How long for bactrin to work on mrsa
Microdosing: sub-threshold dosing of psychedelic drugs for self-improvement, therapy or well-being
2013.10.16 19:48 ruseweek Microdosing: sub-threshold dosing of psychedelic drugs for self-improvement, therapy or well-being
This is a community for discussion pertaining to microdosing research, experiments, regimens and experiences. The most probable candidates for microdosing are psychedelics, but we encourage dialogue on the effects of any drugs at sub-threshold dosage. No sourcing of drugs allowed! Please have a look at the microdosing Sidebar ⬇️.
2010.11.11 17:18 For couples who can't be in the same room
LongDistance is a subreddit for and about long distance relationships. For anyone considering(but not seeking), currently in, or who used to be, this is the community for you! We are here for support, advice, and community who can relate to your experiences. We are people who met online, students studying across the country and abroad, people separated by jobs and the military, and more.
2013.01.30 07:21 IIHURRlCANEII For .gifs that provide knowledge!
Gifs are great at getting quick to digest info, and /educationalgifs strives to give you educational info in this quick to digest format. From chemical processes, to how plants work, to how machines work, /educationalgifs will explain many processes in the quick to see format of gifs.
2024.05.16 18:02 Timely-Worldliness-3 I’m starting to resent my ex after the fact and I hate myself for it
If you want, you can see my previous very long post about our breakup for more details (this one will also probably be pretty long tbh). Everyone’s comments along with a few therapy sessions made me realize how one sided our relationship was. I’ve been in much longer and more committed relationships than this one, and had much worse breakups all things considered. But I’ve never felt like this. I know that grief isn’t a linear process. It comes in waves. However, I’ve always prided myself on being calm and collected even in the worst of times. I managed to hold it together pretty well when I lost my dad a year and a half ago, and worked through that in a healthy way. Why can’t I do that now? It’s been a month and a half. This should be so much smaller in the grand scheme of things.
I saw her yesterday at the grocery store, we were using self checkouts right next to each other. We ended up basically walking out together. I think she noticed me and just tried to pretend I didn’t exist. I immediately felt sick to my stomach, with this mix of deep sadness and anger. It took everything I had not to fall apart right then and there. I couldn’t eat dinner, and still managed to puke when I got home and then again in the middle of the night after waking up from a dream about us.
A realization that I had after my last post is how little she would compromise on things. A few of you that said that I was a doormat, and you’re right. I somehow let so many things slip that I shouldn’t have. It was her first serious relationship, she wasn’t used to having to compromise much. I gave her the benefit of the doubt. She asked so much of me, maybe too much, and I gave to her maybe too freely. But the few times that I asked things of her, she’d almost always say no.
I wanted to watch Home Alone over Christmas. It was a tradition that I shared with my dad, some of my earliest memories are about that. I wanted to continue that tradition and I couldn’t bring myself to do it alone, so I asked her to watch it with me. I explained how important it was. She refused, time after time, every stay at home date we had between Thanksgiving and New Years. She went on rants about how traditions are stupid, and how she hates movies about kids (yet we watched the Harry Potter movies at her request, the first few are made by the same people that made Home Alone). It’s like she didn’t even hear me asking for support when I needed her, she only heard that I was asking her to put up with something she didn’t like for an hour and a half. On the other hand, I never said no to her.
This played out time and time again, in small and big ways. My mom was going to give us the money for our dream vacation to Ireland. All she wanted in return was a nice picture of us in front of something recognizably Irish, a castle or something. She was doing this incredibly nice thing for us, and just asked for that one thing. She just wanted to see me happy, traveling the world with the person I love, after having to give up the last 4 years of my life dealing with my dad’s illness (along with losing all of my grandparents and 2 uncles in the same timeframe) But my ex didn’t like having her picture taken. She would put up with it for friends and family, but if I asked her? Never. We have 3 pictures together, all of which are shitty group photos with her friends. Can’t even tell we were a couple.
Then there’s the big thing that led to our breakup. She wanted me to anticipate her needs without her needing to say them. She hated when I asked how best to help her when she was struggling and overwhelmed, saying that I needed to show initiative. She talked a lot about “mental loads” and such. I tried to support her as much as possible (often doing too much, as many of you said), but sometimes I’d miss the mark. She’d get so frustrated with me, and we’d sit down and talk things out. She’d tell me all of these things she needed from me, and I genuinely put in so much effort trying to work on it.
The only thing that I asked for in return is if I missed the mark, to please guide me to what she needed. I did it all the time for her, she was honestly awful at supporting me. If I was venting, had a bad day, all she’d say was “I’m sorry”, and pat me on the back like a puppy. No effort to dig deeper. No words of support or encouragement. Not even a kiss or a hug. I had to show her how I needed support. I never got mad or frustrated, I recognized this was something we had to communicate about and it was my job to open that communication.
So when we’d have those conversations about how she needed support, and she was asking all of these things of me that felt like mind reading, all I asked of her was to do what I did when she missed the mark. Just that one little thing to save our relationship. It was nothing compared to what she was asking from me, and it was for her own benefit. I put in the work, got us 80% of the way there. I knew I couldn’t bridge the gap on my own. I begged her time and time again. But instead of listening and guiding me to what she needed, she did the exact opposite. Full silent treatment at the very first text of support from me, because she wanted something more/different.
That refusal to compromise ruined everything. I know anger is part of the stages of grief, but I’m just so angry all the time. I know you can’t tell based off of what was said here and in my other post, she is genuinely a great person. She didn’t do any of this maliciously. I don’t believe that she’s evil. But I can’t help but to look at all the work I put in vs all the work that she put in, after being told that I wasn’t doing enough and she was putting more effort into the relationship. Being told that she didn't know me when she didn't seem to put in the effort to know me. Being told that it's my fault we didn't have a plan for the future, when I was always bringing it up and she was always shooting me down. Is this what gaslighting is? None of it makes sense and it's driving me insane.
I don’t even know if I’m more angry at her or myself. Should have I been more proactive? Enforced stronger boundaries? Been more clear in what I needed from her? I don’t know. Maybe I am just a doormat. I just know that I hate feeling like this. I don’t want to be that guy that’s angry and bitter about their ex, and I’m terrified that’s exactly what I’m becoming.
submitted by Timely-Worldliness-3 to self [link] [comments]
I saw her yesterday at the grocery store, we were using self checkouts right next to each other. We ended up basically walking out together. I think she noticed me and just tried to pretend I didn’t exist. I immediately felt sick to my stomach, with this mix of deep sadness and anger. It took everything I had not to fall apart right then and there. I couldn’t eat dinner, and still managed to puke when I got home and then again in the middle of the night after waking up from a dream about us.
A realization that I had after my last post is how little she would compromise on things. A few of you that said that I was a doormat, and you’re right. I somehow let so many things slip that I shouldn’t have. It was her first serious relationship, she wasn’t used to having to compromise much. I gave her the benefit of the doubt. She asked so much of me, maybe too much, and I gave to her maybe too freely. But the few times that I asked things of her, she’d almost always say no.
I wanted to watch Home Alone over Christmas. It was a tradition that I shared with my dad, some of my earliest memories are about that. I wanted to continue that tradition and I couldn’t bring myself to do it alone, so I asked her to watch it with me. I explained how important it was. She refused, time after time, every stay at home date we had between Thanksgiving and New Years. She went on rants about how traditions are stupid, and how she hates movies about kids (yet we watched the Harry Potter movies at her request, the first few are made by the same people that made Home Alone). It’s like she didn’t even hear me asking for support when I needed her, she only heard that I was asking her to put up with something she didn’t like for an hour and a half. On the other hand, I never said no to her.
This played out time and time again, in small and big ways. My mom was going to give us the money for our dream vacation to Ireland. All she wanted in return was a nice picture of us in front of something recognizably Irish, a castle or something. She was doing this incredibly nice thing for us, and just asked for that one thing. She just wanted to see me happy, traveling the world with the person I love, after having to give up the last 4 years of my life dealing with my dad’s illness (along with losing all of my grandparents and 2 uncles in the same timeframe) But my ex didn’t like having her picture taken. She would put up with it for friends and family, but if I asked her? Never. We have 3 pictures together, all of which are shitty group photos with her friends. Can’t even tell we were a couple.
Then there’s the big thing that led to our breakup. She wanted me to anticipate her needs without her needing to say them. She hated when I asked how best to help her when she was struggling and overwhelmed, saying that I needed to show initiative. She talked a lot about “mental loads” and such. I tried to support her as much as possible (often doing too much, as many of you said), but sometimes I’d miss the mark. She’d get so frustrated with me, and we’d sit down and talk things out. She’d tell me all of these things she needed from me, and I genuinely put in so much effort trying to work on it.
The only thing that I asked for in return is if I missed the mark, to please guide me to what she needed. I did it all the time for her, she was honestly awful at supporting me. If I was venting, had a bad day, all she’d say was “I’m sorry”, and pat me on the back like a puppy. No effort to dig deeper. No words of support or encouragement. Not even a kiss or a hug. I had to show her how I needed support. I never got mad or frustrated, I recognized this was something we had to communicate about and it was my job to open that communication.
So when we’d have those conversations about how she needed support, and she was asking all of these things of me that felt like mind reading, all I asked of her was to do what I did when she missed the mark. Just that one little thing to save our relationship. It was nothing compared to what she was asking from me, and it was for her own benefit. I put in the work, got us 80% of the way there. I knew I couldn’t bridge the gap on my own. I begged her time and time again. But instead of listening and guiding me to what she needed, she did the exact opposite. Full silent treatment at the very first text of support from me, because she wanted something more/different.
That refusal to compromise ruined everything. I know anger is part of the stages of grief, but I’m just so angry all the time. I know you can’t tell based off of what was said here and in my other post, she is genuinely a great person. She didn’t do any of this maliciously. I don’t believe that she’s evil. But I can’t help but to look at all the work I put in vs all the work that she put in, after being told that I wasn’t doing enough and she was putting more effort into the relationship. Being told that she didn't know me when she didn't seem to put in the effort to know me. Being told that it's my fault we didn't have a plan for the future, when I was always bringing it up and she was always shooting me down. Is this what gaslighting is? None of it makes sense and it's driving me insane.
I don’t even know if I’m more angry at her or myself. Should have I been more proactive? Enforced stronger boundaries? Been more clear in what I needed from her? I don’t know. Maybe I am just a doormat. I just know that I hate feeling like this. I don’t want to be that guy that’s angry and bitter about their ex, and I’m terrified that’s exactly what I’m becoming.
2024.05.16 18:01 uScooter HCR2 Calculator with Hoverbike
I hope I'm not stepping on anyone toes here, costica1234 has done a great job creating this calculator. I asked for permission to post this update 3 weeks ago but I didn't get a response from him. So I thought I would go ahead and post it.
I added the hoverbike and some vehicle completion analysis that was helpful for me to decide which vehicles I can or would like to completely upgrade. So I thought I would include it.
Here's the instructions on how to use this spreadsheet.
Download the template using the link below.
The vehicle order is the same as the previous versions of the calculator. This will make it easier to update from an existing spreadsheet as one needs to simply copy a rectangle block, B3:AC29 and paste special, values only instead of entering the data in individual rows.
If the Hoverbike is owned, check the box in column B and add the values of the parts owned for the hoverbike.
Verify that your Garage Power matches the value in cell AM31. If it does not match, compare each vehicle power to column AM and correct the parts and level accordingly.
Columns AO thru AQ are for vehicle completion analysis and will populate automatically. It is not in Fingersoft's best interest to help you track your vehicle completion, which is why I added these last four columns.
Column AO shows the amount of coins needed to completely upgrade a vehicle. If the background is red it means that not all the legendary parts are owned for the vehicle and cannot be completely upgraded. So the value of coins is irrelevant and is incorrect until all for the legendary parts are owned for the vehicle and it also effects the ranking in column AQ. So if AO's background is red, it is best to not consider this vehicle for a complete upgrade at this time. It is also a flag to tell you to watch for legendary parts when they become available for this vehicle and try to purchase them with gems or win them in Public Events.
Column AP is a dense rank based on garage power to show what vehicle is closest to being completely upgraded. It does not show the lowest value of scrap needed or cost. So (IMHO) this rank is secondary compared to the next column but is good to know.
Column AQ is a dense rank based on the lowest cost to completely upgrade a vehicle. Just remember if column AO is red, the cost is irrelevant because not all legendary parts are owned for this vehicle.
Column AR is for building scenario's and goal setting. For scenario building, let's say you a sitting on a large pile of coins and scrap and want to know how many vehicles can be completely upgraded with the resources you have available or based on rankings. Check boxes on vehicles you wish to completely upgrade and view the sum of coins and scrap needed in Rows 31 and 32 to help figure out the most efficient way to spend your resources. To set goals, let's say you a sitting on a small pile of coins and scrap and want to completely upgrade a certain vehicle. Check the box on that vehicle you wish to completely upgrade and view the sum of coins and scrap needed in Rows 31 and 32 and work towards that goal.
I know this was a long post but I hope it helps.
See you on the track,
https://preview.redd.it/mr579ms2at0d1.png?width=1585&format=png&auto=webp&s=74121dd7c2b22fcf26459c53fda724514de9d3ef
Link to Calculator:
https://docs.google.com/spreadsheets/d/1LKfuoRSWuNsBJknPWJiomuSH9hUFmdZKeeWIfhtv6QU/template/preview
submitted by uScooter to HillClimbRacing [link] [comments]
I added the hoverbike and some vehicle completion analysis that was helpful for me to decide which vehicles I can or would like to completely upgrade. So I thought I would include it.
Here's the instructions on how to use this spreadsheet.
Download the template using the link below.
The vehicle order is the same as the previous versions of the calculator. This will make it easier to update from an existing spreadsheet as one needs to simply copy a rectangle block, B3:AC29 and paste special, values only instead of entering the data in individual rows.
If the Hoverbike is owned, check the box in column B and add the values of the parts owned for the hoverbike.
Verify that your Garage Power matches the value in cell AM31. If it does not match, compare each vehicle power to column AM and correct the parts and level accordingly.
Columns AO thru AQ are for vehicle completion analysis and will populate automatically. It is not in Fingersoft's best interest to help you track your vehicle completion, which is why I added these last four columns.
Column AO shows the amount of coins needed to completely upgrade a vehicle. If the background is red it means that not all the legendary parts are owned for the vehicle and cannot be completely upgraded. So the value of coins is irrelevant and is incorrect until all for the legendary parts are owned for the vehicle and it also effects the ranking in column AQ. So if AO's background is red, it is best to not consider this vehicle for a complete upgrade at this time. It is also a flag to tell you to watch for legendary parts when they become available for this vehicle and try to purchase them with gems or win them in Public Events.
Column AP is a dense rank based on garage power to show what vehicle is closest to being completely upgraded. It does not show the lowest value of scrap needed or cost. So (IMHO) this rank is secondary compared to the next column but is good to know.
Column AQ is a dense rank based on the lowest cost to completely upgrade a vehicle. Just remember if column AO is red, the cost is irrelevant because not all legendary parts are owned for this vehicle.
Column AR is for building scenario's and goal setting. For scenario building, let's say you a sitting on a large pile of coins and scrap and want to know how many vehicles can be completely upgraded with the resources you have available or based on rankings. Check boxes on vehicles you wish to completely upgrade and view the sum of coins and scrap needed in Rows 31 and 32 to help figure out the most efficient way to spend your resources. To set goals, let's say you a sitting on a small pile of coins and scrap and want to completely upgrade a certain vehicle. Check the box on that vehicle you wish to completely upgrade and view the sum of coins and scrap needed in Rows 31 and 32 and work towards that goal.
I know this was a long post but I hope it helps.
See you on the track,
https://preview.redd.it/mr579ms2at0d1.png?width=1585&format=png&auto=webp&s=74121dd7c2b22fcf26459c53fda724514de9d3ef
Link to Calculator:
https://docs.google.com/spreadsheets/d/1LKfuoRSWuNsBJknPWJiomuSH9hUFmdZKeeWIfhtv6QU/template/preview
2024.05.16 18:01 TicketWing How long should I wait?
I'm getting my wisdom teeth out next week, and have the world's dumbest/most unnecessary question; for how long should I avoid makeouts and sex? I'm happy with hanging out PG with my boyfriend for weeks on end, zero complaints there, I love him to bits and we're both happy whether or not we're getting intimate while hanging out. And I'm not planning on getting intimate within my first week of recovery. Also, I know, no using straws within the first few weeks, so... Anyway, I'm just wondering? I'm not gonna be wanting to make out with him while I've got bloody gums, obviously, but is it like "you shouldn't be frenching for at least a month" typa thing? Also, is there a risk with having sex or having him go down on me within let's say week 2 of recovery, even if frenching is off the table for that time-line? I'm just trying to cover all bases 😂 Again, not asking this in a "what's the SOONEST we can get at it?" type of way, I'm happy waiting a long time if that's the best call! Just wondering what the best call is so I can make it! Answers like "you need to wait until you're fully healed" aren't too helpful, I know that everyone heals at different paces but my brain works best in numbers haha
submitted by TicketWing to wisdomteeth [link] [comments]
2024.05.16 18:01 WaVyBaNaNa My (24M) GF (25F) and I have differing views on how we would handle an unplanned pregnancy and it’s causing a rift in our relationship. How do we best handle this situation?
TL;DR: Long time GF and I apparently have different views on abortion and how we would handle an unplanned pregnancy, and it’s causing a rift in how we view future sex.
Hi all, my girlfriend and I have been dating for a little over a year. We both are very liberal/pro-choice and tangentially work in politics, and have historically felt the same way about our futures and planning our lives and future children after marriage etc. I am a very safe person and have always used condoms, and she is not on birth control.
Last night we were talking and the subject moved onto kids, and she dropped that if she got accidentally pregnant from me, that she would not get an abortion. I was shocked by this news, as I believed we were on the same page about how we felt about abortion, and also our desires to not have kids until we were around ~30.
She had discussed in the past wanting to get an IUD so we that we could have sex without condoms. However, last night I suggested that she should get an IUD on top of me also using condoms to be safer, as condoms are only ~98% successful and if anything goes wrong, my understanding now is that she would want to keep the child while I very very much would not want to.
She took offense to that, and the conversation did not progress much before we went to bed upset.
I feel such a strong whiplash from the conversation, and a stress that every previous sexual experience we had could have led to a life altering circumstance if a condom didn’t work right. I am not sure if I was being callous, or if this was very important information that I should have known from the start. From prior conversations, it very seemed like she would have wanted an abortion in the past (ex. Not wanting to move to Texas because of their abortion laws).
