Infertility can be caused by various factors, both in men and women, and many of these causes can be addressed through treatment. Some potential causes of infertility that can be treated include:
1. Ovulation Disorders : Irregular or absent ovulation can contribute to infertility in women. Conditions such as polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS), hypothalamic dysfunction, and thyroid disorders can disrupt ovulation. Treatment options may include lifestyle changes, medication (such as clomiphene citrate or letrozole), or assisted reproductive technologies (ART) like in vitro fertilization (IVF).
2. Tubal Factors : Blocked or damaged fallopian tubes can prevent the egg from traveling from the ovary to the uterus, leading to Infertility Treatment options may include surgical procedures to repair or unblock the fallopian tubes, such as tubal reanastomosis or tubal cannulation, or ART procedures like IVF.
3. Uterine Factors : Abnormalities in the uterus, such as uterine fibroids, polyps, or adhesions (scar tissue), can interfere with implantation and pregnancy. Treatment options may include surgical removal of the uterine abnormalities or ART procedures like IVF.
4. Endometriosis : Endometriosis is a condition where tissue similar to the lining of the uterus grows outside the uterus, which can cause inflammation, scarring, and infertility. Treatment options may include medication (such as hormonal therapy or pain relievers), surgery to remove endometrial implants or adhesions, or ART procedures like IVF.
5. Male Factor Infertility : Male infertility can be caused by issues such as low sperm count, poor sperm motility, or abnormal sperm morphology. Treatment options may include lifestyle changes, medication (such as hormone therapy or antioxidants), surgical procedures (such as varicocele repair or sperm retrieval techniques), or ART procedures like intracytoplasmic sperm injection (ICSI).
6. Unexplained Infertility : In some cases, despite thorough testing, the cause of infertility may remain unknown. Treatment options may include empiric treatments such as ovulation induction, intrauterine insemination (IUI), or ART procedures like IVF.
7. Age-Related Infertility : Advanced maternal age can decrease ovarian reserve and increase the risk of infertility and miscarriage in women. Treatment options may include aggressive fertility treatments like IVF or the use of donor eggs.
8. Lifestyle Factors : Certain lifestyle factors such as obesity, smoking, excessive alcohol consumption, and exposure to environmental toxins can impact fertility in both men and women. Addressing these factors through lifestyle modifications can improve fertility outcomes.
9. Medical Conditions and Medications : Certain medical conditions (such as diabetes or autoimmune disorders) and medications (such as chemotherapy or certain antidepressants) can affect fertility. Treatment may involve managing the underlying condition or adjusting medication regimens to optimize fertility.
It's important for individuals experiencing infertility to undergo a comprehensive evaluation by a fertility specialist to identify the underlying causes and develop a personalized treatment plan tailored to their specific needs and circumstances. With advances in reproductive medicine, many causes of infertility can be successfully treated, allowing individuals to achieve their goal of parenthood.

Hi all,
Recently I bough house which has fireplace connected to the heating system. It is far from new but everything looks in decent condition. I started fire today and smoke do not escape as fast as I would expect.
https://i.ibb.co/Gn6QLXq/48dizM7.jpg

• It is some older Nordica fireplace
• It was not used for a while
• Chimney was not cleaned for 5 years most likely
• I did not yet got it to fully lit (photo is basically live event :) )
• When fireplace is closed, I don't get smoke into the house and it goes out through chimney.
• While I was writing this, fireplace just choked itself out....

My questions:

• Do I need my chimney cleaned?
• Can I use such fireplace with door open (clearly I cannot now)
• Is it possible, next time it will be better (because fireplace was not used for long?)
• I am doing something wrong? / any other advice

Thank you all!

My question is if a Dermatologist's skin biopsy safe enough for a diagnosis of melanoma or only cancer surgeon qualified for a proper diagnosis and performing biopsy?
Age: 55,
weight:84kgs, height :5'1
race: south asian
country: India
no smoking , no drinking
prior health condition: thyroid, high blood pressure
primary concern: suspecting of melanoma, mole present on her left hand for at least 6 years

