Welcome to the first post in the prophesied Design Notes Series, which will see periodic releases during the (probably long) wait until 3.0, and will preview and discuss upcoming content.
As was mentioned in the Anniversary post, I am working on 3.0 whenever I find the time and motivation; treating it like homework did not do wonders for my creativity, back when I started. So this Series is meant to serve as an appetizer and periodic reminder that progress is still being made.
Let's get into it!

Weapon Art?

I am considering renaming the phrase "Special Ability". As casual language, pretty much everything in SW is an "ability" that is "special," so the term always felt ambiguous to me. But more importantly, it just doesn't shine. I'm a fan of vivid, evocative language in fiction, and nothing about the phrase "Special Ability" actually feels special to me. It's... generic.
So I may rename it to "Weapon Art." No less clichéd, really, but the point isn't to make the word unique, just unambiguous, evocative, and a maybe little more iconic.
And I would just do it, if it weren't for the fact that find-and-replace is really glitchy in Inkscape (of course it is), so I would have to manually replace every instance of the phrase.
Since I haven't decided yet, I'm going to use the phrase Weapon Art for the rest of this post, to try it on and see how it fits. Let me know what you think of the term, and whether you think it would be an improvement worth taking the time to implement.
Personally, if nothing else, I think it enhances clarity.

The Importance and Function of a Weapon Art

Weapon Arts are the defining heart of a Weapon Class. If I can think of a unique Art for a weapon, it gets a Class. If I can't, it doesn't. But how do I decide what Art to give to a weapon? I have a process, and it goes a little something like this:
The Function of the Art should be to...

1. Make it Possible to use a weapon that is otherwise too impractical for combat. If this isn't applicable, it should instead...
2. Compensate for a Weakness of the weapon. If this isn't applicable, it should instead...
3. Amplify a Strength of the weapon.

Examples of Function 1 — Cleaver, Boomerang, Yo-yo. Examples of Function 2 — Polearm, Crossbow, Bolas. Examples of Function 3 — Sword, Bow, Boots.
(Besides these guidelines, every option in SoulWeapon must synergize with other potential choices; that's the Golden Rule for Everything, since the very start).
There are a few exceptions, like Cane Sword or Wand, where the Art hones in on some thematic principle of the weapon or does something unique entirely. I would define these as Arts that enable a trope, which is sort of a hidden 4th Function.
But there are other exceptions I am less happy with. There are some Weapon Arts that have always struck me as incorrect, or just insufficient, but they stayed because I could never think of anything better.
But I've reevaluated the principles behind Weapon Arts. As a result, a number of Weapon Classes—some of which have been unchanged since 1.0—are seeing new Weapon Arts in 3.0.
Let's talk about a few of them.

Knives

For such a common, bread-and-butter weapon, Whisper Walk is a really niche ability that is specific to certain settings/builds. In general, if a weapon is something that gets used a lot, I want its Art to be something that gets used a lot as well.
Cane Sword is a rare and weird weapon that is already almost exclusively used as a way to conceal a weapon or exude style and poise. So the Art reflects that stealth-based nature. But knives are used in a variety of ways besides stealth: open melee combat, ranged attacks, etc. So its Art should at least be a little broader.
The new Art serves Function 2: Compensating for Weakness. One of the weaknesses of the knife is its short range in melee; it's difficult to get past the defenses of most standard-sized weapons to where knives can thrive. The new Weapon Art is called Close-Quarters Combat.
If you really liked Whisper Walk, or had some builds that depended on it, don't worry: it will still be possible to access the effects of Whisper Walk in 3.0.

Mace

If Sword is the "default" bladed weapon, Mace feels like the "default" blunt weapon. (Even if it can technically have spikes on it, its purpose is nonetheless to smash, where the Sword's is to cut). Seems like it has a similar versatility and number of design Variations as the Sword, too, doesn't it? It feels appropriate, then, that they would be reflections of each other, with Sword leading the charge on Page 1, and Mace leading the charge on Page 2.
So, since Sword grants improved skill and and a buff to Runic Potency, Mace shall grant improved might and a buff to Runic Potency.
This feels really really right to me, whereas the old Art (Brute) felt pretty lackluster. Swords are about precision, so they buff your skill, and Maces are about crushing power, so they should buff your might. Both weapons buff Runic Potency, and so you have twin "default" melee weapons that act almost as spokespersons for their broader weapon types. As a bonus, the new Art sort of encompasses what Brute did, so it's a strict buff at the end of the day.
You might think the other "default" weapons to be Knives (the default throwing) and Bow (the default shooting). These haven't gotten parallel Runic Potency -type abilities, but their Weapon Arts have been buffed or reworked in other ways.