Thank you.
submitted by WaVyBaNaNa to relationship_advice [link] [comments]
Hi all, my girlfriend and I have been dating for a little over a year. We both are very liberal/pro-choice and tangentially work in politics, and have historically felt the same way about our futures and planning our lives and future children after marriage etc. I am a very safe person and have always used condoms, and she is not on birth control.
Last night we were talking and the subject moved onto kids, and she dropped that if she got accidentally pregnant from me, that she would not get an abortion. I was shocked by this news, as I believed we were on the same page about how we felt about abortion, and also our desires to not have kids until we were around ~30.
She had discussed in the past wanting to get an IUD so we that we could have sex without condoms. However, last night I suggested that she should get an IUD on top of me also using condoms to be safer, as condoms are only ~98% successful and if anything goes wrong, my understanding now is that she would want to keep the child while I very very much would not want to.
She took offense to that, and the conversation did not progress much before we went to bed upset.
I feel such a strong whiplash from the conversation, and a stress that every previous sexual experience we had could have led to a life altering circumstance if a condom didn’t work right. I am not sure if I was being callous, or if this was very important information that I should have known from the start. From prior conversations, it very seemed like she would have wanted an abortion in the past (ex. Not wanting to move to Texas because of their abortion laws).
Thank you.
2024.05.16 18:01 No-Newt-25 Prepping for my 4th chemical pregnancy
Hi guys, long time lurker, and first time poster here.
I have seen an RE who says everything “looks good” on my end and my husband’s. The only thing that showed was that I have factor V but I’ve been taking a baby aspirin every day even since before learning this information. I have a high ovarian reserve and no other issues to be seen.
I am feeling very defeated as I tested positive yesterday (3 days before my missed period) got an HCG draw today that came back > 1 accompanied by cramps and lower back pain. Which tells me that I am probably experiencing my 4th chemical pregnancy since November. RE is suggesting IVF due to “poor egg quality” but this doesn’t make a whole lot of sense to me as me and my husband’s karyotyping did not show any abnormalities. I believe my progesterone was on the lower end when we tested it but my RE doesn’t seem concerned by that.
I am feeling very down and mad at my body. I just don’t know how to proceed from here and the thought of IVF scares me and also feels premature seeing as there really isn’t any indication for it other than I’ve never made it past the 6 week mark, so I’m conflicted. I’m not sure I can take getting another glimpse of hope just to have it all come crashing down on me again.
I guess I just wanted to vent and see if anyone else has been in the same boat to see what finally worked for you?
Thank you all in advance, this is not a boat any of us every signed up to be in and I’m sending so much love and light to you all ✨
submitted by No-Newt-25 to recurrentmiscarriage [link] [comments]
I have seen an RE who says everything “looks good” on my end and my husband’s. The only thing that showed was that I have factor V but I’ve been taking a baby aspirin every day even since before learning this information. I have a high ovarian reserve and no other issues to be seen.
I am feeling very defeated as I tested positive yesterday (3 days before my missed period) got an HCG draw today that came back > 1 accompanied by cramps and lower back pain. Which tells me that I am probably experiencing my 4th chemical pregnancy since November. RE is suggesting IVF due to “poor egg quality” but this doesn’t make a whole lot of sense to me as me and my husband’s karyotyping did not show any abnormalities. I believe my progesterone was on the lower end when we tested it but my RE doesn’t seem concerned by that.
I am feeling very down and mad at my body. I just don’t know how to proceed from here and the thought of IVF scares me and also feels premature seeing as there really isn’t any indication for it other than I’ve never made it past the 6 week mark, so I’m conflicted. I’m not sure I can take getting another glimpse of hope just to have it all come crashing down on me again.
I guess I just wanted to vent and see if anyone else has been in the same boat to see what finally worked for you?
Thank you all in advance, this is not a boat any of us every signed up to be in and I’m sending so much love and light to you all ✨
2024.05.16 18:00 Timely-Worldliness-3 I’m starting to resent my ex after the fact and I hate myself for it
If you want, you can see my previous very long post about our breakup for more details (this one will also probably be pretty long tbh). Everyone’s comments along with a few therapy sessions made me realize how one sided our relationship was. I’ve been in much longer and more committed relationships than this one, and had much worse breakups all things considered. But I’ve never felt like this. I know that grief isn’t a linear process. It comes in waves. However, I’ve always prided myself on being calm and collected even in the worst of times. I managed to hold it together pretty well when I lost my dad a year and a half ago, and worked through that in a healthy way. Why can’t I do that now? It’s been a month and a half. This should be so much smaller in the grand scheme of things.
I saw her yesterday at the grocery store, we were using self checkouts right next to each other. We ended up basically walking out together. I think she noticed me and just tried to pretend I didn’t exist. I immediately felt sick to my stomach, with this mix of deep sadness and anger. It took everything I had not to fall apart right then and there. I couldn’t eat dinner, and still managed to puke when I got home and then again in the middle of the night after waking up from a dream about us.
A realization that I had after my last post is how little she would compromise on things. A few of you that said that I was a doormat, and you’re right. I somehow let so many things slip that I shouldn’t have. It was her first serious relationship, she wasn’t used to having to compromise much. I gave her the benefit of the doubt. She asked so much of me, maybe too much, and I gave to her maybe too freely. But the few times that I asked things of her, she’d almost always say no.
I wanted to watch Home Alone over Christmas. It was a tradition that I shared with my dad, some of my earliest memories are about that. I wanted to continue that tradition and I couldn’t bring myself to do it alone, so I asked her to watch it with me. I explained how important it was. She refused, time after time, every stay at home date we had between Thanksgiving and New Years. She went on rants about how traditions are stupid, and how she hates movies about kids (yet we watched the Harry Potter movies at her request, the first few are made by the same people that made Home Alone). It’s like she didn’t even hear me asking for support when I needed her, she only heard that I was asking her to put up with something she didn’t like for an hour and a half. On the other hand, I never said no to her.
This played out time and time again, in small and big ways. My mom was going to give us the money for our dream vacation to Ireland. All she wanted in return was a nice picture of us in front of something recognizably Irish, a castle or something. She was doing this incredibly nice thing for us, and just asked for that one thing. She just wanted to see me happy, traveling the world with the person I love, after having to give up the last 4 years of my life dealing with my dad’s illness (along with losing all of my grandparents and 2 uncles in the same timeframe) But my ex didn’t like having her picture taken. She would put up with it for friends and family, but if I asked her? Never. We have 3 pictures together, all of which are shitty group photos with her friends. Can’t even tell we were a couple.
Then there’s the big thing that led to our breakup. She wanted me to anticipate her needs without her needing to say them. She hated when I asked how best to help her when she was struggling and overwhelmed, saying that I needed to show initiative. She talked a lot about “mental loads” and such. I tried to support her as much as possible (often doing too much, as many of you said), but sometimes I’d miss the mark. She’d get so frustrated with me, and we’d sit down and talk things out. She’d tell me all of these things she needed from me, and I genuinely put in so much effort trying to work on it.
The only thing that I asked for in return is if I missed the mark, to please guide me to what she needed. I did it all the time for her, she was honestly awful at supporting me. If I was venting, had a bad day, all she’d say was “I’m sorry”, and pat me on the back like a puppy. No effort to dig deeper. No words of support or encouragement. Not even a kiss or a hug. I had to show her how I needed support. I never got mad or frustrated, I recognized this was something we had to communicate about and it was my job to open that communication.
So when we’d have those conversations about how she needed support, and she was asking all of these things of me that felt like mind reading, all I asked of her was to do what I did when she missed the mark. Just that one little thing to save our relationship. It was nothing compared to what she was asking from me, and it was for her own benefit. I put in the work, got us 80% of the way there. I knew I couldn’t bridge the gap on my own. I begged her time and time again. But instead of listening and guiding me to what she needed, she did the exact opposite. Full silent treatment at the very first text of support from me, because she wanted something more/different.
That refusal to compromise ruined everything. I know anger is part of the stages of grief, but I’m just so angry all the time. I know you can’t tell based off of what was said here and in my other post, she is genuinely a great person. She didn’t do any of this maliciously. I don’t believe that she’s evil. But I can’t help but to look at all the work I put in vs all the work that she put in, after being told that I wasn’t doing enough and she was putting more effort into the relationship. Being told that she didn't know me when she didn't seem to put in the effort to know me. Being told that it's my fault we didn't have a plan for the future, when I was always bringing it up and she was always shooting me down. Is this what gaslighting is? None of it makes sense and it's driving me insane.
I don’t even know if I’m more angry at her or myself. Should have I been more proactive? Enforced stronger boundaries? Been more clear in what I needed from her? I don’t know. Maybe I am just a doormat. I just know that I hate feeling like this. I don’t want to be that guy that’s angry and bitter about their ex, and I’m terrified that’s exactly what I’m becoming.
submitted by Timely-Worldliness-3 to TrueOffMyChest [link] [comments]
I saw her yesterday at the grocery store, we were using self checkouts right next to each other. We ended up basically walking out together. I think she noticed me and just tried to pretend I didn’t exist. I immediately felt sick to my stomach, with this mix of deep sadness and anger. It took everything I had not to fall apart right then and there. I couldn’t eat dinner, and still managed to puke when I got home and then again in the middle of the night after waking up from a dream about us.
A realization that I had after my last post is how little she would compromise on things. A few of you that said that I was a doormat, and you’re right. I somehow let so many things slip that I shouldn’t have. It was her first serious relationship, she wasn’t used to having to compromise much. I gave her the benefit of the doubt. She asked so much of me, maybe too much, and I gave to her maybe too freely. But the few times that I asked things of her, she’d almost always say no.
I wanted to watch Home Alone over Christmas. It was a tradition that I shared with my dad, some of my earliest memories are about that. I wanted to continue that tradition and I couldn’t bring myself to do it alone, so I asked her to watch it with me. I explained how important it was. She refused, time after time, every stay at home date we had between Thanksgiving and New Years. She went on rants about how traditions are stupid, and how she hates movies about kids (yet we watched the Harry Potter movies at her request, the first few are made by the same people that made Home Alone). It’s like she didn’t even hear me asking for support when I needed her, she only heard that I was asking her to put up with something she didn’t like for an hour and a half. On the other hand, I never said no to her.
This played out time and time again, in small and big ways. My mom was going to give us the money for our dream vacation to Ireland. All she wanted in return was a nice picture of us in front of something recognizably Irish, a castle or something. She was doing this incredibly nice thing for us, and just asked for that one thing. She just wanted to see me happy, traveling the world with the person I love, after having to give up the last 4 years of my life dealing with my dad’s illness (along with losing all of my grandparents and 2 uncles in the same timeframe) But my ex didn’t like having her picture taken. She would put up with it for friends and family, but if I asked her? Never. We have 3 pictures together, all of which are shitty group photos with her friends. Can’t even tell we were a couple.
Then there’s the big thing that led to our breakup. She wanted me to anticipate her needs without her needing to say them. She hated when I asked how best to help her when she was struggling and overwhelmed, saying that I needed to show initiative. She talked a lot about “mental loads” and such. I tried to support her as much as possible (often doing too much, as many of you said), but sometimes I’d miss the mark. She’d get so frustrated with me, and we’d sit down and talk things out. She’d tell me all of these things she needed from me, and I genuinely put in so much effort trying to work on it.
The only thing that I asked for in return is if I missed the mark, to please guide me to what she needed. I did it all the time for her, she was honestly awful at supporting me. If I was venting, had a bad day, all she’d say was “I’m sorry”, and pat me on the back like a puppy. No effort to dig deeper. No words of support or encouragement. Not even a kiss or a hug. I had to show her how I needed support. I never got mad or frustrated, I recognized this was something we had to communicate about and it was my job to open that communication.
So when we’d have those conversations about how she needed support, and she was asking all of these things of me that felt like mind reading, all I asked of her was to do what I did when she missed the mark. Just that one little thing to save our relationship. It was nothing compared to what she was asking from me, and it was for her own benefit. I put in the work, got us 80% of the way there. I knew I couldn’t bridge the gap on my own. I begged her time and time again. But instead of listening and guiding me to what she needed, she did the exact opposite. Full silent treatment at the very first text of support from me, because she wanted something more/different.
That refusal to compromise ruined everything. I know anger is part of the stages of grief, but I’m just so angry all the time. I know you can’t tell based off of what was said here and in my other post, she is genuinely a great person. She didn’t do any of this maliciously. I don’t believe that she’s evil. But I can’t help but to look at all the work I put in vs all the work that she put in, after being told that I wasn’t doing enough and she was putting more effort into the relationship. Being told that she didn't know me when she didn't seem to put in the effort to know me. Being told that it's my fault we didn't have a plan for the future, when I was always bringing it up and she was always shooting me down. Is this what gaslighting is? None of it makes sense and it's driving me insane.
I don’t even know if I’m more angry at her or myself. Should have I been more proactive? Enforced stronger boundaries? Been more clear in what I needed from her? I don’t know. Maybe I am just a doormat. I just know that I hate feeling like this. I don’t want to be that guy that’s angry and bitter about their ex, and I’m terrified that’s exactly what I’m becoming.
2024.05.16 18:00 RyanChesnut Receiving redundancy, need advice on where to put it
A couple of weeks ago I took voluntary redundancy, I’ll be receiving a package of about £10k. I don’t plan to make any big purchases with it and it’ll be going straight into savings, I need some advice on how to most strategically keep my money.
The stars aligned and I got an offer for my dream job straight away so putting money aside until I find a new job won’t be necessary. I live at home with my parents and fortunately don’t pay rent, but planning to move into London sometime this year (renting) as need to be closer to work.
With the redundancy, this will take me to about £25k in total savings. I maximised my Lifetime ISA this year, and will maximise my ISA this year with the redundancy (buying a place is my long term goal, probs still very distant!). I have the rest of it sitting in a bank savings account. I am not very savvy when it comes to investing so would love any pointers on where I should be putting this. I have no debts or anything, I have read through a flow chart but would love some more specific advice.
Thanks for all your help in advance! :)
submitted by RyanChesnut to UKPersonalFinance [link] [comments]
The stars aligned and I got an offer for my dream job straight away so putting money aside until I find a new job won’t be necessary. I live at home with my parents and fortunately don’t pay rent, but planning to move into London sometime this year (renting) as need to be closer to work.
With the redundancy, this will take me to about £25k in total savings. I maximised my Lifetime ISA this year, and will maximise my ISA this year with the redundancy (buying a place is my long term goal, probs still very distant!). I have the rest of it sitting in a bank savings account. I am not very savvy when it comes to investing so would love any pointers on where I should be putting this. I have no debts or anything, I have read through a flow chart but would love some more specific advice.
Thanks for all your help in advance! :)
2024.05.16 18:00 Whoa_where_am_I Interested in pursuing copywriting and looking for advice
Here is my story! "Screw your story!" tl;dr is at the bottom in bold
I lost my full-time office job earlier this week. Apparently, calling out of work on a regular basis is frowned upon. Who would've thought?
I'm in a sticky situation. I live in a rural area and have no car or license. I had a reliable ride to/from work thanks to a neighbor who worked at the same place. But now I'm unemployed and basically stuck on a farm (not my farm) in the middle of nowhere.
I've been brainstorming the past few days. Job options are extremely limited out here. My neighbor said, "Why don't you look for something that you can do from home?"
That's when it hit me. I remembered doing part-time SEO copywriting work a few years ago. I had emailed a client who was looking for a copywriter, I ran through some writing tests, passed, and began picking up work. I was making $10 for every 1,000 words.
I pulled up Google docs earlier this morning. I didn't realize just how much I had written. Somewhere around 100,000 words in a year's time of part-time SEO copywriting. It was a nice little side gig. But it's as if this opportunity just vanished into thin air...
Why did I stop doing the copywriting work? I am by no means a professional copywriter. But I'd like to become one. I genuinely enjoy the writing work. But it was just a part-time gig at the time. I had other priorities. I wanted my free-time back. The pay just wasn't worth the time I was putting into it. I had (somewhat of) a life.
This whole "getting fired" thing may have been a "blessing in disguise." I had almost completely forgotten about my little 1-year stretch doing copywriting work. I had a blast doing it. But I was in no situation to make it a full-time opportunity at that time.
Times have changed. I'm unemployed with limited savings. I'm stuck in the boonies. I realize it takes a long time to become an expert copywriter. I am willing to put in the work. I know there are many layers to this field. I'm a patient person.
If you actually read through my whole story, what the **** is wrong with you? Kidding, if you made is this far, thanks for reading!
tl;dr
I have samples of my work in Google docs. But I haven't created a portfolio. As a beginner, do I need to go all-out on a website right from the start?
My (limited) experience is in SEO copywriting. But I'd like to explore other options. Is it recommended to "play the field" or do I need to find a niche immediately?
How much studying did you do at the beginning? Did you frequent a lot of blogs, podcasts, online courses, etc.? What do you recommend?
I've heard about a discord server for copywriters. Should I join that? Beneficial at all?
Is copywriting at risk due to AI???
Thanks for the help!
submitted by Whoa_where_am_I to copywriting [link] [comments]
I lost my full-time office job earlier this week. Apparently, calling out of work on a regular basis is frowned upon. Who would've thought?
I'm in a sticky situation. I live in a rural area and have no car or license. I had a reliable ride to/from work thanks to a neighbor who worked at the same place. But now I'm unemployed and basically stuck on a farm (not my farm) in the middle of nowhere.
I've been brainstorming the past few days. Job options are extremely limited out here. My neighbor said, "Why don't you look for something that you can do from home?"
That's when it hit me. I remembered doing part-time SEO copywriting work a few years ago. I had emailed a client who was looking for a copywriter, I ran through some writing tests, passed, and began picking up work. I was making $10 for every 1,000 words.
I pulled up Google docs earlier this morning. I didn't realize just how much I had written. Somewhere around 100,000 words in a year's time of part-time SEO copywriting. It was a nice little side gig. But it's as if this opportunity just vanished into thin air...
Why did I stop doing the copywriting work? I am by no means a professional copywriter. But I'd like to become one. I genuinely enjoy the writing work. But it was just a part-time gig at the time. I had other priorities. I wanted my free-time back. The pay just wasn't worth the time I was putting into it. I had (somewhat of) a life.
This whole "getting fired" thing may have been a "blessing in disguise." I had almost completely forgotten about my little 1-year stretch doing copywriting work. I had a blast doing it. But I was in no situation to make it a full-time opportunity at that time.
