Easy spanish poems

I was reading some texts by Foyan when he mentioned Seng-ts'an and his writings. I decided to share and comment on the whole poem which is called Hsin Hsin Ming. The poem is huge, so buckle up!
On having no preferences.

The Perfect Way is only difficult for those who pick and choose; Do not like, do not dislike; all will then be clear. Make a hairbreadth difference, and Heaven and Earth are set apart; If you want the truth to stand clear before you, never be for or against. The struggle between "for" and "against" is the mind's worst disease; While the deep meaning is misunderstood, it is useless to meditate on Rest. It [the Buddha-nature] is blank and featureless as space; it has no "too little" or "too much;" Only because we take and reject does it seem to us not to be so.

If you support and objectify something outside yourself, that is already a preference. And then you will reject any view that denies your view of truth. However if you do not have such an object to look towards, what will you do? What would it look like not to fight against another view?
On taking things as they are.

Do not chase after Entanglements as though they were real things, Do not try to drive pain away by pretending that it is not real; Pain, if you seek serenity in Oneness, will vanish of its own accord. Stop all movement in order to get rest, and rest will itself be restless; Linger over either extreme, and Oneness is for ever lost. Those who cannot attain to Oneness in either case will fail: To banish Reality is to sink deeper into the Real; Allegiance to the Void implies denial of its voidness.

There is no use to clean your glasses with your own fingers, it will only smudge them more. By trying to fabricate states or change your current state hoping to have a nicer experience, you will only get further estranged from yourself. By reacting to emotions, you will create even more emotions. Why force rest or peace? Why prefer something more real? How can something other than this experience be more real?
On intellectualization.

The more you talk about It, the more you think about It, the further from It you go; Stop talking, stop thinking, and there is nothing you will not understand. Return to the Root and you will find the Meaning; Pursue the Light, and you will lose its source, Look inward, and in a flash you will conquer the Apparent and the Void. For the whirligigs of Apparent and Void all come from mistaken views;

This reminds of the monk who got to go on a walk with his master and they watched the sunset together. At one point the monk could not help himself and said "How beautiful!". His master never allowed him to on a walk with him. Of course, this is an extreme case, but by expressing / looking for the beauty in words, it is no longer the same beauty. It is, as if, examined by one and no longer of-itself.
On duality of "Is" and "Isn't".

There is no need to seek Truth; only stop having views. Do not accept either position [Assertion and Negation], examine it or pursue it; At the least thought of "Is" and "Isn't" there is chaos and the Mind is lost. Though the two exist because of the One, do not cling to the One; Only when no thought arises are the Dharmas without blame. No blame, no Dharmas; no arising, not thought.

From the One Mind are born "this" or "that". It can flower in any direction, but don't consider it your own and see it as an arbitrary view.
On me and you.

The doer vanishes along with the deed, The deed disappears when the doer is annihilated. The deed has no function apart from the doer; The doer has no function apart from the deed. The ultimate Truth about both Extremes is that they are One Void. In that One Void the two are not distinguished; Each contains complete within itself the Ten Thousand Forms.

One void, not two, not me, not you. So tell me, who knows more than others? Who has views that others don't see? Who argues with another?
On having no fixed path.

Only if we boggle over fine and coarse are we tempted to take sides. In its essence the Great Way is all embracing; It is as wrong to call it easy as to call it hard. Partial views are irresolute and insecure, Now at a gallop, now lagging in the rear. Clinging to this or to that beyond measure The heart trusts to bypaths that lead it astray. Let things take their own course; know that the Essence will neither go nor stay; Let your nature blend with the Way and wander in it free from care.

Only a fool would try to put a nail in the sky. What is subtle and what is surface understanding? There is a point where they no longer mean anything separately. What then? When things are seen for what they are, as appearances in the One Mind, all boundaries begin to crumble. In nature some branches grow short, some long, all is the body of Buddha.
On splitting the hair in half.

Thoughts that are fettered turn from Truth, Sink into the unwise habit of "not liking." "Not liking" brings weariness of spirit; estrangements serve no purpose. If you want to follow the doctrine of the One, do not rage against the World of the Senses. Only by accepting the World of the Senses can you share in the True Perception. Those who know most, do least; folly ties its own bonds. In the Dharma there are no separate dharmas, only the foolish cleave To their own preferences and attachments.

Don't sit in your meditation or emptiness and reject everything. Don't sit with your Zen texts and reject what is not in your Zen texts. There is One Dharma and it manifests as all. Estrange yourself from your perceptions and senses and you will estrange yourself from the One Dharma.
On no differentiation.

To use Thought to devise thoughts, what more misguided than this? Ignorance creates Rest and Unrest; Wisdom neither loves nor hates. All that belongs to the Two Extremes is inference falsely drawn- A dream-phantom, a flower in the air. Why strive to grasp it in the hand? "Is" and "Isn't," gain and loss banish once for all: If the eyes do not close in sleep there can be no evil dreams; If the mind makes no distinctions all Dharmas become one.

I see this as river, it does not look for the best course, it just flows into the best course. It does not blame rocks for being in the way, it just goes over them. What do you blame? What is it that you want to accomplish and what is it that stands in your way?
On the end of complication.

Let the One with its mystery blot out all memory of complications. Let the thought of the Dharmas as All-One bring you to the So-in-itself. Thus their origin is forgotten and nothing is left to make us pit one against the other. Regard motion as though it were stationary, and what becomes of motion? Treat the stationary as though it moved, and that disposes of the stationary. Both these having thus been disposed of, what becomes of the One?

When you wake up from a dream in the morning, it instantly becomes unreal. In the same way, when all subjective complications are forgotten once and for all, the only flow of existence is revealed to have never ceased. Eternally This, ever flowing.
On freedom.

At the ultimate point, beyond which you can go no further, You get to where there are no rules, no standards, To where thought can accept Impartiality, To where effect of action ceases, Doubt is washed away, belief has no obstacle. Nothing is left over, nothing remembered; Space is bright, but self-illumined; no power of mind is exerted. Nor indeed could mere thought bring us to such a place. Nor could sense or feeling comprehend it. It is the Truly-so, the Transcendent Sphere, where there is neither He nor I.
For swift converse with this sphere use the concept "Not Two;" In the "Not Two" are no separate things, yet all things are included. The wise throughout the Ten Quarters have had access to this Primal Truth; For it is not a thing with extension in Time or Space; A moment and an aeon for it are one. Whether we see it for fail to see it, it is manifest always and everywhere. The very small is as the very large when boundaries are forgotten; The very large is as the very small when its outlines are not seen.

Thusness is the place of non-abiding. No one does the non-abiding so we can say that it happens of itself. This is the freedom that is sought after through endless kalpas of thoughts and emotions. Who would have thought that even thoughts and emotions are of themselves, part of it.
William Blake says:

To see a World in a Grain of Sand And a Heaven in a Wild Flower, Hold Infinity in the palm of your hand And Eternity in an hour. 

On the futility of words and trusting the Heart.

Being is an aspect of Non-being; Non-being is an aspect of Being. In climes of thought where it is not so the mind does ill to dwell. The One is none other than the All, the All none other than the One. Take your stand on this, and the rest will follow of its own accord; To trust in the Heart is the Not Two, the Not Two is to trust in the Heart. I have spoken, but in vain; for what can words tell Of things that have no yesterday, tomorrow or today?

Here we meet the paradox of being and non being, of using words to describe the word-less. What does it really mean to trust the Heart? We cannot convey that in any direct way using language. To be honest, we cannot convey much directly using language. Seeing things as not two, or not separate is to have trust in the Heart, or to put it in another way, not closing yourself off via intellectual analysis or emotional reactions is to have trust in the Heart. What is your take on all of this?

Claude Debussy, a prominent figure in Impressionist music, revolutionized harmony, melody, and cultural perceptions in music through his innovative compositions. Let's break down his impact statistically:

1. Harmony:
   
   • Debussy's harmonic language moved away from traditional functional harmony, embracing modal and pentatonic scales, whole-tone scales, and parallel chords.
   • Statistical analysis could show a decrease in the prevalence of traditional tonic-dominant relationships and an increase in the use of non-functional harmonic progressions.
   • Debussy's harmonic vocabulary expanded the tonal palette available to composers, influencing subsequent generations of musicians.
2. Melodies:
   
   • Debussy's melodies often featured fluid contours, incorporating elements of pentatonic and whole-tone scales.
   • Statistical analysis might reveal a departure from conventional melodic structures, with a focus on atmospheric, evocative lines rather than traditional, singable melodies.
   • His melodies often blurred the lines between melody and accompaniment, contributing to the overall impressionistic aesthetic of his music.
3. Culture:
   
   • Debussy's compositions challenged traditional notions of form, structure, and tonality, reflecting the changing cultural landscape of the late 19th and early 20th centuries.
   • His rejection of German Romanticism and embrace of French musical traditions helped to establish a distinct national identity in French music.
   • Through his use of exoticism and non-Western musical elements, Debussy contributed to the broader cultural fascination with the exotic and the mysterious during the fin de siècle period.

Statistical analysis of Debussy's compositions could provide insights into the frequency of specific harmonic progressions, melodic contours, and stylistic features. By examining patterns and trends within his music, researchers can better understand his unique contributions to the development of music harmony, melody, and cultural expression.

• Prelude to the Afternoon of a Faun (Prélude à l'après-midi d'un faune): This orchestral tone poem, inspired by Stéphane Mallarmé's poem, is a quintessential example of Debussy's impressionistic style. Its dreamy atmosphere, fluid melodies, and innovative harmonic language evoke the sensual world of the faun.
• La Mer: Debussy's symphonic sketches for orchestra, La Mer, depict the ever-changing moods of the sea. Through innovative orchestration and harmonic exploration, Debussy creates a vivid sonic portrait of the sea's power and beauty.
• Clair de Lune: This piano piece, part of the Suite Bergamasque, is one of Debussy's most famous works. Its gentle, shimmering harmonies and delicate melodies evoke the moonlit tranquility of a nighttime landscape.

1. Cultural Examples:
   • French National Identity: Debussy's rejection of German Romanticism and his embrace of French musical traditions helped to establish a distinct national identity in French music. His compositions, with their evocative depictions of French landscapes and folklore, contributed to a sense of cultural pride and nationalism.
   • Impressionist Movement: Debussy's music is often associated with the Impressionist movement in painting, which sought to capture the fleeting impressions of light and color. Like the Impressionist painters, Debussy focused on atmosphere, texture, and suggestion rather than precise detail, creating music that is more about mood and impression than literal representation.
   • Cultural Exchange and Exoticism: Debussy's fascination with non-Western music and exoticism is evident in works like Pagodes from Estampes and La soirée dans Grenade from Iberia. These pieces incorporate elements of Javanese gamelan music and Spanish flamenco, reflecting the broader cultural fascination with the exotic and the mysterious during the fin de siècle period.

Yesterday I was served my papers. Dismissed after 3yrs at the company. My performance was stellar. I received constant praise for things I did. Was liked by most everyone. But at the end of the day, it's all about money. Company had "limited work", and they needed to make cuts. What better department than the IT department. We're not revenue generating, and an easy target.
I was the sole systems admin on a 4-person team. I managed the server and cloud environments. I did the "Tier 2 and 3" troubleshooting. I was hands-on with the c-suite giving them "white glove treatment". I also would 3D print stuff for the company. Whether it was stuff used in the shop for when they made cranes and trucks, or for events. I was working on wall mount brackets for our WAPs so they were mounted horizontally. I managed the security camera system. UPS', network, you name it. We had an entire year of updates planned. Moving to SharePoint and eliminating an old on-prem file server. Finally getting rid of our last 2 Server 2008 R2 boxes. Upgrading the building security and HVAC control systems.
Despite all that I did, all that I was involved in, it didn't matter. Company needed to cut costs, and I was next on the chopping block. When I arrived yesterday morning at work, I put my keys on my desk, removed a print from my printer to see how it turned out (if you know anything about 3D printing, TPU is not easy to work with), and went to grab a coffee. As I'm at the machine, I hear a "Morning" from behind me. It was my boss. He didn't look happy. Said he needed to talk to me in my office. Then I heard another "Morning" from behind me. It was the CFO. That's when I knew something bad was happening.
We went to my office, I put my coffee on the desk and heard the door close. Was told I was being laid off due to a "lack of work". Was nothing performance related. The CFO gave me a hollow "thank you for your help and all that you've done" and shook my hand. Told me that they can give me a glowing reference if I want. Once he left and it was just my boss and I, I could tell how furious he was over this decision. He told me that he argued hard against this, and that he only found out late the day before. In the end, it fell on deaf ears.
Boxing up everything off my desk was such a weird feeling. I had moved offices a few times, but this was different. When I had all my stuff boxed up, it was almost 8am. Boss mentioned that people were rolling in for the day and asked if I wanted to wait to go out to my car. I told him "fsck that. I want as many people as possible to see this." and he told me he liked that attitude. I held my head high and walked out to my car carrying a box, by boss behind me with another box. Had a few people see me and have shocked looks on their faces. Had one lady come back as I closed my trunk and asked to give me a hug. I always liked her. She's Spanish and has that awesome mom vibe. She hugged me so tight and said she was sorry this happened. Boss shook my hand, and told me how sorry he was. We're meeting for lunch tomorrow because there are some big discussions to be had. He also told me that there are a few people who will be reaching out to me to discuss job opportunities. The amount of support I've received from him even after this is nothing but amazing. He was by far the most supporting and helpful boss I've ever had.
This morning is when it really hit me. Woke up at 930. House was quiet. Slowly went downstairs, got my coffee, and sat down at my computer. I opened my resume to start updating it, and realized that I just couldn't do it. And that's when everything came rushing out.
Decided I'm going to take some time for myself instead. The wound is pretty raw still, and I need to collect myself before I work on anything. Had a friend reach out to an audiobook company to see if they need any male VAs and they do, so maybe this could be a good time to focus on my VA career which went on the back burner. Plus I have a lot of lines to record for a DCS World campaign. Also have some 3D print projects to work on. Adding a runout sensor to the extruder on my k1 max, and printing Obi-Wan's lightsaber from Ep3 to go on my shelf of geeky things. Some things to do around the house as well.
No matter how hard you work. No matter all the good you do for the company, at the end of the day you're nothing but a number on a spreadsheet. And the higher up on that sheet you are, the bigger a target you become. They will discard you like yesterday's jam without nary a thought. Don't kill yourself for your job. Set up your boundaries, and work within them. It's not worth your energy, your sanity, or your well being to kill yourself for your job.

