everything. The only thing Margaret had going on in her life was flower garden and ever growing collection of books. Most of her friends already had boyfriends so her lack of a significant other only served to emphasize the mundanity of her life.
She tried not to let it get to her. Her life was boring but there wasn't any need to dwell on it. With a cup of hot chocolate in one hand and a book in the other, Margaret idly passed the time until she heard a loud thud from the library center. She got up from her desk to see what it was. Everyone else had already left so she should've been the only one there. She walked down the hall and saw a large black book laying on the floor. The front and back were completely blank and there was no ISBN number in sight.
Intrigued, Margaret picked up the book and returned to the desk. She flipped open the first page to find handwritten notes.
" Today I met a Goddess. She surrounds herself in a labyrinth of ancient tomes to feed her endless thirst of knowledge. More than any book, I want to know the contents of her heart."
Now Margaret was REALLY interested. It looked like someone had left behind their journal. She normally wasn't one to pry into other's business, but some wholesome voyeurism could potentially spice up her life. With each page, the writer went into more detail about their love for their crush.
" A beauty robed in a cloak of shadow Her hair, a caramel river Lips that speak of her vermillion passion Could her perfection be any more grand?"
That passage made Margaret pause. The description of black clothes, brown hair, and red lipstick sounded a lot like her. Still, it was vague enough that it could apply to any woman so she didn't give it too much thought. She took a sip of her chocolate and read on.
" I know the Goddess will never grace me so I can only admire her from afar. Sometimes she trades her black robes for floral ones, perhaps in homage of the garden she looks over. A duo of felines accompany her as she imbues her garden with seeds of her love."
Margaret froze. The writer didn't just know her appearance, but also her gardening hobby and two pet cats. This wasn't something she could just pass off as coincidence. A morbid curiosity compelled her to read even more.
Picnics in the park Buying a new bike A trip to a Cafe while wearing a pink cardigan.
Several of her routines were laid bare within the book with stark detail. The writer knew her favorites foods, her local supermarket, the brand of soap she used, and even the exact time of her last bath. The last passage Margaret read was enough to make her blood turn to ice.
" Today I finally steeled the nerves to make the Goddess notice me. I crafted a love elixir to win her heart. It will take the form of her favorite drink. With luck on my side, I added the elixir to her chocolate while she relieved herself in the bathroom. I can see her drinking from her lipstick stained cup even now. Oh Margaret, I cannot wait for you to be mine."
A stabbing pain that gripped Margaret's heart sent her tumbling to the floor. Her thoughts became erratic and her field of vision diminished by the second. The last thing she saw before losing consciousness was shadowy man towering over her, his chesire grin being the only discernable feature.
" Hello my Goddess. Are you ready to consummate our love?"

Margaret loved being a librarian, but it could be awfully dreary at times. It was a slow Saturday afternoon at GreenMeadows library with hardly a patron in site. Being in the center of a major city, she figured there were a plethora of places people would rather entertain themselves with than a library. She almost envied those who seemed to be too busy for everything. The only thing Margaret had going on in her life was flower garden and ever growing collection of books. Most of her friends already had boyfriends so her lack of a significant other only served to emphasize the mundanity of her life.
She tried not to let it get to her. Her life was boring but there wasn't any need to dwell on it. With a cup of hot chocolate in one hand and a book in the other, Margaret idly passed the time until she heard a loud thud from the library center. She got up from her desk to see what it was. Everyone else had already left so she should've been the only one there. She walked down the hall and saw a large black book laying on the floor. The front and back were completely blank and there was no ISBN number in sight.
Intrigued, Margaret picked up the book and returned to the desk. She flipped open the first page to find handwritten notes.
" Today I met a Goddess. She surrounds herself in a labyrinth of ancient tomes to feed her endless thirst of knowledge. More than any book, I want to know the contents of her heart."
Now Margaret was REALLY interested. It looked like someone had left behind their journal. She normally wasn't one to pry into other's business, but some wholesome voyeurism could potentially spice up her life. With each page, the writer went into more detail about their love for their crush.