Times have changed. I'm unemployed with limited savings. I'm stuck in the boonies. I realize it takes a long time to become an expert copywriter. I am willing to put in the work. I know there are many layers to this field. I'm a patient person.
If you actually read through my whole story, what the **** is wrong with you? Kidding, if you made is this far, thanks for reading!
tl;dr
I have samples of my work in Google docs. But I haven't created a portfolio. As a beginner, do I need to go all-out on a website right from the start?
My (limited) experience is in SEO copywriting. But I'd like to explore other options. Is it recommended to "play the field" or do I need to find a niche immediately?
How much studying did you do at the beginning? Did you frequent a lot of blogs, podcasts, online courses, etc.? What do you recommend?
I've heard about a discord server for copywriters. Should I join that? Beneficial at all?
Is copywriting at risk due to AI???
Thanks for the help!
2024.05.16 18:00 timeforshade_ok [VA] Employee needs heart transplant but won’t be approved until he stops working
I have a complicated situation on my hands. I’m the supervisor of an employee (Full Time) who is currently on the list for a heart transplant. He is not doing well. The catch 22 here is he won’t be moved up the list for a heart transplant until he stops working for 6 months - in order to just qualify for disability. He cannot afford to stop working. Our company has long term and short term disability insurance, but again financially he is unable to take a pay cut while waiting to qualify for disability.
I’m desperate to help him. I am unfamiliar with the ins and outs of how a company could help with such a situation. The HR department here has been less than helpful, they’ve only sent literature for him to read about our insurance.
Is anyone familiar with a situation like this? How can I support him through this? Are there any resources we may be overlooking? He did reach out to some charitable organizations with the hospital, but it’s akin to Go Fund Me - he doesn’t have the social circle to fulfill this effort.
submitted by timeforshade_ok to AskHR [link] [comments]
I’m desperate to help him. I am unfamiliar with the ins and outs of how a company could help with such a situation. The HR department here has been less than helpful, they’ve only sent literature for him to read about our insurance.
Is anyone familiar with a situation like this? How can I support him through this? Are there any resources we may be overlooking? He did reach out to some charitable organizations with the hospital, but it’s akin to Go Fund Me - he doesn’t have the social circle to fulfill this effort.
2024.05.16 17:59 Lyglow I m thinking to quit
Hi, I m a 22 year old Dental Tehnician from Romania and i m thinking about quitting the dental field. I started the 3 years of courses with optimism, hope and a good view on the dental technician career, I started working as a intern at the end of my first year of college. At first I went to the stone casting department and learned șomer of it but the bosses would nt let me do anything, so i changed labs, at this new lab i worked for 2 years, in wich i learned how to cast all types of stone models, how to glaze and adapt zirconia crowns and bridges, how to operate 3D printing machines and metal 3D printers, some ceramic stratification, how to organize lab cases, and other things along the way. I quit from this lab( where I was appreciated for my long hours of working and dedication, but only that, not much money, the usual day would be 10 to 11 hours, 5 days a week + 2 saturdays a month for the minimum wage of 400 €, as i was not legally employed because i was a student), i quit because they were going to change the location of the lab to a bigger building outside of the city, where the busses dont go i could not afford a car with what they paid me. After i graduated in July of 2023 they offered me employment full time for 600€/month, i have not accepted it because i was glazing around 500+ crowns of zirconia a month and the doctors were happy with them as well as the pacients (even had the big honour of doing the zirconia crowns for the all on 6 upper jaw piece for the lab's HR employee), the boss said that i was the best and most hard working student he s ever had, but not good enough to accept my offer(700€/month full-time). I got to another, smaller, lab where the boss was not happy with anything i was doing, looking for any small mistake or reason just to cut from my paycheck of 500€ a month(my rent and utilities get around 250€ without food and basic needs) so i quit again. Another lab, same old story, grumpy boss all the time, says i know nothing(which i was aware of because i didnt consider myself a master, but let s Say a level 3 out of 10) and i sould get happy i m getting some money from what i m working( he payed me 400€) and i should be grateful to him not charging me money for teaching me what he knows, și i quit. Now i quit the prothetic part and i m in a orthodontics lab, making removable appliances but i still work long hours, i still dont have time for myself and the people around me, i still get told things like "it s your fault that You dont have time and money" from my boss, my phisical and mental health are getting worse by the day and i have a grim outlook of my future working in this field. I envy my friends who work as Call Assistants because they get to work from home all day and make more money than me and i find myself questioning If is this the path i want in life, to live just above the surface of poverty, to not have time for my familly and hobbies, to die of some work related illnes? I want to quit because i ve tried 5 different labs and not one showed a better future( the one where I worked for 2 years was better, but only because i was a student, saw someone 1 year higher than me graduate and after he was employed they treated him like a pack mule as well). I feel ashamed of quitting because it would feel like giving up, but i m tired of not living my life, of living my youth years in the lab, of not being able to afford more than my basic needs, i know i m at the beginning but i când feel this field of work is killing me already and i dont see an end to the suffering which I now have.
submitted by Lyglow to askdentists [link] [comments]
2024.05.16 17:59 ismaruizdesign Figma specialist needed
UI Designer and Figma Specialist needed.
Company: Interaction Design Foundation
Remote Worldwide
Full-time
How to apply https://www.uxremotetalent.com/ux-job/ui-designer-and-figma-specialist-2
About You You have many years of hands-on experience with UI design. You excel in advanced visual design skills, including mastery of typographic hierarchy, grid systems, color psychology, and micro-interactions, with an unyielding attention to pixel-perfect details. You are highly skilled in Figma, adept at leveraging its full suite of features such as auto-layout, variant components, and design tokens to create scalable and maintainable design systems. Your problem-solving acumen in visual design is top-tier, skillfully refining UI elements to enhance both user engagement and visual harmony. Your collaborative spirit thrives in multidisciplinary settings, where you synchronize design efforts with engineers, product managers, and content strategists to deliver cohesive user experiences. Your responsibilities will range widely, so you must be adept at dividing broad duties into small, executable tasks and not lose sight of your overall mission. “Getting stuff done” is your middle name. You are results-driven and motivated by achievement and goals. Mediocrity gives you the chills. You know that ideas are worthless without execution, and you instantly get frustrated when people “talk too much and do too little”. You’re a practical idealist. You strive for perfection in everything you do, while understanding the delays that can come with waiting for something to be perfect. You know when to create results through incremental quick wins and MVPs, and when to go all in to create something perfect. You are based within UTC+1 to UTC+5 time zones, which is crucial to ensure optimal collaboration and overlapping working hours. What can we offer? A full-time position, within a fully remote organization. Daily video-based contact with your colleagues from elsewhere on the planet, and you’ll get to meet them on team trips 1–2 times per year. Forget fluffy titles, political agendas and corporate drama. Your colleagues value your character, work ethic, and what you actually achieve. Junior or senior, if you embody old-school virtues of always striving to become the best version of yourself, you'll thrive at the IxDF. Work with a highly scalable impact-driven model where we’ve consistently created more than 50% growth year-on-year since 2013. Bootstrapped with zero investment capital but built purely on consistency over time and the conviction that affordable design education can improve the quality of life of humankind. Work in a company where the distance between idea and execution is minimal. We’re a highly agile organisation with zero bureaucracy or corporate politics – but with a high level of orderliness and efficiency. Have the chance to feel the impact of helping an ever-growing design education brand empower and enrich the lives of millions of people. Work in a company culture where idealism meets high performance and excellence. To help us improve the world (and yourself in the process), you’ll need grit, work ethic, long-term thinking, and self-discipline. Work with people who have a hands-on attitude and a bias toward action rather than fluff-filled, unrealistic strategies. You’ll need crisp execution skills yourself and the ability to impress your colleagues with concrete results, just as they’ll impress you.
How to apply https://www.uxremotetalent.com/ux-job/ui-designer-and-figma-specialist-2
submitted by ismaruizdesign to webdev [link] [comments]
Company: Interaction Design Foundation
Remote Worldwide
Full-time
How to apply https://www.uxremotetalent.com/ux-job/ui-designer-and-figma-specialist-2
About You You have many years of hands-on experience with UI design. You excel in advanced visual design skills, including mastery of typographic hierarchy, grid systems, color psychology, and micro-interactions, with an unyielding attention to pixel-perfect details. You are highly skilled in Figma, adept at leveraging its full suite of features such as auto-layout, variant components, and design tokens to create scalable and maintainable design systems. Your problem-solving acumen in visual design is top-tier, skillfully refining UI elements to enhance both user engagement and visual harmony. Your collaborative spirit thrives in multidisciplinary settings, where you synchronize design efforts with engineers, product managers, and content strategists to deliver cohesive user experiences. Your responsibilities will range widely, so you must be adept at dividing broad duties into small, executable tasks and not lose sight of your overall mission. “Getting stuff done” is your middle name. You are results-driven and motivated by achievement and goals. Mediocrity gives you the chills. You know that ideas are worthless without execution, and you instantly get frustrated when people “talk too much and do too little”. You’re a practical idealist. You strive for perfection in everything you do, while understanding the delays that can come with waiting for something to be perfect. You know when to create results through incremental quick wins and MVPs, and when to go all in to create something perfect. You are based within UTC+1 to UTC+5 time zones, which is crucial to ensure optimal collaboration and overlapping working hours. What can we offer? A full-time position, within a fully remote organization. Daily video-based contact with your colleagues from elsewhere on the planet, and you’ll get to meet them on team trips 1–2 times per year. Forget fluffy titles, political agendas and corporate drama. Your colleagues value your character, work ethic, and what you actually achieve. Junior or senior, if you embody old-school virtues of always striving to become the best version of yourself, you'll thrive at the IxDF. Work with a highly scalable impact-driven model where we’ve consistently created more than 50% growth year-on-year since 2013. Bootstrapped with zero investment capital but built purely on consistency over time and the conviction that affordable design education can improve the quality of life of humankind. Work in a company where the distance between idea and execution is minimal. We’re a highly agile organisation with zero bureaucracy or corporate politics – but with a high level of orderliness and efficiency. Have the chance to feel the impact of helping an ever-growing design education brand empower and enrich the lives of millions of people. Work in a company culture where idealism meets high performance and excellence. To help us improve the world (and yourself in the process), you’ll need grit, work ethic, long-term thinking, and self-discipline. Work with people who have a hands-on attitude and a bias toward action rather than fluff-filled, unrealistic strategies. You’ll need crisp execution skills yourself and the ability to impress your colleagues with concrete results, just as they’ll impress you.
How to apply https://www.uxremotetalent.com/ux-job/ui-designer-and-figma-specialist-2
2024.05.16 17:59 Opposite-Pop-5397 You get paid to master TikTok "skills"
So either the random TikTok skills, or recipes, or projects/hacks, or other social media for that matter. Mastery of the skill will be judged by a panel of "experts" and money will be given based on the level of difficulty. Something along the lines of $500 for anything in the easy level, $5000 for the medium level, $10k for the hard level, and $100k for the god tier options. You are not allowed to have any other form of income while doing this.
Would you do it? For how long would you keep it up?
I think it might be fun for a while. And if you do some of the easy ones really fast you can mess around and work on the hard ones until you run out of money. And there will always be new ideas from people, so you will most likely never run out of things to try.
submitted by Opposite-Pop-5397 to hypotheticalsituation [link] [comments]
Would you do it? For how long would you keep it up?
I think it might be fun for a while. And if you do some of the easy ones really fast you can mess around and work on the hard ones until you run out of money. And there will always be new ideas from people, so you will most likely never run out of things to try.
2024.05.16 17:58 No-Newt-25 Prepping for my 4th chemical pregnancy
Hi guys, long time lurker, and first time poster here.
I have seen an RE who says everything “looks good” on my end and my husband’s. The only thing that showed was that I have factor V but I’ve been taking a baby aspirin every day even since before learning this information. I have a high ovarian reserve and no other issues to be seen.
I am feeling very defeated as I tested positive yesterday (3 days before my missed period) got an HCG draw today that came back > 1 accompanied by cramps and lower back pain. Which tells me that I am probably experiencing my 4th chemical pregnancy since November. RE is suggesting IVF due to “poor egg quality” but this doesn’t make a whole lot of sense to me as me and my husband’s karyotyping did not show any abnormalities. I believe my progesterone was on the lower end when we tested it but my RE doesn’t seem concerned by that.
I am feeling very down and mad at my body. I just don’t know how to proceed from here and the thought of IVF scares me and also feels premature seeing as there really isn’t any indication for it other than I’ve never made it past the 6 week mark, so I’m conflicted. I’m not sure I can take getting another glimpse of hope just to have it all come crashing down on me again.
I guess I just wanted to vent and see if anyone else has been in the same boat to see what finally worked for you?
Thank you all in advance, this is not a boat any of us every signed up to be in and I’m sending so much love and light to you all ✨
submitted by No-Newt-25 to Miscarriage [link] [comments]
I have seen an RE who says everything “looks good” on my end and my husband’s. The only thing that showed was that I have factor V but I’ve been taking a baby aspirin every day even since before learning this information. I have a high ovarian reserve and no other issues to be seen.
I am feeling very defeated as I tested positive yesterday (3 days before my missed period) got an HCG draw today that came back > 1 accompanied by cramps and lower back pain. Which tells me that I am probably experiencing my 4th chemical pregnancy since November. RE is suggesting IVF due to “poor egg quality” but this doesn’t make a whole lot of sense to me as me and my husband’s karyotyping did not show any abnormalities. I believe my progesterone was on the lower end when we tested it but my RE doesn’t seem concerned by that.
I am feeling very down and mad at my body. I just don’t know how to proceed from here and the thought of IVF scares me and also feels premature seeing as there really isn’t any indication for it other than I’ve never made it past the 6 week mark, so I’m conflicted. I’m not sure I can take getting another glimpse of hope just to have it all come crashing down on me again.
I guess I just wanted to vent and see if anyone else has been in the same boat to see what finally worked for you?
Thank you all in advance, this is not a boat any of us every signed up to be in and I’m sending so much love and light to you all ✨
2024.05.16 17:58 Sikhdiviner Please don't post lies, block me and shut down comment responses. The only ones trying to clout is you off my name.
 | Orochisama i don’t even know who you are. Black Twitter? submitted by Sikhdiviner to Vodou [link] [comments] Who Says I’m involved in black Twitter? Most of the Conversations on Twitter revolve around rupaul drag Race, LGBTQ, Ballroom, current events or marvel comics. 😂🤣 I don’t get in fights with spiritualists about bullshit on Twitter i only respond to what is said about me. I have 25K followers on twitter. I'm not a 140 character drama type of person. I usually have more to say. I never said You were white because i don’t know who you are. Remember i have a picture and you do not, you have me blocked. A Verified Check is something most people have especially if they have been published for anything or they paid for it. Again, been there done that before ATRs was ever involved in my life. I have problems with black women? Literally a black women showed me this blocked post. 75% of my audience is black women on tiktok and most of my clients since i only read or do spiritual work for yt people, i don’t initiate or mentor them in ATRs, too many problems over the years and Everyone knows my policies and boundaries. It is ok to have boundaries. Just like it is ok to have your own opinion about lgbtq community and you do not have to agree with the current controversial topic. It's the bullshit y'all that you make up. I don't care about you being pansexual or poly. Hello I'm in my 40s, do you google? How many videos do i have on youtube since 2016 talking respect and inclusion in ATRs in Sputh asian Communities (something I'm know for internationally in usa, Canada, uk and Trinidad still hence the art exhibit i was asked to be apart of last month). Who outed himself to the Palo community because people did not know? Do you know why? I walked away from a certain bar too early and my ex (a Puerto Rican since you think only they are taino) was shot. Yes I'm talking about pulse. I recently talked about my experience with beau DeMayo on twitter because the xmen97 episode triggered me. Again this is all public conversations. Do you know what the ballroom scene is? Especially in Philly and DC?? It's funny how i have icon femme queens that ask me to contribute on podcasts and discussion groups while I'm involved in the kiki scene in Brazil. I have been on several live shows with just trans people inside and outside ATRS. Again this can be found. Or how many clients I've had on lgbt reality shows? If i needed to talk about clout then i would do that, but i don't? They know me, i don't talk about them because i don't use my client’s info to get likes and views. They respect the fact i keep their privacy. I have never taken a hoodoo class. Where did you get that lie from? Where is the receipt for that? Please show. I talk about herbs all the time for free with every consultations. I don’t even use books for spell work. I post it online and it's copied, you think i got that from a book? Do you know How to go into any yard or Woods and identify plants herbs and roots? Do you know which is poisonous and what is not? Do you know what can you use So Jamaicans and haitians don’t have tainos? Just Asking Go ask around Philadelphia to Virginia who the younger family is. It's a unique enough surname with only three family trees splits all over the country. You might find a few black baptist churches still functioning. My paternal grandfather was a pastor too. I didn't even hear the word hoodoo growing up, i heard root? I heard juju or conjure. My family did not even venerate catholic saints despite immigrating through new Orleans. You are upset i have a patron? that my followers and clients asked for because they want to learn. I have Dropbox of over 1000 books and journal articles on various traditions? The price is $5 for unlimited access. It's 1 terabyte. I pay $20/ month for my Dropbox hosting. You think it should be free? All the documents i collected since 2009 in English, Spanish, French, Portuguese, kreyol and Arabic? It should be free? No one offers their Dropbox for free unless it's uncurated mess of misinformation about ATRs. It has nothing to do with you being queer or lgbt, you just want to use my energy and resources for free and for me to shut up about it. That's entitlement for just existing? I'm sorry i grew up in the 80s and 90s i had to study and literally advocate for myself for everything just to go to a white school and to get into college because my white teachers told me “you are black and don't need to go to college”. I didn't grow up with random people just giving me things because i had a fit or i added a new identity label. Sorry I'm old i guess I'm exhausted and I'm not impressed by laziness or mediocrity. If someone doesn't know what they are doing, i am not going to say they are a prize or a resource. I am not good at lying, my face always tells. So i do not waste time doing it. I don't make up things when people can easily find it. It amazes me how you get on Reddit and write 3 pages trying to tell me who i am and you don't even know who you are yet. And whose has threats? I make observations and promises. Nature runs on energetic reciprocity, and auto determination. Every life form has a survival instinct down to the cellular level. If someone decides to throw work at me, i throw it back and i don't care what happens or how long it happens because it is self defense. Whatever my spirits from the “supermarket sweep” decide needs to be done to you or your family that distracts you enough to leave me alone. Some people are not here anymore and the community may miss them but i do not. And i do not have to. There are spiritualists who have been throwing work at me since 2015, some 2012. Some i have never met in person, never touched them. I got tired of cleansing with herbs and animals and ignoring them, because they came up again and again in every divination, every ceremony, in every country. And even when i almost died years ago, i still turned the other cheek, i only talked shit and i didn't do anything more. But after people attacked my mom, guess what? i have no pity anymore for anyone in the spiritual community because my mom was the one that helped anyone, she was the one that was helping migrant workers, protesting for rights since college, she was the nurse that made me take care of my parapalegic aunt and grandmother since i was 8 years old, she was the one that taught me to be a good person no matter what people say about you. She was the one that took care of other people's children when they got sick, she took people to chemotherapy and a breast cancer advocate in her 60s! She did all that and what she received was abandonment when she could no longer help other people. They stole all her money, told her she had no more use and let her die by herself and would have if i did not move to help. And then motherfuckers have the audacity to post my mother’s photo and post about her struggles, her pain, and even said she killed herself which was not true! I saw what being nice to your enemies gets you. I don't have time for it. And i have no remorse for anything that happens to anybody after they physically or spiritually attack me. You are supposed to be spiritual, you are supposed to be better, do better, be able to make better decisions but if you do not, the blame is on you and not me. A snake does not threaten, it warns about consequences and possibilities, that's it. That's nature. The community exposes criminals and lifts them back up again. So i have no faith in their grandiose gestures because they have done it over and over and nothing happened. It's weak shit You don't like me Because of my opinion that's fine. I have no problem with an opinion, only the lies, and trying to artificially put a one sided narrative is the issue. |
2024.05.16 17:57 aelfin Dorian Hightower, Beacon of the South, Defender of Oldtown, Defender of the Citadel, Lord of Oldtown, Lord of the Hightower, Lord of the Port, Voice of Oldtown
Reddit Account: aelfin
Discord Tag: Bolt1219
Name and House: Dorian Hightower
Age: 80
Cultural Group: Reachman
Appearance: Once tall and strong and proud -- a knight of renown -- the passage of time has seen fit to humble Dorian Hightower. The gold-brown hair of his youth has bleached to silver, his countenance marked by wrinkles. He wears his hair long, often unbound that it frames his features. His beard is neatly styled. Despite the betrayal of his body, Dorian's eyes remain sharp and quick, and his smile is that of a younger man.