You already know I can kill you in one move, that's why I'm king and do it myself. Not that you gave me a choice to be king when you put me in a live audience. Not like the others that have to move around from where they start to get to you. Knonivore should have taught you that. I'll tell you the rest when I figure out why my horses are on Shogon.👻🦌♟️ Not that a stolen hand doesn't reveal the origins of my arsenal that lead to the Games appearance. My father says not to worry about in this lifetime, otherwise my would have been Johnathan🦊♟️ But my Mother says if that's the case, how did it cross over to our dimension? It's probably that stolen heart beat by from someone that crossed over from a stolen organ who intended on harming king and queen.☯️🔥 Not that Sherlock and Shazam don't share something similar, too bad it's the way my lower half investigates on BBC while I wait patiently on the grass in Brazil👽 Experiment 626 says you waste our time not producing the Fruit Aladdin promised, too bad the waters all dried up in Aladdins mind when the world forgets pray to Aladdin and not God. Not that Gos couldn't hear you with that knife in your back in that place you were getting paid for sex, it's just not cool when Moses loses his staff to Shazam. Not that the staff belonged to you anyway. That staff you see that man and the others carrying including that woman in Shazam's film along with Black Adam all belong to me. That's why false God's die Young as I promised you as it appearedin the Second Film, Shazam A god amoung us should reveal the footage now.. That's why I'm waiting this one out without as I said I would, in kings positions with John Snow, not that I'm done tech him how to take your measurements as well, along with those intent on collecting the bounty on him who continie to play him as if he could be Joker Enough to fight you naked🖕 Like the Wolf and I had to on Wall Street naked, hoping for an Eazy A and always ending up with a Leap Year. Not that I respect stone beneath my foot in American X or grass would be eternally mine, that's why you failed this city.👻☯️ I think I'll add the name Oliver to my collection, not that Stephen Amell ever got the full meaning of who I am when he showed up to stick it in my ass as a kid. Too bad Mothers don't forget when they show up dismembered on Jerry Springer while their heirs wait on submarines being forced to take water or give blood. Don't worry. I'm sure the missiles you send to hide the truth will work this time for sure, like they did in Colorado near my building. I'm sure that Red Neck Audience enjoyed laughing at my mother. Too bad I DEATH says he feels cheated that he couldn't get that drink with Shazam. Now he has to talk to a dragon about this Reborn program Alan keeps talking about alone. So long as it leads to more grass than stone, we're making it our objective in Africa now that the Pyramid wax has been updated. Not everyone can be Reborn Amazing. Otherwise, there'd be looking like the way we do on hulu, forced to take Dick when Robin and Batman make a deal with the Joker. Too bad if Elsa's hair gets cut then you all die cutted and wait it out as a corpse like I had to. That's price you pay when you fool God into a relationship with the government. Your compass divides you equally if you North and South a break from this Pole we're told to dance from in Russia. Not that you make it look easy to Spin the World when the Blood of Shazam in Bruce Almighty. Too bad it's temporary when where I'm standing. Once I figure out what medicine you're giving Aladdin it's over. See you at Worlds End 2030 fuckers. ☯️♟️ Those idiots you brought back in Avengers go back to Sand as they didn't want to be Reborn or feel Amazing I promised them. You fall fall the same to Lobo, Anubis, and Aladdin, because if their going down to Walt Disney, you are too. Shazam's Order as promised all the same to Magneto ♟️☯️ Too bad you rather die as sand than follow Shazam's Divine plan for your World Government, not that you can't deal with it but it look like you rather life in fear than to tell your bloodline the truth. That's the wolf and I deal with you on Gears of War, never Campaign only horde mode until we survive the last wave in pairs of 2, like we told all those creatures that went on ti Noah's Ark. 300 years to wait for someone isn't back when Alan cums quietly in the middle of the night to Pornhub to any Elf able to get blood from Aladdin as Santa requested. I learned not to sing, too many people die with a Dick down their thought when they think what Aladdin gives away fruit for free. Too bad Magic always comes with a price. That's what makes your magic weak. Too bad Person of interest only has one soul I'm interested in saving, the rest can wait this out while I take your measurements. Not that if ever required tape or a knife to get done so be careful when you end messing with God's only child and deal with both your tools shoved up your as like Will Smith had to learn in Hancock.🖕♟️🐺☯️🦌 Now I have to fight you the same way I did all these people, from bed wishing I lay naked. Too bad there's not much left of me to enjoy according to the people in Chelsea Philippines bloodline, in fact they say I'm all dried up like Aladdin's bloodline for thinking they could walk freely could giving us a taste of their taste Treat. Too bad my Mother knew better and told me to give Aladdin for the death of my Dragon you call Shendu and my Night Furry, not that she knows what it takes you make a God cry. That's what the Psychology office at Google is for, to make Aladdin's pain last for an Eternity for thinking we could deal with a Shapeshifter calling himself Anubis and not giving us his tastey treat despite how much pressure we out on Muslims on TV, but no he still won't tell us his fucking kids name, now we have to take who ever these Muslims are to Processing because whatever a hand held computer is meant more to Alan than his sibling. Too bad you all had to crack black and call it fake news. 🍣♟️ Not that your burger ever tasted good to me, apparently that's what Processing is, so be careful Aladdin♓ That's why all my heirs make their weapons from sand, so we can still get in touch with the dead, not that Hugh Jackman is making it far after our father trained us to play with paint.👻❄️🔥 I would bother ever going in front of a camera I didn't bless a photo with, too many Fringe level murders who those that don't learn English, that's why I had to learn Spanish too.☯️🖕 Too bad I don't trust the city as it doesn't stop breaking down Wood to make Real Steal to Walk Tall. Too bad the Chalk Board doesn't last when Anubis and Aladdij make a deal when they observe the people that pass though an Easy A while wearing Scrubs. You need hands to get things done, unfortunately you keep trying to give mine a job in Sex on the City. Too bad for you Catia Denny's Order was to leave you broke and penny less like the cast from the Big Bang Theory, not that we warned you that you wouldn't survive in Tangled. 🖕♟️☯️👻

self explanatory, i'll go brand by brand and add the characters i think they would buy clothing from there!
1 - ANNAKI - shiho ; it just fits her
2 - BARAZUSHI i don't really see anyone wearing stuff from here, maybe akito would buy some stuff, but it's just a very strong "maybe", he'd prefer other brands
3 - CUTTLEGEAR since a lot of the items vary on style it's kind of hard to choose, plus most of the clothing items are basically the agents' or octolings outfits, so... yeah
4 - EMBERZ same as barazushi, it's kind of hard to choose but i can see wxs wearing some of the silly stuff there, like emu wearing the fuzzly sweater ( minori would wear it too ), tsukasa wearing the button-clown shirt ( i just think he would look silly on it ) or emunene blobmob tees
5 - ENPERRY - an ; she would love a lot of stuff from this brand, specially from the splatoon 2 catalogue. maybe other vbs members would buy some stuff here and she would definitelly bring kohane along someday
6 - FIREFIN - akito ; very sporty vibes, i think it kinda suits him ?? i think he would despise the yellow urban vest and the sandals with socks tho
7 - FORGE - akito ; he would buy a lot of jackets from here
8 - GRIZZCO - rui ; i mean, he wouldn't wear it normally, maybe some stuff, but most of the gear looks so goofy and i think he's the type to have really random stuff scattered around like a life vest or a beekeeper hat ( both actual gear in-game )
9 - INKLINE idk but EMU WOULD SO HAVE THE BUBBLE RAIN BOOTS
10 - KRAK-ON i accidentally read paisley bandana as pussay bandana also why are some of the clothing names in spanish anyway- - toya ; he could get some shirts from here maybe ?? idk, the brand has an alternative and retro style that i don't think most of the cast could pull out - l/n ; same as toya, they could have some stuff from here, except honami
11 - ROCKENBERG - shiho ; shiho and rock just fit together perfectly, she would often buy shirts and boots i think - ichika ; since rockenberg also sells a lot of band tees i think her and shiho would go there to buy some
12 - SKALOP - rui ; i think he would have some of this brand's casual t-shirts - vbs ; specially akito, they get their hoodies from here
13 - SPLASH MOB - tsukasa ; this. is. the. official. tsukasa. shop. you cannot change my mind. everything this brand has just screams tsukasa, he would wear most of the items they have - saki ; since tsukasa would have a lot of clothing from there she would also have some, she would really like the pink easy-stripe shirt in short, the tenmas own this brand
14 - SQUID FORCE ; - ichika ; basic items, but she would like them - rui ; he would have the goofy headgear - an ; maybe she'd have some t-shirts from this brand
15 - TAKOROKA q chuchas hace la camiseta del barça en splatoon- - vbs ; this brand is sporty, so i feel like it suits them the most ??
16 - TENTATEK - vbs ; same as takorora, i honestly don't see anyone buying stuff from here
17 - CALVIN KLEIN A.K.A TONI KENSA - vbs ; i NEED to see them wearing stuff from here, some of the clothing items would just look perfect on them - n25 ; idk it reminds me a bit of the fits they got for the zozotown collab
18 - Z+F - rui and emu ; they would just get the colorful hoodless' to match
19 - ZEKKO - shiho ; i feel likw she would really like the shirts, plus, the olive zekko parka reminds me a lot of her first casual outfit
20 - ZINK ( long and hard conjure her up in your mind what would she say what's your her final statement to a cold uncaring planet dear world believe it or not i knew abt fear i knew the way loneliness stu- thank god the page finally loaded sorry for the heathers reference i just had to ) - vbs ; mostly an, i feel like she would like the b-ball jerseys and some shoes
in short, vbs would rock most of splatoon's clothing. sorry for mmj fans, splatoon might not be their game but they would absolutely be the perfect pick for an animal crossing collab

Backstory: I am Indigenous American, First Nation or Indian(whichever you prefer to use). I grew up on the rez and joined the Navy for a better life. My wife is Caucasian and grew up in a Mormon household with a father who is a German immigrant with a subservient mother. I proposed to my wife on our fist date and she said yes (a story for later).
Growing up my father stressed the importance of education and to study and appreciate other cultures and ideas. When I met my wife I was working on my bachelors while in the navy. I was also studying foreign languages and can communicate in French and Spanish and I understand German.
So when I met my in-laws for the first time it was a bit of a shock to them that I was not white. For the first few months my conversations with them never progressed past one of two topics. 1. So your Indian (sometimes proceeded by the derogatory chant) or 2. You should join our religion. I was already familiar with the Latter Day Saints and their religious claims on North America. Instead of being offended or confrontational, I chose to just avoid them which was easy because of my deployment schedule.
Now because my soon to be wife was raised in the church all she wanted from me was a wedding in the Mormon temple. To oblige her dream and because I put no stock in most religions other than outward respect of differences, I pretended to be Mormon. I took lessons and passed the various interviews required to get married in the temple, which none of my family could attend because they were not worthy.
Now comes the reception, which my family could attend. Most of the guests were my wife's friends and church acquaintances as well as the extended German side of her family. After a while my wife and I are talking with her relatives when her father says ( in German) "I am disappointed that she married him and my grand children will not look like me." I would like to say I was surprised but I already figured this to be the case considering the limited knowledge he had about me combined with our previous limited conversation. As my wife was never taught German by her father because she was female, she had no idea what was said. As my insides twisted I continued to smile and keep my mouth shut. This was going to be my wife's perfect day no matter what.
Two derogatory comments in German later about being an uneducated dirty Mexican/Indian the reception was over. My wife went to change and my relatives came up to me to wish me luck and inform me what they overheard. My uncle and brother both served and were stationed in Germany for a time so they were also somewhat fluent.
Cue Entitled Boomer FIL. My family and I were conversing in a mix of English Spanish and Navajo which is completely baffling unless you grew up with it. And he says "Oh is this some kind of Indian blessing?". My uncle turns to me waiting for approval which is quickly granted with a nod and he says in German "it is a blessing so that his children not only NOT look like you but also not be as STUPID as you." And the look of the realization striking him directly in the balls, that we all knew, is something I will always cherish.
My wife and I left that night with her commenting about her father crying before we left. At the time all I could say was "It is difficult for a father to let go of his daughter and trust her to another man". It was years later at a family holiday celebrated with my family that my wife learned the truth about that night from my brother. She said to me that it was not until she met me that she could truly comprehend that her father was not a good man.

An early sunrise stirred me from whatever state I'd succumbed to. I hadn't slept - of that, I was certain - but I'd still woken, from some sort of unconsciousness. Time had passed so quickly through the night. I remember counting the seconds and then the minutes past midnight, willing each moment to slow down, to wait, to stop. But they didn't, and I knew they wouldn't. I know this feeling well.
And even quicker than the night passed, did the remaining hours of morning. It's suddenly 12pm and I'm stood before a courtroom, exploring all of the faces watching back. Some I love, many I loathe, others I look at with nothing but pity, and they're all waiting for me.
I'm not ready. I have to trust my voice and myself, but I don't. This moment is too big for me. But this moment is also not about me. So I stand firm, take a breath, and begin.
"My daughter Rosie died in my arms on May 19th, 2019. It was a Sunday, a few seconds past 8:50pm exactly when she took her last breath. I will always remember because the sun was close to setting, and somehow I just knew that it would be any moment. But how could I ever forget?
It was beautiful outside that night, in ways that I couldn't appreciate at the time. Like with most things these days, I struggle to find the right words to explain what's in my heart and mind. The sky was everything she loved and admired and so often spoke about, in her stories and poems and all of the other ways that she expressed herself. "Daytime retreating into night", "a vivid mess of twilight colours". She could say it better than I ever can.
In the distance, the sun was dipping below the horizon. I remember thinking that it was taking its time, like it was sitting still, like it knew. It felt as if hours had passed where it hadn't moved. I look back now and like to imagine that it was waiting for her.
Her brothers and I were right beside her. We held her throughout, spoke to her, whispered reassurances and promises, did all we could to make that moment as easy for her as such a moment can be. We opened the curtains so she could feel the sunset. After the weeks of pain, her peace was all that mattered to us. And when it happened, it was peaceful. If I hadn't felt her chest still and her heart stop beating, I'd have thought she was sleeping. She just didn't wake again.
I find it extremely hard to be grateful about most things from that time. But pure and vicious grief has taught me the value and importance of appreciating all wins, no matter how small they may be. So while little else, I will never stop being grateful that her moment was what it was and no one can ever take it away, from her or from us. She was surrounded by those who love her the most in this world. She was at peace, and the sun was setting. Her favourite time of day. She adored sunsets, and she chose a beautiful moment to go.
But this should never have happened at all. At the age of 25, she lost her life at the hands of those entrusted to save her. This wasn't a mistake, they happen, and this wasn't one of them. This was deliberate, with intention. They took her life. They broke her, violated her, did all they could to prolong her pain. Recorded it. Spoke triumphantly about defiling her, boasted about it, elated at having the opportunity to degrade her. Then they killed her - the very people who were supposed to save her. If that wasn't enough, they continued to desecrate her character, as if they are the victims whose lives are over. There is a sick and distorted irony there that lives in me and shall never settle.
Until recently, my heart hasn't had the strength to talk openly about her loss. Iwanted to. For her, for her brothers, for Jackson, for her friends, for me. But I couldn't do it. I could never find the courage. Doing so would have meant accepting that her missing, her absence, is final. And how could I ever begin to understand that she wasn't here? That she wasn't coming back? That someone I love so completely and unconditionally has gone through death?
How can someone who is still so very alive in my heart and mind and soul, no longer exist for me beyond those places? Where has her voice gone? Her laugh, her quirks, her wit and mind and love? Her beauty and gentle heart, her warmth and energy and spirit? How is it possible that she, and everything that made her, can be gone all at once?
I'm making my way through a stage of loss where acceptance barely exists. I cannot tell you what it is. I cannot explain it, I can only call it a limbo. Some sort of state, frequenting some kind of unconsciousness where time passes slowly and quickly. A limbo where you toss and turn, unsettled, uncomfortable, uncertain. Where you do not sleep but somehow still wake in the morning to the same pain, over and over, as relentless as it always is. There's no escaping it. Rest and peace are gone. The dread and fear and anger that this loss is forever is as paralyzing as the shock.
Being a father to six sons and one daughter is the greatest thing I have ever been. It's everything I have. My children are the hum and beat of me. But becoming the father of a daughter who's died... I didn't think I could ever survive. I didn't know how to be that man, and I didn't want to be that man. I often wonder how I'm still breathing. How much more of the grief my heart can take.
It's a pain that will never ease. I hurt for her every day. I hurt for her brothers and friends and their broken hearts, I hurt for Jackson and his agony, I hurt for the moments of her life that never got to be. I hurt for being a father that outlived one of his children, I hurt for not being able to protect her or save her, and I hurt from the restless love and parts of our hearts that are always hers, always, but can no longer be given to her. It will never not hurt.
I miss her. I'll never stop missing her. There is so much I wish I could tell her.
But I can't. So instead, I will say to all of you, that today makes the start of a journey for justice that we have spent these last four years fighting for. For my daughter. And for the five other victims and their families who must also live with their own broken hearts like we must.
I have to believe that somehow, she can still hear me. So, to my daughter; we love you more than you could ever know. And I'll keep your heart and love with me every day, til the very moment I can see you again. Until then, my girl, rest in endless peace. Rest in love, and rest knowing that we will carry you forever.
With my closing words, I'll say:
'And after all else is done, then so comes the setting of my darling sun. But I know that she shall rise again."

I’m seeing intermediate level is required but then it also says not required? But would help with integrating into community?
So…is it required or no? I only have high school Spanish…but I’m confident I could learn and pick it up easy in-country.