Maybe a bit dramatic title but I just can’t with my parents anymore. My parents have done nothing for me. In fact like many African parents all they did was abuse me and traumatize me and take advantage of me then send me out into the world unprepared with no social, romantic, or professional skills and experience. You know how our parents say we are ungrateful, etc but I have stopped to think about it and really they just did enough to keep me alive as a kid but by the time I was around 8 or 9 years old I took care of myself and my younger siblings. My parents made me quit any extracurricular activities I wanted to pursue after 2-3 months because they said it was a waste of time since I wasn’t good at them (how can a 9yo who has been doing gymnastics be some kind of prodigy after just a few weeks, most kids start these activities as toddlers). My parents were very strict, emotionally abusive, used religion as a weapon, etc as many African parents do but the craziest thing is that I didn’t need it. I was a good kid. I did as I was told, was obedient and respectful and everything else. When I was a teenager my parents were expecting some big rebellion and got even more strict and controlling. The things I wanted to do were play volleyball on my high school team and go to the museum or the movies with friends and they acted liked I wanted to sneak out at night to get drunk and do drugs at parties. The other crazy thing is my younger siblings were the ones who snuck out, had friends going down a bad path, would go out shoplifting, smoke and drank, one of my sisters friends even got pregnant…. But my parents were clueless and didn’t listen to me when I brought these things up because they said I was the one in charge of raising my siblings. How was I supposed to handle it these are not my kids and I’m a child myself.
When I was graduating high school I only applied to universities out of province, my parents said I couldn’t just go out at 18 and live without family. So I accepted a school that was in the city my grandma lived in and she said I could stay with her. My parents “surprised” me a few days before I was set to leave by telling me that they sold the house and are moving with me so that we could still live together. All through uni I paid for my own stuff (tuition, supplies, food, bills, etc) while working and still helping my parents around the house, with my siblings, and with their business. I moved out during Covid lockdown and was still working my way through school and began to help my family financially when they lost everything. Now 4 years later my credit is screwy because I’m renting 3 apartments, have 7 phone contracts, 3 internet contracts, 4 cars, and a bunch of other stuff taken out in my name by my parents. I was working myself ragged trying to keep up with everything and after all I have sacrificed my whole life for my family, my parents continue to take advantage and expect more from me. I can’t support a family of 7 working my barely over minimum wage jobs.
I’ve been in therapy since I moved out and have been trying to distance myself and set boundaries with my family but it’s hard while they’re still so codependent on me but I seriously don’t think I will make it until the next year when certain conditions and contracts and things are over and I can start separating myself from them again. Idk what has changed in the last 8-10 months but my parents have been trying to get back into my life and control me again and I have been fighting it but I’m running out of energy and they keep surprising me in the worst way possible. A few months ago my mom got rid of my cat while I was at work because she doesn’t like cats. I’ve started dating again and almost every day she calls me while I’m out or says she needs something and just interrupts my dates. I have been unemployed for a bit and now my mom is trying to convince me to get rid of my apartment and buy a house so we can all live together again. Buy a house in this economy on my barely over minimum wage salary?? Sick joke first of all. Live under the same roof as my parents again? I would die before even considering that as a valid option.
I really started writing this post with a different direction in mind but it has turned into a rant and the reminder or motivation I needed to keep going. I’ve got a loose 3 year plan going to get away once and for all. In 1 year most of the financial obligations will be ending and I won’t be renewing them in my name so I can start to fix my credit and actually save money towards my goals. After about a year and a half of fixing my finances I hope to be able to save enough to move out of province or even out of country. Ive still been looking for a job in my area of study but the job market is insane right now. I’ve been strategically applying for positions in national companies so that I can relocate when I fix my financial situation with my family. When it gets closer to the time I also plan on looking internationally because I fear my parents will pull a “surprise” like my high school graduation where they end up following me because they can’t give up control.
I feel pretty good about my plan most of the time but just knowing how long it’s realistically going to take is the discouraging part. Any advice on how to speed things up or anything about my plan you would do differently?

Cleaned her room,deep cleaned it, taking stuff to goodwill. Goodwill doesn't want your nasty,smoke smelling junk
Took a nap from 12:30pm till 5 pm
Tried to pull an all nighter,but got headaches
Haven't eaten much today, y'all she is grifting for food money,aka junk food money, and grifting hard
Can't really eat anything till Sat or Sunday
Dad only offered her beans and rice. I call BS on that
Oh,poor you no junk food to eat
SPENT HER LAST BIT OF MONEY ON CIGARETTES
tried to stop smoking for a week, what week,every live you are smoking
Mark my words the day she gets her food stamps it's gonna be junk food,junk food,junk food
Smoking
Tara said she could not get her job back at the gas station because she kept quitting and getting rehired
You don't have a long list of medical conditions,you are delusional
Always gotta get those large sodas
Took her from 6am till noon to clean her room
Where did she get the money to go shopping at Plato's closet,where she got her 6X Tom and Jerry hoodie
She is going to the prince's ball on Sat
She will be wearing a Stitch outfit
She is only going for the food
If it's an even and it has food she's going
All she does is go in and out of the gas station
She says "bolding" instead of "balding"
Public is not my job
Smoking
Want a job where they won't push her to do stuff
Could work at another gas station,she just has to watch her mouth
Chillin at the gas station till 3am....3am
EOL