Trait: Mastermind
Skill(s): Devious(e), Espionage(e), Assassin
Talent(s): Napping, Meandering, Gardening
Negative Trait(s): Sickly
Starting Title(s): Beacon of the South, Defender of Oldtown, Defender of the Citadel, Lord of Oldtown, Lord of the Hightower, Lord of the Port, Voice of Oldtown
Starting Location: Starting Event
Alternate Characters: n/a
Biogaphy Early Life
In 55BC, under a golden sun in the bustling city of Oldtown, Dorian Hightower was born the second son to Lord Leyton Hightower and his wife Leona Bulwer. His early childhood was marked by a sense of curiosity and an inherent noble pride that was expected of a Hightower; against a backdrop filled with the sounds of the bustling harbour, the smell of the sea, and the sight of a forest of sails coming and going. Oft he would watch the ships as they sailed away and wondered where they went
From a young age, Dorian showed a keen interest in learning and the world around him. His education was that expected of one of his lineage; lessons with the Maester were as important as that of his martial education. At just ten, he was sent to Highgarden to squire for House Gardener. There, amidst the vibrant gardens and rich traditions of the Reach, he learned the values of chivalry, honour, and the importance of duty. His time at Highgarden left a lasting impression on him, fostering a deep respect for the knightly traditions that would shape his later life -- which would make the later actions of the Tyrells sting all the more,
At one-and-seven, Dorian’s path took a scholarly turn. Sent to study at the Citadel, immersed in the halls of knowledge, he began forging his maester's chain, dedicating himself to the studies of copper for history, bronze for astronomy, and iron for warcraft. His mentors noted a sharp intellect and strategic mind, qualities that would serve him well in the years to come.
The Heir to the Hightower
In 35 BC, a marriage united Dorian with Leila Tarly, a match both strategic and affectionate. At the age of twnety Dorian became a father, welcoming his first child, Garlan, into the world. Over the years, the Hightower family grew with the births of Garmund, Delena, Owen, and Lynesse. Each child brought new joy and responsibility, shaping Dorian into a devoted father and a wise lord.
The Stranger visited the Hightowers in 20 BC, when Dorian's older brother, Leyton, the heir to the Hightower, was lost in a shipwreck while returning from a journey to Braavos. At five-and-twenty, Dorian was thrust into the role of heir, a position he had not anticipated. Embracing his new responsibilities with determination, he began learning the intricacies of rule, administration, and justice from his father. Living in Oldtown, the heart of the Faith of the Seven, also imparted a deep spiritual awareness in Dorian. The more he learned, the more he was put into positions of authority. Initially undertaking a role as his father's Steward, Dorian learned quickly that he was much too bored by numbers to be anything close to competent. He was better at dealing with people.
Through his dealings his network grew, and this network, he recognised, could be turned toward the flow of information. The ships he had watched as a boy carried trade, but they also carried words from half the world away. If he could find a way to hear those words before any else, he'd have an advantage -- not only in trade, but in politics as well. Setting to work, Dorian used his House's name to tour as often as he could, finding those in key places that would serve his ends for the right price.
Life and Trials
As the head of House Hightower, Dorian instilled in his family a profound sense of fairness and the importance of knightly traditions. He stressed the values of chivalry and gallantry, ensuring that these principles were deeply rooted in the Hightower legacy. His household became known for its adherence to these values, earning respect and admiration throughout the Reach.
He was an avid hunter, frequently organising grand hunting expeditions in the lands surrounding Oldtown. Not merely for sport, these hunts also served as opportunities to bond with his children and vassals. One notable hunt saw Dorian bring down a formidable stag, a feat that became legendary in his household.
Dorian’s daughter Delena married Harlan Tyrell after a secret tryst, a match that Dorian did not initially support but ultimately was forced to accept. His youngest daughter, Lynesse, found a husband in Willem Ryger. A man whom Dorian had mentored in the art of espionage, and who would later go on to prove the most succesful spymaster in the country.
Feasts at the Hightower were grand affairs, known throughout the Reach for their opulence and hospitality. Dorian believed in the power of communal gatherings, often using these occasions to strengthen alliances and resolve disputes. The harvest feast was a particularly notable event, drawing his vassals to Oldtown to celebrate the bounty of the land, and to reaffirm their loyalty to House Hightower.
From the Ashes:
Family life, however, was not without its hardships, and the Hightowers not immune to tragedy. The House faced a profound loss when Garlan, Dorian's eldest son, was killed on the Field of Fire, turned to ash by dragonfire. This tragedy left Garlan's young son, Gwayne, as Dorian's heir, a heavy burden for the grieving boy to bear at such a young age. By then Dorian was a man nearing his sixtieth decade, not young by any stretch, and so particularly attension was paid to Gwayne's education near to the exclusion of all else. A small army of learned men were brought in to cover every aspect that would eventually be required of him. Dorian hardly went anywhere without his grandson in tow. The Seven Kingdoms might have been united, but the dawn of this new age was eclipsed by Dorian's fears that he would pass before his heir was ready, and he had known many a House felled by the poorly equipped.
Dorian levied from Lord Hightower against House Costayne of having refused the call to rally at Oldtown, backed by the word of the High Septon. A host marched on Three Towers but was met with denial from Lord Costayne who eventually demanded a trial by combat. Gyles Gardener offered himself as champion, and for his victory was given rule over Three Towers, with the fallen lord’s kin being exiled to Essos. Aegon Targaryen was crowned in the Starry Sept upon their return.
In 8AC, a band of sellswords by the name of the Black Roses arrived in Oldtown, headed up by Harlon Costayne, offering cheap mercenaries for the city and protection for its trade. Dorian put to them a challenge, a trial by combat to determine if the Seven stood with the Roses. Pit against a knight of Oldtown, the Black Roses emerged the victorious party, and Dorian issued them leave to remain so long as they served the Reach and her interests.
25AC
Life is a loan, and eventually all men's accounts are settled in full. Having passed into his eightieth year, Dorian Hightower knows the end is nearing for him. Age wracks his body, though his mind remains sharp. He has prepared his grandson as best as he could have done, and all that remains is the wait until his last, content in the knowledge. For the first time in a decade, the Lord of the Hightower has descended from his perch and travels towards King's Landing.
Timeline:
55 BC - Birth of Dorian Hightower
Name and House: Gwayne Hightower
Age: 30
Cultural Group: Reachman
Appearance: Gwayne stands the perfect example of the Hightower ideal; in him are the echoes of his father and his grandfather and the knightly traditions of the Hightower. He boasts hazel-hued eyes that are dominant green, alight with curiosity. His hair seems to shfit between a gold and a shade dark brown dependant on the light. Oft seen in the colours of his house; smoke greys cut with whites or greens.
Trait: Champion,
Skill(s): Swords, Andal Knight(e)
Talent(s): Hunting, Hawking, Harp
Negative Trait(s): n/a
Starting Title(s): Heir to the Hightower, Ser
Starting Location: Starting Event
Alternate Characters:n/a
Family Tree: https://www.familyecho.com/#view:SZ32K
Biography:
Born in 5BC, the firstborn son to Garlan Hightower, Gwayne was bathed in a viridescent light, anointed with the seven oils and named in the rainbow of light that filled the sept in the Hightower. This act alone is reserved for the heirs to the Hightower, a ceremony to mark them from birth as defenders of the Faith. His early life was a happy one, though he recalls little of the time. His mother and father were truly in love. Only two years later after his birth would his brother follow, and their two sisters after them. His grandfather's hall and hearth was filled with the laughter of children.
It was Garlan Hightower who held command of the Hightower host the fateful day that dragonfire swept across the Field of Fire, who perished there on the field, and whose bones were turned to ash and no longer able to be laid to rest. Gwayne was too young to grasp the reality of it, and before long his Grandfather had him learning with such intensity that he hardly had time to process the fact his father wasn't coming home.
Life turned into a steady routine of learning. His lessons consisted of how to act at court, his histories, his number and letters, and martial training in the yard. He would be woken before the dawn and not be permitted to bed until the sun had slipped away and night had fallen. Recklessly bold, oft he would attempt to climb the exterior of the Hightower and be scolded for the act if discovered.
His first true test at arms came when in the form of pirates. They had made their home in a cove and would strike out at ships fat and ripe with goods. Gwayne rode out with a small band of men, headed up by his uncle, Owen. For a week they scoured the coastline looking for signs of their quarry, and eventually, one night, sky unclouded and stars bright, they saw the fires. Come the dawn the charge of the Reachmen sent the pirates srambling for their weapons, and though they put up a fight, they were cut down to a man and their ships burned. Of those that surrendered, they would hang at the port in Oldtown as a stark reminder. For his bravery Gwayne was given their Valyrian Steel sword, Vigilance, upon his return.
He would seek out his glory in the lists after that, travelling the length of the Seven Kingdoms looking to make his name as a knight. Tourney followed tourney, but at each stop he remembered to paya visit to the local Sept and offer prayer. He lent a hand where he could. Sometimes he found friends, sometimes he found foe.
When the Orphans of the Fire descended on the Reach, Gwayne wished to march out and chase them down, but Dorian refused him -- and as well he did, for the chaos wrought by the Orphans might have claimed him, and Dorian was adamant that he would not lose another heir to fire. The inaction rankled at Gwayne, but he heeded his grandfather's words all the same.
Now, in 25AC, with Dorian ailing and a celebration called, Gwayne travels toward the event and prepares himself for what may come.
Timeline: 5 BC - Birth of Gwayne Hightower
submitted by aelfin to ITRPCommunity [link] [comments]
Discord Tag: Bolt1219
Name and House: Dorian Hightower
Age: 80
Cultural Group: Reachman
Appearance: Once tall and strong and proud -- a knight of renown -- the passage of time has seen fit to humble Dorian Hightower. The gold-brown hair of his youth has bleached to silver, his countenance marked by wrinkles. He wears his hair long, often unbound that it frames his features. His beard is neatly styled. Despite the betrayal of his body, Dorian's eyes remain sharp and quick, and his smile is that of a younger man.
Trait: Mastermind
Skill(s): Devious(e), Espionage(e), Assassin
Talent(s): Napping, Meandering, Gardening
Negative Trait(s): Sickly
Starting Title(s): Beacon of the South, Defender of Oldtown, Defender of the Citadel, Lord of Oldtown, Lord of the Hightower, Lord of the Port, Voice of Oldtown
Starting Location: Starting Event
Alternate Characters: n/a
Biogaphy Early Life
In 55BC, under a golden sun in the bustling city of Oldtown, Dorian Hightower was born the second son to Lord Leyton Hightower and his wife Leona Bulwer. His early childhood was marked by a sense of curiosity and an inherent noble pride that was expected of a Hightower; against a backdrop filled with the sounds of the bustling harbour, the smell of the sea, and the sight of a forest of sails coming and going. Oft he would watch the ships as they sailed away and wondered where they went
From a young age, Dorian showed a keen interest in learning and the world around him. His education was that expected of one of his lineage; lessons with the Maester were as important as that of his martial education. At just ten, he was sent to Highgarden to squire for House Gardener. There, amidst the vibrant gardens and rich traditions of the Reach, he learned the values of chivalry, honour, and the importance of duty. His time at Highgarden left a lasting impression on him, fostering a deep respect for the knightly traditions that would shape his later life -- which would make the later actions of the Tyrells sting all the more,
At one-and-seven, Dorian’s path took a scholarly turn. Sent to study at the Citadel, immersed in the halls of knowledge, he began forging his maester's chain, dedicating himself to the studies of copper for history, bronze for astronomy, and iron for warcraft. His mentors noted a sharp intellect and strategic mind, qualities that would serve him well in the years to come.
The Heir to the Hightower
In 35 BC, a marriage united Dorian with Leila Tarly, a match both strategic and affectionate. At the age of twnety Dorian became a father, welcoming his first child, Garlan, into the world. Over the years, the Hightower family grew with the births of Garmund, Delena, Owen, and Lynesse. Each child brought new joy and responsibility, shaping Dorian into a devoted father and a wise lord.
The Stranger visited the Hightowers in 20 BC, when Dorian's older brother, Leyton, the heir to the Hightower, was lost in a shipwreck while returning from a journey to Braavos. At five-and-twenty, Dorian was thrust into the role of heir, a position he had not anticipated. Embracing his new responsibilities with determination, he began learning the intricacies of rule, administration, and justice from his father. Living in Oldtown, the heart of the Faith of the Seven, also imparted a deep spiritual awareness in Dorian. The more he learned, the more he was put into positions of authority. Initially undertaking a role as his father's Steward, Dorian learned quickly that he was much too bored by numbers to be anything close to competent. He was better at dealing with people.
Through his dealings his network grew, and this network, he recognised, could be turned toward the flow of information. The ships he had watched as a boy carried trade, but they also carried words from half the world away. If he could find a way to hear those words before any else, he'd have an advantage -- not only in trade, but in politics as well. Setting to work, Dorian used his House's name to tour as often as he could, finding those in key places that would serve his ends for the right price.
Life and Trials
As the head of House Hightower, Dorian instilled in his family a profound sense of fairness and the importance of knightly traditions. He stressed the values of chivalry and gallantry, ensuring that these principles were deeply rooted in the Hightower legacy. His household became known for its adherence to these values, earning respect and admiration throughout the Reach.
He was an avid hunter, frequently organising grand hunting expeditions in the lands surrounding Oldtown. Not merely for sport, these hunts also served as opportunities to bond with his children and vassals. One notable hunt saw Dorian bring down a formidable stag, a feat that became legendary in his household.
Dorian’s daughter Delena married Harlan Tyrell after a secret tryst, a match that Dorian did not initially support but ultimately was forced to accept. His youngest daughter, Lynesse, found a husband in Willem Ryger. A man whom Dorian had mentored in the art of espionage, and who would later go on to prove the most succesful spymaster in the country.
Feasts at the Hightower were grand affairs, known throughout the Reach for their opulence and hospitality. Dorian believed in the power of communal gatherings, often using these occasions to strengthen alliances and resolve disputes. The harvest feast was a particularly notable event, drawing his vassals to Oldtown to celebrate the bounty of the land, and to reaffirm their loyalty to House Hightower.
From the Ashes:
Family life, however, was not without its hardships, and the Hightowers not immune to tragedy. The House faced a profound loss when Garlan, Dorian's eldest son, was killed on the Field of Fire, turned to ash by dragonfire. This tragedy left Garlan's young son, Gwayne, as Dorian's heir, a heavy burden for the grieving boy to bear at such a young age. By then Dorian was a man nearing his sixtieth decade, not young by any stretch, and so particularly attension was paid to Gwayne's education near to the exclusion of all else. A small army of learned men were brought in to cover every aspect that would eventually be required of him. Dorian hardly went anywhere without his grandson in tow. The Seven Kingdoms might have been united, but the dawn of this new age was eclipsed by Dorian's fears that he would pass before his heir was ready, and he had known many a House felled by the poorly equipped.
Dorian levied from Lord Hightower against House Costayne of having refused the call to rally at Oldtown, backed by the word of the High Septon. A host marched on Three Towers but was met with denial from Lord Costayne who eventually demanded a trial by combat. Gyles Gardener offered himself as champion, and for his victory was given rule over Three Towers, with the fallen lord’s kin being exiled to Essos. Aegon Targaryen was crowned in the Starry Sept upon their return.
In 8AC, a band of sellswords by the name of the Black Roses arrived in Oldtown, headed up by Harlon Costayne, offering cheap mercenaries for the city and protection for its trade. Dorian put to them a challenge, a trial by combat to determine if the Seven stood with the Roses. Pit against a knight of Oldtown, the Black Roses emerged the victorious party, and Dorian issued them leave to remain so long as they served the Reach and her interests.
25AC
Life is a loan, and eventually all men's accounts are settled in full. Having passed into his eightieth year, Dorian Hightower knows the end is nearing for him. Age wracks his body, though his mind remains sharp. He has prepared his grandson as best as he could have done, and all that remains is the wait until his last, content in the knowledge. For the first time in a decade, the Lord of the Hightower has descended from his perch and travels towards King's Landing.
Timeline:
55 BC - Birth of Dorian Hightower
- Born in Oldtown under a golden sun, second son to Lord Leyton Hightower and Leona Bulwer.
- Early childhood filled with curiosity and noble pride, amidst the bustling harbor and forest of sails.