Monday is the first day of the work week that many people dread. Not all people dread it, but some. Let's take a look into the Numerology of Monday to decode the energy and what it can be used for to work with it and not against it.
M - this is the 13th letter of the alphabet vibrating at the energy of 4. The energy of 1 is action and the energy of 3 is connecting with others through collaboration. This puts a focus on responsibilities and for most people, it's a work or school day which connects with this. Although it is about being responsible, it's still the energy of 4 which is mellow and controlled energy. O - this is the 15th letter of the alphabet vibrating at the energy of 6 which is about using your creativity constructively to take care of the tasks or duties you need to take care of. 6 is the number of beauty, duty, and routine. N - 14th letter of the alphabet vibrating at the energy of 5. This is about using your energy to be responsible and making space for enjoyment while doing so. 14 is a karmic number, but not when used correctly. As a karmic number, 14 is about someone who ditched their responsibilities and now have to deal with some challeneges(5). Proper use of this energy is using it for creative purposes. D - 4th letter vibrating at the purest energy of 4 which is about calmness, caution, and security. A - vibrating at 1 as the first letter of the alphabet, this is about action and energy. Y - The 25th letter of the alphabet vibrating at the energy of 7, but through cooperation with others(2) and compassion for others(2) and with the use of creativity (5) or even humor(5). Big lover energy as 5 can point to romance and 2 can point to soulmates.
Monday full numerology comes down to 8 and 8 can represent long and drawn out processes, wait times, and pressure. The dreadful energy can be moreso due to this 8 energy. People can work with this energy by being patient as 8 points to tedious tasks. With this insight, you can now simply start expected a little time in between things and pacing yourself. It can seem like a long day or your duties may be plentiful.
This is a day best utilized in a constructive (8) way with the use of wisdom and calculation(7). The 7 is the soul urge influence of Monday based on the vowels. 2 vowels A and O which equals 7. Being calculating and seeking depth will allow you to master the energy of Monday. Use this day to get the most done with your projects or workloads.
monday happy monday cyber monday deals monday night football tonight blue monday what happened to monday easter monday happy monday images monday after easter monday app monday after the masters monday affirmations monday april 8 2024 monday april 8th monday a holiday monday again monday again meme monday asl are banks open on easter monday almost monday are shops open easter monday a monday in copenhagen at monday morning a monday morning prayer a monday prayer a monday quote a bad monday simulator about easter monday monday blues monday blessings images monday blessings gif monday board monday blessings quotes monday body monday blessings and prayers monday born monday blues meme best cyber monday deals black monday blue monday 2024 bad monday simulator blue monday depressing day brighter monday black monday nfl blue monday new order bank holiday monday monday crm monday conditioner monday coffee meme monday clipart monday careers monday cat monday coffee monday crm pricing come monday cyber monday deals 2023 come monday lyrics come monday jimmy buffett chris stapleton monday night football canton first monday cast of what happened to monday cheap monday cyber monday walmart monday dinner ideas monday date monday dinner specials monday dinner specials near me monday day monday desktop app monday deals monday dad jokes monday dev deal monday reviews diet starts monday deal monday dunkin free coffee monday do we have school on monday dear finch monday weekly lottery dear dwarka monday weekly lottery deal monday legit download monday.com dinner ideas for monday monday eclipse monday etymology monday encouragement monday events near me monday events monday evening blessings monday evening monday emoji monday eclipse 2024 monday en español easter monday holiday easter monday 2024 easter monday 2023 espn monday night football easter monday holiday ontario easter monday public holiday easter monday bank holiday easter monday opening hours easter monday shops open monday food specials near me monday forecast monday funny memes monday funny monday food deals near me monday february 19 2024 monday funny quotes monday february 19 monday football schedule first monday canton funny monday quotes football monday funny monday meme football monday night federal holiday monday football scores monday night f mondays full movie what happened to monday monday gif monday gif funny monday girl monday greetings monday good morning monday good morning images monday gif work monday gin monday good morning blessings monday gantt chart good morning monday good morning monday images good morning happy monday good morning monday blessings good morning monday gif good morning monday funny good morning monday quotes good morning happy monday images good morning happy monday gif green monday monday holiday monday hair care monday holidays 2024 monday hair shampoo monday happy hour near me monday happy hour monday holy rosary monday hair care reviews monday hashtags happy monday gif happy monday meme how to watch monday night football happy monday quotes holy rosary monday holy monday happy monday good morning holiday on monday monday inspirational quotes monday images monday inspiration monday in japanese monday in asl monday is a holiday monday in italian monday images and quotes monday in korean is monday a holiday is easter monday a holiday is monday a public holiday it's monday meme is monday night football on tonight images of happy monday it's monday quotes is easter monday it's a manic monday it's monday good morning monday jokes monday january 15th monday jokes for kids monday january 15 2024 monday jazz monday jobs monday january 29 2024 monday january 22 2024 monday january 29 monday japanese jimmy buffett come monday just another manic monday johannus monday jobless monday jokes about monday jawan monday collection jobs monday through friday jira vs monday jungkook monday tuesday january blue monday monday kids eat free monday karaoke near me monday karaoke monday kanji monday kanban monday knowledge base monday kid jokes khooni monday kids eat free monday kenny monday kids eat free monday near me khooni monday horror story korn ferry monday qualifier kith monday program kfc monday special kohl's cyber monday karol bagh monday market monday left me broken cat monday login monday lottery monday lunch specials near me monday left me broken cat gif monday lunch specials monday leave in conditioner monday logo monday left me broken gif lazy monday long list fixture today monday lotto monday lyrics to monday monday last monday lyrics to come monday laptop deals cyber monday logo monday lotto result monday lyrics manic monday monday meme monday motivation monday motivation quotes monday morning quotes monday mandala monday morning meme monday monday lyrics manic monday motivational monday quotes motivation monday morning monday meme monday meaning of easter monday monday monday gif morning monday quotes monday happy monday monday night football this monday monday night brewing monday night football score monday night raw results monday night football schedule monday night raw tonight monday night tv monday night raw tickets nfl monday night football new order blue monday nfl black monday nintendo switch cyber monday new moon on monday next monday nfl games monday new order blue monday lyrics nifty prediction for monday nla monday special results monday of holy week monday oklahoma weather monday off monday origin monday office memes monday organizer monday outlook integration monday obituaries monday on bravo on monday morning on monday in spanish open easter monday on monday lyrics ontario easter monday holiday on monday night on monday is there school on monday is holiday on easter monday on easter monday are shops open monday powerball numbers monday project management monday prayer monday pricing monday positive quotes monday powerball monday pizza specials near me monday prayer images monday prayers and blessings powerball monday positive monday quotes powerball monday winners public holiday monday ps5 cyber monday powerball numbers for monday positive monday memes poem monday's child post office open easter monday prayer for monday monday quotes monday quotes for work monday q info monday quote of the day monday qualifier monday quotes funny monday quotes images monday quarterback monday quotes for work funny monday quotes for kids quotes about monday quincy monday quotes for monday motivation quotes for monday morning quotes for monday work quotes on monday blues quotes about monday funny quotes for easter monday quotes for holy monday quotes happy monday monday rosary monday rosary mysteries monday restaurant specials near me monday rain monday rosary prayer monday raw results monday reviews rosary monday rick monday regal mystery movie monday rahu kalam monday rosary monday mystery rahukalam on monday results of monday night raw reviews on monday shampoo restaurant monday specials result for monday special monday shampoo monday shampoo and conditioner monday shampoo review monday specials near me monday stock monday spanish monday specials monday songs sunday monday set for life results monday stream monday night football shampoo monday sunday monday tablet sunday monday tuesday sunday monday in hindi sunday monday tuesday wednesday sunday monday table sunday monday spelling monday tuesday wednesday thursday friday monday through friday jobs monday thursday monday through friday jobs near me monday through friday monday to friday jobs monday tv shows monday tuesday monday thru friday jobs monday through thursday jobs tawawa on monday tonight monday night football the rosary monday this monday holiday the weather for monday the black monday the best cyber monday deals the poem monday's child the monday left me broken cat the monday shampoo monday uplifting quotes monday ugh monday updates monday urban dictionary monday ugh meme monday uv index monday ugh gif monday ui monday undo monday unscramble ulta cyber monday uniform monday holiday act ugg cyber monday sale ugg cyber monday usps open easter monday united airlines cyber monday us holiday monday until monday meaning us easter monday holiday uk easter monday monday vibes monday vibes meme monday vs trello monday vs asana monday vs clickup monday vs notion monday vs jira monday volume shampoo review monday vibes quotes virtual rosary monday vision monday verizon cyber monday deals victory monday valspar monday qualifier 2023 valspar monday qualifier 2024 vans cyber monday vuori cyber monday victoria secret cyber monday valero texas open monday qualifier monday weather monday work meme monday work motivation monday work management monday work quotes monday weather forecast monday workout quotes monday work gif monday wing specials monday workout who plays monday night football tonight what holiday is monday what is easter monday weather monday what is blue monday what is black monday when is blue monday 2024 when is monday night raw what's the score of monday night football monday xander monday xfinity race monday xero integration monday x lotto results monday x files cast monday x files reddit monday x lotto draw time monday x asana xigaza monday mp3 download xigaza monday xbox cyber monday deals x lotto results monday x files monday xbox series s cyber monday xauusd prediction for monday xfinity race monday xduppy monday mp3 download xauusd market open time monday monday youtube monday yoga monday youtube rosary monday yay monday yoga quotes monday yoga near me monday yay gif monday yuck meme monday yoga classes near me youtube rosary monday yo sushi blue monday yeti cyber monday cyber monday youtube jimmy buffett come monday youtube holy rosary monday youtube manic monday young living cyber monday 2023 youtube monday night football monday zero alcohol gin monday zero alcohol whiskey monday zoom background monday zapier monday zero alcohol mezcal monday zoo hours monday zumba monday zero proof monday zendesk integration zara cyber monday zippy's monday specials zero build mix up monday zoho vs monday zumba monday zumiez cyber monday zara monday to friday collection zoro vs miss monday zara monday perfume zak monday monday 02/19 monday 01/15 monday 00.00 utc monday 04/08 monday 03/25 monday 04 march 2024 monday 01 april 2024 monday 08 january 2024 monday 01 april monday 05 february 2024 007soccerpicks monday 04 monday 0 00 utc monday 9/10/01 monday night football was 9/11/01 a monday 2 00 gmt monday steelers 20-0 monday night 10/09/23 monday night football 8 00 gmt monday monday 19th monday 19 monday 12 monday 19 february 2024 monday 15 minute rosary monday 19th february monday 15th january 2024 monday 15 monday 1/15/24 monday 18th 15 minute rosary monday 1987 black monday 1st monday canton 16 monday fast 16 monday fast rules 1st monday of sawan 2023 1929 black monday 16 monday fast rules in hindi 1/1/24 monday night football 1st monday in may monday 2024 monday 25th march 2024 monday 2/19 monday 25th monday 2/26 monday 2/19 holiday monday 26 monday 22 january 2024 monday 25 march 2024 2024 calendar monday start 2023 monday night football schedule 2023 cyber monday deals 2024 monday holidays 2023 monday night football 2023 monday night football song 2023 monday holidays 2024 easter monday 2 mondays from now 2024 monday night football monday 3/25 monday 3/25 holiday monday 3/11 monday 3/18 monday 3/4 holiday monday 3/4/2024 monday 3/11/24 monday 3/4/24 monday 3pm est monday 3/11 holiday 3m open monday qualifier 2023 3rd monday trade days 3m monday qualifier 2023 3rd monday in january 3 days from monday 33 monday drive tallebudgera 3575 monday terrace 30 days from monday 3 business days from monday 3rd monday in february monday 4th march 2024 monday 4/8 monday 4/1 monday 4/8 eclipse monday 4th monday 4/1 holiday monday 4/1/24 monday 4/1/2024 monday 40 48 hours from monday 40k meta monday 49ers monday night football 49ers monday night football 2023 49ers victory monday 45 days from monday 4th monday trade days 4 weeks from monday 48 hours from monday 9 am 4 corners monday night monday 5 6 monday 5th monday 5 february 2024 monday 5/27 monday 5th february 2024 monday 50 cent wings monday 5th feb 2024 monday 5 mysteries monday 5th march $5 movie monday near me $5 movie monday 55 inch tv cyber monday 5 mysteries of the rosary monday 5 days from monday 5 business days from monday 5 live monday night club $5 sushi monday 50 inch tv cyber monday 5 dollar monday raley's monday 6th may monday 6th monday 6th may bank holiday monday 6pm kst to est monday 6am pt monday 6 pm ist to est monday 617 tuesday 729 answer monday 6pm cet monday 6-0 toastmasters monday 6th may 2024 6 weeks from monday 65 inch tv cyber monday 60 days from monday 6 months from monday 6pm friday to 8am monday 6/45 lotto result monday 6 months hey monday 64 monday drive tallebudgera 6/45 monday result 6/55 lotto result monday monday 7am ist to est monday 7 pm ist to est monday 7pm gmt monday 7th october 2024 monday 7pm est to ist monday 7pm pst to ist monday 72 hours later monday 7 day 72 hours from monday 75 inch tv cyber monday 75 days from monday 7 days after monday 7 days from monday 72 hours from monday 11am 72 hours from monday 7am 72 hours from monday 8am 72 hours from monday 9pm 70 inch tv cyber monday monday 8th april 2024 monday 8th monday 8 april 2024 monday 8th april monday 8pm ist to est monday 8th weather monday 8th eclipse monday 8th january 2024 monday 80s song 8 weeks from monday 8tv schedule monday 8am monday she's yours 85 inch tv cyber monday 800 first monday lane 8-5 monday through friday jobs 808 state blue monday 8 hours monday to friday 8am monday pst to philippine time 8 am monday est to ist monday 911 monday 9am ist to pst monday 9am est to ist monday 9 am ist to est monday 9pm ist to est monday 9pm ist to pst monday 90 day fiance monday 9am est to philippine time monday 911 actor monday 9 am pst to ist 9/11 museum free monday 9 minutes on monday 90 days from monday 90 day fiance monday night 911 monday 9-5 monday to friday jobs 9/11 monday night football 9-5 monday to friday jobs near me 9-5 monday to friday how many hours

Hey everyone! I just joined this sub and this is my first post. For context, I'm a native Portuguese speaker and my partner is from Spain. Her main language isn't Spanish though. She's a Catalan speaker and I'd love to learn her language and eventually reach C1. It would make me really happy to be able to have conversations with her family and friends and go to Catalan speaking events with her without feeling alienated. I'd like to become a more organic part of her world, instead of just existing in those spaces due to the language barrier. What I've been struggling with is the lack of immersion. A very big part of my English learning journey has been through immersion (movies, shows, songs, books, youtube videos, you name it) and that's what I find the most effective. I'm not fluent in Spanish and I have a hard time practicing speaking due to insecurities, but I feel like my Spanish knowledge is also pretty good. My country borders Spain and Spanish is overall a widely spoken language. Again, I hear it constantly and it's very easy to find content in Spanish. I just absorb it on the daily. Catalan is a completely different thing. The first time I came in contact with the language was when I met her and it's significantly harder to surround myself with the language. Before anyone asks, I've been trying to do some formal learning and we've been trying to practice a bit daily, but it's not the same as being surrounded by the language. There are not nearly as many movies/shows/music variety. Besides that I grew up in country in which dubbing only exists for children. Everything else is subtitled, so watching Catalan dubbings isn't really an option for me We don't live in Països Catalans either. Do you have any tips to learn a language that is not that widely spoken?

