The products were released for one day and you’d think EQX poured battery acid into the kiehls bottles and didn’t tell anyone about it.
I get that we all have opinions about certain products but if you feel that strongly about skincare products then maybe you shouldn’t use the communal gym skincare products, and instead just use your own.
I do like Kiehl’s a lot so I get it and trying to be understanding but man, as someone who comes from humble beginnings and doesn’t complain about this stuff, these Grown Alchemy posts make posters sound like spoiled kids who need to touch some grass.
Maybe send in some comments to management and corporate so that way they can gauge feedback on the rollout of these new products.

https://legalesedecoder.com/unlocking-the-fine-print-how-ai-legalese-decoder-can-save-you-money-with-the-300-energy-rebate-in-budget-2024-amidst-inflation/?utm_source=SocialAutoPoster

Hi,
TLDR: looking for advice for 'deep recovery' from autistic burnout, venting/rambling a bit about my situation
Sorry for the long post, my life hasn't been great the last few years and I'm hoping that if I describe it in detail then someone might have some advice for where to go next, or be able to tell me if I'm missing something obvious. I've bolded the bits where I'm asking for advice.
I (24F) am not officially diagnosed with aspergers or anything autism related, but am recovering from what I suspect is autistic burnout. I had symptoms of moderate to severe CFS last summeautumn but am slowly recovering from it without any major crashes. When I read the description of autistic burnout I identified with it completely. The loss of skills and extremely reduced tolerance to stimulus on top of the fatigue is something I have really struggled to describe or explain to people (not helped by the loss of skills i.e. barely being able to put a sentence together to speak to someone). I've read Strong Female Character and Aspergirls, and am currently reading Unmasking Autism. I haven't completely self-diagnosed yet, but I am researching it and think it's a strong possibility. The first half of Aspergirls describes my childhood pretty well. I was often called a 'Highly Sensitive Person' and Unmasking Autism states that the creator of this term has said that the people she was talking about have since been diagnosed with ASD. Even if I am not Autistic, I often find Autistic people more relatable and easier to understand that non-Autistic people and find their advice for rest, sensory issues etc helpful to me. I am not looking for a diagnosis or diagnostic advice.
I currently feel like I'm starting my life over again, and I'd really appreciate advice on how to build a sustainable life when I have a lower tolerance for stimulus and find communicating more tiring than many people.
Context/life story: I'm from the UK. I have a degree in maths, was feeling burnt out and was going to take a gap year before doing a masters, but the pandemic happened and I moved back into my childhood bedroom. I couldn't face being stuck there again with no 'escape plan' so one afternoon I (impusively) signed up for a masters at a not so great uni and didn't do well academically. At the time I was considering a PhD and going into pure maths research. I don't have the grades to get funding for this. By the end of the masters my boyfriend had broken up with me and I'd lost touch with all my friends. The only person I 'spoke' to was my mother and even she'd say this was pretty one sided. In my dissertation presentation on zoom, I read a pre-written script and answered 'I don't know' to all the questions because I hadn't spoken to anyone in months and couldn't hold a conversation with the cashier in the supermarket about the weather let alone one with an academic about advanced maths. I scraped a pass.
After this was over (October 2021), I really felt like I needed a break. I decided I was going to have 2022 'off'. I was going to rest, get a job that didn't use my brain, move to a city so I wasn't so isolated (I live in Wales) and recover and rebuild before figuring out what I wanted to do next. I couldn't figure out how to move to a city without getting a professional job. I asked some family for advice but they didn't know either. I didn't know how to get any job near the town where I live. It's very cliquey, I don't know anyone who's got a job through a formal application process, it's always through a family or friend connection, and I'd lost touch with everyone by this point, my mother doesn't have any contacts and the rest of my family lives in another country. I get filtered out of formal applications because I'm overqualified and bad at lying. Spring 2022 I got sick of it and applied for about 5 software dev jobs. I got one basically without being interviewed. In hindsight that was the first red flag.