I've had my trusty air fryer for about two years now, from crispy fries to juicy chicken wings, it's handled it all. But, and it's a big but, it's gotten... well, let's just say, less-than-sparkling clean over time. The grease and oil build up in those hard-to-reach spots—the heating elements, the fan area. Recently it started to smoke when cooking, I think it's time to say goodbye.
Then, as if the kitchen gadget gods were listening to my woes, I stumbled upon something intriguing—the Typhur Self-Cleaning Air Fryer. Yes, you read that right. Self-cleaning. Could this be the answer to my air fryer prayers?
They claim "Typhur Dome features an industry-first self-cleaning mode. With this cutting-edge technology, Typhur Dome can accelerate the high-temperature decomposition of grease and grime from the top cavity. By minimizing the health risks associated with oxidized and rancid grease"
If this self-cleaning feature works as promised, it could be a total game-changer. Not only would it save me time and effort, but it could also extend the life of my air fryer by keeping it in better condition for longer.
Anyone tried Typhur Dome air fryer? some advice?

24yrold Female, 5’2 currently 165lbs
Preexisting conditions: Anxiety, panic disorder (mostly resolved), BED
Chiari Malformation diagnosed May 2022, underwent decompression surgery (w/laminectomy) - symptoms and imaging have resolved
Medications/diagnoses: - Lamotragine 200mg for mood disorder - Lexapro 20mg for anxiety/depression - Buspirone 10mg for anxiety - Vyvanse 20mg for BED (this dose has fluctuated between 10-30mg based on availability of drug) -Propranolol as needed (20-50mg) -Clonazepam as needed (1mg)
Disclaimer - I am seeking professional help
HERE IS MY QUESTION:
Last night I took 4mg of klonopin. I took 1mg at a time over the course of two hours. I’ve taken Klonopin for many years, both daily and PRN at different times, so I didn’t actually feel too high.
However, it’s not the next night right around the 24 hour mark and I’m beginning to feel “off” for lack of a better word. I feel woozy in my head, maybe a little pukey, etc. It’s just weird because I wasn’t having these symptoms last night or throughout today the way that I’m having them now.
Also probably important to mention, I haven’t been eating or drinking a sustainable amount at all due to disordered thinning. I consume a good amount of caffeine, take the Vyvanse, and also smoke weed. I also drank 10oz of Magnesium Citrate drink this evening to cleanse.
I’m just looking for confirmation that physically I’ll be okay - I’m good to just sleep off the symptoms as long as they’re harmless.

Every person in a society acts with self imposed constraints that allow them to function effectively as a part of it. Putting emphasis on the fact that these constraints are "self-imposed" or imposed by society into the self, meaning that they are not tangible things that exist in the real world, and they only exist in the mental plane. Examples of such "constraints" include things like: don't smoke or drink, don't question authority, study hard to get a job etc. A human being in their purely natural state would exist without any of the aforementioned constraints, but in society we have been conditioned to live in accordance with a particular set of rules, which have effectively been carved into our minds. This doesn't exactly mean that these "constraints" are entirely detrimental for a person's existence, but also doesn't mean that they are entirely good in that sense either.
Every person has a different set of constraints imposed upon them, depending on the environment or society which they are brought up in, or schools they have been sent to. Schools in a sense achieve their given purpose, to produce workers for the capitalist industry, and so they play a huge role in imposing constraints into whoever partakes, if that makes sense. Other than that, our families and social status also plays a role in imposing various constraints into our personalities.
Breaking out of these constraints allow an individual to lead an authentic life that's more focused on self-fulfillment, and less about the fulfillment of societal needs, basically to not be a "cog in the machine", so to speak. Ideas of cynicism and skepticism suggest one to constantly be in a state of questioning authority, nothing told to you is true except if you come to the realization on your own self.

I accepted a conditional offer on 05/01 and since then I've had a background check and drug test. I didn't know they still tested for THC in CA (2024 law) and I tested positive for THC with the first drug test (urine) they asked me to do an oral swab a few days later, I did. I didn't smoke for about 30 hours at that point (didn't know I was gonna have to test again) and the paper at the urgent care said the swab detects THC for up to 24 hours. I used tons of peroxide, listerine, etc too in the lead up just in case. That was on Friday and they told me it would be 3-4 days to hear back. I emailed the HR earlier today and haven't gotten a response. I'm super nervous because this is a really good opportunity and it took forever to get here. What do you guys think? Ty!