Tonfas

Non-Lethal was very cool, but it did not feel like a Weapon Art. Its effects have been moved to a section that makes much more sense for the type of ability it is (you can probably guess to where, if you grok the design philosophy of SoulWeapon).
It has been replaced with a new Art that better suits the beat-and-block nature of Tonfas: Missile Deflection. This lets you intercept projectiles and helps with blocking melee attacks, so you can close the distance on ranged foes and then out-defend them. It's meant to be strong enough to effectively invalidate mundane archers and make the lives of Soulbound archers rather difficult; tonfas are a below-average weapon, so they deserve an above-average Art to compensate.

Kusarigama

Shadow Creep had the same problem as Whisper Walk: stealth is too niche a boon for Weapon Art; it restricts the potential of a Class by limiting its use-cases.
The new Art fills a niche we for some reason didn't have before: a true spinning chain weapon. It is called Spin Control, and it is to Corded weapons as Hover Spin (Giant Shuriken) is to Throwing weapons. It has a little extra bonus of allowing you to remotely control the orientation of the blade (separately from the chain), which can have some niche utility applications beyond just ensuring the kama hits your target point-first when you spin/fling it.
As with the others, the effects of Kusarigama's old Art will be accessible one way or another in 3.0; nothing is getting truly left behind.

Conclusion

There are a number of other Classes that have had their Arts updated or completely remade, but you'll have to wait until release to see those.
Future Design Notes posts likely won't be as long as this one, as most of them will focus on one single item instead of an entire design philosophy.
See you in the next! (And don't forget to let me know what you think of the new name).

Hi all - week 9, 17 lbs lost (inc. big diet changes and exercise upped), so slow and steady not mad at. But I go to Europe for 2 weeks on Thursday and having a lot of anxiety about continuing medication abroad.
Each week has been slightly different for me. I'm on 0.5 (been on that dosage 5 weeks). Nausea, headache, appetite, anxiety, bloat, gut issues, etc. Some weeks low others vastly different. Not head in the toilet bad, but discomfort is best description. Also have seen alcohol taste change, as have hangover effects day after 1-2 drinks only.
Do I stick with this while traveling, (i opted to continue same 0.5 dosage this month), battling anxiety of if my physical symptoms interfere with enjoyment of trip? Finding a bathroom, having energy, appetite for amazing food and drink? Or am I overthinking?
What happens if you take a 2 week break, are there withdrawal symptoms or is starting again really tough? Consulting my doctor too but anxiety fearing the worst has me struggling to truly embrace my excitement to travel. Thank you!

Today my mom wanted to grab coffee as she hadn't seen me in a month due to being on a cruise. I invited her over and we chatted in the living room while the Keurig was brewing. She was in a good mood after her gym class and we were catching up. I slipped in there that I had a positive pregnancy test and am excited!!!
Her response was"...oh..."
She then turned the conversation to telling me that I should join a church group because I've "been trying out a lot of different life paths" and there's really stable people in church. I know. I grew up in church. Church Christians are why I left.
I'm struggling with her reaction. She's zealously pro-life/pro-birth and my entire life I've grown up hearing her say "you'll feel differently when you're a mom," "children are the greatest blessing," etc. Her tone was flat and unimpressed the entire time. She would have been more encouraging and responsive if I told her I had a flat tire.
I had an abortion in my twenties (with my abusive ex) and she knows this. That was the wrong time to have a baby. This is the right time. I'm early thirties with my own house, a remote and flexible job that pays decent with a good career trajectory, a reliable car, no debt, some savings, a healthy body, boring hobbies, and with much more mental/emotional stability and resilience. I want this baby. I'm equipped to have this baby. I'm excited for this baby. Why did she say she wasn't going to tell my dad/her husband "in case you change your mind, that would only hurt him deeply."?????? Like, if I was going to have an abortion, do you think I would have told you? This is the only thing you've wanted for me since raising me to be a wife and mother (well, skipped the wife part) since I was young, and even this isn't good enough? Are you just determined to be disappointed in me regardless?
I cried for thirty minutes after she left and then had therapy. That didn't help. I don't know how to deal with literally the biggest decision of my life, that I'm choosing to make, and WANT, to be so cavalierly tossed aside even when it's the only thing you'd ever be proud of me for?
Now I don't want her in the delivery room or the hospital.
Thanks for letting me vent. I know pregnancy is going to be tough and parenting even tougher. I was preparing myself for that. I didn't prepare myself for this. I didn't even see this coming.
​