" A beauty robed in a cloak of shadow Her hair, a caramel river Lips that speak of her vermillion passion Could her perfection be any more grand?"
That passage made Margaret pause. The description of black clothes, brown hair, and red lipstick sounded a lot like her. Still, it was vague enough that it could apply to any woman so she didn't give it too much thought. She took a sip of her chocolate and read on.
" I know the Goddess will never grace me so I can only admire her from afar. Sometimes she trades her black robes for floral ones, perhaps in homage of the garden she looks over. A duo of felines accompany her as she imbues her garden with seeds of her love."
Margaret froze. The writer didn't just know her appearance, but also her gardening hobby and two pet cats. This wasn't something she could just pass off as coincidence. A morbid curiosity compelled her to read even more.
Picnics in the park Buying a new bike A trip to a Cafe while wearing a pink cardigan.
Several of her routines were laid bare within the book with stark detail. The writer knew her favorites foods, her local supermarket, the brand of soap she used, and even the exact time of her last bath. The last passage Margaret read was enough to make her blood turn to ice.
" Today I finally steeled the nerves to make the Goddess notice me. I crafted a love elixir to win her heart. It will take the form of her favorite drink. With luck on my side, I added the elixir to her chocolate while she relieved herself in the bathroom. I can see her drinking from her lipstick stained cup even now. Oh Margaret, I cannot wait for you to be mine."
A stabbing pain that gripped Margaret's heart sent her tumbling to the floor. Her thoughts became erratic and her field of vision diminished by the second. The last thing she saw before losing consciousness was shadowy man towering over her, his chesire grin being the only discernable feature.
" Hello my Goddess. Are you ready to consummate our love?"

Margaret loved being a librarian, but it could be awfully dreary at times. It was a slow Saturday afternoon at GreenMeadows library with hardly a patron in site. Being in the center of a major city, she figured there were a plethora of places people would rather entertain themselves with than a library. She almost envied those who seemed to be too busy for everything. The only thing Margaret had going on in her life was flower garden and ever growing collection of books. Most of her friends already had boyfriends so her lack of a significant other only served to emphasize the mundanity of her life.
She tried not to let it get to her. Her life was boring but there wasn't any need to dwell on it. With a cup of hot chocolate in one hand and a book in the other, Margaret idly passed the time until she heard a loud thud from the library center. She got up from her desk to see what it was. Everyone else had already left so she should've been the only one there. She walked down the hall and saw a large black book laying on the floor. The front and back were completely blank and there was no ISBN number in sight.
Intrigued, Margaret picked up the book and returned to the desk. She flipped open the first page to find handwritten notes.
" Today I met a Goddess. She surrounds herself in a labyrinth of ancient tomes to feed her endless thirst of knowledge. More than any book, I want to know the contents of her heart."
Now Margaret was REALLY interested. It looked like someone had left behind their journal. She normally wasn't one to pry into other's business, but some wholesome voyeurism could potentially spice up her life. With each page, the writer went into more detail about their love for their crush.
" A beauty robed in a cloak of shadow Her hair, a caramel river Lips that speak of her vermillion passion Could her perfection be any more grand?"
That passage made Margaret pause. The description of black clothes, brown hair, and red lipstick sounded a lot like her. Still, it was vague enough that it could apply to any woman so she didn't give it too much thought. She took a sip of her chocolate and read on.
" I know the Goddess will never grace me so I can only admire her from afar. Sometimes she trades her black robes for floral ones, perhaps in homage of the garden she looks over. A duo of felines accompany her as she imbues her garden with seeds of her love."
Margaret froze. The writer didn't just know her appearance, but also her gardening hobby and two pet cats. This wasn't something she could just pass off as coincidence. A morbid curiosity compelled her to read even more.
Picnics in the park Buying a new bike A trip to a Cafe while wearing a pink cardigan.
Several of her routines were laid bare within the book with stark detail. The writer knew her favorites foods, her local supermarket, the brand of soap she used, and even the exact time of her last bath. The last passage Margaret read was enough to make her blood turn to ice.