So yeah... this is a post where I review all 5 Cage The Elephant albums. Pretty simple. These are all reviews that I originally wrote on an app/website called "Musicboard" over the past couple weeks, but I've copy-pasted them here for your reading convenience. Hope you enjoy & I hope to to talk about these albums with you!
____________________________________________

Self Titled

Probably their weakest album to date, but still a pretty solid debut overall.
I hate to be so predictable, but the best song here is still “Ain’t No Rest for The Wicked”, and it ain’t even close. It’s extremely fun & catchy, it’s the album’s most sonically distinct piece BY FAR, and it’s storytelling/pacing are both absolutely flawless. A track that absolutely deserves it’s iconic status.
Even though the record’s best isn’t up for debate, there are some other pretty good highlights as well. “In One Ear” is a very solid opener for the project, “Judas” gives us consistently excellent lyricism, and “Tiny Little Robots” has an uncharacteristically super atmospheric bridge which makes it stand out quite a bit. It also transitions super smoothly into the following “Lotus” who’s engaging pacing, beautiful chorus, & satisfying climax make it another easy favourite for me.
But then beyond the lovably visceral energy of it’s closer, “Free Love”, Cage The Elephant’s self-titled debut really doesn’t give me a whole lot more to talk about. It’s got consistently great musicianship, a decent number of highlights, and some bizarrely excellent song transitions, but the album has a really bad case of being FAR too samey. Everything outside of the tracks I’ve already mentioned blend together in my mind almost completely. None of them are bad, but none of them are particularly memorable either.
This album is still pretty good at the end of the day, some solid garage rock fun, but Cage’s later projects would all feel a whole lot more distinct & purposeful.
Best Songs: Ain’t No Rest for the Wicked, Lotus, & Free Love.
Weakest Songs: Drones in the Valley, Soil to the Sun, & Back Stabbin' Betty.
This album gets a strong 7/10 from me.
____________________________________________

Thank You, Happy Birthday

It may be a little all over the place, but it’s still a pretty big improvement over their debut.
For one, the sound of this album is FAR more lush & vibrant than that of their debut. The guitars here are especially brimming with so much more life & colour than they were on their self-titled record. Another big improvement is that record is how much more variety this album has. It’s an incredibly stylistically varied project, and while that does lead to it feeling a little messy every so often, it’s all still held together very well by excellent & super aesthetically consistent production.
The album starts out quite strong with “Always Something”. The ominous guitars, raw vocals, & slight electronic elements all combine to make for a rather gripping opener. Other highlights include “Shake Me Down” which I love for it’s percussive acoustic guitars & personal childhood nostalgia, “Aberdeen” which I love for it’s super catchy melodies & powerfully mixed guitars, as well as “Right Before My Eyes” which has a similarly excellent sound & a surprisingly moving chorus.
This record also contains a lot of the most loudly abrasive material that Cage have ever released... to very mixed results. You have tracks like “Sell Yourself” & “Doctor Help Me” which are just sorta forgettable, a song like “Indy Kidz” which has a fantastic instrumental alongside an unfortunately & obnoxiously tryhard vocal performance, but then you have “Sabertooth Tiger” which is actually one of my TOP favourites here. The chaotic viscerality of this one feels so much more natural than those other tracks, as well as SO MUCH more invigorating. I really wasn't expecting to love it so much upon revisiting it today, but it very much surprised me.
On the other side of the coin, we also have a couple distinctly lowkey moments that I’d like to talk about. “Rubber Ball” is a very pleasant track with a slightly jaunty charm to it, but even more pleasant than that is “Flow”. My favourite song on the whole album. It’s not a particularly sad song, nor is it like STUNNINGLY beautiful, and yet… I often find myself close to tears when listening to it. If I had to put the feeling into words, I’d say that the atmosphere of this song is so perfectly tender & existentially content that it’s… genuinely overwhelming. I yearn to forever exist within the powerful sense of peace that this song provides, but I can only do so for 3 minutes at a time & that makes me wanna cry.
Overall, “Thank You Happy Birthday” is just a WAY more consistently enjoyable project than their debut. It has cleaner production, a far more memorable aesthetic, a greater sense of sonic exploration, better vocals for the most part, MUCH higher highs, and far fewer lows as well. Other than those “forgettably abrasive” songs which I talked about 2 paragraphs ago, the only significant lowlight for me would be the underwhelming closer that is “Carry Me In”. The record honestly should’ve just ended with “Flow” cuz these final 2 tracks which come right after just aren’t very interesting.
But yeah, other than having a significantly weaker closer, this album is an improvement over their first in every single way.
Best Songs: Flow, Sabertooth Tiger, & Aberdeen
Weakest Songs: Doctor Help Me, Carry Me In, & Sell Yourself.
This album gets a light to decent 8/10 from me.
____________________________________________