Capricorn woman here wanting to pick the brain of y'all Pisces men. Tldr at the bottom.
I befriended a Pisces man 2 years ago. When I say we had an immediate connection... phew. It was like a magnetic pull toward him I couldn't deny. It was not a physical attraction pull nor was expecting any type of intimate relationship. To be honest, he wasn't my type and we have a 22 year age gap between us. My mind immediately went to friendship because in the past, anytime I've had this pull (happened twice) both times those people ended up being my closest friends. So, I was expecting to have a close friendship with him. Nothing more.
To condense everything (I'm a talker) we had a platonic friendship for a year and then last year, after some subtle sexual remarks through text, we made plans of meeting up to hook up, initiated mostly by me (we only interacted through work or texting prior to this.) So, he is 58 and been married twice. His last marriage traumatized him. Not because she broke his heart but rather just broke him by manipulation, gaslighting and overall ugliness toward him. He told me prior to hooking up he will never date again because he doesn't think he will ever heal enough.
Now, we have an insane emotional connection. Like.. I have never felt the intensity and passion for anyone like I have for him. This is huge for me because I have an extremely difficult time connecting with anyone. Our energies mesh perfectly and we get on so well. I just love being around him and want to talk to him more than anyone else. We can talk about everything yet still be content with being with each other without saying a word.
He was definitely very adamant about not ever dating anyone again, yet I've noticed the past few months... He's seemed to open up more to me. Me on the other hand, I have an extremely difficult time opening up to anyone and I'm scared to.. especially with him. Not because I don't trust him but because I'm scared of being vulnerable with him because he isn't "tied down" to me. He has encouraged and even gently pushed me to open up but because we're just FWBs (albeit we do care greatly about each other) it scares me to do so.
So, to get to my questions. I know that Pisces are lovers and typically don't have a difficult time being in relationships. I would never push him for anything more and I will always be patient and understanding with him. He needs to heal and I will be here for him and support and help him in any way. Aside from patience, what can I do to help him? Also, as a Pisces man, would someone being vulnerable with you scare you? Or make you want to leave? I want to open up to him but I'm so nervous. It's really a huge deal to me.
Tldr- Capricorn woman seeing a Pisces man. He says he'll never date again. How do I go about this and what can I do to help him heal?

So i teach year 2 and on Friday my TA notified me that she'd noticed a fairly severe looking burn mark on one of my kids arms. The child in question was holding her arm in a strange position and flinching whenever anyone went near it. We dressed the burn with wet towels and ice packs, when asked, the child said she had been making her parent a hot drink and spilled boiling kettle water on her arm, causing the burn. Obviously I was very concerned by this and reported it on CPOMS. Anyway, we ended up sending her home because she was getting increasingly upset and claiming that she was in real pain. Mum picked her up and she was back in school not 15 minutes later, the burn mark miraculously gone. The whole time it was lipstick. Props to the manufacturer because we had wet towel on it the whole morning and it didn't smudge at all. But I don't even know where to go from here like, she fully fooled all of us. Ngl I'm low key impressed but I'll never believe another word out her mouth.

Hey all hope you're having a great day :)
So like most people i'm missing that special person in my life and it would be really nice to find someone that i can relate to, be 100% honest and open with and generally find my best friend,
Hopefully this would start out as friendship and if we click then we click, open to anyone from anywhere :)
Some stuff about me/hobbies
Video games, this is my biggest hobby by far, i play have an pretty big library of games i play so if you game, there is a high chance we would share stuff we could play, a few games i play often, League(i question it too don't worry) soulsbourne games (unga bunga builds) fallout's, i mainly play pc but have a switch and ps4 too.
TV/Film, if not doing the above, you can find me binge watching shows or films, such as B99, the office HIMYM, GoT (we can discuss how shit the last season was forever), Star Wars, Marvel stuff, SAW.
Animals, i have 2 dogs (yes i'll show you lots of pictures) and in general i love animals so much, so i'll probably spam you with pictures of random animals i think are cute or funny :)
Music, i listen to a wide variety of stuff, from rock and metal to dance/pop some electro swing, rap and other stuff, in general if i like a song i'll listen to it on repeat till i hate it but still listen to it anyway.
I try and be witty and funny most the time, I have a stupid sense of humour but will try and make you laugh most of the time, I can be shy to start with but i open up pretty quickly when i get comfortable with you :)
Don't be shy and hit me up if you think we would get on :)