I moved to a city 5 hours away. I won't go into the details of the job but it wasn't great. I discovered they had a vrey high turnover for a small company. The new hires previous to me had lasted weeks, one only lasted days, before going on stress leave. I did 10 months. I signed a rental agreement for a year and was too exhausted to search for another job to pay for it. It was full time in the office because I was a junior. I had one friend who lived 3 hours away and every time we met up it was me driving to them, and my sibling needed a lot of help with uni and job stuff so I drove the 5 hours back home most other weekends. I did too much, but I didn't know how to not do too much. Within a few months of each other, my dog died, my grandad died and it was the 10 year anniversary of my dads death. I never had a bad performance review and I quit due to 'personal reasons'. The final straw for me was when I noticed in the office I was physically shaking from exhaustion when I reached for my mouse or keyboard. I think I must have been running on adrenaline or something because it was 2 months before I properly crashed. In this time I moved my stuff back to my childhood bedroom, and that is where I am now. July last year was when I crashed and thought I had CFS etc.
I would say I'm mostly recovered from the physical fatigue. I walk 10k+ steps a day and this helps me mentally. I know I should do more restorative yoga, I see this more like stretchy meditation than exercise and it also helps mentally. I used to enjoy powerlifting and I've tried a few times recently but I think I need to take that super slowly because I get carried away and it wipes me out for a few days after. Skills-wise, I am able to read books again, albeit books I've read before or childrens books. I sometimes have 'high energy' days when I'll read more non-fiction and try to plan my recovery. I am not up for doing technical computer stuff. Things I used to know still go completely over my head. Sensory-wise, I struggle having the big light on for more than 10-15 minutes at a time. I try to reduce screen time. I barely watch tv. I've deleted most social media so I only check instagram once or twice a week on my laptop, and I go on reddit or youtube if I'm looking for something in particular. I try not to listen to too much music otherwise the brain fog gets worse, but that's hard becuase it's one of the few things I feel connects me with the outside world at the moment. When family come round and there are group conversations, I cannot follow anything that's going on and it may as well be white noise. I haven't been in a public space for a while, so I don't know how I am with the background noise. I've reconnected with school friends and am going out for dinner soon, so I'll find out then. I will also find out how I hold up in conversation.
In the next few weeks I plan on looking for part time work. Any advice on suitable jobs would be welcome. I also start a compassion focused therapy group next week, after going to the doctors about this in october of last year *sigh*. I plan on working part time and living at home while figuring out what I want from a career and how to build a life. I wish I could just move to London but it's so expensive.
I see pure maths as closer to the arts than the sciences, and also enjoy fiction books (esp fantasy) and music. I played classical piano and violin/viola as a child to a reasonably high standard. I have no interest in computers really, it was just a job thats related to my degree and that I was good at. As a child I wanted to be a writer or a musician, but as a teen I prioritised moving out of my hometown and told myself that was something I didn't need to study and could work on in my free time. I had a 'maths brain' so it was easy enough to coast this path while I was grieving. I have learnt that the first things I let slide when I am stressed or busy, are the things I am interested in. Then it's chores, then my physical health. I have no idea when to stop or when to say no people. Not because I want them to like me, simply because saying no doesn't occur to me until after I've done it. I also don't notice when I am stressed or doing too much. I have gotten better at that the last few months.
In future, I think I need to prioritise my interests more than I have. I think I tried to 'fix' the stress from the things I 'had' to do with exercise and being very physically healthy. I think the solution is to prioritise working on my interests and passions. The thing I've found most helpful is keeping a diary. I started this last July. I'm now writing music and learning how to produce using Ableton. It's going very slowly but it's going. I've found creating things is better for me mentally than consuming them, even if I'm doing that using a screen. I am interested in the links between maths and music (group theory, geometry, topology etc), and plan to read more about this when I'm able. It would be a dream come true if I could somehow work self-employed doing this one day. I can't imagine working full time in an office again. It exhausts me too much to be able to do anything in my free time. I don't know how demanding it would be to work remotely full-time. I'm lucky I can live with family and work part-time for the forseeable future. There is no rush. I am 24.
Any advice on building a career your interested in, moving to a new city, managing stress and having healthy relationships would be very welcome. Or anything else you think it would be useful to hear.

So, the other day I broke the screen on my phone, and now there's a large black spot in the middle, and the touch screen doesn't work in that area. It was fine for a day, but this morning my FaceID wouldn't recognize me, causing it to ask me to type in my passcode to enable it. Turns out, I can't press the numbers I need to unlock it. I cant hard reset it because I dont have my iCloud password. I have money and photos on there that I cant lose. Is there a way to unlock it with a PC? Help!