- At ten, Dorian begins to squire for House Gardener at Highgarden.
- Learns values of chivalry, honor, and duty which leave a lasting impression.
- At seventeen, Dorian studies at the Citadel.
- Forges his maester's chain with links of copper (history), bronze (astronomy), and iron (warcraft).
- Dorian marries Leila Tarly, a strategic and affectionate match.
- Garlan Hightower is born when Dorian is twenty.
- Followed by Garmund, Delena, Owen, and Lynesse over the next five years.
- Dorian's older brother Leyton dies in a shipwreck, making Dorian the heir at twenty-five.
- Dorian starts learning rule, administration, and justice from his father, becoming his Steward.
- Dorian uses House Hightower's name and tours frequently to build a network for intelligence.
- Dorian instills values of fairness and knightly traditions in his family.
- Known for organizing grand hunting expeditions and legendary feats.
- Delena marries Harlan Tyrell after a secret tryst.
- Lynesse marries Willem Ryger, a man mentored by Dorian.
- Feasts at the Hightower are renowned for their opulence and hospitality.
- The harvest feast draws vassals to Oldtown to celebrate and reaffirm loyalty.
- Garlan, Dorian's eldest son, is killed in battle.
- Garlan's son, Gwayne, becomes Dorian's heir, leading to intense focus on his education.
- Dorian accuses House Costayne of refusing to rally at Oldtown.
- A host marches on Three Towers; Lord Costayne demands trial by combat.
- Gyles Gardener wins and takes rule over Three Towers.
- The Black Roses, a sellsword company, arrives in Oldtown.
- Dorian issues them a trial by combat; they emerge victorious and are allowed to stay.
- Travels to King's Landing for the first time in a decade, content with his preparations.
Name and House: Gwayne Hightower
Age: 30
Cultural Group: Reachman
Appearance: Gwayne stands the perfect example of the Hightower ideal; in him are the echoes of his father and his grandfather and the knightly traditions of the Hightower. He boasts hazel-hued eyes that are dominant green, alight with curiosity. His hair seems to shfit between a gold and a shade dark brown dependant on the light. Oft seen in the colours of his house; smoke greys cut with whites or greens.
Trait: Champion,
Skill(s): Swords, Andal Knight(e)
Talent(s): Hunting, Hawking, Harp
Negative Trait(s): n/a
Starting Title(s): Heir to the Hightower, Ser
Starting Location: Starting Event
Alternate Characters:n/a
Family Tree: https://www.familyecho.com/#view:SZ32K
Biography:
Born in 5BC, the firstborn son to Garlan Hightower, Gwayne was bathed in a viridescent light, anointed with the seven oils and named in the rainbow of light that filled the sept in the Hightower. This act alone is reserved for the heirs to the Hightower, a ceremony to mark them from birth as defenders of the Faith. His early life was a happy one, though he recalls little of the time. His mother and father were truly in love. Only two years later after his birth would his brother follow, and their two sisters after them. His grandfather's hall and hearth was filled with the laughter of children.
It was Garlan Hightower who held command of the Hightower host the fateful day that dragonfire swept across the Field of Fire, who perished there on the field, and whose bones were turned to ash and no longer able to be laid to rest. Gwayne was too young to grasp the reality of it, and before long his Grandfather had him learning with such intensity that he hardly had time to process the fact his father wasn't coming home.
Life turned into a steady routine of learning. His lessons consisted of how to act at court, his histories, his number and letters, and martial training in the yard. He would be woken before the dawn and not be permitted to bed until the sun had slipped away and night had fallen. Recklessly bold, oft he would attempt to climb the exterior of the Hightower and be scolded for the act if discovered.
His first true test at arms came when in the form of pirates. They had made their home in a cove and would strike out at ships fat and ripe with goods. Gwayne rode out with a small band of men, headed up by his uncle, Owen. For a week they scoured the coastline looking for signs of their quarry, and eventually, one night, sky unclouded and stars bright, they saw the fires. Come the dawn the charge of the Reachmen sent the pirates srambling for their weapons, and though they put up a fight, they were cut down to a man and their ships burned. Of those that surrendered, they would hang at the port in Oldtown as a stark reminder. For his bravery Gwayne was given their Valyrian Steel sword, Vigilance, upon his return.
He would seek out his glory in the lists after that, travelling the length of the Seven Kingdoms looking to make his name as a knight. Tourney followed tourney, but at each stop he remembered to paya visit to the local Sept and offer prayer. He lent a hand where he could. Sometimes he found friends, sometimes he found foe.
When the Orphans of the Fire descended on the Reach, Gwayne wished to march out and chase them down, but Dorian refused him -- and as well he did, for the chaos wrought by the Orphans might have claimed him, and Dorian was adamant that he would not lose another heir to fire. The inaction rankled at Gwayne, but he heeded his grandfather's words all the same.
Now, in 25AC, with Dorian ailing and a celebration called, Gwayne travels toward the event and prepares himself for what may come.
Timeline: 5 BC - Birth of Gwayne Hightower
- Born as the firstborn son to Garlan Hightower in the Hightower.
- Anointed with the seven oils and named in a ceremony reserved for heirs, marking him as a defender of the Faith.
- Gwayne's brother is born, followed by two sisters, filling their grandfather's hall with children's laughter.
- Gwayne's father, Garlan, perishes in the Field of Fire.
- Gwayne, too young to fully understand, is immersed in intense learning by his grandfather, Dorian Hightower.
- Gwayne's routine includes court etiquette, history, numbers, letters, and martial training.
- Known for his reckless boldness, he often attempts to climb the exterior of the Hightower.
- Gwayne rides out with his uncle Owen and a small band of men to combat pirates.
- After a week, they locate and defeat the pirates, hanging the survivors in Oldtown.
- Gwayne is awarded the Valyrian Steel sword, Vigilance, for his bravery.
- Gwayne travels the Seven Kingdoms seeking glory in jousting tournaments.
- Pays visits to local Septs to offer prayers and help where needed, making friends and foes along the way.
- The Orphans of the Fire descend on the Reach.
- Gwayne wishes to march out but is restrained by Dorian, preventing potential harm.
- With Dorian ailing, Gwayne prepares for a celebration in King's Landing, aware of the responsibilities and challenges ahead.
2024.05.16 17:56 Plastic_Finish1968 The Long Walk Home: chapter 10 (Tall Dark and Extraterrestrial)
Have you ever witnessed the first formation of life? I mean, I've seen my children, I was there for every step of the process if you know what I mean. Hah. But what I'm talking about is from beyond the beginning. The molten slag of a planet forming over millions or even billions of years into a habitable plane. Have you seen, from that very point, chemicals coalescing and reproducing? Amino acids and the forming proteins?
Well today, I found out, when you die in the crypts, you don't see a light in the end of a tunnel. You witness something truly beautiful and pointless.
I watched the birth of life from nothing. Short molecular protein chains. No cell walls, no encasing membranes. If DNA or genetic code of any kind was in their descendant's future, it wasn't present now. I watched it cling to the surface of rock, self-replication fueled by the warm free energy of a sun, millions of generations, hard work, decay, and new growth, only to be destroyed by a crashing wave. The weak hydrogen bonds were broken, as simple as that. The ancestor's hard work gone in a single blink-and-you-miss-it moment. Somehow I knew, wherever this was, that was all the life that planet would ever see until it was swallowed up by its star.
It was a quick fleeting spark. All the dramas and soap operas in the world could have taken place in a single raindrop. A unique potential, unlike any others, this planet's chosen ones, snuffed out before it could evolve to breathe its first breath. Rather grim isn't it? I don't know why I dreamt it, but there it was, a pointless creation followed by an equally pointless destruction. I guess it was a nice commercial break from the missing-arm-induced pain i was suffering. A wonderful hilucination, if a bit mocob.
Anyway, back to my unimaginable blood-curdling, mind-wrenching torture porn session. My eyes were closed a very long time, but when they did open, I was finally where I should be. Horizontal in a hospital bed, surrounded by trained surgeons. That said, it was on an alien world, and the surgeons were not trained in human biology. What's worse, they had no way to dull the pain.
Death would have been a blessing, unfortunately, the doctors were good, in spite of the unknown make, model, and engine size laying before them. 5 hours under an experimental knife, and I think an arc welder, is what it took to reattach my arm and fix my internal organ damage. 5 hours of poking and prodding and searing and stitching and pulling and zapping. All things considered, I am impressed it only took 5 hours. Ted's species was remarkable when it came to taking in new information and applying it in the real world. All their extra brains probably didn't hurt either.
If you remember, Ted's species came equipped with five extremity brains, and a central one. That's three for all three of his legs, two for both of his arms, and one in his central body. Ted would have had six individual minds within him before I found him dead in a ditch beside that interstellar sidewalk. By that point, only one, Ted, had survived.
After my, let's say, unique experience, I was left alone in a dark room to rest. Ted came by to visit. Oh yeah, he had a body now. He wore that "Tall, dark, and extraterrestrial" look well. He was easily 7 feet tall in his real body. Those Ted-fu moves should pack a real punch in a body like that.
"That reminds me. You wanted your fighting moves back, right?" My voice was terribly parched after my morning shouting sessions.
Shouting obscenities at medical proffesionals was about all I could do when Ted's doctors were busy inventing a new form of torture. Seriously, take notes. Good stuff in there.
"Keep them. That isn't going to be my concern here. It's hard to even walk now, let alone fight." He admitted. "I'm used to having secondary brains do all the work. I would only take over when the situation required. Now, I'm all I've got."
"Just another one of us handicap one-brainers," I taunted. "How does it feel to be on my level? Could you say you're just 'too single-minded?"
He laughed. I don't think I've ever heard Ted lower himself to laughing at one of my jokes. It wasn't even a good one. I know I could have come up with something better. Hold on. I- huh... well, I guess the moment has passed.
Instead, I teased him again. "so, you have a sense of humor after all."
"Always have. You just aren't funny." He shot back.
Then it was my turn to laugh at a bad joke.
"Bad idea!" I realized aloud. "Laughing hurts. Don't make me laugh."
There was an awkward silence before Ted finally spoke again. Our whole conversation was full of them.
"You're going back there aren't you?" He asked.
"I have to. I have a family somewhere, and I have to know if they're still alive. Something bad is happening on earth and I just want to be there to protect them."
"I don't think you ever will find out."
"Blunt and to the point today are ya?"
"Always have been. You just never listen. Im serious. I dont think you'll make it home."
There it was again, that quiet that kept creeping back up into our conversation.
"What if you run into Brad again?" He asked. "I won't be there to reboot your brain next time. You will either die or-"
"Don't tell me."
"Or you will suffer greatly, then die." He continued while checking his version of fingernails.
"I told you not to tell me. Now I can choose which option I like better."
"I'm being serious." He shot back at me. "You have no defenses against him."
"I know. I'm hoping he's dead. That's three shots from a Tedidian gun he has taken now."
Neither of us were convinced.
"Tedidian? That's the name you gave my species? I'm honored."
"I'm the first of my kind here, I get the naming privileges."
If our conversation took place over the radio, the host would be mortified. Not by the subject matter, no. The silence would be dubbed "dead air" and the host would desperately clamor for a new topic to keep the dialogue active and dynamic. We didn't have that luxury. I think Ted was sorry he couldn't have done more to help, but he would never admit it. I actually might miss him after all- Nah... Too stuck up his own butt to admit his shortcomings. I dont need a guy like that tagging along.
"Do you- mourn the loss of your secondary minds? Were they separate thinking entities?"
"I mourned their loss eons ago. I have moved on. Now I have to re-remember how to walk and talk and do math equations without them. I will be slower than my academic peers, but I have with me knowledge of the unknowable. That should make up for some of my deficiencies."
Eventually, Ted was ushered out. I needed the rest. The doctors here were good. They had managed to piece together this broken puzzle written with a completely different alphabet, and accelerated my healing a great deal. Not really a surprise, given they could build Ted a whole new body. I was back on my feet in a matter of 2 days, using my arm in 3, and back to 70% at 4. I dont think I'll ever make it back to 100%, but all things considered, this is pretty good.
It's hard to tell how long I have been away from earth, but given this trip was meant to last a very long time, I don't suspect I should miss my flight, so long as I find my portal. As long as I can find Eddy. So long as I can find all of them; Eddy, Rook, James, even Jyong and Me-Yan.
Ted's people had a similar arrangement to earth's at first. When Ted was an explorer, their portal was at the edge of the system, but they brought it down to their planet with rockets and parachutes after he and a few others never came back. The history was fascinating. They were a united planet, far and above the most advanced I have come across so far, but in spite of that, the portal slowly leeched off the planet, and spat out horrors beyond their imagination. What they once used as an interstellar fast travel, quickly turned into a speed bump, then a health hazard. There was a reason the builders set this portal so far away from the planet. It wasn't meant to be here, so Ted's people had to build a wall, with poor old lost Ted on the other side. They closely monitored the other side though, and were shocked to find the brain activity of a Tedidian coming from yours truly. That would be Ted's mind, shoulder to shoulder with mine, in my head if you weren't following along. Then they rescued me from Brad.
Speaking of, I asked around about Brad. Someone shot him, so that someone should know if he survived. I had to know if he would be waiting for me on the other side. Eventually, I asked the right person, who introduced me to my rescuer. He wore a white uniform and carried a big gun, even for Tedidian standards. I was kinda jealous. I like my pew pews, but these things were on another level.
He confidently told me that Brad was indeed "dead." I had Ted translate for me whenever I spoke to a native, but they were quickly learning on their own how to speak Sean-ese. That's the language I told them I speak. Might as well leave a lasting mark. That confidence, however, did not come from a place I liked.
"But did you actually see it dead?" I pressed.
"Nothing survives a plasma arc, even a graze, let alone two." He scoffed. Or I think he scoffed. There is no universal interplanetary sign that someone is scoffing at you. You just have to pick up on subtle undertones of pride, shock, or snood. Ted had lots of snood. Luckily, he broke the mold. The people here were as different as people are on earth. I just happened to get the most insufferable one imaginable. Just my luck.
"Then call this thing 'nobody,' because it survived one before." I suggested.
His eyes widened, glad to see that was an interplanetary sign of surprise. "Th-that isn't possible."
"Oh, but it is." Ted interjected
Oh good, that thing could be waiting for me for all I know. I never thought I'd be scared to be without a Ted in my head, but there I was, terrified. He was right. Without him, I had no defense.
We were walking back to Ted's place when I began replaying the past events in my head. My vision was something I couldn't shake. It was real. I felt like I was one of those chains of self-replicating chemicals. That's almost all they were, chemicals, but they had every marker required to classify life. They even responded to change in the environment. They were short-lived bonded protein chains that consumed, produced waste, even grew by self-replication and bonding.
"Hey Ted," I started. "I wanted to run something by you."
"I'm listening, but let's keep it under 280 characters. I'm not in the mood for a marathon today."
I rolled my eyes. "Glad to see you're back to your old self."
"My old self? I've been trying to get back to that, but every time I open my eyes, there you are."
"Look here Dane Cook, I saw something after the attack. It was on another planet. I think someone is trying to show me something."
"You were also close to Brad at the time, who we know can alter your perception."
"Maybe, but this felt different. The first time he affected my mind, he put me in a dreamlike state. Then he used something familiar to me to disguise himself. This was different. I wasn't me, I was this green amino-acid chain with no protective coating. All I could sense were chemicals, no light, no sound, but I knew what was happening too, like I was watching from the outside at the same time."
Ted learned how to roll his eyes just now from me, and mimicked the action to an exagerated end. "Don't think much about it. Many Tedidians see a light at the end of a tunnel when we are close to death. Perhaps this is just your version."
"Perhaps." One thing is certain, even if it scares me, I would be glad to be without Ted. I almost forgot how annoying he was after our little bonding session.
"But I have a question for you. Who is Dane Cook?"
"My planet's worst comedian. Thats not the point."
The day did come that I had to leave, and Ted, in his usual fashion, refused to say goodbye. Instead, all he would say is "I won't be far behind." Cryptic, right? Like, what is that supposed to mean?
At first, I thought "Great. And right after I thought I got rid of him." But then I thought about it. It would be an interesting cultural slang to say "we will meet again." Does Ted believe in an afterlife?does he think I'll wimp out and come back?
Pointless questions aside, there was some good news. He gave me a new gun. This one made an even bigger "kaboom!" It was really fun. Heh. Haha. Gimme-gimme.
I was happy to see Jim-Bob waiting for me at the portal. I hadn't seen him since I set off that sonic weapon. Their feet are so sensitive to vibrations and sound, that weapon really messed with them. The Tedidian doctors had their work cut out for them fixing 5 listening organs per Jim-Bobidian. Together, all 20 odd Jim-Bobs and I, stepped through the portal to the nightmare world.
Now that I was on this side of the portal, I could see that Brad was gone. Oh boy, what fun. You know what else? I held onto that old piece of alien tech that Ted had his brain shoved into. I thought it would make a neat souvenir. Wouldn't you believe it if as soon as the doors closed behind me, I heard that S.O.B's voice saying "So, where to next?"
Ted copied himself yet again into that stupid thing. Didn't take long to figure out what he meant by "I won't be far behind."
"What the hell, Ted?" I shouted.
"Surprised to hear my voice?" He asked?
"More pissed than surprised. I thought I finally got rid of you."
"Oh stop it, you are happy to see me, admit it."
"I thought you wanted to go home. What happened to me just being a pair of legs?"
"Ah yes, but there's a crucial difference between that Ted and this one. This one is artificial, and doesn't get lonely. I am merely a copy of a personality. That way, when you die, I won't get homesick."
"I smell bullshit," I said.
Surprisingly, he didn't make an astronauts and diapers joke. Instead, he said "Got me. I am an explorer, remember? Even if I was homesick, I still yearn for the other-worldly. My adventuring days are not yet over, and this way, I can never die, unlike someone I know."
"News flash, Ted, you did die, and give me that self-aggrandizing crap you pulled in the beginning, and I'm throwing your immortal ass down the throat of the next giant monster I find."
"My path will remain rectilinear, and true."
"Rectum what now? I thought you only knew words I used in front of you. I don't even know what you said."
"True, but now I have learned how your language works, thus am able to intuit new words. You cannot convince me that was not a word. Go- 'look it up' or whatever when you get back to Earth. It means 'I'll stay on the straight and narrow.'"
"Then why didn't you just say so? You're already teetering on the edge of being too annoying to keep around, buddy." I threatened, but I had to admit, a translator would be nice.