So theres this prayer called salat al rizq and its a 2 rakat prayer and you recite al fatiha and then al qadr and then im not sure but say astghfriallah 15 times and for each action you do astghriffallah 15 times just like salat al jaafar al taayar. At then end you go in sujud and say something about Nabi Yunus. I couldnt find this prayer anywhere online and would like some help fidning it.
Thank you

The movie felt disjointed to me in a lot of places, I enjoyed the first one a lot more because of the world building and how the story is structured around Paul's visions.
Here are a few places where the editing and pacing felt weird to me:

1. In the beginning when Stiglar is sending Paul alone into the desert as a test leads to a scene of him leaving and Chani catching up to him and teaching him how to sand walk. Now I understand that it wouldn't serve the larger narrative but I expected a scene of him returning, or an acknowledgement of his return.
   
2. After the northern hideout is destroyed, Paul doesnt want to go south, leading to a scene of the fremen riding sandworms south, Paul decides to take a detour to drink the water of life. This sequence also felt sudden.
   
3. Paul changes as a person after this, much to Chani's horror. After Paul declares himself the messiah and challenges the emperor, we cut straight to the emperor receiving the message and then arriving on Arrakis. But this must've taken weeks at least. It feels as though Paul and Chani haven't talked since he drank the water of life. Chani is blindsided by his decisions in the throne room at the end and storms out. Paul could have easily laid out his plan to Chani in the time it took the emperor to arrive, and even if he didn't, it feels weird for Chani not to question him or challenge him in this time.
   

Overall I felt this film lacked a sense of time, things just seem to happen from scene to scene, in some places it doesn't feel like a lot of time passes even though it should. I understand this film had a lot more characters than the first, I wish it was longer. I felt it didn't have enough breathing room. Shame Denis isn't a fan of director's cuts. I hope this is just a business decision and someday there are extended editions, after the third film is out.

Headline: Your home is not as secure as you think, even if you have a ‘security’ camera… 😳
Newsfeed Description: If you want to keep your house safe, don’t use a ‘security’ camera…😳
With all these options of ‘security’ cameras on the market today… which one will make you sleep safely at night?
With less than 160° degree camera view, bad night vision quality & proprietary software ecosystem…there is no point in buying any of the ‘top 5’ existing security cameras out there...you can’t see who’s behind the door at the time when it’s most important to - night time.
That’s why our Arlo Pro 4 isn’t a ‘security’ camera & makes you sleep safe at night by:

• Giving you a 160° degree zone view of your home
• 2K HDR camera (night vision as well)
• Smart AI object detection
• IP67 waterproof
• Easy to connect with your existing smart ecosystem (Apple Home / Alexa / Google Home)

Arlo’s security camera also comes with a 2-way communication protocol, this way you can see clearly who’s behind the door (even at night) the second they arrive & talk to them ( to either drop the pizza on the floor or anything else )
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ ”Recently moved to a year-round home, on a seasonal private lane. I picked Arlo as we wanted video, 3 to 4 cameras. It was a great choice. It will pick up vehicles halfway down our 600' driveway now, and we can see almost all of it thanks to multiple camera views. If you are on the fence about investing in an Arlo system, just do it. You will not regret it.
Oh, and there’s one more thing…but it’s a ‘secret’ you have to keep safe (no pun intended)...
With our Arlo Pro 4 also comes the Arlo Secure Trial which helps you:

• React faster and take immediate action
• By activating our Smart AI detection for precise activity zones
• Look back at your past data ( 2TB+ )

Find out more about how Pro 4 helps you sleep ‘safe’ at night:
https://www.arlo.com/asia/cameras/pro/arlo-pro-4.html
https://www.arlo.com/asia/cameras/pro/arlo-pro-4.html
​

I loved Spy x Family. It was just so wholesome and cute. Watching it everynight while eating dinner really helped lighten my mood after a shitty day (which is most of my days). Welp now I'm fully caught up and I'm just sad again. I'm hoping to find an anime with similarly wholesome vibes and maybe similar tropes (like found family). I'd appreciate some recommendations.