Melophobia

Don’t you love it when an overall “pretty good” discography randomly contains one genuine masterpiece?
I absolutely ADORE this record, and I don’t even consider Cage The Elephant to be one of my all time favourite bands. They probably wouldn’t make my Top 25, but “Melophobia” specifically is easily one of the best albums I’ve ever heard, and (now that I no longer listen to Arcade Fire) my personal favourite release of 2013. At the very least, it’s a stiff competition between this & Daft Punk’s “Random Access Memories”. I’ve gotta go track by track with this one in order to effectively convey my love for it so buckle in!
“Spiderhead” is a genuinely perfect opener for the record. It conveys to us ALL of the project’s best qualities while never feeling like it’s spoiled the album for you. The best is still very much yet to come. We’ve got scuzzy guitars that feel both authentically raw & immaculately produced, super catchy melodies delivered through a very precise yet slightly wild vocal performance, and also this really cool “glitched tempo change” at the end which gives this specific song a very unique flare.
“Come A Little Closer” is probably the most popular song here, and while it’s not my personal #1, it is still absolutely deserving of that status. The verses ease us in with a super slick bassline, some incredibly atmospheric guitars/synths, as well as a grippingly moody vocal performance. All of which come to a head on the track's spectacularly explosive choruses which still manage to fit the song’s moody tone flawlessly. The bridge here is also excellent with an extremely effective build to the song’s final & most explosive chorus. LOVE this track. Iconic shit.
“Telescope” is even more iconic though. It’s the best thing that Matt Schultz has ever written & it’s not even a contest honestly. We open with some tenderly playful synths which eventually give way to an equally playful yet distinctly melancholic vocal performance & lyrical story. This leads to the song’s incredible chorus which only becomes more emotionally powerful each & every time it’s repeated, but it’s the bridge here that really elevates the track into something truly spectacular. It’s so instrumentally frantic & vocally raw while still miraculously fitting into the song’s overall tenderly melancholic atmosphere. Such an evocative masterpiece. Unquestionably one of my favourite songs of all time.
“It’s Just Forever” is frequently maligned as the album’s one & only dud, but other than some admittedly awkward tonal whiplash between it & the last song, I still think it’s a fantastic addition to the record. We’ve got some wonderfully visceral guitars, a delightfully wild guest vocal performance courtesy of Alison Mosshart, and an outro that predicted the “Untitled Goose Game” OST six years in advance. What’s not to love?
“Take It Or Leave It” has a super chillaxed atmosphere all throughout, but never in a way that becomes boring. The chorus is super catchy, I enjoy the slight country-isms of the track, and the guitars sound amazing… but that’s definitely starting to become a moot point in this review. SUCH a vibe of a song.
“Halo” is probably the least uniquely remarkable song here. I don’t really have anything specific to say about it, but don’t think for a second that I mean to imply it’s even remotely weak. It’s still a banger.
“Black Widow” is an absolute BLAST of a song. The gritty rock’n’roll instrumentation along with those seductive vocals are obviously fantastic, but the star of the show here is undoubtedly the brass elements. The blaring horns on this track, whichever ones they are exactly, are sheer musical euphoria. That brief moment during the bridge where they completely overpower the rest of the mix is especially stunning. This is another one of those songs that I often hear people proclaiming as one of the album’s worst, but I think those people are weak. This song is nothing short of SPECTACULAR. Such a wonderful rush of visceral energy.
“Hypocrite” serves as a very nice change of pace for the record. The incredibly unique drum rhythms & overall slow pacing really make it stand out here. We’ve got a decently moving chorus, some nice brass elements yet again, and while said brass elements aren’t nearly as impressive as last time, these horns still fill out the mix very nicely & aid the song in having an even more unique energy than the aforementioned odd drumming was already giving it.
“Teeth” is the most perfectly unhinged thing that Cage The Elephant has ever released. In my review for their previous album, I talked about how certain tracks there often struggled to nail the balance of “controlled chaos”. Songs from that record which attempted this mostly just felt messy instead of compellingly scatterbrained. “Teeth”, on the other hand, achieves that balance effortlessly. Everything about this track is marvelous madness. The frantically abrasive guitars, evocatively strange lyrics, rivetingly unrefined vocals, and OH MY WORD that outro. After being a badass rock song for about 3 minutes, this shit randomly decides to basically become spoken word jazz at the end, and it works miraculously well. The lethargic bassline, the dour brass elements, the lyrics rich with meaning that’s hard to fully grasp. The whole thing is genuinely quite unnerving, but in a way that’s always still very enjoyable to listen to.
“Cigarette Daydreams” is a very interesting closer for this album. The acoustics & pianos are both incredibly pretty, the vocals & melodies are both really moving, and the whole experience is extremely immersive with it’s atmosphere. It’s a truly beautiful song on it’s own as well as an extremely anticlimactic ending for the record. But to explain why I actually mean that as a positive, I need to talk about “Teeth” again. Keep in mind that everything I’m about to say here has absolutely NOTHING to do with the lyrics of these songs. It’s simply my mind creating a story by interpreting the emotional atmospheres of both tracks.
“Teeth” is like witnessing or being involved in some sort of traumatic event. It’s a chaotic mess that leaves you deeply unsettled. Horrified even. Like being the bystander to a uniquely bad car crash. The kind where gorey death is very clearly visible. “Cigarette Daydreams” contrasts “Teeth” by being easily the most tender & simplistic song on the album. It’s very comforting with it’s musicality, but what I love here is that it’s not quite “cathartic”. It’s not a release of tension or an eradication of negative emotion. It’s like being frozen with shock after witnessing this crash before someone else eventually arrives to comfort you. This comfort feels nice & brings you back to your senses, but you’re still not ok. You still witnessed something horrible & a quick bit of comfort isn’t going to immediately fix that.
That’s the story I read from the tonal dichotomy between these 2 songs. A story of horror followed by incomplete comfort. It’s not a satisfying ending for me, but it’s such a specific & evocative kind of dissatisfaction that I can’t help but be fascinated by it. A super cathartic track full of positive emotion & grandiose beauty wouldn’t have worked here at all. Something quietly comforting that’s lacking in huge catharsis is the only way this could have gone. It’s the only ending that makes sense directly after a track as wild a “Teeth”. Again, NONE of this has anything to do with the lyrics. Just sheer emotion.
In conclusion though, I really fucking love “Melophobia”. It’s got perfect pacing, perfect production, tons of variety, so many excellent highlights, and one of the most memorable album endings I’ve ever experienced. The band’s whole discography is undoubtedly quite good, but this record is still LEAGUES above anything else that came before it, and so far, anything that has come after.
Best Songs: Telescope, Black Widow, & Come A Little Closer.
Weakest Songs: haha no.
10/10. Masterpiece.
____________________________________________