I literally just got back from the stripclub and first thing I think of is to get this story down for you fine gentlemen.
I will provide background information where relevant, including the norms of the particular stripclub.
I've been into dominant women in general for a long time, and I've been into the fantasy of findom, but have never done it. Mostly because I have no interest in trying to make it happen over the internet, and it seems as if that's really the only place you can do it. But if I ever happened across a woman in real life that is into it? I could do it.
So, I've been giving strippers a second thought. I know, strippers aren't really findom, they just charge a lot for their services. But this was different.
Now I'm not a regular at stripclubs or anything. I'll go to them about twice a year on average, just to have some tits in my face. But I recently started thinking, hey, wait a minute, strippers love money, that's what they're there for. What if I got into findom with a stripper? And so this was the second time in a month I went to my stripclub, and it happened. Here's how it went down:
I sat at a table. Girls dancing on three stages. This place is topless only, so tits out, g-strings on. I order a beer. In a short time, a woman walks up to me and introduces herself. She sits down, we chat for like a minute, but I'm no stranger to these things, I know what I want, so I just ask for a dance, she says sure and we get up.
Her looks: Average height, fairly petite, absolutely perfect natural tits, with HUGE nipples. Just amazing nipples. If you like big nipples, this would be your girl. She had long blonde hair down to her tailbone.
So we go into the private room. It's small and dark. Total privacy, it's not one of those big open lap dance rooms. She gets on me, grinding, normal lap dance.
The style of lap dance at this club: Tops off, bottoms on, HEAVY touching. The girls grind on your dick, and will appreciate you having a hard on too and they target it like a Hunter Killer robot. Also, the cost is 20 dollars per song (HEYO that's already findom, am I right?) So 5 songs, about 25 minutes of grinding, would cost about 100 bucks.
Sometimes dancers will start jerking you off through your pants, sometimes they don't. This girl started doing so. Boner laid out along the thigh, hand wrapping as much as it can around it over the pants and stroking.
A couple songs go by, her perfect tits are in my face, she seems real cool, I shoot for it, I ask "Can I suck on them?"
Background: If the vibe is good and relaxed, sometimes I'll ask that. 50% of the time they're totally okay and say "sure" and shove their nipple in my mouth. The other 50% they'll say no sorry and I'm like no biggie it's all good.
She says, "for 500 dollars."
Right there, my heart leaps in my chest. No fucking way should that cost 500 bucks. She just doesn't want it to happen and this is a polite way of rejecting me. I kinda laugh it off and say "that's okay, a little rich for me."
Anyway, she's grinding, hand working, tits in my hands. The atmosphere is very calm and intimate, voices low. She brings it up again. Asks for 500 bucks. In a very alluring way. I am now already in a sub space. I politely refuse.
I know what you're thinking. This isn't findom, this is just a stripper trying to milk a dumb customer for an easy extra.
But things come around.
In the silence that follows, I dare a statement: "But I like how you keep asking."
She looks at me. A bit caught off guard herself. She says "hmm?"
We look at each other. "I like assertive women. Aggressive women."
I think it clicks in her head, then. She knows what I am. She grinds more, keeping the pace up hard. She asks for 500 again, naturally.
I say, "all I have is 200 in my wallet". This is a lie, I have about 250, but I'm sandbagging her cause my mind is spinning. Also, I only ever mean to spend a max of 100. Just me saying I have 200 is a rush.
She says, "go to the atm and get more money out."
My brain is going wild now. I say it. "You can take everything in my wallet."
"200 dollars?"
"Yeah."
We're both feeling a lot more free at this point. Gently, while her right hand is stroking me through my pants, I take her left hand, and place it on my neck. She immediately knows what to do, like an instinctual animal. She squeezes, starts choking me while grinding. Pushes my head hard back against the wall. She's not gentle, she does it nice and hard.
Then she just keeps it up. Tells me she wants me to go to the atm and get more money. I'm strong though. She says do it for your "Goddess 'insert stripper name'". She definitely knows what I am now. She has officially taken on the role of dominatrix.
"I have 250 in my wallet," I say, spilling the beans. It was an absolute rush.
"Give it to me."
We go back and forth, and she knows the lingo. I almost busted a nut right there but didn't. In the end, we do our final song, she stands up. Time to pay. I wanted to do it nice and paypig style, so I open my wallet and hand her the bills, counting it out to 250.
"Thank your Goddess for taking all of your money," she says.
I thank her, in a daze.
"Are you coming next week?" she asks.
"Yes," I say.
"Good, and next time there will be punishments for not doing everything I say."
We make arrangements and I leave.
All in all, we did maybe 5 songs. So it normally would have cost 100 bucks, so I basically paid a surcharge of 150 for her to indulge this kink.
And memories last forever.
Well guys, should I go back next week? I'm not a poor guy but I'm not a rich guy either. There's no way I could ever sustain this, but as a short term life experience, I feel like I have to, don't I? It was sort of a fantasy come true for me.