(Repost because it wasn’t formatted correctly last time)
I think Isaac still tries to sleep. I don’t know why. Surely he’s realized it’s impossible by now.
No one sleeps anymore. We grow weary at times, though it takes much longer than it should. People comfortably go days without sleep. Weeks, if necessary. However, sooner or later fatigue will catch up to you. Most people just white knuckle it and keep going about their business. Because sleep simply will not come. The fatigue will pass, for the most part. But not because of sleep. It just sort of fades into the background
I once knew a man that was determined to sleep. He swore he wouldn’t get up until he’d had a good nights rest. He found a reasonably comfy spot, and stayed there for what must have been months. I will admit, I briefly entertained the notion that he might have succeeded. Until I heard him weeping softly, one night.
Isaac knows all of this, which is why it confuses me so when he does this. He sits there by the camp fire, eyes closed, head bowed, hunched over. Honestly, he almost looks like he’s asleep.
If this is how he chooses to deal with our lot in life then I suppose it’s his choice but it does perplex me to no end.
I’ll never try to sleep again. Never. Not just because I know it won’t work. Because truth be told, I’m afraid if I close my eyes I won’t want to open them again. Once I’ve closed my eyes, I think perhaps that would be the first step towards truly giving up.
So instead, I sit awake. Watching the rest of the group come and go, watching the fire, watching the sky. But most of all, I watch Isaac.
I won’t mince words. I watch Isaac because he is beautiful. In every way one could imagine.
He looks out for everyone here. Even those stronger than him. I don’t know how to explain it, but he has a quiet confidence that gives hope to everyone around him. He believes in himself, and he believes in each and everyone of us. I truly don’t think we would have made it this far if that wasn’t so.
I think perhaps under normal circumstances, I would fall for Isaac. However it’s hard to think of romance under our current circumstances. Early on, I told myself i would mention these possible feelings to him, once we returned to the things went back to normal. But then, who’s to say they ever will? Who’s to say normal even exists? The first time night lasted longer than a day, everyone thought the world was ending. But then the sun came back out, and we all thought life was back to normal. Then the sun didn’t set. For 7 days straight. When it did set, people said it would never rise again. Yet it did. Eventually.
I don’t even remember how long ago that was now. Maybe months. Maybe years. It’s been hard to keep track of the. But the sun still rises, and set. It just takes longer to do both. Never the same amount of time. But usually a month or more.
Some say time itself is breaking down. Stretching, and contracting, moving back and forth. It sounds like nonsense. Then again the idea of the sun not rising or setting when it should, also sounds like nonsense.
The hopeful ones around camp say there’s a way to reverse all of this, and set things back to normal. They say it’s a magic spell that’s caused this, and that if the spell is broken, life will be as it was.
Isaac says it’s true. He heard it from one of the other travelers. And they heard it from some other stranger. Sounds far fetched to me but what else is there to cling to? Isaac says we have to hold onto stories like that. Sometimes I can see in his eyes that he doesn’t believe it himself even when he tells others to believe. That’s what I mean when I say that Isaac is beautiful.
He strives to give be hope to others when he has none. Somehow he succeeds. People believe him. They feel he’s right. They know he’s right. Isaac continually achieves the miracle of pouring from an empty cup.
Maybe that’s why he tries so hard to sleep. Must take a lot of energy to be leaned on like that. He probably feels more tired than any of us.
You wouldn’t know it to look at him most of the time. He carries himself with a calm, quiet grace. He’s soothing to be around. Everyone says so. No matter how bad things get, Isaac always believes we’ll be okay, and when one talks to him, one tends to feel the same way.
Mind you, he’s not what you’d call optimistic. He doesn’t smile much. In fact he frequently looks a bit sad. He is not blind to how dire our situation is. He doesn’t try to lie to anyone, and convince them that things are good. They aren’t. Things are truly miserable. But they won’t always be. Isaac knows that. So we know that. And that’s why we need him. I wish I was the kind of person Isaac could needed.
The only 2 people Isaac ever seems to need are David and Edward. The 3 of them are practically inseparable. They’re our own holy trinity.
It’s easy to see why everyone looks to them. And easy to see why they get along so well. They all have the same utter unwillingness to quit, but they also each have their own strength that compliments one another
Isaac of course, is very gentle, and soft. People can talk to him. Cry to him, even.
David is fearless, and I mean that in the most literal way possible. He’s a small fellow, hardly looks like much of a fighter. Yet there’s not a damn thing in the world that scares David. I’ve never seen him flinch at anything. Never.
Edward is unshakably optimistic. To a fault, I’d argue. His constantly cheerful demeanor never falters, even in the worst of times. That may sound pleasant but can come across as quite uncanny at times. One might even call it unnerving. Regardless of what I think of Edward though, is Isaac is so fond of him I suppose he can’t be all bad.
On a battlefields they’re truly a force to be reckoned with. Between David and Isaac’s swords, and Edwards’s axe, they can make short work of even the larger foes. Even the Wrath demon which can’t be killed by human weapons. The three of them together can beat a Wrath demon senseless, cut its limbs off. A demon can’t maul a person to death very well without arms after all.
One time, I even saw Isaac keep a wrath demon at bay all in his own. Even tho it roared over him, at least twice his height and weight, the thing simply couldn’t get its claws on him. He covered the thing in cuts, all over its body. The way he whips that great sword of his around, you’d think he weighed little more than a dagger. Each time the demon tried to grab him, he would reward it with a fresh wound on its hand or arm. The thing was covered in its own blood by the end of the fight. The beast could have crushed Isaac in it’s bare hands if it got close enough, yet he scared it off. The thing actually ran from him. There isn’t much the wrath demons run from, but they run from Isaac when he fights for us. Of course I would have helped Isaac in the fight that day but my arm was broken at the time.
Anyway. Isaac is a hell of a man, and we’re lucky to have him around. Especially once the sun sets again. Night demons will be crawling all over the place once it’s dark. The fire will keep them at bay to some extent, but if we’re forced to fight, there’s no one I’d rather be lead by than Isaac.
That being said, I still worry about him. If he chases sleep long enough, I fear madness will take him to, eventually. Once it takes him, the whole group is next.