Tell Me I'm Pretty

It’s a HUGE downgrade from the last album, but still a decent enough listen.
It’s a stiff competition between this & their self-titled when we’re deciding which Cage The Elephant album is the weakest. They both exist on pretty much equal levels of “unremarkably decent”, but I think I’d probably give “Tell Me I’m Pretty” an ever so slight edge over their debut. Even though I’m ultimately gonna give them the same rating, I think this record has a few more significantly notable qualities.
“Cry Baby” is a very solid opener & “Mess Around” is a delightfully nostalgic single in spite of literally just being a Black Keys song, but it’s only on tracks 4-7 where this album really hits it’s stride. “Too Late To Say Goodbye” is very methodically emotive, “Cold Cold Cold” has some super fun percussion & an engagingly dazed sense of atmosphere, and “How Are You True” is one of the prettiest songs in the band’s whole catalog. The choppy vocal effects are extremely immersive, and the lowkey energy of it all is wonderfully hypnotic.
It also transitions very naturally out of the song right before it. That song being “Trouble”. The strongest piece of this album by a pretty wide margin. The backing vocals are beautiful, the chorus is really impactful, the acoustic elements are particularly well utilized, and the whole thing truly feels “Melophobia quality” while still being sonically distinct from that project. After this 4-7 stretch however, the album’s final 3 tracks don’t give me a whole lot to talk about.
I enjoy the spaghetti western vibes of “That’s Right” decently enough, but “Punchin’s Bag” is one of the most forgettable songs that CTE have ever made, and even though it’s a decently fun track on it’s own, “Portuguese Knife Fight” has almost no real impact as a CLOSER. Which is particularly disappointing coming right off the heels of a record with one of the most impactful endings I’ve ever heard.
So yeah… “Tell Me I’m Pretty” definitely isn’t bad, but it definitely ain’t special either. It’s unenergetic in a way that mostly feels ill fitting of the band, Dan Auerbach’s production is solid but also extremely homogeneous, and lots of Matt’s vocals here feel way more “performative” than they do natural and/or “from the heart”. I do still enjoy this record for it’s excellent musicianship, generally solid song writing, and handful of wonderful highlights, but something definitely feels a little off about it all.
They just weren’t in peak form here. Which, again, is not a very pretty look right up against one of the most PEAK albums of the 2010’s.
Best Songs: Trouble, Cold Cold Cold, & How Are You True.
Weakest Songs: Punchin’ Bag, Sweetie Little Jean, & Portuguese Knife Fight.
This album gets a strong 7/10 to me.
____________________________________________