Is it me or are Gen X and older people completely clueless about how much money you need to support yourself these days? Some lady on Facebook just told me that whole families live on 1600 Dollars a month when I said that it wasn't much to live on for a 25 year old guy.
There's no way someone here in the USA can live on their own and just support themselves on that, let a lone a whole family unless they are on food stamps or welfare or something. That's actually poverty level for a family of 4! Even if he found a roommate and spent 500-600 a month on rent, he still has to pay for food, a car, insurance, etc. He's going to be living paycheck to paycheck if he's lucky and will have no money for anything else.
The average American needs about $3,400 a month to be able to live on their own and support themselves.
It bothers me that these people are voting and are so out of touch when it comes to how much it costs to live.

Hello, I’m (F) 17 years old and a senior in high school. My mother (38?) and I usually aren’t buddy buddy or how I think a mother a daughter should be. My mom had me young and my father wasn’t always in my life (mostly my mother’s choice) we live in my grandma’s old house as of last year (she passed in 2020) my grandma was more motherly then my own mother at times but her being older she didn’t have a lot of patients with me at times but loved me regardless. Since me and my mom live in at my grandma house she pays for the mortgage and the utility bills but she doesn’t pay for it all alone since my boyfriend and his mom, along with my mom’s cousin all lives with us and contributes on helping paying the mortgage and utilities. My bf and his mom also help with groceries. But since my mom still struggles paying everything somehow and I myself don’t work that very much because of school so I work 3 hours a week (not my choice) while my bf works better hours then me (work at the same place) and his mom works for the acting industry as well as modeling sometimes. They can afford what my mom asks of them. Sometimes taking advantage of my bf’s mom by asking for extra money at times. Today she told me she doesn’t have enough for the mortgage and 100 dollars short. Mind you I only had 120? Maybe in my own bank account. She takes my money out of my account since I’m a minor, when making my bank account my mom is co-owner so she has access to it but she told me she won’t touch it and I trusted her to not do so. I know 91 dollars isn’t a lot but the way she took it behind my back is what makes me upset so I got mad and went off on her and she tried guilt tripping me and making excuses. I just don’t know what to do anymore. I can’t leave even after I turn 18 since I barely make enough money. I’m just tired.

I’m in a difficult financial situation and need advice. I apologise for the long post, there is a TLDR at the bottom!
I’m 34 and live at home with my parents. I had to move back several years ago when I was on a lower income and my flatmate abruptly moved out and I couldn’t afford to live on my own. Since then through a mix of some very stupid decisions and a failed business I’ve gotten myself into a huge amount of debt. I also have a teenage child who lives with their mother about 6 hours away.
I have roughly £35,000 in debt and I earn £50,000 per year.
I want to move closer to my child so we can spend more time together. Currently I visit one weekend a month and I bring them down to me during some holidays.
Despite earning more than my parents ever did, owning a house or even moving out at any point soon feels like an impossibility, which is due to my debt. I’m ashamed, depressed and feel like a failure as a son and a father.
My family doesn’t know the extent of my debt, sometimes me moving out comes up in conversation with family who ask me why don’t I go and rent before saving up to buy a house, I try to explain to them that renting would be more expensive than a mortgage (which it would be), but really I know that I could rent if I didn’t have so much debt to pay off each month. Heck if I didn’t have this much debt I’d easily be able to get a good deposit together quickly and move out.
By January of last year I’d managed to save about £2,400 in a LISA towards a house deposit but then the company I was working for went insolvent and I lost my job. I got by for a little while on my final pay and money my parents loaned me but then I had to withdraw my LISA which also resulted in a 25% fee so I only got about £1,800 out of it and had to use some of that before I got the new job. I didn’t have any savings or emergency fund.
When I got a new job, I didn’t want to put the money left over from the LISA withdrawal straight back into it just in case anything like that happened again so I put it in an emergency fund with 5% interest and have about £1,700 in there and I’m doing my best not to touch it at all.
After a few months of my new job I started putting money into my LISA again and I now have about £2,300 in there.
My aim is to save up a 5-10% deposit for an £80,000-£120,000 house (where I'm looking is pretty cheap), but it's slow going as I only put in about £150 a month due to my debts.
A mortgage for a house on the lower end of that scale starts around £400 per month for 30-35 years. It's frustrating that I spend almost that amount each month just to visit my child (I understand there are additional bills however with homeownership).
I also have no idea what mortgage rate I’d get, or if I could even get a mortgage in my current situation. I went through Barclays and NatWest’s mortgage in principle calculators recently that both said they wouldn’t take me on after a soft credit check, they referred me elsewhere to companies that work with people with bad credit ratings but I haven’t contacted those yet.
Expenses:

• Child maintenance: £380/month (increasing by about £50-£80 in a few months)
• Visiting costs: £300 - £400/month
• Bills: £300/month
• Groceries: £150-200/month
• Child ISA: £35/month
• Loans: £728/month across four loans
• Credit cards: £315/month across seven cards (plus an extra £300/month I’m paying)

Debt Breakdown:

• Loans: £19,418
  • £8,036 at 12.9%
  • £6,464 at 12.9%
  • £4,414 at 13%
  • £504 at 0%
• Credit cards: £15,218
  • £660 at 0% until November 2024 - will be paid off before then from the extra £300 I’ve been paying off each month
  • £592 at 0% (will be paid off)
  • £2,940 at 0% until September 2024, then 24.9% (hoping to transfer to a new 0% but may not be possible)
  • £2,770 at 0% until August 2025, then 22.9%
  • £7,200 at 0% until November 2025, then 26%
  • £594 at 24.9% (paying £100/month instead of minimum)
  • £462 at 19%

I’ve only now been able to apply for redundancy from my old job, it’s still ongoing but I am getting a payment of around £4,500 soon and waiting to hear if I’ll get anything else for unpaid holiday.
I’m also due a £5,000 bonus from work but due to tax that’ll be around £2-3,000 I think.
I don’t know what the best option is for this money.
Should I put it all towards my debts? I could pay off one loan with the redundancy and that would clear up £200 a month that currently goes to that. Or should I use it on the credit cards instead?
Or should I put some into my LISA so that I can put less into that each month (or none if I max it out - about £3,800?) and then put what I was paying into that each month towards my debts (£150pm), along with the rest of the redundancy/bonus money?
I have about £800-£900 left over each month, £300 I put towards paying off my debts, £150 goes into my LISA and then about £150-200 on groceries.
Thanks!
Edit: I should have mentioned I’ve spoken to StepChange (debt charity). The only option available to me is a payment plan which is basically doing what I’m doing now myself.
TLDR
I'm 34, live with my parents, and have £35,000 in debt. I earn £50,000/year and want to move closer to my child. My debt makes this seem impossible. I have monthly expenses of roughly £2,250 , and I'm expecting a redundancy payment and a work bonus soon. Should I use these funds to pay off debt or save for a house deposit or both? Any advice on managing my situation would be greatly appreciated.

Hey guys. As the title says I have 3 years of experience as a Software Engineer. I've worked at a tiny company and have been fully remote the past 3 years. I get paid almost 30% less than the national average for a software engineer salary, and my current job won't give me a substantial raise. I'm grateful to work as a software engineer since I switched careers from a different field, but its been time to find a new job.
Job searching for the past year and a half hasn't lead to any offers (although I've gotten close) and day-to-day I don't feel connected to my work or that I'm doing anything particularly meaningful. I love coding but I don't feel like my career is growing in any direction. I think it's a combination of feeling disconnected from my team (fully remote) and working on more proof-of-concept type work (my company builds niche software for biotech). Lastly I just have too much free time since my team is very disconnected and our work comes and goes in small chunks at a time.
Four years ago I started a CS masters program but never finished because of costs and the start of the pandemic. I've been debating going back to school for a cheaper online masters in CS (I don't have a ton of money to throw around) or even a masters in applied mathematics since I've grown really interested in advanced math. I live in NYC so I'm wondering if a masters could help my chances of getting a better job. I know a lot of people say a masters is a waste of time but I don't have any type of degree in CS or math (undergrad was neuro) and I feel like I've been stuck in my current role.
TLDR; I'm a software engineer in NYC with 3 YOE but have a hard time finding a new job. Would going back to school for CS or math be worth it if I come from a non-CS background?

https://legalesedecoder.com/ai-legalese-decoder-your-tool-to-navigate-complex-legal-jargon-and-avoid-costly-mistakes-in-money-management/?utm_source=SocialAutoPoster

Hi all,
Is it possible to shuffle the posters on films randomly? Would be a nice touch.