I have to say, the next leg of the journey went on without a hitch. The Jim-Bobs, Ted, and I were making good time. Find a monster, kill it, find a planet, explore it, find another monster, kill it too. I found so many new planets, although most were dead or never had life to begin with. The odd part was, Ted was sure he had visited some before, and interacted with the residents, but there was nothing but rock where I stood.
submitted by Plastic_Finish1968 to humansarespaceorcs [link] [comments]
Well today, I found out, when you die in the crypts, you don't see a light in the end of a tunnel. You witness something truly beautiful and pointless.
I watched the birth of life from nothing. Short molecular protein chains. No cell walls, no encasing membranes. If DNA or genetic code of any kind was in their descendant's future, it wasn't present now. I watched it cling to the surface of rock, self-replication fueled by the warm free energy of a sun, millions of generations, hard work, decay, and new growth, only to be destroyed by a crashing wave. The weak hydrogen bonds were broken, as simple as that. The ancestor's hard work gone in a single blink-and-you-miss-it moment. Somehow I knew, wherever this was, that was all the life that planet would ever see until it was swallowed up by its star.
It was a quick fleeting spark. All the dramas and soap operas in the world could have taken place in a single raindrop. A unique potential, unlike any others, this planet's chosen ones, snuffed out before it could evolve to breathe its first breath. Rather grim isn't it? I don't know why I dreamt it, but there it was, a pointless creation followed by an equally pointless destruction. I guess it was a nice commercial break from the missing-arm-induced pain i was suffering. A wonderful hilucination, if a bit mocob.
Anyway, back to my unimaginable blood-curdling, mind-wrenching torture porn session. My eyes were closed a very long time, but when they did open, I was finally where I should be. Horizontal in a hospital bed, surrounded by trained surgeons. That said, it was on an alien world, and the surgeons were not trained in human biology. What's worse, they had no way to dull the pain.
Death would have been a blessing, unfortunately, the doctors were good, in spite of the unknown make, model, and engine size laying before them. 5 hours under an experimental knife, and I think an arc welder, is what it took to reattach my arm and fix my internal organ damage. 5 hours of poking and prodding and searing and stitching and pulling and zapping. All things considered, I am impressed it only took 5 hours. Ted's species was remarkable when it came to taking in new information and applying it in the real world. All their extra brains probably didn't hurt either.
If you remember, Ted's species came equipped with five extremity brains, and a central one. That's three for all three of his legs, two for both of his arms, and one in his central body. Ted would have had six individual minds within him before I found him dead in a ditch beside that interstellar sidewalk. By that point, only one, Ted, had survived.
After my, let's say, unique experience, I was left alone in a dark room to rest. Ted came by to visit. Oh yeah, he had a body now. He wore that "Tall, dark, and extraterrestrial" look well. He was easily 7 feet tall in his real body. Those Ted-fu moves should pack a real punch in a body like that.
"That reminds me. You wanted your fighting moves back, right?" My voice was terribly parched after my morning shouting sessions.
Shouting obscenities at medical proffesionals was about all I could do when Ted's doctors were busy inventing a new form of torture. Seriously, take notes. Good stuff in there.
"Keep them. That isn't going to be my concern here. It's hard to even walk now, let alone fight." He admitted. "I'm used to having secondary brains do all the work. I would only take over when the situation required. Now, I'm all I've got."
"Just another one of us handicap one-brainers," I taunted. "How does it feel to be on my level? Could you say you're just 'too single-minded?"
He laughed. I don't think I've ever heard Ted lower himself to laughing at one of my jokes. It wasn't even a good one. I know I could have come up with something better. Hold on. I- huh... well, I guess the moment has passed.
Instead, I teased him again. "so, you have a sense of humor after all."
"Always have. You just aren't funny." He shot back.
Then it was my turn to laugh at a bad joke.
"Bad idea!" I realized aloud. "Laughing hurts. Don't make me laugh."
There was an awkward silence before Ted finally spoke again. Our whole conversation was full of them.
"You're going back there aren't you?" He asked.
"I have to. I have a family somewhere, and I have to know if they're still alive. Something bad is happening on earth and I just want to be there to protect them."
"I don't think you ever will find out."
"Blunt and to the point today are ya?"
"Always have been. You just never listen. Im serious. I dont think you'll make it home."
There it was again, that quiet that kept creeping back up into our conversation.
"What if you run into Brad again?" He asked. "I won't be there to reboot your brain next time. You will either die or-"
"Don't tell me."
"Or you will suffer greatly, then die." He continued while checking his version of fingernails.
"I told you not to tell me. Now I can choose which option I like better."
"I'm being serious." He shot back at me. "You have no defenses against him."
"I know. I'm hoping he's dead. That's three shots from a Tedidian gun he has taken now."
Neither of us were convinced.
"Tedidian? That's the name you gave my species? I'm honored."
"I'm the first of my kind here, I get the naming privileges."
If our conversation took place over the radio, the host would be mortified. Not by the subject matter, no. The silence would be dubbed "dead air" and the host would desperately clamor for a new topic to keep the dialogue active and dynamic. We didn't have that luxury. I think Ted was sorry he couldn't have done more to help, but he would never admit it. I actually might miss him after all- Nah... Too stuck up his own butt to admit his shortcomings. I dont need a guy like that tagging along.
"Do you- mourn the loss of your secondary minds? Were they separate thinking entities?"
"I mourned their loss eons ago. I have moved on. Now I have to re-remember how to walk and talk and do math equations without them. I will be slower than my academic peers, but I have with me knowledge of the unknowable. That should make up for some of my deficiencies."
Eventually, Ted was ushered out. I needed the rest. The doctors here were good. They had managed to piece together this broken puzzle written with a completely different alphabet, and accelerated my healing a great deal. Not really a surprise, given they could build Ted a whole new body. I was back on my feet in a matter of 2 days, using my arm in 3, and back to 70% at 4. I dont think I'll ever make it back to 100%, but all things considered, this is pretty good.
It's hard to tell how long I have been away from earth, but given this trip was meant to last a very long time, I don't suspect I should miss my flight, so long as I find my portal. As long as I can find Eddy. So long as I can find all of them; Eddy, Rook, James, even Jyong and Me-Yan.
Ted's people had a similar arrangement to earth's at first. When Ted was an explorer, their portal was at the edge of the system, but they brought it down to their planet with rockets and parachutes after he and a few others never came back. The history was fascinating. They were a united planet, far and above the most advanced I have come across so far, but in spite of that, the portal slowly leeched off the planet, and spat out horrors beyond their imagination. What they once used as an interstellar fast travel, quickly turned into a speed bump, then a health hazard. There was a reason the builders set this portal so far away from the planet. It wasn't meant to be here, so Ted's people had to build a wall, with poor old lost Ted on the other side. They closely monitored the other side though, and were shocked to find the brain activity of a Tedidian coming from yours truly. That would be Ted's mind, shoulder to shoulder with mine, in my head if you weren't following along. Then they rescued me from Brad.
Speaking of, I asked around about Brad. Someone shot him, so that someone should know if he survived. I had to know if he would be waiting for me on the other side. Eventually, I asked the right person, who introduced me to my rescuer. He wore a white uniform and carried a big gun, even for Tedidian standards. I was kinda jealous. I like my pew pews, but these things were on another level.
He confidently told me that Brad was indeed "dead." I had Ted translate for me whenever I spoke to a native, but they were quickly learning on their own how to speak Sean-ese. That's the language I told them I speak. Might as well leave a lasting mark. That confidence, however, did not come from a place I liked.
"But did you actually see it dead?" I pressed.
"Nothing survives a plasma arc, even a graze, let alone two." He scoffed. Or I think he scoffed. There is no universal interplanetary sign that someone is scoffing at you. You just have to pick up on subtle undertones of pride, shock, or snood. Ted had lots of snood. Luckily, he broke the mold. The people here were as different as people are on earth. I just happened to get the most insufferable one imaginable. Just my luck.
"Then call this thing 'nobody,' because it survived one before." I suggested.
His eyes widened, glad to see that was an interplanetary sign of surprise. "Th-that isn't possible."
"Oh, but it is." Ted interjected
Oh good, that thing could be waiting for me for all I know. I never thought I'd be scared to be without a Ted in my head, but there I was, terrified. He was right. Without him, I had no defense.
We were walking back to Ted's place when I began replaying the past events in my head. My vision was something I couldn't shake. It was real. I felt like I was one of those chains of self-replicating chemicals. That's almost all they were, chemicals, but they had every marker required to classify life. They even responded to change in the environment. They were short-lived bonded protein chains that consumed, produced waste, even grew by self-replication and bonding.
"Hey Ted," I started. "I wanted to run something by you."
"I'm listening, but let's keep it under 280 characters. I'm not in the mood for a marathon today."
I rolled my eyes. "Glad to see you're back to your old self."
"My old self? I've been trying to get back to that, but every time I open my eyes, there you are."
"Look here Dane Cook, I saw something after the attack. It was on another planet. I think someone is trying to show me something."
"You were also close to Brad at the time, who we know can alter your perception."
"Maybe, but this felt different. The first time he affected my mind, he put me in a dreamlike state. Then he used something familiar to me to disguise himself. This was different. I wasn't me, I was this green amino-acid chain with no protective coating. All I could sense were chemicals, no light, no sound, but I knew what was happening too, like I was watching from the outside at the same time."
Ted learned how to roll his eyes just now from me, and mimicked the action to an exagerated end. "Don't think much about it. Many Tedidians see a light at the end of a tunnel when we are close to death. Perhaps this is just your version."
"Perhaps." One thing is certain, even if it scares me, I would be glad to be without Ted. I almost forgot how annoying he was after our little bonding session.
"But I have a question for you. Who is Dane Cook?"
"My planet's worst comedian. Thats not the point."
The day did come that I had to leave, and Ted, in his usual fashion, refused to say goodbye. Instead, all he would say is "I won't be far behind." Cryptic, right? Like, what is that supposed to mean?
At first, I thought "Great. And right after I thought I got rid of him." But then I thought about it. It would be an interesting cultural slang to say "we will meet again." Does Ted believe in an afterlife?does he think I'll wimp out and come back?
Pointless questions aside, there was some good news. He gave me a new gun. This one made an even bigger "kaboom!" It was really fun. Heh. Haha. Gimme-gimme.
I was happy to see Jim-Bob waiting for me at the portal. I hadn't seen him since I set off that sonic weapon. Their feet are so sensitive to vibrations and sound, that weapon really messed with them. The Tedidian doctors had their work cut out for them fixing 5 listening organs per Jim-Bobidian. Together, all 20 odd Jim-Bobs and I, stepped through the portal to the nightmare world.
Now that I was on this side of the portal, I could see that Brad was gone. Oh boy, what fun. You know what else? I held onto that old piece of alien tech that Ted had his brain shoved into. I thought it would make a neat souvenir. Wouldn't you believe it if as soon as the doors closed behind me, I heard that S.O.B's voice saying "So, where to next?"
Ted copied himself yet again into that stupid thing. Didn't take long to figure out what he meant by "I won't be far behind."
"What the hell, Ted?" I shouted.
"Surprised to hear my voice?" He asked?
"More pissed than surprised. I thought I finally got rid of you."
"Oh stop it, you are happy to see me, admit it."
"I thought you wanted to go home. What happened to me just being a pair of legs?"
"Ah yes, but there's a crucial difference between that Ted and this one. This one is artificial, and doesn't get lonely. I am merely a copy of a personality. That way, when you die, I won't get homesick."
"I smell bullshit," I said.
Surprisingly, he didn't make an astronauts and diapers joke. Instead, he said "Got me. I am an explorer, remember? Even if I was homesick, I still yearn for the other-worldly. My adventuring days are not yet over, and this way, I can never die, unlike someone I know."
"News flash, Ted, you did die, and give me that self-aggrandizing crap you pulled in the beginning, and I'm throwing your immortal ass down the throat of the next giant monster I find."
"My path will remain rectilinear, and true."
"Rectum what now? I thought you only knew words I used in front of you. I don't even know what you said."
"True, but now I have learned how your language works, thus am able to intuit new words. You cannot convince me that was not a word. Go- 'look it up' or whatever when you get back to Earth. It means 'I'll stay on the straight and narrow.'"
"Then why didn't you just say so? You're already teetering on the edge of being too annoying to keep around, buddy." I threatened, but I had to admit, a translator would be nice.
I have to say, the next leg of the journey went on without a hitch. The Jim-Bobs, Ted, and I were making good time. Find a monster, kill it, find a planet, explore it, find another monster, kill it too. I found so many new planets, although most were dead or never had life to begin with. The odd part was, Ted was sure he had visited some before, and interacted with the residents, but there was nothing but rock where I stood.
2024.05.16 17:56 callum6489 YA series with siblings stuck in a world with different time periods living together?
I read this book maybe 8-10 years ago, it’s a young adult fiction/fantasy. It’s the first in a series about a brother and a sister who end up in an alternate world. Their father was an archeologist and after he died there was an event for him event which brought them to this world are they immediately chased by a t-Rex. They get saved by a woman and find out in this world their watches don’t work and there’s people from all sorts of time periods stuck together with no explanation. There is no electricity so when he has a battery everyone goes crazy about it thinks it’s some sort of magic because magic comes from these black stones.
All of the people are scared of a cult basically that leads everything and has black birds tattooed on their wrists and when they finally leave the world(I can’t remember how) they find out that the guy who put on the event in memorium for their father has the same tattoo while driving away in the car together. The siblings realize they cannot trust him and want to go back and figure out what is happening. I read it before the sequel came out and just happened to think of it today, I know it is a long shot but I’d really appreciate any hints! I’ve tried to look up all these details and ended up nowhere.
submitted by callum6489 to whatsthatbook [link] [comments]
All of the people are scared of a cult basically that leads everything and has black birds tattooed on their wrists and when they finally leave the world(I can’t remember how) they find out that the guy who put on the event in memorium for their father has the same tattoo while driving away in the car together. The siblings realize they cannot trust him and want to go back and figure out what is happening. I read it before the sequel came out and just happened to think of it today, I know it is a long shot but I’d really appreciate any hints! I’ve tried to look up all these details and ended up nowhere.
2024.05.16 17:56 Plastic_Finish1968 The Long Walk Home: chapter 10 (Tall Dark and Extraterrestrial)
Have you ever witnessed the first formation of life? I mean, I've seen my children, I was there for every step of the process if you know what I mean. Hah. But what I'm talking about is from beyond the beginning. The molten slag of a planet forming over millions or even billions of years into a habitable plane. Have you seen, from that very point, chemicals coalescing and reproducing? Amino acids and the forming proteins?
Well today, I found out, when you die in the crypts, you don't see a light in the end of a tunnel. You witness something truly beautiful and pointless.
I watched the birth of life from nothing. Short molecular protein chains. No cell walls, no encasing membranes. If DNA or genetic code of any kind was in their descendant's future, it wasn't present now. I watched it cling to the surface of rock, self-replication fueled by the warm free energy of a sun, millions of generations, hard work, decay, and new growth, only to be destroyed by a crashing wave. The weak hydrogen bonds were broken, as simple as that. The ancestor's hard work gone in a single blink-and-you-miss-it moment. Somehow I knew, wherever this was, that was all the life that planet would ever see until it was swallowed up by its star.
It was a quick fleeting spark. All the dramas and soap operas in the world could have taken place in a single raindrop. A unique potential, unlike any others, this planet's chosen ones, snuffed out before it could evolve to breathe its first breath. Rather grim isn't it? I don't know why I dreamt it, but there it was, a pointless creation followed by an equally pointless destruction. I guess it was a nice commercial break from the missing-arm-induced pain i was suffering. A wonderful hilucination, if a bit mocob.
Anyway, back to my unimaginable blood-curdling, mind-wrenching torture porn session. My eyes were closed a very long time, but when they did open, I was finally where I should be. Horizontal in a hospital bed, surrounded by trained surgeons. That said, it was on an alien world, and the surgeons were not trained in human biology. What's worse, they had no way to dull the pain.
Death would have been a blessing, unfortunately, the doctors were good, in spite of the unknown make, model, and engine size laying before them. 5 hours under an experimental knife, and I think an arc welder, is what it took to reattach my arm and fix my internal organ damage. 5 hours of poking and prodding and searing and stitching and pulling and zapping. All things considered, I am impressed it only took 5 hours. Ted's species was remarkable when it came to taking in new information and applying it in the real world. All their extra brains probably didn't hurt either.
If you remember, Ted's species came equipped with five extremity brains, and a central one. That's three for all three of his legs, two for both of his arms, and one in his central body. Ted would have had six individual minds within him before I found him dead in a ditch beside that interstellar sidewalk. By that point, only one, Ted, had survived.
After my, let's say, unique experience, I was left alone in a dark room to rest. Ted came by to visit. Oh yeah, he had a body now. He wore that "Tall, dark, and extraterrestrial" look well. He was easily 7 feet tall in his real body. Those Ted-fu moves should pack a real punch in a body like that.
"That reminds me. You wanted your fighting moves back, right?" My voice was terribly parched after my morning shouting sessions.
Shouting obscenities at medical proffesionals was about all I could do when Ted's doctors were busy inventing a new form of torture. Seriously, take notes. Good stuff in there.
"Keep them. That isn't going to be my concern here. It's hard to even walk now, let alone fight." He admitted. "I'm used to having secondary brains do all the work. I would only take over when the situation required. Now, I'm all I've got."
"Just another one of us handicap one-brainers," I taunted. "How does it feel to be on my level? Could you say you're just 'too single-minded?"
He laughed. I don't think I've ever heard Ted lower himself to laughing at one of my jokes. It wasn't even a good one. I know I could have come up with something better. Hold on. I- huh... well, I guess the moment has passed.
Instead, I teased him again. "so, you have a sense of humor after all."
"Always have. You just aren't funny." He shot back.
Then it was my turn to laugh at a bad joke.
"Bad idea!" I realized aloud. "Laughing hurts. Don't make me laugh."
There was an awkward silence before Ted finally spoke again. Our whole conversation was full of them.
"You're going back there aren't you?" He asked.
"I have to. I have a family somewhere, and I have to know if they're still alive. Something bad is happening on earth and I just want to be there to protect them."
"I don't think you ever will find out."
"Blunt and to the point today are ya?"
"Always have been. You just never listen. Im serious. I dont think you'll make it home."
There it was again, that quiet that kept creeping back up into our conversation.
"What if you run into Brad again?" He asked. "I won't be there to reboot your brain next time. You will either die or-"
"Don't tell me."