Social Cues

Not without it’s problems, but undoubtedly some of their strongest material to date.
This is pretty easily their 2nd best album if you ask me. It’s nowhere NEAR as good as 2013’s “Melophobia”, but it’s not like I ever expected them to reach those heights again. Cage The Elephant are an overall “pretty good” band with one exceptional masterpiece that came out of nowhere. But in terms of the rest of their “pretty good” discography, this is a very enjoyable album… even if it is VERY front loaded. Tracks 1-7 are all fantastic with only one exception, but then tracks 8-13 are all super forgettable outside of a couple key exceptions.
Let’s talk about that excellent first half though. “Broken Boy” is an immediately gripping BANGER of an opener with viscerally crisp production, The Title Track has a wonderfully psychedelic soundscape to it & one of the band’s catchiest choruses ever, and “Night Running” is a song that’s always gotten way too much hate in my opinion. I can KINDA understand the aversion to how sheerly radio friendly it is, but the vibes are again delightfully psychedelic, the Beck feature suits the track flawlessly, and there’s this extremely appealing sense of… idk “fuzziness” to the production on the chorus. Super sonically satisfying stuff.
Other great moments from this first half include “Ready to Let Go’ which was a perfect lead single for the record, as well as “Skin And Bones” which has a really moving chorus & some beautifully implemented strings, but easily the HARDEST banger of the whole project comes to us in the direct middle. “House of Glass”. This is one of the spectacularly wild things they’ve ever put out & it’s an absolute BLAST to listen to. The sly vocals, viciously vigorous guitars, and perfectly chaotic production all come together to create one of their best songs to date. LOVE IT.
Now for that relatively lackluster 2nd half. “The War Is Over” actually grew on me quite a bit this time around which I wasn’t expecting, but we still have songs like “Dance Dance” which feel distinctly lacking in creativity, “Tokyo Smoke” which frankly just feels kinda aimless to me, as well as “What I’m Becoming” which, in an attempt to sound soft & lowkey, just comes across as rather drab. These songs are all still “decent” at the end of the day, but they absolutely do not live up to the consistently high quality of that first half. Where this 2nd half DOES shine however are in it’s softer moment’s that aren’t “What I’m Becoming”.
“Love’s the Only Way” is SUCH a lovely track. The light guitars, the ethereal string sections, the tender vocal performance, the vividly “late night” atmosphere of it all! It’s easily one of the most beautiful glimpses into their softer side that the band have ever given us, but even more beautiful than that is the album’s closer & best song BY FAR, “Goodbye”. The lyrics are absolutely heartbreaking, the pianos are extremely moving in spite of being so very simple, and the bridge here is beyond fascinating to me.
There’s this part of it’s instrumental that’s either a muted piano or the pitched down plucks of an orchestral stringed instrument. Whatever the hell it is, it gives me chills damn near every time I hear it. There aren’t even lyrics during this part, but it still manages to be one of the most evocative depictions of sadness that I’ve ever borne witness to. Undeniable proof that sound alone can often speak SO MUCH louder than words. This has been my go to “depression song” for YEARS now & I don’t see that changing any time soon.
So that’s “Social Cues”! It’s definitely got some issues, but I still like it quite a bit. It’s got a really fun new sound for the band, a decent amount of variety, consistently excellent lyrics that are largely about Matt’s, at the time, recent divorce, and some of the highest highs in their entire discography. It’s undoubtedly frontloaded, but still a very satisfying album experience overall. I mean it’s kind of impossible NOT to be satisfied with a closer this stellar.
Best Songs: Goodbye, House of Glass, & Social Cues.
Weakest Songs: What I’m Becoming, Black Madonna, & Tokyo Smoke.
This album gets a decent 8/10 from me.
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Well that's the post! Hope you enjoyed reading it & I'd love to discuss any & all of my takes in the comments!