Alright so, I started investing in my Roth IRA at 18 I just turned 19 in May and I still don’t have a full understanding of what I’m doing. Since I am on the younger side of investors I want to take advantage of being able to be more risky with my portfolio and putting the majority of my money into QQQM for their potential to bring back huge returns. However I am aware when the market goes down, my portfolio will drop significantly because of this. Since the top performing stocks in the S&P were mostly tech stocks, I’m betting on us advancing way more with technology & AI in the future and I’m ok with a temporary negative on my investment since I’m not planning on touching this money for 40+ years anyway. That being said, what are your thoughts on a 60% QQQM , 30% FXAIX , 10% SCHD split? Am I taking on too much risk? Would it be wiser to have FXAIX as my main position? A second option I’ve been considering is 50% FXAIX , 35% QQQM , 15% SCHD. any feedback will be appreciated! Thank you!

So starting about a day ago, I’ve been having chest pain that correlates with Costo but I’m not 100% sure if that’s what it is. A couple of weeks ago I was having really bad panic attacks and went to the ER twice only for the doctors to rule out any underlaying heart diseases or anything of that nature since I took 3 EKGS, a chest X-Ray, an ultrasound, and blood work within those two visits that came out to be completely normal. I’m asking this forum since I don’t have health insurance (I am currently 19 and unemployed) and don’t have the money to see a specialist. My symptoms right now include chest pain, more in the sternum area that DOESNT hurt when touching, a weird throat sensation, acid reflux, indigestion, and weird shooting sensations that happen in my pecs. I would love to talk to a medical specialist about this but I feel like this is my only option for now. Anything feedback would help!

I got admission to the University of Pisa for both the MS in Computer Science and the MS in Data Science and Business Informatics. I have a Computer Science degree from my home country (a third world country) and some experience with backend development.
I'm confused about which one to choose. Consider the following:

1. I love coding, especially building things. Since I have experience, I feel more inclined towards it. The MS in Computer Science has specializations (Software, ICT, AI), but I would choose the Software curriculum if I choose CS.
2. I thought many times about learning Data Science by myself . I would like to because I have loved math since primary school, and I love coding. So, maybe Data Science is for me, but I’m afraid I wouldn’t like it when I start. Also, I’m afraid because I’m more of an introvert (not too much but for research job maybe).

I also like money hhh, so I heard Data Science jobs are fewer than Software Engineering jobs. I know the tech market is bad, but I have nothing else to do, so I’m already in.
P.S. If you say, “You already have a CS degree, don’t go into it!” That CS certificate is literally worthless or not recognized, so I need a recognized CS certificate if I go into it

Welcome to Prepping 101! Whether you're new to prepping or looking to brush up on the basics, you're in the right place. In this guide, we'll cover the fundamental concepts of prepping in simple terms, so everyone can understand.
What is Prepping?
Prepping is all about being prepared for emergencies or tough situations. It's like having a backup plan for when things don't go as expected. Preppers think ahead and get ready for things like natural disasters, power outages, or even unexpected job loss.
Why is Prepping Important?
Prepping is important because it helps keep you and your loved ones safe when things get tough. Imagine if a big storm knocks out the power for days, or if you suddenly can't go to the store for food. Prepping helps you stay calm and have what you need to get through tough times.
Basic Prepping Principles

1. Water: Water is super important! Make sure you have enough clean water stored up for drinking and cooking. Aim for at least one gallon per person per day.
2. Food: Stock up on non-perishable food items like canned goods, rice, and pasta. Don't forget a manual can opener!
3. First Aid: A basic first aid kit is a must-have. Include bandages, antiseptic wipes, and pain relievers. It's also smart to know basic first aid skills.
4. Shelter: Your home is your first shelter, but have a backup plan in case you need to leave. A tent or sleeping bags can come in handy.
5. Communication: Keep in touch with loved ones during emergencies. Have a plan for how to reach each other if phones aren't working.
6. Safety: Stay safe! Have a flashlight, extra batteries, and a whistle in case you need to signal for help.