elementary school I pretty much had many friends. There was a few assholes but it wasn’t super bad and they became nicer later. I went to birthday parties. I went to after school camp after school ended for the day so i was able to make more friends and enjoy my self. then i got held back. I was still happy tho and made more friends at summercamps. I wish i could be able to go back in time to have these days. I’m too old to attend after school camps and summer camps so it’s harder to get friends when you get to ur 20s.
middle school: was a massive jester. Most people just said “shut up” & called me annoying and i always wondered why the popular kids got to get away with being a clown. I was sad at times but i wasn’t bothered so much by it unlike now.
My phone helped me cope unlike now. I had things to keep me busy (karate, 2 tutoring classes) so i didn’t care about hanging out with anyone. I used to whine about having those things but now that i don’t do tutoring anymore cuz one is online and soon my mom is gonna stop paying for it just like karate classes and the other tutoring place said i had to stop doing it at 18. After this my life has been more empty . Besides karate places for adults is more boring and no one talks. Also for camps as a kid you can actually have fun and do cool activites and field trips.I don’t have enough money to afford karate classes again to keep me busy either
Now i’m in my last of high school: depressed very alone and even more bored as ever before since i have nothing to keep me busy and my phone doesn’t help me cope anymore. I’m constantly thinking of the shit that happened to me due to getting more bad experiences in high school

I am with linux (fedora lxde) and with casainho's script to lower the fan noise on my p2 max (bios 0.29) and noticed my fan would sometimes loudly turn on for no reason ... so I wrote a quick (and dirty) fix ... If you are interested you can check it on https://github.com/casainho/GPD_P2_Max-Linux_tweaks/issues/2
By the way I am also using this to help my cpu run cooler : undervolt --gpu -75 --core -75 --cache -75 --uncore -50 --analogio -50

I bough t 2 nanos that weren’t working for $30can, $22us. In the fantasy work they would have worked right after charging, and I would have posted a message about “I can’t believe how much I scored!” ;-) But I need some help.
The newest looking one seems to be closest to functional. Everything is working other that display is 100% dark. I had a 5th gen nano whose light was broken, but if you shone a bright light at the screen at the right angle you could see a little bit of the info. But when I do this 7th gen, I see zilch.
I know it is otherwise working as iTunes recognizes and works with it, the car stereo works with it, and if I touch the screen in the right spots, I can get it to play.
Before I open it up, any other suggestions? I have never cracked a Nano and had it live to talk about it! (Tho I hear a 7th gen is easier to deal with than the 5th.)