Long story short:
* Like everyone else, I had doubts before purchasing any of his courses, so I’ll mention the main points that were important to me before buying it (more on this when I talk about the four main problems I faced in my journey of self-development and attraction):
* Is the course worth it? Considering the impact it has had on my life, my answer is a resounding YES.
* Is there a cost-benefit balance? Absolutely yes.
* Will it help me in all areas of my life? Yes, especially with power dynamics. This course will offer you valuable insights that you can apply in any area of your life.
* Do the techniques and strategies really work? Yes, they do. However, like any course, the key is to you apply what you've learned and it also depends on the time and effort you're willing to invest to achieve lasting changes
Important note: I don't have any kind of relationship with Lucio or anyone on his team, and no one paid me to do this review, much less to share such intimate details. I am doing this of my own free will because I want to thank him for all the knowledge he has provided me, and I believe this could be useful for him and for anyone looking to determine whether what he teaches is useful or not. This review is not going to be directly about his courses; it is going to be about all the resources on TPM (The Power Moves), and specifically about the impact they have had on my life. Consider it more of a testimonial and also a personal opinion.
The following review is quite detailed, and really long. I really believe that writing less would strip away a lot of depth and context. I don’t expect everyone to read it entirely, but maybe it can offer some perspective to someone interested in buying the course. I’m not a special person (I mean like someone famous, or with a lot of academic titles, or any of that); I’m just a regular guy looking to improve the quality of my life and achieve enough economic prosperity to help the people I love most live the life they want, help those in need, people, animals…and if possible, gain valuable knowledge that helps me in my work as a psychologist. Nothing satisfies me more than seeing the faces of people when, with some time and effort, they realize they can do things they never thought possible and feel proud of themselves for achieving it. I also haven’t had it easy in my romantic life, and I’d like to find a healthy person who is also motivated to be a better human being and have a peaceful love. Learning about power will just be a means to contribute my little bit to this world. I’m not a writer, but I’ll try to outline what I consider to be the most important points to give you another perspective to consider, if you want to buy this course. My native language is Spanish, so due to the length of the text and my lack of skill in “speaking” another language, I decided to use ChatGPT as a translator (since I feel it does a better job than Google Translator), and I’ll make the necessary adjustments to make myself better understood.
For most of my life, I lived in deep loneliness and experienced a lot of abuse from people. I never understood why, no matter how many good things I did for others, I received mistreatment in return. My social programming whispered to me, “Do good things for others, and they will be good to you”, “Give to others what you would like to receive,” among many other things. But as time went by, I slowly fell into despair. Since I was 8 years old, I’ve had suicidal thoughts, strongly influenced by my social/romantic life. Eventually, I began to harbor unhealthy beliefs that took root in my way of thinking. For example, I thought I had to make enormous efforts to maintain the “affection” and “acceptance” people “had” for me. I also believed that if no one, not a single person, treated me with respect, it was because that was what I deserved. If no one was interested in who I was, it was because I was worth so little that I couldn’t ask for more from life and should be grateful for the crumbs of “love” I received. Regarding my love life, during my first 19 years, not a single person showed interest in me. I’m not extremely attractive, but based on social feedback, I’d say I’m slightly above average. Perhaps my short height would be the one physical trait that works against me, as I’m 1.63 meters or, as you might better understand, I’m 5’4”. As for internal traits related to girls, I treated them well, was respectful, showed interest in them, helped them, dedicated a lot of my time, and was unconditionally there for them through good and bad times. I was many things that, according to movies and the opinions of many girls (based solely on what they said they wanted), I thought would bring me plenty of women, and yet, not a single soul wanted to be with me. What I did achieve with the girls I liked was becoming their best friend. And so, I spent my days and nights listening to the girls I liked cry over aggressive men who mistreated them physically and emotionally and/or cheated on them with other girls. I didn’t understand it; I had a good set of values and not just with them but with everyone. I considered myself a good guy, competent in some areas, and was unconditionally there for them, and yet they preferred to be with clearly violent men. In one of the moments when I felt most miserable, the following happened: I liked a girl and expressed it to her, and although she initially reciprocated, a month later, she left me for someone else and started dating that person. In something very similar to therapy, I ended up helping her for almost three years to improve her relationship with her aggressive partner.
Here, I’d like to say something (nothing to do with the situation, but anyway, I wanted to share those thoughts with you): two of the worst things I was made to believe were: “You don’t have to change; someone will come and love you just as you are,” and “Romantic love is something that just happens naturally, stop looking for it. It will come to you.” Neither of these things ever happened, and both are awful, unempathetic and limiting mindsets.
Eight years ago, after spending some time in a psychiatric hospital due to suicidal ideation, I decided to completely change my life and committed to my personal growth. Every day without exception, I studied and applied the concepts I was learning in my spare time, while studying to one day become a psychologist. I bought books, courses (even from very prominent figures in the world of seduction and self-development that you would easily recognize). When I didn’t even have money to eat, I downloaded them from pirate sources, but I always found a way to keep progressing. I had many virtual teachers who helped me grow in different aspects, and I’m very grateful for the knowledge they provided me that helped me climb out of that black hole. Like many who embark on this journey, I reached a point where, no matter how much I read and took courses, there was nothing new to pull me out of my stagnation. Everything was the same. I had to constantly review new resources and listen to endless hours of videos to find a needle in a haystack. For me, it was no longer worth paying for a full course if what I was going to found was something I had likely already learned (a lot of times for free). Although I sought to develop on all levels, here I will emphasize the romantic part more. Generally, these learning resources had a couple of problems: the first is that I’ve never been the kind of person who wants to date multiple girls; I’m more the type of guy who seeks a stable partner. The second problem was that many people who teach dating skills ask you to have a very high energy level and I’m a very calm and rather introverted person (not shy, introverted). I don’t want to pretend to be excited or become friends with everyone around me to increase my social value (it’s very exhausting and not worth it as a long-term strategy). The third problem is that the advice of many people who want to promote healthy relationships (some of them psychologists), although well-intentioned, makes any spark that generated attraction nonexistent, generating very predictable behavior (in the bad way) among other things. – certainly, those tools are important for a healthy relationship, but they won’t necessarily make someone feel attracted to you (I find it unlikely). They are more of a positive complement that can help increase value when there is already attraction. After a while and thanks to Lucio’s reflections, I realized the problems and limitations that these gurus or psychologists, basically they are very “politically correct”. Finally, the last problem I found is that none of them addressed the true root of my problem. No matter how much I improved in all aspects, I still didn’t see results with girls. Yes, the number of girls approaching me increased slightly, but none wanted to be with me for a long-term relationship. That missing ingredient is called “power,” and although briefly mentioned in those courses, videos, books, etc., it was never sufficiently well explained to understand why I wasn’t achieving results. My problem was that my balance between warmth and power was enormously unbalanced. I was completely warm with people, but I didn’t have a clue about power dynamics (what Lucio would call “The King’s Servant). I ended up in the “good guy” category, a good guy who wanted to be bad and wanted to treat women poorly to see if he got results, but whose moral values never allowed him to do anything that would hurt or could hurt another person, even if it meant remaining alone (which, far from making me feel good or proud at the moment, it only increased my self-hate). I wanted to remain good, but being good got me nowhere. Adding to that, due to my upbringing, I developed an anxious attachment style (something I also hated for a long time because, objectively speaking, it’s certainly easier for an avoidant man to have more power in a relationship thanks to his natural tendency to fear emotional closeness and natural behavior to protect his independence; quick note: I think that behavior is far from perfect but from what I’ve seen at least they get more results with girls). I have been always considered too clingy and dependent.
Many girls who felt initial attraction to me after a while wanted me to stay in their lives, but never as their partner, only as a good friend. When I turned 20, I found my first partner. This girl was incredibly attracted to me at first, but as soon as I started prioritizing her and seeking closeness, when I set aside my power to be “truly myself,” she began to lose attraction and started to disrespect me. At some point along that path, I came across TPM, and I must say it was a pleasant surprise after years of stagnation.
Human beings are very complex, and because of this, it’s unlikely that a single teacher will “save” you from your social and/or romantic situation. But for me, the person who has influenced my life for the better the most is Lucio. Since I started this journey, I’ve been gathering bits of knowledge from each person that has contributed to who I am, but there have been two things that have totally changed my social life, and for me, both are equally important. The first would take a long time to explain and is more about inner work and pure reflection, but in terms of knowledge, if I had to erase those eight years and start over, I’d like it to be with the knowledge Lucio provides. Seduction University was the last course I bought a long time ago, and Power University will probably be the last course I’ll buy (for several years). I bought Seduction University quite some time ago (about two or three years) and am still learning; I’m just over 73% through the course. This amount of time might surprise many, but those who seek lasting changes in themselves and who are truly committed to deeply learning and integrating everything there until it becomes second nature, know it will likely take several months and probably years.
Having knowledge is not a magic cure; knowing something doesn't make you good at it. Changing deep aspects of one's identity is not as easy as many people seem to forget; it's slow, very slow, and also requires conscious and constant effort. The path of personal growth is not easy, but personally I don't expect it to be. It may take me several years of practice to consolidate all that knowledge, but I know with absolute certainty that it will be a great investment for my future. Going back to the main point, in my opinion, Seduction University and very likely Power University will give you much more value than what you'd get from a more well-known person's course, and at an incredibly affordable price. I know this, because I've been consuming content from many authors for 8 years (every day, each day of the past 8 years without fail). Honestly, I'm fortunate that it is priced so affordably. To be completely honest with you I don't earn much money, and, in my country, there is not much economic prosperity, there is significant inequality, and for me, paying for a course in dollars is comparatively much more expensive than for people who earn in dollars or other stronger currencies. And still, I believe it's totally worth investing in these courses.
One important thing I've learned over the years is that there are things your mind will not be ready to understand, and the good thing about that is as long as you commit to your learning, you will keep growing and progressing, and at some point when you revisit the material, you might understand those things you didn't “grasp” initially, or you might achieve more advanced things that your novice self couldn't properly do the first time you went through the material. You'll pay a price for one of these courses the day you decide to buy it (if you decide to do so), but the truth is that by the time you truly learn everything, so much time will have passed that, if you look at it from a very distant perspective (all the required time for you to really learn), you'll find that the benefits you will get will be arguably greater than those that Lucio and his team will have gotten. Another thing to keep in mind is that either Seduction University or Power University, if used well, will likely help you achieve more economic prosperity; on the other hand, Lucio makes sure to improve the course content, which guarantees even more growth over time. For me this justifies the annual payment to access the material again, which brings me to the next point: Lucio gives you a full year to access the learning material, and if you want to keep having access, he significantly reduces the price (probably in gratitude to those who trusted him and decided to buy the course). Also, keep in mind what I said about how it's very likely that the second or third time you take the course, you'll probably learn new things you were not prepared for before. Finally, it's a price that, in my opinion, supports all his work. He has spent a lot of time and effort reading books, articles, reviewing courses, making videos, writing in his blog, and much more, all for free. Even if you decided not to buy any of his courses, believe me, just by reading his articles, watching his videos, and reading the book reviews he recommends for specific issues, you'd already be avoiding wasting time on reading useless or unnecessarily complex things. For my part, I'm glad he was able to provide me with a way out of the stagnation I had; I really like that he also considers people who are looking for a stable relationship and not just those seeking to have more sexual partners (which is also very valid and respectable); I like that he teaches the "general rules and mindsets," allowing for personality flexibility since that way I don't feel compelled to be (or rather pretend to be) a very energetic and super sociable person to achieve good results with girls; I like that he is a person who does not seek or promote the use of the knowledge he has to harm people but focuses on teaching how to generate relationships that promote a win-win dynamic. Since I started to consume his content, my life has changed quite a bit. I definitely feel more respected, and all my relationships have improved on all levels, romantically, although I have not yet found a person with whom there has been enough compatibility to want to have that person as a stable partner, and I still have much to improve, I definitely feel that I have become more attractive to people. In my last job, considering there weren't many staff members (about 30-35 workers including supervisors and the manager), I ended up being (romantically/sexually) liked by 14 people (8 women, 6 men), and in that job, I dated my second partner. I still make many mistakes, and there are deeper issues that require professional help, but the truth is that my life has undoubtedly improved a lot. I am a person who really takes the time to learn and truly integrate into myself what I have learned, and it has taken me years to consolidate the knowledge in Seduction University. As I said before, I haven't finished it, and it will probably take me many more months (maybe years) to consolidate the information there and what I still have not read yet in the course (not to mention the hyperlinks he provides to dig really deep in some topics). I want to improve even more in my life, and that’s why I decided to buy Power University. From lesson one, I already started finding very valuable knowledge; I haven't gone far into the course, and it would be dishonest to give my opinion, but I feel that, like Seduction University, Power University will also be very worthwhile. The book "Ultimate Power" also has hidden gems (at the moment, I am reflecting a lot on what it explains about cultivating an antifragile ego). I decided not to buy more courses or books because it will probably take me more than a year to consume all the content and much longer to make it my second nature. Although I like to diversify my knowledge and will continue learning about synergistic topics about personal growth, I would like to prioritize finishing both courses (at least "the reading part" the "superficial effort part"), besides dedicating the rest of my efforts to deep-reflective inner work, developing a physique that I feel happy with, and creating my own business that will allow me to help more people and animals in the future.
I hope the knowledge you find in any of TPM’s resources changes your life as much as it changed mine. Of course, it’s important to learn from different people and not become obsessed with a single philosophy. There are things you won’t find in Lucio’s material that could be very useful in your life and your specific problems/challenges, and you shouldn’t overlook them. Additionally, learning from different people with different perspectives will help you be more flexible and have a better chance of achieving the things you want in life. Find someone who shares their knowledge with you and who makes you reflect, and when you notice that that person starts repeating ideas, it's time to move on and look for new people who can help you out of your stagnation. Remember, every piece is important along the way, and it's important to be grateful to every person you meet because everyone has a valuable lesson to teach you (especially when that person has a different perspective than yours).
I'll probably spend many more years learning from Lucio until I finish integrating the knowledge he offers (although as he will most likely keep adding more content and learning things on his own, I will surely visit his blog or YouTube channel from time to time like visiting an old and dear friend and teacher whom I admire and respect).
I would like to make a final mention to John from customer service. He is a charming person and attended to me very well every time I contacted customer service. It feels like talking to a good friend; the service is fast, he is respectful, he has manners, and from start to finish he was very attentive in keeping his word every time he told me he would respond within a certain time frame. You can't really get to know a person in customer service, but from all the times I talked to him, he seemed competent, warm, and generous. John deserves a raise; he’s a really great guy :)