"Or you will suffer greatly, then die." He continued while checking his version of fingernails.
"I told you not to tell me. Now I can choose which option I like better."
"I'm being serious." He shot back at me. "You have no defenses against him."
"I know. I'm hoping he's dead. That's three shots from a Tedidian gun he has taken now."
Neither of us were convinced.
"Tedidian? That's the name you gave my species? I'm honored."
"I'm the first of my kind here, I get the naming privileges."
If our conversation took place over the radio, the host would be mortified. Not by the subject matter, no. The silence would be dubbed "dead air" and the host would desperately clamor for a new topic to keep the dialogue active and dynamic. We didn't have that luxury. I think Ted was sorry he couldn't have done more to help, but he would never admit it. I actually might miss him after all- Nah... Too stuck up his own butt to admit his shortcomings. I dont need a guy like that tagging along.
"Do you- mourn the loss of your secondary minds? Were they separate thinking entities?"
"I mourned their loss eons ago. I have moved on. Now I have to re-remember how to walk and talk and do math equations without them. I will be slower than my academic peers, but I have with me knowledge of the unknowable. That should make up for some of my deficiencies."
Eventually, Ted was ushered out. I needed the rest. The doctors here were good. They had managed to piece together this broken puzzle written with a completely different alphabet, and accelerated my healing a great deal. Not really a surprise, given they could build Ted a whole new body. I was back on my feet in a matter of 2 days, using my arm in 3, and back to 70% at 4. I dont think I'll ever make it back to 100%, but all things considered, this is pretty good.
It's hard to tell how long I have been away from earth, but given this trip was meant to last a very long time, I don't suspect I should miss my flight, so long as I find my portal. As long as I can find Eddy. So long as I can find all of them; Eddy, Rook, James, even Jyong and Me-Yan.
Ted's people had a similar arrangement to earth's at first. When Ted was an explorer, their portal was at the edge of the system, but they brought it down to their planet with rockets and parachutes after he and a few others never came back. The history was fascinating. They were a united planet, far and above the most advanced I have come across so far, but in spite of that, the portal slowly leeched off the planet, and spat out horrors beyond their imagination. What they once used as an interstellar fast travel, quickly turned into a speed bump, then a health hazard. There was a reason the builders set this portal so far away from the planet. It wasn't meant to be here, so Ted's people had to build a wall, with poor old lost Ted on the other side. They closely monitored the other side though, and were shocked to find the brain activity of a Tedidian coming from yours truly. That would be Ted's mind, shoulder to shoulder with mine, in my head if you weren't following along. Then they rescued me from Brad.
Speaking of, I asked around about Brad. Someone shot him, so that someone should know if he survived. I had to know if he would be waiting for me on the other side. Eventually, I asked the right person, who introduced me to my rescuer. He wore a white uniform and carried a big gun, even for Tedidian standards. I was kinda jealous. I like my pew pews, but these things were on another level.
He confidently told me that Brad was indeed "dead." I had Ted translate for me whenever I spoke to a native, but they were quickly learning on their own how to speak Sean-ese. That's the language I told them I speak. Might as well leave a lasting mark. That confidence, however, did not come from a place I liked.
"But did you actually see it dead?" I pressed.
"Nothing survives a plasma arc, even a graze, let alone two." He scoffed. Or I think he scoffed. There is no universal interplanetary sign that someone is scoffing at you. You just have to pick up on subtle undertones of pride, shock, or snood. Ted had lots of snood. Luckily, he broke the mold. The people here were as different as people are on earth. I just happened to get the most insufferable one imaginable. Just my luck.
"Then call this thing 'nobody,' because it survived one before." I suggested.
His eyes widened, glad to see that was an interplanetary sign of surprise. "Th-that isn't possible."
"Oh, but it is." Ted interjected
Oh good, that thing could be waiting for me for all I know. I never thought I'd be scared to be without a Ted in my head, but there I was, terrified. He was right. Without him, I had no defense.
We were walking back to Ted's place when I began replaying the past events in my head. My vision was something I couldn't shake. It was real. I felt like I was one of those chains of self-replicating chemicals. That's almost all they were, chemicals, but they had every marker required to classify life. They even responded to change in the environment. They were short-lived bonded protein chains that consumed, produced waste, even grew by self-replication and bonding.
"Hey Ted," I started. "I wanted to run something by you."
"I'm listening, but let's keep it under 280 characters. I'm not in the mood for a marathon today."
I rolled my eyes. "Glad to see you're back to your old self."
"My old self? I've been trying to get back to that, but every time I open my eyes, there you are."
"Look here Dane Cook, I saw something after the attack. It was on another planet. I think someone is trying to show me something."
"You were also close to Brad at the time, who we know can alter your perception."
"Maybe, but this felt different. The first time he affected my mind, he put me in a dreamlike state. Then he used something familiar to me to disguise himself. This was different. I wasn't me, I was this green amino-acid chain with no protective coating. All I could sense were chemicals, no light, no sound, but I knew what was happening too, like I was watching from the outside at the same time."
Ted learned how to roll his eyes just now from me, and mimicked the action to an exagerated end. "Don't think much about it. Many Tedidians see a light at the end of a tunnel when we are close to death. Perhaps this is just your version."
"Perhaps." One thing is certain, even if it scares me, I would be glad to be without Ted. I almost forgot how annoying he was after our little bonding session.
"But I have a question for you. Who is Dane Cook?"
"My planet's worst comedian. Thats not the point."
The day did come that I had to leave, and Ted, in his usual fashion, refused to say goodbye. Instead, all he would say is "I won't be far behind." Cryptic, right? Like, what is that supposed to mean?
At first, I thought "Great. And right after I thought I got rid of him." But then I thought about it. It would be an interesting cultural slang to say "we will meet again." Does Ted believe in an afterlife?does he think I'll wimp out and come back?
Pointless questions aside, there was some good news. He gave me a new gun. This one made an even bigger "kaboom!" It was really fun. Heh. Haha. Gimme-gimme.
I was happy to see Jim-Bob waiting for me at the portal. I hadn't seen him since I set off that sonic weapon. Their feet are so sensitive to vibrations and sound, that weapon really messed with them. The Tedidian doctors had their work cut out for them fixing 5 listening organs per Jim-Bobidian. Together, all 20 odd Jim-Bobs and I, stepped through the portal to the nightmare world.
Now that I was on this side of the portal, I could see that Brad was gone. Oh boy, what fun. You know what else? I held onto that old piece of alien tech that Ted had his brain shoved into. I thought it would make a neat souvenir. Wouldn't you believe it if as soon as the doors closed behind me, I heard that S.O.B's voice saying "So, where to next?"
Ted copied himself yet again into that stupid thing. Didn't take long to figure out what he meant by "I won't be far behind."
"What the hell, Ted?" I shouted.
"Surprised to hear my voice?" He asked?
"More pissed than surprised. I thought I finally got rid of you."
"Oh stop it, you are happy to see me, admit it."
"I thought you wanted to go home. What happened to me just being a pair of legs?"
"Ah yes, but there's a crucial difference between that Ted and this one. This one is artificial, and doesn't get lonely. I am merely a copy of a personality. That way, when you die, I won't get homesick."
"I smell bullshit," I said.
Surprisingly, he didn't make an astronauts and diapers joke. Instead, he said "Got me. I am an explorer, remember? Even if I was homesick, I still yearn for the other-worldly. My adventuring days are not yet over, and this way, I can never die, unlike someone I know."
"News flash, Ted, you did die, and give me that self-aggrandizing crap you pulled in the beginning, and I'm throwing your immortal ass down the throat of the next giant monster I find."
"My path will remain rectilinear, and true."
"Rectum what now? I thought you only knew words I used in front of you. I don't even know what you said."
"True, but now I have learned how your language works, thus am able to intuit new words. You cannot convince me that was not a word. Go- 'look it up' or whatever when you get back to Earth. It means 'I'll stay on the straight and narrow.'"
"Then why didn't you just say so? You're already teetering on the edge of being too annoying to keep around, buddy." I threatened, but I had to admit, a translator would be nice.
I have to say, the next leg of the journey went on without a hitch. The Jim-Bobs, Ted, and I were making good time. Find a monster, kill it, find a planet, explore it, find another monster, kill it too. I found so many new planets, although most were dead or never had life to begin with. The odd part was, Ted was sure he had visited some before, and interacted with the residents, but there was nothing but rock where I stood.
submitted by Plastic_Finish1968 to HFY [link] [comments]
Well today, I found out, when you die in the crypts, you don't see a light in the end of a tunnel. You witness something truly beautiful and pointless.
I watched the birth of life from nothing. Short molecular protein chains. No cell walls, no encasing membranes. If DNA or genetic code of any kind was in their descendant's future, it wasn't present now. I watched it cling to the surface of rock, self-replication fueled by the warm free energy of a sun, millions of generations, hard work, decay, and new growth, only to be destroyed by a crashing wave. The weak hydrogen bonds were broken, as simple as that. The ancestor's hard work gone in a single blink-and-you-miss-it moment. Somehow I knew, wherever this was, that was all the life that planet would ever see until it was swallowed up by its star.
It was a quick fleeting spark. All the dramas and soap operas in the world could have taken place in a single raindrop. A unique potential, unlike any others, this planet's chosen ones, snuffed out before it could evolve to breathe its first breath. Rather grim isn't it? I don't know why I dreamt it, but there it was, a pointless creation followed by an equally pointless destruction. I guess it was a nice commercial break from the missing-arm-induced pain i was suffering. A wonderful hilucination, if a bit mocob.
Anyway, back to my unimaginable blood-curdling, mind-wrenching torture porn session. My eyes were closed a very long time, but when they did open, I was finally where I should be. Horizontal in a hospital bed, surrounded by trained surgeons. That said, it was on an alien world, and the surgeons were not trained in human biology. What's worse, they had no way to dull the pain.
Death would have been a blessing, unfortunately, the doctors were good, in spite of the unknown make, model, and engine size laying before them. 5 hours under an experimental knife, and I think an arc welder, is what it took to reattach my arm and fix my internal organ damage. 5 hours of poking and prodding and searing and stitching and pulling and zapping. All things considered, I am impressed it only took 5 hours. Ted's species was remarkable when it came to taking in new information and applying it in the real world. All their extra brains probably didn't hurt either.
If you remember, Ted's species came equipped with five extremity brains, and a central one. That's three for all three of his legs, two for both of his arms, and one in his central body. Ted would have had six individual minds within him before I found him dead in a ditch beside that interstellar sidewalk. By that point, only one, Ted, had survived.
After my, let's say, unique experience, I was left alone in a dark room to rest. Ted came by to visit. Oh yeah, he had a body now. He wore that "Tall, dark, and extraterrestrial" look well. He was easily 7 feet tall in his real body. Those Ted-fu moves should pack a real punch in a body like that.
"That reminds me. You wanted your fighting moves back, right?" My voice was terribly parched after my morning shouting sessions.
Shouting obscenities at medical proffesionals was about all I could do when Ted's doctors were busy inventing a new form of torture. Seriously, take notes. Good stuff in there.
"Keep them. That isn't going to be my concern here. It's hard to even walk now, let alone fight." He admitted. "I'm used to having secondary brains do all the work. I would only take over when the situation required. Now, I'm all I've got."
"Just another one of us handicap one-brainers," I taunted. "How does it feel to be on my level? Could you say you're just 'too single-minded?"
He laughed. I don't think I've ever heard Ted lower himself to laughing at one of my jokes. It wasn't even a good one. I know I could have come up with something better. Hold on. I- huh... well, I guess the moment has passed.
Instead, I teased him again. "so, you have a sense of humor after all."
"Always have. You just aren't funny." He shot back.
Then it was my turn to laugh at a bad joke.
"Bad idea!" I realized aloud. "Laughing hurts. Don't make me laugh."
There was an awkward silence before Ted finally spoke again. Our whole conversation was full of them.
"You're going back there aren't you?" He asked.
"I have to. I have a family somewhere, and I have to know if they're still alive. Something bad is happening on earth and I just want to be there to protect them."
"I don't think you ever will find out."
"Blunt and to the point today are ya?"
"Always have been. You just never listen. Im serious. I dont think you'll make it home."
There it was again, that quiet that kept creeping back up into our conversation.
"What if you run into Brad again?" He asked. "I won't be there to reboot your brain next time. You will either die or-"
"Don't tell me."
"Or you will suffer greatly, then die." He continued while checking his version of fingernails.
"I told you not to tell me. Now I can choose which option I like better."
"I'm being serious." He shot back at me. "You have no defenses against him."
"I know. I'm hoping he's dead. That's three shots from a Tedidian gun he has taken now."
Neither of us were convinced.
"Tedidian? That's the name you gave my species? I'm honored."
"I'm the first of my kind here, I get the naming privileges."
If our conversation took place over the radio, the host would be mortified. Not by the subject matter, no. The silence would be dubbed "dead air" and the host would desperately clamor for a new topic to keep the dialogue active and dynamic. We didn't have that luxury. I think Ted was sorry he couldn't have done more to help, but he would never admit it. I actually might miss him after all- Nah... Too stuck up his own butt to admit his shortcomings. I dont need a guy like that tagging along.
"Do you- mourn the loss of your secondary minds? Were they separate thinking entities?"
"I mourned their loss eons ago. I have moved on. Now I have to re-remember how to walk and talk and do math equations without them. I will be slower than my academic peers, but I have with me knowledge of the unknowable. That should make up for some of my deficiencies."
Eventually, Ted was ushered out. I needed the rest. The doctors here were good. They had managed to piece together this broken puzzle written with a completely different alphabet, and accelerated my healing a great deal. Not really a surprise, given they could build Ted a whole new body. I was back on my feet in a matter of 2 days, using my arm in 3, and back to 70% at 4. I dont think I'll ever make it back to 100%, but all things considered, this is pretty good.
It's hard to tell how long I have been away from earth, but given this trip was meant to last a very long time, I don't suspect I should miss my flight, so long as I find my portal. As long as I can find Eddy. So long as I can find all of them; Eddy, Rook, James, even Jyong and Me-Yan.
Ted's people had a similar arrangement to earth's at first. When Ted was an explorer, their portal was at the edge of the system, but they brought it down to their planet with rockets and parachutes after he and a few others never came back. The history was fascinating. They were a united planet, far and above the most advanced I have come across so far, but in spite of that, the portal slowly leeched off the planet, and spat out horrors beyond their imagination. What they once used as an interstellar fast travel, quickly turned into a speed bump, then a health hazard. There was a reason the builders set this portal so far away from the planet. It wasn't meant to be here, so Ted's people had to build a wall, with poor old lost Ted on the other side. They closely monitored the other side though, and were shocked to find the brain activity of a Tedidian coming from yours truly. That would be Ted's mind, shoulder to shoulder with mine, in my head if you weren't following along. Then they rescued me from Brad.
Speaking of, I asked around about Brad. Someone shot him, so that someone should know if he survived. I had to know if he would be waiting for me on the other side. Eventually, I asked the right person, who introduced me to my rescuer. He wore a white uniform and carried a big gun, even for Tedidian standards. I was kinda jealous. I like my pew pews, but these things were on another level.
He confidently told me that Brad was indeed "dead." I had Ted translate for me whenever I spoke to a native, but they were quickly learning on their own how to speak Sean-ese. That's the language I told them I speak. Might as well leave a lasting mark. That confidence, however, did not come from a place I liked.
"But did you actually see it dead?" I pressed.
"Nothing survives a plasma arc, even a graze, let alone two." He scoffed. Or I think he scoffed. There is no universal interplanetary sign that someone is scoffing at you. You just have to pick up on subtle undertones of pride, shock, or snood. Ted had lots of snood. Luckily, he broke the mold. The people here were as different as people are on earth. I just happened to get the most insufferable one imaginable. Just my luck.
"Then call this thing 'nobody,' because it survived one before." I suggested.
His eyes widened, glad to see that was an interplanetary sign of surprise. "Th-that isn't possible."
"Oh, but it is." Ted interjected
Oh good, that thing could be waiting for me for all I know. I never thought I'd be scared to be without a Ted in my head, but there I was, terrified. He was right. Without him, I had no defense.
We were walking back to Ted's place when I began replaying the past events in my head. My vision was something I couldn't shake. It was real. I felt like I was one of those chains of self-replicating chemicals. That's almost all they were, chemicals, but they had every marker required to classify life. They even responded to change in the environment. They were short-lived bonded protein chains that consumed, produced waste, even grew by self-replication and bonding.
"Hey Ted," I started. "I wanted to run something by you."
"I'm listening, but let's keep it under 280 characters. I'm not in the mood for a marathon today."
I rolled my eyes. "Glad to see you're back to your old self."
"My old self? I've been trying to get back to that, but every time I open my eyes, there you are."
"Look here Dane Cook, I saw something after the attack. It was on another planet. I think someone is trying to show me something."
"You were also close to Brad at the time, who we know can alter your perception."
"Maybe, but this felt different. The first time he affected my mind, he put me in a dreamlike state. Then he used something familiar to me to disguise himself. This was different. I wasn't me, I was this green amino-acid chain with no protective coating. All I could sense were chemicals, no light, no sound, but I knew what was happening too, like I was watching from the outside at the same time."
Ted learned how to roll his eyes just now from me, and mimicked the action to an exagerated end. "Don't think much about it. Many Tedidians see a light at the end of a tunnel when we are close to death. Perhaps this is just your version."
"Perhaps." One thing is certain, even if it scares me, I would be glad to be without Ted. I almost forgot how annoying he was after our little bonding session.
"But I have a question for you. Who is Dane Cook?"
"My planet's worst comedian. Thats not the point."
The day did come that I had to leave, and Ted, in his usual fashion, refused to say goodbye. Instead, all he would say is "I won't be far behind." Cryptic, right? Like, what is that supposed to mean?
At first, I thought "Great. And right after I thought I got rid of him." But then I thought about it. It would be an interesting cultural slang to say "we will meet again." Does Ted believe in an afterlife?does he think I'll wimp out and come back?
Pointless questions aside, there was some good news. He gave me a new gun. This one made an even bigger "kaboom!" It was really fun. Heh. Haha. Gimme-gimme.
I was happy to see Jim-Bob waiting for me at the portal. I hadn't seen him since I set off that sonic weapon. Their feet are so sensitive to vibrations and sound, that weapon really messed with them. The Tedidian doctors had their work cut out for them fixing 5 listening organs per Jim-Bobidian. Together, all 20 odd Jim-Bobs and I, stepped through the portal to the nightmare world.