" Today I finally steeled the nerves to make the Goddess notice me. I crafted a love elixir to win her heart. It will take the form of her favorite drink. With luck on my side, I added the elixir to her chocolate while she relieved herself in the bathroom. I can see her drinking from her lipstick stained cup even now. Oh Margaret, I cannot wait for you to be mine."
A stabbing pain that gripped Margaret's heart sent her tumbling to the floor. Her thoughts became erratic and her field of vision diminished by the second. The last thing she saw before losing consciousness was shadowy man towering over her, his chesire grin being the only discernable feature.
" Hello my Goddess. Are you ready to consummate our love?"

Margaret loved being a librarian, but it could be awfully dreary at times. It was a slow Saturday afternoon at GreenMeadows library with hardly a patron in site. Being in the center of a major city, she figured there were a plethora of places people would rather entertain themselves with than a library. She almost envied those who seemed to be too busy for everything. The only thing Margaret had going on in her life was flower garden and ever growing collection of books. Most of her friends already had boyfriends so her lack of a significant other only served to emphasize the mundanity of her life.
She tried not to let it get to her. Her life was boring but there wasn't any need to dwell on it. With a cup of hot chocolate in one hand and a book in the other, Margaret idly passed the time until she heard a loud thud from the library center. She got up from her desk to see what it was. Everyone else had already left so she should've been the only one there. She walked down the hall and saw a large black book laying on the floor. The front and back were completely blank and there was no ISBN number in sight.
Intrigued, Margaret picked up the book and returned to the desk. She flipped open the first page to find handwritten notes.
" Today I met a Goddess. She surrounds herself in a labyrinth of ancient tomes to feed her endless thirst of knowledge. More than any book, I want to know the contents of her heart."
Now Margaret was REALLY interested. It looked like someone had left behind their journal. She normally wasn't one to pry into other's business, but some wholesome voyeurism could potentially spice up her life. With each page, the writer went into more detail about their love for their crush.
" A beauty robed in a cloak of shadow Her hair, a caramel river Lips that speak of her vermillion passion Could her perfection be any more grand?"
That passage made Margaret pause. The description of black clothes, brown hair, and red lipstick sounded a lot like her. Still, it was vague enough that it could apply to any woman so she didn't give it too much thought. She took a sip of her chocolate and read on.
" I know the Goddess will never grace me so I can only admire her from afar. Sometimes she trades her black robes for floral ones, perhaps in homage of the garden she looks over. A duo of felines accompany her as she imbues her garden with seeds of her love."
Margaret froze. The writer didn't just know her appearance, but also her gardening hobby and two pet cats. This wasn't something she could just pass off as coincidence. A morbid curiosity compelled her to read even more.
Picnics in the park Buying a new bike A trip to a Cafe while wearing a pink cardigan.
Several of her routines were laid bare within the book with stark detail. The writer knew her favorites foods, her local supermarket, the brand of soap she used, and even the exact time of her last bath. The last passage Margaret read was enough to make her blood turn to ice.
" Today I finally steeled the nerves to make the Goddess notice me. I crafted a love elixir to win her heart. It will take the form of her favorite drink. With luck on my side, I added the elixir to her chocolate while she relieved herself in the bathroom. I can see her drinking from her lipstick stained cup even now. Oh Margaret, I cannot wait for you to be mine."
A stabbing pain that gripped Margaret's heart sent her tumbling to the floor. Her thoughts became erratic and her field of vision diminished by the second. The last thing she saw before losing consciousness was shadowy man towering over her, his chesire grin being the only discernable feature.
" Hello my Goddess. Are you ready to consummate our love?"

I've recently migrated over to uc from taxcredits.
I have 2 trips booked to go abroad one in the summer and one at the start of next year both are a week long. My understanding is that I'm supposed to tell them about those trips. I don't have any work commitments as a carer and my husband works full time (and isn't coming anyway).
Do I need to tell them about those trips? But not the one that's in this country? And do I just put a note on my journal?