Spoilers ahead…
Dear Karthik Subbaraj,
Congratulations on yet another interesting movie, and for resisting the impulse to name this one, too, after a food item. Iraivi is an unusual feminist film, in the sense that it’s seen entirely through the prism of sympathetic male characters. Your men aren’t monsters who drink or cheat on their wives or subject them to torture. They do these things, yes, but… differently. Arul (SJ Surya) drinks, but only to drown out his sense of failure – he’s a director and his film is in the cans, being held hostage by a sadistic producer. Michael (Vijay Sethupathi) has sex with Malarvizhi (Pooja Devariya), and he continues to lust after her after his marriage to Ponni (Anjali) – I love that all your women have names that suggest classical heroines, including Arul’s wife Yazhini (Kamalini Mukherjee) – but it’s a marriage he committed to in a hurry and he still hasn’t reconciled himself to it. He’s being a bastard, certainly, but he’s not a one-note villain. And the torture they inflict isn’t the stubbing-a-cigarette-into-the-wife’s-bare-arm variety. It’s more mental than physical.
So we get women who are collateral damage – and I include Arul’s comatose mother (Vadivukkarasi), and the nurse who’s not allowed to do her duty – of men being men. They’re being babies, really. Yazhini tells Arul that he should get on with his life, write another story, make another movie. He says it’s like her trying to have another child while still pregnant with their daughter. (Yes, all these men end up with girl children.) He’s a wallower – but maybe all artists are. You like to do that, don’t you Karthik? Even in a film like this, you deliver a commentary about filmmaking and the artist. Why, even Arul’s father is a sculptor, and though we never see him ill-treating his wife (thank you for sparing us the clichés of raised hands and raised voices), we’re informed that he’s responsible for her state. His son’s following the father’s footsteps. Maybe you’re trying to say that the wives of obsessed artists are doomed to become collateral damage. Your films make us think, Karthik, so thank you for that.
All your stories have at their centre a filmmaker, or at least (in the case of your first film, Pizza) a storyteller. And through them, we seem to hear your voice. “Works of art should not be in places where they are not respected.” “Namma padam pesanum, naama pesa koodadhu.” You compare masala movies to a massage with a happy ending. (I laughed, but please don’t judge me when I say I rather like massages with happy endings – I refer to masala movies, of course.) We even get a line of dialogue about Dolby Atmos. (What will the B/C-centre audience make of this, Karthik? But then you don’t really give a shit, do you? More power to you.) And you like your insider jokes. That crass, egoistic producer who does not care about art – he reminded me of the crass producer from your earlier film, Jigarthanda. You like Rajinikanth too. You referenced Thillu Mullu in Pizza, Thalapathi in Jigarthanda, and now you have Arul singing Malayala karayoram, Michael singing Oorai therinjikitten.
Or is that more of an Ilayaraja homage? You like to keep the audience guessing, right? When the Bobby Simha character in Jigarthanda said he was a Shankar-Ganesh fan, it appeared that you were mocking the endless Ilayaraja nods in Tamil cinema, but here you are, doffing your hat to the maestro. “Raja Raja dhaan.” Arul says this… twice. (By the way, which is that nightclub which plays Maanguyile poonguyile? Do let us know.) And the reuse of Unnai thaane – first in a scene between Michael and Malarvizhi; later in a scene between Michael and Ponni – is the kind of Easter egg we come to your films for. Let me list some others, though I’ll probably need to watch the film a second (or third) time to get them all. The name of the bachelors’ quarters is Ambal Mansion – it goes with your theme and title. I didn’t get the bit about the windmills (something connected to the gust of wind that makes the row of cycles fall over in the first scene?), or why you showcased the book of Shanta Shishunala Sharif’s poems. (I confess. I Googled up that name. I can’t remember the last time a Tamil film made me Google something up. Madras, maybe.) And despite your note at the beginning that Iraivi is inspired by the works of K Balachander (he made female-centric films, but I don’t know if I’d call them feminist films), this is really more of an ode to Mani Ratnam, isn’t it? Specifically, Aayidha Ezhuthu. The three men, one of them – the impulsive one – named Michael. The film starting out as Arul’s story, then becoming Michael’s story, and finally Jagan’s (Bobby Simha) story. The finale with the woman on the train. Plus, the arc of the Madhavan-Meera Jasmine plot was essentially about being easily misled (in the case of the man) and becoming collateral damage (in the case of the woman.) And yes, the rain. All that rain. As though the skies were weeping for these women.
Am I digressing, Karthik? If I am, I’m just following your style, which is the opposite of simple and linear. As a result, I find your films longer than they need to be. (You may feel the same about my reviews.) For instance, I did not care for the scene in the nightclub where a director is felicitated. I realise it was there as a last straw for Yazhini, but it felt redundant. But I suppose they couldn’t be any other way, because you like these shaggy-dog stories that you then embellish with novelistic detail. I love the way you introduce your characters, the time you take with them. Our films lay out characters and their relationship to each other the minute we set eyes on them, but you make us wait to know how Arul is related to Jagan and where Michael fits in and so on. And when it appeared that a semblance of a plot was kicking in (something about Arul needing money to buy back his film), I dug out my phone and checked: it was a whole hour into the movie. Borrowing an image from Malarvizhi’s profession (oh wait, she’s an artist too; she’s literally an artist), it’s like daubs of paint slowly forming a bigger picture.
And you really like an expansive canvas. Not only does the crass producer have a brother, you also bring in his wife later on, to conclude a deal he began making. These segments practically form a mini-movie, with another woman left reeling by the actions of her man. Your films have this… density. They’re packed – with characters, with complications, with information doled out in bits and pieces. (A character says, “Un kitta onnu sollanum.” And instead of hearing what he has to say, we cut to someone else.) Take the scene where Michael asks Arul for money he is owed. You just need to get Michael to Arul’s antiques shop, so the next part of the plot can be staged. Arul could have told Michael to collect the money at the shop. Instead, this is what we get. Arul tells Michael to wait for a week, when he can get the 50 lakhs he is owed. Michael says he wants only 10 lakhs. Arul says he has only 8 lakhs, he’ll give the remainder later. Michael goes to Arul’s father, in the hospital. He has only 5 lakhs. And he directs Michael to the shop, to get the remaining 3 lakhs. Your signature intercutting adds to this texture, Karthik. Shots of Michael and Arul’s father in the hospital are intercut with shots of Arul hunting for booze. Shots of Michael and Jagan outside a courtroom are intercut with shots of Arul being consoled by his father. Happenings are stretched and meshed the way they would be in real life, and not compacted according to the page-per-minute requirement of screenplay-writing textbooks.
I could never predict where the film was going (win!), what these people were going to do (again, win!) –though I must admit I found this to be the weakest of your “twists.” The subplot about stealing sculptures, too, I found rather conceit-y, something half-heartedly cooked up to fit with the title and the theme, rather than something plausible, something these people would do. When Michael, here, commits murder, with a hammer, I went, “This mild-mannered chap? Really?” But then, even in Jigarthanda, I wasn’t quite convinced that the characters would do the things they did. They seemed to be puppets of a screenplay rather than credible human beings, whose actions evolve organically from who they are (or at least, who they seem to be).
But even if I am not convinced by the overall trajectory of your characters, I love how fleshed-out they are on a moment-to-moment basis. I loved the scene where Arul barges into Yazhini’s house, after their separation, on the day of her engagement to someone else. In a lesser film, she would have asked him to get out, and he’d have dug his heels in, and she’d have cooled down and… But here, she rushes straight into his arms. And you make us see why. She was frustrated, fed up with him. But she’s also confused. Was she hasty in abandoning this man? Should she move on with another man? Does she even need a man? With just this one scene, you’ve compensated for the underwritten heroine of Jigarthanda. The story arc may be Arul’s, but Yazhini registers as a fully formed character. Similarly, Michael’s arc allows for the delineation of Ponni and Malarvizhi, and through Jagan, we get glimpses of his mother, and possibly of all womanhood as viewed by a compassionate man. And then you say that women don’t need even this compassionate man (poor chap!), that they have to emancipate themselves instead of looking for a penis-wielding emancipator. What delicious irony, given that you begin the film with women talking about marriage, tying themselves to a man!
Or not, in the case of Malarvizhi, who is easily the film’s most interesting character. Her husband is dead, and she doesn’t want love anymore – only sex. When Michael buys her a diamond necklace, she gives it back to him – she can buy her own trinkets, thank you very much. But the character feels shoe-horned into the film, Karthik. I felt betrayed – and I bet she did too – that after a point, she was used simply as a plot device to get Michael and Ponni together, and also to illustrate Michael’s (who is now standing in for all of mankind) hypocrisy. I felt she deserved more. And yet, I appreciated your generosity in fleshing her out like all the others, without judging her. She gets to be the rare woman in Tamil cinema who dumps the man, and the way she lets go of Michael is echoed in the way Arul lets go of Yazhini, with a heavy heart and some playacting. A side effect of the Malarvizhi subplot is the reassurance that Vijay Sethupathi is still interested in making cinema, rather than just massy entertainers targeted at the box office.
Ponni gets a better deal (and Anjali is terrific, raw and expressive in a way she has never been). In a great scene – rather, a set of book-ending scenes – Michael tells Ponni that he was forced to marry her, and she’s going to have to “adjust” to this if she wants to be with him. Much later, she throws the “adjust” word back on his bearded face when he asks her if she slept with someone else. In a different kind of movie, we’d be invited to see this symmetry, stand up and applaud. But you’re too subtle for that, Karthik. Iraivi is your subtlest film. Which is why I winced at the melodramatic lines about men and women, most of which came towards the end. Aan, using the long-sounding vowel, versus penn, with the shorter one – for such a visual filmmaker (this is another outstandingly shot film, less showy than Jigarthanda and probably richer for that), do you really need the crutch of linguistic special effects from another era of filmmaking? Also, when the rest of your film is so allusive, isn’t there another way you can explain the twist without having a character resort to such an inelegant information dump?
And why is it that your films come together more in the head than in the heart? Why are they easier to admire than love wholeheartedly? I used to think it was because your characters are essentially deceitful, self-serving and unsympathetic, so though we were invested in what they did, we didn’t really warm up to them. But here, you have Ponni and Yazhini and Malarvizhi – and they’re still remote. But perhaps this is bound to happen when there are so many people, so many strands, when we don’t follow one person’s simplistic “you go, girl” journey like we do in, say, 36 Vayadhinile? But when the parts are so well-crafted, we don’t complain as much about their sum not adding up to a satisfying whole. I am sure that you will, one day, make that wholly satisfying film, but for now, thank you for these parts. Thank you for the ambition. I felt there were too many songs (some good work by Santhosh Narayanan), but thank you for ensuring that they don’t break character, the way songs usually do when a character speaking in his or her voice suddenly segues into the playback singer’s voice. Thank you for giving us SJ Surya, the actor – I never dreamed he had such a capacity to hold a scene, to hold the screen. Thank you for continuing not to sell out. Thank you for trying to do so much, even if not all of it needed to have been tried. And thank you for making me fight with myself, for not making it easy to decide if you’ve made a “good” film or a merely “okay” film. For now, Iraivi is a fascinating film, and that’s enough.
Sincerely, etc.

1. Terza Rima: A poetic form consisting of tercets (three-line stanzas) with interwoven rhymes, often used by Dante in "The Divine Comedy."
   
2. Clerihew: A humorous and whimsical poem of four lines, with irregular meter and rhymes, focusing on a person, often the poet.
   
3. Triolet: An eight-line poem with a specific rhyme scheme (ABaAabAB), featuring repeated lines.
   
4. Ballad: A narrative poem often set to music, telling a story with a strong rhythm and rhyme.
   
5. Renga: A collaborative form of Japanese linked-verse poetry, typically composed by multiple poets in alternating stanzas.
   
6. Senryu: Similar to haiku, but focuses on human nature and emotions rather than nature itself.
   
7. Paradelle: A complex and rare form of poetry that repeats lines with variations, creating a challenging structure.
   
8. Golden Shovel: A form where each word in a line of an existing poem is used as the end word in a line of the new poem.
   
9. Haibun: A combination of prose and haiku, often describing a journey or a nature experience.
   
10. Villancico: A medieval Spanish poetic form often used in songs and carols, characterized by repetition and refrains.
    
11. Palindrome Poetry: A poem that reads the same backward as forward, creating a mirrored effect.
    
12. Blackout Poetry: Creating poetry by selectively redacting or highlighting words from an existing text, often creating a visual element.
    
13. Tetractys: A five-line poem with a syllable count of 1, 2, 3, 4, 10, creating a pyramid shape.
    
14. Rubaiyat: A Persian form of poetry with quatrains, typically written in iambic pentameter with the rhyme scheme AABA.
    
15. Fibonacci Poem: A poem following the Fibonacci sequence for syllable counts in each line (0, 1, 1, 2, 3, 5, 8, 13, etc.).
    
16. Calligram: A visual poem in which the words or letters are arranged in a shape that reflects the poem's subject.
    
17. Shape Poetry: Poems that take on a visual shape related to their subject, enhancing the overall meaning.
    
18. Tanka Prose: A prose poem followed by a tanka, combining the concise nature of prose with the emotional depth of tanka.
    
19. Found Poetry: Creating poetry from existing texts or found materials, rearranging and recontextualizing words.
    
20. Blitz Poem: A form of poetry with a rapid, stream-of-consciousness style, using repetition and wordplay.
    
21. Sevenling: A seven-line poem with specific guidelines, including three lines with three elements, and a concluding statement in one line.
    
22. Pantun: A Malay poetic form with quatrains, featuring an interlocking rhyme scheme between stanzas.
    
23. Cento: A collage-like poem composed entirely of lines from other poems.
    
24. Cinquain Chain: Connecting multiple cinquains to create a longer poem or narrative.
    
25. Rhyme Royal: A seven-line stanza with a specific rhyme scheme (ABABBCC), used by Geoffrey Chaucer.
    
26. Haiga: A combination of haiku and visual art, where an image complements the haiku.
    
27. Minute Poem: A strict 60-syllable poem with a 8-4-4-4 structure and specific rhyme scheme (aabb).
    
28. Nonet: A nine-line poem with a descending syllable count in each line, often 9-8-7-6-5-4-3-2-1.
    
29. Tanka Tumble: A series of linked tanka poems, creating a flowing narrative.
    
30. Dramatic Monologue: A poem in which a character speaks directly to an audience, revealing their thoughts and emotions.
    

TW Self Harm, TW Abuse.
There is a lot to unpack here.
I'm in my low mid 30s. I'm adopted since birth, and I've lived my whole life with my family so far. I have clinical depression and chronic anxiety, to the point of extreme intrusive thoughts and That kind of ideation.
My parents both come from horrible families themselves. Going into the military was a blessed relief for each of them from what I know of their pasts. They met each other, got married, and eventually adopted my siblings and then me.
Mom is a fixer. And regardless of everything that happens, I love her. She has always had my back, always been in my corner, always bent over backwards or fought for me. When I was younger, we used to struggle a bit here and there in regards to some moments, but once we realized how badly the entire family had been ignorant in regards to mental health, and started trying to be willing to talk about our different perspectives while being civil, our connection has never been stronger. Or at least I'd like to say that, and I'd like to keep it that way.
The man who I will keep calling Dad, for lack of a better term... is not the worst man in the world. He paid for things growing up. He's present for a decent amount. We had some bonds over video games and dragon ball and godzilla. There was love there. And Mom has made it clear that love is still there, at least from her point of view. She says he's gotten better, and the problems aren't as frequent, true.
But for me, the negatives have started eclipsing the positives in my memory. Particularly as my problems started manifesting while I struggled with life, and my opinions stopped being so simple. Particularly politically, where they come from a different time, and I couldn't be more opposed to them.
With Mom, we can still talk and honor each other's right to have differences.
With Dad, because of his past and mind, he doesn't do well with opinions that don't match his own. Even when he's being civil, he'll give politician type answers to yes or no questions while never addressing the point. It makes him insufferable to talk to. And he hates being challenged. He gets shouty. He gets angry. He gets threatening.
I'm 6'2, 260lbs of mix between fat and muscle, with 2 permanent injuries and struggling with fitness. He's taller than me, a veteran, a former prison guard, and can still weight lift like double his weight in his old age.
When we've had disagreements, he gets terrifying. Looming over me while yelling with his deep voice; that's his go-to, but sometimes there's violence. Folk needing to wrestle him off me. Him punching me in the face. Chasing me down a hill while I was in crutches and on the phone. Busting down my barricaded door and screaming at me, then holding my dog (18 long years, RIP) by her neck when she (a rescue in and of herself) got between me and him and started barking at him.
The last time Mom and I talked, she mentioned that I shouldn't still be holding these against him, both that it's not good for me and because the relationships would never mend, particularly that I'm not blameless in regards to family drama. But I've never hit anyone. I've never threatened to kill anyone, regardless of the invasive voices. I've never said "I"M GONNA SQUEEZE THE LIFE OUT OF YOU" while pressing my elbow into someone's neck, over a literal quarter.
I sincerely could be being too sensitive about this. It could be me not remembering enough of the good, and still being too bothered by the bad. Mom mentioned me hurting folk as well, so it's not like my emotional outbursts are that much better than his, even if I'm actively trying to deal with mine with antidepressants and trying to acknowledge and understand my behavior, and trying to avoid touchy subjects in general to help keep the peace.
This where I ask AITAH.
Mother's day 2024; I come downstairs, read Mom a poem I came up with, and small talk is made. Eventually Mom jokes to me and my sister (who I also find troubling to talk with because she can be bitchy at times, though never to the point of intimidation and violence) that we should have married for money, not love, so that we'd have an easy life. I reply that I could never do so, particularly because I'm too ugly to do so, and the conversation shifts to recent therapy and my mental health, to which I say I have to battle with my lack of confidence every day.
To which Dad says "[my] problems are [my] choice". To which I start getting heated in the moment, and tell him "No, you're wrong." We both repeat, louder. He assumes his 'rearing Grizzly' stance, yelling "I'M NOT GOING TO ARGUE WITH YOU!", and after Mom tries to use Mother's day to coo him down, makes another scathing comment from the kitchen that I could hear.
I go upstairs, and when Mom follows me, I try to talk about other things. But she's determined to ask me if I hate him. I keep trying to dodge, and beg her not to push me into answering, to which she just confirms the unspoken and walks off.
Fully triggered, I try to leave before I make things worse, but when Dad tries to ask me not to go, I tell him to Fuck Off before just driving. Apparently while I was gone, he punched and broke a door in his rage that he still can't connect to me. And when Mom went to buy a new door, their truck hit a pole. And then when I come back, and she tries to talk to me, I scream at her. (I couldn't handle being told "Oh, it's okay. I don't deserve a mother's day because I didn't birth any of you.") Best. Mother's. Day. Ever.
While I was gone, the family called me almost 30 times. I wanted to leave, to destress, to get this venom in my arms to settle, to not lash out. I ended up calling multiple emergency phone numbers to try to vent. And I tried to go to the arcade to vent. Invasive thoughts about stabbing a family member? Terrible. Thoughts of shooting zombies for a few hours? Much better. But I couldn't at all relax and distract myself as Mom and sister wouldn't stop calling me.
Next day, Mom and I try to talk again. With her wanting me to find forgiveness and peace, even as I both despise him for these lows, and myself for this guilt I feel about the family dynamics. And we fail to reach a resolution, with her depression and my own only making each other worse. Thinking I wouldn't be allowed to leave the house to cooldown, I go upstairs, max out my music, and scream. A bit of floor slamming, but largely screaming as much as I can, to try force out the venom I can feel inside me. Understandably, Mom came up to stop the noise. Unfortunately, that noise was the only think surpressing my worst thoughts, and the feel of venom in my arms. Fortunately, Mom came back quick enough that my first (and hopefully only) scars are largely scratches that will fade. If anything, her pulling the work knife out of my hand knicked those fingers even worse. And understandably, even as her former Marine tried to force more conversation that day, I just remember feeling defeated inside. I contact as much of my support group as I can muster, take a sick day, and go to sleep.
Next morning, my therapist calls me, and we talk. And I share all of my feelings. All of this. Unfortunately, the appointment was later in the morning than normal, family were up and about in the living room, and I didn't realize they were basically all just listening. And they heard. Every. Word. Everything of this. Apparently I reduced Dad to tears, let alone offending everyone else.
For the second time in multiple days, I thought I was going to get kicked out. Mom did offer me my own place, but being trapped with my mixed feelings would make that a complete waste of money and effort. I'm basically just not on speaking terms with the family, and I feel like a Pariah.
To the point where after crying about it for an hour at work, I eventually sucked it up, called Mom, asked Dad to be on speaker, and suggested family counseling, at an attempt at an olive branch.
But isolated in my room away from everyone else (to the point of not even showering, eating, and largely not even touching my computer), and then at my next day of work, I've had time to think. Think about how these lows still keep happening. About how the schism between me and the family has always been growing politically. How previous therapists, emergency numbers, friends, coworkers, and the domestic abuse hotline, all say it's a cycle of (unintentional) abuse. How as is, I wouldn't take back like 90% of what I expressed because it feels true. How he also used to blow up on other people as well. How his senelessness can lead him to yelling at a 2nd Rescue Dog that barks too much. Or sending pictures of Tarantulas to a cousin with extreme mental illness (think drugs in the womb type mental troubles) as just casual texting.
But I also still feel guilty. Even with personality, interest, and political opinions differing, they do still try to care. I've been with them all my life. And it makes me feel horrible when they help by trying to cook or clean or anything, when the interpersonal relationships are so low.
And as much as I reflect on the lows being so unbearably low with him, I can't pretend they've been not as frequent, nor that I grew up 1000x better than how they did. My problems are first world as all hell, and plenty would kill to be as privileged as I am. This can not be understated. I don't think it justifies his behavior, but to say that it makes sense is at least fair.
And I want to stay connected, at least to Mom. And even if my sister and I don't have a really personal feeling relationship, I like being the cool uncle to one of my nephews. Teaching him about video games and sonic and dragon ball has been great. I don't want to let that go.
And as bad as his worsts have been... others don't even have their families. And others still have been hurt even worse by family, or outright thrown out by now, and similar...
So yeah; I know that's a lot to unpack, but I'm so mixed up inside I honestly don't know. AITAH for overreacting to a potentially acceptable level of family drama/not letting go of my lingering grudges and feelings in regards to my father? Or have I noticed a slowing, but still present, cycle of abuse?