Now that I was on this side of the portal, I could see that Brad was gone. Oh boy, what fun. You know what else? I held onto that old piece of alien tech that Ted had his brain shoved into. I thought it would make a neat souvenir. Wouldn't you believe it if as soon as the doors closed behind me, I heard that S.O.B's voice saying "So, where to next?"
Ted copied himself yet again into that stupid thing. Didn't take long to figure out what he meant by "I won't be far behind."
"What the hell, Ted?" I shouted.
"Surprised to hear my voice?" He asked?
"More pissed than surprised. I thought I finally got rid of you."
"Oh stop it, you are happy to see me, admit it."
"I thought you wanted to go home. What happened to me just being a pair of legs?"
"Ah yes, but there's a crucial difference between that Ted and this one. This one is artificial, and doesn't get lonely. I am merely a copy of a personality. That way, when you die, I won't get homesick."
"I smell bullshit," I said.
Surprisingly, he didn't make an astronauts and diapers joke. Instead, he said "Got me. I am an explorer, remember? Even if I was homesick, I still yearn for the other-worldly. My adventuring days are not yet over, and this way, I can never die, unlike someone I know."
"News flash, Ted, you did die, and give me that self-aggrandizing crap you pulled in the beginning, and I'm throwing your immortal ass down the throat of the next giant monster I find."
"My path will remain rectilinear, and true."
"Rectum what now? I thought you only knew words I used in front of you. I don't even know what you said."
"True, but now I have learned how your language works, thus am able to intuit new words. You cannot convince me that was not a word. Go- 'look it up' or whatever when you get back to Earth. It means 'I'll stay on the straight and narrow.'"
"Then why didn't you just say so? You're already teetering on the edge of being too annoying to keep around, buddy." I threatened, but I had to admit, a translator would be nice.
I have to say, the next leg of the journey went on without a hitch. The Jim-Bobs, Ted, and I were making good time. Find a monster, kill it, find a planet, explore it, find another monster, kill it too. I found so many new planets, although most were dead or never had life to begin with. The odd part was, Ted was sure he had visited some before, and interacted with the residents, but there was nothing but rock where I stood.
2024.05.16 17:55 PowerLies I just want to rant, because there’s no one else I can share this with.
I have been in relationship with this girl for nearly a year; I didn’t initiate it but boy did I fall deep.
I knew I wanted that final gal in my life so I was careful. I’m not sure what made her interested in me and why she waited for months before I said yes. I finally accepted and couldn’t be happier!
She was everything I wanted - Smart, caring, career focussed and best of all, interesting. Someone you’d never get bored of talking to all the time. We’d meet everyday, go on trips together, dates every weekend, late night talks, stayovers, everything was perfect!
She was in it for the long haul, at least thats what she said. She wanted to meet my family and was hinting strongly that I should think about marriage. I remember thinking 6-7 months was quite early, but everyone insisted there’s nothing wrong in it.
Then came the mood swings; I’m not perfect but seemingly innocent mistakes made her mad. I mean MAD! Mad enough that she didn’t want to speak to me for days. “It hurts when your guy doesn’t understand small things” she said. It was painful for me to see her so disturbed, was frustrated to no end that she’d never give me a single chance to explain myself. Days would go by and she’d come back requesting to not talk about what happened.
I played along; after all fights are common in relationships right? So what if she takes days to cool down (as opposed to hours as it was with earlier relationships).
Now comes the possible final straw. She had to move away far due to her personal reasons and settle there; I let her be, for some days. But after not talking for a month (barely chatting even, she didn’t even bother to respond to messages) I started to grow restless. Why would she not consider me important enough to not share what’s happening in her life? 5 mins of texting a day, is it too much to ask?
I reported to her that it has started to bother me; How can you think months of zero contact is normal? How can I mean so little to you?
“I don’t think I can do this. You can’t understand me at all, I don’t think we are compatible” was her response!
I simply said OK, didn’t want to fight. It just hurt too much and anything I’d say would definitely make it worse. So I waited for 2-3 days after which she texted me. Told me to not blame myself and that she was in a bad mood. However, she doesn’t think long distance will work with us.
I simply said that I can work with long distance to which her response was if i’m ok, so is she.
So here I stand; haven’t spoken to her over phone for 2 months now. Barely chat, and if we do, it’s as if we don’t even know each other. Officially we haven’t broken up but I don’t see any signs of relationship being alive either. Kills me everyday.
Perhaps the most frustrating thing is I’m unable to take the hint and move on even if it is as subtle as a sledgehammer hit on your face.
submitted by PowerLies to IndianRelationships [link] [comments]
I knew I wanted that final gal in my life so I was careful. I’m not sure what made her interested in me and why she waited for months before I said yes. I finally accepted and couldn’t be happier!
She was everything I wanted - Smart, caring, career focussed and best of all, interesting. Someone you’d never get bored of talking to all the time. We’d meet everyday, go on trips together, dates every weekend, late night talks, stayovers, everything was perfect!
She was in it for the long haul, at least thats what she said. She wanted to meet my family and was hinting strongly that I should think about marriage. I remember thinking 6-7 months was quite early, but everyone insisted there’s nothing wrong in it.
Then came the mood swings; I’m not perfect but seemingly innocent mistakes made her mad. I mean MAD! Mad enough that she didn’t want to speak to me for days. “It hurts when your guy doesn’t understand small things” she said. It was painful for me to see her so disturbed, was frustrated to no end that she’d never give me a single chance to explain myself. Days would go by and she’d come back requesting to not talk about what happened.
I played along; after all fights are common in relationships right? So what if she takes days to cool down (as opposed to hours as it was with earlier relationships).
Now comes the possible final straw. She had to move away far due to her personal reasons and settle there; I let her be, for some days. But after not talking for a month (barely chatting even, she didn’t even bother to respond to messages) I started to grow restless. Why would she not consider me important enough to not share what’s happening in her life? 5 mins of texting a day, is it too much to ask?
I reported to her that it has started to bother me; How can you think months of zero contact is normal? How can I mean so little to you?
“I don’t think I can do this. You can’t understand me at all, I don’t think we are compatible” was her response!
I simply said OK, didn’t want to fight. It just hurt too much and anything I’d say would definitely make it worse. So I waited for 2-3 days after which she texted me. Told me to not blame myself and that she was in a bad mood. However, she doesn’t think long distance will work with us.
I simply said that I can work with long distance to which her response was if i’m ok, so is she.
So here I stand; haven’t spoken to her over phone for 2 months now. Barely chat, and if we do, it’s as if we don’t even know each other. Officially we haven’t broken up but I don’t see any signs of relationship being alive either. Kills me everyday.
Perhaps the most frustrating thing is I’m unable to take the hint and move on even if it is as subtle as a sledgehammer hit on your face.
2024.05.16 17:55 mrbobbilly2 Is WGU a good option for people just starting their career?
tldr; I know I can probably finish WGU in less than a year based on the CLEP and Sofia exams and if my university's and associates credits will transfer, but would WGU be helpful for someone like me whos just starting their career, because it seems like the vast majority of people enrolled are already knees deep in their career and are just doing WGU in order to move up to a new position.
My main concern is how helpful would WGU be (like their career services and student support) if I'm applying to entry level tech jobs just starting my career, or would I be better off finding a different way to get into tech like continuing to make personal coding projects to maybe make a business out of them/applying to WITCH company contractors like Accenture? (problem with WITCH companies is they also require a bachelors degree now)
It seems like having a bachelors degree is a bare minimum to be taken seriously by employers nowadays and projects are just for talking points in interviews to keep the conversation with the interviewer going for more than 10 minutes
-----------------------------------
Long Story:
I'm in a tough spot. My current school I'm attending is called Grand Valley State University but I'm not having a good time because of their traditional 4 month semester like you have to be on pace with everyone else, I rather just get assignments done quicker or if I want to slow down and truly understand the material but if you were to do that at my school they would imply you're being inconsiderate and rude...
I just don't fit in with their traditional teaching model, I excelled at online learning but it seems like my local schools in general are doing away with online based learning and going back to a sit in a classroom setting because they're apparently paranoid with rampant cheating with ChatGPT and stuff so much that they're making everyone required to be in class and do everything on paper now. The only strength my school really has for me is the local connection to internships, that's pretty much it... All my friends graduated in 2021 so the socialization attraction of college left 3 years ago
I'm a non traditional student, meaning I'm not my state university's usual student who just graduated high school and are under 24, I been out of college since 2021 I just recently came back last year. The school is a 50 minute daily drive which is horrible, they do not offer convenient online classes, it's your typical brick and mortar sit in a classroom and listen to the lecture type school which has never worked out for me since like middle school. Then there are those professors who do flipped-classrooms where the professor does not teach, you and your classmates are teaching each other which is a horrible experience
My school also does not offer semester-round for certain classes, so theres certain mandatory classes you have to take but it's only offered once a year so if you miss out on that class or if it becomes full and no one drops so you can't enroll, you'll have no way to take those classes, better luck next year. My school does not allow CLEP exams or competency exams to test out of classes either, their whole model is old school
This caused my graduation timeline to actually be late 2026 or ealy 2027 and there's no way in hell I want to wait that long, I rather graduate as soon as possible and get to the money now instead of having to wait like almost 4 years.
I graduated from an online community college with an associates in business technology management in 2021 but there's a problem with my state university, I have 82 credits and they classified me as a Junior but I'm basically a freshman because all of those credits are free electives, my credits basically weren't accepted because they're from out of state even though they're all business/CS related. I couldn't find a course transfer equivelancy page on WGU's website to show what specific classes will transfer from certain universities, does anyone have information about what credits can transfer without having to call WGU? (I don't want to get spam called by them)
submitted by mrbobbilly2 to WGU [link] [comments]
My main concern is how helpful would WGU be (like their career services and student support) if I'm applying to entry level tech jobs just starting my career, or would I be better off finding a different way to get into tech like continuing to make personal coding projects to maybe make a business out of them/applying to WITCH company contractors like Accenture? (problem with WITCH companies is they also require a bachelors degree now)
It seems like having a bachelors degree is a bare minimum to be taken seriously by employers nowadays and projects are just for talking points in interviews to keep the conversation with the interviewer going for more than 10 minutes
-----------------------------------
Long Story:
I'm in a tough spot. My current school I'm attending is called Grand Valley State University but I'm not having a good time because of their traditional 4 month semester like you have to be on pace with everyone else, I rather just get assignments done quicker or if I want to slow down and truly understand the material but if you were to do that at my school they would imply you're being inconsiderate and rude...
I just don't fit in with their traditional teaching model, I excelled at online learning but it seems like my local schools in general are doing away with online based learning and going back to a sit in a classroom setting because they're apparently paranoid with rampant cheating with ChatGPT and stuff so much that they're making everyone required to be in class and do everything on paper now. The only strength my school really has for me is the local connection to internships, that's pretty much it... All my friends graduated in 2021 so the socialization attraction of college left 3 years ago
I'm a non traditional student, meaning I'm not my state university's usual student who just graduated high school and are under 24, I been out of college since 2021 I just recently came back last year. The school is a 50 minute daily drive which is horrible, they do not offer convenient online classes, it's your typical brick and mortar sit in a classroom and listen to the lecture type school which has never worked out for me since like middle school. Then there are those professors who do flipped-classrooms where the professor does not teach, you and your classmates are teaching each other which is a horrible experience
My school also does not offer semester-round for certain classes, so theres certain mandatory classes you have to take but it's only offered once a year so if you miss out on that class or if it becomes full and no one drops so you can't enroll, you'll have no way to take those classes, better luck next year. My school does not allow CLEP exams or competency exams to test out of classes either, their whole model is old school
This caused my graduation timeline to actually be late 2026 or ealy 2027 and there's no way in hell I want to wait that long, I rather graduate as soon as possible and get to the money now instead of having to wait like almost 4 years.
I graduated from an online community college with an associates in business technology management in 2021 but there's a problem with my state university, I have 82 credits and they classified me as a Junior but I'm basically a freshman because all of those credits are free electives, my credits basically weren't accepted because they're from out of state even though they're all business/CS related. I couldn't find a course transfer equivelancy page on WGU's website to show what specific classes will transfer from certain universities, does anyone have information about what credits can transfer without having to call WGU? (I don't want to get spam called by them)
2024.05.16 17:54 Fremanofkol I want your advice on doing something no one has asked for.
So I know there isn’t much need for this but I kind of fell in love with the swashbuckler class and when I was researching the class and looking for guides on it there was pretty much nothing that actually delved into the intricacies of the class in a way that felt satisfying to me. So I’ve taken it upon myself to write a guide to the class for a long dead system on a class that no one ever plays. It just feels like the forgotten class and i hope to spread awareness that its more than dex fighter.
I'm currently 50 pages into writing it and there are plenty of mistakes and no formatting, my spelling is currently awful as well, and all that will need to be sorted before I even think about release to the public.
Currently I have Covered class abilities, Archetypes and Weapon Choices. and I’ve only talked about options that are worthy of discussion.
The big Sections are coming up are Race and Feats. and I find myself conflicted on how to cover them. so, Does anyone have any advice on these sections. and after that thre will be some multiclasssing discussion magical items and some sample builds.
For races I was thinking of only covering races that have FCB's with them. but are there any races I should look into that work well with swashbuckler that don’t have dedicated FCB's?
As for feats I’m conflicted between covering them by category I.e. combat, skill etc. or just grouping them by feat trees and talking about the merits of each tree. but I’m worried if I group things I will skip something important. Any out there options I should remember to cover? any advice on how to format them.
Lastly since I’m here any tricks with swashbuckler I should be sure to cover I might have missed. I cant list everything but some things I have started to cover are Wild strider Blade boot TWF. Str vs Dex builds. Demoralise options. Spiked gauntlet cheese and the value of a good buckler. Melee arrow champions. Maximising AoO's with things like weapon trick. How precise strike actually works.
Also this is becoming a mamoth task and gives me so much appreciation how much work old guide writes did. so if i never finish it its because i bit off more than i could chew but i am giving it a damm good go, i only feel comfortable asking for help because of how much ive allready done.
submitted by Fremanofkol to Pathfinder_RPG [link] [comments]
I'm currently 50 pages into writing it and there are plenty of mistakes and no formatting, my spelling is currently awful as well, and all that will need to be sorted before I even think about release to the public.
Currently I have Covered class abilities, Archetypes and Weapon Choices. and I’ve only talked about options that are worthy of discussion.
The big Sections are coming up are Race and Feats. and I find myself conflicted on how to cover them. so, Does anyone have any advice on these sections. and after that thre will be some multiclasssing discussion magical items and some sample builds.
For races I was thinking of only covering races that have FCB's with them. but are there any races I should look into that work well with swashbuckler that don’t have dedicated FCB's?
As for feats I’m conflicted between covering them by category I.e. combat, skill etc. or just grouping them by feat trees and talking about the merits of each tree. but I’m worried if I group things I will skip something important. Any out there options I should remember to cover? any advice on how to format them.
Lastly since I’m here any tricks with swashbuckler I should be sure to cover I might have missed. I cant list everything but some things I have started to cover are Wild strider Blade boot TWF. Str vs Dex builds. Demoralise options. Spiked gauntlet cheese and the value of a good buckler. Melee arrow champions. Maximising AoO's with things like weapon trick. How precise strike actually works.
Also this is becoming a mamoth task and gives me so much appreciation how much work old guide writes did. so if i never finish it its because i bit off more than i could chew but i am giving it a damm good go, i only feel comfortable asking for help because of how much ive allready done.
2024.05.16 17:54 Reality_Thief2000 Advent's Amazing Advice: Phandelver and Below: The Shattered Obelisk, A Campaign Fully Prepped and ready to go! (Part 1 Cragmaw Hideout)
Welcome back to Advent's Amazing Advice! The series where I take popular One-Shots, Adventures, Campaigns, etc. and fully prep them for both New and Busy DMs. This prep includes fully fleshed-out notes, music, ambiance, encounter sheets, handouts, battle maps, tweaks, and more so you can run the best sessions possible with the least stress possible!
Phandelver and Below: The Shattered Obelisk stems from The Lost Mine of Phandelver a classic and beloved starter set that many new DMs run. Even with this being the most recent release it still has an issue, the same as with many others...it doesn't describe the best way to transform the book's contents into an actual session. The Book-to-session conversion can be difficult between figuring out when things should happen, understanding motivations, and even organizing encounters.
Well, fortunately for you, 99% of that work is done! Only a few things are really left:
Without further ado:
As always, if you see something you think I can improve, add, change, etc. please let me know. I want this to be an amazing resource for all DMs and plan to keep it constantly updated! If you'd like to support me, shape future releases, and get content early feel free to check out my Patreon!
Cheers, Advent
submitted by Reality_Thief2000 to DnDHomebrew [link] [comments]
Phandelver and Below: The Shattered Obelisk stems from The Lost Mine of Phandelver a classic and beloved starter set that many new DMs run. Even with this being the most recent release it still has an issue, the same as with many others...it doesn't describe the best way to transform the book's contents into an actual session. The Book-to-session conversion can be difficult between figuring out when things should happen, understanding motivations, and even organizing encounters.
Well, fortunately for you, 99% of that work is done! Only a few things are really left:
- Read the book, I know surprising, but it can be extremely confusing when you don't know where everything leads to.
- Consider the needs of your group. As you've heard or are about to hear a million times, every table is different. If you plan on combining this with a campaign, you'll have to make tweaks here and there.
- These notes aren't meant to be the end-all-be-all. Tweak to your heart's content, and don't consider any of what's written to be set in stone. For me having notes like this helps give me the confidence to go off the rails and follow along with what my players want. It helps me understand where things were meant to go and why. Having that understanding allows me to guide the players and create other new and interesting stories. These are all things that will come with experience, though, so don't freak out and enjoy the journey!
Without further ado:
- Google Docs Notes Part 1 Cragmaw Hideout: DM Notes
- Link to: Intro + Cragmaw Hideout Playlist
- List of changes in Phandelver and Below: Change List
- Link to: The AAA Collection
- A Word document with all my notes, including links to music tracks for ambiance and fights
- Special PDFs for all the encounters. This includes all the enemies' stat blocks organized neatly, along with an initiative tracker and a spot to mark HP.
- An additional PDF with Sildars stats should he join the party as an ally
- Custom maps of Cragmaw Hideout. I enlarged and printed this out for my players as a battle map!
As always, if you see something you think I can improve, add, change, etc. please let me know. I want this to be an amazing resource for all DMs and plan to keep it constantly updated! If you'd like to support me, shape future releases, and get content early feel free to check out my Patreon!
Cheers, Advent