Getting Started with Prepping
Start small and build up your supplies over time. Set aside a little bit of money each week to buy extra supplies. Make a list of what you need and check things off as you go.
Remember, prepping is all about being prepared, not scared. By taking small steps now, you can feel more confident and ready for whatever comes your way.
Stay tuned for more prepping tips and guides here on Prepping 101!

We often feel grateful for the progress of our world, but is what we see today truly advanced after all?

I bring this topic up because we must consider all the worst-case scenarios that may unfold. What would happen if the power goes out? What would occur if there were major blocks in our food supply chain? Can we survive without modern technology and the grocery stores? Unfortunately, I don't think most of us could at the moment. These scenarios are not meant to evoke fear, but rather to inspire a deeper and more comprehensive examination of our current circumstances. Danger is an undeniable reality that we must face and, as men, take measures to mitigate them. While public institutions may offer assistance during challenging times, we must be aware that this help often comes at a significant cost to our autonomy and happiness (study history and watch what occurs to personal freedom in exchange for help, i.e. increased taxes, restricting policies, and inflation). My hope is that these worst-case scenarios will encourage us to implement holistic solutions and become true kings. In order to begin taking corrective measures, we must objectively look at where we are at and question the metrics we use to gauge progress. How can we accurately and objectively measure advancement?
I suggest that we look at the resiliency of a society through a multi-layered perspective in order to get that information. This prompts the question, what exactly is resiliency and why is it important to consider? To define resiliency, we must look at the quality of skills, internal resourcefulness, and tools that support a society’s ability to survive and thrive from a holistic standpoint. By gauging resiliency, we can identify the strengths and weaknesses of a society and gain insight into its ability to handle current and future challenges. In today’s world, we often see innovation in ways that have nothing to do with building true resiliency and progress, but to solely benefit a consumptive paradigm that revolves around entertainment, fast food, and false comfort. We even “innovate” to the detriment of nature and ourselves. How is this an advanced society and how did we get fooled into accepting the dire reality we’re experiencing today? It’s because the way we measure our standing or “success” in our daily lives has nothing to do with cultivating resiliency, but with superficial status games and how much access we have to means of instant gratification.
Furthermore, it's clear that many of our societal advances have been driven by the pursuit of increasing profit, power plays, and keeping people distracted from what truly matters. This is why we are primarily concerned with all things money. When academics make status reports, they often focus on GDP growth as the primary metric of success. Similarly, when people assess their personal lives, they tend to look at their bank account balances and the number of new gadgets they possess. Consequently, when we see increases in economic growth and personal wealth, we may fall further into the illusion of advancement. Technological innovation also contributes to this illusion of progress. While digital technology has undoubtedly advanced our society in many ways, it has also create a false sense of security and comfort because we think we have all the answers at our fingertips, instant access to entertainment, naked women, and food. In reality, our growing dependence and addiction to technology has disconnected us from essential survival skills and self-regulating practices that are crucial for our physical and mental well-being. The convenience and instant gratification provided by technology have resulted in an unhealthy imbalance in our relationship with nature, our community, and our own bodies. We have lost touch with the importance of self-care, self-awareness, and leading a balanced life. As a society, we must be conscious of this imbalance and make a concerted effort to regain the knowledge and skills necessary for a healthy and fulfilling existence. If we don't, then we will be caught off guard and be forced to accept help from sources that do not care about our best interest and our self actualization as men.
This raises the question: Are money and technology the best metrics for gauging our advancement as a society and as individuals? I think a lot of us are starting to realize that money isn't the end-all, be-all. People are starting to focus more on personal well-being and happiness. We're seeing people talking about how we need to stop looking at GDP and start looking at how happy people are. Instead of just checking our bank accounts, we should be asking ourselves, "Am I happy at the end of the day?, how healthy am I?, am I living in my true purpose?"So, how can we build towards becoming a truly resilient society? A society where people can have fulfilling lives, even if the electricity goes out. The answer lies in cooperation and self-empowerment. Coming together as a collective and sharing information, supporting each other in various areas of resiliency, such as food, water, housing, and happiness. People should feel fulfilled and satisfied with their lives, not just financially, but emotionally and mentally as well. We need to reconsider what it means to be an advanced society and create environments where people can live their best lives, pursue their passions, and find meaning in their daily lives.