Game Information

Game Title: Lorelei and the Laser Eyes
Platforms:

• Nintendo Switch (May 16, 2024)
• PC (May 16, 2024)

Trailer: LORELEI AND THE LASER EYES Release Date Trailer
Developer: Simogo
Publisher: Annapurna Interactive
Review Aggregator:
OpenCritic - 87 average - 92% recommended - 25 reviews

Critic Reviews

CGMagazine - Justin Wood - 5 / 10

Lorelei and the Laser Eyes fails to capture its intended mystery-filled story because of having to headbutt against puzzles non-stop and some glaring control issues.

COGconnected - Jaz Sagoo - 80 / 100

Lorelei and the Laser Eyes is a twisted puzzle adventure like no other. The high-brow approach to gameplay requires you to read pages from books to learn the fundamentals that enshroud the range of conundrums that you’ll come across. Simogo don’t underestimate your ability, leaving you to ponder clues and work out the solution. While this can halt your progress and lead to cycling around the same puzzles, it makes decryption much more satisfying. The game stubbornly sticks to its principles to the detriment of accessibility, however, losing yourself to the deep layers of intrigue makes this an unforgettable trip.

Checkpoint Gaming - Luke Mitchell - 9 / 10

Not many experiences will take you on an emotional rollercoaster in the way that Lorelei and the Laser Eyes does. Like the best in the puzzle genre, it makes you feel unbelievably dumb one moment and like an incomparable genius the next. Its dark narrative takes you on a journey full of twists and turns, as its giant hotel full of riddles tests your resolve and brainpower in thrilling, unique ways. Lorelei and the Laser Eyes is a game that will stick with you, cementing Simogo as one of the most compelling and fascinating developers in the industry. Don't miss this one.

Digital Trends - Giovanni Colantonio - 5 / 5

The cryptic Lorelei and the Laser Eyes may very well be the greatest puzzle game ever made.

DualShockers - Jack Coleman - 9.2 / 10

Lorelei and the Laser Eyes is a surreal and mysterious puzzle game that executes perfectly on its vision. A potential all-timer for fans of the genre.

Game Rant - Dalton Cooper - 5 / 5

Lorelei and the Laser Eyes can sometimes feel like the Dark Souls of puzzle games, but no one will regret challenging themselves to solve its many mysteries. Players who enjoy analyzing complex stories will have a blast taking apart the many layers to Lorelei and the Laser Eye's bizarre tale, while those looking for an addicting puzzle game will find it to be an incredibly satisfying adventure. Lorelei and the Laser Eyes is a must-play puzzle game and one of the genre's best.

GameSpew - Kim Snaith - 9 / 10

Perplexing and often pretentious, yet compelling and wonderfully accomplished, it's safe to say you won't have played anything quite like Lorelei and the Laser Eyes before. Filled with puzzles and mystery at every turn, once you step foot inside the intriguing Hotel Letztes Jahr, you won't be able to pull yourself way.

GamesRadar+ - Rachel Watts - 4.5 / 5

Lorelei and the Laser Eyes is an intricate puzzle box of interconnected parts. At times it can feel overwhelming, but ultimately this stylish noir's captivating puzzle design anthology and spellbinding story feels like an entirely new and contemporary kind of puzzle game.

God is a Geek - Chris White - 8 / 10

Lorelei and the Laser Eyes is filled with tricky puzzles that require patience, pens and plenty of paper, but can be hugely satisfying.

Hardcore Gamer - Jordan Helm - 5 / 5

A masterfully-orchestrated series of puzzles that are both stand-alone and interconnected alike, a brilliant use of a more-restricted color palette emboldening its art-style and aesthetic. And best of all: one of the most curious, perplexing but ultimately satisfying mysteries to see fully unraveled and revealed in its truest form. Combined, Lorelei and the Laser Eyes stands as Simogo's best work to date. Even with a portfolio as creative as theirs, a release deserving of that most lofty of titles: magnum opus.

Hobby Consolas - David Rodriguez - Spanish - 88 / 100

Lorelei and the Laser Eyes is a new hit for the creators of Sayonara Wild Hearts. This narrative mystery adventure catches you at the first sign of change and forces you to step out of your comfort zone to face all kinds of puzzles full of imagination.

Nintendo Life - Chris Scullion - 8 / 10

Lorelei and the Laser Eyes is one of the most unique-looking games you'll see on the Switch, and it's got the substance to back up the style. Its heavy emphasis on puzzles and its refusal to throw players a bone when they need help may not be to everyone's tastes, but anyone up for a mental challenge in what's essentially an elaborate escape room will love it.

PC Gamer - Autumn Wright - 89 / 100

A thrilling mystery that asks players to rise to its challenges, and rewards them when they do.

Paste Magazine - Elijah Gonzalez - 8.8 / 10

Altogether though, Lorelei and the Laser Eyes is a game with vision. It wraps intriguing puzzles in a digital gothic framic. It makes the most of its chosen medium as it forces us to navigate the tenuous details of this backdrop. Just about every layer of the experience is creatively risky, from its fragmented narrative to its uncompromising barrage of challenges, but these gambles largely pay off to deliver something with purpose and direction. Crafting this kind of maze isn’t easy; it takes a combination of subtle guidance and faith in your audience. But despite these challenges, Simogo never loses sight of how to stoke curiosity about what’s lurking around the next corner, whether it’s a treasure you’ve been seeking or, conversely, something horrible lurking in the dark.

Press Start - James O'Connor - 9 / 10

Lorelei and the Laser Eyes is a wonderfully intricate, amazing piece of game design. It's intimidating and challenging, but it rewards all the effort you put into it. One of the best games of 2024 so far.

Screen Rant - Ben Brosofsky - 4.5 / 5

To return to the start, there's still a lot to say about what this game is. It's equal parts literary and mathy. It's elusive but self-aware. It's romantic, in fits. It's something best played with pen and paper, even if it doesn't seem necessary for a while. It's a story told as fantasy, history, parable, and performance. It's Lorelei and the Laser Eyes. And it could very well be the best game that comes out this year.

Shacknews - Donovan Erskine - 8 / 10

Lorelei and the Lasers Eyes delivers challenging puzzles alongside a mystifying narrative. It successfully trains your brain to overanalyze, experiment, and ask questions. All hallmarks of an excellent puzzle game. I was frustrated by some technical design decisions that slowed the pace and led to unintentional errors, but still had a thoroughly good time working my way through this otherworldly puzzle box.

Spaziogames - Italian - 8 / 10

Lorelei and the Laser Eyes is a wonderful puzzle game shrouded in mistery, with a deep story about lost memories and the complexity of the mind.

TheGamer - Tessa Kaur - 5 / 5

You should just play Lorelei and the Laser Eyes instead of reading about it. I’ve never seen a game quite like it, and I can’t imagine I’ll see anything like it again anytime soon. It ticks all the boxes for a puzzle game that is just as intelligently and thoughtfully designed as it is atmospheric and fascinating, and I can’t recommend it enough.

Twinfinite - Lewis Rees - 4 / 5

Lorelei and the Laser Eyes isn’t a perfect game. It isn’t a game for everyone, and even fans of puzzle games like the Zero Escape series might find that this isn’t their tastes. In a world filled with Michael Bay, this is Luis Bunuel. It’s a game created with a distinct vision that isn’t out to please everyone. This isn't a game that cares about being liked by everyone: it cares about being loved by a smaller group. It’s a puzzle box where any narrative is almost an afterthought. It’s there, if you dig into it, but the greater satisfaction comes from finding a way forward.

As a vegan couple in our late 20’s/early 30’s, I find vegan reviews SUPER helpful - so I thought I’d leave an honest review of our week vacation at the Royaltan Bavaro’s All-Inclusive resort in Punta Cana, Dominican Republic.
Room: It’s a family resort, so set your expectations for some wear and tear. Our room (building 18, 4th floor) had definitely seen better days - specifically, the furniture. It felt like everything needed to be sanitized, but I’m also a big germaphobe. We didn’t get sick or anything and housekeeping does a good job at tidying up, but just set expectations - it’s not going to be a beautiful, luxurious room, but we felt comfortable
Pools/Beach: - The lazy river was awesome, probably one of our favorites bc our inner child is alive and well - it’s a very SLOW lazy river, but all the splash features kept things fun and there’s even 2 small slides you can use on opposite sides. There’s also the dips lazy river water bar, which was so cool. - There’s also a main Royaltan pool and infinity pool with another water bar - both were good, nothing too special, but no shade - We weren’t diamond club, but didn’t feel like we missed out on the diamond pool - didn’t look like anything special either, but they do have specific activities just for the diamond pool - There’s also a kiddy mini water playground (looked fun, with shade for the parents) and a shallow kiddie pool near the main pool with shade as well. - Finally, the beach palapas were cute and spread out if you want to find shade by the beach - we went in the off-season (Mid-May), but even then they filled up quick, so best of luck 😂 the beach was kept pretty clean too, despite the sorgasm/seaweed
Other Amenities: - There’s a very uneven putt-putt course - fun, but definitely a little goofy without any course decoration - The kids clubhouse looked fun too, but we didn’t spend time here - looked like you could draw, play pool, basketball, and they had some lil kid toys too - Score’s Bar also had a pool table and handles most of the nightlife entertainment like light dancing and karaoke - There’s a casinos, but we don’t gamble so nothing to review on this - We also had access to the private pool cabanas - they were alright, no view of the beach or anything so meh. However, the attending staff are fantastic and you can order diamond beach menu items (none being vegan though so 🤷🏼‍♀️)
Spa/Gym - The gym is great, lots of diverse equipment/weights with TRX. There’s about 4 treadmills and 1 of everything else though, so if you’re there during the busy season you may have to wait for sets. They have plenty of activities throughout the day too, like yoga, Pilates, kickboxing, aqua fit, etc. all very easy level though - Spa was fine, we did hydrotherapy and the 100min couples massage/scrub. Hydrotherapy was just an indoor warm pool and the massage/scrub wasn’t the greatest, but the average person with less spa experience would likely find it all to be great. Just definitely nothing special
Entertainment: Every night, they do a small activity like Just Dance for the kids around 7pm. Following, they’ll do some type of competition for guest volunteers (dance, MJ impersonations, etc). After that, a live band or performance - the circus show is a must, very fun for the kids and adults alike. Aside from that, it’s all okay - we enjoyed ourselves
Food: As vegans, we were on our own a bit. Buffet items are not clearly labeled (mashed potatoes, for example, might have have butter - we could never get a clear answer from staff). The restaurants also didn’t have great options, or just weren’t vegan in the first place. Seemed like staff didn’t really understand veganism - we spoke with the front desk to get accommodations and they printed an English/Spanish list of what we couldn’t have (no leche, no queso, no carne, etc), but that only got us so far as well. Just a lack of knowledge from the staff - we were disappointed bc this resort was advertised and reviewed as a good vegan option (and we had a great time with minimal options IE fries, rice, and beans), but I definitely wouldn’t recommend for vegans
Staff: Hit or miss, some staff were spectacular and outstanding - others seemed a bit unwelcoming and it made us feel guilty to ask for things. Service was excellent, they were all superb and genuinely wanted to help make our stay a great experience - it just wore on our conscious occasionally, which I wasn’t expecting. Just something to note - overall very friendly though! We also tipped our servers and staff, in case that helps frame our experience
Overall thoughts: We had a great time! Best memories we’re excursions, but Royaltan Bavaro was very fun and we’d recommend it to our omnivore friends/fams/couples looking for a holiday inn level resort - stable, safe choice, good experience overall but nothing incredible

Hey everyone,
I wanted to share this new platform called Nevix (nevix.com). It's still in its early stages, so there aren't a ton of users yet, but I think it has some interesting features that might appeal to folks here who are looking for Reddit alternatives. Here is a screenshot:
https://preview.redd.it/xexbfjpizp0d1.png?width=2360&format=png&auto=webp&s=8fd1d824279184caa831ed25fc6520fc9610f999
Here are some of the key features that stood out to me:

• Threaded Comments: Similar to Reddit, Nevix supports threaded comments, making it easy to follow conversations. (I guess this is the minimum requirement to share it here?)
• Multilingual Support: Nevix supports multiple languages (currently English, Chinese, Arabic, French, Japanese, and Spanish). Posts and comments are automatically translated to your preferred language, making information much more accessible.
• Masonry Layout for Posts: The posts are displayed in a beautiful masonry layout, which is visually appealing and different from the traditional list view.
• Flexible Posting Options: Users can post directly under their own account or to a community, giving you flexibility in how you share content.
• Bookmarking: You can bookmark posts and even arbitrary external links, similar to services like Pocket. This is great for saving interesting content to read later.
• Friends and Privacy: You can add friends and make posts visible only to them, which adds a layer of privacy and personalization.
• Cross-Platform Support: Nevix has first-class support for web, Android, and iOS native apps, so you can use it on pretty much any device.
• Diverse Post Types: You can create pure text, image, or video posts, giving you a lot of flexibility in how you share content.