I have cafe/bar that I really love-- it has a very unique vibe to it and has live music and chess. I worked there in my freshman year of college which was honestly a primarily positive experience. However, I was 19-20 when working there and had a few mildly uncomfortable college experiences such as getting drunk for the first time, being rejected by a crush for the first time, getting fired for the first time, having an argument with someone who wanted to date my boyfriend (now fiance) that got very intense, and a few other similar situations.
The spot is still a popular hang out space for university students in my moderately-sized town and a good place to see live music, so sometimes I still come by here if I need a coffee or if a friend has invited me... But I get like, an actual PTSD response in here. Like, feeling faint, intense flashbacks to awkward scenarios, extreme heart rate, and loss of breath. I don't know WHY this happens. I have honestly not experienced any actual trauma in my life (plenty of PROBLEMS such as family issues, discrimination, health issues, financial issues etc, but nothing extreme like assault or major loss) so I am extremely ashamed to have these feelings over this spot.
Also though they rent hookahs to smoke and have lots of people smoking so potentially I have like an averse response to nicotine idk

Timestamp
Hi there, I'm clearing out more of my collection and would like for these items to find new homes. All of these items are clean, have been kept in a smoke and pet free home. I've realized that I'm set on 60% or smaller form factors so these larger ones will only collect dust.
Please PM instead of using chat, thanks! If items are purchased before 4 PM EST, they'll be shipped out on the same day as purchased. All prices are negotiable!
Keebs:
Reflection FRLTKL in Sand WK - $500 shipped. 10/10 condition as I just received from GB a few weeks ago. There was an issue with the original PCBs that caused issues with JST cable clearance, but these PCBs are new and resolve that issue. The Kit will come with top and bottom case, 2 HS PCBs, PP plate, foams, 2 Dbs/Cables, Custom Cloth and Custom carrying case. Keeb can be top or gasket mount and comes with all needed hardware. Will ship in box with plenty of cushioning plus insurance.
Bauer Lite in Ghost - $140 shipped. 10/10 condition as I just received this a week ago. Haven't had a chance to really build it the way I want so would rather it not sit. Includes top and bottom case, HS PCB, 2 PC plates, 1 Alu Plate in Reaper color(miscut but doesn't affect function), 2 foam kits, Extra Gaskets in White, Ghost and Reaper colors. Will ship in it's original box with plenty of cushioning.
Thanks for taking a look and please do let me know if you have any questions!

31 year-old male. Currently located in Newport,RI, USA.
I’m a strength & conditioning coach by trade. Have my Masters of Education in Kinesiology and my Bachelors of Science in Exercise Science. Entertaining the idea of a PhD in Kinesiology program.
Looking for a woman to have a meaningful, committed, monogamous relationship with, & to start a family with one day.
Have no kids, never been married.
Non-smoker, don’t do drugs, will drink occasionally. Don’t mind if you smoke weed, but I don’t.
PM if you want to chat and learn more!

I've been caring for my partner for about five years now. In reality, the conditions of his terminal condition should have killed him before we ever even met. This is a whole can of worms I'm trying to keep as short as possible so I realize it seems disconnected.
He has a whole "thing" about feeling like he never got choices in life and had everything thrust upon him against his will. It's his trigger. So I've always gone out of my way to make sure he feels like his life in his hands. Unfortunately, he's averse to actually making any said decisions. Whether it's what day to make a doctor's appointment to what he wants for dinner - I always have to decide. He goes on and on about never getting a say in anything but then actually refuses to make a choice about anything when offered.
And I've tried everything to get him into therapy. He absolutely refuses.
All he does is talk about his death. He yearns for it. His response to me telling him one of my family members died recently was that he was "jealous". He also talks about how violent his death will be and how he'll probably be alone. But he refuses to consider hospice because he says that's "giving up" or killing himself. However, every chance he gets if we end up in an argument, he'll threaten to kill himself. This always led me to believe that the angetrauma/baggage he brought from his childhood convinced him he wouldn't die unless blood could be on someone's hands - his death HAS to be someone's "fault". Sometimes, it feels like he's hanging on out of spite.
However, a thought recently entered my mind. Is this man waiting for me to tell him to die? Is he so devoid of the ability to make a decision he needs to [unfairly] force that decision onto someone else to make it happen? And if that's the case, if there is any reality to that theory whatsoever, what do I even do about it?
Yes, I'm tired of it all and there are so many days I regret the choices the led me to being a caregiver. My quality of life has suffered, also. But I still love him. And what kind of person would that make if I just started bringing home hospice pamphlets and told him "it's time"?
I mean, he's the one who constantly talks about wanting it all to be over and if I did have the choice, I'd prefer he die in drug-induced comfort via hospice as opposed to the unpleasant alternative that inevitably awaits him. But then I have to live as the person who told another human being to die. I don't want to have an "angel of mercy" title. And I have no idea how to even broach this to him, I don't even feel like I can.