This is mostly related to all the discourse surrounding the Rat Grinders and FHJY so, let me start with my most controversial take: I love the Rat Grinders. I think they serve very well as foils to the bad kids, and as a representation of the way that teenagers can truly be petty and cruel and impressionable and easily manipulated. I don't think they're good people, but I think they're interesting and sympathetic, while still being so so easy to hate. If I was one of the bad kids, I would hate Kipperlilly's guts! But I'm not, I'm an audience member, so instead I find her funny and fascinating and so fun to hate and love in equal measure. (I am, for what it's worth, also a huge fan of Azula from ATLA. Problematic teenage girls are my favorite type of fictional character - it sometimes feels like Kipperlilly was made to appeal to me lol.)
I also have been loving FHJY so far. I love everybody's subplots - Kristen running for student president, Fabian and Mazie, the stress mechanics, EVERYTHING gorgug has been doing, Fig being right the whole time (!!!), and, of course, its so goddamn funny. It's one of my favorite D20 seasons so far - maybe only beat by FHSY and Unsleeping City II (I am a Cody Walsh lover before I am anything else.) It's really, really good.
Now that that's all out of the way, let me say: I am not 100% happy with how the rat grinders subplot is finishing. The story isn't over yet, and I'm not saying it won't wrap up satisfyingly, I'm just saying that building them up this whole season only to kill them off unceremoniously isn't my favorite way to end it! I'm not even saying they don't deserve to be killed, or that they should even have been redeemed necessarily, I'm just saying that I find the way it played out narratively unsatisfying. I'm kind of bummed. I love this story, and this medium, but I don't always agree with every choice or like every move they make. And that's ok!
Which brings me to my main point, past all discourse: People, on this Reddit especially, get extremely upset and defensive about the slightest criticism of this show. There are definitely people who are weird about it, don't get me wrong - people on Twitter comparing the Bad Kids to cops, or Israel, or N*zis, is really fucking weird and I don't agree with that kind of take at all. (It's also worth noting that I've seen people compare the rat grinders to facists, or the columbine shooters, which feels. Really icky to me as well. I don't think we should be comparing ANY of the silly DnD characters to real life monsters.) However, some people on here seem to get extremely upset at anybody who expresses a critique, or something they didn't like whatsoever. You are allowed to hate TRG. I am allowed to like them! You are allowed to love every choice the show has ever made - and I'd agree with you 99% of the time, but I'm allowed to dislike aspects of it. Critique of a show does not a hater make.
Dimension 20 is a good show. It's a really fucking good show, and I love it, but it's not infallible. I am simultaneously able to think Brennan is one of the best DMs of all time, and think he's a little too lenient with help actions outside of combat. Dimension 20 is not immune to criticism or people having differing opinions. I assure you, 99% of the people posting criticism of the show also love it. I doubt people wouldn't be on episode 17 of a show with 2-hour episodes if they didn't like the show!
Sorry if this is overly negative or doesn't make sense, I just needed to get it off my chest. I appreciate that this reddit is a very positive zone - I don't use twitter much, because I hate how much of an echochamber of negativity it can become - but it sometimes bugs me that every slightly negative opinion about any character moment gets downvoted and shouted down on here.
TLDR; Not every tweet you disagree needs a thread with 20 comments about how everyone who likes the rat grinders are dumb and don't have media literacy.

Hello, I'm not sure if I'm in the right sub as I am a totally nascent entrant in world of IEMs, so please excuse me if I sound ignorant or like a noob. I'm seeking assistance to select the right set for my first ever IEM purchase. I tried doing a bunch of research with various brand websites, scoured youtube, through product review videos by audiophile content creators and tried to learn how to read the graph with the sound curve, but the more I discover, the more confused, and frankly overwhelmed I'm getting, so please bear patience with me. Unfortunately, where I'm based (in Mumbai, India), even though lots of ChiFi IEMs seem to be available, I see no option to be able to try them out to check the sound out myself at a brick & mortar store.
I'm no audiophile, but I do enjoy listening to music. I listen to a lot of electronic music; breaks/drum&bass/house/triphop, hiphop and easy going & dancy live music. I wouldn't say I'm a basshead, but i do enjoy the oomph. I currently have a pair of Sony WH-1000XM5 & a pair of Galaxy Buds2 Pro, both of which I use wirelessly, with my android device, a Galaxy S24 Ultra, my tablet & my laptop, a MacBook Air M2. While I do enjoy both these devices in varied situations (headphones during transit & earbuds during workouts), I do love the idea of going back to wired earphones, and I hear IEMs are all the rage now. I would love to purchase a pair for regular use with my phone & tablet.
Problem is, there's always some reviewer beaming about pretty much every IEM I have come across. I also struggle to imagine the sound they're implying by certain similar key adjectives they use to describe the audio profiles in all the videos. I also don't entirely grasp the DAC dongle aspect, the difference from a standard 3.5 mm adapter, and if I should be getting one to connect the IEMs to my phone/tablet/laptop. I also don't understand the difference between dynamic drivers and planar drivers. Please help a chap out with your opinions & experiential suggestions? My budget is about 150-200 USD. These are the IEMs I've short listed and they're available out here for the following prices-