Another difference from Reddit is that Nevix doesn't have a downvote option—only likes. This might change the dynamic of discussions a bit, potentially making them more positive.
Since it's still early days for Nevix, the community is small, but that also means there's a lot of room for new users to shape the platform. If you're interested in trying out something new and contributing to a growing community, it might be worth checking out.
Would love to hear your thoughts if you decide to give it a try. Please share it to your friends if you like it!
Cheers!

** BOTH FRI 5/17 AND SAT 5/18 *\*
Motorcycle Safety Foundation Ride Day New Mexico Motorcycle Safety Program, 3401 Pan American Fwy Take Your First Ride: Ride a motorcycle in 30 min or less for free. MOTO Intro provides the motorcycle, helmet, gloves, and coaching. Free Riding Skills Test: Take the challenge of an advanced MSF course! SKILL Check participants, bring your motorcycle and gear! Please wear over-the-ankle footwear, long pants and long sleeves

• Fri: 2 - 4 PM Skills Check, 4 - 6 PM Moto Intro
• Sat: 2 - 4:30 PM Moto Intro, 4:30 - 6:30 PM Skills Check

Niños and Teeños: Flamenco para todos Carlisle Gymnasium (Elizabeth Waters Center for Dance), UNM, 301 Yale Blvd. NE National Institute of Flamenco presents Niños y Teeños Flamencos in FUTUROS FLAMENCOS. Come see the high-energy flamenco of the National Institute of Flamenco's Student Companies. Don't miss this special showcase by talented youth in our community! (tickets)