As men, we have a unique opportunity and responsibility to lead the way in building a resilient society. By exploring and actualizing our ultimate masculine potential, we can become true kings - leaders who inspire, guide, and empower ourselves and others.

This involves cultivating essential skills, such as self-reliance, adaptability, emotional intelligence, and the ability to foster strong, supportive communities. By embodying these qualities and leading by example, we can create a ripple effect that encourages others to embrace resilience and work towards a more sustainable, fulfilling future. As we navigate the challenges and uncertainties of our ever-changing reality, it is crucial that we, as men, step up and become true kings who take action in shaping a society that prioritizes the well-being and growth of all its members. By understanding and improving resilience, both within ourselves and our communities, we can better prepare for and respond to the obstacles that inevitably arise.

For anyone who feels lost trying to apply for accommodations on the MCAT, you are not alone! I will try to keep this short with as much information as possible. Please feel free to DM me with any personal questions!
Accommodation History

• Junior year of HS, my ACT tutors recommended I get a neuropsychological evaluation for support for extra time on the ACT due to clear signs of ADHD and testing struggles.
• Received full 2 day neuropsych eval outlining my ADHD and testing struggles.
• Received time & a half on all standardized tests (SAT, ACT)
• Received time & a half on all college assessments.

First MCAT Attempt - Normal Timing
I took the MCAT with no accommodations on 6/17/23. I scored below 500 (which was not consistent with my practice exams, but I remember being extremely nervous on test day, really running out of time, and only being able to guess on the math questions because I had no time to attempt them).
Reasons For Not Originally Attempting To Apply For Accommodations:
AAMC requires a neuropsych eval that has not expired within 4 years. My eval had just expired. It is pretty expensive and time consuming to get this done.
Didn't want to spend the time and money on a new neuropsych eval.
AAMC accommodation process seemed tedious and intimidating. I almost felt like I would be using my time better by studying for the MCAT instead of working on the application.
The stigma surrounding ADHD/receiving extra time on tests - I think I wanted to try to "overcome" my disability because of the fear of being judged..Especially when thinking about how doctors don't receive extra time in the real world. However, I can confidently say that there is no reason to feel judged for finding what works best for you as an individual and as a test taker, especially in order to "level the playing field". And we all know the MCAT is not comparable to real life emergency situations.
Important Resources/Documents I Submitted When Applying for Accommodations:

• Received a new neuropsychological evaluation.
  • As I said before, this can be extremely costly. Unfortunately, I do think this is absolutely necessary.
    • AAMC posted this Lower-Cost Evaluation Option for those who cannot afford pricey testing: https://students-residents.aamc.org/applying-medical-school/article/university-clinics
• Submitted previous neuropsych eval from 2017.
• I attended the same school from Kindergarten - 12th grade. I reached out to them and asked if they kept my report cards and notes from teachers throughout my academic career. I chose quotes from teachers that highlighted my ADHD-like tendencies throughout my time at the school.
• Reached out to the ACT to have them send my approval of taking the ACT with extra time.
• Submitted my ACT score when I tested with normal time & after testing with extra time (to show improvement)
  • a screenshot of your score is fine, just make sure your name is shown somewhere in the screenshot.
• Letters from High School + College explaining proof of receiving accommodations.

What I applied for (Applied on 10/24/23):

• Standard Time & 50% (This means testing over 2 days)
• Stop-The-Clock Breaks
• Extended Section Breaks (Only get one 10 min break per day when testing over 2 days)

First Decision Received by AAMC: (11/28/23)

• Approval for Standard Time + 25% (testing over 2 days)
• Stop-The-Clock breaks (30 min per testing day)
• Extra 5 minutes of break time for a total of 15 minutes, as opposed to 10 mins.

Wrote a Reconsideration Letter on behalf of myself & had my evaluator write a reconsideration letter.
Submitted this reconsideration letter on 12/22/23
Received Final Decision & Approval of What I Initially requested on 01/20/24.
This was a really long post and an extremely long journey. While I am extremely grateful that I have all these resources to share with you, I acknowledge that every situation is different. Please don't give up if you truly feel you deserve certain accommodations. The MCAT does not define you!
Good Luck & feel free to message me with any questions!!