• Moondrop May DSP with USB C 78$
  
• Simgot EA500 LM 91$
  
• Kiwi Ears Forteza 61$
  
• Truthear Hexa 90$
  
• Moondrop Aria2 96$
  
• KZ Acoustics AS24 144$
  
• Pula PA01 66$
  
• Truthear x Crinacle Zero RED 66$
  
• Kiwi Ears X Crinacle - Singolo 90 USD
  
• Kinera - Celest Phoenixcall 132$
  
• LETSHUOER - x GIZAUDIO Galileo 144$
  
• TANGZU - Zetian Wu Planar 144$
  
• Letshuoer - DZ4 96$
  
• Tangzu - Wan'er S.G 21$
  
• QKZ x HBB - Hades 54$
  
• Kiwi Ears - Cadenza 39$
  
• 7HZ x Crinacle - Zero: 2 25$
  
• Pula PA02 191$
  
• MOONDROP CHU II DSP Type-C 27$
  

Do I also need a type C to DAC dongle or shall I go with one of the USB C wired IEM options? I was looking at one of the Audiocular dongles, which are under 15$, but then there's D10 & a D07, D05, CXPro and a CSPro and I have no idea what the difference is. Your help and opinion is appreciated, thanks!

Seriously. My labs are great, I feel incredible, and I'm ok with that.
BUT.. The stress I feel from having to turn down late night invites, not being able to share delicious meals with family and friends, gagging down the super veggie, figuring out all the supplements, making sure I sleep, tracking everything, constantly checking my stats, etc, etc, etc is canceling out all of the benefits. My life started revolving around food, sleep, health, skin care, labs, etc. I think I'm over it. Good on all of you who can make it work and if it helps you to be happy, fulfilled and healthy - that's awesome! I really did give it a good go! It certainly helped me be more aware of my health, which has been super helpful, but my wallet and psyche can't abide any longer.

And I’m kind of in denial right now. I saw a rheumatologist on Thursday and she diagnosed me on the spot. I just keep thinking she must have missed something but my logical side knows I should just accept it and move on.
Symptoms started off with tingling and numbness in my hands with my first pregnancy (2003) then gastrointestinal issues 3 years after that. I managed to control the stomach pain and muscle stiffness for years with diet, but as of recently the muscle stiffness is pretty extreme. Countless doctors sending me for test after test with not one of them being able to tell me what’s wrong. Numerous visits to the ER being told my stomach pains are becuase of constipation. Neurologists telling me to go carpool tunnel surgery (which I refused) because I knew there was something else going on. My GP washed her hands of me and refused to send me to anyone else when I refused the surgery. I got lucky when I saw a sports medicine specialist who sent me to the rheumatologist, and here I am. No waiting to see another doctor at a rehab clinic to help me with the pain.
In the meantime I will be going to physiotherapy, continue to see my chiropractor and try and manage the back stiffness as much as possible. I have a dog and kids who reply on me and they really are the only reason I get out of bed each day ❤️
If you have read this. Thank you. If you are trying to fight for a diagnosis, don’t give up!

I’m (15,F) going in a date tomorrow and he (16,m) already said he was going to buy me flowers. I feel like I should give him something too but I don’t know what to give him?? Help me out here, because I actually want to give something to him. This is our first date btw, though yesterday we hung out but it was only for 2 hours so he didn’t want to count it as our first date.

6 DC disconnect losses after being in the lead comfortably. Most of my team Is laliga. Really wanted some laliga reds and that 13 win Fekir.
Stuck to 11 wins all previous WL tots, giving away the last 2-5 wins. Fml.