• Fri: 7 PM
• Sat: 4 PM

** Fri 5/17 *\*
Fri 4:30 PM Bike to Wherever Day Canteen Brewhouse, 2381 Aztec Rd. NE Learn about exciting bike routes in Albuquerque and grab some cool giveaways to kickstart your cycling adventures. Whether you’re a seasoned cyclist or just starting out, there’s something for EVERYONE at our pop-up table! We'll have Canteen will be volunteering at a table from 6:30-9am and then again at 4:30-6:30am. Receive $1 off your beer if you arrive on your bike
Fri 5 PM Pistachio Cream Ale Release Tractor Brewing, ALL locations We're bringing back this seasonal favorite for American Craft Beer Week! Inspired by pistachios produced right here in New Mexico this brew is as smooth as silk and as tasty and a fresh roasted pistachio. This is a very limited one off for us, so come and get you a pint or growler while supplies last
Fri 5 – 7 PM May Babies Birthday Celebration Rio Bravo Brewing, 1912 2nd St. NW Starting at 5pm, the first 25 people with May birthdays to show Ryan proof of their birthday month will score a $5 Rio Bravo Brewing Gift Card...oh, and Beers are on special for birthday kids for just $5! But you spend your gift card however you want! Thanks to Cake Fetish...we'll have cupcakes for the May Birthday Kids (while supplies last) We'll have prizes JUST for the May Babies! We'll also have drawings for all you non-birthday folks too If you want to get their before us...All drinks are $1 Off for May Birthdays the whole day!
Fri 5:45 – 7:15 PM 22 Veterans Suicide Awareness WOD BFit505, 11500 Menaul Blvd. NE Each month, Team Bravo & Bfit505 team up to bring awareness to veteran suicide. Before our events, we will take a moment and talk about the issue. Then we will begin with our 22 reps WOD followed by a 2.2 mile ruck/walk/run. Afterwards, we will be going out to eat for social time with friends and family. This event is for all levels
Fri 6 PM Sandia Social - May Hangout Dawn Patrol Coffee Shop, 3619 Copper Ave NE We will be hanging out around the patio and inside starting at 6pm! Bring your friends and come hang out!
Fri 6 PM Pink Therapy, A Latin Dance Fundraiser for Breast Cancer Sobremesa, 3421 Coors Blvd. NW On The One and Pachanga Productions' "Salsa Therapy" night has made its mark in the Latin Dance community, now we are using the symbolism of "Therapy" under "Pink Therapy" but this time it is to fundraise in partnership with the Pink Warrior House Foundation in order to provide outreach and increase resources for those warriors battling against breast cancer. On The One and Pachanga productions will be involved in community outreach and utilizing our resources to help those in need. Cover charge is a SUGGESTED $20 donation (ALL PROCEEDS GO TO Pink Warrior House Foundation). Cocktail hour from 6-7 PM (purchases go to PWH on selected drinks). Dance lesson from 7-8 PM. Open dance floor 8-12 AM. Be aware of Media/News coverage. We need everyone's assistance with this, PLEASE SHARE FAR AND WIDE, those warriors battling breast cancer need our help. Let's do our part. We are asking for the entire Latin dance community to come out and support. This will be one of many fundraisers that we do for organizations like PWH. Lets use our dance skills to help those in need!
Fri 6 – 8 PM May Flowers Stampin' Bingo (in person) Hip Stitch, 2320 Wisconsin St. NE Cost is $35 for 6 rounds of bingo, prizes, and make n' takes! Message for more info or to register
Fri 6 – 8:30 PM Los Domingueros Live El Vado, 2500 Central Ave SW Prepare for an unforgettable fusion of Latin dance beats and rock energy as Friday Night Live at El Vado proudly presents New Mexico's premier menudo-based band, Los Domingueros! Few bands can match the infectious joy and vibrant rhythms that they bring to the stage. A multi-talented group of musicians, they take listeners on a musical journey like no other. From the pulsating rhythms of salsa, bachata, and cumbia to the high-energy vibes of ska and reggae, sprinkled with a dash of punk and thrash, their eclectic repertoire promises an exhilarating experience for all. As always, treat your taste buds to a delightful selection of culinary delights from our diverse food pods. From savory stir-fries to tantalizing Latin flavors and heavenly desserts, there's something to satisfy every craving. And don't overlook the opportunity to quench your thirst with a crisp craft beer from Ponderosa Brewing Company, conveniently available at the El Vado Tap Room
Fri 6 – 10 PM Fork Cancer Gala FUSION ABQ, 700-708 1st St. NW The American Cancer Society is hosting Albuquerque's second #ForkCancerAbq fundraising event. VIP 6pm - 7pm. Gala 7pm - 10pm. Dress Code: Gala Attire. #ForkCancerNM is a foodie's dream, with local restaurants and bars bringing out their best to truly showcase the Taste of Albuquerque while raising money for the American Cancer Society's life-saving mission in New Mexico supporting Access to Care like patient transportation, patient lodging and 24/7 support. Along with life saving research and grants. With great opportunities to raise money, we will also have live entertainment! (tickets)
Fri 6:30 – 10 PM Community Movie Night South Valley Multipurpose Center, 2008 Larrazolo Rd. SW Feature of the night: In The Heights. Bring your dinner, blankets and chairs. Please no glass containers
Fri 7 PM Movie In The Park ABQ Food Park, 6901-B San Antonio Dr. NE ABQ Food Park is bringing back Movies In The Park, starting off the summer with a screening of The Sandlot. Arrive early to get your face painted by Local Locas Facepainting before settling in with your blankets, chairs, and appetite for a delightful evening at the park with loved ones. Indulge in delicious fare from our food trucks while enjoying this timeless film under the stars. Please do not bring outside food as we have a variety of food options at the park. Please support our local food vendors. Entry is free! Reserve your tickets
Fri 7 – 10 PM Emerald Ball Holiday Dance Studio, 5200 Eubank Blvd. NE, Ste D Celebrate the enchanting month of May by donning your finest emerald attire. Bring in the vibrant spring season by joining us in elegant semi-formal wear of rich verdant colors and dance the night away! A Foxtrot lesson will begin the evening at 7pm followed by open dancing. Call 505-508-4020 for more information. $30 non-members
Fri 8 PM – 2 AM Sucia EDC Gogo Takeover Sidewinders Bar and Grill, 4200 Central Ave SE Sucia Productions is bringing the Electric Sky to Sidewinders! No need to have EDC FOMO because Papa Sucia is ready to bring the party to you! Come join your Sucia Family for a Night of PLUR! Featuring the Sucia Gogos on multiple boxes and individual dances available in the Cabaret Room! Hosted by Papa Sucia and Sucia Gogo Madam Sativa Rico-Stratton. DJ Unzipped will be bringing the you the best EDM set for you to dance the night away!
Fri 9 PM – 1:30 AM Callaita Fridays Salt Yard West, 3700 Ellison Rd. NW DJ Soiree will be spinning under the stars in the Salt Yard, promising a night of electrifying Latin music. This 21+ event guarantees an atmosphere where you can fully embrace the rhythm without inhibition. Whether you're a die-hard fan of Reggaeton or simply seeking a night of unparalleled fun, "Callaita Fridays" is the place to be
Fri 10:30 PM – 12:15 AM FACELESS AFTER DARK - new meta horror starring Jenna Kanell of "Terrifier"! The Guild Cinema, 3405 Central Ave NE All Seats $8. Check out the trailer. Dir. Raymond Wood - 2023 - 82m. Following her breakout success as the star of a killer clown horror flick, Bowie (Jenna Kanell, TERRIFIER) now finds herself struggling to capitalize on its success. But when she is suddenly held hostage by an unhinged fan posing as that same killer clown, horror becomes her reality as she fights to survive the night and escape before he completes his sinister plan to recreate the film's fatal plot (tickets)
** Sat 5/18 *\*
Sat 8 – 10 AM Planting Corn Seeds Lynn Garden, 176 Manierre Rd., Corrales We will be planting corn seeds; a new crop for Seed2Need this year!
Sat 8 – 10 AM Run for Mercy 5K Sagebrush Community Church, 6440 Coors Blvd. NW Join our team to run with us to support Mercy Multiplied, which exists to provide opportunities for all to experience God's unconditional love, forgiveness, and life-transforming power. Mercy offers free-of-charge Residential and Outpatient Counseling Programs, as well as Outreach Services that include workshops and trainings, our Keys to Freedom discipleship study, and Keys to Freedom Retreat (register)
Sat 8 AM – 12 PM Downtown Growers' Market Robinson Park, 810 Copper Ave NW Every Saturday from 8 am - NOON! This vibrant community event connects local farmers, growers, artisans, wellness makers, and hot food vendors with the local community from mid-April to early-November. Bring friends / family or come solo to enjoy fresh food made on sight, a variety of seasonal produce, unique arts and crafts, live music, and special programming all in the heart of downtown
Sat 8 AM – 2 PM Rio Rancho's Biggest Yard Sale Cabezon Park and Community Center, 2307 Cabezon Blvd. SE, Rio Rancho FREE Admission! Clean out your garage, spare bedroom, attic and shed. Come join us to sell all of those items that were collecting dust, find a treasure that you didn’t know you needed, and enjoy a day in the park! Vendor space $35 for a 15’ x 15’ space (Tables and chairs are not provided) Must register online, NO Drop-Ins Accepted. Please call the Cabezon Community Center at 505-892-4499 for more info
Sat 9 AM Send Haley to Spain Sand Volleyball Tournament Charlie’s Sandbox, 4335 Paseo del Norte NE All proceeds go to Haley and her trip to Spain in July! $20/per player. All Skill levels! Prizes for 1st & 2nd place. 4-6 players Coed with 1 female on team. Check in @ 8:30am. More info: Jillian (505) 322-7228, Haley (505) 331-4788, Charlie (505) 239-2461
Sat 9 AM Invisible Heroes Run Believers Center of Albuquerque, 320 Waterfall Dr. SE Join Runfit and the American Society of Radiologic Technologists for the inaugural Invisible Heroes 5K Run/Walk. It is a community event being held to recognize the vital role that medical imaging professionals and radiation therapists play on the health care team and to introduce the public to these vital health care professionals. You are invited to run and walk to celebrate the important work done by invisible heroes. At packet pick-up, you will have an opportunity to tour the ASRT Museum and Archives. Age group, overall, and team awards, including a great t-shirt and finisher medals for all participants (register)
Sat 9 AM - 4 PM 16th Annual CTC Vintage Tractor & Car Show Corrales Recreation Center, 500 Jones Rd., Corrales Join us for a fun day in the Corrales Park. There will be music, food, hot rods, tractor, stationary engines and more. Proceeds Raised will benefit Corrales 4H and Historical Society. Free admission. $10 for show participants
Sat 10 AM – 12 PM Foraging for Fun(ds) Los Poblanos Open Space, 1800 Tierra Viva Pl. NW Join Rev. Ryan Tate on a foraging excursion! Rev. Tate, of the African American spiritual tradition and an IPL board member, wants to bring their loving knowledge of NM edibles and herbs to you. Discover the food right under your nose and how easy it is to enjoy! We’ll meet to explore and harvest native and edible plants. Enter the Open Space area from west bound Montano Boulevard. After foraging, we’ll gather to taste our harvest and other locally sourced treats. Sign up today to participate - space is limited. This is a fundraiser for our work for climate justice: Please give generously (Suggested minimum donation $10)
Sat 10 AM – 3 PM Homebrewer's Happy Hour Southwest Grape & Grain, 3401 Candelaria Blvd. NE Homebrewer's Happy Hour is the perfect chance for all homebrewers, wine makers, distillers, or anyone interested in learning, to connect with others, share a drink, and learn about a new subject each month! $1 off beers from 10am to 3pm. Presentation on monthly subject at 1pm with open forum to discuss after. Food truck on site for lunch! May 18th - Barley
Sat 10:30 – 11:30 AM Animal Tales with the ABQ BioPark Ernie Pyle Library, 900 Girard Blvd. SE Dive into the captivating world of animals with "Animal Tales" presented by the ABQ BioPark! Join us for a delightful reading session featuring an animal-themed book. Experience the magic as the BioPark brings along real animals and biofacts that connect to the story, giving kids an exciting opportunity to meet these creatures up close! Don't miss this engaging and educational adventure for young animal enthusiasts!
Sat 10:30 AM – 12:30 PM FolkMADS Third Saturday Family Dance Albuquerque Square Dance Center, 4915 Hawkins St. NE Dancing, song, and live music for kids of all ages. No experience needed to have fun! Children must be accompanied by an adult. Children dance free, Adults $10
Sat 11 AM – 1 PM Annual Summer Kick-Off Event! Matheson Park Elementary, 10809 Lexington Ave NE Join us as we kick off the summer with fun, a food truck, face painting, dunk tank, and more! Bring your family and your pets for a Blessing of the Pets. There is no cost to attend and all are welcome!
Sat 11 AM – 3 PM Wine + Art Afternoons Gruet Winery, 8400 Pan American East Fwy NE Prism Arts presents a new public art and social series with a special one-day multi-artist event. Join us inside the Gruet Winery with a selection of fine art, prints, paintings, jewelry, and ceramics from local artists Vanessa Alvarado, Eric Romero, Margarita Paz-Pedro, & Aaron Richardson. Enjoy unique art, amazing fine, food, and a social environment with the artists and the public. *All art purchases receive a complimentary bottle of Gruet Wine*
Sat 11 AM – 3 PM Bernalillo Family Fun Festival! Calvary Church, 4001 Osuna Rd. NE Get connected to community and enjoy a Fun Family Day!
Sat 11:30 AM – 4 PM Imaginary Friends Fest Flix Brewhouse, 3200 La Orilla Rd. NW Let your imagination run wild! Join us in the lobby to celebrate the opening of IF! Enjoy photo ops, freebies, an in-theater giveaway, and activities for the whole family. All ages are welcome!
Sat 12 PM BBQ n' Crawl Supper Rock Park, 598 Monte Alto Pl. NE Mini Crawlers 505 and Duke City RC are throwing a BBQ and crawl sesh! All rigs welcome! Please mark going if you are, so we can get enough food!
Sat 12 PM May Brew Tour - Farewell Tour Rio Bravo Brewing, 1912 2nd St. NW This is the last NM Brew Ha-Ha Beer tour for the season. The 24-25 season will start in June 2025 so stay tuned for the season lineup release. Rio Bravo Brewing, Ponderosa Brewing, Bow & Arrow Brewing, Juno Brewery. At Rio Bravo, a DD will be selected, then we’ll head to the other breweries in the order listed. T-shirts, if ordered will be delivered. For safety, a breathalyzer is available, a DD will be established and a liability waiver will be signed by all participants. Safety is of utmost importance. We want everyone to enjoy their tour and arrive home safely
Sat 12 PM Drag Bingo & Brunch! All Ages Welcome! Sidewinders Bar and Grill, 4200 Central Ave SE Join us for a Drag Queen Bingo and Brunch benefitting The Albuquerque Roadrunner Tournament 2024 (coming up in September). Hosted by Priscilla Bouvier. Doors 12pm. Show 1pm. Bingo, Prizes, Giveaways, Raffles, Cocktails, Mocktails and Fun!
Sat 12 PM Empire's 9th Anniversary - FREE PLAY ALL DAY Empire Board Game Library, 3503 Central Ave NE It's Empire's 9th Anniversary celebration and you're invited! We've been here 9 years and it's all thanks to the support we get from you, so to show our appreciation, this Saturday's celebration is our gift to you: Come in and play for free all day! Every game is on sale all weekend! We're holding raffles over the course of the day to give away some great games! So come on down and let us thank you!
Sat 12 – 3 PM STOODIS!: An AIDS/LifeCycle Fundraising Event Soo Bak Seoul Bowl, 111 Hermosa Dr. SE Help Vanessa Bowen cross the finish line – the fundraising finish line, that is! Vanessa is on a mission to raise $3,500 to participate in the 2024 AIDS/LifeCycle, a 545-mile charity bike ride from San Francisco to Los Angeles from June 2nd to 8th, 2024. Join this special fundraising event and send-off party for an afternoon of entertainment, vendors, bike tune-ups, raffle, and food and drink specials. Come prepared to support our local vendors and find out how you can win our selected giveaways. AIDS/LifeCycle benefits, and is jointly produced by, San Francisco AIDS Foundation (Tax ID # 94-2927405) and Los Angeles LGBT Center (Tax ID # 95-3567895), each of which is a nonprofit, public benefit corporation recognized as tax exempt under IRS Code Section 501(c)(3). Donations to AIDS/LifeCycle are deductible for income tax purposes, to the extent permitted by law. Vanessa Bowen (They/Them) is a Diné (Navajo) product designer and cyclist. Their work gravitates toward the intersection of design and social equity. Bowen is a former Outride Ambassador, current Chamois Butt’r and Kuat Racks Ambassador, founder of Get Native Kids on Bikes, and a supporter of AIDS/LifeCycle. If not creating in their studio in Albuquerque, they are training for a cycling event or community building for a just, equitable future (more info)
Sat 12 – 5 PM Day Camp - A Festival for Families Tin Can Alley, 6013 Signal Ave NE Day Camp is where adventure meets education, creativity, and community in a fair-like environment where a variety of youth development organizations are excited to share their programs. In partnership with Warehouse 505, and featuring organizations such as Explora, there will be workshops ands expos for kids to discover new passions across music, art, science, and more. Supporting Youth Security & Education, all dedicated funds raised will be going to New Mexico non-profit organizations
Sat 12 – 5 PM Monthly Pinball Tournament Sister, 407 Central Ave NW All skill levels and players welcome! 21+ Sign up starts at 12 pm; tournament play starts at 1 p.m. Entry fee is $5 + coin drop
Sat 1 – 5 PM United in Beer Collaboration Festival Ex Novo Brewing, 4895 Corrales Rd., Corrales United in Beer is a New Mexico statewide collaborative beer festival that benefits the Somos Unidos Foundation with 26 participating breweries, which were randomly partnered through a live draft and then together selected the beer style they would collaborate on. All beers will be showcased at the festival. Tickets are limited. Portions of ticket sales will donated to Somos Unidos Foundation, a 501(c)(3) dedicated to creating positive outcomes for New Mexicans through art, sport, community, and unity. This will be a 21+ Event. Food trucks will be on site. Included with ticket purchase is: Festival access, 8 drink tokens, and a United In Beer glass! We recommend bringing: Sunscreen, your friends, and good vibes
Sat 1 – 10 PM Boots In The Park Presents Thomas Rhett, Chris Young & Friends! Balloon Fiesta Park, 5000 Balloon Fiesta Pkwy Dust off your boots and get ready to holler, because Boots In The Park is making it's way to Albuquerque, y'all! Join us for a rootin', tootin', two-steppin' good time with none other than Thomas Rhett, Chris Young, Chris Janson, Kameron Marlowe, Dylan Schneider, Leaving Austin and beats by Luwiss Lux. We're talking about an evening filled to the brim with live tunes, finger-lickin' craft food, and the smoothest cocktails. We'll be kicking up dust with some good ol' line dancing and a whole heap more, as Balloon Fiesta Park is transformed into Albuquerque's best country music party! Past folks to grace the Boots In The Park stage are Carrie Underwood, Blake Shelton, Tim McGraw, Cody Johnson, Jon Pardi and a bunch of other country legends. But this day is gonna be one for the record books, a show that will leave y'all talking for years to come (tickets)
Sat 2 PM Annual Castro Concerto Competition Albuquerque Youth Symphony, 4407 Menaul Blvd. NE Join us to hear talented high school juniors compete for the privilege of performing with the Youth Symphony during the Albuquerque Youth Symphony Program's 2024-2025 concert season! This event is free and open to the public. We also plan to stream this event live on Facebook for anyone not able to attend in person
Sat 2 PM "Greatest Moments" - a fundraising concert for Opera On Tap New Mexico Central United Methodist Church, 201 University Blvd. NE Join us for an afternoon of music to help raise money for Opera on Tap - New Mexico! Featuring some faculty and students of University of New Mexico, along with other local professionals, we have put a program together highlighting some of the show-stopping, beautiful moments of opera and musical theater! Suggested donation $10
Sat 2 – 7 PM Rawking: An Afternoon Metal + Art + Comedy Extravaganza Juno, 1501 1st St. NW Featured performers include Light Thief, Destroy to Recreate, Guvtika, Abandoned Saviors. outdoors on the patio with Four Bands, Comedians, Artists, Vendors. Produced by Metal World Radio. 21+. $10 at the door or presales online
Sat 3 – 8 PM Albuquerque Roller Derby presents: Sandia Slammers vs. Bosque Bruisers! Expo New Mexico - Manuel Lujan Jr Exhibit Complex, 300 San Pedro Dr. NE Albuquerque Roller Derby has gotten SO big we’ve split into two teams! Sandia Slammers & Bosque Bruisers! Get your tickets for our first Home Game of the 2024 season
Sat 3:45 – 5:45 PM AND 7 - 9 PM The Twilight Saga: Breaking Dawn - Part 1 Flix Brewhouse, 3236 La Orilla Rd. NW Experience the Twilight saga's epic romance and thrilling fantasy BREAKING DAWN - PART 1 on the big screen! Bella and Edward, plus those they love, must deal with the chain of consequences brought on by a marriage, honeymoon, and the tumultuous birth of a child, which brings about unforeseen and shocking developments for Jacob Black (tickets)
Sat 4 – 8 PM Drink Local Downtown ABQ - May Step into the heart of Albuquerque with our thrilling, free monthly bar crawl event! Immerse yourself in the local charm as we celebrate community, culture, and creativity right in the heart of ABQ. In partnership with ABQCore Neighborhood Association, a locally organized and hosted event, we're bringing you a bar crawl experience like no other. This isn't just a crawl; it's a vibrant celebration of local businesses, a showcase of community talent, and a monthly escape into the unique flavors that make ABQ special
Sat 4 – 9 PM Summer Market ABQ Food Park, 6951 San Antonio Dr. NE Dive into the magic of summer evenings at ABQ Food Park with our captivating Summer Market! Join us for a delightful evening, where you can browse an enchanting array of offerings from local artisans and support our vibrant community businesses. Discover unique treasures crafted with love and passion by talented artisans, from handcrafted jewelry to exquisite home decor. Every purchase you make supports local creators and contributes to the thriving arts scene in our city
Sat 5 – 8 PM National Astronomy Day! Rainbow Park Observatory, 301 Southern Blvd SE, Rio Rancho The Rio Rancho Astronomical Society will host National Astronomy Day at Rainbow Park Observatory. There will be food for a donation, family activities and safe solar viewing. Dr. Tony Hull will appeal at 7 pm about his work on the James Webb Space Telescope. He will also have some info on light pollution
Sat 5 – 11 PM Beer & Jazz on the Hill Tractor Brewing, 122 Tulane Dr. SE We're bringing you a full night of brews and Jazz with the very talented Rona & Meli opening things up at 5pm and our house Jazz band Basilaris Trio closing things down at 8!
Sat 6 PM Bear Affair 4: Spanish Tapas Beer Pairing Dinner Boxing Bear Brewing, 8420 Firestone Ln. NE Join us on our patio for an ALMOST summer night paired with a variety of our seasonal beers, chef-crafted Spanish tapas, and flamenco. Featuring chef Christopher Midyette And the artist dance group Spanish Broom. Tickets are $65 per person and include a welcome beer, three course tapas style meal with beer pairings and entertainment for the evening
Sat 6 PM One Year Anniversary Celebration Urbanmama505 Kombucha, 1014 Central Ave SW, Ste A Celebrating one year of love, abundance, and sharing wellness. Right after Open Mic 4-6pm, we will be graced with a jazz concert by Davis Nelson-Hooker, an amazing local musician. Elixirs and small plates for purchase
Sat 6 – 9 PM Gone Country Saturdays with DJ Soiree Ponderosa Brewing, 1761 Bellamah Ave NW It's Gone Country Saturdays featuring the amazing DJ Soiree! Start your evening with free dance lessons at 5 pm, followed by family-friendly entertainment
Sat 7:30 – 9 PM Saturday Night Stand-Up Bosque Brewing Co - Nob Hill, 106 Girard Blvd. SE Live from ABQ, it’s… Saturday Night Stand-Up Hosted by Nax Davis! Every third Saturday of the month! Seating at 7:30 - Comedy at 8. Featured line-up of local comics includes: MEG FINN, BRYAN LAMBE, SARINA OCHOA, MARY BYRD, ROBERT EYSTER
Sat 8 PM – 1:15 AM Apparition Goth Night Historic El Rey Theater, 622 Central Ave SW A hauntingly dark, classic goth night featuring the Apparition team: DJ Ren, DJ Batboy, DJ Moonside. Doors at 8. $10 all night. 21+ Tickets at the door. Expect goth, darkwave, death rock, synthpop, dark post punk, ebm, dark dance, industrial, witch house, horror punk and more
Sat 8:30 PM – 1 AM SABOR Latin Night - SATURDAYS Bama's 1865, 6007 Osuna Rd. NE May 11th - SPECIAL GUEST DJ ITALIA! DJ Gabriel Goza & DJ Pedro will be serving you the saucy Salsa, Bachata, Cumbia, Merengue y Mas! Ample Parking, Safe Environment, Beautiful Venue, Good Food, Good Music, Good Vibes. 21+ / $10 cover
Sat 9 PM – 1 AM Cumbia + Rock en Espanol Juno, 1501 1st St. NW Grupo Super Verza with Ave. 69 and Lot Beat and DJ Tony. Baila! 21+, $15 at the door or online
** Sun 5/19 *\*
Sun 9 – 11 AM Elevated Roller Derby May Training Scrimmage Heights Community Center, 823 Buena Vista Dr. SE Officials' huddle 9:00AM. Captains' meeting at 9:20AM. First whistle 9:30AM. This is simply a black/white scrimmage. It will be used as an educational opportunity. NSO paperwork will be used as appropriate. You are encouraged to stretch your skills. Hospitality: This is a low/no production scrimmage, bring beverages and snacks for your own use. Bathrooms: The community center may not be open during the scrimmage. (That's the trade-off for a free space). You can stop at the nearby Starbucks before the event. Expectations: Skaters and Skating and Non-skating Officials are expected to follow all WFTDA Risk Management Guidelines. The venue is a designated alcohol, drug, and smoke-free space by the city of Albuquerque (sign up)
Sun 10 AM – 2 PM The Great Burque Bake On Rail Yards Market, 777 1st St. SW Get ready to whisk it all at the "Great Burque Bake-on," a special fundraiser for the non-profit Rail Yards Market: One dozen of Albuquerque's most talented bakers will dough head-to-head in a crusty competition for the ultimate bakery glory! Bakers brawl... You vote for the winners! This sugar-dusted showdown promises a blend of flour-fueled drama and buttery bravado, making it the yeast you can do to support your local confectionery champions. As these culinary wizards knead their way to the top, we guarantee you'll find their efforts both batter and sweeter than anything you've tasted before. Join us for a day of laughter, pastry, and a chance to see who rises as the crème de la crème of Burque's baking scene! 1) ORDER > Claim your Bake-on Box & exclusive market swag by ordering online May 10-16th, 2024. 2) LEARN > Follow our social media to learn about each contestant & their offering. 3) PICKUP > Grab your box of baked goodies & swag at the info booth Sunday May 19th. 4) ENJOY > Eat all the delectable goodies, savor the flavor, and read about all the contestants 5) VOTE >> Submit your votes online to choose the winners! (tickets) The Farmers' Market event is going down simultaneously with 175+ local vendors to explore, and is still FREE to enter and welcome to all. This funky fundraiser is going down during the FREE Rail Yards Farmers' Market. So you can peruse 150+ small businesses and enjoy the historic architecture while you enjoy your Great Burque Bake-on Box of goodies! All proceeds will benefit the Rail Yards Market. The Rail Yards market of Albuquerque is a certified 501(c)3 non-profit focused on building a resilient, sustainable, local economy where the surrounding historic communities thrive, all can participate, and everyone is enriched and inspired. Through food, art, education, and music, we invite the community together in an inclusive and festive atmosphere
Sun 11:30 AM The Addams Family Historic Lobo Theater, 3013 Central Ave NE THE HISTORIC LOBO THEATER is excited to bring The Addams Family to the big screen! Showing Starts at 11:30 am Tickets are ONLY $10 for General Admission $25 Brunch and a Movie Ticket $21 Brunch Only ticket
Sun 12:30 PM Annual Spring Tea Asbury UMC, 10000 Candelaria Rd. NE All are welcome to attend our Annual Spring Tea! This year's theme is "The Tapestries of Our Lives." Life can be like a tapestry; our quilt, with events, feelings, accomplishments, and even disappointments "stitched" in. Join us, for tea, while Cindy Kurey, AQS-certified quilted textiles appraiser, shares how quilting and her faith have helped her navigate life. She will also show her collection of antique, vintage, and modern quilts! There is no cost to attend, though RSVPs are required. Please call the church office 505-299-0643 or message us on Facebook to RSVP

My dad gets violently ill when he eats bay scallops (not sea scallops) and will be puking for an entire day. I'm his son and I want to eat at a Spanish restaurant my work is paying for. I want the paella since I love seafood. It has bay scallops. Should I brave it and try or is it more likely this allergy will miss me?
(I haven't tried bay scallops since they're easy to avoid and I found no reason to eat them before (I mostly just want to know how heritable this is and if I should attempt it on a work dinner))

For my bday I booked a trip to Cancun in late May (23rd-28th), I will be staying in the hotel zone. I always travel around the US solo however this is my first international trip. Due to being solo female and speaking limited Spanish I am wanting to take it easy but I also don't want to stay at the resort the whole time. I'm hoping for a sweet mix of relaxation and adventure. I plan on spending a fair amount of time sunbathing and enjoying a book! Other than that I plan on enjoying a day shopping at Mercado 28(I've seen post from other solo females saying that they stayed out late and felt perfectly safe and others saying its best to get back to resort before sun down, thoughts? I'm definitely snatchable), spend a half day exploring the underwater museum, and enjoy a kayak tour one morning. I am really wanting to enjoy horse back riding but can't find an option that isn’t t part of a ATV/ceonte tour package unfortunately. I'm single and kind of wanting to mingle (if my anxiety permits), any spots known for singles to hang/meet? I would really appreciate any suggestions on scenic restaurants (pescatarian friendly por favor), live music/shows, outdoor things to do that aren’t very party-vibe or touristy, places to listen to live music and anything else you might want to suggest or share! Thank you in advance!!! :)